Third World Geek

On Structured Settlements

3WG — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:40:32 +0000

Well, for sure a structured settlement is one that you can purchase. If you also have a structured settlement then you can of course sell it. Sounds cryptic right? It’s quite difficult to process and I for one am puzzled over the attention over this particular phrase so I did a little research on what structured settlement is all about. From what I gathered, this seems to be some form of ‘areglo’ if we go for the more colloquial Filipino term. I’ve known about certain individuals who are willing to purchase somebody’s total pension for the entire amount or others still who would also buy future insurance claims (for terminal cancer cases as an example) but this is the first time I’ve heard about purchasing structured settlements, so read on. You might learn a thing or two.

What Is A Structured Settlement?

According to dear old Wiki,

‘A structured settlement is a financial or insurance arrangement, including periodic payments, that a claimant accepts to resolve a personal injury tort claim or to compromise a statutory periodic payment obligation.’

Here’s more:

According to the US’ Internal Revenue code:

‘A structured settlement is an arrangement that meets the following requirements:

• A structured settlement must be established by:
◦ A suit or agreement for periodic payment of damages excludable from gross income under Internal Revenue Code Section 104(a)(2) (26 U.S.C. § 104(a)(2)); or
◦ An agreement for the periodic payment of compensation under any workers’ compensation law excludable under Internal Revenue Code Section 104(a)(1) (26 U.S.C. § 104(a)(1)); and

• The periodic payments must be of the character described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of Internal Revenue Code Section 130(c)(2) (26 U.S.C. § 130(c)(2))) and must be payable by a person who:
◦ Is a party to the suit or agreement or to a workers’ compensation claim; or
◦ By a person who has assumed the liability for such periodic payments under a qualified assignment in accordance with Internal Revenue Code Section 130 (26 U.S.C. § 130).’

Structured Settlement In Layman’s Terms

A structured settlement therefore is an arrangement in written form wherein a claimant promises to compensate an injured party. For example a person walking along a pavement gets hit by a falling restaurant signage. The person sought legal action against the restaurant for the injury that he received as a result of getting hit by the signage. To settle the case out of court, the restaurant owners proposes an arrangement set in writing wherein they will pay the injured a set number of agreed upon payments every month for a specified time. This arrangement is called a structural settlement.

Now there are companies (JG Wentworth for example) that are willing to buy off that structured settlement from the injured party for a discounted lump sum. Sure the injured party will get a lesser amount but then again, he will be receiving everything at once and not on a monthly basis.

Disclaimer

Please note that I’m no lawyer and this is just my own interpretation. I’m just an interested party trying to learn a little bit about legal stuff, plus the fact that ‘structured settlement’ is one of the more profitable keywords (Adsense wise) out there.

Samantha Stosur Moves To Quarterfinals of US Open 2010

3WG — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:03:23 +0000

There must be lots of rejoicing down under as Sam Stosur won a classic match against Elena Dementieva in the 2010 US Open. With her win, Sam Stosur advances to the quarterfinals where the very solid Kim Clijsters await her. Staving off four match points, Stosur held her nerve to beat Dementieva in 3 sets. Early in the match, what was most talked about was Sam Stosur’s serve which commentators and other experts refer to as almost as potent as Serena Williams’ serve. Sam’s serve indeed played some part in the early part of the match but as the game wore on, it was clear that Stosur’s grit and determination would prove more useful. Stosur’s serve was broken a few times and it was her resolve to break back that kept her in the game.

Elena was solid as usual but as the match crept towards the critical stages, she got tight in important points. It was a shame that she wasn’t able to convert in any of her 4 matchpoint opportunities.

Other Results in the Women’s Side of the 2010 US Open

Maria Sharapova, as usual wasn’t in a mood to be playful as she served Beatrice Capra a double bagel in straight sets. Next up for her would be Caroline Wozniacki who also walked all over Yung-Jan Chan 6-1, 6-0.

The biggest shock of the US Open Tournament as far as the distaff side is concerned is the early exit of JJ or Jelena Jankovic. She fell to Kaia Kanepi who seemed to be more adapted to the windy condition. Jelena just kept waving her hand in the air feeling all helpless. Oh well.

Internet Technologies Benefitting The Third World

3WG — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:08:17 +0000

Kizuna Satellite

There are a couple of technologies that I’ve been constantly monitoring over the years. Chief among them is Japan’s Kizuna satellite and its promise of a fast satellite internet connection. After some thorough testing, the Kizuna satellite was proven to have download/upload speeds of up to 155mbps. The great thing about this satellite is that it can actually cater to the neighboring Asian countries, the Philippines being one of them or so the propaganda says. Unfortunately a year or two has passed and it seems the potential for the Kizuna satellite to liberate other countries from the usual crappy internet service provided by local telecommunications companies remains a pipe dream.

I’m not sure if they’ve released this service commercially in Japan but I do know that there’s no talk going on at present at marketing this in other countries. Too bad really because all they have to do is sell a few dish antennas, have people subscribe to their service via the internet, issue a few instructions on setting up things and that’s it. Oh well, too bad.

VOIP | Phone Calls via Gmail

Another technology I’ve been keeping my eye on is VOIP or voice over IP. This technology will allow people to each other over the internet. Skype has made some inroads on this one but apparently it’s not that stable as yet. Also for this technology to gain traction, people will have to be comfortable with getting IP phones. I’ve seen this technology being used in some offices where a network of phones is connected via IP while only using one landline number. The absolute solution would have been to have internet calls going to the common cellphone or landline at a fraction of the cost that local telecom firms charge its subscribers. Where Skype falls short, Google stands tall.

Google’s new service centers around Gmail. With Gmail, one guy sitting in front of his computer can call anybody’s cellphone or landline anywhere in the world. Well, almost anywhere. There are still some countries where this service is not available but the great thing is, if you need to call somebody from the US or Canada, you will be able to do so for free! This service is just awesome especially if you think that this is not just some computer to computer call. You’re actually calling somebody on their cellphone or landline. I’m not sure if people have already caught on to this service but I am not seeing this great service getting any space in local publications. A service that benefits only consumers and not the telecommunication companies doesn’t seem to interest the Philippine Daily Inquirer or the Philippine Star at all. It’s unbelievable but it’s true.

I just hope that people will catch on to this one though. As a nation with a lot of OFWs in the US and Canada, this service from Google is a total boon to their relatives but unfortunately this is not receiving the highlight that it deserves.

Andy Murray Loses To Stan Wawrinka In 2010 US Open

3WG — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:14:33 +0000

Looks like the UK will have to wait a little bit longer for that elusive grand slam title as their favorite son, Andy Murray got bumped off the 2010 US Open by Stanislas Wawrinka in four sets. Despite dominating the summer hardcourt tournaments, Andy wasn’t in his element in his match against Stan. He committed 43 unforced errors, and at times his first serve percentage dipped down to 30%, a sure formula for defeat.

Andy Murray cruised through his first two matches in the US Open without losing a set. And with his summer hardcourt performance, a lot of people thought that he was poised to win his first ever grand slam. After blasting Wawrinka off the court in the first set tiebreaker, Murray seemed destined for another straight sets win when he jumped to a 3-1 lead in the second set. Wawrinka had other ideas however and took the second set into a tiebreak and won it 7-6 (4). The next two sets were not quite as eventful as Murray piled up his errors and Wawrinka took both sets 6-3, 6-3.

Last Tennis Grand Slam Winner UK

The last British player to win one of the Grand Slam trophies was Fred Perry, who won the US National Championships back in 1936. Andy Murray was perceived to be the chosen one to end Great Britain’s 74-year grand slam drought this year. But after getting so close in the 2010 Australian Open (lost to Federer in the Finals) and playing all the way to the semis in Wimbledon, Murray’s destiny has yet to be fulfilled.

Will Roger Federer Shine In 2010 US Open?

3WG — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:35:15 +0000

Roger Federer hasn’t had a stellar year this year by his standards. Most players would call winning a grand slam and another title a career highlight but alas, Roger Federer is not like most players. Arguably the greatest tennis player to ever hold a racket, Roger Federer’s record this year is not up to his usual standards. Frankly, even some of the comments he made after losing a match (see Federer vs Berdych post match comments) are not worthy of his lofty standing.

Last year, I predicted that Roger Federer would walk all over Juan Martin Del Potro in the 2009 US Open finals but I guess I was wrong. This year’s US Open sees Roger Federer already advancing to the third round where far greater threats await him. If things proceed as planned, Roger could be meeting his French Open 2010 tormentor Robin Soderling in the quarterfinals.

Tipsarevic Ousts Andy Roddick

Well, Janko Tipsarevic scored one over Andy Roddick proving once again that bad fashion sense does not necessarily translate into a bad game. Dang what was Fila thinking?

Another guy who was wearing the same outfit wasn’t as lucky. Marin Cilic was ousted by Japanese phenom Kei Nishikori who by all intents and purposes should be playing in the semifinals by now after having to go through three qualifying matches just to play in the US open. It will be fun to see how far this kid will go in this tournament.

Watch Latest Naruto Shippuden Episode 176

3WG — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:56:02 +0000

It’s seldom that I watch the latest episode of Naruto Shippuden anime because I have already gone so far up the series via the Naruto Shippuden manga that watching the latest Naruto Shippuden episodes seems anticlimactic already. This episode however features some of the more interesting storylines of Naruto, dealing with his early years when he was raising hell almost every day just to get everyone’s attention.

It’s a return to those days when things weren’t as complicated as things are at present. It’s hard not to root for Naruto then and even I can’t help but feel a little bit sorry for his predicament. But as everyone knows, everything changed when he got a little bit older.

Watch Naruto Shippuden Episode 176 with English Subtitles using the links below. These videos are hosted in animecrazy.net. Naruto Shippuden episode 177 will be aired on September 9, 2010.

Part 1/2

Part 2/2

Tamron Trumps Sigma In My Book

3WG — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:24:13 +0000

Well, I didn’t foresee this. I was dead set on making sure that my first DSLR lens would be the Sigma 18-250mm despite the harsh criticisms I got from friends who know more than I do. One friend actually raised his left eyebrow when I told him of my plans to get the Sigma. ‘You have a Canon 7D! What the heck are you playing at trying to make do with a so-so lens?’ He wanted me to get a Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens, and then get another telephoto lens to complement it.

Problem was, these things put together would totally outprice my body (that’s my camera body you perv), also this is what I was seriously considering when I decided to go for an all-in-one lens. I just want to take better pictures dammit, not necessarily professional quality pictures; hence the multipurpose lens. I was sure though that all these protesting friends mean well so I just listened, nodded and forgot everything they told me.

But of course I was gonna research to the best of my abilities. Sure I want something cheap, but I don’t want it to be like crap. The least it could do is to be functional. So I thought I should get the Sigma 18-250mm lens. Well, a few more reviews read later, I was already changing my mind about the Sigma. If you’ve read the last article I read about the best all-in-one Canon DSLR lens, I promptly dismissed Tamron 28-300mm and Canon 18-200mm.

Canon’s 18-200mm wasn’t really up to expectations according to reviews I’ve read. And most reviews were of the same opinion so that was an easy decision to rule it out. The Tamron 28-300mm however was a bit too pricey and so it’s also out of the window. The Sigma 18-250mm however was just about right plus it’s also readily available in the Philippines and priced at only P24,500. So I read all the reviews online that I could get my hands on. My favorite review site however, DPReviews.com, recommended the Sigma 18-250mm, but with reservations. Now ‘but’ is one of those words that I don’t like seeing in reviews or assessments. It’s good but, it’s amazing but, it’s blah blah but…

Good thing I read the reviews at DPReview because there was one lens there that they recommend without any reservation. Meaning they believe that this lens is good. I’m a DPReview fan so when they say that this lens is good, it means that I’m ditching the ‘recommended but with reservations’ Sigma 18-250mm. When I checked amazon.com however, the lens was tagged at $616 and man, that’s a freaking enthusiasm dampener. I was prepared to shell out up to $500 but the $100 increment makes my back ache.

Buying The Tamron 18-270mm in Manila, Philippines

I got a little boost however when my sponsor said that a 20% increase from the original budget is fine so I excitedly went hunting for a Tamron 18-270mm lens for sale in Manila. Here’s the thing though, very very few people sell Tamron lenses in Manila. I tried calling and emailing Henry’s but I couldn’t get through. I went to some forums online looking for people who might be selling Tamron but most of the time all I saw were used lenses. Those who were selling at Sulit.com.ph pegged their prices at P27K which was encouraging. However, I have a general wary disposition towards buying in online forums rather than visiting a store so I decided to rough it out at Hidalgo St. in Quiapo.

This turned out to be a very good decision. A lot of the photography stores there were carrying the Tamron brand but prices ranged from P27K – 30K. I then stopped at Watson and my heart skipped a bit when they said that their Tamron 18-270mm lens only costs 23K. Being the great poker player that I am I didn’t show my excitement but just calmly asked if they accept credit cards. A big fat no. Gah, I was crestfallen. A real steal and I don’t have enough cash to buy it. I went to Henry’s which was just beside Watson and was instantly rewarded. Same price, accepts plastic. Ultimate combination. I was done in 15minutes flat. I included a lens protector as well in my purchase to ensure longevity of my newly purchased Tamron 18-270mm lens.

The guys at Henry’s said that the Tamron price is a promo price so they’re not sure if it’s gonna stay at that price forever. I really didn’t care. I have my new lens and I couldn’t wait to try it out.

I have already attached my new lens to my Canon body and I have to say it’s freaking big! The kit lens I was using is puny in comparison. Here’s a pic of my new lens attached to the Canon 7D and another one with the lens extended. hehehe. Talk about compensating for something.

Tamron 18-270mm on Canon 7D

Tamron 18-270mm on Canon 7D Zoomed Out

Call Your Relatives In The US or Canada For Free!

3WG — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:55:01 +0000

Do you know that you can now call your relatives residing in the US or Canada for free? No I’m not talking about calling via Skype or Yahoo! where you only talk computer to computer. In this one, you can actually call your relatives who are now in the US or Canada ON THEIR LANDLINES OR MOBILE PHONES! Yes you read that right. This is an awesome service that was just launched by Google yesterday. Check out the story HERE.

All you need to do is log-in to your Gmail account and then look for the ‘call phone’ icon on the left side. Click on that and you will be then prompted to install a little voice plugin which installs in just a few seconds. Just click on ‘TRY IT NOW’ and then you’re set!

I was actually skeptical about the service and thought that this might just be for US to US calls or Canada to Canada calls. But lo and behold, I tried calling the Smithsonian Institute in New York (teehehehe, I got the number on the internet) and I was able to do so without any problem. The line was clear and I was able to hear the automated answering system. Yes, I was calling their landline via Gmail.

Of course, you will have to get headset with a microphone piece to be able to talk but that’s just a few bucks right? Imagine having to talk to your relatives in the US or Canada for free anytime of the day at no cost whatsoever?

I’m pretty sure our Telecommunications companies will be hit hard by this one. Try it now! Please note that this free service is only applicable to US and Canada calls. All other international calls will not be free. However the calling rates are still ridiculously low.

Waterproof Camera Housing Tips

3WG — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:10:49 +0000

What is a waterproof camera housing? Waterproof camera housing protects your camera from getting soaked in water. This is specially useful if you’re thinking of taking photos underwater. Although there are already waterproof digital cameras that are available in the market today, you don’t need to buy one if you already have your own non-waterproof digital camera. By using a waterproof camera housing, you will be able to use your camera even in areas where getting wet is a sure thing.

There are a lot of waterproof camera housing available in the market today. DiCApac immediately comes to mind when it comes to waterproof camera housings. Their products are very affordable and there are a variety of waterproof camera housings that they sell. These products are also readily available via amazon or on any standalone camera stores all over.

The price of waterproof camera housings range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars for the more high-end variety.

When buying your own waterproof camera housing, take note of the following:

Tips When Buying Waterproof Camera Housing

- the make of your camera ~ don’t just go for generic camera housing. There’s usually a waterproof camera housing for almost every camera model. Just be patient in your research.

- your purpose for buying ~ are you buying a housing because you want to go diving or just to protect your camera from the rain?

- your budget ~ unless you have plenty of money to burn, you might not want to go into the deep end. Some camera housings are more expensive than some high end digital cameras.

- check out customer reviews ~ this is where amazon comes in really handy as those customers who have already purchased the waterproof camera housing you are considering usually leave their review of the product. Of course you can also check the product itself on the net and see what the experts say about the waterproof camera housing of your choice.

Click here –>> For more about waterproof camera housings.

Play Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 On PS3

3WG — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:29:38 +0000

Here’s something that will get Naruto fans and gamers alike excited. Naruto Utimate Ninja Storm 2 demo is now ready for download at the PSN network. You can try out the demo first and if you like it, then by all means buy the game. Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is dubbed in english and while in certain aspects it may sound funny, well maybe not like how it sounds in the original Japanese but that’s a small concession if you were to understand what it is they’re saying right off the bat instead of reading subtitles. Now that should help you keep your focus on the game.

As the title suggests, Naruto Ultimate Storm 2 is the sequel to the original Naruto Ultimate Storm game. This time, the game’s story becomes a trifecta as told by Naruto, Sasuke and Jiraya in the sequel. A website was created to promote the game at www.ultimateninjastorm.com. Even that website is awesome! Be sure to check it out.

If you want to download the Naruto Ulitmate Ninja Storm 2 Demo, just click here.

Check out the interactive trailer below and below that, the original game trailer.

Here’s the debut trailer of Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2.

Once you’re ready to buy this game, just click on the image of Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 below.

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Limited Edition