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Buyers are saving $1,000's of dollars on bank owned, "re-po" properties and on "short sales" where banks are approving sales of properties for LESS than the amount owed!

For a list of all bank owned and short sale properties, updated weekly, just reply to this ad or visit http://BankOwnedWeekly.com/NKY

Don't Let The Media Trick You!

The following was written yesterday by financial guru Dave Ramsey. It's information well worth repeating.

By the way, did you know that I am Dave's Endorsed Local Provider (ELP) for real estate in Northern Kentucky?

In case you haven't noticed (which means you've been living under a rock on the moon), there have been a lot of bad reports about the economy when you turn on the evening news or read the paper. Multi-billion-dollar bailouts. Investment banks being bought. Subprime loans being paid for with taxpayer money. Insurance companies needing someone to cover them. It's bad news, all right ... but not the end of the world.

Sit down, get a glass of water, and take a chill pill. The economy isn't going to collapse; not even close. If things were to completely bottom out and everybody went bankrupt, that means there would be no Microsoft, Nike, Coca-Cola, Home Depot, Hewlett Packard, Procter & Gamble, Disney and Macy's. And that's just for starters. Do you honestly think that the entire American economy and every business within it will vanish?

Let's tackle a few things. First off, ratings drive the news. It's a sad thing, but not as many people tune it to watch a little girl rescue a homeless puppy as they will to watch news of a market "collapse". If it's bad news, they'll do a report it at 6 and 10 with reporters on the street, and splash it all over their websites. The news networks are competing to get you to watch, so they fill the broadcast with drama. Don't let them trick you into thinking it's Doomsday.

On that note, don't pull any money out of investments that you have. When you jump out of a roller coaster before it stops, you get hurt. If you put $10,000 into a mutual fund and it's now worth $8,000, the worst thing you can do is pull it out. Let the market recover over the next few months and years, and your $8,000 will be worth what you put into it and then some. That's the key to investing; it's long term!

If the Dow Jones Industrial Average starts the week at 10,000 and ends at 9,990, and rose and fell thousands of points in between, you ended up right where you started from. Why get worked up over that?

When things look bad, remember 2 things: The media will blow things out of proportion to get you to watch, and YOU determine how good or bad things are for you. Each time you pay off a debt in your debt snowball, that's more money that you have coming in to your household. When you work a little overtime to pay cash for your vacation or that new TV, it's not Washington that solves your problems ... it's you! Don't let anyone fool you into thinking differently.

July 4-A Most Remarkable Declaration!

A Most Remarkable Declaration   
By Larry Arnn   

Friday morning, July 4, our nation marks for the 232nd time the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which we have always regarded as the event that makes us what we are. Also we have regarded it as the event that marks us a special nation, a nation holding out a light   
to guide the rest of the world.   

Always, that is, until lately.   

Today critics celebrate that the world is passing us by.   
Fareed Zachariah declares: “America remains the global   
superpower today, but it is an enfeebled one.” China and   
India will soon tower above us.   

Amy Chua writes in her book Day of Empire that we are   
getting what we deserve. Our empire building and our   
“xenophobic intolerance” are the causes of our coming   
decline. These sentiments are as common in the academy   
as snow in the Midwest (apologies, global warming).   

Increasingly our politics revolve around the fashions of   
other nations or of that vast entity, commanding and yet   
impotent—“the world,” or better, “the rest of the world.”  Seldom now do our politicians hearken to the great documents of our republic, the Declaration and the Constitution, to guide their actions or restrain their ambitions. We are reaching, perhaps, the place where America   
does not matter. Many think this a happy place.   

Before we call it happy, we might just revisit this old and neglected friend to see what he has to say.   

The universal claims of the Declaration are more remarkable when one remembers that it is an act of treason carrying the risk of death to all who supported it. Especially at the end, where the resolve of the signers becomes particular and grim, one can see that the document contemplates sac-   
rifice as the price of liberty:   

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.   

A lovely sentence, it contains one of the four mentions of God to be found in the Declaration. As it forms a link to God, so it forms at the same time a band of brothers, Adams pledging his life to Jefferson, and Jefferson to Franklin and Hancock and all the others. It is the mood of   
the battlefield. It is the prayer of the soldier before the charge is sounded.   

  How curious then is the contrast between this solemn and   
resolute conclusion to the Declaration and its majestic   
and universal beginning. You have read the words:   

When in the course of human events [meaning any time, not just 1776, and not just today] it becomes necessary for  one people [meaning any people, not just our own] to dissolve the political bands that have connected them to   
another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the   
separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.   

Is this not remarkable to read in an age dominated by relativism and multiculturalism? We may think today that morality changes with the individual, right and wrong different in one nation than in another, but our fathers did not think that. They thought rather than our rights are written “as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature by the hand of Divinity itself” (Alexander Hamilton).   

Look about the world today and you will see that many powerful nations proclaim precisely the opposite of the Declaration of Independence. The doctrine of China, official and lately reiterated, is that the suppression of religion and free speech by the privileged and the powerful is the only proper form of “democracy”. When the Russian government cooks elections, arrests candidates, expropriates the property of it opponents, it sneers that it acts for the motherland. If in these countries the   
people are allowed to work and to save for their families, it is because the interest of the state justifies it. If that interest changes, then their rights are forfeit. Notice the class politics of the current presidential race: does this idea not have a foothold here, too?   

We might remember then, this Fourth of July, that our nation may not be perfect, but it can make a claim available to no other: in the name of the rights of all, it was built from the first to belong to its people and not to their rulers.   

It is not given to any nation to be guaranteed preeminence of power; certainly we did not have it at our beginning, and we may not have it in future. Never mind: if we cling to the principles that brought us to life, we will use whatever power we have for good. If others nations do that, we can live with them in peace and celebrate their strength as much as they. If they do not, then we should remember   
the resolution of our fathers before a certain despotic King.   

The Declaration, you see, remains “the last, best hope of mankind on earth.” 

Single Mom in Florida Selling Heart and Home on Craigslist

Friday, June 27, 2008, Associated Press 

 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. —  She's tried night clubs and online dating sites, but now a 42-year-old single mother is looking for love where everyone else's heart is breaking — the real estate market.

After a year of trying to sell her four-bedroom home and eight years of singledom, Deven Trabosh is offering her South Florida home and a shot at marrying her on the Internet.

"I figured let's combine the ad because I'm looking for love and I'm looking to sell the house," said Trabosh, a Barbie-esque blonde who teeters around the nearly 2,000 square-foot house in patent leather heels.

Click here to see Trabosh's ad on Craigslist.

"Marry a Princess Lost in America," Trabosh wrote in the ads she posted on eBay and Craigslist last week. She describes a life of romance and travel and a home decorated with vaulted ceilings, upgraded tile and a soaking tub in a gated community with a pool and tennis courts.

Trabosh, a licensed real estate agent who hasn't practiced in years, knew she would struggle to sell the home in the troubled real estate market, but insists her fairytale ad isn't just a sales gimmick.

"I'm struggling...I don't want to lose my house and I want to find somebody," said Trabosh, who changed her name in the ad to Traboscia to keep people from finding her in the phone book. "So I came up with this dream plan because I've always dreamt about being a fairytale princess."

She listed the home for $340,000 on a sell-it-yourself web site, but upped the price, adding a $500,000 shipping fee to include her companionship on eBay.

Trabosh says eBay removed her ad, though she planned to change the wording and repost it. Under the site's prohibited services policy, eBay does not allow the sale of human beings, body parts or relationships, spokeswoman Catherine England said Friday.

Trabosh hasn't received any serious offers, but says she's had nearly 500 responses, mostly positive, including one from Ottie of Surrey, England, who e-mailed to say, "You are offering the perfect life with the perfect American princess."

She whips out her laptop to show off a picture of Claudio, a handsome Italian wine and cheese taster, who she's been corresponding with since he responded to the ad. Seated on a white leather love seat in her living room, she giggles almost girlishly about him. They're hoping to meet in Miami in a few weeks.

She's gotten criticism too. Her 21-year-old daughter Haley says she just wants her mom to find love, but her 14-year-old daughter says her mother is embarrassing her. Other have e-mailed to say she's selling herself short.

"I'm not selling myself. I'm selling love...to meet that true love," Trabosh says. "Of course, it's gonna take more chemistry and connection. It's not going to be instantaneous that I'm just going to be automatically for sale...it's a package deal for true love."

June 26: Deven Trabosh poses at home in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trabosh, a divorced mother of two, has listed her home online in an effort to sell her house and herself.Trabosh isn't the first to use the Internet to hawk the unconventional. A heartbroken Australian man recently tried to sell his life online, including his house, job and friends. Others have sold body space, promising to display advertisements for the highest bidder.

"There is a plethora of quirky ads on craigslist that pop up on craigslist every day, and this appears to be one of them," spokeswoman Susan MacTavish Best said in an e-mail. "Scads of couples have met and, thus, married through craigslist over the last twelve years sometimes marrying the person who bought their tired couch."

Ideally, Trabosh hopes a European man will close the deal and says she's willing to move overseas.

"I know I'm putting myself out there. I'm sincere. I believe in true love," she says. "I want to get married again."

A Wonderful Mini-farm Now Available!

Nothing Is Impossible For Someone Who Doesn't Know It Can't Be Done!

      

Nothing is impossible for someone who doesn't know it can't be done.     

A case in point: Once upon a time, there was a very rich man who was getting somewhat long in the tooth. He'd had a long, wonderful life… and… now… he wanted to leave his considerable fortune to his three daughters. They had married well. The rich, old guy had great affection and respect for all three of the gentlemen his daughters had chosen to marry.     

So he boogies on down to the offices of the law firm which handles all the legal details of his business affairs. He tells his attorneys what he wants to do… and… that's when he began to learn the harsh realities of the probate, estate and inheritance laws here in this great land of America. These laws (like many others in the U.S.A.) are flat out insane. But, in truth, the probate laws in our wonderful country… are truly special. They are (naturally) ridiculously complex. But, when you boil them down to their essence, it all amounts to this: Whenever the guy upstairs decides it's time for you to check in the "Check-Out City," the process of transferring your money, property and all other forms of your wealth to your loved ones (or, even to your favorite charities) will involve:             
(A.) A very long and totally ridiculous legal process.             
(B.) Giving a ridiculously high percentage of your wealth to one or more unworthy, scum bag                    attorneys and…
            (C.) Giving the U.S. Government another ridiculous, unfair and huge chunk of your net worth.

After his attorneys explained all this to him, the rich, old guy was not a happy camper. Being a God-fearing man, he decided to express his feelings in a Biblical manner. Then, he looked up at this team of high-priced attorneys and spoke thusly… This Sucketh !

He then asked if all the laws pertaining to probate could be found in the legal books his attorneys had in their private law library. They answered him in the affirmative. Then he asked if he could be left alone in the law library for a few hours every day during the coming week.

His attorneys (behind his back, of course) rolled their eyes heavenward… but nevertheless… they granted his simple request.       Hey, what could it hurt? The old man had been a good client for many years. Why shouldn't they humor him?       And thus, it came to pass, the old man closeted himself in the firm's law library for the better part of a week.

After that, he courteously thanked his attorneys and informed them they need not concern themselves with this area of his affairs any longer. The attorneys (sensing a loss of income) tried to dissuade him. But, alas, they could not.       The old man returned home and went about his business.

He decided to throw a huge party to announce his retirement. He invited hundreds of people (including his attorneys) to this gala event. There was wine, food, music, other forms of entertainment, good conversation and, in general, a fine time was had by all who attended. When the party was at its peak, the rich old guy asked the musicians to take a break so he could mount the stage, pick up the microphone and make a few comments. He thanked everybody for coming. He briefly described (with humility) the highlights of the rich, good life with which God had blessed him. He had a wonderful wife, three wonderful daughters, wonderful friends, a wonderful business, and, he had enjoyed excellent health. No man, he said, had been more blessed.

The only smudge on his otherwise wonderful life was that… The Three Men His Daughters Had Chosen To Marry Were Crooks, Thieves, And All-Around Unethical, Dishonest Scum!       He went on and on about this. The partygoers were astonished. They all thought the old man had respected and even loved the three men his daughters had married. How could he be saying these awful things? In public? At an event where everyone was being video taped?       

From time to time, individuals in the crowd would sneak a peek at the three young men who were being so unfairly depicted. They seemed remarkably composed, as did their wives, (the old man's daughters) during this tirade.       Anyway, shortly after the old man had had his say, the party seemed to lose its festive atmosphere. All the guests went home… and… no one was surprised when, a few days later, a front page story in the local newspaper… about… how those three, maligned young men were suing the rich old guy for everything he had.       No one was surprised when they won their lawsuit either. After all, they had hundreds of witnesses… and… even a high quality video tape of all the old guy's libelous and public statements.       

And so, it came to pass that all the old man's wealth was lost in this vicious lawsuit. His three sons-in-laws GOT IT ALL! which, of course, they shared with their wives, whom they loved very dearly. And, believe it or not, they even found a way in their hearts to "forgive" the old man… and… they gave him a generous (very generous) allowance so he could exquisitely enjoy the golden twilight years of his life.

And, guess what, his daughters, their husbands and, his grandchildren had all this money and… Nobody Had To Pay A Penny In Inheritance Taxes! Or income taxes! Or state taxes! Or capital gains taxes! Or property taxes! Or… any other type of taxes whatsoever!       Why? Simply because, all the money that is won in a lawsuit for damages is always 100% tax-free!       

Bet your attorney never told you that, did he? I wonder why? No, it's probably not because he doesn't want you to know. More likely… it's simply that he's so "brain dead," he has no clue about the significance of this fact.       But that rich, old man… who didn't know… it was impossible to avoid these unfair probate laws… went ahead and avoided them anyway.

Please… let me say it again… Nothing Is Impossible For A Person Who Doesn't Know It Can't Be Done!

Anyone looking for a GREAT home??

This week I want to tell you about a really nice Taylor mill home I just put on the market.

It's only 18 months old and really is better than new. The lawn and landscaping is well established and the home is very tastefully decorated. One thing I especially like is the huge, flat lot backing up to woods. No looking into your neighbour's back yard here!! (Or neighbours looking into yours!)

Another feature that attracted me was the very modern and functional floor plan. Off the hardwood front entry is a nice size den/home office separated by French doors. Across the hall is a formal dining room. Also, on the first floor is a very specious Great Room and an awesome kitchen.

On the second floor is a laundry room!!...right where it should be, where the laundry is!! No more lugging clothes up or down stairs.

Three of the four bedrooms feature walk-in closets and a huge Owners Suite with an EnSuite area any woman would love! 

The Sellers must part with this lovely home due to occupational re-location to Colorado. It's truly a shame to leave such a great home, but their loss is someone else's gain.

Call us anytime to view this great house!! http://6258Finchley.info

What In The World Is A Combined Driving Event?

As many of you know, my life outside of real estate (I DO try to maintain some normalcy and balance!), beyond family, is horses; and carriage driving in particular!

I just returned from the 2008 Gayla Bluegrass Combined Driving Event where I've now been an obstacle judge for 18 straight years!

Basically, a CDE is a 3 phase test for carriage horses and their drivers, known as "whips." Phase 1 is called Dressage, a test of compulsary figures in a closed arena.

Phase 2 is "Cones", consisting of a course of 20 or so pairs of traffic cones with tennis balls balanced on the tops and spaced but a few inches wider than the carriage track width. This course is then driven at speed and time and "faults" (ball knock downs) are the judging criteria.

Phase 3 is "Marathon" Generally a 5 to 7 kilometer cross country drive with 6 or 7 obstacles that again must be negotiated accurately at speed. The final score is then calculated by penalty points, the lowest accrued penalty points being the winner of each division.

There are serveral divisions at a CDE for levels of competency, number of horses (single, pairs, multiples) and horse and pony divisions.

It is a wonderful sport and "driving people" are the best. Thru carriage driving and real estate, I have made incredible, life long friends from all over the country!

Here is a short video of Lindsey Nevitt and her Appaloosa horse, Dragon, Intermediate Level single horse Champion at Gayla 2008 CDE

Understanding The Home Inspection Process

Home inspections are an important part of the real estate process whether you are buying your first home, retiring to a second home or relocating to a new area. Real estate agents must work with a home inspection company that is both reputable and trustworthy. Attention to detail and knowing how to report the facts are essential to a thorough home inspection. In this article I have asked Kevin Salva of US Inspects in Virginia to explain some of the basics of home inspection to help answer the questions many homebuyers and sellers are asking.

No Stone Left Unturned
A home inspection covers many areas of the house. According to Kevin, a home inspector must "objectively evaluate every angle of the home". The first consideration for any home inspection is the age of the house. New homes fall under stricter laws and regulations. Therefore, the inspector must pay attention to the safety features and be certain that the home is in compliance with the current safety requirements. Older homes are only expected to meet the safety standards and regulations current in the year in which they were built. However, older homes must be carefully assessed for potential problems. "The structure of the house must be analyzed along with the utilities, roof and heating and cooling systems," states Kevin. "I do a number of different inspections," continues Kevin, "including termite, Radon, septic systems, private wells, and more." As a potential homebuyer, it is important to know what the basic home ins pection includes and when you may need specific services such as termite, lead paint or asbestos inspection. Your real estate agent can advise you on what types of inspection are necessary. Knowledge and Planning Lead to a Successful Purchase Kevin suggests all homebuyers "become familiar with the average life span of particular household appliances and systems." For example, a typical heat pump works for approximately fifteen years. If you buy a home and the heat pump is fourteen years old, this repair expense may come in the near future. As a homebuyer, knowledge and planning are the keys to avoiding unexpected costs and a lack of funds to complete important repairs. Kevin also believes that an experienced and reputable home inspector will offer the homebuyer a walk-through of the property. This allows the home inspector the opportunity to "begin a dialogue about home maintenance" says Kevin. This dialogue will be a valuable asset to the homeowner in the future. Homebuyers should also talk to their real estate agent about home warranty programs. Many systems or appliances that are potential future repair costs can be covered by a home warranty that is renewable each year. A ho me warranty is a great strategy for any homebuyer, but especially for those purchasing older homes.

The Language of Home Inspection
Home inspection reports are not difficult to understand. "The body of the report talks about the systems of the home," states Kevin. The home inspector should know the difference between "a defect" and "a related item" and be able to identify these items clearly. The home inspector must speak the language of real estate so the agent can fully comprehend the report. This allows the real estate agent to advise the buyer in the best way possible. A "defect" is an issue about the home that must be addressed immediately. The buyer should expect the real estate agent to budget the repair of the "defect" into the closing contract. A "related item" is simply a typical maintenance item that the homebuyer may need to be prepared to cover now or in the future.

The relationship between a real estate agent and a home inspector is built on trust. The real estate agent knows the market and typically what items the sellers and the buyers are financially responsible for at closing. The agent understands trends in specific regions when looking at the home inspection report. They analyze the buyer's concerns and close the best deal they can for their clients. A home inspector must know the real estate business and pay attention to the details. Kevin says, "...A home inspector must provide impeccable service and do everything necessary to educate the real estate agent and the buyer about the home."
By Elaine VonCannon

Home Values Still Declining Here

Median price drops in 2/3 of U.S. market
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AND THE ENQUIRER
Median home prices fell in two-thirds of the nation's metro areas, including Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, that were surveyed during the first three months of this year, a real estate trade group reported Tuesday. The National Association of Realtors said that median prices for existing single-family homes dropped in 100 of 149 metropolitan areas in the January-March period, while 48 metropolitan areas saw prices increase and one reported no change. Priced dropped in 67 percent of the areas surveyed, marking the largest percentage of areas reporting declining prices in the history of the Realtors' survey, which began in 1979.

Prices had fallen in 34 percent of the cities surveyed in the October-December survey. Nationally, the median home price - the point where half the homes sold for more and half for less - fell to $196,300 in the first quarter, down by 7.7 percent from the same period a year ago, when the median sales price was $212,600.

Locally, the median price fell to $128,500, down 6.1 percent from $136,800 in the first quarter of 2007.

The Realtors' data show home prices fell most sharply in the West, followed by the Midwest and South. The only region where median home prices rose was the Northeast, which posted a 3.2 percent increase to $280,000. The metropolitan area that posted the biggest increase was Binghamton, N.Y., where an 11.8 rise put the median house price at $109,700. The market with the biggest decline was Sacramento, Calif., where a 29.2 percent decline dropped the median price to $258,500. Sales of existing homes were down in 46 states. They fell 10.8 percent in Ohio, 12.1 percent in Kentucky and 11.4 percent in Indiana.

The largest percentage plunge was a 38.6 percent drop in Maryland during the first three months of this year compared with the same period in 2007. Only Alaska, Illinois and New Jersey reported sales increases during the survey period. Data for New Hampshire was not available.

Nationally, sales fell by 22.2 percent in the first quarter compared with the same period a year ago. The steep national price decline was the latest indication of the problems facing the housing market, which is in a prolonged slump that has dragged down sales and home prices.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the Realtors, said that part of the problem in the first three months of the year was that it was hard to get so-called jumbo loans because of the credit squeeze triggered by rising mortgage defaults, particularly for subprime loans, mortgages made to borrowers with weak credit histories. Jumbo loans are critical to financing homes in high-cost areas of the country. "These are highly unusual results because there were very few jumbo loan originations in the latest quarter, so sales are much slower in high-cost areas and, at the same time, foreclosures related to subprime mortgages rose," he said. Yun said that subprime mortgages are accounting for more than half of all mortgage foreclosures and that sharp price declines are principally occurring in neighborhoods where subprime loans had been prevalent.  
Copyright 2008, Enquirer.com

Riding Shotgun: Rules, History, Duties of Riding Shotgun

Everything You’d Ever Want to Know:
Riding Shotgun

Jed always rode "shotgun."

“Shotgun!”

How many car trips have begun with that memorable word? The correct answer is undoubtedly “countless” or “how many stars are in the sky?”

Calling and riding shotgun is an American original in every sense of the term.

This article concerns all things riding shotgun: definition, history, origin, rights, privileges, duties and rules.

DEFINITION

Just so there’s no disputes about the definition of ’shotgun’, here’s a good one:

The term “Shotgun” refers to the front passenger seat of an automobile. “Calling Shotgun” is the act of claiming the position of Shotgun for one’s self. As this position is the most coveted of all positions when riding in a car, the following list of rules has been created to ensure that Shotgun can be acquired in a fair and equitable manner by any passenger of an automobile.

For readers wanting a second opinion, here’s the Wikipedia version

To ride shotgun is to sit in the front passenger seat when riding a car or other vehicle, a phrase commonly heard in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Due to the influence of American popular culture it is also heard in several European countries such as Iceland, Ireland, Denmark and the United Kingdom, as well as other countries with large English-speaking populations such as South Africa and Israel.

ORIGIN

Where did the term “riding shotgun” originate?

The first known reference to “riding shotgun” in print occurred in Western pulp fiction in the March 27, 1921 issue of the Washington Post’s “Magazine of Fiction,” in a story entitled “The Fighting Fool” by Dane Coolidge. It was used to refer to riding as an armed guard in the front of a stagecoach, next to the driver (this would usually have been on the left, as stage drivers traditionally sat on the right, near the brake).

Historians have been unable to find a use of the term “riding shotgun” in the actual time of the Old West, when the terminology actually used was riding as “shotgun messenger.” The use of the phrase in print to refer to automobiles occurred in 1954 simultaneously with the TV series Gunsmoke, which became extremely popular, and used the terminology of riding shotgun nearly weekly.

RULES

There are many local variations of the rules below. But the basic rules, like truth, beauty and hope, always remain the same. It’s good to get the ground and local rules in place before any important–or incidental–trip.

OFFICIAL RULES
of Calling Shotgun

1) The first person to yell “SHOTGUN” gets to ride in the front seat.
2) The remaining back seats may be divvied up in the same manner by being the first to call “back right seat”, etc..
3) The word “shotgun” must be loud enough to be heard by at least one witness. If no witness is to be found, or in case of a tie, the driver has the final word. After all, it is most likely his car. (note: if it isn’t his car, and the owner is present, the owner’s decision is final. Owner must be sober, however, or he will defer his judgment to the driver.)
4) Early calls are strictly prohibited. All occupants of the vehicle (including the driver) must be outside of the building and directly on the way to the vehicle before shotgun may be called. Under no circumstances may a person call shotgun inside a building. For sake of simplicity, a garage is considered to be outside. Parking structures and detached garages are always considered as being outdoors, even if they are underground.
5) A person may only call shotgun for one way of a trip. Shotgun can never be called while inside a vehicle or still technically on the way to the first location. For example, one can not get out of a vehicle and call Shotgun for the return journey.
6) Being as how everyone is created equal, men have the same right as women to the front seat of the car. i.e. women don’t own the front seat.
7) One is allowed to ride shotgun as many times as he can call it, but for himself only. No one can call shotgun for their slower friend, unless the friend has a speech or mental handicap that prevents them from calling it for themselves.
The driver has final say in all ties and disputes. The driver has the right to suspend or remove all shotgun privileges from one or more persons.

HISTORY

The history of calling “Shotgun” goes back to the days of covered wagons and the Wild West. On a trip across the plains, the driver of a wagon would hold the reins of his horse team and concentrate on driving. This left him and the occupants of his wagon susceptible to sneak attacks from bandits and thieves. To avoid this atrocious circumstance it became necessary for one person to sit next to the driver with a shotgun and fend off the enemy.

Defending against bandits is no longer the priority of Shotgun however, but it has evolved into a pre-driving ritual that is experienced before almost every car ride across America and even the world. Because of the obvious evolution that has already occurred with Shotgun, we ask you to consider Shotgun as a living entity and be aware that it is always changing for the better good of society.

RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, DUTIES

Riding shotgun–like all positions of responsibility carries attendant duties, as well as privileges and rights.

RIGHTS of Riding Shotgun
1. The winner of shotgun may occupy the passenger seat.
2. The winner of shotgun may lean back in his seat as far as he wishes. If the winner of shotgun leans back too far and thus receives of an assault upon his head, he may request review of the situation by the driver. Though the driver’s ruling is final, presumption stands with the winner of shotgun and not the plebian in the back.
3. The winner of shotgun shall get second dibs (after the driver) at any communal purchase, including, but not limited to: food, drink, and smokes.
4. The winner of shotgun may chew any gum left in the driver/passenger area of the vehicle.

PRIVILEGES of Riding Shotgun
1. The winner of shotgun may control what, if any music is being played.
2. The winner of shotgun may engage in discretionary vehicular climate control.
3. The winner of shotgun may engage in witty banter with the driver at any time, feeling free to exclude or insult those not in the driver or passenger seats.
4. The winner of shotgun may exercise control over his window status. This control may be overridden only for purposes of climate adjustment by the driver. “But I want to hear the super-sweet Yngwie J. Malmsteen guitar solo!” is not a sufficient reason to override privilege 4.
5. The winner of shotgun may distribute drive-through-acquired fast food as he sees fit. No retaliation without prior driver consent for perceptions of unfair fast food distribution is permissible while the winner of shotgun occupies the passenger seat. Order must be maintained.

DUTIES of Riding Shotgun
1. The winner of shotgun shall serve as co-pilot, giving impeccable driving directions to the driver.
2. The winner of shotgun is to blame for any and all navigational errors. If the winner of shotgun gives a correct navigational directive that is not followed, he may not say “I told you so.” This sort of disrespectful banter is reserved only for the plebeians in the back. Order must be maintained.
3. The winner of shotgun shall support and obey the driver in all things lawful.
4. If a body is needed to run into the proverbial QuickStop for a pack of fags or to return a video, the winner of shotgun shall happily volunteer for duty.
–From “Rights, Privileges and Duties of Riding Shotgun”

All things shotgun, all in one article.

by Mondoreb
Sources:
* The Official Shotgun Rules
* Riding Shotgun
* Shotgun Guide
* The Rights, Privileges and Duties of Riding Shotgun

I've traveled MORE than I thought!!

 

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Dan Gilbert: Why are we happy? Why aren't we happy?

Grandma's Hands

GRANDMA'S HANDS

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands.

When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. 'Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking,' she said in a clear voice strong.

'I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK,' I explained to her.

'Have you ever looked at your hands,' she asked. 'I mean really looked at your hands?' I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.

Grandma smiled and related this story: 'Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. 'They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.

As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war. 'They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.

Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse. 'They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken,dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

'These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.'

I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

Easy Flight Info!

All the right moves: Profit in 2008

The 22 best ways to keep safe, spend smart and make your money grow in the year ahead By Amanda Gengler, Money Magazine writer-reporter November 14 2007: 4:41 PM EST (Money Magazine) --

Tumbling home values. Soaring energy prices. A topsy-turvy stock market and a gazillion other financial worries, not the least of which is whether we'll spend the coming year mired in recession. Considering all the black clouds hanging over the economy, you probably think there's no way you can really expect to prosper in 2008. It will be all you can do just to hang in there. If that is what you're thinking, we're happy to tell you that you're wrong. There will be plenty of opportunities to make money next year - yes, even in real estate - as well as ways to insulate your finances from the most serious economic challenges ahead. Your home The real estate slump isn't going away soon, so whether you're buying, selling or staying put, deal with it. Make your house look like a bargain

For sellers: Forget what the ugly house next door sold for last year or even what comparable homes are listed for today. Instead, use the going price of houses that have recently sold as a guide - then price your home even lower so it looks like a great deal. (Ask your real estate agent for help with this assessment or go to homegain.com or zillow.com for guidance.) Best case: Your aggressive pricing attracts more than one bid, pitting buyers against one another and ultimately lifting the final sale price. Pay a little to look good For sellers: You'll pay around $150 a month for a 10-foot-by-15-foot storage unit, a piddling amount compared with the $5,000 more your house might fetch or the three months faster it might sell. The quickest, most effective way to increase curb appeal: Apply a fresh coat of paint, says Dave Liniger, co-founder of Re/Max International, the real estate franchise. Offer the right incentive For sellers: Covering closing costs is a biggie because it may help a buyer who's short on cash pay for a home he otherwise couldn't afford. Or you might offer to kick in homeowners association dues or provide a home warranty covering repairs for the first year. Lowball your offer For buyers: If ever there was a time to drive a hard bargain, this is it. Don't be distracted by small stuff like whether the current owners will leave behind their appliances and window treatments. Focus instead on what's really important: getting the lowest price. Do a little homework and find out what comparable houses have sold for lately. Then start the bidding at 10% to 15% below that recent sale price. Note: This strategy works best if there are several homes on the market in your area around the same price. Look like a good risk

For buyers: You'll have an easier time getting approval from a lender if you have enough money set aside to put down at least 10% to 15% of a home's purchase price (no- or low-money-down deals have largely disappeared). You'll also need plenty of documentation to prove you can afford a home in the range you're looking at. What lenders will want to see: Your total debt payments shouldn't eat up more than 36% of your income, says Keith Gumbinger of HSH Associates. Don't jump at a jumbo For buyers: These days $417,000 is a magic number: If your mortgage exceeds that amount, it's considered a jumbo, and your interest rate will be about six-tenths of a percentage point higher than you'd pay on a standard 30-year fixed-rate loan vs. just two-tenths of a point normally. The gap expanded last summer when the credit crunch hit, and it's likely to remain unusually wide next year. To avoid paying the extra interest, try to come up with a big enough down payment to bring your mortgage below $417,000. Or simply hold out for a less expensive house. Getting a $400,000, 30-year fixed-rate loan instead of a $425,000 jumbo will save you about $325 a month and more than $92,000 in interest over the life of the loan. Put down your ARM For owners: If you have an adjustable-rate mortgage that's due to reset next year, consider refinancing into a fixed-rate mortgage now to avoid future payment shock. Similarly, if you have borrowed heavily against the equity in your home and are feeling squeezed, refinance your home-equity loan and mortgage into one new fixed-rate loan. A $200,000 mortgage at 6.5%, plus a $100,000 home-equity loan at 8.2%, works out to monthly costs of about $2,500. Roll that entire $300,000 into a 30-year fixed-rate loan at today's rates and your payment will be $1,900 or so, a savings of about $600 a month. 

SCHOOL 1967 vs. 2007

School - 1967 vs 2007 Friday 09-28-2007 8:29am ET

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack
1967 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.   

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1967 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1967 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD.  School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1967 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's Dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang.  State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused her and their Dad goes to prison.  Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1967 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1967 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, and goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum.  Pedro is given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart left over firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1967 - Ants die.
2007 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated; Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee.  He is found crying by his teacher, Mary, hugs him to comfort him.
1967 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing. 
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

NOW YOU KNOW!

Now You Know Monday 10-01-2007 8:17am ET

Q: Why are many coin banks shaped like pigs?
A: Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called "pygg". When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as "pygg banks." When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a bank that resembled a pig. And it caught on.

Q: Did you ever wonder why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches, while pennies and nickels do not?
A: The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren't notched because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave.

Q: Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?
A: When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. And that's where women's buttons have remained since.

Q: Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses?
A: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

Q: Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called "passing the buck"?
A: In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility, he would "pass the buck" to the next player.

Q: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?
A: It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink int o the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would then just touch or clink the host's glass with his own.

Q: Why are people in the public eye said to be "in the limelight"?
A: Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and stage lighting by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, performers on stage "in the limelight" were seen by the audience to be the center of attention.

Q: Why do ships and aircraft in trouble use "mayday" as their call for help?
A: This comes from the French word m'aidez -meaning "help me" -- and is pronounced "mayday,"

Q: Why is someone who is feeling great "on cloud nine"?
A: Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

Q: Why are zero scores in tennis called "love"?
A: In France, where tennis first became popular, a big, round zero on scoreboard looked like an egg and was called "l'oeuf," which is French for "egg." When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans pronounced it "love."

Q: In golf, where did the term "Caddie" come from?
A. When Mary, later Queen of Scots, went to France as a young girl (for education & survival), Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the Scot game "golf." So he had the first golf course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day' and the Scots changed it into "caddie."

The Changing Mortgage Market...

here are a few important things YOU should do right now:

ONE:  Even if you are not presently in the market for a home loan of any type, make sure that your credit standing is as solid as possible. Many people in the market for a home loan didn't expect they would have a need, and didn't plan in advance to ensure their credit would qualify them for the best possible financing. With no immediate need for a home loan, time is on your side... why don't we take a few minutes together and just make sure you are prepared, should a need arise down the road?  Call or email me right away.

TWO:  If you are in the market for a home loan, or know someone who is - understand that now is the time to be working with a real qualified professional who can keep you informed of changes in the market and get your loan funded quickly. Now is NOT the time to be playing the risky game of trying to scour the entire nation to find someone who promises to save you a paltry amount on costs, or deliver a rate that seems too good to be true.

THREE:  Come to grip with the fact that the mortgage landscape has changed and there are events that may impact your loan that are totally out of your control.  Loan programs available just months ago have been pulled off the market, rates have gone up on some loan programs and underwriting of credit profiles tightened on most.  It is in your best interest to work with someone that is staying informed of these changes. Your home and your financing are just too important, and times have changed. I am here to help and advise during these volatile times - and would welcome calls from you, your friends, family, neighbors or coworkers.