private lenders washington dc
Business

Using Private Lending For Real Estate Investments

Private lenders are not constrained in the same way as traditional lending institutions. They are often quicker and more lenient, allowing for liquidity and focusing on asset value and exit strategies.

You should build a professional network, including real estate agents, other investors, title companies, and attorneys, to find private lenders washington dc. They can help you find a private lender who offers different loan types and works with multiple clients.

They offer a variety of loan types

The different loan types offered by private lenders are designed to accommodate various needs and circumstances. A private lender, for example, may have more flexibility with their lending requirements and faster approval times than traditional institutions. This can be beneficial to real estate investors that need bridge loans for the closing of a property, or for a quick solution to a short-term funding need. A traditional bank would require extensive paperwork and could take weeks or even longer to approve the loan.

private lenders washington dc

Although the interest rates charged to private lenders are higher than those charged to institutional lenders, they can be negotiated. Some lenders charge a fee for their time and money spent on the deal. It is important to be up front about these fees when negotiating with private lending institutions.

If you want to find a private lender who can meet your needs, choose an institution that has years of experience in the industry and established connections. Verify their qualifications such as their licensing and membership of reputable professional associations. You can also ask family and friends who have received financing from private lenders to provide references. This will help you build a network that can open doors for your real-estate investing business.

In addition to checking a private lender’s credentials, you should consider their reputation as well as how easy it is to deal with them. You should look for a private lending company that is active in the local real estate market and committed to supporting small businesses. This will demonstrate that they care for the community and will be willing to support your investing goals.

Attending real estate investor meetings and networking events will also allow you to connect with private lenders. These events in person will give you an opportunity to present your investment to potential private lenders. You can use these meetings to gather the names of potential lenders and then cold call them to tell them about your project. While it may not result in a quick approval, this will help you to build a rapport with the private lender.

They offer a shorter payment period

Private lending is a good option for those who need a short-term loan. It is a safer option than a traditional bank lending and has more flexible terms. However, borrowers should carefully evaluate the lender to make sure they are on the same page about expectations and interest rates. Reviewing the loan documents is important to ensure that there are no hidden costs or fees. Private lenders may not be federally regulated, like banks and credit-unions, but state consumer protection laws may apply.

Private lenders, unlike banks, can assess a borrower individually and consider a number of factors including education and income. This allows them to be more lenient when determining loan eligibility, particularly for those with bad credit or income streams that are unconventional. Moreover, they have shorter application and review processes, allowing faster financing.

Private lending has another benefit: the loans can be used in any way. This is a great option for investors who need to buy properties quickly and flip them or for those who have limited cash. It is also useful for businesses that require quick capital for operations, such as logistics companies that need to pay their drivers.

Private lenders also offer shorter repayment periods, which are ideal for those who don’t plan to stay in their first home long. They can also offer loan products not available through big lenders, like asset-based loans. This type requires minimal paperwork. The borrower is only required to submit a brief loan form and documentation of the asset.

In some cases, private lending institutions may accept a guarantee provided by a third-party in order to approve loan applications. This is a good option for borrowers who have bad credit or no history, but it doesn’t guarantee that the loan will get paid back. The guarantee is still a good way to demonstrate your financial strength and willingness to repay the debt.

The best way of finding private lenders is to network. Start by building up a solid network of investors that includes realty agents, other investors, title firms, and attorneys. You can then pitch your deal to private lenders and negotiate the loan terms.

The flexibility of these lenders is greater than that of traditional lenders

Private lenders may be individuals seeking to invest their own capital or they can be specialized lending companies that specialize in certain types of loans. The main advantage of working with a private lender is the flexibility they offer in terms of the loans they provide. They can also provide more flexible repayment options for real estate investment. Private lenders offer flexibility, which is especially helpful if your credit score is bad or you do not have the income required to qualify for a traditional bank loan.

Private lenders must still adhere to banking and usury regulations, but are not as heavily regulated by the government as banks. This can lead to lower rates and fees for borrowers, and it can be easier to secure a loan. To ensure that you fully understand all the charges and fees, it’s important to carefully review them. Add them all up to see what you will be paying for your loan.

Working with a private lender has another advantage. They can often provide faster approval processes than banks. They don’t require the same documentation and eligibility requirements as banks. They also focus less on a borrower’s credit history and more on the property value and proposed exit strategy. This makes them a great choice for borrowers with less than perfect credit or income who are looking to buy a house quickly.

A private lender can also offer a wider range of financing options, such as merchant advances, to meet your business needs. These financial products, which are based on future credit and debit card sales, are often more affordable than long-term loan. However, they come with additional fees and can be risky for businesses that don’t have a strong track record or are new to the industry.

In addition to their flexibility, private lenders can also provide funding in a variety industries and businesses which are outside of the traditional bank system. Private lenders can offer financing packages that are tailored to the needs of businesses involved in trucking and logistics. This can be an advantage over the big banks who only offer general financing packages for businesses that don’t address the needs of these industries.

They offer minimal paperwork

Many people prefer private lenders over banks because they require less paperwork. They also offer more flexibility and quicker loan approvals. They are not regulated by the federal government, so they can set their own rules and policies. In addition, these lenders often provide more individualized terms for each borrower. This makes them an excellent choice for new investors that need to close a deal quickly.

One of the most important things that a real estate investor can do is build up a strong network. This should include real estate agents, other investors, title companies and attorneys. This will allow you to find a private lender that suits your investment requirements. It’s also a good thing to network with other industry professionals by attending real estate investor meetings. This will allow you to meet with potential lenders in a face-to-face setting. This will allow you to build rapport with the lender.

When choosing a private lender, it is essential to look at their experience and qualifications. Check their history and membership in well-known professional associations. This will ensure that the lender is reputable and understands the current housing market. Also, you should look at how long the lender’s been in business. It is also a good idea to look at reviews and testimonials from previous clients.

Private lenders also have the advantage of offering loans with shorter terms. Private lenders can create repayment plans that are tailored to each borrower. While banks offer home loans with a 15-year or 30-year repayment period, private lenders can offer a shorter period. They can also offer lower interest rates than banks, which can save you money.

When applying for private loans, make sure you carefully review the rates and charges that are being charged. Not all lenders charge similar fees, and others may even have hidden costs. You can calculate the cost of a loan by adding these fees to its total amount. This way, you can avoid paying any unnecessary fees or interest charges.

Business

Learn To Unlock Your Phone

Unlocking your phone is a great way for you to get the most from your device, whether you are switching carriers or saving money. This is especially true if your move abroad. You can use your phone anywhere in the world. This may sound complicated, but it is not. Depending on your device, you may only need a new SIM card in order to make it work, or you can look for the best phone unlocking service near you.

best phone unlocking service

You might think that it’s difficult to unlock your phone. However, there are legal and secure ways to do it. Fortunately, the cellular industry has standardized their own procedures, so you shouldn’t have to take the long way around.

For example, the FCC requires wireless carriers to provide unlocking services free of charge. Similarly, CTIA, or the Cellular Telephone Industry Association, a trade group, has standardized unlocking rules for their members. These guidelines require carriers to notify subscribers when they are eligible for an unlock. Some companies offer this service to customers.

For instance, if you’re switching from Sprint to Verizon, you’ll need to contact customer service, install a new SIM card, and request an unlock. However, if you’re changing from Verizon to AT&T, you won’t have to do much of anything. In fact, AT&T offers an online tool that lets you submit a request to unlock your smartphone for no charge.

On the other hand, if you’re in the market for a new phone, you might need to buy a new contract. If this is the case, you should look into an unlocking service before you make the move. It’s not a bad idea to keep a list of things you’ll need to complete the process in mind, and to be prepared with any additional information you may need. And when your phone is fully unlocked, you’ll then be able to play your favorite sports betting games via https://townvibe.com/ without any issues.

In the United States, the best way to find out if your phone is unlocked is to call customer service and ask. If you do, they’ll be able to give you the details on how to unlock your phone. It’s not difficult to do, but you’ll need the correct IMEI to begin the process. You will need to research if you want to unlock a pre-paid phone. Some carriers may have a higher requirement.

Unlocking your phone is essential to switch networks. This is especially true if your phone is not with you when you travel abroad. You can also purchase a temporary SIM card for your destination. These packages are typically cheaper than international fees and can usually be purchased from local carriers within your destination country.

Business

Tips To Prepare For A Job Interview

It doesn’t matter if you’re applying to your first job or if you’re an experienced veteran, it’s important to prepare for a job interview using https://blog.dayone.careers/amazon-behavioural-interview-questions-and-answers/. Interviewers who are most effective aren’t just interested about your skills and qualifications, but also how you will fit in their organization and how you can help them achieve their goals. To do this, they will ask questions about your life, goals, and interests.

https://blog.dayone.careers/amazon-behavioural-interview-questions-and-answers/

As you prepare for your interview, make sure you do a bit of research about the company you’re applying to. Particularly, you want to ensure you fit into the company’s culture. This includes knowing whether you’ll work in a collaborative or autonomous setting. This could impact your chances of being hired. You might also want to ask your potential employer about their office layout, conference room layout, and meeting schedule.

The most important thing to do is to make sure you’re prepared to answer questions about your past experiences. While it’s a great time to discuss your past experiences in a job interview, you should also make sure you present yourself in the best light. It is possible that you will be asked questions about your family. Also, make sure you bring a pen and paper to jot down your notes.

You’ll also want to research the company’s website and social media pages to see what types of questions they are likely to ask. You can also call the company to get some background information. You may be able to tour the office in person depending on the company. If you’re interviewing over the telephone, bring a pen and a piece of paper along with a business card.

Although small talk may be part of the interview, you should not get too excited. It is important to keep eye contact with the interviewer. Don’t lean on the tables.

The most important thing to remember is to be genuine and humble. Be sure to thank the interviewer for the time and opportunity to talk to them. You can also follow up with a thank you email to the hiring manager. This is a good way to make sure your future employer remembers you and considers you for future employment. And while waiting for the verdict, you might want to consider playing some fun sports betting games via ยูฟ่าเว็บตรง and make a bit of money.

Listening to the hiring manager is the best way for you to show that you are interested in their company. This will give you a better understanding of the culture and management style of the company. It will also help you decide if it is a good fit. This will show that you are a serious candidate. The hiring manager will also be impressed to see that you’re willing to learn about the company and their values.

The best job interview is the one that you actually enjoy. Make sure you have a pen and paper ready, along with a business card and a fully charged cell phone.

A woman standing on a mountain and wearing a bag
Travel & Tours

How can one benefit from traveling?

Everyone loves to travel and explore places. Traveling helps one to know places and people and get to know better about different cultures. Most people have the habit of saving money for their trips and tours and they consider it as an inevitable part of their life. We have given here the benefits of traveling to different places and how it has a positive impact on a person. And to enjoy your tour more, you might have to have your cash and cards protected by wallets from www.concealplus.com/collections/credit-card-wallets.

Peace of Mind

Traveling brings peace of mind to most people. It makes them free from their routine and monotonous work. Traveling temporarily blocks all the tough times and boredom to the people and makes a person more engaged to his new surroundings. Through traveling, one can gain an experimental knowledge of the region’s historical and cultural background. This could also help you if you decide to play casino games online through https://oncapan.com/.

Betterment Social Communication Skills

When a person travels more, he has a better understanding of people belonging to various regions and develops a cordial relationship among people. Travelling introduces a person to the diversity among various people. He gains more socializing skills through his travel. Comparing to the people who are not going to places often, avid travelers are found to be more sociable and highly interactive. Avid travelers are always feeding the little child in them and keep it alive almost every day. They never let go of the little child in them. This is one of the primary benefits of traveling. Traveling is a great treat to the inner child in one’s self.

Builds up Tolerance

Not every place you visit is fully furnished with updated technologies and environment. More tourist places are known for their ancient culture. In such places, it is not right to expect complete comfort. Travelers should learn to make use of the available facilities at their best. It is what traveling is all about. Learning the new culture and letting them know to live with them is what makes traveling more interesting. One should be ready to know all these different customs and habits and thus it needs more tolerance. Traveling gradually increases the tolerance rate of an individual and he can face any hardships in his life with ease.

Brings Confidence

Travelling boosts up confidence in people. When they are in a new land, they don’t even need to know their language and culture, the traveler must communicate with the natives to know about something or if he needs something. Thus, traveling breaks the hesitation in people and allows them to move friendly with the people. Travelling also increases the presence of the mind in an individual and helps him act according to the situation. This confidence helps travelers to manage any obstacles they face in their lifetime.

Know Yourself Amid Having Fun

Traveling helps the person to know more about himself. It helps the person to realize his weakness and strengths when he is connected with new people. There are possibilities that a person can change the perspective of looking into himself when he interacts with people of new ideologies during his travel. In short, traveling helps in the betterment of a person as an individual.

A group of people posing for the camera
TV Shows

How Far Will Reality TV Shows Go for Ratings?

Television and cable networks excitedly introduce new reality television shows to curious viewers. The question that should be on our minds is just how far will these shows go to be “edgy” and bring us too much reality? Presently, viewers are wondering what will make for the next big cat fight or brawl between contenders on shows like “Big Brother” and “Survivor.” It would seem that our appetite for spirited and lively challenges is ever growing. If contestants on “The Bachelor” or “The Bachelorette” were gentle, polite and honest, we would change the channel before the next commercial to something more “engaging,” where emotions are higher? Why does it seem the majority of us like to hear the beeping tones of edited “mature dialogue” that seem like frantic Morse code transmissions from the telegraph operator on the sinking ocean liner Titanic?

Our culture, as barbaric as it sounds, appears to have a thirst for stress and fighting. Tennis isn’t as popular as football. Golf is gentle and sensitive, but the public wants to see fast screaming cars bash into each other in NASCAR events. Boxing and cage fighting are not for the timid, but is that all we have to offer the bloodthirsty public? Why go through all this when you can support your favorite sports and athletes simply by playing some fun sports betting games via www.phxbiker.com. I regret that we socially are sliding toward scenes not too far from days earlier seen in the Roman coliseum. As a society, are we becoming less civil and lusting for more?

Perhaps it was a casual step from Roller Derby rink to the American Gladiators combat fields. Maybe we took slapstick a bit farther along from earlier physical challenge shows to the ever popular “WipeOut” shows to cable and movie episodes of “JackAss.” Now, are we becoming insensitive to human suffering and laugh at every time a male gets whacked in his crotch with a baseball bat by some innocent child on “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” Where is it going to go from here? George Orwell, in his classic book 1984, tells of a futuristic world where caring has been relaxed as a cultural norm. Will we see some show that will truly horrify us on television, or can we draw the line at some point? Stay tuned and see.

— keep reading if you want to be really offended —

Here is a possible dark future. Perhaps we will get so dull that a show can be conceived where people, for whatever reason, voluntarily want to put an end to their miserable lives, and for the sake of public recognition and their “15 minutes of fame” choose to do it live on television or pay per view with an audience? It currently is not publically acceptable to encourage people to take their lives, but let someone tweak the definition of “entertainment” and “risk taking” and soon it can be popular to watch and see who can more spectacularly end their lives on wide screen or HDTV glory. Oh sure, the contestant may have some gruesome impalements or fiery emollition scenes, but hey, look at the ratings! “Spectacular Endings” or some twisted show of its kind, could devalue humanity itself. Hopefully, we will hold the line with some value of taste, decorum, decency and entertainment value. Eventually, even Gladiators in Rome had to draw the line and found their shows cancelled.

Danny DeVito, Millie Bobby Brown, Nathalie Emmanuel looking at a book
Arts & Entertainments TV Shows

Top TV Shows

By the end of September, television will be in its full swing of the Fall season. This means that your favorite TV shows will be back, as well as some new ones. I’ve put together a little list detailing some of my favorite shows along with some new, promising ones. These are the best tv programs to binge while you 온라인 카지노 online and try to win some money.

Favorites:

How I Met Your Mother – During a time when sitcoms like 30 Rock and The Office have overpowered the genre, HIMYM comes through like a diamond in the rough. Last season, we saw Ted go through an exhausting courtship with Stella (Sarah Chalke), ending in Stella leaving Ted at the alter. Meanwhile, Barney falls in love with Robin and finally decides to tell her, until Robin confesses her love for him first! The cast is so lovable that I just can’t stay away, even though I’m still no closer to discovering who the “Mother” is. Starts September 21 on CBS.

House – When we left off, the crazy-smart doc realized he was just plain crazy. After an emotional season involving ghostly apparitions and doctor suicide, House finally loses it. House thinks Dr. Cuddy helped him detox, leading to a night of passion. It turns out that House is completely delusional and nothing like that happened. The episode ends with Dr. Wilson taking House to a mental institution, while Cameron and Chase celebrate their wedding. Starts September 21 on FOX.

Grey’s Anatomy – The show that has everybody talking is back for its sixth season. The cliffhanger season finale saw both George and Izzie knocking on Death’s door (or in Izzie’s case, riding in Death’s elevator). Before all that drama, Meredith and Derek finally get hitched, kind of. A Post-it serves as their marriage license, leaving the couple happy…for now. As the episode comes to a close, the camera cuts away from the frantic doctors as they try to save their two friends, and finds Izzie beautifully dressed and riding in a hospital elevator. As the elevator doors open, Izzie looks out to see George dressed in an Army uniform. In case you haven’t heard, I won’t spill the beans about who makes it out alive. You’ll definitely find out in the first episode airing September 24 on ABC.

The Big Bang Theory – My favorite new sitcom left off last season as Leonard, Sheldon and the rest of the nerd herd headed off to Antarctica on a scientific mission. When Penny hears the news, she presents Leonard with hand-knitted winter wear. Leonard wonders why she did this and decides to ask her. After a moment, Penny simply says that she will miss him. The romantic tension between Leonard and Penny gets no release as the episode ends with the guys bickering in the freezing cold of Antarctica. Starts September 21 on CBS.

New:

Glee – If you caught the preview pilot of this new musical/comedy in May, chances are you could barely wait for the rest of the season. Airing now on FOX’s Wednesday nights, Glee follows, Will Schuester, a high school Spanish teacher, as he leads the ragtag group that is the Glee Club. Will has to deal with a ton of obstacles, including an absurd cheerleading coach bent on bringing him down, along with Emma, the germaphobic guidance counselor with a sweet spot for Will. He also faces trouble at home with his needy, spoiled wife, who is hiding something from her husband. The students in the Glee Club have their own high school problems like unrequited love, getting good grades, and being thrown in dumpsters. Glee mixes John Hughes-ish teenage story lines with broadway musicals and throws in a dash of dark humor to create television everyone will enjoy.

Cougar Town – Starting September 23 on ABC, Courtney Cox tries to balance her career and family while trying to have a social life in her 40s. With embarrassing moments and inappropriate comments galore, Cougar Town looks like an episode of The Real Housewives on steroids. What seems to bring the sitcom down to earth is Cox’s endearing awkwardness as she navigates her way through the new millennium’s dating scene.

Eastwick – Based on the novel and 1987 film, Eastwick follows three woman as they discover their supernatural powers. The television adaptation hopes to bank on the success of Desperate Housewives, throwing in some witchy hocus pocus. Rebecca Romijn stirs up magic as Roxanne, one of the women enchanted by a mysterious newcomer. Starting September 23 on ABC.

Community – Starring Joel McHale (host of The Soup), Community is about a lawyer who attends community college after his undergraduate degree is suspended. Jeff (McHale) joins a study group made up of random students including Chevy Chase who plays an older, non-traditional student. With McHale’s quirky sense of humor and a supporting cast that thrives off of oddball behavior, Community is guaranteed to entertain. Starting September 17 on NBC.

Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz are posing for a picture
TV Shows

TV Shows That Made Science and Math Cool

If you’re anything like me, there are certain TV shows that you are glad are gone and others that you really miss. I miss the shows that really made me think and challenged me. As a self-proclaimed nerd/geek, I love TV shows that make math and science cool. Sports channels are cool, too. If you are into skating, you might want to check out skates.com.

I am also impressed with shows that manage to give watchers the desire to learn more about math and science. Here is a list of some TV shows that make being a math geek or science wiz something to be envied.

“MacGyver”

If you are of a certain generation, I wouldn’t even need to type anything more than the name. Seriously, the man was able to fix anything using — what — a rusty paperclip and a chewed piece of gum, or whatever else happened to be lying around near him. He made DIYing cool and made us all want to know enough about science and math to be able to get out of any situation, like he did. This is good to know when you are trying to win sports betting games and playing some fun sports betting games via https://gbcity-w.com/.

MacGyver’s knowledge of math and science seemed unprecedented. He knew more than Alex Trebek! And he put all of that — what ordinary people would consider to be useless — knowledge to very good use. He used math and science every week to save lives. He was so good at what he did, that his name has become a verb for some people …”To fix it, I’ll just ‘MacGyver’ it.” They have even used this term on the currently popular TV show “Duck Dynasty.” I really wish they’d bring “MacGyver” back.

“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”

It really doesn’t matter which version of the show you watch, all of them are just really great science shows. This show is so popular it almost has as many spinoffs as “Law & Order”! The science used to solve crime makes being smart a distinct advantage for the crimefighters.

The shows have had such an influence on people locally that one of our colleges has said that the interest and enrollment in their forensic science degree programs have greatly increased as the popularity of the show increased. After watching the “CSI” TV shows, I can see why people would want to be involved with the high-tech crime-solving methods used today.

“The Big Bang Theory”

Okay, they are pretty geeky but they are also really clever and cool. The genius scientists on today’s number-one show have brought high-level science into prime time. Who knew that physicists could be so much fun?

Dr. Sheldon Cooper’s complicated equations on whiteboards boggle the mind. As does his black list, which includes his arch-enemy, Wil Wheaton. Thank goodness for neighbor Penny, who manages to ask all of the questions we are all wondering, such as, “You did what to the what?”

It does my nerdy/geeky heart good to see that TV is leaning towards making those of us who love math and science cool. Way to go, prime time!

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Dylan Minnette, Alisha Boe posing for the camera
TV Shows

Most Overrated TV Shows of All Time

The recent end of HBO’s deservedly praised “The Wire” had me thinking about shows that received heaps of praise but were less than deserving of the honors. Here is my very unscientific list of the most overhyped shows on TV. After taking care of yourself you should treat yourself with what you will earn from interactive and easy to play betting games of คลิกที่นี่

NYPD Blue

NYPD Blue was praised for its gritty and realistic take on police work. Dennis Franz’s portrayal of Andy Sipowicz was lauded as being a “warts and all” portrayal of a cop who wasn’t always a heroic figure. But for me, NYPD Blue’s “realistic” drama never rang true. The show appeared to be written and shaped by people who hated New York and viewed it as a humorless place populated by unhappy people, and had little of the dark sense of humor that a cop show set in NYC should have. New York is a live, vibrant place that also had a lot of crime. While the show broke ground with nudity and language, that isn’t much to hang your hat on in the end. And Dennis Franz’s work was nowhere near as impressive as the acting that was happening all over the show Homicide on a weekly basis.

24

24 is one of those series that is great if you don’t dig too closely, and the underlying feeling that anything can happen on the show helps gloss over many of its glaring plot inconsistencies. But the truth is that with the exception of the first season, 24’s “real-time” approach to series television has led to unnecessary plot threads and some incredibly bad writing to help fill the gaps within each “hour” of the show. The problem came to a head in the disasterous season that ended last year. CTU once again got easily breached. Jack once again tortured a bunch of people, and as always, there were bad people in the White House and at CTU. And the nuclear explosion early in the show all but guaranteed the show would end with a wimper and not a bang, which it did. Thankfully, critics rightfully savaged the season as the show’s all-time worst. Perhaps a change in locations in the next season will inject some fresh ideas into the show.

Sex and the City

Sex and the City is by far the worst show that I found myself watching week in and week out. This alleged sitcom followed four average looking women who talked about sex incessantly. It was full of lame jokes and broad humor that wouldn’t have been out of place on a 70’s ABC jiggle and giggle sitcom. While Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon turned in decent work given the material they had to work with, Kim Cattrall had the comic timing of a cereal box watch. Her lines were often delivered with all the subtlety of the Monty Python “Nudge Nudge” sketch. The show would have been far more engaging with a really loud laugh track. I look for the upcoming movie based on the show to have a huge opening weekend followed by a huge drop off. It will be on DVD in three months.

Six Feet Under

The problem with Six Feet Under was that the relationships of the main characters, the Fisher family, were never anywhere near as interesting as what was going on around the edges. The entire main cast of Six Feet Under was written to be a group of self absorbed characters. That made it very tough to care about anything that happened to them. Add to that the fact that the main conflict in the show seemed to consist of people treating each other like garbage and then yelling the F-Word at each other and you have the makings of a show that could be fitfully interesting, but never worthy of the critical praise heaped upon it. I did think the finale wrapped up the show nicely though.

Deadwood

I get it. They cussed in the Wild West. But when your (censored) dialogue calls (censored) attention to itself, it becomes a (censored) gimmick, not great (censored) writing.

M*A*S*H

Okay, this one is hard because I used to watch M*A*S*H religiously, sometimes three times a day in reruns and I thought every single episode was brilliant. Time has not been kind to the final seasons of the show, though. The first 2/3 to 3/4 of the episodes found a wonderful balance between comedy and drama, with the edge being toward comedy. But the last seasons of the show seemed more given to speeches and melodrama that hasn’t aged well. 2/3 of M*A*S*H remains a classic. The other 1/3….. not so much.

The Cosby Show

This ratings juggernaut seemed like comedic gold when it aired during NBC’s long Thursday night reign. But in retrospect, how many specific episodes of this show can you remember compared to classic shows like Frasier, Seinfeld, or Cheers? The Cosby Show commanded big bucks for reruns when they were first sold because of its massive success, but it is telling that the show is rarely seen in syndication these days. Cosby was funny and the show succeeded because you could watch it with your kids and laugh, not because it was a great sitcom.

ER

These days, ER is one of those shows that causes people to say, “That’s still on?” But in its glory days in the early to mid 90’s, the show was a huge critical and fan hit. But the show itself was essentially a rewrite of St. Elsewhere with little of the care or skill that went into creating that show. For almost every character ER had you could find a direct parallel to St. Elsewhere. Skilled black surgeon with ego problems. Caring doctor whose personal life is a mess and filled with misfortune. Young doctor trying to learn the ropes at the hands of a difficult and demanding mentor. St. Elsewhere did it better and with much more interesting characters and situations that were allowed to breathe. And don’t get me started on NBC’s endless, “You won’t believe what happens in the last 5 minutes of ER!” promos. Seriously, if the hospital in ER were a real hospital, it would have been closed sometime after its 48th shooting/bomb explosion.

Donald Glover, Jodie Comer, John Snow, Phoebe Waller-Bridge posing for the camera
TV Shows

The 12 Most Interesting TV Shows You May Not Have Seen

I have to admit that as a baby boomer I’m prejudiced. Though I love a lot of the television series form recent years, Boston Legal, The West Wing and Northern Exposure to name a few, I still have a nostalgia for the 60s and 70s and particularly for a number of series that you never seem to see anywhere either on the the cable or DVD.

1. Nichols 1971-72 This James Garner vehicle was one of the more intriguing things to ever show up on network TV. Set in a small town in 1912 Arizona, Garner played a former cavalry trooper who comes back to his hometown (named after his grandfather, like himself, Nichols) and reluctantly becomes the sheriff as he has no other means of making a living. Although I haven’t seen an episode of Nichols since it went off the air 32 years ago, I still remember how hilariously cowardly Garner’s character was. He was quite happy to knock out drunks from behind and run from a fight at the drop of a hat. He was basically the same character Garner had played in Support Your Local Sheriff, only better. He also rode a vintage motorcycle instead of a horse as it was the end of the Old West and the beginning of the modern era.

Guest stars included Richardo Montalban as a Mexican bandit (al a Pancho Villa) in search of a dentist, Ralph Waite of Waltons fame, Steve Forrest, Tom Skerritt, Paul Winfield, Strother Martin, Jack Elam and Anthony Zerbe to name a few.. One exceptionally memorable episode featured a wacked out baseball game between the people of Nichols and an army team. They also did a tennis match up using https://tennisracquets.com/collections/head-pickleball-paddles and it was equally as funny.

The supporting cast included Stuart Margolin who would rejoin Garner on The Rockford Files playing the wonderfully villainous Angel. His character on Nichols was basically the same guy, just sixty years earlier. Also on hand were Margot Kidder as the local barmaid and John Beck as the town bully. NBC stuck the show in the dead zone of Thursday nights which had killed Star Trek only two years earlier. As the ratings tumbled, NBC began pressuring Garner and his production company to make changes and turn Nichols into a more conventional Western. In the final episode Nichols is killed and his twin brother, a steely eyed, humorless jerk arrives in town to avenge his death, taking over his job as sheriff. Garner said that he purposely killed the character as a way of thumbing his nose at NBC as they knew the show was headed toward cancellation regardless.

If this show has seen the light of day since it first aired 33 years ago, I haven’t seen it and I don’t know of anyone else who has either. Since James Garner’s production company owns it wouldn’t it be spectacular if he put it out on DVD? All 24 episode would easily fit on 6 DVDs. Or how about even a best of set to start with? With all that cable TV time to fill, you’d think someone would find a slot for this short lived classic.

  1. The Fugitive 1963-1967The original classic starring David Janssen. You’ve heard of it, but when was the last time you saw it? Everyone knows the story, so I won’t go into it. Similar to Route 66 in that Jansen found himself in a new situation every week. The guest star list reads like a who’s who of 60s actor, from Robert Duvall to Charles Bronson. I had the chance to see most of the series a few years ago when A&E; Cable Network reran them. They stood up exceptionally well. But, like the rest of our hard to find shows, where is it now? I see they’re finally releasing it on DVD.
  2. I Spy 1965-1968 Bill Cosby and Robert Culp joined the legion of secret agents and spies who populated the television and movie landscape in the 1960s. What set this one apart from the rest was its casting and locations as the cast and crew traveled the world. I caught several episodes in rerun back in the 80s on Nick at Night and they really were good. One in particular that stood out, guest starred Boris Karloff as a slightly senile university professor who thinks he’s Don Quixote. It was actually filmed on location in Spain, so Karloff got to charge a few windmills. A great old series that launched the career of Cosby. Also now available on DVD, but it’s already marked down to next to nothing so look for it to go out of print soon!
  3. Route 66 1960-1964 Excellent writing was this show’s forte. Martin Milner and George Maharis (replaced during the last season by Glenn Corbett) starred as the original guys who go on the road in that cool Corvette and have new adventures every week. Sound familiar? Jack Kerouac threatened to sue, but didn’t. Sterling Silliphant (In The Heat Of The Night & many other films) wrote the pilot and a number of other great episodes, tackling issues from the Ku Klux Klan to abortion in an era when such things were not touched by network television. Forget the fact that these guys rolled into a new town every week and instantly got jobs and made friends, it was fun, entertaining and sometimes enlightening. The guest cast included Robert Redford, Martin Sheen and many more. The series also moved across the country, shooting on location as did The Fugitive and many other ‘road’ series in the 60s. This was the original and everybody got on the bandwagon with variations on the theme, Run For Your Life, The Invaders, The Fugitive. In the 70s Route 66 was reincarnated as Movin’ On with two truckers seeking adventures on the road. You could even say that Quantum Leap was Route 66 rewritten as time tripping. Unfortunately the entire series was shot in black and white and as a result you’re not likely to see it on your local cable network. Nick at Night played them back in the 80s before they figured out that endlessly reruning Laverne and Shirley made for better ratings. The early seasons are now available on DVD.
  4. Run For Your Life 1965-1968 Ben Gazzara starred as a man whose doctors tell him he has only one or two years to live (the old joke being, it depends on the ratings). It was basically Route 66 solo with Gazzara roaming the country looking up old friends and finding new adventures. Excellent writing and casting (take a look at Route 66 and The Fugitive and you’ll find the same exceptional list of future Academy Award winners here too) made this an exceptional series. Has anyone seen this show since it originally aired?
  5. The High Chaparral 1967-1971 Filmed in Old Tucson in Arizona, this Western started out as the most gritty, violent series that network television had ever seen. It was the story of a family homesteading a cattle ranch on the Arizona frontier while fighting off Apache Indians and Mexican marauders. On viewing most of the series a few years ago, its initial episodes look more like feature films than television fare and featured a continuing story line as the characters and situations were developed. But after that original burst of creativity, it settled into the mold that NBC dictated as it became evermore like their other hit Western, Bonanza, turning to comedy and ultra light drama. The casting of feature film actors, Leif Ericson, Cameron Mitchell, Linda Crystal and Frank Silvera were wonderful, powerful presences unlike anything that television of the era offered, a kind of Hill Street Blues or NYPD Blue of its time. NBC began juggling it around to Friday nights, (also the final resting place of Star Trek) until the series was mercifully put out of its misery in the spring of 1971. At last update this series was being held up from DVD release because of some kind of mish mash concerning distribution rights.
  6. Alias Smith & Jones 1971-1973 Okay, so I have seen a few of these in recent years and they are pretty light fare, but at the time, (I was thirteen), this was the best show on TV, a real departure from anything I’d seen before. It predated Nichols by a few months and featured similar, non-heroic heroes, two outlaws ala Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, played by Pete Duel and Ben Murhpy, who wanted to go straight, but had to stay out of trouble for five years to prove to the governor that they were really reformed. In the process they had to deal with their old licentious friends and other assorted villains who were determined to draw them back into a life of crime. Guest stars like Lou Gossett and Walter Brennan were the highlight of the series as well as Pete Duel’s solid acting. It was lightweight for the most part, but great fun too. Tragedy struck when Duel killed himself on New Year’s Eve of 1971. He was quickly and unceremoniously replaced by Roger Davis, a former Dark Shadows player and the series quickly went in the dumper, proving that it was Duel’s screen presence that had been carrying the series. Season One is available on DVD but watch for it to disappear soon.
  7. Harry O 1974-1976 David Janssen returned to series television after an unsuccessful run at feature films following The Fugitive. This series about a non-conformist, offbeat private eye debuted the same year as James Garner’s The Rockford Files, but bit the dust after only two years. The scripts and casting were great, (Anthony Zerbe played Jansen’s buddy on the police force), but Jansen’s dour, nihilistic style of acting wasn’t what people were looking in the 70s.
  8. Then Came Bronson 1969-1970 Michael Parks was the star of this short lived NBC series which hoped to capitalize on the success of Easy Rider. It was basically Route 66 on a motorcycle. It wasn’t bad and it wasn’t brilliant, but Parks got to do his best James Dean impersonation as well as sing the theme song (remember Goin’ Down That Long Lonesome Highway) while finding women and adventure. The women and the adventures were pretty tame by today’s standards, but it was fun back then and better than anything you’ll find on network television today.
  9. ABC Movie of the Week Early 1970s Remember back when ABC was cranking out a new 72 minute movie (to fit into a 90 minute time slot) every week? There were some real turkeys like Pray For The Wildcats featuring William Shatner and Robert Reed as over the hill biker wannabes, but there were also some real classics like Duel, Steven Spielberg’s first film. To name a few others there were; Go Ask Alice, a realistic adaptation of the short, tragic life of a Haight Asbury flower child, Brian’s Song, the classic story of Chicago Bears Running Backs, Gale Sayers and Brain Piccolos, The Night Stalker in which a modern day vampire stalks Las Vegas as well as serving as host to the pilots of Kung Fu and The Streets of San Francisco. Some of these movies really did look like mini-feature films as a lot of young filmmakers were turned loose to actually do some creative stuff before the network execs figured out that formula fare like tabloid headlines of the week grabbed better ratings. The ABC Movie of the Week was kind of like Forest Gump’s box of chocolates, you never knew what you were going to get, but it was bound to be interesting.
  10. Thicker Than Water 1973 A ludicrous comedy that featured the conniving members of a family that ran a pickle factory. Based on a British television show, this series ran on ABC during the summer of 1973. Malcolm Atterbury was the hilariously nasty patriarch of the family who pretended that he was dying while secretly plotting the family’s fortunes. Julie Harris was the dutiful and boorish spinster daughter and Richard Long played the useless son who wanted Dad’s fortune to feed his profligate lifestyle. I’ve read that 13 episodes were taped, but I doubt that all of them ever saw the light of day. All anyone or I have is a dim memory of this little gem, but it seemed awfully funny and very bizarre at the time. Somebody out there must have a copy of it, fading away in their vault.
  11. Sunshine 1975 A spinoff from the successful 1973 TV Movie of the same name, it starred Cliff DeYoung as an American musician who had gone to Canada to avoid the draft and ends up raising his young daughter by himself after his wife passes away. Sounds pretty grim, but it wasn’t. The approach wasn’t straight sitcom or drama, but the best part was the supporting cast which included Bill Mumy of Lost In Space and Babylon 5 fame and Corey Fischer of Fiddler on the Roof as his musician friends as well as Meg Foster as DeYoung’s sometime girlfriend. As a musician this series holds a special place in my heart as it to date it’s still the most realistic television ever made about small time barroom musicians. The only film that holds that distinction is The Commitments. Mumy’s character was especially memorable as a bitching, complaining so and so. In other words, a typical musician. Another TV film was made in 1977, Sunshine Christmas, but unfortunately it dwelt mostly with DeYoung’s return to the USA to deal with his father (Pat Hingle) and old flame (Barbara Hershey). A good film, but Mumy and the rest of the series cast were virtually castoff for that one.

When you consider some of the stuff coming out on DVD you’d think that someone would feel like cleaning out their vault and taking a look at some of these shows. And how about WKRP In Cincinnati and St. Elsewhere, two great shows that short shrift with only their first season coming out on DVD and yet you can’t find them anywhere in syndication. These are perfect for when you are trying to win sports betting matches at UFABET.

Black Box
Comedy Clubs Movie

Movie Review: The Box

Do you like receiving gifts? I know I do, especially if it’s something handmade by my children or it’s a surprise. What if the gift is a $1 million? Who wouldn’t take it? I know I could use some of that money to pay bills, buy a new car, and take a well-deserved vacation. However, what if there is a hitch in exchange for you receiving the money? However, if you are looking to earn money without some sketchy catches, you might want to consider playing some fun sports betting games at https://www.ufabet168.info/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A7%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%A5/.

Released in November 2009, The Box is the story of a young married couple named Norma and Arthur Lewis, played by Cameron Diaz and James Marsden, with a 10-year-old boy. Set in 1976, the movie is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some violence and disturbing images.

Early one morning the couple awakes to find a box left as a gift on their front porch step. Norma and Arthur open the box to find a black box with a red button located on top. Later in the day, a stranger named Arlington Steward, portrayed by Frank Langella, visits the couple with a deal. They may push the button and receive $1 million, or they may simply return the box. However, there is one hitch if they push the button. Someone they don’t know in another part of the world will die.

Norma, a teacher at a private school, and Arthur, a NASA worker, have 24 hours to make their decision. This huge decision torments the couple because they could certainly use the money to pay for their son’s tuition at the private school. On the other hand, they don’t want to be responsible for causing someone to die.

As a fan of Cameron’s, I thought I would watch this movie, especially when someone at work mentioned how strange it was. I must admit I am not normally a science fiction movie watcher, but with Cameron as one of the characters, I decided to take a chance and wished I hadn’t.

The Box started out pretty good and had a decent plot going. However, as the movie progressed, the plot got worse and worse. The plot got to the point where it was hard to follow and didn’t really make any sense, and I quickly lost interest. I was ready to turn off the movie and not even bother finishing it.

In conclusion, I would not recommend this movie unless you just really like the actors or science fiction. Maybe you can make more sense out of it than I did. I would not waste my money.