Students Of Success

The quickie green card marriage may be a relic of the past. U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (”CIS”, previously known as INS) is limiting green card issuance that can directly impact the immigrant and his or her sponsor’s future. As the law now stands, even if an immigrant is married to a U.S. citizen, if the marriage is less than two years old at the time the green card interview (adjustment of status interview) takes place, CIS will only grant the immigrant a two year green card.

This “conditional green card” will terminate in two years if the couple cannot prove that they are still living together as husband and wife. This requirement was created in 1986 when Congress believed that the only way to counteract fake or sham marriages was to require ongoing proof that the couple still lived together and the marriage was not a mere economic or business transaction.

To convert the conditional (2 year) green card into a permanent green card, the U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident sponsoring spouse and the conditional green card-holding spouse must together to petition to have the condition removed, or else the green card will expire and lawful permanent residency status will be terminated.
This petition must be filed within the 3 month period before the green card expires.

In reality, though, the two year expiration can potentially cause quite a few problems for marriages that were real when the couple wed but are now leading to divorce due to domestic violence, adultery, or other “irreconcilable differences” near the time the immigrant’s green card is expiring. By requiring the cooperation of the petitioning US citizen, in most circumstances, to sign and file to have the condition taken off, the process creates a power-struggle between a feuding couple and worse, gives more power over the immigrant to an abusive U.S. citizen spouse.

There are limited exceptions available to an immigrant when his or her U.S. citizen spouse will not cooperate or help the immigrant file to have the condition taken off of the green card. If a couple separates or divorces at any time after the green card is first issued, it is unlikely that the originally sponsoring U.S. citizen or LPR spouse will cooperate in helping the immigrant spouse release the condition on the green card for a number of reasons. If this happens, the immigrant may be able to apply to have the condition removed from his or her own green card by applying for a waiver. The waiver allows the immigrant to apply to remove the condition on his or her green card without the assistance of their spouse. There are currently three different ways or grounds to apply for a waiver:

(1) good faith or bona fide marriage ground (if your divorce is final at the time of filing);
(2) extreme hardship (to the immigrant if deported to their original country); or
(3) extreme cruelty (proving that the immigrant suffered physical, emotional, or financial abuse from their spouse)

CIS allows an immigrant to apply for any number of these grounds on the same petition. Waivers are generally more difficult to have approved. If an immigrant files a waiver, the current policy is that an interview will be required. If you file a joint petition and depending on the evidence submitted, an interview may not be required.

If an immigrant fails to file for either a waiver or to file a joint petition with the spouse within the 90 day period, the green card will be terminated.

Once a CIS receipt notice is received from CIS, the immigrant will have proof that his or her green card is still valid for another year or until the case is decided, whichever comes first. If the case is still not decided within a year, the green card will be extended for another year and will be extended on an annual basis until the case is decided.

A remaining concern for many immigrants is what happens to their eligibility to apply for U.S. citizenship, especially if the immigrant does not stay with their spouse and instead files a waiver petition on their own. If the immigrant receives their green card through marriage and is still living with their husband or wife 3 years after the green card is initially issued, the immigrant will be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship, even if the joint petition to remove the condition on the two year green card has not yet been decided. Actually filing for U.S. citizenship will speed up the process of CIS deciding the conditional residency issue, as conditional residency will no longer be an issue if a person has already received U.S. citizenship.

If an immigrant is applying for a waiver because he or she is divorced or for any other reason is not not living with the spouse anymore, then the immigrant will be eligible for citizenship after 5 years in lawful permanent residency status. The one exception to this is if a waiver is approved based on the “extreme cruelty” ground, which requires the immigrant to show that s/he suffered physical, financial, and/or psychological abuse from their spouse. If approved on this ground, the immigrant will be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship in 3 years, even if not living with the abusive U.S. citizen spouse.

Before deciding whether to stay in a bad marriage, an immigrant must address their available options under both the waiver provisions and the joint petition provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. An immigration lawyer may be in the best position to help an immigrant flush out the potential advantages and disadvantages of choosing a particular route and many consultations with immigration attorneys throughout the U.S. are given free of charge. The most important concern remains for immigrants to ensure that a close eye be kept on the expiration date of their conditional green card and not let it expire before seeking legal assistance. To learn more about conditional green cards, visit the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services’ website at www.uscis.gov, for a general overview.

Attorney Heather L. Poole is an expert in family-based immigration and U.S. Citizenship, located in Pasadena, California. She is a published national author on family-immigration issues, frequent lecturer on marriage-based immigration, and member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association & National Network to End Violence Against Immigrant Women. For more information, visit http://www.humanrightsattorney.com

Car leasing is extremely popular because it provides an attractive method of driving an automobile that you might not otherwise afford. It allows you to make lower monthly payments than with traditional car purchase loans. About one out of every four vehicles driven by automotive consumers in the United States are leased.

But leasing is not for everyone. You should take the time to learn about leasing, and be sure it’s right for you before making a decision.

What is Leasing

While a purchase loan is a method of financing the ownership of a vehicle, leasing is a method of financing the use of a vehicle for a specified time period. As much as it sounds like renting, leasing is different.

A lease is a formal contract with a leasing provider that allows you to drive the provider’s car and only pay for the portion of the vehicle’s value that you use up during the time you’re driving it. You agree to pay for insurance, licenses, taxes, repairs, and maintenance.

The leasing provider retains ownership and title to the vehicle throughout the lease. At lease-end you can simply return your vehicle to the provider, or you may purchase the vehicle and continue driving it.

Benefits of Leasing

Leasing offers the following benefits when compared to purchase loans:

- Lower monthly payments

- More car, more often

- Minimum or no down payment

- Smaller sales tax bite in most states

- No used-car headaches at end

Who Provides Leases

Contrary to popular belief, car dealers do not lease cars. Banks, credit unions, and financial divisions of major car manufacturers lease cars. Dealers simply act as agents of a leasing provider, such as Ford Motor Credit or GMAC, to arrange the lease on your behalf. Dealers typically work with more than one provider.

Once you’ve picked out the car you want, the dealer sells it to the leasing provider, who leases it you. It’s not necessary, nor is it always the best choice, to use the “captive” leasing company chosen for you by the dealer.

You can arrange for lease financing yourself with an independent leasing company, bank, or credit union after you’ve negotiated price with a dealer. Some lease providers even work with dealers to acquire vehicles for you at reduced prices, saving you money and the stress of negotiation.

Who Should Lease

Leasing makes sense for many automotive consumers, but not for others. Here’s how to determine if you are a good leasing candidate:

- Are you willing to trade ownership of your vehicle for lower monthly payments? Leasing is a great way to lower your payments or drive a better car for your money, but you must be comfortable with having no ownership of your vehicle, unless you purchase at lease-end.

- Can you stick with your lease until the end? Leases require you to commit to driving your vehicle for a specific number of months typically 24, 36, 48, or 60 months. If you feel your lifestyle, your finances, or simply your taste in cars may change significantly in future months, you may not be a good lease candidate. To end a lease early is usually troublesome and costly.

- Do you drive more than 15,000 miles annually? If your answer is yes, you may not be a good candidate because lease contracts are typically written with an annual mileage limit, typically 10,000-15,000 miles. If you drive more that the specified number of miles you will pay a fee for every mile over the limit.

- Do you typically keep your vehicles in good condition and change vehicles every few years? If so, you may be right for leasing. Lease providers require you to keep their vehicle maintained and repaired, with no more than normal wear and tear. If you don’t, you’ll be charged at the end of your lease.

- How is your credit rating? If you have a history of paying your bills on time and don’t have excessive debt, you are a good lease candidate. Otherwise, you may be required to make a large down payment and pay higher finance charges or, worse, be refused the opportunity to lease.

Shopping for a Lease

The most important element of a good lease deal is the price of the vehicle. Regardless of whether you buy or lease, you should always get the best possible price first. When leasing, this price becomes the capital cost, or “cap cost.” Prior loan balances and fees may be added. Rebates, discounts, down payments, and trade-in credit are subtracted. The lower the capital cost, the lower your monthly payment. This is the only element of a lease deal that a dealer directly controls.

The remaining elements of a lease money factor, residual value, and related fees are controlled by the lease provider and are not negotiable.

Since a lease is simply another form of financing, interest charges apply. These interest charges are known as “money factor.” Money factor is expressed as a very small number such as .00375, which is equivalent to 9% annual interest rate. Again, a small money factor results in lower monthly lease payments.

Residual value is an estimate of a vehicle’s wholesale value at the end of a lease term. The longer the lease, the smaller the residual value. Your lease payment is primarily determined by the difference between cap cost and residual value, which is the amount that the value of the vehicle depreciates during the lease. The higher the residual value, the lower the lease cost.

Sales tax may also be included in your monthly payment, depending on the state you live in.

You can easily calculate car lease payments, once you know the key factors, using this Lease Calculator by LeaseGuide.com.

Leasing Fees

There may be certain fees associated with your lease. The fees that lease providers charge vary both in kind and amount. One of the most common is an “acquisition fee”, which is an administrative charge for the work in initiating a lease. Another common fee is a disposition fee, usually charged at the end of your lease when you return your vehicle.

You may also be charged at the end of your lease for excessive mileage, damages, and unusual wear-and-tear.

At the beginning of your lease, you will be asked to pay the first month’s payment, a security deposit, a down payment, if any, and applicable miscellaneous fees associated with licensing a vehicle in your state. You will also be asked to show proof of insurance.

Driving Your Leased Vehicle

Your vehicle must be driven and cared for according to the terms specified in your lease contract. Generally, this means keeping the vehicle in good condition, using it for lawful purposes, maintaining insurance, and allowing it to be driven only by licensed drivers.

Al Hearn is founder, owner, and operator of LeaseGuide.com, a source of information and advice for automotive consumers who are interested in car leasing. LeaseGuide.com has provided help to thousands of visitors since 1995.

Please visit: http://www.LeaseGuide.com/index2.htm

Over 90% of computer phones (VoIP) are not secure because they use a public known codex (publicly known encryption of sound packets) and a publicly known protocol to transport voice conversations. Therefore, users of these type of services are unknowingly exposing themselves to anyone who wants to listen in or access their confidential information. In addition, because of the public openness, the user’s computer’s vulnerability can result in a costly computer crash and total loss of all information.

Peer-to-peer computer phones are on unsecure lines.

There are five areas to address when checking for Security when looking for a VoIP Service Provider. Here’s how a VoIP Service should protect your security, whether on dial-up, wireless, satellite, or cable connections.

1. Call Security: A VoIP service’s audio (your voice) should compress your voice into proprietary encryption packets to travel across the internet, and return back to voice at destination. That particular VoIP service should host proprietary software, and as such, the only one that can interpret the voice and data contained in those packets.

2. Computer Phone Identity: When your first download and install a VoIP provider’s computer phone, a confidential phone number and password should be given to protect against unauthorized installation. To protect against unauthorized installation, your computer phone’s setup process should combine the phone name and hardware data from the PC on which it was installed to create a unique ID string known only to that VoIP’s own server. Because of the association between the unique ID with that particular PC, it prevents one person from reconfiguring their VoIP service’s computer phone to spoof another. It also prevents someone from copying that VoIP service’s software to another PC and then using it without having gone through the password-protected installation process.

3. Client Server Model: The VoIP service should follow a client-server model. The client is the softphone offered by a particular VoIP service. That particular VoIP service’s Server should be behind a highly secure proprietary firewall hosted in a professional facility. Any information shared should therefore only be between the client and server of that particular VoIP service. This means, that unlike some peer-to-peer solutions, private information about “buddy” lists or call patterns, etc., remains entirely confidential.

4. Softphone Setup: Firewalls vary widely and each network configuration may be quite different. When a VoIP service’s softphone first initializes, it discovers its ability to reach that VoIP’s service server, as well as a variety of ports and protocols for placing calls, depending on the results of its discovery. In a strict environment, the VoIP service’s softphone uses the same path the proprietary firewall already permits for web browsing (typically TCP ports 80 and 443). This allows users to make calls from anywhere without compromising or reconfiguring their own firewalls.

The VoIP service’s softphone should be able to initiate conversations with that VoIP service’s server and keep the server updated as to its status. By doing this, no public IP address needs to be setup for the PC running the computer phone. It also enables user flexibility without concern about security or privacy when moving from network to network. The VoIP service’s computer phone should be compatible with Network Address Translation (NAT) and Port Address Translation (PAT), and the kind of dynamic addressing that is found in wireless “hotspots”, hotel internet access, and dial-up.

5. Monitoring Capability: A strong security model should include an auditing mechanism to monitor usage and activity. This means that each computer phone should include its own usage log, enabling users to look through their own personal history of inbound, outbound, and missed calls. In addition, the VoIP service’s website should provide users the ability to view all individual phone call charges using the already set up confidential number and password.

Dee Scrip and her close friend Andy Murray operate the website http://www.whypay4calls.com. Where you can experience a 7 day free trial with a secure line on patented technology. NO contracts, obligations, or hassles!

If you do not want to spend a lot of money building a garage protecting your Truck or RV then you should consider a Truck Canopy.

Canopies are a low cost way of protecting anything from cars to boats and even tractors. These lightweight structures are made of a very light but durable material which can withstand any weather conditions. The great advantage of a canopy is that they come in all sizes. If you have a small pickup or even an 18 wheeler you will be able to find a canopy that will fit your needs. The most popular is the All Purpose 10′ X 20′ 8 leg canopy which creates a lot of opportunities for outdoor protection. The shelter includes a white, full-valanced cover and foot plates for stakes. Slip-fit connections make assembly painless. The durable frame is structured from 1 3/8-inch diameter, powder-coated steel tubing.

If you had a slightly longer truck then you may consider the 12 x 26′ Tandem Commercial Grade Canopy. This commercial-grade canopy provides you extra space for your shelter needs! At 12′ wide, there is plenty of room for walking around a vehicle, and at 26′ long, you could protect an extra-long Truck, RV, boat or position several tables for a family reunion in the shade. The 10-leg frame is constructed of 2-inch diameter, powder-coated steel tubing and features slip and connections for durability and easy assembly. The white cover is UV-stabilized, waterproof polyethylene. The price for a canopy of this size can range from $450 to $650. Good quality and size doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. The great thing about this canopy is that although its versatile to use for any occasion you could also rent it out to others wanting to use it for an outdoor wedding or party.

There are accessories that come with these canopies. You can either have the configuration in such a way that you just have the roof with the side legs showing. If you want a more enclosed look then you can opt for the side walls which will totally enclose your truck in instances where you need more protection from the weather, or just want to keep your vehicle out of site.

The price of canopies varies and this is usually in line with its size and the accessories that you may want. For a simple canopy like the one mentioned above you can expect to pay in the region of $150 to $350 but these can range up to as high as $1000 and over. There is usually no compromise on quality in the price range as all canopies are made to a very high standard.

The most important and convenient aspect of buying a canopy is that you can do it online. You can browser online stores and have your canopy delivered to your door for as little as $10. In most cases you will find that delivery is free depending on the size of your order.

Grant Marwick is a freelance writer and owner of http://www.canopy-center.com where you will find advice and more articles on Truck Canopies

Nowadays more and more people are using a computer. A lot of them use it at their work place, but an increasing number of computer users have also discovered the need to have a computer at home. At the same time the number of Internet surfers increased. This is a good thing because people are realizing the advantages offered by the world of technology. As soon as they discover this, they start using computers and the Internet more and more, but at the same time not considering the threats that are coming in from all sides. They should know that if you don’t protect yourself, nobody will. These threats are now coming from everywhere and they are growing in number and complexity. First threats of this kind were the viruses. At first, viruses were not that harmful. They were designed to perform a simple task, like flashing a single message onto the user’s computer screen. Also the spread rate was slow, because not many people were connected to the Internet. But now the majority of viruses are programs intentionally written to obstruct with, or harm other programs or computer systems. And they are spreading very fast.

Many companies and people have had a lot of troubles because of these viruses. And so the need for antivirus software was born. At first one very simple antivirus appeared and this was enough. Now, as the threat is growing antivirus software are becoming a lot more complex. Some of them have also included a firewall so to better protect the users. In order to increase the competition, other antivirus software producers have also come up with a wonderful idea: to offer free scan online. This was a big help for people that are frequently using a computer mostly for their personal use, meaning it is not attached to a network and uses the Internet only from time to time. Now, they don’t have to spend a lot of money to buy antivirus software that will be used very rarely.

Most of these antivirus programs have to be bought in order for you to use them at their full capacity. Also you have the option to test a so called “free trial version”. These trial versions include all or most of the software’s features, and are available to be checked out by the user for a short period of time, usually 30 days. After these 30 days, the program can no longer be used. Other antivirus software producers use another method; they offer a free trial version that you can keep forever. But it is not fully operational, meaning some of the options of the program cannot be used as they are not activated. After you have tried a program and you consider it is fit for your need, then you’ll have to buy it to protect your computer at its full capacity.

Lately, viruses are mostly spread through e-mails because this is the most common use of the Internet. Also, e-mail viruses are easier to develop. E-mail viruses make use of the ability of having macros or scripts implanted in word documents, spreadsheets, HTML pages, and are programmed to run when the document is opened. But how does an e-mail virus works? When an e-mail with an infected document or program is received, the user unknowingly opens a document/program, which in turn executes a code to open the e-mail directory and to send a copy of itself as an e-mail attachment to a certain number of addresses. Some of the recipients of the e-mail open its attachment and the process repeats itself.

This is where the antivirus program comes in. This program is set to check all incoming and outgoing messages and their attachments. If an e-mail is detected to have a document or program infected with a virus the program offers several possibilities to deal with the threat: delete the e-mail, put it in quarantine or try to disinfect it. Most of the times, these choices are left to the user’s decision. It is up to the user to set the program in such manner to best fit his needs. But not all viruses are coming by e-mail. A few of them use security errors in the operating system or your Internet browser to be launched automatically. But if you keep your antivirus and all the other programs updated, there will be a small chance of being infected via this route.

Nowadays, most viruses are spread in the form of e-mail attachments. This is because some of the worst recent viruses relay on recipients that throw away common sense and launch a deadly e-mail attachment. Commonly the attachments are with extensions that include .bat, .com, .exe, .pif, .scr, and .vbs. Sometimes to avoid the filters of antivirus software, virus creators enclose their malicious code in a .zip or .rar archive file. The file might even have a password to full antivirus programs that scan inside archives. And obviously, the password is included in the message as an image for the convenience of the naive user. As a simple but reliable rule, you should never open an attachment that you didn’t expect to receive, even if it came from someone you know. Also, make sure your e-mail software is configured so it will not automatically open attachments.

Another common way of spreading viruses is file sharing. Many viruses spread themselves throughout open network shares. You can protect your computer not sharing files or directories over the network. But if you don’t have a choice and you have to share your files, you are still able to reduce the risk of being infected by installing antivirus software and keeping it updated. Other ways to become infected with viruses are downloading files or software from the Internet, instant messaging or even web pages.

If the file you are downloading or the computer you are downloading it from is infected with a virus, there is a big chance that your computer will also become infected with the virus. As for the instant messaging, the major risk comes from accepting files from other users on the network. This risk can be minimized by configuring your antivirus software to scan all incoming files and also configure your other programs not to automatically accept files, and not to automatically execute the files you accept. Certain viruses are known to infect web servers. If you visit a website from an infected server, your computer could be infected with the same virus, but this is a very rare method of infection.

There are many different threats that are targeting the computers. Although they are very different, all of them are popularly called viruses. A virus by definition is a self-replicating file, not considering whether it is malicious or not. Another type of the so called viruses are worms; they circulate mainly through e-mail but also spread through a network. A worm is aware he is located in a network and uses it for replicating itself. Trojan horses (or trojans) are mostly used to insert some remote tools into a system in order to give the attacker free access to that system, without the user’s knowledge. Most Trojan horses cannot replicate automatically.

With the increased number of Internet users, the existing threats are also raising as now there are many more computers to attack and more people that don’t know to stay away from these threats. But the antivirus software producers are making it easier for us. There is a lot of antivirus software which cover a lot of threats. All we have to do is install one.

About the Author

Mike Ber is the owner of the Canadian Domain Name Portal called www.Every.ca
He is also a contributing author to www.ComputerMagazine.ca, www.Developer.ca, and www.XP.ca

Giving your web site’s visitors access to products from Amazon has become virtually painless, using Amazon Web Services (http://aws.amazon.com). Providing this service will give you additional web content as well as providing a valuable resource for visitors, giving them additional reasons for returning. All of this while making you money through Amazon’s Associates Program (http://associates.amazon.com).

To start off you have to decide to write the code yourself (the hard way) or use an already developed script. If you choose to go the easy way, there are several commercial (http://www.ghostscripter.com/amazon_shop.php or http://www.esvon.com/pg/products/p_amazon/) and at least one free script (http://www.mrrat.com) to choose from. There are also companies (http://www.ebiz-u.org/) that will host these specific scripts and have experience dealing with them.

Next you will need to set up an free Amazon Associate account (http://associates.amazon.com). This part is easy and straight forward and should take less than 10 minutes from start to finish. Follow this up by creating a free Amazon Web Services account. Again this is simple and should only take a minute or so.

Finally you just need to integrate or install the code. If you bought one of the commercial packages this is pretty simple if you are using a default install and gets more complicated the more you want to customize. The one free script I found was very easy to use and because it was based on templates it was not hard to modify.

When I started looking into this, I decided on an entire store with an electronics theme (http://www.sbaelectronics.com). I used a hosting company that dealt specifically with this script so that I could bother them with my questions when I had them. Getting started in this manner was quick and painless and gave me time to concentrate on other aspects of my site. How you proceed is up to you and will be largely site and need specific.

Thats all there is to it! You have just given your visitors another reason to return to your site and you have a new source of income that could have cost you nothing other than some time spent setting it up.