Guest Columns on Rights Radio

Guest Expert Columns on Rights Radio

Healthy Home – Are You Living in a Healthy Home?

Home health expert, geobiologist and former building contractor Faith Ranoli appeared on Rights Radio on October 22, 2008. Interest was so high that I asked Faith to submit a Guest Column. Without further adieu… Are You Living in a Healthy Home? Thoughts from Holistic Home Inspector Faith Ranoli (HealthandHealing.com) Many of us spend …

Mortgage Fallout and Fraud

Credit Guru Joe Stallard offers a Guest Column on “Mortgage Fallout & Fraud” – The Auto Industry as a Case Study Joe appeared on Rights Radio on July 16, 2008. STARR Publications was pleased to publish his ebook: How to Repair Your Credit Report Mortgage Fallout & Fraud: Predatory lending, greed & …

Tax Day Tea Party Syndrome by Tax Mama Eva Rosenberg

Tax Day Tea Party Syndrome: Guest Column by Tax Mama Eva Rosenberg. Tax Mama declares, “Americans are revolting. And I’m proud of it.” Rights Radio endorses Eva Rosenberg’s point of view. Let the party begin. Americans spend over 28% of their year just working to pay a variety of taxes. (Tax …

Weight Loss Supplement Claims: Fact And Fiction Guest Column by Weight Loss Review Expert

Guest column by Paul Crane, founder of UltimateFatBurner.com – a review site for fat burners, weight loss products, sports supplements & functional foods. A guest on the Rights Radio Self Help Hour, Paul graciously agreed to share further insights with our readers. You can hear the January, 2009 replay here… [audio:http://www.rightsradio.com/archives/Self_Help_2009-01-29-FatBurners.mp3|titles=Fat burner ..

Rights Radio Self Help Hour: How to Lose Your Home for $400 or Less

How a missed $400 homeowners association dues payment escalated into foreclosure and eviction in Texas. Homeowners association rights and wrongs with authors Dr. Joyce Starr and Dr. David Goldenberg.

A homeowner based in Texas missed a $400 payment to his homeowners association – which soon mushroomed into an additional $3000/plus in legal fees and interest, foreclosure and finally, eviction. Dr. David Goldenberg, author of one of the three books in our Homeowner Rights Defense Kit (available on StarrPublications.com), joined me for a lively discussion on February 12, 2009:

How to avoid setting off a homeowners association or condo association foreclosure avalanche when you’re standing in
front of it.

Here’s the email I received from the homeowner:

“Hi, I am writing to you about the my homeowners association. I have been working out of the country or out of the city for most of the year last year. I owed the home owners association $400 and by the time I realized their was a problem, they had turned it over to their attorneys, and instead of owing $400 the bill was several thousand dollars. I had been in contact with their attorneys less than two weeks ago trying to negotiate a fair settlement. I had to go back out of town, and when I returned Wednesday night I had an eviction notice on my door. The HOA had foreclosed on my home, sold it in an auction, and now I am being evicted from my home over an $400 original bill. I am not behind on my house payments, but now I will be evicted from my home because their is no oversight on home owners associations by the government to keep HOAs from abusing people. Please address this issue, because I understand that about 30 others were done the same way as me.”

Dr. Goldenberg argued that the owner:

1) Had a legal responsibility to read and understand his obligations as set forth in  his homeowner association documents;

2) Should have alerted the HOA that he would be traveling and arrange for some form of ongoing communications;

3 Arranged automatic payments from his bank or immediately paid the past due amount before it escalated out of control.

He reminded us about the Admiral who failed to pay his Association dues because he had been kidnapped and was being held captive! Unsympathetic judges ruled against the unlucky Admiral, and he lost his home.

An HOA or condo  has a legal responsibility to demand delinquent payments in writing within a specific time frame, in order to prevent economic collapse. However, I pointed out that while Associations are justified in leveling fines for delinquent payments, excessive legal fees make it impossible for owners to catch up. The owner in question would have gladly paid the $400 and even the fine. He could not pay $3000 in legal fees and interest. As a result, he was foreclosed and evicted. Dr. Goldenberg agreed.

A tort reform group based in Texas offers excellent suggestions for mediation that I will include in a subsequent post on this topic. (The question is: who will pay for the mediation, and can it be conducted in time?)

Purchase the Homeowner Rights Defense Kit

Listen to the program below. Share your ideas on how to solve this insidious problem by sending your comments.

Dr. Joyce Starr

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Dr. Joyce Starr: How to Look after Your Pet in a Recession.

My guest is Marc Abraham, award-winning British veterinary surgeon. Show date: February 11, 2009 at 5:00 pm EST on the Rights Radio Power Hour.

Marc Abraham is passionate about pets – as well as all aspects of the pet industry – especially value-for-money, customer service and businesses that pride themselves on putting your pet first, not profit.

Where/When/How: This show aired live on February 11, 2009 at 5:00 pm EST.  Listen to the streaming replay at the bottom of this page.

Pet Emergency Plan Will your pet be left alone when emergency strikes? Plan ahead! www.SOSPaws.com

We address many vital issues on this show:

How to best look after your pet in a credit crunch/recession – detecting health problems in your pet before it is too late, preventative health care and its importance (vaccinations, cleaning teeth, pet insurance), money-saving tips;

Traveling with your pet – very popular now for many reasons – no boarding kennel fees, more dog-friendly hotels, risk of terrorism/carbon footprints;

Microchipping – what is it and is it safe to microchip your pets? Why collars not enough? Why you shouldn’t put your pet’s name on their collar;

The plight of animals in rescue centers and how/why they arrived there? (e.g. Save a Pet Florida (www.saveapet.com) vs euthanasia shelters;

Puppy mills – very controversial, even featured on Oprah recently, pet shop puppies;

Alternatives to owning a pet: Never hire pets – animal welfare issue.

Dog walking/fostering/volunteering/pet-sitting business at rescue homes are great ideas. (Message: Adopt a rescue pet!)

Donkeys. As a volunteer in the West Bank with the British charity Safe Haven for Donkeys in the Holy Land (SHADH), Marc witnessed how animals can successfully promote global philanthropy; i.e. how the world’s s0-called ‘most stupid animal’ can achieve what learned and educated world leaders have failed to do.

Choose a pet that’s right for you/your family/lifestyle & commitment.

PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES! PROTECT YOUR PET with theSOS PAWS Pet Emergency Plan!

To your pet’s empowerment!

Dr. Joyce Starr

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