New Credit Scoring Model Could Help MillionsWritten by James Dimmitt
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Who stands to benefit from this new scoring model? Anyone who makes little use of banks, credit cards, or checking accounts. The “credit underserved” claims Fair Isaac Co, which includes young adults, low-income consumers, widows or divorcees, and immigrants. And while those in credit card and mortgage industry see this new scoring model as a potential benefit, those in credit counseling sector foresee potential problems. Fair Isaac CEO Tom Grudnowski is excited about his company’s new credit-scoring resource. “This extension of FICO score gives lenders and other businesses another powerful tool ..., while expanding service options for consumers who have missed out on opportunities simply because they lack a traditional credit history.” The opposition, namely debt and credit counselors, see both good and bad. Some consumers will benefit by qualifying for less costly credit arrangements. However, others could fall prey to becoming overextended unless they also receive some basic credit and debt education. Tom Hicks, a credit counselor in Chicago, worries that “with average American household owing $8,000.00 in credit debt, this could open door to others finding themselves unable to handle credit properly. Ultimately burden lies with consumer,” he says. Fair Isaac Co. estimates that at least half of those without traditional credit profiles will benefit from this new scoring method.
© 2005, http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com Author: James H. Dimmitt James is editor of “To Your Credit” a FREE weekly newsletter focusing on managing your personal finances and credit. Subscribe and get a FREE copy of your credit report when you visit: http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com
| | RPG:table and computerWritten by Efimov Peter
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Now let’s analyze what we have in computer RPG. From first look everyt5hing is just same-the game system, characters, game world. But all these things are already made, you can see picture with your eyes. Is it good or bad? It depends. By all means, it’s pleasant to see “visual” character, a charming landscape, fire from shots, etc. But your own brains don’t work any longer since there’s no necessity in it. Besides, we won’t see “our own world”. We perceive things as they should be from game developers’ point of view. Their way of perception becomes ours as well. You will never be able to see world with your own eyes and make character really yours, no matter how hard developers tried to improve game. Such a situation has two consequences: 1)Tragic one: your imagination is completely blocked and you don’t like others’ vision.( such a situation is typical for most of projects). 2)Pleasant one: some painters and designers create real masterpieces and we can’t but admire their world vision ( here you perfectly understand difference between your plain brains and a talented professional’s work). But are there many games like that in second point? Frankly speaking, I know only one-Fallout. And I appreciate not graphics but amazing style, exact place of every button, picture, character. Let’s also mention incontestable advantage of computer RPG. It deals with those calculations which make so many table RPG boring. Computer will calculate all fines, bonuses and character’s features in a flash. Strange as it may seem but computer games are based just on table systems and developers of former ones don’t aim to overcharge machines with numerous correlations and parameters. At last we’ve come to a very sensitive problem of computer RPG- opportunities provided in game. Sometimes playing RPG on computer you may suddenly want to act way not offered by plot of game. ( to look into hatch which is pictured on background or to take car you are not allowed to). I am sure that such things are familiar to every gamer. It’s great if plot and locations are well considered. And what if they are not ( as it happens more often)? We must admit that developers of computer games are constantly improving gamer’s opportunities in installed worlds. But if direction is not perfect, game turns into hard work and it makes player take advantage of all improvements (even if he is not willing to). Table RPG is another matter: action there is equal to one word, no talks linearity ( you can communicate with leader way you like), no plot linearity ( you can do what you like until you are killed). Full freedom of decisions and actions provided by table RPG will never be substituted by any perfect program. Here you can act as you like. Besides, standard of game can be easily changed. For example, I can tell you from my own experience that once I started game as a guard (pure RPG adventure) and finished as an emperor (RPG+tactics+strategy). That’s it. It’s for you to judge what is better. What and how to play is also for you. But I’d like to say (from my own experience again) that table RPG develop our brains while computer ones don’t. A friend of mine being an active table player suddenly began reading books( he didn’t use to do it since his childhood). He started to read not classical masterpieces or since fiction. That was fantasy. But anyway he began READING, and that’s point. Another my friend got used to computer and became a real fan and gamer. Now I constantly see black areas under his eyes and our communication is bothered by a turned on PC. Of course, these are separate examples and author must admit, he is addicted to computer RPG . But nevertheless it’s table RPG which gives us opportunity to communicate and improve. That ‘s what all author’s life experience tells about.P.S. I’m ready to an open discussion of topic. You are free to write your thoughts to me. By way, an interesting question: does anybody see opportunity to combine two kinds of RPG described above? What if there is golden mean? What if there is?
About the Author-Efimov Peter is a game designer of White Elephant, a great collection of shareware games. Please, visit his site www.elephant-games.com for only best games for you and your children!
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