Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Star Tattoo Ideas - From Ancient to Space-Age

Stars. The ancient peoples of the Earth first worshipped them, and assigned them the power to direct the fate of each human being. Shakespeares Cassius laments, The fault, dear Brutus, is not in the stars, but in ourselves. The late Carl Sagan, in describing the physical connectedness of human being to the rest of the universe, said, We are all made of star stuff, and in those seven words summed up the mystery of where we came from and where we are going.

The stars were intimately connected with the development of human civilization, first because they enabled early farmers to judge the passage of the seasons and know when to plant or harvest their crops. The patterns in the night sky would change as the Earth rotated, and the people above the equator knew that when Orion was completely visible, winter was on the way.

The stars, and especially Polaris, or the North Star, also made seafaring navigation possible. Ancient sailors would be able to get a fix on their locations simply by seeing how high the North Star was above the horizon. Without the stars to steer by, the Europeans arrival in the New World might have been delayed until the aviation era!

Stars shine and twinkle, and the star closest to us, our Sun, provides the light and warmth which make the Earth the life giving miraculous planet it is. The sun, and all stars, are huge nuclear furnaces with unimaginably intense atomic reactions taking place at their cores which result in heat and light.

The simple truth is that stars have been essential to human survival from the time of the Garden of Eden, and are so loaded with beautiful symbolic meaning that there are some terrific star tattoo ideas.

Some star tattoo ideas for astrology and astronomy buffs are to have an astrological sign tattooed against a galaxy of colored stars; or a miniature solar system with the central Sun being circled by the planets. Shooting stars while they are not actually stars but meteors which burn up when they enter the Earths atmosphere, make star tattoo ideas.

Shooting star tattoo ideas can vary from having a single star with a tail to several stars, as in a meteor shower. And the stars themselves can be different, because the number of points a star design has will change its meaning. Or the star could actually be a sunburst, and the tail could be a made of a few simple lines or a fully developed flame. How about a rocketship blasting off into your own galaxy of shooting stars? Or a shooting star trailing your name?

Other star tattoo ideas can be taken from the history of nautical navigation. The nautical star tattoo was a seafarers way of protecting himself at sea and ensuring that he would find his way home. It has since been adopted by military personnel, and for other people it simply represents the desire for a safe passage through life.

Tthe number of points a star has can be the inspiration for star tattoos ideas; the four pointed star is a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem. The star fish, or five pointed star, is also called a Pentagram, and has a variety of meanings. It meant health to the ancient Greeks, an inverted Pentagram is a symbol of devil worship.

The six pointed star is, of course, the Star of David, and the seven pointed star is a symbol of luck. Star tattoo ides using a seven pointed star can include the paraphernalia of gambling, for lucky sevens. And if you are involved with law enforcement, youll know seven-pointed stars are common as badges.

Count the stars if you can, and youll have an idea of how many star tattoo ideas are waiting, if youll only turn your imagination loose!

Author: Matt Garrett - 2007 www.TopTattooDesign.Com

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No Need for Concern with Bad Credit Student Loans

Bad credit student loans are available to those who would otherwise not be able to afford a college education. If you are in the unfortunate position of having a bad credit score, you can still be eligible for financial aid.

Several federal student loans and private loans are there for the taking. All you need to do is research the ones that are best for you and then apply for them.

If you have bad credit, the best place to start looking is at federal loans. Federal loans are nice in the sense that the government is not concerned with your credit score when you are applying for a federal student loan.

One great option to look at is the Stafford loans, which are available to both undergraduate and graduate students. Stafford loans are under the assumption that a student doesn't even have a credit score because he or she is coming straight from high school.

Perkins loans, another federal student loan offered for college, follows the same assumptions for its applicants, making it easier for students with bad credit histories.

PLUS loans are an alternative to bad credit student loans to help you pay for college. These loans are offered to parents. Parents fill them out, and it is the parents who are responsible for paying back the loan. The student's credit history is very irrelevant. This allows the student to receive more funding for college.

If you miss deadlines and are unable to apply for a federal loan, then you may want to consider a grant. Federal grants, such as the Pell grant, are great, especially if you have a bad credit history.

Grants are awarded on the needs and the specific criteria of the student applying, not on how well they scored on a credit test. Whether you are applying for a federal student loan or a federal grant, you need to check with your college or university to see what you will qualify for based on your needs.

If you are interested in private student loans, but are afraid you won't qualify because of bad credit, there is no need to worry. Some private lenders will still allow you to take out a loan for college even if you suffer from a bad credit history.

What may occur is you will have to pay higher interest rates for private student loans than for a federal loan. If you are using the money for a higher degree, such as a law or medical degree, then you might stand a better chance of getting a private loan despite your poor credit ratings.

Even with very bad credit, you can still pursue your dream of attending college. All you have to do is research the number of options that are out there for private and federal student loans.

If you spend some time with your school's financial aid advisor, you should know all you need to know about bad credit student loans. Do not let bad credit ruin your chance to go as far as you want!

Mike Selvon portal offers free student loans information. Find out how to cope with bad credit student loans, and leave a comment at the student loan blog.