One of a billion.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Winston Churchill Quotes
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."
"Although prepared for martyrdom, I preferred that it be postponed."
"History will be kind to me for I intend to write it."
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."
"The Americans will always do the right thing...after they've exhausted all the alternatives."
"I decline utterly to be impartial as between the fire brigade and the fire."
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
"Some see private enterprise as a predatory target to be shot, others as a cow to be milked, but few are those who see it as a sturdy horse pulling the wagon."
Friday, December 29, 2006
Free for small business- from microsoft
Microsoft Office Accounting Express gives Microsoft new credibility in the small-business accounting arena—and it's free
Imports from QuickBooks and Microsoft Money. Fixed-assets tracking. Well-designed interface. Thorough, flexible customer and vendor records. Basic time tracking. Online banking and merchant accounts. Simple but adequate stable of reports. Great integration with Office, especially between Outlook and Business Contact Manager. Terrific add-on services and accountant access.
-PC Magazine review
dowload accounting-express
Imports from QuickBooks and Microsoft Money. Fixed-assets tracking. Well-designed interface. Thorough, flexible customer and vendor records. Basic time tracking. Online banking and merchant accounts. Simple but adequate stable of reports. Great integration with Office, especially between Outlook and Business Contact Manager. Terrific add-on services and accountant access.
-PC Magazine review
dowload accounting-express
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Playtime with your mouse
Go to this site and have some fun. Just keep clicking and dragging your mouse.
Click on numbers in lower left corner of screen for other animations.
http://yugop.com/
Monday, December 25, 2006
Remember the downtrodden among us at Christmas time
P.S. For those who don't watch TV or read People magazine, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are celebrities. Heroes are famous for their deeds, celebrities are famous for being famous.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Barbie in the Blender
Hate Xmas? Stick your kid's Barbie in the blender
By Lester Haines
Those of you suffering from pre-Xmas "bah humbug" syndrome, typified by symptoms ranging from mild irritation at the Yule orgy of capitalism, to the overwhelming desire to bring down Santa's sleigh with a surface-to-air missile, will certainly enjoy the festive offering from Will It Blend? - a website dedicated to testing everyday objects to destruction in a household blender.
Indeed, anyone who's ever wondered what happens when you stick a couple of Barbie Dancing Princesses in a blender can find out right here. It's not a pretty sight.
This Barbie carnage features in a series of videos called Don't Try This @ Home. Other objects subjected to the blender treatment include golf balls, a crowbar and, rather agreeably, an iPod.
http://www.willitblend.com/videos.aspx?type=unsafe
Saturday, December 23, 2006
impossible narcissists
How to Deal With Impossible People
We all know impossible people. They tend to share three main characteristics: They cannot be reasoned with, they believe they can do no wrong, and they are convinced that everything is someone else's fault. If you haven't had some first-hand experience in dealing with such people, even a brief conversation can raise your blood pressure through the roof. These people may also be known to some as narcissists. Here are some insights and steps for dealing with these highly difficult people.
excerpt-
4. Realize that you cannot deal with impossible people the same way you deal with everyone else. In some ways, they need to be treated like children. Give up all hope of engaging these folks in any kind of reasonable conversation. It will never happen, at least with you. Remember what happened the last fifty times you tried to have a civilized discussion about the status of your relationship with this person. Chances are, every such attempt ended in you being blamed for everything. Decide now to quit banging your head against a brick wall.
http://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-Impossible-People
Friday, December 22, 2006
Four quotes for the day
"We all are worms, but I do believe I am a glowworm."
Winston Churchill
"There are two ways to slide easily through life; to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways save us from thinking."
Alfred Korzybski
"Hell hath no fury like a bureaucrat scorned."
Milton Friedman
"Coffee in England always tastes like a chemistry experiment."
Agatha Christie
Winston Churchill
"There are two ways to slide easily through life; to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways save us from thinking."
Alfred Korzybski
"Hell hath no fury like a bureaucrat scorned."
Milton Friedman
"Coffee in England always tastes like a chemistry experiment."
Agatha Christie
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Your money or your life?
excerpt from
paranoidbrain blog
Money is not a measure of personal value, it is a measure of interpersonal value. The way I like a Ferrari is probably almost totally incompatible with the way the balding CEO likes a Ferrari. We could spend all day trying to convince the other that our point of view is superior. The great thing about money is that it gives us a standard of measurement BETWEEN personal valuations.
It might be somewhat distasteful, but it is relatively straightforward to put a price on human life. What do you think life insurance companies do? Even better, you can look at the premiums people pay to avoid risking their life. Every time you choose between the safer alternative that costs a little more or the cheaper riskier option, you are making an evaluation of the monetary value of your life. That doesn’t mean your life (or anyone else’s) is not valuable in a unique way.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Blast from the past
"If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing."
ANATOLE FRANCE
"Not to know what has been transacted in former times is to be always a child. If no use is made of the labors of past ages, the world must remain always in the infancy of knowledge."
CICERO
"My advice to you is get married: if you find a good wife you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher ."
SOCRATES
ANATOLE FRANCE
"Not to know what has been transacted in former times is to be always a child. If no use is made of the labors of past ages, the world must remain always in the infancy of knowledge."
CICERO
"My advice to you is get married: if you find a good wife you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher ."
SOCRATES
Monday, December 18, 2006
nabokov on metamorphosis
Of course, no matter how keenly, how admirably, a story, a piece of music, a picture is discussed and analyzed, there will be minds that remain blank and spines that remain unkindled. "To take upon us the mystery of things"—what King Lear so wistfully says for himself and for Cordelia—this is also my suggestion for everyone who takes art seriously. A poor man is robbed of his overcoat (Gogol's "The Greatcoat," or more correctly "The Carrick"); another poor fellow is turned into a beetle (Kafka's "The Metamorphosis)—so what? There is no rational answer to "so what." We can take the story apart, we can find out how the bits fit, how one part of the pattern responds to the other; but you have to have in you some cell, some gene, some germ that will vibrate in answer to sensations that you can neither define, nor dismiss. Beauty plus pity—that is the closest we can get to a definition of art. Where there is beauty there is pity for the simple reason that beauty must die: beauty always dies, the manner dies with the matter, the world dies with the individual. If Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" strikes anyone as something more than an entomological fantasy, then I congratulate him on having joined the ranks of good and great readers.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Templeton Tenets
from the book -The Templeton Touch: Investment concepts:
There is only one long term investment objective, maximum total after-tax return.
Success requires study and work. It's harder than you think.
Buy when pessimism is at its maximum, sell when optimism is at its maximum.
Buying when others have despaired, and selling when they are full of hope, takes fortitude.
Bear markets aren't forever. Prices usually turn up a year before the business cycle hits bottom.
Popularity is temporary. When a sector goes out of fashion, it stays out for many years.
In the long run, stock index prices fluctuate around the Earnings Per Share trend line.
Buy what other people buy and you will succeed or fail as other people do.
11 ways to ride a dead horse?
based on Instructivist:
Dakota tribal wisdom says that when you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount. However, the educational establishment often tries other strategies with dead horses, including the following:
1. Waiting for the horse's condition to improve from this temporary downturn.
2. Passing legislation declaring 'This horse is not dead.'
3. Revising the performance requirements for horses.
4. Blaming the horse's parents.
5. Acquiring additional dead horses for increased speed.
6. Promote the dead horse to a supervisory position
7. Commissioning a study to see if private contractors can ride it cheaper.
8. Removing all obstacles in the dead horse's path.
9. Taking bids for a state-of-the art dead horse.
10. Declaring the horse is 'better, faster and cheaper' dead.
11. Raising taxes (any excuse will do).
Dakota tribal wisdom says that when you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount. However, the educational establishment often tries other strategies with dead horses, including the following:
1. Waiting for the horse's condition to improve from this temporary downturn.
2. Passing legislation declaring 'This horse is not dead.'
3. Revising the performance requirements for horses.
4. Blaming the horse's parents.
5. Acquiring additional dead horses for increased speed.
6. Promote the dead horse to a supervisory position
7. Commissioning a study to see if private contractors can ride it cheaper.
8. Removing all obstacles in the dead horse's path.
9. Taking bids for a state-of-the art dead horse.
10. Declaring the horse is 'better, faster and cheaper' dead.
11. Raising taxes (any excuse will do).
Friday, December 15, 2006
good tool for rough translation between languages
AltaVista Babel Fish Translation enables you to translate short passages of text or entire Web sites among 19 pairs of languages.
As an automatic translator, Babel Fish works best when the text you wish to translate uses proper grammar. Slang, misspelled words, poorly placed punctuation and complex or lengthy sentences can all cause a page to be translated incorrectly. Expect Babel Fish to allow you to grasp the general intent of the original, not to produce a polished translation.
To Translate Your Own Text
1. Type or paste text into the "Translate a block of text" text box.
2. Select the language pair from the list (for example, English to French).
3. Click the Translate button.
4. Babel Fish translates text up to about 150 words at a time
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
If They Only Had a Brain
The Naked Economist:
excerpt-
excerpt-
The main thing the Democrats have going for them at the moment is that they're not Republicans. That worked for the midterm elections, but it's no strategy for governing, or for winning the White House in 2008.
...........
The Democrats have no coherent economic philosophy.
Let's grant the Democrats the laudable goal of making life better for working people and the disadvantaged. Here's the problem: Most of the policies they propose for doing that lie somewhere between impractical and just plain wrong.
You can't claim that education is your No. 1 priority while pandering to teachers unions. Nor can you fight against international trade when the evidence is clear that it creates wealth and profoundly improves the lives of people in poor countries.
(And, in the short term, trade makes possible all those cheap goods at Wal-Mart that stretch the paychecks of the people the party is supposed to represent.)
Raising the minimum wage? Yes, it will make a lot of people better off -- and it will speed up the process of outsourcing and automation, which will make a lot of other people worse off. Raising the minimum wage is not an economic plan for making the nation more productive; at best, it's a transfer of wealth, and not even the most efficient way of doing that."
"I am rather screwed," he said. L.A. Times
A loan that'll get ugly fast
By David Streitfeld
December 11, 2006
EVERY day, Will Hertzberg owns a little less of his three-bedroom house in Corona.
Like hundreds of thousands of other homeowners around the state, Hertzberg has a mortgage that lets him choose how much he pays each month.
Like many of them, he always chooses to pay as little as possible.
For the moment, this allows the 56-year-old Hertzberg to continue living in his tract home despite being only marginally employed. But his debt is swelling, and his mortgage company controls his fate.
"I am rather screwed," he said.
Alarmed regulators recently have attempted to force lenders to cut back on loans like Hertzberg's. Even some industry executives are beginning to wonder how these borrowers will handle their added debt, especially if housing prices stay flat or fall.
If it turns out that many can't, it would be a major blow to the housing market. In the worst outcome, it could drag down the overall economy.
Hertzberg could sell now, but his lender would charge him an $11,034 prepayment penalty — money he doesn't have. Yet if he stays, the housing market may tank, vaporizing what little equity he has left.
"I made choices, and they happened to be the wrong choices," said Hertzberg, a big guy who lives alone amid the clutter of decades of memorabilia.
The real estate boom of the last few years has made it very easy to become overextended.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Hundreds of Georgians lost their homes Tuesday.
The Foreclosure Report:
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports:
'Hundreds of Georgians lost their homes Tuesday. The houses, taken from debt-laden homeowners, were sold to bidders on courthouse steps statewide. Foreclosures in Georgia are up a stunning 99 percent in the past year.'
'The state now has the nation's third-highest rate of foreclosures: One in every 449 households. In October, that meant 6,895 properties were in the foreclosure process.'
'The taking of homes has always been brisk here because state laws are written for speed. Georgia is one of three states in which lenders can foreclose on houses in as few as 37 days. Foreclosures ramped up in recent months as once-low introductory interest rates on adjustable mortgages edged up, making monthly payments unaffordable for some homeowners.'"
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports:
'Hundreds of Georgians lost their homes Tuesday. The houses, taken from debt-laden homeowners, were sold to bidders on courthouse steps statewide. Foreclosures in Georgia are up a stunning 99 percent in the past year.'
'The state now has the nation's third-highest rate of foreclosures: One in every 449 households. In October, that meant 6,895 properties were in the foreclosure process.'
'The taking of homes has always been brisk here because state laws are written for speed. Georgia is one of three states in which lenders can foreclose on houses in as few as 37 days. Foreclosures ramped up in recent months as once-low introductory interest rates on adjustable mortgages edged up, making monthly payments unaffordable for some homeowners.'"
Sunday, December 10, 2006
The Worst Investments You Can Make
When it comes to personal finances, there is plenty of information about what people feel are the best options, but rarely do you find information about the worst investments that you can make. Some of the worst:
Timeshare: Timeshares are often marketed as an investment, but they are one of the worst you can make. An investment is supposed to increase in value, yet timeshares typically lose 50% to 80% of their value the minute you sign on the dotted line.
Life Insurance: If you have talked with a life insurance agent, you've probably heard a pitch of life insurance as an investment. Insurance agents do so for a simple reason - it's a lot easier to sell an "investment" than it is to sell something that is only collected upon if you die. Life insurance should be viewed and considered for purchase for exactly what it is: insurance.
Tips From Unknown Sources: Whether it comes from an unsolicited email (SPAM) or overhearing it in an elevator, investing tips that come from someone you don't know will almost always be terrible. Since you don't know the source, you can never be sure of the claims being made. Which leads to the next investment to avoid...
Instruments You Don't Fully Understand: Investing in anything that you don't completely understand is a disaster waiting to happen. It's not that the vehicle itself is necessarily bad, but if you don't understand how it works, you don't know when it's time to hold and time to sell. You should always do thorough research before you invest in anything and know exactly how it works so you are prepared when decisions need to be made.
Jewelry: Sometimes jewelers will try to convince you that purchasing a bigger ring, a more expensive necklace or a higher quality stone will be a good investment. The fact is that the stones and jewelry purchased by the average person will lose value. Leave investment jewelry to the experts and purchase what you like for yourself, not as an investment.
Cars: One of the worst investments you can make is to borrow money to purchase a depreciating asset. Much like timeshares, a new car loses a good percentage of its value the second it's driven off the dealer's lot.
Avoiding investments that will hurt your pocket book is just as important as finding those that will help. No matter how much others try to convince you that any of the above is a good investment, don't listen and walk away. It may be one of the best investment decisions you ever make.
Timeshare: Timeshares are often marketed as an investment, but they are one of the worst you can make. An investment is supposed to increase in value, yet timeshares typically lose 50% to 80% of their value the minute you sign on the dotted line.
Life Insurance: If you have talked with a life insurance agent, you've probably heard a pitch of life insurance as an investment. Insurance agents do so for a simple reason - it's a lot easier to sell an "investment" than it is to sell something that is only collected upon if you die. Life insurance should be viewed and considered for purchase for exactly what it is: insurance.
Tips From Unknown Sources: Whether it comes from an unsolicited email (SPAM) or overhearing it in an elevator, investing tips that come from someone you don't know will almost always be terrible. Since you don't know the source, you can never be sure of the claims being made. Which leads to the next investment to avoid...
Instruments You Don't Fully Understand: Investing in anything that you don't completely understand is a disaster waiting to happen. It's not that the vehicle itself is necessarily bad, but if you don't understand how it works, you don't know when it's time to hold and time to sell. You should always do thorough research before you invest in anything and know exactly how it works so you are prepared when decisions need to be made.
Jewelry: Sometimes jewelers will try to convince you that purchasing a bigger ring, a more expensive necklace or a higher quality stone will be a good investment. The fact is that the stones and jewelry purchased by the average person will lose value. Leave investment jewelry to the experts and purchase what you like for yourself, not as an investment.
Cars: One of the worst investments you can make is to borrow money to purchase a depreciating asset. Much like timeshares, a new car loses a good percentage of its value the second it's driven off the dealer's lot.
Avoiding investments that will hurt your pocket book is just as important as finding those that will help. No matter how much others try to convince you that any of the above is a good investment, don't listen and walk away. It may be one of the best investment decisions you ever make.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Friday, December 08, 2006
Quotes for the day
"It matters not whether you win or lose; what matters is whether I win or lose."
Darrin Weinberg
"If you made a list of the reasons why any couple got married, and another list of the reasons for their divorce, you'd have a hell of a lot of overlapping."
Mignon McLaughlin
"When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it."
Bernard Bailey
Darrin Weinberg
"If you made a list of the reasons why any couple got married, and another list of the reasons for their divorce, you'd have a hell of a lot of overlapping."
Mignon McLaughlin
"When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it."
Bernard Bailey
Thursday, December 07, 2006
(Is College Worth it?)
The Biggest Gamble of Your Life
December 7th, 2006
In 2005, young people (ages 18-25) in the US gambled $67 billion. Not in Vegas or online poker rooms, but on a betterment program called college. Their hope is that the monies they are spending will allow them to earn more money over their lifetime. Many are paying for this wager by amassing a mountain of debt that will take years to pay off. Is it a good wager? Conventional wisdom says so, but with $67 billion on the line (and that's debt accumulated in just one year by college attendees) we should have more than conventional wisdom or parental pressures to guide the way to smart economic decisions. REEF’s economic analysis shows that college is a financial mistake for more than half of the American young people today. Shielded from scrutiny in this transaction by an assumption of 'public good' are universities and college lenders who many expect to provide guidance to these young people. While the data hints at ways for some individuals to improve the odds of a positive financial outcome, half the people attending college should hear the frank counter-intuitive advice, "Don't go to college."
The analysis begins by assessing a college education purely as a monetary investment. Undoubtedly, there are other benefits beyond money to attend college, but it's such an enormous economic decision that it seems foolish to not fully understand the financial ramifications and use that as a primary factor in the decision process. Overall, college grads do have higher earnings than non-grads, but that's only part of the equation. A deeper analysis looks at the costs of acquiring that degree and the monies including interest charges which need to be repaid. (At the end of this piece is a complete listing of the data sources used and a walk through of the calculations.) Using a 40 year time career, here is the total return which look at earnings, college expenses and interest.
Initial Investment (college expenses)
$76,776 Public
$151,835 Private
Earnings Over 40 Year More Than High School Grad (subtracting out debt servicing)
$433,000 Public
$322,000 Private
Effective Interest Rate on Investment
4.42% Public
1.9% Private
full article from michaelrobertson.com/
December 7th, 2006
In 2005, young people (ages 18-25) in the US gambled $67 billion. Not in Vegas or online poker rooms, but on a betterment program called college. Their hope is that the monies they are spending will allow them to earn more money over their lifetime. Many are paying for this wager by amassing a mountain of debt that will take years to pay off. Is it a good wager? Conventional wisdom says so, but with $67 billion on the line (and that's debt accumulated in just one year by college attendees) we should have more than conventional wisdom or parental pressures to guide the way to smart economic decisions. REEF’s economic analysis shows that college is a financial mistake for more than half of the American young people today. Shielded from scrutiny in this transaction by an assumption of 'public good' are universities and college lenders who many expect to provide guidance to these young people. While the data hints at ways for some individuals to improve the odds of a positive financial outcome, half the people attending college should hear the frank counter-intuitive advice, "Don't go to college."
The analysis begins by assessing a college education purely as a monetary investment. Undoubtedly, there are other benefits beyond money to attend college, but it's such an enormous economic decision that it seems foolish to not fully understand the financial ramifications and use that as a primary factor in the decision process. Overall, college grads do have higher earnings than non-grads, but that's only part of the equation. A deeper analysis looks at the costs of acquiring that degree and the monies including interest charges which need to be repaid. (At the end of this piece is a complete listing of the data sources used and a walk through of the calculations.) Using a 40 year time career, here is the total return which look at earnings, college expenses and interest.
Initial Investment (college expenses)
$76,776 Public
$151,835 Private
Earnings Over 40 Year More Than High School Grad (subtracting out debt servicing)
$433,000 Public
$322,000 Private
Effective Interest Rate on Investment
4.42% Public
1.9% Private
full article from michaelrobertson.com/
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
How to Buy Nothing
WikiHow: " > Categories > Buying Wisely
Were self-checkouts invented so nobody has to see the useless junk you buy?
In O. Henry's classic Christmas story The Gift of the Magi, Della Young sells her most prized possession, her long, beautiful hair, in order to buy her husband, Jim, a Christmas present. The present she chooses is a chain for Jim's heirloom pocket watch, the only valuable thing he owns. When she presents her gift to Jim, she discovers that he has sold his watch in order to buy a set of ornate combs for her beautiful locks.
Is there a lesson in here for us? The lesson is you don't have to buy anything to be happy.
Were self-checkouts invented so nobody has to see the useless junk you buy?
In O. Henry's classic Christmas story The Gift of the Magi, Della Young sells her most prized possession, her long, beautiful hair, in order to buy her husband, Jim, a Christmas present. The present she chooses is a chain for Jim's heirloom pocket watch, the only valuable thing he owns. When she presents her gift to Jim, she discovers that he has sold his watch in order to buy a set of ornate combs for her beautiful locks.
Is there a lesson in here for us? The lesson is you don't have to buy anything to be happy.
Monday, December 04, 2006
writing mortgages ... and selling marijuana paraphernalia on the side
The Housing Bubble Blog: “Merit employees proudly posted their résumés, plus photos of their luxury cars and drinking parties, on various Web sites. One loan officer had come to work fresh from being a Hooters Girl. Another solicited clients for two endeavors: writing mortgages for Merit and selling marijuana paraphernalia on the side.”
“Indeed, several Merit loan officers boasted online that doing drugs was a favorite pastime. ‘Let’s get hopped up and make some bad decisions,’ wrote one beside a photo of himself grinning broadly.”
“Former employees also said Merit regularly provided a keg of beer for some staff meetings, but Greenlaw said that, no, it was actually two kegs, and employees were free to bring in six-packs on Fridays. Asked about rumors of drug use in the office, Greenlaw said, ‘We just never checked.’”
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Fake friends for sale
Ted Samson:
Filed under: Friday fun
Are bullies over on Second Life kicking virtual sand in your face because you don't have hundreds of hot friends on your MySpace or Facebook page?
Well, here's some good news to pump up your deflated ego: A new service called Fake Your Space launched a couple of days ago that allows you to essentially rent some 'hot' faux cyberbuddies you can add as friends and who will leave comments on your page each week. (I should add that as ludicrous as this service sounds, it doesn't appear to be a hoax.)
How does it work? Well, first you get to browse through catalogs of potential male and female 'friends,' all of whom look like average, run-of-the-mill models and will undoubtedly blend into your existing Friends page about as subtly as a Carrot Top fits in at a Mr. Universe pageant.
Filed under: Friday fun
Are bullies over on Second Life kicking virtual sand in your face because you don't have hundreds of hot friends on your MySpace or Facebook page?
Well, here's some good news to pump up your deflated ego: A new service called Fake Your Space launched a couple of days ago that allows you to essentially rent some 'hot' faux cyberbuddies you can add as friends and who will leave comments on your page each week. (I should add that as ludicrous as this service sounds, it doesn't appear to be a hoax.)
How does it work? Well, first you get to browse through catalogs of potential male and female 'friends,' all of whom look like average, run-of-the-mill models and will undoubtedly blend into your existing Friends page about as subtly as a Carrot Top fits in at a Mr. Universe pageant.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Egyptians built Pyramids with concrete blocks
World - Times Online:
The Ancient Egyptians built their great Pyramids by pouring concrete into blocks high on the site rather than hauling up giant stones, according to a new Franco-American study.
The research, by materials scientists from national institutions, adds fuel to a theory that the pharaohs’ craftsmen had enough skill and materials at hand to cast the two-tonne limestone blocks that dress the Cheops and other Pyramids.
New support for their case came from Guy Demortier, a materials scientist at Namur University in Belgium. Originally a sceptic, he told the French magazine that a decade of study had made him a convert: “The three majestic Pyramids of Cheops, Khephren and Mykerinos are well and truly made from concrete stones.”
The concrete theorists also point out differences in density of the pyramid stones, which have a higher mass near the bottom and bubbles near the top, like old-style cement blocks.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
why greens seem so opposed to one scientist’s proposal for stabilising global temperatures
Stuart Blackman
Little is certain in the field of global climate prediction. But one thing is for sure: if all those worst-case scenarios made so much of by environmentalists come true, we really are screwed.
So you might expect those same environmentalists to be rather excited by a project that claims to be able to stabilise global temperatures at the push of a button, and keep them stable while the world makes the transition to energy sources of the future. Except that they’re not. In fact, if their reaction to the project is anything to go by, either they don’t believe their own press releases, or trying out new things in order to save the planet is not one of their top priorities.
There has been no shortage of suggestions over recent decades for large-scale ‘engineering fixes’ for global warming, some more outlandish than others.
Atmospheric physicist John Latham’s idea is more down-to-Earth, although whether it can provide a ‘solution’ to climate change remains up for debate. In the 1980s, Latham, now at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, realised that the Earth already had the hardware in place for reflecting sunlight back into space.
While some types of cloud have an insulating effect on the planet, others, such as the low-altitude stratocumulus variety that covers much of the world’s oceans, reflect incoming sunlight. Latham’s idea is to make the silver linings of those stratocumulus clouds a little bit more silvery, by injecting salt crystals into the atmosphere to seed the formation of the water droplets that comprise them. He claims, ‘one can produce a degree of cooling in a controlled way, to try and balance the warming produced by the burning of fossil fuels’. He calculates that to achieve the desired effect on cloud reflectivity would require treating them with ‘a cupful’ of salt per km2 per hour.
‘It’s a very interesting idea, and one that is based on sound cloud physics’, says Alan Gadian, climate scientist at the University of Leeds.
http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/2097/
Little is certain in the field of global climate prediction. But one thing is for sure: if all those worst-case scenarios made so much of by environmentalists come true, we really are screwed.
So you might expect those same environmentalists to be rather excited by a project that claims to be able to stabilise global temperatures at the push of a button, and keep them stable while the world makes the transition to energy sources of the future. Except that they’re not. In fact, if their reaction to the project is anything to go by, either they don’t believe their own press releases, or trying out new things in order to save the planet is not one of their top priorities.
There has been no shortage of suggestions over recent decades for large-scale ‘engineering fixes’ for global warming, some more outlandish than others.
Atmospheric physicist John Latham’s idea is more down-to-Earth, although whether it can provide a ‘solution’ to climate change remains up for debate. In the 1980s, Latham, now at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, realised that the Earth already had the hardware in place for reflecting sunlight back into space.
While some types of cloud have an insulating effect on the planet, others, such as the low-altitude stratocumulus variety that covers much of the world’s oceans, reflect incoming sunlight. Latham’s idea is to make the silver linings of those stratocumulus clouds a little bit more silvery, by injecting salt crystals into the atmosphere to seed the formation of the water droplets that comprise them. He claims, ‘one can produce a degree of cooling in a controlled way, to try and balance the warming produced by the burning of fossil fuels’. He calculates that to achieve the desired effect on cloud reflectivity would require treating them with ‘a cupful’ of salt per km2 per hour.
‘It’s a very interesting idea, and one that is based on sound cloud physics’, says Alan Gadian, climate scientist at the University of Leeds.
http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/2097/
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
How to live long and prosper
25 November 2006 - New Scientist:
WANT to be the first one on your block to live to 100? You are in with a fighting chance if you're the first-born child of a young mother.
Natalia Gavrilova and Leonid Gavrilov of the University of Chicago sifted through data gathered on 991 centenarians born in the US between 1875 and 1899 and used US census and Social Security Administration records to reconstruct the family histories of 198 of them, searching for anything they had in common.
It turned out that first-born children were 1.7 times as likely as their siblings to live to be 100. An even stronger predictor of longevity was how young their mother was when they were born. Those whose mothers were less than 25 years old were twice as likely to survive beyond a century.
While the researchers aren't certain why this should be, they suspect younger mothers are less likely to have acquired latent infections during their life that could damage the health of the fetus. Younger mothers may also have better-quality eggs. "If the best, most vigorous maternal ova cells are used first - very early in life - this could explain why particularly young mothers produce particularly long-lived children," Gavrilov says.
WANT to be the first one on your block to live to 100? You are in with a fighting chance if you're the first-born child of a young mother.
Natalia Gavrilova and Leonid Gavrilov of the University of Chicago sifted through data gathered on 991 centenarians born in the US between 1875 and 1899 and used US census and Social Security Administration records to reconstruct the family histories of 198 of them, searching for anything they had in common.
It turned out that first-born children were 1.7 times as likely as their siblings to live to be 100. An even stronger predictor of longevity was how young their mother was when they were born. Those whose mothers were less than 25 years old were twice as likely to survive beyond a century.
While the researchers aren't certain why this should be, they suspect younger mothers are less likely to have acquired latent infections during their life that could damage the health of the fetus. Younger mothers may also have better-quality eggs. "If the best, most vigorous maternal ova cells are used first - very early in life - this could explain why particularly young mothers produce particularly long-lived children," Gavrilov says.
In the Shadow of Saturn - Yes, It's a Photo
APOD: 2006 October 16
In the shadow of Saturn, unexpected wonders appear.
The robotic Cassini spacecraft now orbiting Saturn recently drifted in giant planet's shadow for about 12 hours and looked back toward the eclipsed Sun. Cassini saw a view unlike any other. The night side of Saturn is seen to be partly lit by light reflected from its own majestic ring system.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Penn and Teller take down environmentalism
In case you missed this, they get hundreds of "concerned activists" to sign a petition to ban Di Hydrogen Monoxide, also known as water!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4480559399263937213&hl=en-CA
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Cargo Cult Science
Cargo cult science is a term used by Richard Feynman to describe work that has the semblance of being scientific, but is missing "a kind of scientific integrity, a principle of scientific thought that corresponds to a kind of utter honesty."
excerpt-
Cargo Cult Science: During the Middle Ages there were all kinds of crazy ideas, such as that a piece of rhinoceros horn would increase potency. Then a method was discovered for separating the ideas--which was to try one to see if it worked, and if it didn't work, to eliminate it. This method became organized, of course, into science. And it developed very well, so that we are now in the scientific age. It is such a scientific age, in fact that we have difficulty in understanding how witch doctors could ever have existed, when nothing that they proposed ever really worked--or very little of it did.
But even today I meet lots of people who sooner or later get me into a conversation about UFOS, or astrology, or some form of mysticism, expanded consciousness, new types of awareness, ESP, and so forth. And I've concluded that it's not a scientific world. ....
read the rest
Experience
"One should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it-and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove lid again-and that is well; but she will never sit down on a cold one anymore."
-M. Twain .
-M. Twain .
Friday, November 24, 2006
Thursday, November 23, 2006
What is wrong with this deal?
The Housing Bubble Blog: "A waterfront Mediterranean-style home on Treasure Island sat on the market for more than a year listed at $1.1 million. Finally, an offer came along the sellers couldn’t refuse: Someone wanted to pay $1.4 million.”
“But there was an unusual stipulation: $300,000 of the purchase price would go back to the buyers or to third parties, the listing agent said. It took three appraisers, all hired by the buyers, before one came back with an appraisal for $1.4 million. Relieved to finally sell the house, the owners went along with the deal.”
“Such home deals are sweeping the nation. The trend worries lenders, some who say they’ve unknowingly approved loans for inflated prices, and have since discovered they’re on the hook for mortgages worth more than the home. Industry experts say there are hundreds of problem mortgages yet to surface.”
“J.T. Pelt, company president and chief executive for Linsky & Reiber Real Estate and Title Services in south Tampa, said his agency didn’t do anything wrong, and if lenders missed the details it’s because they didn’t pay enough attention. ‘In retrospect, maybe I should have done more due diligence,’ Pelt said. ‘But I’m not the closing police.’”"
“But there was an unusual stipulation: $300,000 of the purchase price would go back to the buyers or to third parties, the listing agent said. It took three appraisers, all hired by the buyers, before one came back with an appraisal for $1.4 million. Relieved to finally sell the house, the owners went along with the deal.”
“Such home deals are sweeping the nation. The trend worries lenders, some who say they’ve unknowingly approved loans for inflated prices, and have since discovered they’re on the hook for mortgages worth more than the home. Industry experts say there are hundreds of problem mortgages yet to surface.”
“J.T. Pelt, company president and chief executive for Linsky & Reiber Real Estate and Title Services in south Tampa, said his agency didn’t do anything wrong, and if lenders missed the details it’s because they didn’t pay enough attention. ‘In retrospect, maybe I should have done more due diligence,’ Pelt said. ‘But I’m not the closing police.’”"
Green Business News - too good to be true?
Green Business News - an IT Week blog: Eneco details revolutionary power chip:
Speaking in a hotel conference room near Tower Bridge late last week Dr Lew Brown, president and CEO of Eneco, is trying to convince a roomful of sceptical investors that its new chip technology will revolutionise the way we generate electricity. It has to be said that he is doing a pretty good job.
As reported last week, Eneco is a development stage company that claims to have invented and patented a 'solid state energy conversion/generation chip' that will convert heat directly into electricity or alternatively refrigerate down to -200 degrees Celsius when electricity is applied.
Speaking in a hotel conference room near Tower Bridge late last week Dr Lew Brown, president and CEO of Eneco, is trying to convince a roomful of sceptical investors that its new chip technology will revolutionise the way we generate electricity. It has to be said that he is doing a pretty good job.
As reported last week, Eneco is a development stage company that claims to have invented and patented a 'solid state energy conversion/generation chip' that will convert heat directly into electricity or alternatively refrigerate down to -200 degrees Celsius when electricity is applied.
Will it work?
Well, on first impressions it just might. And it could have a massive impact on how IT equipment, and in particular laptops and other mobile devices, are designed and powered.
The chip is based on the principles of thermionic energy conversion whereby the energy of a hot metal over comes the electrostatic forces holding electrons to its surface. These free electrons then pass across a vacuum to a cold metal and in the process create an electronic charge that can be harnessed.
The main difficulty with exploiting this process at a commercial level has been in creating the vacuum between the two metals. But Eneco has overcome the problem by replacing the vacuum with, what the brochure describes as, "a properly selected semiconductor thermoelectric that is thick enough to support a significant temperature differential between the emitter and the collector in order to achieve efficiencies of practical interest".
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
This time it's different - really
When one hears the phrase "this time it's different" in conversation about a market, it is usually a sign of a bubble. But not always . . .
Peter Bernstein interview - Oct. 15, 2004:
Q: You've often written that something important happened in September 1958. What was it?
A: [For the first time in history,] stocks began to yield less than bonds, and it was not something tentative. The lines crossed without any period of hesitation and just kept on going. It was just, zzzoop! All my older associates told me that it was an anomaly and it could not last. To understand why that happened and what that meant -- and to recognize that what was accepted wisdom for a couple hundred years could turn out to be wrong -- was very important. It really showed me that you don't know. That anything can happen. There really is such a thing as a 'paradigm shift,' when people's view of the future can change very dramatically and very suddenly. That means that there's never a time when you can be sure that today's market is going to be a replay of a familiar past.
Markets are shaped by what I call 'memory banks.' Experience shapes memory; memory shapes our view of the future. In 1958, younger people were coming in who had a different memory bank. That's also what happened [in 1999] when tech stocks were enormously exciting; most of the new participants in the market had no memory of what a bear market is like, and so their sense of risk was muted.
Peter Bernstein interview - Oct. 15, 2004:
Q: You've often written that something important happened in September 1958. What was it?
A: [For the first time in history,] stocks began to yield less than bonds, and it was not something tentative. The lines crossed without any period of hesitation and just kept on going. It was just, zzzoop! All my older associates told me that it was an anomaly and it could not last. To understand why that happened and what that meant -- and to recognize that what was accepted wisdom for a couple hundred years could turn out to be wrong -- was very important. It really showed me that you don't know. That anything can happen. There really is such a thing as a 'paradigm shift,' when people's view of the future can change very dramatically and very suddenly. That means that there's never a time when you can be sure that today's market is going to be a replay of a familiar past.
Markets are shaped by what I call 'memory banks.' Experience shapes memory; memory shapes our view of the future. In 1958, younger people were coming in who had a different memory bank. That's also what happened [in 1999] when tech stocks were enormously exciting; most of the new participants in the market had no memory of what a bear market is like, and so their sense of risk was muted.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Monday, November 20, 2006
Bizarre:Cruise: I'll eat placenta
The Sun Online - News: Cruise: I'll eat placenta:
TOM Cruise has claimed he will eat the PLACENTA after fiancée Katie Holmes has their baby.
The actor, 43 — who wants her to give birth in silence according to his Scientology cult rules — said: “I’m gonna eat the placenta, too.
“I thought that would be good. Very nutritious. I’m going to eat the cord and the placenta right there.”
But when a GQ magazine interviewer said it would be a big meal, Cruise replied: “OK, maybe I won’t.”
TOM Cruise has claimed he will eat the PLACENTA after fiancée Katie Holmes has their baby.
The actor, 43 — who wants her to give birth in silence according to his Scientology cult rules — said: “I’m gonna eat the placenta, too.
“I thought that would be good. Very nutritious. I’m going to eat the cord and the placenta right there.”
But when a GQ magazine interviewer said it would be a big meal, Cruise replied: “OK, maybe I won’t.”
Lawsuit rumblings are starting
The Housing Bubble Blog
Lawsuit rumblings are starting: Were you sold a Puffed Overinflated Home Value by a Developer?
......................
The fun time has ended for Leonard and Joyce Sondheimer. In October 2005, the Bradenton couple bought a $338,900 MiraBay town home on Aberdeen Pond Drive. The bayside investment home with stone counters, hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances was sure to appreciate to half a million dollars. Or so the Sondheimers thought.
After a year on the market, no one has nibbled. Their Realtor chopped the price to break even. The tax bill alone on that single investment, $8,900 a year, is draining the Sondheimer’s nest egg.
‘I was retired and now I’ve had to go back to work. I’ve got to pay all these bills,’ Leonard Sondheimer said of his new job as a mattress salesman. ‘It’s getting sickening.’
Lawsuit rumblings are starting: Were you sold a Puffed Overinflated Home Value by a Developer?
......................
The fun time has ended for Leonard and Joyce Sondheimer. In October 2005, the Bradenton couple bought a $338,900 MiraBay town home on Aberdeen Pond Drive. The bayside investment home with stone counters, hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances was sure to appreciate to half a million dollars. Or so the Sondheimers thought.
After a year on the market, no one has nibbled. Their Realtor chopped the price to break even. The tax bill alone on that single investment, $8,900 a year, is draining the Sondheimer’s nest egg.
‘I was retired and now I’ve had to go back to work. I’ve got to pay all these bills,’ Leonard Sondheimer said of his new job as a mattress salesman. ‘It’s getting sickening.’
Sunday, November 19, 2006
visualcomplexity.com | The Voice
visualcomplexity.com | The Voice
The Voice
Author(s):
Lisa Jevbratt
http://jevbratt.com/skr/description_e.html
The Voice visualizes the words the users of the Art Council website are searching for on the site and in search engines in order to find the site, and a comparison of these words with the word usage at the office of the Art Council (for example words written in emails and read by the office staff on web pages).
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Napoleon quotes and quotations
Napoleon quotes
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
In politics stupidity is not a handicap.
From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Phyllotactic Patterns - Mother Nature is cool.
PhylloTrees: Phyllotactic Patterns for Tree Layout
Nature’s phyllotactic patterns inform the layout of hierarchical data. These naturally occurring patterns provide a non-overlapping, optimal packing when the total number of nodes is not known a priori.
The word phyllotaxis translates to the arrangement of lateral organs on plants. These can be leaves, needles, on a cactus, or seeds on a sunflower. There are several different patterns of how these organs can be organized. If you look carefully at the sunflower above you can see that the seeds form sets of spirals that can go in both directions. The number of opposing spirals that can be found are usually successors in the Fibonacci sequence.
Why Intellectuals Still Support Socialism
Mises Institute:
By Peter Klein
Intellectuals, particularly academic intellectuals, tend to favor socialism and interventionism. How was the American university transformed from a center of higher learning to an outpost for socialist-inspired culture and politics?
As recently as the early 1950s, the typical American university professor held social and political views quite similar to those of the general population. Today — well, you've all heard the jokes that circulated after the collapse of central planning in Eastern Europe and the former USSR, how the only place in the world where Marxists were still thriving was the Harvard political science department.
By Peter Klein
Intellectuals, particularly academic intellectuals, tend to favor socialism and interventionism. How was the American university transformed from a center of higher learning to an outpost for socialist-inspired culture and politics?
As recently as the early 1950s, the typical American university professor held social and political views quite similar to those of the general population. Today — well, you've all heard the jokes that circulated after the collapse of central planning in Eastern Europe and the former USSR, how the only place in the world where Marxists were still thriving was the Harvard political science department.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Money is not Wealth
Economics A-Z :
Not looking at money amounts in terms of constant buying power is called
money illusion. If you get a six percent "raise" and inflation is six percent you didn't get a real "raise."
Not looking at money amounts in terms of constant buying power is called
money illusion. If you get a six percent "raise" and inflation is six percent you didn't get a real "raise."
Money illusion
When people are misled by INFLATION into thinking that they are getting richer, when in fact the value of MONEY is declining. Whether, and how much, people are fooled by inflation is much debated by economists. Money illusion, a phrase coined by KEYNES, is used by some economists to argue that a small amount of inflation may not be a bad thing and could even be beneficial, helping to “grease the wheels” of the economy. Because of money illusion, workers like to see their nominal WAGES rise, giving them the illusion that their circumstances are improving, even though in real (inflation-adjusted) terms they may be no better off. During periods of high inflation double-digit pay rises (as well as, say, big increases in the value of their homes) can make people feel richer even if they are not really better off. When inflation is low, GROWTH in real incomes may hardly register.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Google Quote
Google: "The scientific name for an animal that doesn't either run from or fight its enemies is lunch.
- Michael Friedman"
- Michael Friedman"
How to Regain Control of a Spooked Camel
In some parts of North Africa and the Middle East, the camel remains the primary means of long-distance transportation. These remarkable animals are intelligent and strong, and they possess incredible endurance. They can also be quite fast: some camels can briefly attain speeds up to 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). While their speed makes them ideal for racing—camel races are very popular in many parts of the world—it can provide a camel rider with a harrowing, potentially deadly experience if a camel is spooked or otherwise begins to run out of control.
Regain-Control-of-Camel
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Stylish cottage for Katrina country is a hit
MSN Real Estate:
A well-designed home for under $50,000? This tiny house designed for the battered Gulf Coast will be sold by Lowe's, and is expected to draw buyers from all over.
By Ron Scherer, The Christian Science Monitor
A model home in Ocean Springs, Miss., that gives Katrina's displaced an alternative to trailer living is starting to take the country by storm.
The Katrina cottage -- with living quarters about the size of a McMansion bathroom -- is now appealing to people well beyond the flood plain. Californians want to build one in their backyards to use for rental income to help with the mortgage payment. Modestly paid kayakers in Colorado see it as a way to finally afford a house. Elsewhere, people envision building one so a parent can live nearby.
Flying in the face of a 'big house' trend, designers of these tiny abodes seem to have found a new housing niche. Some experts cite an interest by some Americans in downsizing their habitats.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Jim Rogers on India's problems
". . . the 'horrors of the ‘Inspector Raj', the bureaucratic system that subjects Indian companies to as many as 67 inspections a year by a succession of officials concerned with labour, tax, the environment and, of course, the steam boiler as regulated by the Indian Boilers Act of 1923..'
Jim Rogers, probably the most vocal and most visible commodities bull, spoke last week at the Next Generation of Commodity Investment conference in London. While an unabashed supporter of commodities markets, Rogers is evidently no fan of India:
'I just don't think it's going to work. The Indian government has reaffirmed that its priority is not the financial markets but the masses.. India doesn't like capitalists or foreign retailers.. It's a mess.'
Perhaps India's biggest problem on the road to wealth is the lack of a road itself, while China puts billions of dollars into upgrading its domestic infrastructure."
Jim Rogers, probably the most vocal and most visible commodities bull, spoke last week at the Next Generation of Commodity Investment conference in London. While an unabashed supporter of commodities markets, Rogers is evidently no fan of India:
'I just don't think it's going to work. The Indian government has reaffirmed that its priority is not the financial markets but the masses.. India doesn't like capitalists or foreign retailers.. It's a mess.'
Perhaps India's biggest problem on the road to wealth is the lack of a road itself, while China puts billions of dollars into upgrading its domestic infrastructure."
Friday, November 10, 2006
Need to do nothing?
Yelapa, Jalisco, Mexico
Welcome to Yelapa, Jalisco, Mexico
Nestled in the southernmost cove of the world's 7th largest bay, lies the peaceful village of Yelapa, Jalisco, Mexico. Although there is a road which leads to the pueblo, it is most easily accessible by boat. Transportation to the village departs daily from various locations in the Puerto Vallarta area. Yelapa's tranquillity is ideal for a laid-back vacation. The village is a blend of a South Seas island lifestyle, an artists retreat and a hippie hangout.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Bulls make money, bears make money, pigs get slaughtered
“‘Nobody wants to buy something that they think will cost less two weeks or two months later,’ said Toll Brothers CEO Robert Toll.”
Comment by RedSoxNation
2006-11-08 11:53:21
This sentiment — nobody wants to buy something that’s going to be worth less — explains buyer sentiment perfectly. Put another way: buyers are not waiting for prices to come down; they are waiting for prices to start rising again — only then will it make sense to buy houses in bubble markets. Sounds screwy, but it’s true — in bubble markets prices are so far out of touch with economic reality and fundamentals, the only way to buy a house is through aggressive financing, and the only reason to do that is because you believe the house will ultimately be worth more than you’re paying for it.
Comment by RedSoxNation
2006-11-08 11:53:21
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
The Silken Tent
She is as in a field of silken tent
At midday when the sunny summer breeze
Has dried the dew and all its ropes relent,
So that in guys it gently sways at ease,
And its supporting central cedar pole,
That is its pinnacle to heavenward
And signifies the sureness of the soul,
Seems to owe naught to any single cord,
But strictly held by none, is loosely bound
By countless silken ties of love and thought
To every thing on earth the compass round,
And only by one's going slightly taut
In the capriciousness of summer air
Is of the slightest bondage made aware.
by Robert Frost
At midday when the sunny summer breeze
Has dried the dew and all its ropes relent,
So that in guys it gently sways at ease,
And its supporting central cedar pole,
That is its pinnacle to heavenward
And signifies the sureness of the soul,
Seems to owe naught to any single cord,
But strictly held by none, is loosely bound
By countless silken ties of love and thought
To every thing on earth the compass round,
And only by one's going slightly taut
In the capriciousness of summer air
Is of the slightest bondage made aware.
by Robert Frost
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
quotes
An intellectual is a person who has discovered something more interesting than sex.
- Aldous Huxley
One should always play fairly when one has the winning cards.
- Oscar Wilde
It matters not whether you win or lose; what matters is whether I win or lose.
- Darrin Weinberg
It is hard to believe that a man is telling the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place.
- H. L. Mencken
- Aldous Huxley
One should always play fairly when one has the winning cards.
- Oscar Wilde
It matters not whether you win or lose; what matters is whether I win or lose.
- Darrin Weinberg
It is hard to believe that a man is telling the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place.
- H. L. Mencken
Monday, November 06, 2006
Five years and fifty percent off?
“Frank DeBose, part of the group behind the defunct 02 at Pinnacle Place, said, ‘We’ve put too much housing in the higher end.’ Buildings with high-priced units now under construction will probably have to drop their prices, he said. ‘Five years from now, the discussion is going to be about all those $700,000 and $800,000 condos downtown that you can buy for $300,000,’ he said.”
The Tampa Tribune. “State agencies are investigating potential mortgage and title fraud involving 36 unorthodox real estate deals in the Bay area. The deals aren’t an anomaly. ‘The reports we’re getting are incredible,’ said Doug Pollock, (who) investigates problem mortgages. ‘This scheme is hitting every county in Florida. It’s like people are going to classes to learn how to do this.’”
The Tampa Tribune. “State agencies are investigating potential mortgage and title fraud involving 36 unorthodox real estate deals in the Bay area. The deals aren’t an anomaly. ‘The reports we’re getting are incredible,’ said Doug Pollock, (who) investigates problem mortgages. ‘This scheme is hitting every county in Florida. It’s like people are going to classes to learn how to do this.’”
“How widespread are the inflated deals? The answer, industry experts fear, is that they’re everywhere, but there’s no way to determine the extent. ‘This is prevalent in some areas,’ said Brad Monroe, president of the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors. ‘It just makes you wonder how many of these deals are going on that we don’t know about yet.’”
The Housing Bubble Blog report from Tampa- St Pete.
The Housing Bubble Blog: "The St Petersburg Times reports from Florida. “Jeanne Gavish met with clients Ed and Earlene Young last week to tell them the housing market would soon come back to life. ‘You’re staring daggers at me,’ said Gavish, sitting in the Youngs’ living room. ‘No I’m not,’ said Young. ‘It’s just that we had this great expectation of selling in a heartbeat and we can’t believe we’ve found ourselves in a market that’s bottomed out.’”
“Gavish knows how she feels. The ongoing depression in the real estate market has transformed the lives of brokers and agents, said Gavish, the former president of the Hernando County Association of Realtors. Many of Gavish’s own investment properties have lingered on the market without buyers or renters. Attendance in a beginning real estate class at her Nature Coast Real Estate School ‘dropped off a cliff’ in February, she said.”
“The median sale price of houses in the area did not begin to fall until June, but has since slid more than $10,000.”
“But she isn’t ready to drop the price of the Youngs’ house. They bought it for $145,000. Their asking price of $229,000 is still valid, Gavish said, based on recent sales in Wellington and the added benefit of being on a cul-de-sac. Neither were"
“Gavish knows how she feels. The ongoing depression in the real estate market has transformed the lives of brokers and agents, said Gavish, the former president of the Hernando County Association of Realtors. Many of Gavish’s own investment properties have lingered on the market without buyers or renters. Attendance in a beginning real estate class at her Nature Coast Real Estate School ‘dropped off a cliff’ in February, she said.”
“The median sale price of houses in the area did not begin to fall until June, but has since slid more than $10,000.”
“But she isn’t ready to drop the price of the Youngs’ house. They bought it for $145,000. Their asking price of $229,000 is still valid, Gavish said, based on recent sales in Wellington and the added benefit of being on a cul-de-sac. Neither were"
10 Steps You Can Take To Guarantee Failure
link to full article
In the hustle and bustle of this technologically packed world you may decide you really don’t want to achieve any lasting success in your lifetime. So this is for all the people who want to have goals but not achieve them.
1. Make your goals vague
2. Make your goals difficult to visualize .
3. Think and speak negatively about your goals .
4. Avoid planning incremental steps .
5. Don’t Do - Talk.
6. Wait until you are motivated.
7. Don’t set a date.
8. List why it’s impossible .
9. Don’t research your goal.
10. Think of anything except your goal.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
How do you say ...?
Comparative table of languages and language profiles for the prospective learner:
excerpt-"Hungarian-Unique, highly demanding language that is the hallmark of an accomplished language lover. You may learn Spanish for many reasons, but Hungarian really shows you either love Hungary, or your love languages."
excerpt-"Hungarian-Unique, highly demanding language that is the hallmark of an accomplished language lover. You may learn Spanish for many reasons, but Hungarian really shows you either love Hungary, or your love languages."
Saturday, November 04, 2006
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