Warren Buffet, consistently on the list of the world’s wealthiest individuals, wrote that he is buying American stocks right now in a letter to the New York Times which was published yesterday. Why, you ask? Read on…
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/opinion/17buffett.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin
Friday, October 17, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Solar Panels Are Vanishing, Only to Reappear on the Internet
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/technology/24solar.html
Solar Panels Are Vanishing, Only to Reappear on the Internet
Solar power, with its promise of emissions-free renewable energy, boasts a growing number of fans. Some of them, it turns out, are thieves.
Global Warming,Solar Energy,Robberies and Thefts,Environment
By KATE GALBRAITH
September 24, 2008
DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. — Solar power, with its promise of emissions-free renewable energy, boasts a growing number of fans. Some of them, it turns out, are thieves.
Ken Martin Jr. lost 58 panels from the roof of an office building he owns in Santa Rosa, Calif. He estimated they would cost $75,000 to replace.
Solar panels were stolen from Jim and Shayna Powell’s roof in Palm Desert, Calif.
Just ask Glenda Hoffman, whose fury has not abated since 16 solar panels vanished from her roof in this sun-baked town in three separate burglaries in May, sometimes as she slept. She is ready if the criminals turn up again.
“I have a shotgun right next to the bed and a .22 under my pillow,” Ms. Hoffman said.
Police departments in California — the biggest market for solar power, with more than 33,000 installations — are seeing a rash of such burglaries, though nobody compiles overall statistics.
Investigators do not believe the thieves are acting out of concern for their carbon footprints. Rather, authorities assume that many panels make their way to unwitting homeowners, sometimes via the Internet.
Last November, someone tried to sell solar panels stolen from a toll road in Newport Beach for $100 each on eBay. Detectives from the local police department entered the bidding and won the panels, which were worth nearly $1,500 apiece, according to Sgt. Evan Sailor, a Newport Beach police spokesman.
When Nathan Tyrone Mitchell, a resident of Santa Monica, showed up to hand over the panels, the police greeted him with handcuffs.
Mr. Mitchell, who was charged with possession of stolen property, has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Charles Stoddard, said that his client had bought the panels from someone on Craigslist and then tried to resell them on eBay for a profit. “Our contention is that Mr. Mitchell is just an innocent purchaser who kind of got caught up in this thing,” Mr. Stoddard said.
In Contra Costa County, detectives accustomed to handling thefts of copper began to notice solar panels going missing in the last six months, according to Jimmy Lee, a spokesman for the county sheriff’s office.
This summer, an officer on patrol became suspicious when he spotted a man trying to sell solar panels to a home builder who had advertised on Craigslist that he was seeking panels. The officer confiscated the panels and, after detectives found that they matched panels stolen from a school, a California man was charged. Mr. Lee says that law enforcement agencies are investigating about a half-dozen other solar-panel thefts in his area.
“We were surprised and kind of caught off guard” by the solar thefts, said Mr. Lee, who recommends people engrave their driver’s license numbers onto their panels for better identification.
For Tom McCalmont, president of Regrid Power, a solar installation business near San Jose, the problem hit home in late June. His own headquarters was struck by thieves, who took more than $30,000 worth of panels from the roof.
The panels were disassembled expertly, he said, leading him to suspect that someone in the solar industry had done it. He urges clients to install video cameras and alarms for their solar arrays, and likens his own revamped security system to Fort Knox.
“This is the crime of the future,” Mr. McCalmont said.
After suffering a solar theft, some victims find unusual ways to protect their property. Ms. Hoffman, of Desert Hot Springs, could not sleep for several weeks during the string of thefts from her roof.
One night, she waited beside a nearby building and watched her house in an attempt to catch the thieves, causing a suspicious neighbor to call the police. She vows that if she ever catches the culprits, “they’re not going to leave walking” — especially if she feels threatened.
So far, with the losses still modest, homeowners’ insurance is processing the claims with little resistance. Ms. Hoffman’s insurer, State Farm, is paying $95,000 to replace her entire system. She plans to install an alarm, and possibly a video camera.
Not far from Ms. Hoffman, in the town of Palm Desert, Jim and Shayna Powell were devastated after thieves took 19 of their solar panels in June, causing their electricity bill to shoot from $3 to $300 just when they needed air-conditioning the most. “Of all the times of year to steal the panels,” Mr. Powell said in frustration.
Beyond California, solar-power markets are comparatively small, so thefts are still rare — but they are spreading. In the last 18 months, Oregon’s highway department has lost a few panels used to power portable traffic message boards.
In Minnesota, the Sauk River Watershed District has lost at least eight small panels, worth $250 each, in the last few years, according to Melissa Roelike, who coordinates the water quality monitoring program there.
In response, the district has taken steps to protect the panels, including putting them in trees and atop poles. Thieves promptly stole one such panel.
“Obviously, hoisting them 20 feet in the air on a metal pipe does not work,” Ms. Roelike said.
In Europe, where the solar industry is well-established, thievery is entrenched, and measures to ward it off have become standard, including alarm systems and hard-to-unscrew panels.
But in the United States, installers are just coming to grips with the need for alarms, video cameras and indelible engraving of serial numbers. Some people fancy simpler solutions.
Ken Martin Jr. lost 58 panels, which will cost $75,000 to replace, this spring from the roof of a half-empty office building in Santa Rosa, Calif., that he owns. He is considering slapping paint on some parts of his remaining panels — bright pink paint.
“At least if someone comes across them and they’re painted, they’ll know that’s my color,” he said.
A version of this article appeared in print on September 24, 2008, on page C1 of the New York edition.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/technology/24solar.html
Solar Panels Are Vanishing, Only to Reappear on the Internet
Solar power, with its promise of emissions-free renewable energy, boasts a growing number of fans. Some of them, it turns out, are thieves.
Global Warming,Solar Energy,Robberies and Thefts,Environment
By KATE GALBRAITH
September 24, 2008
DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. — Solar power, with its promise of emissions-free renewable energy, boasts a growing number of fans. Some of them, it turns out, are thieves.
Ken Martin Jr. lost 58 panels from the roof of an office building he owns in Santa Rosa, Calif. He estimated they would cost $75,000 to replace.
Solar panels were stolen from Jim and Shayna Powell’s roof in Palm Desert, Calif.
Just ask Glenda Hoffman, whose fury has not abated since 16 solar panels vanished from her roof in this sun-baked town in three separate burglaries in May, sometimes as she slept. She is ready if the criminals turn up again.
“I have a shotgun right next to the bed and a .22 under my pillow,” Ms. Hoffman said.
Police departments in California — the biggest market for solar power, with more than 33,000 installations — are seeing a rash of such burglaries, though nobody compiles overall statistics.
Investigators do not believe the thieves are acting out of concern for their carbon footprints. Rather, authorities assume that many panels make their way to unwitting homeowners, sometimes via the Internet.
Last November, someone tried to sell solar panels stolen from a toll road in Newport Beach for $100 each on eBay. Detectives from the local police department entered the bidding and won the panels, which were worth nearly $1,500 apiece, according to Sgt. Evan Sailor, a Newport Beach police spokesman.
When Nathan Tyrone Mitchell, a resident of Santa Monica, showed up to hand over the panels, the police greeted him with handcuffs.
Mr. Mitchell, who was charged with possession of stolen property, has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Charles Stoddard, said that his client had bought the panels from someone on Craigslist and then tried to resell them on eBay for a profit. “Our contention is that Mr. Mitchell is just an innocent purchaser who kind of got caught up in this thing,” Mr. Stoddard said.
In Contra Costa County, detectives accustomed to handling thefts of copper began to notice solar panels going missing in the last six months, according to Jimmy Lee, a spokesman for the county sheriff’s office.
This summer, an officer on patrol became suspicious when he spotted a man trying to sell solar panels to a home builder who had advertised on Craigslist that he was seeking panels. The officer confiscated the panels and, after detectives found that they matched panels stolen from a school, a California man was charged. Mr. Lee says that law enforcement agencies are investigating about a half-dozen other solar-panel thefts in his area.
“We were surprised and kind of caught off guard” by the solar thefts, said Mr. Lee, who recommends people engrave their driver’s license numbers onto their panels for better identification.
For Tom McCalmont, president of Regrid Power, a solar installation business near San Jose, the problem hit home in late June. His own headquarters was struck by thieves, who took more than $30,000 worth of panels from the roof.
The panels were disassembled expertly, he said, leading him to suspect that someone in the solar industry had done it. He urges clients to install video cameras and alarms for their solar arrays, and likens his own revamped security system to Fort Knox.
“This is the crime of the future,” Mr. McCalmont said.
After suffering a solar theft, some victims find unusual ways to protect their property. Ms. Hoffman, of Desert Hot Springs, could not sleep for several weeks during the string of thefts from her roof.
One night, she waited beside a nearby building and watched her house in an attempt to catch the thieves, causing a suspicious neighbor to call the police. She vows that if she ever catches the culprits, “they’re not going to leave walking” — especially if she feels threatened.
So far, with the losses still modest, homeowners’ insurance is processing the claims with little resistance. Ms. Hoffman’s insurer, State Farm, is paying $95,000 to replace her entire system. She plans to install an alarm, and possibly a video camera.
Not far from Ms. Hoffman, in the town of Palm Desert, Jim and Shayna Powell were devastated after thieves took 19 of their solar panels in June, causing their electricity bill to shoot from $3 to $300 just when they needed air-conditioning the most. “Of all the times of year to steal the panels,” Mr. Powell said in frustration.
Beyond California, solar-power markets are comparatively small, so thefts are still rare — but they are spreading. In the last 18 months, Oregon’s highway department has lost a few panels used to power portable traffic message boards.
In Minnesota, the Sauk River Watershed District has lost at least eight small panels, worth $250 each, in the last few years, according to Melissa Roelike, who coordinates the water quality monitoring program there.
In response, the district has taken steps to protect the panels, including putting them in trees and atop poles. Thieves promptly stole one such panel.
“Obviously, hoisting them 20 feet in the air on a metal pipe does not work,” Ms. Roelike said.
In Europe, where the solar industry is well-established, thievery is entrenched, and measures to ward it off have become standard, including alarm systems and hard-to-unscrew panels.
But in the United States, installers are just coming to grips with the need for alarms, video cameras and indelible engraving of serial numbers. Some people fancy simpler solutions.
Ken Martin Jr. lost 58 panels, which will cost $75,000 to replace, this spring from the roof of a half-empty office building in Santa Rosa, Calif., that he owns. He is considering slapping paint on some parts of his remaining panels — bright pink paint.
“At least if someone comes across them and they’re painted, they’ll know that’s my color,” he said.
A version of this article appeared in print on September 24, 2008, on page C1 of the New York edition.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Reducing Your Risk in the Troubled Economy
Government bailouts, the stock market plummeting, rising unemployment rates.... The current state of the United States economy is anything but secure.
There is no such thing as 'risk free' when it comes to your finances, of course; but watching the news as things seem to fall apart can be unsettling, if not frightening.
According to Ron Lieber of the New York Times, however, there are a few moderate steps--"a middle path of sorts"--each of us can consider to help reduce our personal risk without making "drastic changes."
Here are a few of Lieber's suggestions:
Government bailouts, the stock market plummeting, rising unemployment rates.... The current state of the United States economy is anything but secure.
There is no such thing as 'risk free' when it comes to your finances, of course; but watching the news as things seem to fall apart can be unsettling, if not frightening.
According to Ron Lieber of the New York Times, however, there are a few moderate steps--"a middle path of sorts"--each of us can consider to help reduce our personal risk without making "drastic changes."
Here are a few of Lieber's suggestions:
- If you're under 50, don't pull out of the stock market all together. Maintain "consistent exposure to more risky investments" in order to protect yourself from "the biggest investment risk of all, outliving your savings."
- Look into starting your own business on the side, while maintaining your day job, thus "spreading out your income risk."
- Pay more than the minimum on your monthly mortgage bill. You'll be ridding yourself of extra debt, and you will pay off your mortgage ahead of schedule.
- "Split your life insurance policies and annuities among more than one provider."
For more tips, click here to read the article in its entirety.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
What the Mortgage Takeover Means for You
Ron Lieber of the New York Times explains in plain English why the seizure of Fannie Mae and Freddi Mac took place, and explores what effect it will have in the areas of:
Ron Lieber of the New York Times explains in plain English why the seizure of Fannie Mae and Freddi Mac took place, and explores what effect it will have in the areas of:
- Mortgage Rates
- Home Prices
- Old Loans
- New Loans, and
- Investors
Click here to read the article in its entirety and find out what this unprecedented event has to do with you, the consumer.
More on the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Takeover
Curious about what happened during the days leading up to the dramatic seizure of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by the U.S. government?
Click here for a blow by blow of the final weeks before the takeover.
Courtesy of the New York Times
Curious about what happened during the days leading up to the dramatic seizure of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by the U.S. government?
Click here for a blow by blow of the final weeks before the takeover.
Courtesy of the New York Times
U.S. Government Takes Control of Mortgage Giants
On Sunday the United States government seized control of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac companies, which fund about 75% of the country's new home mortgages.
The seizure was made in a dramatic attempt to rescue the companies from the presently flailing housing market and mortgage crisis, and to prevent any disastrous economic repercussions should the companies fail.
The takeover means that the management for each company will be replaced, and that the government will provide as much as $200 billion to cover losses.
Though mortgage rates are likely to be lowered in light of the decision, existing shareholders are likely to suffer a loss.
Click here for more details about the seizure and predictions about its effects, courtesy of the Wall Street Journal.
On Sunday the United States government seized control of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac companies, which fund about 75% of the country's new home mortgages.
The seizure was made in a dramatic attempt to rescue the companies from the presently flailing housing market and mortgage crisis, and to prevent any disastrous economic repercussions should the companies fail.
The takeover means that the management for each company will be replaced, and that the government will provide as much as $200 billion to cover losses.
Though mortgage rates are likely to be lowered in light of the decision, existing shareholders are likely to suffer a loss.
Click here for more details about the seizure and predictions about its effects, courtesy of the Wall Street Journal.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Tax Credit for New Home Buyers!
As part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (H.R. 3221), the federal government is offering tax credits of up to $7,500 to new buyers between April 9, 2008 and June 30, 2009.
That's right. If you have not owned a house within the last three years and close escrow on a house before June 30th of next year--and that's any house--the IRS will cut either this or next year's tax bill by up to $7,500! The credit is intended to "jump-start housing sales and clear out unsold real estate inventories," according to Kenneth Harney at the Washington Post.
Keep in mind, however, that this particular tax credit does require that beneficiaries pay back the credit "starting in the second tax year after purchase and continuing for up to 15 years." In this way it is, in essence, an interest free loan.
For more details on the stipulations of this new credit and to find out if you are eligible, click here.
Email me to talk about purchasing a new home, or click here to see my current listings.
As part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (H.R. 3221), the federal government is offering tax credits of up to $7,500 to new buyers between April 9, 2008 and June 30, 2009.
That's right. If you have not owned a house within the last three years and close escrow on a house before June 30th of next year--and that's any house--the IRS will cut either this or next year's tax bill by up to $7,500! The credit is intended to "jump-start housing sales and clear out unsold real estate inventories," according to Kenneth Harney at the Washington Post.
Keep in mind, however, that this particular tax credit does require that beneficiaries pay back the credit "starting in the second tax year after purchase and continuing for up to 15 years." In this way it is, in essence, an interest free loan.
For more details on the stipulations of this new credit and to find out if you are eligible, click here.
Email me to talk about purchasing a new home, or click here to see my current listings.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Foreclosure Relief Bill Becomes Law
It also requires owners acquiring property through foreclosure to maintain the exterior of vacant residential properties. The new law also extends from 30 to 60 days the time for residential tenants to move out of properties that have been foreclosed upon, unless other laws apply.
These requirements will remain in effect until January 1, 2013. The full text of Senate Bill 1137 (Perata) is available at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/
Highlights of the new law are as follows:
This week, the State Legislature enacted foreclosure reform law to address the adverse effects of high foreclosure rates in California.
The new law requires lenders to contact homeowners to explore options for avoiding foreclosure at least 30 days before filing a notice of default.
It also requires owners acquiring property through foreclosure to maintain the exterior of vacant residential properties. The new law also extends from 30 to 60 days the time for residential tenants to move out of properties that have been foreclosed upon, unless other laws apply.
These requirements will remain in effect until January 1, 2013. The full text of Senate Bill 1137 (Perata) is available at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/ Highlights of the new law are as follows:
- Contact Between Lender and Borrower: Effective on or about September 8, 2008, a lender, trustee, or authorized agent may not file a notice of default until 30 days after contacting a borrower to assess the borrower's financial situation and explore options for avoiding foreclosure. A lender must generally contact the borrower in person or by telephone, or satisfy due diligence requirements for contacting a borrower. During the initial contact, the lender must inform the borrower of the right to request a meeting with the lender within 14 days. The lender must also give the borrower the toll-free number for finding a HUD-certified housing counseling agency. A subsequent notice of default must include the lender's declaration that it has contacted the borrower, tried with due diligence to contact the borrower, or the borrower has surrendered the property. A lender who had already filed a notice of default before the enactment of this law must include a similar declaration in the notice of sale. This requirement to contact borrowers applies to loans secured by owner-occupied residences made from 2003 to 2007. Certain exemptions apply if the borrower has filed for bankruptcy, surrendered the property, or contracted with a person or entity whose primary business is advising people, who have decided to leave their homes, on how to extend the foreclosure process and avoid their contractual obligations.
- Maintenance of Vacant Properties: Effective July 8, 2008, anyone who acquires property through foreclosure must maintain the exterior of vacant residential property. Violations of this law include permitting excessive foliage growth that diminishes the value of surrounding properties, failing to take action against trespassers or squatters, failing to take action to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in standing water, or other public nuisances. This law authorizes a governmental entity to impose a civil fine up to $1,000 per day for any violation, as long as the owner has been given notice and an opportunity to remedy the violation. A violator must be given at least 14 days to begin, and 30 days to complete, such remediation before a fine can be assessed.
- 60-Day Notice to Terminate Tenants: Effective July 8, 2008, a tenant or subtenant in possession of a rental housing unit that has been sold through foreclosure is generally entitled to a 60-day written notice to quit, not just 30 days. However, a borrower who remains on the property after foreclosure may be served a three-day notice to terminate. This law does not affect, among other things, rent-controlled properties with just-cause evictions. Effective on or about September 8, 2008, the lender, trustee, or authorized agent posting a notice of sale must also post and mail a specified notice of a tenant's right to a 60-day eviction notice from the new owner, unless other laws apply. This requirement to notify tenants of their rights applies to loans secured by residential real property where the borrower has a different billing address than the property address.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
New Cellular Phone Laws for California
As of today, it is illegal to use a handheld wireless telephone while operating a motor vehicle. Motorists who are 18 and older may use a "hands-free device"--a Bluetooth or other earpiece--but those motorists who are younger than 18 may not use a handheld phone or a hands-free device at all.
For more detailed information about the new law and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, click here.
Today is July 1st, which means today is also the day that California's new Cell Phone Laws go into effect.
As of today, it is illegal to use a handheld wireless telephone while operating a motor vehicle. Motorists who are 18 and older may use a "hands-free device"--a Bluetooth or other earpiece--but those motorists who are younger than 18 may not use a handheld phone or a hands-free device at all.
For more detailed information about the new law and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, click here.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
FIRE PROTECTION: What You Need to Know
Recent changes in state law require that homeowners in certain high fire risk areas maintain defensible space clearance out to 100 feet from their home, expanded from the 30-foot firebreak that was already required.
Even if you are not in a high fire risk area, it’s a good idea to create enough defensible space around your property to decrease the risk of fire.
Here is a link to the brochure of the CDF's guidelines for creating defensible space: http://fire.ca.gov/cdfbofdb/PDFS/4291finalguidelines2_23_06.pdf
It has been a busy start to the fire season in California. In many of the fires where we have seen homes destroyed, there has been a lack of defensible space around the homes. This is the area within the perimeter of a parcel where brush clearance, emergency access, and other wildfire prevention measures must be maintained.
Recent changes in state law require that homeowners in certain high fire risk areas maintain defensible space clearance out to 100 feet from their home, expanded from the 30-foot firebreak that was already required.
Even if you are not in a high fire risk area, it’s a good idea to create enough defensible space around your property to decrease the risk of fire.
Here is a link to the brochure of the CDF's guidelines for creating defensible space: http://fire.ca.gov/cdfbofdb/PDFS/4291finalguidelines2_23_06.pdf
For more information, the CDF website is http://www.fire.ca.gov/
Dump the Junk: Another Tip for Dealing with Junk Mail
If you've ever wondered, as you tossed the unsolicited catalogs and direct mail materials directly into the recycling bin, if there is a way to stop this waste of paper, fuel, printing, etc., there is!
Simply log on tohttps://www.directmail.com/directory/mail_preference/ and opt out of direct mail lists at no cost.
Did you know that the average household receives 1.5 trees' worth of junk mail annually?
If you've ever wondered, as you tossed the unsolicited catalogs and direct mail materials directly into the recycling bin, if there is a way to stop this waste of paper, fuel, printing, etc., there is!
Simply log on to
Monday, May 05, 2008
The State of the Market: Not as Bad as You'd Expect?
According to Market Watch,
"Top officials with the National Association of Realtors and Standard & Poor's, which issues the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, agreed this week their monthly reports are giving imprecise readings of price changes at all levels -- national, state and regional -- due to rare market conditions that are skewing survey results."
These "rare market conditions" include an anomalous trend in which sales of more expensive homes are dropping do to tighter lending restrictions and sales of less costly homes are spiking due to increased foreclosures. These phenomena combine to dramatically lower the national median home cost.
In addition, the S&P/Case-Shiller index tracks just 20 major markets in the country, making its data less than representative; and, the fact that the index has only been around since 2001 is good to keep in mind to keep some perspective when it issues reports using language such as "plunged by a record" and "fastest rate ever."
In the end, Chris Plummer reports that, according to the NAR's Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, "pockets of severe price declines in local markets are skewing figures. If homeowners want to determine their property's value, it's never been more critical to take the measure of recent sales by home-price level in their town or city neighborhood."
For a free report to determine the value of your home based on local market conditions, contact me directly at frank@frankmurphy.net or 831-457-5550.
To read the article in its entirety, click here.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Fed Rate Cut Predicted
The monetary policy meeting of the Federal Reserve is just two days away, and many predict that the institution is likely to cut the short-term interest rate once again, from 2.25%to 2%.
This would be the seventh time that the rate has been lowered since August, and would signal that a recession is still a strong possibility this year.
Although the stock market is doing relatively well at the moment, soaring prices for oil and food have fostered a growing fear of imminent recession.
In addition, as Steven Weisman of the New York Times reminds us, "A tricky aspect of the Fed’s decision is that the impact of whatever it does may not be felt for more than six months. Many economists say it takes at least that long for interest rate cuts to have an economic effect."
In the end, one major issue that the Fed will battle over is the need to take care of inflation versus the need to ward of a recession.
Click here to read Weisman's article in its entirety.
The monetary policy meeting of the Federal Reserve is just two days away, and many predict that the institution is likely to cut the short-term interest rate once again, from 2.25%to 2%.
This would be the seventh time that the rate has been lowered since August, and would signal that a recession is still a strong possibility this year.
Although the stock market is doing relatively well at the moment, soaring prices for oil and food have fostered a growing fear of imminent recession.
In addition, as Steven Weisman of the New York Times reminds us, "A tricky aspect of the Fed’s decision is that the impact of whatever it does may not be felt for more than six months. Many economists say it takes at least that long for interest rate cuts to have an economic effect."
In the end, one major issue that the Fed will battle over is the need to take care of inflation versus the need to ward of a recession.
Click here to read Weisman's article in its entirety.
Want to Stop Junk Mail?
STOP JUNK MAIL FOREVER
Junk mail is a triple threat: It tries your patience, jeopardizes your identity and spoils the environment. But without too much effort, you can give yourself peace of mind – and an uncluttered mailbox.
Register with the Direct Marketing Association (http://www.dmachoice.org/) to remove your name from its national mailing list. The service is free if you register online, or $1 by mail.
Reject pre-approved offers from credit card companies by visiting http://www.optoutprescreen.com/ or calling 888-567-8688.
Sign up free at http://www.catalogchoice.org/, and the site will do the grunt work to get you off mailing lists for catalogs you don’t want.
Pay a $20 annual fee and Green-Dimes (http://www.greendimes.com/) will remove your name from catalog and other direct-mail lists, plus plant up to ten trees!
For $41.00, http://www.41pounds.org/ – named for the weight in junk mail the average adult receives each year – will contact several dozen direct-mail companies on your behalf. In addition, $15.00 of your fee goes to your choice among the group’s nonprofit affiliates.
Junk mail is a triple threat: It tries your patience, jeopardizes your identity and spoils the environment. But without too much effort, you can give yourself peace of mind – and an uncluttered mailbox.
Register with the Direct Marketing Association (http://www.dmachoice.org/) to remove your name from its national mailing list. The service is free if you register online, or $1 by mail.
Reject pre-approved offers from credit card companies by visiting http://www.optoutprescreen.com/ or calling 888-567-8688.
Sign up free at http://www.catalogchoice.org/, and the site will do the grunt work to get you off mailing lists for catalogs you don’t want.
Pay a $20 annual fee and Green-Dimes (http://www.greendimes.com/) will remove your name from catalog and other direct-mail lists, plus plant up to ten trees!
For $41.00, http://www.41pounds.org/ – named for the weight in junk mail the average adult receives each year – will contact several dozen direct-mail companies on your behalf. In addition, $15.00 of your fee goes to your choice among the group’s nonprofit affiliates.
Friday, February 29, 2008
The Secrets to Real Estate Success
The Santa Cruz Sentinel published an article today featuring the testimonies of Santa Cruz's most successful Realtors.
Frank's secret? "I love helping people."
by Jondi Gumz, Santa Cruz Sentinel
Homebuyers are scarce. Sales are down 50 percent compared to the peak of 2005.
Yet some real estate agents closed a deal a month -- or more -- last year, the slowest year of the past decade. How did they do it?
About 90 people showed up Wednesday at a luncheon organized by the local chapter of the Women's Council of Realtors to hear six top agents share their secrets.
Quipped moderator Robert Bailey, president of Bailey Properties, "This could be the new cast of 'Survivor.' "
When Sally Bookman started in real estate in 1974, she made it a habit to write notes to the prospective buyers she met at open houses. She didn't procrastinate; she started writing notes before the open house ended. Now she has a huge referral business.
Bookman, originally from London, bought a house while studying at UC Berkeley. She filled the house with students, then bought the lot next door, and then another house.
"I never lost at Monopoly," she said.
She said she uses her doctorate in social anthropology to figure out what clients want.
"If you drive that car and the way you dress, I know what kind of house you want," she said.
Frank Murphy made only one deal in 1998, his first year in real estate. He had expected his new career would mean lots of free time, but he worked 70-80 hours a week.
He uses his 15 years of experience as a building contractor to help buyers solve problems.
"I love helping people," he said.
Audrey Tennant, who's been in the business for 20 years, stays in touch with clients. She uses seasonal marketing campaigns. Working in human resources and marketing for a food and wine company over the hill, she learned patience during union negotiations.
Real estate, she said, is "a give and take business not a push and shove business."
Michael O'Boy initially didn't want to follow in the footsteps of his dad, who was a broker. He became a therapist instead. Then he traded that profession for real estate in 1995 when he decided he wanted to become a homeowner. He found his background as a therapist helpful.
"You listen more and say less," he said.
Lela Willet taught kindergarten until she had a second child. Then she left the classroom to work with her husband, a builder. She sets aside time once a week to call every one of her clients. She does it away from the office, so she doesn't get interrupted.
Being with 5-year-olds, she learned patience and listening, valuable skills in real estate.
Pat Simmons made connections in construction working as a masonry contractor with his father.
"I can recommend folks I would use," he said.
He also can advise clients how much to offer when they tell him the kitchen has to be updated.
One lesson he learned from his father: Ask yourself: "Are you proud to put your name on your work?" Ask that question every day.
So what do they all have in common?
It's not high-tech gadgets.
In fact, only Murphy and O'Boy like technology. All of the others outsource computer tasks.
Experience counts, certainly, but that's not enough by itself.
For each of these agents, the key is helping people. It's finding out what their clients need and helping them get what they need.
As Simmons put it, "It's about success for the client, not you and the commission."
Well said.
Lessons from survivors
Audrey Tennant
Firm: David Lyng Real Estate
'07 escrows: 14
Started in: 1987
Was in: Human resources/marketing
Relaxes by: Spending time with grandchildren.
Quote: Look for opportunities. Remember buyers turn into sellers.
Frank Murphy
Firm: Keller Williams Realty
'07 Escrows: 19
Started in: 1998
Was: Building contractor
Relaxes by: Traveling
Quote: Instead of trying to make a buck, I have an opportunity to help people solve a problem.
Mike O'Boy
Firm: Coldwell Banker
'07 Escrows: 25
Started in: 1995
Was: Therapist at Dominican Hospital
Relaxes by: Coaching
Quote: Don't take for granted where your business will come from. An open house three years ago could result in a client. Return every phone call.
The Santa Cruz Sentinel published an article today featuring the testimonies of Santa Cruz's most successful Realtors.
Frank's secret? "I love helping people."
by Jondi Gumz, Santa Cruz Sentinel
Homebuyers are scarce. Sales are down 50 percent compared to the peak of 2005.
Yet some real estate agents closed a deal a month -- or more -- last year, the slowest year of the past decade. How did they do it?
About 90 people showed up Wednesday at a luncheon organized by the local chapter of the Women's Council of Realtors to hear six top agents share their secrets.
Quipped moderator Robert Bailey, president of Bailey Properties, "This could be the new cast of 'Survivor.' "
When Sally Bookman started in real estate in 1974, she made it a habit to write notes to the prospective buyers she met at open houses. She didn't procrastinate; she started writing notes before the open house ended. Now she has a huge referral business.
Bookman, originally from London, bought a house while studying at UC Berkeley. She filled the house with students, then bought the lot next door, and then another house.
"I never lost at Monopoly," she said.
She said she uses her doctorate in social anthropology to figure out what clients want.
"If you drive that car and the way you dress, I know what kind of house you want," she said.
Frank Murphy made only one deal in 1998, his first year in real estate. He had expected his new career would mean lots of free time, but he worked 70-80 hours a week.
He uses his 15 years of experience as a building contractor to help buyers solve problems.
"I love helping people," he said.
Audrey Tennant, who's been in the business for 20 years, stays in touch with clients. She uses seasonal marketing campaigns. Working in human resources and marketing for a food and wine company over the hill, she learned patience during union negotiations.
Real estate, she said, is "a give and take business not a push and shove business."
Michael O'Boy initially didn't want to follow in the footsteps of his dad, who was a broker. He became a therapist instead. Then he traded that profession for real estate in 1995 when he decided he wanted to become a homeowner. He found his background as a therapist helpful.
"You listen more and say less," he said.
Lela Willet taught kindergarten until she had a second child. Then she left the classroom to work with her husband, a builder. She sets aside time once a week to call every one of her clients. She does it away from the office, so she doesn't get interrupted.
Being with 5-year-olds, she learned patience and listening, valuable skills in real estate.
Pat Simmons made connections in construction working as a masonry contractor with his father.
"I can recommend folks I would use," he said.
He also can advise clients how much to offer when they tell him the kitchen has to be updated.
One lesson he learned from his father: Ask yourself: "Are you proud to put your name on your work?" Ask that question every day.
So what do they all have in common?
It's not high-tech gadgets.
In fact, only Murphy and O'Boy like technology. All of the others outsource computer tasks.
Experience counts, certainly, but that's not enough by itself.
For each of these agents, the key is helping people. It's finding out what their clients need and helping them get what they need.
As Simmons put it, "It's about success for the client, not you and the commission."
Well said.
Lessons from survivors
Audrey Tennant
Firm: David Lyng Real Estate
'07 escrows: 14
Started in: 1987
Was in: Human resources/marketing
Relaxes by: Spending time with grandchildren.
Quote: Look for opportunities. Remember buyers turn into sellers.
Frank Murphy
Firm: Keller Williams Realty
'07 Escrows: 19
Started in: 1998
Was: Building contractor
Relaxes by: Traveling
Quote: Instead of trying to make a buck, I have an opportunity to help people solve a problem.
Mike O'Boy
Firm: Coldwell Banker
'07 Escrows: 25
Started in: 1995
Was: Therapist at Dominican Hospital
Relaxes by: Coaching
Quote: Don't take for granted where your business will come from. An open house three years ago could result in a client. Return every phone call.
IRS Stimulus Payments To Be Sent AutomaticallyWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today advised taxpayers that in most cases they will not have to do anything extra this year to get the economic stimulus payments beginning in May. “If you are eligible for a payment, all you have to do is file a 2007 tax return and the IRS will do the rest,” said Acting IRS Commissioner Linda Stiff.
The IRS will use information on the 2007 tax return filed by the taxpayer to determine eligibility and calculate the amount of the stimulus payments. The IRS will begin sending taxpayers their payments in early May after the current tax season concludes. Payments to more than 130 million taxpayers will continue over several weeks during the spring and summer. A payment schedule for taxpayers will be announced in the near future.
Stimulus payments will be direct deposited for taxpayers selecting that option when filing their 2007 tax returns. Taxpayers who have already filed with direct deposit won't need to do anything else to receive the stimulus payment. For taxpayers who haven't filed their 2007 returns yet, the IRS reminds them that direct deposit is the fastest way to get both regular refunds and stimulus payments.
Most taxpayers just need to file a 2007 tax return as usual. No other action, extra form or call is necessary.
This Web site http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=179094,00.html will be the best information source for all updates and taxpayer questions. In most cases, the payment will equal the amount of tax liability on the tax return, with a maximum amount of $600 for individuals ($1,200 for taxpayers who file a joint return).
The law also allows for payments for select taxpayers who have no tax liability, such as low-income workers or those who receive Social Security benefits or veterans’ disability compensation, pension or survivors’ benefits received from the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2007. These taxpayers will be eligible to receive a payment of $300 ($600 on a joint return) if they had at least $3,000 of qualifying income.
Qualifying income includes Social Security benefits, certain Railroad Retirement benefits, certain veterans’ benefits and earned income, such as income from wages, salaries, tips and self-employment. While these people may not be normally required to file a tax return because they do not meet the filing requirement, the IRS emphasizes they must file a 2007 return in order to receive a payment.
Recipients of Social Security, certain Railroad Retirement and certain veterans’ benefits should report their 2007 benefits on Line 14a of Form 1040A or Line 20a of Form 1040. Taxpayers who already have filed but failed to report these benefits can file an amended return by using Form 1040X. The IRS is working with the Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that recipients are aware of this issue.
“Some people receiving Social Security and veterans’ benefits may not realize they will need to file a tax return to get the stimulus payment,” Stiff said. “To reach these people, the IRS and Treasury will work closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration and key beneficiary groups on outreach efforts.”
Eligible taxpayers who qualify for a payment will receive an additional $300 for each child who qualifies for the child tax credit.
Payments to higher income taxpayers will be reduced by 5 percent of the amount of adjusted gross income above $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for those filing jointly.
Taxpayers must have valid Social Security Numbers to qualify for the stimulus payment. If married filing jointly, both taxpayers must have a valid Social Security Number. And, children must have valid Social Security Numbers to be eligible as qualifying children.
Taxpayers who file their tax returns using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number issued by the IRS or any number issued by the IRS are ineligible. Also ineligible are individuals who can be claimed as dependents on someone else’s return, or taxpayers who file Form 1040-NR, 1040-PR or 1040-SS.
To accommodate taxpayers who file tax returns later in the year, the IRS will continue sending payments until December 31, 2008. The IRS also cautions taxpayers that if they file their 2007 tax return and then move their residence that they should file a change of address card with the U.S. Postal Service.
The IRS will mail two informational notices to taxpayers advising them of the stimulus payments. However, taxpayers should be alert for tax rebate scams such as telephone calls or e-mails claiming to be from the IRS and asking for sensitive financial information. The IRS will not call or e-mail taxpayers about these payments nor will it ask for financial information. Scam e-mails and information about scam calls should be forwarded to phishing@irs.gov
courtesy of the Santa Cruz Association of Realtors (SCAOR)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
IRS Guidance on Exchanging Vacation Homes
Finally! — IRS Guidance on Exchanging Vacation Homes
Vacation Home as Relinquished Property
For a vacation home to qualify as relinquished property, it must meet the following criteria:
• It is owned by the taxpayer for at least 24 months immediately before the exchange ("qualifying use period"); and
• Within the qualifying use period, in each of the two 12 month periods, (1) the taxpayer rents the dwelling unit at fair rental to another person for 14 days or more and (2) the taxpayer’s personal use of the dwelling unit does not exceed the greater of 14 days or 10 percent of the number of days during the 12 month period that the dwelling unit was rented at fair rental value.
The first 12 month period immediately preceding the exchange ends on the day before the exchange takes place (and begins 12 months prior to that day). The second 12 month period ends on the day before the first 12 month period begins (and begins 12 months prior to that day).
Vacation Home as Replacement Property
For a vacation home to qualify as replacement property, it must meet the following criteria:
• It is owned by the taxpayer for at least 24 months immediately following the exchange ("qualifying use period"); and
• Within the qualifying use period, in each of the two 12 month periods, (1) the taxpayer rents the dwelling unit to another person at fair rental for 14 days or more and (2) the taxpayer’s personal use of the dwelling unit does not exceed the greater of 14 days or 10 percent of the number of days during the 12 month period that the dwelling unit was rented at fair rental.
The 12 month period immediately after the exchange begins on the day after the exchange takes place and the second 12 month period begins on the day after the first 12 month period ends.
Personal use is defined broadly. Use by the taxpayer or other person having an interest in the dwelling unit and any family member1 will be considered "personal use" by the taxpayer. Also, any arrangement whereby fair market rent is not paid will be considered "personal use" by the taxpayer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, use by family members will not be considered "personal use" by the taxpayer only if the dwelling unit is rented at fair market rent and the family member uses it as his principal residence.
Fair rental is based upon all of the facts and circumstances that exist when the rental agreement is entered into. All rights and obligations of the rental agreement are taken into account.
Note special rule for replacement property. If the taxpayer files a return reporting a transaction under §1031 based on the expectation that the dwelling unit will meet the qualifying use standards and subsequently determines that the dwelling unit does not meet the qualifying use standards, the taxpayer, if necessary, should file an amended return.
Exchanges of vacation homes outside the Rev. Proc. 2008-16 safe harbor. An exchange of a vacation home may still qualify under §1031 even though it falls outside the parameters of Rev. Proc. 2008-16. Any such circumstance will be subject to greater scrutiny and therefore should be carefully planned and reviewed by the taxpayer’s tax advisor.
Finally! — IRS Guidance on Exchanging Vacation Homes
Revenue Procedure 2008-16 Provides Safe Harbor
courtesy of Old Republic Exchange Company
Until now, the issue of whether a vacation home qualifies for tax deferral treatment under IRC §1031 was the subject of much scrutiny and uncertainty. To the delight of many tax practitioners, on February 15, 2008, the IRS eliminated that uncertainty by issuing Revenue Procedure ("Rev. Proc.") 2008-16, effective March 10, 2008, which provides a safe harbor for exchanges of vacation homes (defined as "dwelling unit" in the Rev. Proc.). Now taxpayers can have a clear understanding of the circumstances under which the IRS will not challenge whether a vacation home will qualify as property "held for investment" under §1031.
Vacation Home as Relinquished Property
For a vacation home to qualify as relinquished property, it must meet the following criteria:
• It is owned by the taxpayer for at least 24 months immediately before the exchange ("qualifying use period"); and
• Within the qualifying use period, in each of the two 12 month periods, (1) the taxpayer rents the dwelling unit at fair rental to another person for 14 days or more and (2) the taxpayer’s personal use of the dwelling unit does not exceed the greater of 14 days or 10 percent of the number of days during the 12 month period that the dwelling unit was rented at fair rental value.
The first 12 month period immediately preceding the exchange ends on the day before the exchange takes place (and begins 12 months prior to that day). The second 12 month period ends on the day before the first 12 month period begins (and begins 12 months prior to that day).
Vacation Home as Replacement Property
For a vacation home to qualify as replacement property, it must meet the following criteria:
• It is owned by the taxpayer for at least 24 months immediately following the exchange ("qualifying use period"); and
• Within the qualifying use period, in each of the two 12 month periods, (1) the taxpayer rents the dwelling unit to another person at fair rental for 14 days or more and (2) the taxpayer’s personal use of the dwelling unit does not exceed the greater of 14 days or 10 percent of the number of days during the 12 month period that the dwelling unit was rented at fair rental.
The 12 month period immediately after the exchange begins on the day after the exchange takes place and the second 12 month period begins on the day after the first 12 month period ends.
Personal use is defined broadly. Use by the taxpayer or other person having an interest in the dwelling unit and any family member1 will be considered "personal use" by the taxpayer. Also, any arrangement whereby fair market rent is not paid will be considered "personal use" by the taxpayer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, use by family members will not be considered "personal use" by the taxpayer only if the dwelling unit is rented at fair market rent and the family member uses it as his principal residence.
Fair rental is based upon all of the facts and circumstances that exist when the rental agreement is entered into. All rights and obligations of the rental agreement are taken into account.
Note special rule for replacement property. If the taxpayer files a return reporting a transaction under §1031 based on the expectation that the dwelling unit will meet the qualifying use standards and subsequently determines that the dwelling unit does not meet the qualifying use standards, the taxpayer, if necessary, should file an amended return.
Exchanges of vacation homes outside the Rev. Proc. 2008-16 safe harbor. An exchange of a vacation home may still qualify under §1031 even though it falls outside the parameters of Rev. Proc. 2008-16. Any such circumstance will be subject to greater scrutiny and therefore should be carefully planned and reviewed by the taxpayer’s tax advisor.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The MEGACONVERTER!
Last week, as I was preparing the resources page for the document that will be sent as a supplement for the November 13 audio conference on math errors, I was double-checking entries on metric units and conversions in The Associated Press Stylebook. I spotted something I'd somehow missed.
I've been using Google lately for conversions; you can type 5 pounds in kilos in the search field and find out instantly that it's 2.26796185 kilos. But if you're thinking about buying your ancestral farm in Ireland and want to know how many U.S. acres are in an Irish acre, you can't type 5 Irish acres in U.S. acres and get the conversion. You get links to things like the Irish Acres Antiques Store.
No, for that kind of conversion, you need the MEGACONVERTER 2!
I'm not joking. The Associated Press Stylebook has a quiet little mention of this amazing tool under its metric system entry, and boy, can it do things! One Irish acre is 1.61983 U.S. acres, in case you were wondering. There are, as of last week, 45 conversion categories, from Angles to Wire Resistance. I'm sure they'll find something that starts with a Z to measure soon. Our proofreader, Danny Marcus, noted that the category "Length, Ancient" doesn't have cubits listed. I agree with him that this is a serious oversight, especially for editors of construction manuals.
The Megaconverter 2: http://www.blogger.com/www.megaconverter.com/mega2.
Danny also shared two more sites for conversions that even the whopping Megaconverter doesn't have:
The first is for the Consumer Price Index. Find out how much more you could have bought in 1969 with the money you now spend on a latte: http://woodrow.mpls.frb.fed.us/research/data/us/calc/.
As if that weren't depressing enough, you can also find out how many milliliters your $3.29 would buy you in England right now by entering that amount in the Universal Currency Converter at XE.com: http://www.xe.com/ucc/.
Warning: The link I'm about to give you is addictive!
Taken from a weekly supplement provided to subscribers of Copyediting newsletter:
Last week, as I was preparing the resources page for the document that will be sent as a supplement for the November 13 audio conference on math errors, I was double-checking entries on metric units and conversions in The Associated Press Stylebook. I spotted something I'd somehow missed.
I've been using Google lately for conversions; you can type 5 pounds in kilos in the search field and find out instantly that it's 2.26796185 kilos. But if you're thinking about buying your ancestral farm in Ireland and want to know how many U.S. acres are in an Irish acre, you can't type 5 Irish acres in U.S. acres and get the conversion. You get links to things like the Irish Acres Antiques Store.
No, for that kind of conversion, you need the MEGACONVERTER 2!
I'm not joking. The Associated Press Stylebook has a quiet little mention of this amazing tool under its metric system entry, and boy, can it do things! One Irish acre is 1.61983 U.S. acres, in case you were wondering. There are, as of last week, 45 conversion categories, from Angles to Wire Resistance. I'm sure they'll find something that starts with a Z to measure soon. Our proofreader, Danny Marcus, noted that the category "Length, Ancient" doesn't have cubits listed. I agree with him that this is a serious oversight, especially for editors of construction manuals.
The Megaconverter 2: http://www.blogger.com/www.megaconverter.com/mega2.
Danny also shared two more sites for conversions that even the whopping Megaconverter doesn't have:
The first is for the Consumer Price Index. Find out how much more you could have bought in 1969 with the money you now spend on a latte: http://woodrow.mpls.frb.fed.us/research/data/us/calc/.
As if that weren't depressing enough, you can also find out how many milliliters your $3.29 would buy you in England right now by entering that amount in the Universal Currency Converter at XE.com: http://www.xe.com/ucc/.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
HAVE AN AVERAGE DAY
Here's an article that I found to be very powerful. I hope you enjoy it too....
Have an Average Day, by Michael Neill
I once was talking to my friend and mentor Steve Chandler when he said to me, "Have an average day!" Taken aback, I asked him what he meant. Isn’t the idea to have great days, even exceptional ones?
He told me a story about one of his mentors, Lyndon Duke, who studied the linguistics of suicide. After receiving doctorates from two universities, Duke began analyzing suicide notes for linguistic clues that could be used to predict and prevent suicidal behavior in teenagers.
Duke came to believe that the enemy of happiness is "the curse of exceptionality." When everyone is trying to be exceptional, nearly everyone fails because the exceptional becomes commonplace, and those few who do succeed feel isolated and estranged from their peers. We’re left with a world in which a few people feel envied, misunderstood, and alone, while thousands of others feel like failures for not being good, special, rich, or happy enough.
When I was in the thickest cloud of my own suicidal thoughts, I was at university and I remember wishing that I could run away from my scholarship, change my name to Bob, and take a job pumping gas at a full-service station somewhere in the Midwest. Only in my fantasy, people would start to notice something special about me. They would begin driving miles out of their way to have "Bob the service guy" fill up their cars and to exchange a few words with him, leaving the station oddly uplifted and with a renewed sense of optimism and purpose.
I was, to my way of thinking, doomed to succeed.
Delusions of grandeur? Quite possibly. Depressed and miserable? Absolutely.
One of Duke’s breakthroughs came when he was dealing with his own unhappiness and heard a neighbor singing while he was mowing his lawn. Duke realized what was missing from his life: the simple pleasures of an average day.
The very next weekend, he went to visit his son, who was struggling to excel in his first term at university. "I expect you to be a straight C student, young man," Duke said. "I want you to complete your unremarkable academic career, meet an ordinary young woman, and, if you choose to, get married and live a completely average life!"
His son, of course, thought Dad had finally flipped, but it did take the pressure off him to be quite so exceptional. A month later he phoned his father to apologize. He had gotten A’s on his exams, despite having done only an average amount of studying.
This is the paradoxical promise of an average-day philosophy: The cumulative effect of a series of average days is actually quite extraordinary.
If we put this together with another one of Duke’s discoveries—that the meaning of our lives comes from the differences we make with them, though these differences need not be huge to have a profound impact—we may well have the ultimate prescription for a happy, productive life:
Be an average, happy person making a small positive difference (and having a happy, average day). In doing this, you create a kind of exceptionality that everyone can share.
Michael Neill (www.geniuscatalyst.com) is a success coach, media commentator, and author. Copyright © 2007
Here's an article that I found to be very powerful. I hope you enjoy it too....
Have an Average Day, by Michael Neill
Excerpted from Catalyst (Sept. 2007), an independent journal of healthy living
I once was talking to my friend and mentor Steve Chandler when he said to me, "Have an average day!" Taken aback, I asked him what he meant. Isn’t the idea to have great days, even exceptional ones?
He told me a story about one of his mentors, Lyndon Duke, who studied the linguistics of suicide. After receiving doctorates from two universities, Duke began analyzing suicide notes for linguistic clues that could be used to predict and prevent suicidal behavior in teenagers.
Duke came to believe that the enemy of happiness is "the curse of exceptionality." When everyone is trying to be exceptional, nearly everyone fails because the exceptional becomes commonplace, and those few who do succeed feel isolated and estranged from their peers. We’re left with a world in which a few people feel envied, misunderstood, and alone, while thousands of others feel like failures for not being good, special, rich, or happy enough.
When I was in the thickest cloud of my own suicidal thoughts, I was at university and I remember wishing that I could run away from my scholarship, change my name to Bob, and take a job pumping gas at a full-service station somewhere in the Midwest. Only in my fantasy, people would start to notice something special about me. They would begin driving miles out of their way to have "Bob the service guy" fill up their cars and to exchange a few words with him, leaving the station oddly uplifted and with a renewed sense of optimism and purpose.
I was, to my way of thinking, doomed to succeed.
Delusions of grandeur? Quite possibly. Depressed and miserable? Absolutely.
One of Duke’s breakthroughs came when he was dealing with his own unhappiness and heard a neighbor singing while he was mowing his lawn. Duke realized what was missing from his life: the simple pleasures of an average day.
The very next weekend, he went to visit his son, who was struggling to excel in his first term at university. "I expect you to be a straight C student, young man," Duke said. "I want you to complete your unremarkable academic career, meet an ordinary young woman, and, if you choose to, get married and live a completely average life!"
His son, of course, thought Dad had finally flipped, but it did take the pressure off him to be quite so exceptional. A month later he phoned his father to apologize. He had gotten A’s on his exams, despite having done only an average amount of studying.
This is the paradoxical promise of an average-day philosophy: The cumulative effect of a series of average days is actually quite extraordinary.
If we put this together with another one of Duke’s discoveries—that the meaning of our lives comes from the differences we make with them, though these differences need not be huge to have a profound impact—we may well have the ultimate prescription for a happy, productive life:
Be an average, happy person making a small positive difference (and having a happy, average day). In doing this, you create a kind of exceptionality that everyone can share.
Michael Neill (www.geniuscatalyst.com) is a success coach, media commentator, and author. Copyright © 2007
Friday, January 11, 2008
BERNANKE EXPECTED TO CUT RATES AGAIN
In the face of what appears to be a worsening national economy, Ben S. Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, is expected to cut interest rates again, the goal being "to get people to borrow and spend more."
Bernanke was quoted in the New York Times today as saying:
Until recently Bernanke has been reluctant to forecast the U.S. economy as anything but vague; yet "disappointing holiday sales figures," a rise in unemployment, and a troubling spike in foreclosures all give evidence to an downturn.
Bernanke still steers clear of the word "recession," however, and seems to remain confident in the Fed's ability to prevent one in the near future.
Fed Chief Signals Further Rate Cut, By Louis Uchitelle and Michael M. Grynbaum, the New York Times
In the face of what appears to be a worsening national economy, Ben S. Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, is expected to cut interest rates again, the goal being "to get people to borrow and spend more."
Bernanke was quoted in the New York Times today as saying:
'“The outlook for real activity in 2008 has worsened. We stand ready to take substantive additional actions as needed to support growth and to provide adequate insurance against downside risks.”'
Until recently Bernanke has been reluctant to forecast the U.S. economy as anything but vague; yet "disappointing holiday sales figures," a rise in unemployment, and a troubling spike in foreclosures all give evidence to an downturn.
Bernanke still steers clear of the word "recession," however, and seems to remain confident in the Fed's ability to prevent one in the near future.
Fed Chief Signals Further Rate Cut, By Louis Uchitelle and Michael M. Grynbaum, the New York Times
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