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Depending of the college you’re assisting, student loans are important because of the federal student aid given for them, such as Pell Grants and other financial aid. If you are the student who is eligible for federal student aid, you are eligible to receive student loans at that institution.

According to the BLS, the average amount of student loans held by college graduates in 2013 was $30,835. The average amount of student loans held by high school graduates was $7,919, and $14,400 for those with a 4-year degree.

Why Do Students Need Student Loans?

Students are often going through difficult financial times such as getting married or applying to a graduate program. Many times, a student will borrow money for both. However, you can only be charged interest on student loans while enrolled in school.

Most students take out student loans in order to pay for college costs, but there are students who choose to pay for school by taking out a loan, as well. This can work well for students who want to be financially independent later in life. This is particularly important for people who go into the workforce after graduation, as student loan repayment often means a lower income after graduation. To be a successful student, you should always seek to do as much as you can with your time. If you are a student who takes on more debt during your time as a student, this may be an indicator that you are taking on more debt than you can afford to repay. Many students end up defaulting on their loans, and this means that the interest that your loans accrue on your behalf gets paid by the federal government. The fact that your loans are defaulted can impact your ability to find a job. A common misconception is that if you default your loans, you will not be eligible for student loans from other financial institutions. This is not true. Once you have defaulted your loans, you will have a defaulted-loan record. This will stop your application to participate in certain programs, like the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. If your loans are in deferment or forbearance, you will be allowed to continue to pay them down until they are completely paid off. This is not a free ride. If you leave an institution before they complete their repayment process, you will be unable to access the remaining balance. However, if you complete your repayment process within six years of your graduation, you will be considered to be making continuous progress toward making your student loan payments in full.

Loan consolidation is another way to consolidate your federal student loans. If your loans are consolidating with another bank, consider making sure that the consolidation company is registered with the federal government as a “servicer.” In most cases, this will require submitting your application in writing.

Avoid paying too much interest

Make sure you are not paying too much interest on your student loans before you decide to refinance.

It can be easy to feel that you’re “doing it right” when you’re getting a great deal on a home purchase or a car loan, and not having to pay the interest or fees until it is paid off. But while you’re paying the interest, you may not be able to afford to continue paying for your student loans. Do some research to find out if you are paying too much interest on your student loans.

Other Considerations If you’re thinking about refinancing student loans, look at student loan interest rates.

Google Maps Quest

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For April 1st Google is pulling several pranks but the best is by far the Quest option on Google maps. Simply visit google maps and on the right click the “Quest” option next to the standard “Satellite” option.

Wow, I really do live in the middle of nowhere! I love how many of the surrounding areas seem right at home on an 8-bit questing map.

(Click for larger image)

The 8bit fun continues on street view as well.  I don’t remember painting my house red…

Pirate iPad

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Apparently my iPad 2 thinks it is a Nigerian Pirate.  No, I didn’t photoshop this image.  This is where iCloud just told me the iPad sitting on my desk is located.  And no, I’m not blogging from my yacht in the Atlantic…

Gunpoint Preview: Best Indie Game Of 2012?

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I’ve been beta-testing a new game recently and it’s too good not to share – you know, in a quick review, that is, not the actual game.  Gunpoint is a “game about rewiring things and punching people” according to creator Tom Francis. Which actually sums up the cunningly simple idea behind this superhero spy game that equally rewards thinking and aggression.  Not to mention it gives one a peek at the wit baked into this indie game.

So here’s the premise: you are spy tasked with retrieving vital info from a secure data terminal.  You are armed with your basic Spiderman spy gear that lets you leap and fall great distances as well as climb walls. Cool but the fun part is that you also get a crosslink device that can rewire lights, security doors, elevators, surveillance cameras and more.  As an example, you could wire the elevator door to the lights on a level with a guard so that your arrival kills the light and send the guard over to the light switch while you slip by undetected…  Or sneak up to pounce on him from behind and punch him in the face! The choice is yours. The vanguard hacks is really helpful for the ones looking to get hacks and go forward in the game.

Here’s another example from fellow beta-tester and reviewer Will:

I’m standing at the window of a building. Across a small alleyway stands another building, with a guard, above me, looking out. I’m safe now, but when I move my cursor into the space between the buildings, it turns red, telling me that I’ll be seen as soon as I step (or leap) outside. He’s in pouncing range, and I’ve upgraded my leap enough to propel me through the window, but there’s no chance I’ll cross the distance before he puts a bullet in me. I could shoot HIM, maybe, but I’ve still got objectives left in the level, and no time to clear them before the sniper shows up, blocking the exit.

I slip into Crosslink mode, look at my options. I’m in luck! The switch behind me is on the same circuit (devices on different circuits can’t be linked together, usually) as the lights on his floor. I hook my switch to his lights, exit Crosslink, and flick it. Lights go out, he turns around to turn them back on, and as soon as his back is turned, I pounce, crashing through the window and slamming my fist into his face. Awesome.

But those are simple examples.  You can chain together several devices to cause some pretty creative mayhem.  Think rube goldberg machine and you get the idea.  The great thing about Gunpoint is the number of “i wonder if…” ideas that actually work.  Spoiler Sentence: Watching a guard raise his gun at my head only to trigger a door that knocks him unconscious instead of tragically ending my illustrious spy career: priceless.

Pricing and release date have yet to be set, but trust me: you want this game.  It achieves an excellent balance of clever puzzles (for you) and traps (for them) with enough superhero action to feel like a real spy.

UPDATE: After many delays, Gunpoint is now available for just $9!

Scott Occam’s Protocol

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Since I have maxed out my Bowflex’s 310lb rods on 3 of my strength exercises I need to do three things along taking the best workout supplement According to River Front Times 1) order the 100lb upgrade,  2) update my progress, and 3) start a cardio workout.

Below is an update of my previous strength chart with my actual set and the associated 1 rep max estimate along with a percentage increase from the original.

A few disclaimers:

  1. “Bowflex lbs” are not as difficult as free-weight (real) lbs because of the progressive bow-like resistance (I prefer it as it is much safer for maxing out without a spotter).
  2. The accuracy of 1 rep estimators tend to decrease as the number of reps increases.

In this case, even if the lbs listed aren’t “real” and the reps are high, they are similar in number – allowing for accurate relative strength comparisons.  So while I don’t believe I could bench over 500lbs just yet, I have gotten considerably stronger with less effort than I previously thought possible.  Stay tuned for my full write up on the simple workout that achieved these great results.

  July 6th October 6th Nov 21st Feb 6th
Close-Grip Suppinated Pull-Down
(Machine Chin Up)		 80 lb x 12est max: 115 lb- 130 lb x 11est max: 180 lb+56% 155 lb x 12est max: 223 lb+94% 190 lb x 11est max: 263 lb+128%
Machine Shoulder Press 45 lb x 12est max: 65 lb- 100 lb x 13est max: 150 lb+130% 125 lb x 15est max: 204 lb+214% 150 lb x 12est max: 216 lb+332%
Machine Squats – 120 lb x 11 150 lb x 30 190 lb x 30
Kettle Bell Swings 25 lb x 75 25 lb x 110 45 lb x 90 45 lb x 105
Machine Slight Decline Bench 70 lb x 9est max: 90 lb- 105 lb x 16est max: 180 lb+100% 155 lb x 15est max: 254 lb+182% 185 lb x 14est max: 290 lb+222%
Reverse Drag Curls — 55 lb x 10est max: 73 lb– 65 lb x 15est max: 106 lb+45% 105 lb x 18est max: 199 lb+272%
Slow Shoulder Rolls – 50 lb x 40 80 lb x 40 105 lb x 40

UPDATE: Since posting this I have learned that a 2 “bowflex lbs” = 1 free weight lb.