Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson was known as a murderous policy numbers baron in Harlem during the 1930’s, but he was, in fact, the conduit between the Italian Mob and the Harlem rackets for almost three decades.

Ellsworth Johnson was born in Charleston, South Carolina on October 31, 1905. He got the nickname “Bumpy” because he had a huge dump on the back of his head. Johnson was said to be a brilliant child, and by the time he was eight years old, he had already skipped two grades. When Johnson was ten years old, his brother Willie was accused of killing a white man. Afraid of a lynch mob for Willie, Johnson’s parents sent Willie to live up north. Bumpy Johnson was a proud black man, who was defiant of the segregation and violence perpetrated on the blacks in the deep south. Johnson’s parents were worried Johnson, who had a violent temper, would follow in his brother Willie’s footsteps, so in 1919, they sent Johnson to Harlem to stay with his Aunt Mabel.

After graduating from Boys High in Brooklyn and attending City College for a few semesters, Johnson got involved with a wild element in Harlem. As a result, he made several trips to prison for such crimes as armed robbery and burglary. In a 10-year stretch of prison life, Johnson, because of his penchant for violence, spent a full three years in solitary confinement. When he was released in 1932, he had spent more that half his years on earth behind bars.

Back on the streets causing mayhem, Johnson caught the eye of Stephanie St. Clair, called “Madame Queen” in Harlem. Johnson became chief lieutenant to St. Clair, but it was rumored they were also lovers, even though St. Clair was 20 years older than Johnson.

St. Clair was a numbers baron who was being squeezed out of the rackets by crazed gangster Dutch Schultz. Schultz used every trick in the book to drive St. Clair out of Harlem, including killing her numbers runners and paying the cops, much more that St. Clair was paying the cops, to arrest her numbers runners on sight. Johnson, knowing Schultz was not a reasonable man, went to Italian mob boss Lucky Luciano and asked Luciano to intercede in St. Clair’s behalf. Luciano was impressed with Johnson gumption and intelligence, but he told Johnson there was not much he could do as far as Schultz was concerned, since they were partners in several other illegal endeavors. Johnson decided to take the war to Schultz, and for the next three years, both gangs shot each other on sight, resulting in numerous casualties on both sides.

Johnson and St. Clair caught a break, when in 1935, Luciano, tired of the murderous Schultz’ unpredictable violence, had Schultz gunned down in a New Jersey steakhouse. Luciano gave Schultz’ numbers rackets to “Trigger” Mike Coppola, a captain in what was later to be called the Genovese Crime Family. But Luciano, remembering Johnson’s capabilities, cut a deal with Johnson, allowing Johnson and St. Clair to keep their independent Harlem numbers business in tact. This made Johnson an instant hero in Harlem to the black people, and it also gave Johnson respect and credibility with the Italian mob. Soon, St. Clair opted for retirement, and she turned over her number operations to Johnson.

With the backing of the Italian mob, Johnson became “The Man” in Harlem. He rubbed elbows with several Harlem celebrities, including Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday and World Middleweight Champion Sugar Ray Robinson. He was also the uncrowned Crime Boss of Harlem, and no one could run an illegal operation in Harlem without clearing it with Johnson first and cutting him in for a piece of the pie.

From 1940 until 1968, Johnson acted as a “middleman” between the Genovese Crime Family, who operated out of Italian Harlem, which was the area surrounding East 116th Street, and the black gangsters operating out of the main section of Harlem. Johnson brokered numerous drug deals between black dealers and the Italian suppliers, who were importing the drugs from overseas. Johnson was also known as a “persuader,” or a high-level gangster who could settle mob disputes before they erupted into violence. It is estimated that during the time he was in power in Harlem, Johnson brokered deals, mostly drug affairs, involving tens of millions of dollars, with the Genovese Crime Family.

In 1952, Johnson was indicted for conspiracy to sell heroin and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. While he was at Alcatraz, it was rumored he helped three fellow inmates escape. Although he stood put himself, Johnson was said to have arranged to have a boat pick up the three escapees, once they sneaked out of prison and made it to the San Francisco Bay.

Johnson was released from prison in 1963, and when he returned to Harlem, the local folk threw him a ticker tape parade. In December 1965, Johnson led a sit-down strike in a police station, refusing to leave, as a protest against the cops conducting unreasonable surveillances on his crew. Johnson was charged with “refusal to leave a police station,” but at trial he was found not guilty.

On July 7, 1968, Johnson, under indictment by the Feds for drug conspiracy, was at Wells Restaurant in Harlem at 2 am, munching on a meal of chicken legs and hominy grits, washed down by coffee. When suddenly, he grabbed his chest and fell to the floor. With two-lifelong friends at his side, Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson died of a death attack at the age of 63, forever to be known as the “Harlem Godfather.”

Dekotora is an emerging fashion for customising trucks that originated in Japan. It is a craze that’s making motorways more interesting and truck stops brighter places to visit, as lorry drivers increasingly put aside their dull delivery work liveries and opt for artistic haulage vehicles.

In Britain, we are used to seeing lorries with ladies names on the roads, perhaps the occasional delivery worker who has added a neon name badge or fairy lights to his dashboard. In Japan, they go much further.

Dekotora trucks are fully customised by their drivers. This can include changing everything from the wing mirrors to the wheel caps. Dekotora drivers will spend serious amounts of money and time making ‘their ride’ both astonishing and unique. There are gatherings similar to car rallies or Morris Minor fan club meetings where people can exhibit their customisation work, and browse and admire the imaginative work of others.

Delivery Works of Art

The art displayed on the sidings of the trailers is wide ranging. You can see images from classical, modern and mythological Japanese culture, such as Anime cartoons, elegant dragons, gods on hazy mountain-tops, and soft-edged geishas. But not all the trucks have a benevolent air; there are many more decorations with an edge to them: snarling demons, stylish gangsters from Asian movies, and rock n’ roll idols.

Changing Shape and Colour

But the personalisation of these trucks goes way beyond paint. Many vehicles feature additional wings and elaborate edgings, where mirrors and chrome are added to metal awnings, baffles, pipes, boxes and bumpers. On the front of the cab, grills are enhanced and flat-nose trucks (COE) are extended forward with a cosmetic skirting similar to a snow plough or ‘cow catcher’, except they are decorative rather than practical.

Some additions of chrome frames and wings are so enormous that you wonder how a working delivery driver can see well enough to negotiate traffic. These additions make the lorries seem muscular; some appear more like tanks than trucks, very much like Transformer robot toys before they change into android form.

The most striking elements of the decorations are the extra lights. The trucks wear multi-coloured, rippling and flashing sequences of lights and lit panels, so they resemble a slot machine or a fair ground ride. With lights along the length of the rails and neon components all over, this makes a Dekotora truck an amazing thing to encounter at night.

Interior Designs

But it’s not just the outside of the trucks that get a make-over. Dekotora drivers are house proud and truck proud, and will work on the interiors, too. One idiosyncratic trucker has reconstructed a Victorian style drawing room in his trailer so when he takes a break from his delivery work he can relax in style on a plush sofa surrounded by red velvet, polished wood furnishings and panelled walls, all under a chandelier. It’s an unusual thing to see associated with a haulage vehicle.

It’s a Strange Game

Making such changes is not a cheap affair, and it’s telling that increasingly drivers of Dekotora trucks are fans of trucking and use their vehicles for leisure alone, rather than for delivery work.

Although this sounds like a cult sensation, the Dekotora culture and eccentricity is spreading. There is even a video game in development in which you drive a decorated truck around a virtual city at breakneck speeds, aiming to complete your deliveries before working on the customisation your gaming vehicle.

The Dekotora fad is believed to originate from a series of “Truck Guys” (Torakku Yaro) films in Japan, but it now has a growing international appeal. So keep an eye out on the roads: you will certainly know when you see one!

This is the first of the 'Spotlight on a Millionaire' series where I will be showcasing the secrets to a millionaire's success in different spheres around the world to prove my theory that anybody could be a successful entrepreneur with the right attributes and mindset.

The focus in this piece is on New York rapper 50 Cent, real name Curtis Jackson. By sharing his path to success, I will highlight the transferable attributes and mindset he demonstrated on the road to success that can be applied to internet marketing

Curtis Jackson was born on July 6 1975 and grew up without knowing his dad. His mum Sabrina, who gave birth to him as a 15 year old, was a drug dealer and was murdered when young Curtis was only 8 years old. Consequently, he was raised by his grandparents in a crowded house of uncles and aunts.

Young Curtis was constantly in trouble with the police for dealing drugs, culminating in a six months stint in a boot camp which helped him avoid serving 3 – 9 years in prison. He was also a keen boxer in his early teens and attributes his competitive nature in rap and life in general to the conditioning he got in boxing. He competed in the Junior Olympics in the mid 1980s. Here, you can see a young man demonstrating competitiveness and courage. Competitiveness in the context of internet marketing include continually looking for ways to enhance self development, learning new techniques to have better results from marketing and setting goals at periodic intervals.

He borrowed the stage name 50 Cent from Kelvin Martin who made a name for himself robbing gangsters. Curtis Jackson has explained that his stage name was a metaphor for change. The rapper commented in Stuff Magazine in 2005 that he chose the name because "I'm the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means". This clearly shows a mindset of someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. In the context of internet marketing, doing whatever it takes to succeed could include listening to training calls, increasing your marketing budget, following the system and learning from successful entrepreneurs in your business.

His first break came when he was introduced to Jam Master Jay of Run DMC in 1996. The legendary DJ and producer taught him how to organize, structure and record his songs. Although they didn't release an album together, 50 Cent credits Jam Master Jay as an important early influence in his career. Following 50 Cent's lead, a budding entrepreneur must ensure he aligns himself with a successful entrepreneur as early as possible. He should try as much as possible to get a mentor, if not his sponsor but someone in his upline or he can get one through networking. It is also important to note that 50 Cent had moved away from his drug dealing colleagues by this time which implies that the new entrepreneur must as much as possible distance himself from people that bring little or no benefit to his business.

Three years later, 50 Cent was signed to Columbia Records by successful producers, Trackmasters. He completed the album, Power of the Dollar in 2000 although it was never officially released. By now, 50 Cent was gaining street acclaim, especially as a result of the single 'How to Rob', where the Southside Queens rapper talked about how and why he would rob the top artists of the time. With effort, dedication and hardwork comes success. 50 Cent had not achieved his main goal at this time of making the mainstream, but the little success he was having must have served as motivation for him to keep on going. As an entrepreneur, always have a main goal but also have interim goals or milestones that signpost you to achieve the main goal.

Just as he was about to make a breakthrough, on May 24 2000, 50 Cent was shot 9 times in front of his grandmother's house. He mysteriously survived and began to convince himself he had a purpose in life which was as yet unfulfilled. Even though he was dropped by Columbia Records in the wake of the shooting 50 Cent did not give up and continued to make underground hits backed by the newly formed G-Unit comprising of fellow New Yorkers, Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks. The example we must learn here is that even in the face of considerable setback, we must not give up but continue to have faith in our ability to turn things around. We must persevere and be consistent and the break or success will come.

50 Cent's big break finally arrived in 2002, when rap megastar, Eminem heard one of his mixtapes (underground album). Eminem was so impressed that he introduced the rapper to NWA legend Dr Dre by now a top producer. 50 Cent was subsequently signed to a $ 1m record deal. 50 Cent could have given up not knowing how close success was after he was shot. Incidentally, he was shot because some highly feared gangsters did not want him to succeed in the rap game as that would affect the sales of their artist's records. 50 Cent ignored the threats and persisted. By being persistent and consistent, an entrepreneur's break will come. We must learn to overcome our fear of failure and be courageous in pursuing our dreams.

In early 2003, the album which was to change his life forever, 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' was released. The lead single from the album 'In da Club' broke all sorts of records, firmly establishing 50 Cent in the commercial mainstream. The album sold nearly 1 million copies in its first week alone, debuting at number 1 on the Billboard chart.

50 Cent has followed up the phenomenal success of 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' by releasing two more platinum albums, the Massacre and Curtis and has also released albums with G-Unit and countless mixtapes. He is planning to release a new album in 2009, 'Before I Self Destruct'. Clearly, 50 Cent is not a man to rest on his laurels. All successful entrepreneurs share this trait of also striving for more. They are never content with present successful and are always pushing themselves to new boundaries.

50 Cent frequently records mixtapes which he allows his fans to download for free over the internet. He is demonstrating a mindset which is crucial to the success of an internet marketer. By using his mixtapes as promotion, 50 Cent is basically offering something of value to his customers to gain customer loyalty. By doing this on a consistent basis, selling his products become easier. Entrepreneurs must firstly focus on providing value to their customers before trying to sell their products.

Mr Jackson's success is not confined to the music business alone. He has other business projects. In 2007, Coca Cola purchased Glaceau, in which 50 Cent had a stake, netting him around $ 100m after tax, according to Forbes Magazine. He has also been involved in film projects like 'Righteous Kill' with Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino and 'Get Rich or Die Tryin', a film based on his life. A successful entrepreneur will always look to get out of her comfort zone as the motivation of stretching her boundaries to become the best she can drives her on.

50 Cent will undoubtedly continue to be a success. By approaching his music as a business instead of a hobby, the rapper is living the life of his dreams. His mindset and attributes are transferable and will almost guarantee his success in his projects outside of music. His belief and faith in his ability will help him to exercise patience when the going gets tough, his competitiveness will ensure he does whatever is required to succeed in whatever his set his mind to and his courage means failure is not an option.

50 Cent has qualities every entrepreneur needs to be successful and to achieve the life of their dreams and he certain is an example that supports my theory that with the right attributes and mindset anyone can be successful.

More and more women are getting tattoos. In the past tattoos were associated with gangsters and women of “questionable virtue”; tattoos are now seen as an artwork and a form of personal expression. That being said not everyone wants a skull or a heart with “Mom” written through it (no disrespect to anyone’s mom!) Women in particular want more delicate pretty tattoos, and for this reason bow tattoos have become increasingly popular.

Bows have long been associated with girls and women, worn in their hair and on their clothes as a fashion statement. I see tattoos as a personal and fashion statement, so it seems only sensible to me that they are making a more permanent statement and having them tattooed on their bodies. We can spend hours choosing the right clothes to wear, and applying make-up, if you already have a bow tattoo that is one form of beautification already taken care of, after the initial inking, it takes no time to apply and it will be washed every time you are.

The position of your bow tattoo is equally important; do you want it on prominent public display? Or are you going to keep it under wraps, showing it only when you choose? This will depend not only on your personality and how confident you feel displaying your tattoos, but also on your lifestyle, if you are a corporate business woman you might need to keep yours undercover at work! One particularly effective option is to have a slender part of the body, finger, wrist or ankle circled with an inked ribbon and finished with a bow tattoo. This can resemble jewellery as can bow tattoos on earlobes. If you want to be able to cover up at times, consider having your bow tattoo inked on your shoulder, lower back or thigh.

There is an old saying/tradition that uses knots or bows of string tied around fingers or into clothes to remind you of something, a bow tattoo can be used in the same way to remind you of a special person or event, a birth or anniversary for example. Bows have been used in art for hundreds of years to symbolise the fragility of life, it can be beautiful, just like a bow, but also like a bow life can be unravelled quickly. Yellow ribbons tied around trees have been used in more recent history, as a symbol that someone is waiting for the return of a loved one from war or a long journey. Pink bows or ribbons are now used to raise awareness of, and support for, women suffering from breast cancer. These are all powerful symbols and therefore anyone wishing to get a bow tattoo should think carefully which color and shape of bow to have inked, choose something that means something to you, it will be with you for a long time and will be a reflection of who you are to the world.

Loan sharking is the practice of lending money to desperate people at extremely high and illegal rates of interest. Loan sharks, or shylocks, make a big profit from people who can’t get loans from legitimate sources, such as banks or other lending institutions. For as long as people have needed money they don’t have, there have been loan sharks there to provide their services for a fee. They introduce themselves as a solution to a problem; they are businessmen who want to help a borrower get out of a bind. Prey to these sharks can be compulsive gamblers, single parents, the elderly, illegal immigrants, white-collar executives, or anybody else who desperately needs more money than they have access to.

Most people associate loan sharks with gangsters and organized crime. Loan sharking is a very lucrative business for criminals, and it’s a major source of income for the crime families. They receive a very good rate of return on their investment, and in a short amount of time, often a matter of weeks. They may charge interest at rates of up to 20% per week, and possibly even higher. In one New York investigation, it was found that a loan shark syndicate was netting 3000% annual interest! Dallas mobsters were more competitively priced, they charged only 585% annual interest. These were rates in the ghetto. Shylocks would be more competitively priced for corporate white-collar businessmen; rates might be more in the 5% weekly range.

In the mafia world, shylocking is also known as six-for-five; you borrow five and pay back six at the end of the week. You can see how this can turn very expensive. If someone borrowed five hundred and did not have the full payment, the loan shark would accept the interest payment of one hundred and extend the loan for another week, with interest. If they can’t pay when they’re supposed to, they would be forced to take out another loan, interest is added on top of interest and the debt can quickly become impossible to get out of.

The funds for shylocking would usually come from the top, the family boss. The boss would loan money to his capos (lieutenants), knowing he could trust them to pay him back with interest. The capos then loan money with interest to the lower ranking members of the mob. These are the loan sharks that made loans to the common citizen, and enforced payment.

Loan sharks ensured payment with threats of violence. They require no collateral other than the borrower and his family’s well being. “Leg-breakers” were often employed by loan sharks to be sure they receive payment. It’s not true that people were always killed if they didn’t pay. Dead people can’t pay back their debts, so it would not be good business practice to eliminate resources. They would occasionally “make an example” of some who owed very little to be sure other borrowers took them seriously. The borrower, worrying about life and limb of himself and his family, would have no option but to pay the shylock even if it meant he had to lie, cheat, or steal.

Modern Day Predatory Lending

There is no legal definition for predatory lending, but it generally includes the use of unethical practices by lenders who use tactics that skirt around the law. They might give unfair loan terms, use confusing language, charge hidden fees, and use high-pressure sales methods. They make money as long as they can keep borrowers in debt to them. They commonly target the elderly, low-income, minorities, or people with poor credit, but anyone can be a victim of these unscrupulous lenders. Predatory lenders thrive on consumers who need or want more than they can afford to have, and trick borrowers into believing the loans are necessary and affordable.

Many commonly accepted loan services are available to consumers that work on the same principles as a mob shylock. There are laws regulating the amount of interest that can be charged for a loan, but lenders can charge “service fees.” Check cashing places offer “payday loans”, you can write them a post-dated check for the amount of the loan, plus a hefty fee for use of that money for a week or two. The fees can amount to 400% APR, these places are happy to loan as much as possible based on the borrower’s expected paycheck. Then what happens when he gets his paycheck and realizes that it’s already spent? He’ll go back to take out another payday loan so he can pay his bills and buy groceries. This cycle of borrowing more to pay back a loan can trap a person into being perpetually in debt and never getting ahead. These places are usually found on the same block as a liquor store in low-income neighborhoods. These lenders prey on people with limited means and encourage them to live paycheck to paycheck.

Title loans are another way people are getting ripped off. People who own their car free and clear can bring in their title and an extra set of keys, and drive away with up to half the value of their car. They agree to a loan at an extremely high rate, or with a large balloon payment without realistically being able to pay. The title loan companies don’t care what kind of credit the borrower has, because they win either way. They receive an excellent profit on the interest charges or they repossess the car and sell it for twice the loan amount. Sounds like a “can’t lose” situation for them, so it must be a “can’t win” situation for the borrower.

I’ve heard predatory commercials on the radio from car dealerships. The announcer might say something ridiculous like, “We’ll give you $5000 for your trade on anything you can push, pull, or tow in here, and we don’t care how ugly it is!” We’d all be rich if we could sell junk cars for $5000, but who would buy one? These predatory lenders just add that $5000 that they “gave” you to the price of your new car being financed. You’ll drive away in a shiny new car and you’ll get stuck with a loan for $5000 more than the car is worth.

What if you owe more on your trade-in than it’s value? It’s known as a negative equity loan or an upside down loan. This is quite common, considering car dealers want to sell expensive cars more than cheaper ones, and consumers want to drive the best car they can get a loan for. Cars depreciate faster than the loan can be paid down, and when you spread the payments over five or six years instead of three, this can amount to thousands of dollars. Eager to sell you another new car, dealerships work with lenders and add the difference to your loan amount, ensuring that vicious debt cycle.

It is appalling that greedy predatory lenders would go so far as to trick people out of their homes, but it happens. Abundant offers for second mortgages or use credit card balance transfers to pay off credit card debt come daily in the mail. It’s shocking that lenders would encourage you to take equity from your home to buy a two-week vacation, a hot tub, a motorcycle, or other big “toys”. Would a sensible person really want to pay 15-30 years with interest for some unnecessary material items that make life just a little more fun? These predatory lenders like to remind you of all the improvements you could make in your life if you just had access to the equity in your home. They encourage you to dream of everything you’re missing out on because your assets are tied up in your house. They sell you on the idea that you’ll “save” money by consolidating your high interest debt. You might have smaller monthly payments… but the debt is stretched out over many years, increasing your total interest costs. Many borrowers just rack up new debt after getting that second mortgage to pay off bills because their formerly maxed out credit cards are now freed up again. When the borrower can’t afford his mortgage, second mortgage, and new credit card debt, the home goes into foreclosure and the borrower loses everything he’s worked for.

Home-improvement scams have also hit America hard, particularly the elderly. Someone who has been making regular mortgage payments for many years has most likely built up lots of equity in their home, which makes them a prime target for these ruthless predators. Contractors offer to make repairs or improvements to the home, and can even be so “helpful” as to set up financing for the unsuspecting homeowner. An elderly widow, who can’t do the work herself, is grateful for the nice young man who can help her get her home back in shape. When it comes to the confusing legal jargon in the contract, she trusts him and his simple explanation of what it is she’s signing. She unknowingly agrees to take out a high-interest second mortgage that requires a balloon payment at the end. She later finds out that all her payments have gone to pay mostly interest, barely making a dent in the principle owed. She can’t pay the huge balloon payment when due, and loses her house in foreclosure. It is unfortunate that these predators are willing to put someone’s grandmother out of her home to make their fortune.

My neighborhood is several years old and a part of it is still in construction. This addition draws many first-time homebuyers. When I shopped for mortgages, I thought it was odd that my builder’s mortgage lender approved my loan for an amount about 30% more than a regular mortgage broker could get for me. Don’t we all want the best house we can afford? It’s tempting to take a mortgage that’s barely affordable, to get that bigger house with more options. It’s interesting to note that there are quite a few foreclosures in this neighborhood, usually the houses that are about two years old. On brand new homes, you would only pay taxes on the value of the empty lot, that is, until it is reassessed with the value of the house on it. This happens where I live about a year and a half after the home is built and closed on. The mortgage lender does warn you that your payments will go up in a couple of years after the taxes are reassessed, but still approves your mortgage based on your current income and the tax on the empty lot. You might not think much of it then because you believe you’ll figure something out by the time your payments go up. About 18 months later, your PITI payment increases by a couple of hundred dollars a month, but your income hasn’t. Many families have lost their homes to foreclosure because they weren’t prepared for this dramatic increase in payment.

Predatory lending has many more faces; I gave just a few examples. You’ve heard of scams people have reported in the newspapers. You can read about victims in internet blogs. The nightly news is always showing a new story about a new way predators are trying to take our money. You’ve seen the ads that the lenders themselves have run. These unscrupulous businesses may be fraudulent, or just plain tricky. They thrive on the “Gotta have it now” attitude that many consumers live by. The only way to protect yourself is to educate yourself. I’ve referred to the borrowers several times as “victims”, but truly they are victims of their own lack of awareness.

Protect Yourself From Predatory Lenders

• Use your financial common sense; if you can’t afford it, you shouldn’t buy it.
• Plan a realistic budget and stick to it.
• Have a savings plan so that you’ll be prepared in case of a true emergency.
• Keep your credit rating high so that you won’t be forced to go with “sub-prime” lenders, where predatory lending is common.
• Be skeptical about quick fixes and easy money.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Bad credit, no credit, no problem! This is one of predatory lenders favorite lines.
• Buy here, pay here! Rent to own. No money down! You must act now! Some of their other favorite lines.
• Any loan, including your first mortgage, which uses the equity in your house as collateral should be looked at very carefully.
• Know what it is you’re signing, and never sign documents that don’t have all the terms filled in.
• If you don’t understand the contract in question, consult an attorney. Lawyer fees can be a bargain compared to the potential loss.
• Shop around for loans of any kind; never say yes to the first offer.
• Visit The Center For Responsible Lending for information about laws to protect you, or how you can get involved in the fight against predatory lending.
• Don’t let salesmen pressure you into something you aren’t sure about.
• Refuse to take out more loans to pay off already unmanageable debts.
• Beware of the temptingly low interest rates that skyrocket after you’ve had enough time to shop more than you should.
• Take responsibility for your financial well-being.
• Predatory lenders are out there taking money, but don’t let them take yours.

When you think of Jaguar, you think of old men with pipes, tweed jackets and of course Inspector Morse! Three things that I would struggle, even with my imaginative little mind, to describe as glamorous, exciting or in touch with people under the age of 55.

For the past 40 odd years Jaguar stayed in a safe market place where they knew that they would appeal ….. 55-100 years old ….. for too long. This is part of the reason they were in the financial **** and were brought by Tata (not the stuff you get on your teeth). I honestly thought that would be the death of Jaguar but I'm happy to say that they have amazed me in turning this brand around. I half expected the Jaguar dealerships being transformed from what was once a Great British automotive institution in to one of the largest chains of curry houses in the world.

If you look back to the 60's, Jaguar's Mk 2 was the choice getaway car for gangsters! When the E type was released, Enzo Ferrari himself called it "The most beautiful car ever made". That is the teacher praising the student or like when Pele said George Best was the best player he'd ever seen. So why, when they had it so right did they let it go so wrong!?!

The XJ-S was a poor replacement for the E-type and Jaguar didn't really replace the Mk 2 or the S type until the release of the new S type some 30 years later which looked woefully like the Rover 75 and the X type was an expensive Mondeo with a Jaguar badge.

They had the idea right with the XJ220 and the first XK8, but were still missing something that made enough people stop and say 'wow'.

Thankfully, in 2008, Jaguar really got it right with the XF. This car looks great !!! It is the car that has reshaped and reinvigorated the Jaguar brand whilst mixing modern styling with traditional Jaguar values ​​with great effect. It has to be said that Jaguar has really hit Audi and BMW where it hurts (right in the 'repmobiles'!) And thankfully they haven't rested on it. They want to be known for making the ultimate saloon car by taking on BMW's awesome M5 and the phenomenal Audi RS6 in the form of the XF-R.

It takes a lot to get my backside out of bed at 6am on a Friday but since as I had to be at our office for 7am, the thought of a 5.0 liter Supercharged V8 with 503bhp certainly made it easier. When I arrived I couldn't help but admire some of the additional styling over and above the standard XF. The body work + additional air vents which state SUPERCHARGED, give the car a much more aggressive stance. To further imprint on you that this is a SUPERCHARGED car, Jaguar took the liberty of stamping it on the 20inch alloy wheels which I thought was a great touch. They have also continued to use the brilliant styling details from the standard XF like the gear stick that pops out of the center console when you start the car and air vents that electronically rotate and disappear when you turn them on and off. Little things like that make you know that Jaguar means business.

On the way back to Nottingham, at 7,15am on an empty A52, I wasn't only amazed how quickly the car got up to erm ………. 70ish mph but how smooth and effortless it got there as well. I've driven no end of cars that will do 70ish mph very quickly and I can honestly say that this is the easiest 70ish mph I have ever done! It simply eats up the road in the most comfortable way ever even in the more hardcore dynamic mode, which basically tweaks everything from the throttle response to the suspension, to improve cornering for the more 'enthusiastic' driver shall we say.

The basic facts that you need know about this car are that it hits 0-60 in 4.7 seconds which is impressive, but not as impressive as the 50-70mph in 1.9 seconds which is ridiculous (clearly the Indian owners have put some silly hot Vindaloo mixed with about a million Scotch Bonnet chilli's up-front) and faster than a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 !!! Not bad for a car that weighs 2,345 kg's. It is supposedly limited to 155mph although a "tweaked" XFR, producing 600 bhp, hit a top speed of 225.675 mph on Bonneville Salt Flats in November 2008 which isn't too shabby for a 4 door saloon.

Through the twisty country lanes it handles almost as well as you would expect / hope. However I just think it lacks the poise and the precision of the M5 or the RS6 through the bends, but it more than makes up for that as a car to live with everyday, although you'll need deep pockets if you have a heavy right foot like me as it drinks quicker than 100 relapsed alcoholic's in a Smirnoff Vodka factory! I had the car for a week, covered 800 miles and used nearly £ 300.00 worth of Super Unleaded. OUCH !!

Personally, I think that this is a hugely impressive car as well as a huge improvement on Jaguar's past efforts in this market place. It has everything going for it and in my opinion is more striking to look at than the competition, a more comfortable and well laid out interior, supercar equalling performance and massively impressive levels of space and quality. The M5 is more impressive through the bends but is less well spec'd and not as forgiving to live with day to day. Couple all this with the fact that the Jaguar is 'only' £ 59,900 making it a wickedly cheap car compared to the £ 65,300 for the M5 and stupidly expensive £ 74,555 for the RS6.

For me I would have the Jaguar every time.

Now to Sainsbury's to put the Lottery on …….

The Tattoo~ Body Art

The earliest tattoos in recorded history can be found in Egypt around the time of the building of the great pyramids, although without a doubt tattooing was practised as long ago as 12,000 BC. The art of tattooing spread rapidly with the expansion of the Egyptian Empire, with Crete, Greece, Arabia And Persia among many civilisations to pick up and expand the art form. Around 2000 BC it spread to China and eventually most of the world.

Tattoos were popular among many ethnic minorities in ancient Chinese times, But among the ethnic majority ( The Han Chinese ),Tattoos were mostly associated with criminals, bandits and gangsters, where these undesirables would be branded with a tattoo. In many other cultures tattoos were used to visibly mark or brand criminals, convicts, slaves or outcasts, and of course the most infamous use of tattoos for identification and degradation was by the Nazis against the Jews.

Tattoos have always played an important role in ritual and tradition. For Example: Rights of passage – A ritual marking a persons progress from one status to another. Ceremonies for puberty, Coming of age, Marriages and deaths. Religious ceremonies such as baptism or confirmation. Decorations for bravery. Talismans for protection, to name but a few.

Western tattooing has it’s roots in Polynesia the “Tatau” having been discovered by eighteenth century explorers. The Tatau becoming a favourite adornment of European sailors before spreading to western societies in general. In fact many seafairers became tattooed to enable identification if they were unlucky enough to drown. So, many tattooists set up shop to practice their craft at sea ports where there was no shortage of customers. Tattooists still thrive in naval ports today as sailors in the royal Navy are quite partial to tattoos.

Tattoos are also used for cosmetic purposes to hide or camouflage skin discolorations and blemishes, even to cover up old unwanted tattoos, especially (as in the case of many celebrities) after a divorce or separation where the name of the “ex” is now an embarrassment on the body!! Tattoos are even used to create permanent makeup, to line the lips or eyes, enhance the eyebrows or as a full permanent lipstick.

Since the latter part of the 20th century tattoos have experienced a rebirth in popularity. Pop culture being influential inspiring reality based TV shows covering real life tattooing practice and associated information. Tattoos as an art form started to be exhibited at art exhibitions with different artists work being shown and reviewed. Studies in 2006 revealed that 36% of Americans between the age of 18-64 had at least one tattoo. Today who knows by how much those figures will have risen.

In the west today tattoos are incredibly popular as a body art form. Gifted tattoo artists can adorn your body with any design you want. More and more tattoo parlours are popping up making it very easy to get tattooed. If you want to get tattooed but are not sure which design to go for, there is no quicker and easier way to find the design you want than to look on the internet.There are millions of illustrations for you to browse through so you’ll have no trouble finding a design to suit your needs. You can browse, choose the design, save it and then print it and take it to your local tattooist, who will skillfully replicate the design on whatever part of your body you choose.

Tattoos have been around since the ancient times here, but until a few decades back were associated with every lowlife in society, gang members, jail inmates, wild sailors, rock stars, etc. But now tattoos have made their revival in a big way and it seems everyone wants to have one. Tattooing has become quite popular in the eighteen to fifty year age bracket. Neck tattoos for men have become quite a rage and though quite painful are sported quite commonly. But neck tattoos are not necessarily viewed as sexy or even appealing but a lot of women, some women are turned off by the sight of a neck tattoo. But despite this, some of the coolest and popular neck tattoo designs for men are given below.

1. Cross – Its looks faintly punkish but the grey artistic Celtic crosses sported on the neck look quite attractive. They are small in size but visually a delight.

2. Barcode – Sported at the back of the neck, it is quite a unique design and not easily visible unless wearing t-shirts.

3. Twirling snakes – This gives an edgy and dangerous appeal to the neck. Gangsters usually sport them as do rappers.

4. Jesus on the cross – Sported at the back of the neck, it looks quite sexy and though it has a religious symbolism, most guys tattoo it for looking great usually.

5. Rose – Usually viewed as a girly tattoo, on the right neck, a red rose has a strange romantically masculine theme to it.

6. Skulls – Skulls on the neck are usually colourful to catch the eye, it doesn’t necessarily have to macabre but could be cool or even funny.

7. Fire – A gorgeous tattoo to get inked onto the side or back of the neck, colours of red and orange look beautiful and quite masculine.

8. Tribal – A small tribal theme on the side or back of the neck adds up the oomph factor.

9. Gothic – Gothic designs look quite appealing even on people who aren’t part of the cult. A sexy gothic skull can add to the person’s personality.

10. Zodiac sign – These look quite masculine and sexy when done up in a small size with different hues on it. Some people even prefer to write a few of their attributes related to their sign either with it or on the side.

11. Heart – Bleeding hearts or broken ones look quite masculine and depicts quite a lot about what the view of the person is on love.

12. Nautical star – This is a popular design and can be done on the side or back of the neck, it represents the North Star and you don’t necessarily have to be a sailor to get one. It can be in dull blue or grey or bright red, depending on your choice.

People come from all over the world to Hot Springs, Arkansas to enjoy and relax in the legendary natural spring water that is some of the purest in the world. The most unique National Park in existence, and the only one in an urban setting, Hot Springs has traditionally offered a very unique historic experience to spa goers.

That's because in 1832, recognizing the importance of this natural asset, Congress set aside the natural hot springs site as a federal reservation, making Hot Springs National Park the first federally protected area in the national park system.

The heyday of "Bathhouse Row" was in the 1920s through the 1940s when people flocked to the area to bathe in the naturally healing water. Beautiful, ornate bathhouses were built along Central Avenue to accommodate the crowds, which included Presidents, opera singers, gangsters and famous baseball players.

But with the advent of a new lease program, the National Park Service has opened up an opportunity which allows developers to come in and offer the finest, purest spring water in the world to a new generation of consumers looking for a more luxurious spa experience.

The Quapaw Bathhouse, a beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival built in 1922, has been completely renovated. The most impressive exterior feature is the large central dome featuring brilliantly colored mosaic tiles and capped with a small copper cupola. Directly above the entrance is a cartouche with a carved Indian head set into the decorative double-curved parapet. The Indian motif, found throughout the building, was used to reinforce the legend, that the Indians had discovered the magical healing powers of the spring and cave now housed in the building's basement.

This unique natural steam cave has been recently opened to the public, and this particular spring contains one of the highest mineral contents of all of the area springs. A small 'man built' cave created during the construction of the building surrounds the spring today and allows the radiant heat from the naturally flowing 143-degree water to gather in the room.

It took the investment group made up of four partners nearly a decade to pull together the financing, meanwhile the Stockmarket was "crashing" and they had to go through the process a second time.

"We were fortunate that Superintendent Josie Fernandez went to bat for us," says Taylor as the layout of the historic building would have to be altered some to make it work for today's market. In fact the building won a historic design award.

A variety of facials lasting from 25 to 50 minutes are available using Éminence Organic products which are created using European certified, premium quality herbs, fruits, and flower buds, only with no harsh preservatives or chemicals.

Massage treatments at the Quapaw include Swedish, Deep Tissue, Hot Stone and Foot massage. The treatment rooms are outfitted with state- of-the- art tables for optimum therapy results.

But the major reason for visiting the Quapaw is the water of course. Kneipp herbal bath treatments are available in addition to the natural water experience. The plant and herbal formulas in Kneipp aromatherapy products help restore and maintain the body's natural well being and provide the healthful benefits of nature. The Kneipp Private Bath combines the purest natural herbs with the soothing power of thermal mineral water.

Should you go, you have the option to bathe in three large bath areas, or in a private whirlpool bath where clothing is optional. The steam cave is positively a rare opportunity, and the massage therapists are top notch.

Franklyn C. Thomas has weaved a masterful plot in his boxing-themed novel, The Favorite . If you like sports, you'll love this book, which is injected with pain, humor, and love. The talented author has wanted to be a writer since he was 10 or 11-years old, but he didn't realize he could thrive at it until he was 17. At that age, he was in college and nursing a massive crush on a girl who'd taken an interest in his writing. Although the relationship never worked out, the writing became a powerful part of his life.

Franklyn has published two sports-based novels. Growing up in New York City, it was hard not to be a sports fan because there are so many teams all year round. Franklyn also dabbles in writing science fiction and action, which he owes to a childhood watching The Twilight Zone reruns and cheesy 80's action and cop shows like MacGyver and TJ Hooker .

As a result, Franklyn reads anything that will interest him. He doesn't have one favorite genre. He'll read science-fiction, literary fiction, urban fiction and crime fiction. The only exception is romance, and he doesn't necessarily think those were written with him in mind.

His debut novel, The Favorite , was published through iUniverse earlier this year. It's about veteran prizefighter Michael Dane who believes he's on top of the world. He's had a star-crossed career and a life with plenty of wins in the ring as well as an eighteen-month stint in prison. As the number-one contender for the IBF Light-Heavyweight Championship, he's training to go up against Quin Cortez, the undefeated champion, in a title fight in Las Vegas. Michael's drug-running manager, Dante Alexander, has driven his career, making no friends along the way. Now, after a tense meeting with Dante, Michael is rethinking his choices as a man and as a professional fighter. Worse, he's doing all he can to stay one step ahead of the treacherous men who would exploit him for their own gains. With nowhere else to turn and with few people he can really trust, Michael turns to his former trainer for advice. Terence "Dutch" Masters raised him like a son and influenced him to reconcile with the love of his life. His former girlfriend, Selena, now several months pregnant with his child, represents a life he has never known. Now Michael must do what it takes to keep everyone in his life safe from Dante. With his old trainer in his corner for one more fight, with his old flame back in his life, and with rival gangsters flanking him, can Michael get out with the title. . . and his life?

After writing and promoting The Favorite , Franklyn is working on a few projects, including a few short stories and a few ideas for novels. He's halfway through the first draft of a novel called Open , which follows a bored married couple's decision to loosen the rules of their relationship. He's plotting a novel titled Urban Legend , which is a revenge story disguised as a super-hero adventure. Finally, he's plotting the "episodic" novel The Game , the first draft of which he'll periodically post on his blog and on Wattpad .

When not writing or plotting novels, Franklyn works full-time in a Sleep Disorders Center as a tech. He also watches and plays sports (baseball and basketball), reads, and watches movies, feeding his active imagination. He says, "Writing, telling a story, allows my imagination free reign within the constraints of vocabulary. It's freeing and peaceful."

If Franklyn could be a fictional character, he'd imagine himself as Batman . His favorite author is Christopher Moore. Moore's stories are accessible. His characters, even the bad guys, are so very likable. Franklyn is such an unabashed fan of his work.

Finally, I asked Franklyn what he would like his readers to know about him and / or his writing. He responded, "My writing is most influenced by comic books. When I learned to read, my brother's comic books were always in my house, and I devoured them. I learned lessons on pacing, vocabulary, and long-term character development through the pages of X-Men , Spider-Man and Batman . My book can be found at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HQKZ7E6/ .