House Prices Home Page Knowledge Base
How do I delete the sale price of my home on Zillow.com? As a joke, I claimed my home on Zillow and then found a place on the page that allowed me to say I sold my house and at what price. I put a price and now I want to delete it and it is impossible. I have been trying for literally 3 hours. Help!! Does anyone know how I can change the 'Sold' on my house and delete the price?? I would be very thankful.
what am i missing here? on the home page of yahoo there is a segment "real estate" if you select that you can? search for for closures. i did that for the zip code that i live in 18610, i also asked for prices less than $85,000. it came up with 4 listings. one for about $8,500 and the other three all under $1,000. So what am i missing, is that the total price for the property? do you just get to pick up someones old note and their old payments for that price? what else is there to this? one of the listings is a fairly new 4 bedroom house, it is the $8,500 one but still at $8,500 it is a steal even in a bad economy. so what am i missing, i realize there are closing cost and association fees, but what else?
84 Lumber Home Packages? Does the price for their homes include everything or just to put the house in the dry? The price on their web page is extremely low and they do mention that it is a "starting from" price. I was wondering if anyone has purchased a home from them and could tell me a little more about it.
Oh my God, we are having bidding wars again! Is America's houseing market back to booming prices too ? check this You-tube video, he tells everyone that the current climate of prices in Toronto is just crazy and that the bidding wars should be avoided. I don't understand, we are in a recession yet house prices are shooting up to 30% above and beyond the peak of where they were at 2008's peak prices. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVu_N8KjwRo We are back into bidding wars for home, where people are lining up and camping outside of model-home offices just in the hopes of being able to become one of the few lucky ones able to be able to sign a purchase contract on a new home. There was a front page headline in the newspaper: "Homes are in short supply, prices shooting to the moon !" Everythings going just nuts up here in Canada, so I just want to know if prices are back to the same crazy appreciation in America too? In America, are you finding that your homes are going up 20%, 30% over last year's prices? If not, why not? Or, why are we?
Why do we need a bailout of any kind? Nothing has changed since last week. Other than wasting 107 more pages of paper and space, the new bailout plan really does not alter the original Paulson plan. Fannie and Freddie already have been bailed out. AIG received federal loans and the Feds are now insuring money market accounts. We are just allowing the government to "fix" home prices through this bailout. Our money will be worth less but house prices will never go down. Wouldn't it be prudent to see if any of these 'fixes" work before throwing billions of virtual dollars around? I give you some quotes from Thomas Jefferson on the subject: "To preserve [the] independence [of the people,] we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debts as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our callings and our creeds, as the people of England are, our people, like them, must come to labor sixteen hours in the twenty-four, give the earnings of fifteen of these to the government for their debts and daily expenses, and the sixteenth being insufficient to afford us bread, we must live, as they now do, on oatmeal and potatoes, have no time to think, no means of calling the mismanagers to account, but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers ." Thomas Jefferson to Sam uel Kercheval, 1816.
Purchased house for cash is there a problem? I recently purchased a home for cash in NC. I was out of state at the time, used an attorney. I wired the cash ($325,000) into the attorney's trust account. The ONLY paperwork I had to sign to complete this insurance was the settlement sheet. It listed all the charges and who pays for what etc. Typical. I did order and title insurance as was listed on the settlment sheet only! I asked the attorney why there were not more papers required for me to sign and he stated that since it was a cash deal, that was it, just a short two page settlement form. Does this sound right to you? Seems like I would be signing a deed transfer form or something since I paid full cash price for the home? Would I not also have to sign some forms for the title insurance verifying a clear title? I just find it hard to believe that all I signed was one page? and it was faxed at that. Should I worry and what should I ask the attorney for?
House Price Change While Under Contract? I bought a house through the USDA's Guaranteed Home Loan program. (It is essentially an FHA loan that the USDA pays off should I default on the loan) I signed a Purchase Agreement on April 7, 2008 and after many delays went to closing on August 20, 2008. I went onto their web site on September 5, 2008, to look for a house for a friend, and not only was my house was still on there, but listed for a price that was $19,700 lower than I paid!!! Although I've already been to closing, I'm pretty sure it's not legal (or ethical) to change the price of a house once it's under contract. I do not know when the price reduction occured, but it was definitely while the contract was in place. The USDA, naturally, says it didn't happen; I have print outs of the web pages from April at the higher price and from September at the lower price, so I can prove the price difference. I've written to the Attorney General of my state and to the National Fair Housing Alliance in DC. I plan on following this through until I receive some form of satisfaction. Any suggestions of who else to contact? Thanks. Paula The USDA has two distinct programs and you can read the details of them at www.usda.gov under Rural and Community Development, then click on Home Financing in Rural Areas.
First time home buyers question....and im the first time home buyer!!!!!!!!!? ok my husband and i are both 21 and married by common law. we have a 2 yr old daughter and we are looking to buy our first house. i don not currently work but am willing to if we find a house. my question is....we found a newly remodled house we really like and on top of that its in the town i grew up in and i know the people who are saleing it and have been there here recently too look at the house, noe they are going through a realtor and are asking for 60,000 now an the realtors home page it says they are asking for a 9000 dollar down payment. now is this an actuall down payment like that comes out of our pockets or do the realtors add it to the final price....please ppl i feel really confused and please dont laugh at me if this is a stupid question!! because ther is no way we can come up with 9000 dollars.
We can’t seem to get on the same page about our bank-account-draining home! How should I handle? I really feel like we made a mistake two years ago and bought “too much house” (we got a zero-down, 30-year loan, house $240K. But whenever I bring it up to my husband, it always ends up in an argument and we can’t seem to understand each other. Every time I plug the numbers into the “rent” or “own” calculators on Freddie Mac, it always shows up that we could have saved at least $44,000 over 10 years by renting instead of buying, and that’s assuming the house goes up in value, what if it doesn’t?. This makes me sick to my stomach because we work so hard for our income but just can’t seem to hold on to it, and if we would just have kept renting, we would have been able to save up for a huge down payment and bought something more reasonable. We’ve already had to put another $18K into the house (AC went out, needed new floors, new fence, etc), and we’ve only lived there 2 years, so if we were to sell in this economy, we would be out thousands of dollars, and we have no equity, and it would likely sell for less than our purchase price. I don’t know what to do. My main question is, how can I bring it up to my husband in a non-threatening way so we can get on the same page, and my second question is, what should we do with our situation?
What do you think went wrong with Professor Stefan Szymanski's formula/prediction? "According to the theory, Serbia will knock out the US, South Korea and Spain to lose in the final to Brazil. " http://www.financialexpress.com/news/formula-a-brazil-vs-serbia-final/627893/ It's doubtful that Serbia will get past the second round, let alone make it to the finals with Brazil. " The rundown of the elements included in the Evolution Securities model reads like a page ripped from the CIA World Factbook: GDP (and breakdown), Unemployment Rate, Jobless claims, Employment, Earnings, Industrial Production and Orders, Productivity, Capacity Utilisation, Capital Expenditure, Personal Income/Savings, CPI, PPI, Money Supply, Mortgage lending, Consumer Credit, House Prices, Housing Activity (New home sales/existing home sales), Construction, Building Permits, Retail Sales, Wholesale Sales, Auto Sales, Durable Goods, Trade Balance, Export & Imports and Export/Import Prices, Capital Flows, TIC Flow, Government deficit/revenue/expenditure, Govt Debt, Survey data, consumer/manufacturing/services confidence, Fed Manufacturing Surveys/Conference Board/ IFO/ZEW, bank lending surveys, Senior Loan Officer Survey, Beige book, Leading Indicators........ and whether or not they are any good at football ..." http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/sow_experts/post/Clever-economists-pick-Brazil-to-win-the-World-C?urn=sow,244993 Which factors do you think would give Serbia such an advantage over other countries? ΔGoals = 0.18*ΔGDP/capita of US + 0.19*ΔPop (100mill.) - 0.02*ΔPop2 (100mill.) + 0.05*ΔWC Participations + 0.17*ΔBallon d'or nominee - 0.01*ΔFIFA ranking + 1.12*ΔHost - 0.85*ΔAsia/Oceanic/North America @answersaurus~ Nicely said.
Home Improvement Questions? Hello everyone. I needed to have my whole house re done, ie...Flooring, Kitchen, Bathroom, etc. My question is...I always walk around Home Depot and see all the different samples. For the best price and quality, should I go to a place like Home Depot and Lowe's or should I find independent contractors( in the Yellow Pages) that specialize in certain jobs? I've never done anything like this before so I would definitely appreciate the advice. Thanks guys!
Who is really behind the sub-prime mortgage bailout,? If you thought Hillary Clinton’s government takeover plan for health care was bad, wait ‘til you see what she has in store for the housing sector. As always with the Clintons, the market is the problem and Big Nanny is the solution. Unfortunately for taxpayers, Hillary has bipartisan company in the Bush administration on this issue. Their election season prescription? Rewarding bad behavior. Punishing responsible behavior. Doing more harm than good. In case you’ve been living in a cave, there’s a painful credit crunch underway. The culprit is the subprime mortgage — a species of risky home loans to buyers with dubious credit and income. Cash-rich lenders doled out the subprimes hoping rising home prices would compensate for any failed bets. But when housing prices started plummeting and interest rates began rising, many borrowers started defaulting. Insolvency looms for countless lenders. Instead of letting lenders and subprime mortgage-holders suffer the consequences of their actions, politicians and grievance-mongers are riding to the supposed rescue. In a supreme irony, the very same champions of the needy in the Democrat party who complain constantly about the lack of “affordable housing” are now fighting tooth and nail to keep housing prices high. To “cure” the housing crisis, Hillary wants a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures for homeowners who default on subprimes. In addition, she wants a five-year freeze on the monthly rate for subprime adjustable mortgages. While she demonizes lenders as predatory out of one side of her mouth, the other side of her mouth is floating legislation to protect lenders from lawsuits and let them convert certain mortgages into “stable, affordable loans.” On top of all that federal meddling, she proposes a $5 billion — yes, that’s “billion” with a “b” — fund to “help communities suffering from high rates of foreclosures.” Jesse Jackson is also stirring the pot. With subprime victim sob stories flooding the news and anecdotes of minority homeowners in trouble, there’s no way the shakedown king could stay away. But the subprime mess isn’t a result of ruthless racial discrimination. If anything, it’s the result of too little discrimination by lenders too willing and eager to sign on people who had no business taking on mortgages. (And you know Jesse Jackson would be screaming either way. The lenders are damned if they lend and damned if they don’t.) Let’s boil this down to fundamentals: Why should the rest of us have to shoulder the burden because some buyers made poor choices, overextended themselves, and bought more house than they could afford? Why should other business owners bear the costs of lenders’ failed bets? And why are falling home prices such a catastrophe to be “fixed” in the first place? Sacramento Bee columnist Daniel Weintraub put it well: “It is great news when the price of energy, food, transportation, health care and consumer electronics drops. But for some reason it is bad news when the price of shelter drops. . . . Shouldn’t we be seeing stories filled with anecdotes about formerly priced-out middle-income families finally getting their chance at the American Dream?” There’s another side of the housing crunch equation that’s not making it onto the newspaper front pages and presidential campaign websites. “For every house sold because the buyer couldn’t make the payments,” Weintraub notes, “there is a buyer on the other end of that transaction who got a good deal. And for every foreclosure, there are probably 10 buyers of nearby homes who benefited from the general easing of house-price pressure.” Bingo. Fiscal conservatives ought to be balking at HillaryCare for housing. But President Bush’s treasury secretary, Hank Paulson, is singing a similar tune. He proposed a new safety net to stem the tide of home foreclosures through a bailout plan for homeowners with bad credit scores. They’d be eligible for relief from paying hundreds of dollars in additional monthly payments when their mortgage rates reset. Those who have been responsible enough to maintain good credit, however, will be out of luck. In addition, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has proposed that government-sponsored mortgage enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac be allowed to raise their loan limits and have their debt explicitly guaranteed by the public dole. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are colluding to protect the reckless and keep home prices high on the backs of prudent taxpayers. Who’ll bail us out from this perversion of the American Dream?
expensive house??? Whats the most expensive house you seen on the market?? this is the one ive seen(online): Price: $43,000,000 Bedrooms: 36 Bathrooms: 41 Garage: 0 Square Ft: n/a Lot Size: n/a Average Price Per sq/ft for this area: $433 Median Home Price for Los Angeles, CA: $569,000 Year Built: 0 School District: n/a MLS Number: 05-064967 Active Date: Nov 02, 2005 Property Type: Single Family Area Location: n/a Subdivision: n/a County: Los Angeles Status: For Sale Map Page: n/a ya can anything you have seen top this??
What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence .? Well we all know about the panic in America that Realtors are in as housing sales have plummeted and prices have dropped . They are like enron touting how strong the market is and how it is growing . Look around middle America and see the number of homes on the market . 3 years ago the home ads where a single page and before you walked back into your house from sticking a yard sign out ,For sale by owner , three offers where on your door step . Today we have pages of ads and special offers to get people to purchase homes and things have been like this for two years now . Some people will call it a buyers market driven by an economic correction ,I call it a depression that is just getting under way .Bankers played with mortgages and got americans by the millions to buy into the dream of home ownership and now they have adjusted the rates and the special buy in plans have payments due that americans can not afford . Incomes stagnated rental evictions,foreclosures at an all time high .
Home Movie Pricing? (ReWrite) Because put answer not question last time :)? I and about 10 friends are making a 30 Minutes - 2 Hour horror movie from an abandoned yard we have permission to use that has an old falling apart house and barn. We are going to professionaly tape it with video cameras, and lines our actors will follow. Will this sell for more $ because it is made home instead of a big place like hollywood, Or will it sell for less because it isn't as professional? We are having a professional web designer create a web page for the movie, and also to create start gaphics, title screens, and credits. What do average movies sell for, And is $50/Copy ok to sell coppies on eBay and Locally? Thanks
We found a house now what? My husband and I have found a house. It is a foreclosure and needs lots of work. It is a good area with great schools and it seems like it can be worked out to fit in our price range. We currently live in cook county il and i work in Du page and the house is in will. We don't have a down payment and i have average credit. First time home buyers. What programs are out there for us to use. (don't know if you need this) I am the one purchasing the house my name my credit my income. The house will need work to be inhabitable. We are looking at a rehab loan. I wanted to know what downpayment programs are available also ways to avoid pmi without 20% down
renting out a house for a day thats for sale? i really want to have a pool party some time in May but i don't have a pool and i want a big space so i was looking at houses and i saw this one: http://chicagotribune.2.homescape.com/SCS/listing_details.jsp?calling_page=listing_result_list&affiliate_name=chicagotribune&filter_attrib_swim_pool=true&tab_num=1&geo_area_id=51255&filter_min_price=1000000&listing_result_page=listing_result_list&community_sort_id=1201379061205&search_by_type=new_mls%2Cnew_class%2Cnew_const%2Cresale_mls%2Cresale_class%2Cresale%2Cresale_ecom_owner%2Cnew_ecom_owner%2Cresale_ecom_agent%2Cnew_ecom_agent%2Cresale_ecom_broker%2Cnew_ecom_broker%2Cresale_ecom_bldr%2Cnew_ecom_bldr&filter_property_type=single_family_home&display_default_state_id=51255&filter_product_id=26175065 and its for sale.. any ideas or suggestions?
HELP Me!!!!!!? for my home work i have to do a 2 page report on hawaii and alaska housing (designs, how they are different from here etc, the project is to just copy and paste info from sites. so if someone can just write some websites i can check out, or accurate info i could use, i have some, but not alot because everytime i search online they give me realistate stuff, it can be history, current, house prices, designes, anything! thanks!
How do you feel about the government deciding when your home is fit to sell? In the new cap and tax bill every american will pay more money for almost everything and industry will be hit hard with millions more job losses. But to the point!! One, amendment (of many,many) in the 1200 page tax plan says government will regulate homes. When you sell your house, environmental experts have to come in and do a survey to find out if you've got leaky windows, if all the environmental systems are correct, if you have relatively new appliances, and until you modernize in the way they say, you can't sell your home-- that's in the bill. You have to have modern appliances, a kitchen and that sort of thing, energy efficient TVs and this sort of stuff and until you replace all that stuff you can't sell it. Now, normally that would be up to seller and buyer. If the buyer wants to accept some old TVs and a kitchen that's not stainless steel, fine, you negotiate that on price. But now it's not going to be a matter of negotiation. Before you can be approved in selling your house, some government regulator is to come in and give you an examination. Change you can believe in? Ontario’s Green Energy Act, as proposed by the McGuinty government http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fpcomment/archive/2009/03/05/green-energy-police-is-that-a-beer-fridge-in-your-basement.aspx http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lumPeXxSI5c&feature=related http://www.climatedepot.com/a/1697/Climate-Depot-Editorial-Climate-Bills-Passage-Represents-nothing-more-than-unrestrained-exercise-of-raw-political-power-armtwisting-and-intimidation
Home-Made Movie Sale Pricing? I and about 10 friends are making a 30 Minutes - 2 Hour horror movie from an abandoned yard we have permission to use that has an old falling apart house and barn. We are going to professionaly tape it with video cameras, and lines our actors will follow. Will this sell for more $ because it is made home instead of a big place like hollywood, Or will it sell for less because it isn't as professional? We are having a professional web designer create a web page for the movie, and also to create start gaphics, title screens, and credits. What do average movies sell for, And is $50/Copy ok to sell coppies on eBay and Locally? Thanks
building house for $12 million? hi, if i speny $12 million on building a house, would it be possible for me to build it bigger than the properties featured on this site> http://renorealestatelogic.com/?page_id=172 , i've seen the size of some these homes but usualy they are only so expensive because of the real estate prices but probably dont cost that much money at all to bulid?, so i wondored how big a house could i build for $12 mill?, and is it better to build your own house i.e. design, size and specs etc?
Shipping eBay items from home through PayPal? I'm selling between 2-3 items a day on ebay. Generally, I ship every other day when I have 4-6 items. I keep reading that I could SAVE MONEY (and time) and not have to drive to the post office if I ship from home but it seems all too complicated. I signed up for the USPS "Click N Ship" program, but right away encountered 3 problems: 1. Too many clicks and forms. You have to manually type the buyers address, (PayPal automatically adds it on the label) then 5 pages later you have to enter your credit card info. 2. The prices are 3x higher on some items, as they offer no option for First-Class Mail, only Priority. 3. You still have to manually enter the tracking number into eBay. Correct me if I'm wrong but the main reason people use this overpriced complicated service is because the postman will come to your house and pick it up, right? Also, am I correct that they will only pick up if there is 1 or more PRIORITY packages? (See where I'm going with this?) Some of the items I sell don't merit Priority prices, so I'm wondering if there can be a COST EFFECTIVE integration between eBay/PayPal/Click-N-Ship that is SIMPLE. From where I stand, I could do this: 1) Wait 2 days until I have 6-8 items ready to ship. 2) Go to Click-N-Ship and purchase Priority or Flat rate box for 1 of the items. 3) Print the rest through eBay with First Class Mail. 4) Mail them altogether when USPS comes for pick up. So my questions for you is: WOULD THAT WORK? IS THERE AN EASIER WAY?
I thought the recession was over according to liberals. What happened? For a few weeks now we have been hearing it repeated over and over and over about how the recession is over. I keep hearing "most economists agree" that it's over, repeated ad nauseum. They've been telling us to throw away our gold, starting buying again, etc, etc. It was only the conservative news sources that didn't jump on this "change" and "hope" bandwagon. The Liberal media was declaring it over. Unfortunately, even the liberal media is now changing their tune. Why the change in tune? I guess they thought that if you published something enough times on the front page of the New York Time that it would come to be, I guess that's not the case though. Unemployment is growing at staggering rates, although the job market is usually the last to rebound, but this is getting pretty bad. Home prices are falling. The dollars value is falling. With no job, no house, and money that isn't worth the paper it's printed on, I wouldn't say that we're doing all that great. But what happened? When I look back through news articles, back in January of this year they said the recession was over, they said the same thing in May, June, July, August, and September. Why no longer?
Why aren't Americans as outraged as I am? When home prices skyrocketed, my property taxes shot up as well. When I called the State, they said that the taxes were based on the value of my home, so as the value went up, so do my taxes. Now, the value of my house has sank like a stone, logic would tell you that the taxes would also fall, or at least, stay the same. Bur guess what, THEY WENT HIGHER! I called the state to ask about this and this time, after hours of waiting, I got a response that said that taxes are based on a complex algorithm of land value, location, square footage, and "other things" (surely "other things" is a technical term used by the state). So, to sum it up, my state taxes go up when my home value goes up, and goes up when my home values go down. Why is the state, with my Republican Governor and Republican state legislature, taxing me to death? From what I have read, this is going on in states everywhere with both Democratic and Republican Governors. Why is this not front page news?
Is anybody seriously interested in buying a $499,949 house in Aurora,CO which is around Denver? Details Inside Price: $499,949 Fixed Price Value: $549,000 Savings: $49,051 (9% Single Family Home WOW! MAGNIFICENT 2-STORY W/ 4 CAR GARAGE ON CUL DE SAC! INCREDIBLE DESIGN W/ GRAND ENTRY! HUGE OPEN GOURMET KITCHEN W/ ISLAND ; ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS GRANITE COUNTERTOPS - BEAUTIFUL HARDWOOD FLOORS. MAIN FLOOR STUDY/GUEST ROOM W/ FIRE PLACE AND BATH, Property Features Property Type: Single Family Home Stories: TWO STORY Garage: Garage, Attached 4-Car Fireplace: Living Room, Master Bedroom 2 Basement: Full, Open Year Built: 2002 Lot SqFt: 13068 (0.30 acres) Pierson Map Guide Section: Pierson Map Guide Page: School: FOXHOLLOW|LIBERTY|GRANDVIEW Subdivision: THE FARM AT ARAPAHOE COUNTY 8 Additional Features: Air Cond-central, Burglar Alarm, Ceiling Fan, Cable Installed, Cook Top, Cul-de-sac, Double Oven, Disposal, Dishwasher, Eating Space/kit, Formal Dining, Fence, Five Piece Bath, Garden Area, Gas Logs, High Speed Access, Jet Action Tub, Loft, Master Bathroom, Microwave Oven, Master Suite, Pool Community, Patio, Refrigerator, Self-cleaning Ov, Security Entr, Smoke Free, Sprinkler, Stove, Window Coverings, Wood Floors, Walk-in Closets, Wall/wall Carpet Elementary School: FOXHOLLOW Jr. High School: LIBERTY Sr. High School: GRANDVIEW Heating: Gas, Forced Air Construction: Frame Master Bedroom: 24x21 + Sitting Area(10x15) Family Room: 21x19 Living Room: 15x14 Dining Room: 12x14 Kitchen: 20x17 HOA Fees: $66 Fee Includes: Community Pool, Trash Removal Builder: MELODY Roof: Composition Shgl Call Elyse at 303-627-1570 for more info and a VIRTUAL TOUR plus MORE PICTURES! [IMG]http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h188/kbcolorado20/House%20Stuff/91a31a61.gif[/IMG]-House Front! Pool Community, Patio, Refrigerator, Self-cleaning Ov, Security Entr, Smoke Free, Sprinkler, Stove, Window Coverings, Wood Floors, Walk-in Closets, Wall/wall Carpet Elementary School: FOXHOLLOW Jr. High School: LIBERTY Sr. High School: GRANDVIEW Heating: Gas, Forced Air Construction: Frame Master Bedroom: 24x21 + Sitting Area(10x15) Family Room: 21x19 Living Room: 15x14 Dining Room: 12x14 Kitchen: 20x17 HOA Fees: $66 Fee Includes: Community Pool, Trash Removal Builder: MELODY Roof: Composition Shgl Call Elyse at 303-627-1570 for more info and a VIRTUAL TOUR plus MORE PICTURES! synchronicity915 I just sent you an e-mail with everything..... and BernesePuppy: If you saw the house I live in you wouldn't think so....This is in South Aurora near Buckley and Arapahoe in the subdivision called the farm at Arapahoe County....It's beautiful and the houses here go anywhere from the high 300,000's to the 1,000,000's for the custom homes! It's a very high class area close to everything! Great Location and BEAUTIFUL neighborhood! Synchronicity......I'm not sure if you got my e-mail yet......I sent you another one just in case......It probably went to your junk e-mail.......
I want to get 'IN' on the real estate game. Any suggestions? Hey all, I've noticed one very common thing about some of the richest people I personally know. They all own various prooperties. I would like to take a page out of their book, and buy a house to flip or rent. My grandfather recently passed away, and my Mother says she will sell it to me at a fair price. His home would make a perfect way for me to test my plans. So, my question is, do I have to start a property management company? An LLC or Corp? Since I am a woman, and have never personally purchased a home before, are there minority or first time buyer loans I could take advantage of? I'm very excited, my dear hubby is going to give me a sizeable down payment, and is ok with this company being in my name only! What more could a girl want?! He has his own company, and I think he is going to take $$ from that to give to me for start-up costs. He says big companies give birth to smaller companies all the time. How does this work? I'm confused!! Any ideas/info most appreciated.
Georgia question? Are there any good colleges near Marietta Georgia? Also is there any good priced apartments, condos or houses out there close to the college? And if there is a college please direct me to the home page of the college or give me baisic info about what I in terms of grades to go there.
I found out? Single page Print E-mail story Change text size Home Price Appreciation Slackens The Southland median rose 2.7% in August, the smallest year-over-year increase since 1999. By Annette Haddad, Times Staff Writer September 20, 2006 For the first time since the latest housing boom started six years ago, home price appreciation for each of the six Southern California counties has fallen to single-digit levels or worse, data released Tuesday showed. The data also showed that the region's housing upturn appeared to be fizzling just as quickly as in the last major up cycle a decade and a half ago. ADVERTISEMENT From 1989 to 1990, Southland home price increases fell from double-digit levels to zero in only eight months, ushering in nearly a decade of lackluster growth. In August, the median price for all Southland single-family houses and condominiums rose 2.7% from the year-earlier level, to $489,000 — the smallest increase since July 1999, according to La
Why do we elect presidents, again? To help the economy? In the few weeks since the general election "began," GM has closed truck plants to focus on fuel efficient products: http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/03/news/companies/gm_announcement/index.htm?cnn=yes Gas prices have come down below $4: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_home_page.html Pending home sales are up: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080807/bs_nm/usa_economy_housing_dc;_ylt=AqHrR8x_qzu2kU3An4vaWQq573QA Isn't the free market great? Shouldn't the next president and congress just leave it alone? Anon Y: Come on, election season is no time for legalisms. The President is not some grand administrator,...or at least that's not what people think they are voting for. The point...candidates who try to persuade people that they can improve the economy by intervening are just pandering. Voters should see beyond such promises. Anon Y: No doubt a law school graduate such as yourself understands that the president is empowered to recommend legislation to Congress,...as well as sign bills into law. These policy making powers lie at the heart of the substance of presidential campaigns. Stop playing dumb.
Help With MLA Works Cited page? Hi, This is what i have so far can't remember how to do this correctly.. Please help revise.. thanks Works Cited "Economy: Unemployment Data Spurs Recession Fears." Facts On File World News Digest: n. pag. World News Digest. Facts On File News Services, 7 Feb. 2008. Web. 9 Dec. 2009. <http://www.2facts.com/article/2008449810>. "Economy: Unemployment Rate Hit 10.2% in October." Facts On File World News Digest: n. pag. World News Digest. Facts On File News Services, 12 Nov. 2009. Web. 8 Dec. 2009. <http://www.2facts.com/article/2009504210>. JAD , MOUAWAD. "Oil Prices Resist the World’s Recession Trend ". NY Times. 12/9/09 <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/business/global/23oil.html?hpw>. Steverman , Ben. "Get Ready for More Bank Failures". Business week September 14, 2009: Wallace, Ed. "The Reason for High Oil Prices". BusinessWeek May 13, 2008: 1-2. GENTILE, GARY. "Group: Housing Woes May Cause Recession". The Washing Post. 12/6/09 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/12/AR2007091200238.html>. HEHER , ASHLEY. "McDonald's sales take hit from US joblessness ". Associated Press. 12/6/09 <http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MCDONALDS_SALES?SITE=MATAU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT>.
PLEASE! I really need some information on Airforce living, PLEASE! 10 points!? Okay, in class we're doing a career project. I wish to become a pilot and most pilots start off in the Air Force. For our project, we have to have info like how much housing is, and transportation, and bills: 7. Housing - go online and use real estate websites to find a house or apartment (the price of your hours cannot exceed $115,000 and you rent cannot exceed $800.00) in the city where you have found your job. Include cost, location, and details. Type all relevant information on your wiki page under the heading Housing and link to a picture of your house. (10 points) 8. Transportation - go online and use real car websites to find a car that is under $12,000. Include cost, location, and details. Type all relevant information on your wiki page under the heading Transportation and link to a picture of your car. (10 points) 9. Budget - in Excel create a budget spreadsheet. Your budget will include mortgage or rent, monthly car payments, electricity, phone, car insurance, homeowners or renters insurance, food, incidentals, water, and entertainment. The costs will be based on your home/car costs among other things. Save as your name block Budget and upload to wiki. More details to follow. You will use a mortgage calculator here. (20 points) Do you even have to pay for housing, electricity, and water if you live ON base? Do you need transportation, like a car? Do you have to buy your own food, please please answer!!!
Real estate case law needed , please help!? I will try to make this as brief and clear as possible. In August of 2005, my wife and I went to a mobile home dealer and looked at a mobile home. I will refer to it as mobile home A. The cost of the home was $69K. We filled out a credit application and signed a contract to buy mobile home A. The sales contract specified we were buying mobile home A for $69K. We got approved for a loan in the amount of $84K. I put a down payment on mobile home A, BUT on the reciept it did not show what the reciept was for, it just stated "for down payment". The mortgage company said we had to borrow the whole $84K or be switched into another home [or so we were told by the salesguy]. I told them I did not want to take on an $84K mortgage and wanted my money back. The dealership said we could have mobile home B [a smaller version of A] for $49K and it would only require us to borrow $10K for land. [did i mention we were first time homebuyers?} SO, the sales guy told me he had re-submitted a credit app with mobile home B on it [without my signature] and got us approved for that house and we needed to go find a $10K piece of land. Again no contract to buy home B, nor my signature on anything to do with B. SO, I went and found an acre of land for $10K to be rolled into the mortgage for a total of $59K. THEN on December 2nd of 2005, the supposed owner of the dealership came to the landsite and told us he had spoken with the city and the mortgage company and due to the size of the home [24x48] the bank would not finance it and the city wouldn't allow a "small" doublewide due to zoning [which was bull]. The "owner" of the dealership said we had to switch into a larger home. The owner of the delaer said he had just gotten in a 2006 Fleetwood 28x60 that the bank would finance and the city would go for AND he would let us have it for $49K even though it listed for $55K. Fleetwood will be referred to as home C. SO, we were in a corner,for reasons that will take too long we took the house. AGAIN we [my wife and I] NEVER signed a new credit ap,nor was one submitted, nor did we sign a sales contract on home C [the one they delivered]. At closing, I noticed that the mortgage was made out on HOME A's price, and had HOME B's VIN , so told them I wouldn't sign until my lawyer came to help us. The closing agent said she had called the bank and the bank told her to "white-out" HOME B's VIN and put in HOME C. On several pages, the mortgage is made partially on HOME A,B and a partial VIN on HOME C. The closer said if we didn't sign it, we would lose our downpayment, our credit would be ruined and the bank would immidiately call in the loan and they denied us having our attorney present and the dealer picked the closing place and picked the home insurance [which he was the agent]. BIG PROBLEM- in 3 years this house has NEVER had a title issued [per state records], NEVER had a lien on it [per state records and the bank is wanting to take possession of the house [foreclose] b\c [as i have told them repeatedly] they don't know where to appy payments as there are 3 homes on the mortgage.I talked the bank into a short sale - PROBLEM title insurance could NOT be written b\c of the scew up-s on the mortgage. I had to give the VIN to our home to the bank, and the buyer [who backed out] and they foreclosed on the correct house BUT- the state says there has never been a lien on this house. I even took the VIN to my bank, and they say it shows up with no liens. I hired an attorney. The land desciption is correct. The bank said in court they were going to give us the house [C] if we moved it BUT that they "foreclosed" on the RIGHT home, so they aren't going to do anything now. My lawyer has gotten a continuance, but is stumped. If there never was a proper lien,nor title, nor sales contract and the mortgage was OBVIOUSLY tampered with [changed] at closing- does the foreclosure over rule the fact that the bank NEVER had a proper lien ? EVEN they admitted it. OR does the foreclosure over ride it , even though the house coulldn't be [and can't b\c of the screw ups on the mortgage] sold? It all boils down to we got approved for home A, the mortgage states we own home B [in places] with home A's price, and it partially has Home C's vin, but NEVER was a lien, nor title put on home C. Anyone with case law or statutes? Please help. Also, Fleetwood voided the warranty on the house 3months after we took delivery b\c they showed the house was still in inventory, AND the house was manufactured 2months AFTER the date on the reciept for the downpayment. The dealer went out of business the first time we tried to sue, also. Plese don't send in derrogatory comments. This shouldn't happen to anyone. Thank you. I did take everything to the state attorney general's office-- he said he knew the owner personally and he "would never have commited such a crime" <--Atty Gen.'s words in writing. Just need to know if the mortgage is valid without a proper lien on the home and b\c the mortgage was altered. Thanks
Could angels be leaving these objects for me? I have tried to do searches online to find out what this is; if it is anything. Maybe you can help me. I'd love to know more, maybe a web site or anything. When I first met my (now husband) I had never met his family. I had never spoken to any of them or heard anything about them from anyone. We were talking on the phone one night and I closed my eyes and focused on each of their names. Information came to me and I asked him about it. Everything that had "came to" me was 100% correct about each person's name he gave me. I sensed that his mother was a severe hypocondriac. I was correct. She is now my mother in law of 13 years and believe me, this woman is a severe hypocondriac. I was correct about his sister. I felt that she never felt at home and felt her energy in many different directions. I asked him if his sister was like this. He told me she has NEVER had a home of her own, but stays with friends and from house to house. He then gave me his fathers name. His father had died a year earlier. I had never met, talked to, or seen him before. When I thought of his fathers name I saw old money in an old dresser drawer. I could make out the room and everything. He told me that right before he died he told him of money he had hidden in his dresser drawer for his kids. I miscarried my twin and my son (the twins sibling) started to have a "fake friend." He would sit out 2 plates at the table for dinner. He would talk to this friend and play with her. He told me she had red hair. One cold winters day we were watching the Christmas parade. He tugged at my coat and told me that his friend told him to give me this and said to tell me she loves me and misses me. He opened his tiny hand and in his hand was a gold ring with 2 baby angels holding hands, inbetween them was a gold heart with 1 diamond in it. I asked him where did he get it from. He told me his friend (the little girl) told him to give it to me and he opened his hand and it was there. He was 5 at the time. This ring means more to me than any ring I have. It means more to me than any diamond, any gem, anything. My grandmother had passed away. I was at the store buying some items for the funeral. She was a lovely lady with red hair. She was buried in a blue gown. I broke down into tears in the shampoo aisle thinking about her. I reach behind the first bottle of shampoo to get the one behind it (I always get the product behind the first one) and there behind the shampoo bottle was a 4 inch angel statue. Red hair, white wings and wearing a blue gown. I broke down into tears yet again. I bought this angel statue and it means a lot to me. I believe it was placed there for me to find by angels or my grandmother to let me know she is in heaven now. My first son (the sibling of the twin) was born at 6:16pm. I have found that 6:16 follows me everywhere. It's on license plates infront of me, pages online, prices in stores, I see this number nearly everyday, sometimes many, many times per day. It also follows my son (oldest son) Now my youngest son is 5. He came to me and told me he has a new (fake friend) I asked him what she looks like. He told me she has red hair. I just about fell into the floor!! He has never been told about my oldest son's fake friend. I seem to find objects that I believe to be put there for me by angels telling me messages that everything will be okay. Does any of this make sense? What does this mean? If it means anything at all ? I also get VERY bad feelings sometimes and can see things. My husband went to visit his mother one dark night. I laid down and I saw through his window of the car as if I were there, I saw a large truck vear over on his lane. I saw a car crash. I even knew what curve on the road it was at. I called him on his cell crying my eyes out and begging him to stop and come back home. He did. I told him what I saw and when I called him he was only about a half mile from the curve I saw the accident happen at. I get these feelings all the time. Most of the time they come to life. My husband now trusts these visions, since most of the time they are real. The family are very scared to hear when I have had a new feeling. They hope it doesn't involve them. What could all this mean? Is this something evil ? What should I do? Do you know of any web page that may help me find out more about this sort of thing?
Painting my house --need advice.? Need advice on a painting contractor.? I live in a small town home and wanted it to be painted professionally. I would like the master bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, and a small bathroom painted. I called for a contractor, which I found in the yellow pages. He gave me a quote of $1,000 for one coat of paint on the walls, the doors, the trimmings, and ceilings. This quote is for all the rooms listed above. They can start the work on Tuesday. I want everything in basic white. I have researched the contractor on the web and it says the company has been in business for 30 yrs in this area. Two people own it and they do most of the work. I did not find any negative comments online. Should I go for this contractor or is this price just too low and too good to be true? What should I be on the lookout for? What details should I be conscious of in the contract?
Somebody Please help!!! People Who are good at math! PLEASE!? 1 . Compute the mortgage loan amount for an $80,000 house, given a 20% down payment. A. $16,000 B. $64,000 C. $80,000 D. $96,000 2 . If the purchase price of a house were $56,800, what would the down payment be if 15% were required? A. $8,520 B. $48,280 C. $56,800 D. $65,320 3 . What is the mortgage loan amount for a house that costs $234,000 if 18% of the purchase price is required as a down payment? A. $276,120 B. $234,000 C. $191,880 D. $42,120 For questions 4, 5, and 6, use the Monthly Payment for a $1,000 Loan table on page 799 of your textbook. 4 . What would the monthly payment be if the mortgage amount was $96,000 for 25 years at 6%? A. $618.24 B. $644.00 C. $6,440.00 D. $96,000.00 5 . Compute the total amount paid after 20 years for an original mortgage amount of $56,000 at 5.5% interest. A. $92,467.20 B. $7,705.60 C. $56,000.00 D. $385.28 6 . Find the total interest charged if the amount of the mortgage is $154,000, with a 30-year loan at 7% interest. A. $1,024.10 B. $154,000.00 C. $214,676.00 D. $1,024,100.00 For questions 7, 8, and 9, use the following table. 7 . Find the closing costs on a $56,000 mortgage amount. A. $56,000 B. $2,895 C. $1,120 D. $700 8 . Alicia's mortgage amount loan is $88,000. Compute her closing. A. $3,935 B. $1,760 C. $1,100 D. $1,075 9 . Compute the total mortgage amount if closing costs are added into the base mortgage amount of $86,500. A. $3,931.25 B. $82,568.75 C. $87,620.00 D. $90,386.25 10 . Using the basic interest formula PRT = I, compute the first-month interest for a 30-year, $89,000 mortgage at 5.6%. A. $415.33 B. $4,984.00 C. $168.00 D. $166.13 11 . Find the payment to principal on a monthly payment of $549.60 if the principal amount before the payment was $76,000.00 and the APR was 7.2%. A. $75,544.00 B. $456.00 C. $93.60 D. $39.57 12 . Compute the new principal if the previous balance was $45,560.00 with an interest rate of 8.5% for a 20-year loan and a monthly payment of $543.45. A. $45,560.00 B. $45,339.27 C. $45,237.28 D. $45,016.55 13 . Compute the assessed value if the market value is $125,000 and the assessment rate is 45%. A. $56,250 B. $68,750 C. $181,250 D. $277,777 14 . Compute the real estate tax if the market value is $98,000, assessment rate is 55%, and tax rate is exactly 0.0385. A. $53,900.00 B. $3,773.00 C. $1,697.85 D. $2,075.15 15 . Find the amount of coverage on a home if the replacement value is $123,560 and the percent of coverage is the minimum 80%. A. $98,848 B. $24,712 C. $222,408 D. $617,800 16 . Using the following chart, compute the amount of coverage on personal property for a home with a market value of $320,600 and a replacement cost of $256,480 (figured at 80%). A. $160,300 B. $128,240 C. $256,480 D. $205,184 For questions 17 and 18, use the Homeowners Insurance Premiums table on page 359 of your textbook. 17 . Compute the annual premium for a brick home with a replacement value of $87,500 and 80% coverage in fire protection class 1. A. $213 B. $225 C. $241 D. $268 18 . Compute the annual premium for a wood-frame home with a replacement value of $150,000 and 80% coverage in fire protection class 9. A. $484 B. $508 C. $625 D. $657 19 . Current FHA recommended guidelines are that housing costs be less than 35% of monthly net pay. Use the following chart to compute the total monthly housing costs if total net income is $1,633. A. $1,633.00 B. $596.50 C. $357.50 D. $208.78 20 . Determine if the Taylor family is within the FHA recommended guideline for housing costs (≤ 35% of net income) by using the following chart. Compute the amount that the family is over or under the recommended percent. A. The Taylors are $356.15 below the recommended guideline. B. The Taylors are $356.15 above the recommended guideline. C. The Taylors are $886.00 above the recommended guideline. D. The Taylors are $886.00 below the recommended guideline.
Is this bill the biggest piece of pork ever to pass? CCAGW posted a letter petitioning that the House NOT pass this bill. Is it pork or necessary? CCAGW Asks House to Oppose EESA Bailout Monday, September 29, 2008 By: Tom Schatz U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative, You will soon vote on H.R. 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act and it will be a difficult vote. The more than 1.2 million members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) are angry about this financial crisis because most of it can be blamed on Washington. Taxpayers are now being asked to provide up to $700 billion to the Secretary of the Treasury to buy failed mortgages and other troubled credit assets as a result of government meddling in the housing market. While the bill is much improved since the original draft that was circulating late last week, the bill is still too troublesome for CCAGW to support. On behalf of our members, I ask that you vote against H.R. 3997. Starting in 1993, the rules governing the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were re-written to force banks to establish new quotas for writing mortgages in low-income neighborhoods and to enter the subprime loan markets. The changes drove up the price of homes and the easy money was carried right into Wall Street where shaky loans were packaged and sold. While efforts were made several times to get a handle on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac before the implosion of the housing market, these efforts were stopped in Congress by the companies’ political allies. CCAGW appreciates the efforts of several members of Congress that have improved the bill. Removing the 20 percent slush fund for groups like ACORN is an important policy change. The bill gives the Security and Exchange Commission the ability to suspend mark-to-market accounting. The bill will not give the $700 billion in one step but instead will require the President to certify that additional funds are needed. By establishing an advisory board, power is not left with one individual. But these changes are not enough to overcome the opposition to H.R. 3997 that has been expressed by CCAGW members and taxpayers across the county. Government created these programs, and CCAGW is not confident that government can correct them. I urge you to vote against H.R. 3997. All votes on H.R. 3997 will be among those considered for CCAGW’s 2008 Congressional Ratings. Sincerely, Tom Schatz http://councilfor.cagw.org/site/News2?abbr=CCAGW_&page=NewsArticle&id=11622 It's a rather simply worded letter, easy to read, kids. You don't need to be afraid of it.
300 pages just slipped in at last minute on Cap and Trade, ALL homeowners will faint when they here this!!!? OMG, 300 pages just slipped into cap and trade (voting on it soon) Every house must be at Green standards before you sell it. even democrats will crap about this one! if you are poor and want to sell your home you will have to spend thousands before you can sell it!!!!!!! OMG, CALL YOUR SENATOR RIGHT NOW! It gives the federal government branch of energy power to set any law they want!!!! (.. has the power to change the consumer's habbits anyway they need...) IT IS NOT FALSE, IM TYPING THIS AS I AM READING IT MYSELF AND WATCHING IT LIVE ON C-SPAN... IT WAS JUST ADDED A FEW HOURS AGO! EVERY HOUSE MUST HAVE AN OUTLET THAT WILL CHARGE AN ELECTRIC CAR. I'm typing as they say it on c-span... fannie and fredie will get a credit for every energy efficient house they loan out....NOT YOU! AT THE last minute tons of credits to fannie and freddie all new construction: tells you want building materials you can use. the fed. govt. holds the power to decide what is green. shifts massive amounts of power to the federal Govt. to decide how you can build your house. all apprasers are to be re trained to appraise your house on green standards with will effect the price of house. FYI: Nancy Pelosi is the one that did this. Giving full power to federal Govt and taking power to states.
Does anyone want to volunteer to pay $5,000 extra in taxes this year? Whether you be poor, rich, or even middle class, cap on trade is here. Amazingly enough most people do not know about it or do not fully understand what it will do for them. The basic idea is that the Federal Government will create a figure that it thinks is an appropriate amount of carbon emissions. It will then create a hefty tax for any additional carbon emissions. So what are the results? Coal, natural gas, and anything that emits "greenhouse" gases will be taxed. This is not only going to effect your electricity costs. Corporation use gasoline and energy to produce everything from tampons to food. There will even be a tax associated with tilling a field because of the carbon the soil will release. Inevitably corporations will transfer the tax onto the consumer. If you don't believe that to be true, listen here to our genius of a President openly discuss that fact: http://hotair.com/archives/2008/11/02/obama-ill-make-energy-prices-skyrocket/ We are not talking about a few buck here. We are talking about trillions of dollars that our liberal, progressive, moronic government wants to spend in order to fix a problem that is not even scientific fact. There are numerous problems with Gore's assertion and also with the ways we are trying to rectify the energy crisis. Whether you are liberal or conservative, no matter what you believe, exposing yourself to opinions that are in contradiction with your own is not a bad thing. It ensures not only that you will be educated enough to comment on something, it also ensures that you understand the entirety of the issue you are discussing. Because of this I would ask anyone that wishes to respond to this discussion to at least read a few pages of the following link to see what many scientists are saying about our government's new policies and ideas about anthropogenic warming: http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Files.View&FileStore_id=83947f5d-d84a-4a84-ad5d-6e2d71db52d9 In an hour or so your congress will put to vote a bill that will cost every American thousands of dollars each year. If you think for a second that you will be okay because you are poor you are sadly mistaken. I currently make 35-40,000 dollars a year. I own a 1500 square foot house that was built 70+ years ago. Because of this my house is under-insulated. If I were wealthy and this bill passed, I would buy solar panels and switch to geothermal heating. Unfortunately because I am merely middle class, I will not be able to afford the immense increase in my taxes, food costs, transportation cost, etc, that will be inevitable if this bill passes. So what I ask is this: can anyone honestly say that they believe this to be the correct course of action. While you are being bombarded with Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett stories, you congress is about to pass a bill that will put an IMMENSE financial strain on families that are already struggling. I am asking that no matter what your beliefs that you take a few moments to look at these two links. If you are one of those people that has an opinion that is based on little more than what you have been taught via unqualified public school teachers, or by our politicians, or by the media, please, take a few moments to look at those links and share your opinion about what is about to happen. Here is a phone number that will allow you to contact your congress person's office. This is URGENT. This bill goes to vote in a matter of minutes. Good luck getting through. 2022243121 The following link will allow you to contact your local reps via online form. This is probably the best method as the phone lines are swamped with angry voters: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ Enter your zip at the right of the page, click on the representatives name, and then click on online contact form. I'm willing to bet none of you even bothered looking at the links. That's because what you are spewing is "meaningless political jargon"
Who would I report false newspaper articles to? My local paper published two articles in which they gave my address and made me sound like a terrible drunk mother. CPS has cleared me, and I actually had the editor of the paper in my home yesterday regarding the articles. He apologized, and promised me that he would run an article today to clarify the mistake. I get the paper this morning, and the promised article is not in there. Instead, on the front page he's run an article about gas prices jumping over night (big news). The false articles are still online, and people are posting hateful comments to them. I have people driving by my house throwing garbage and screaming profanities at me in front of my children. I can't walk out my door without someone saying something. I lost my Sunday School teaching job. I have contacted lawyers, but nobody will take the case. Who can I report this to? He has apologized to me personally, so he knows they're wrong. How do I make him publish the corrections? I can't find a lawyer willing to take on suing them. There is no retraction anywhere in this paper. I've looked the whole thing over.
Living within your means – When you and spouse disagree? My husband was laid off 4 wks ago. He’s been collecting unemployment but obviously it’s literally less than half of what he used to make weekly. But we’ll take what we can get. We don’t qualify for any assistance with food, with health insurance, nothing. I have made phone calls and looked at applications and my income alone puts us in the “make too much money” category. So, we’re on our own. We’ve cut expenses the best we can. We’ve had no internet, phone or cable for over a year because we can’t afford it. We have a truck payment we’re stuck with because well, nobody wants to buy trucks with gas prices as they were. And with them dropping, nobody has jobs so nobody wants to take over that type of payment. And, we tried checking with CarMax and they’d “take” our truck for $11,000 and we owe about $14,000. So we’d eat that (still owe it to the bank) and have no money leftover to purchase another car. Now comes the bigger issue: Back a year ago my husband was laid off. It put us in a huge financial bind because we had just had a newborn baby and just gone to court for child support. We fell behind on payments when the whole housing crisis officially hit. So we’re in foreclosure but nothing has been finalized as of yet. Our house has been listed for sale for over a year and we’ve had tons of offers and almost sales. But because the banks are swamped, we’ve had 5 buyers walk due to waiting. We would call and call the banks to push our sale along but everyone’s mailboxes are full. And the cycle repeats. My realtor called my husband today and asked him a question. Somehow the topic came up that we COULD save our home because they can slash our mortgage payments in half. And they can work with us. My husband wants to keep the house and I’m a bit weary because we simply can’t afford it. He has no job, no income, to assume you can afford this and put yourself right back in that same BAD financial spot isn’t going to do you any good. So because I fear we can’t afford it, I say no. Because he can’t accept what’s been happening, he wants to keep it. I don’t know how I can put this into words for him. He flat out won’t listen to me. The only advantage is that in order to “save” our home I assume they’d need both of our signatures in order to make it happen. I won’t sign if I’m not comfortable. He hasn’t had a job in 4 wks, hasn’t really looked (my opinion). And so now that he knows about the chance to save the home, he says he’s looking. WTF? I need advice on how I can get through this. I absolutely don’t know what more to say or how to get my point across. And I’m looking for advice because as a married couple, this is something we need to do together. We need to be on the same page. And let me add, my husband has NEVER had to deal with money or be responsible about it. Please advise how I can speak to my husband about this. I'm at my wits end. Thanks! I have the Dave Ramsey book. I’ve read it myself. But with my husband not being on board, it’s VERY hard to do. Remember he said the “spit and shake”? Well if my husband isn’t working with me here, I’m not sure how I can make it all happen. I did just recently ask him again, now that he’s home with no job, if we could try this Ramsey thing together. But still no answer. Which I think gives me my answer. Do you think Ramsey's Makeover can be done alone without my husband working with me? Why in the world would you take the step to say YES to affording a home that you clearly cannot afford? We can’t live off my income alone. And my income alone sure as hell won’t pay the bills. If we could afford the house, hey, by all means, let’s save it. But the reality is that he has no job, no income, and to assume we’d be okay for when he finds a job, well that’s basically repeating the same of what happened before. We live in FL. Is that one of those states? My husband’s child support case really isn’t your business. But if you must know, it’s not for my son. It’s for the daughter he just found out he had. The mother kept her a secret for her own good and then it came out a little bit ago. We took her to court. Hence why we pay child support. I DO work full time thank you very much. My husband should have to find ONE job before I take on TWO jobs. I’ll never see my son. And that doesn’t seem fair to me. I agree with you, he SHOULD be delivering pizzas or working at CVS or Home Depot. I can’t force him to do anything. I work, I do my share of contributing but it’s a two way street.
Living within your means - Advice needed please!? My husband was laid off 4 wks ago. He’s been collecting unemployment but obviously it’s literally less than half of what he used to make weekly. But we’ll take what we can get. We don’t qualify for any assistance with food, with health insurance, nothing. I have made phone calls and looked at applications and my income alone puts us in the “make too much money” category. So, we’re on our own. We’ve cut expenses the best we can. We’ve had no internet, phone or cable for over a year because we can’t afford it. We have a truck payment we’re stuck with because well, nobody wants to buy trucks with gas prices as they were. And with them dropping, nobody has jobs so nobody wants to take over that type of payment. And, we tried checking with CarMax and they’d “take” our truck for $11,000 and we owe about $14,000. So we’d eat that (still owe it to the bank) and have no money leftover to purchase another car. Now comes the bigger issue: Back a year ago my husband was laid off. It put us in a huge financial bind because we had just had a newborn baby and just gone to court for child support. We fell behind on payments when the whole housing crisis officially hit. So we’re in foreclosure but nothing has been finalized as of yet. Our house has been listed for sale for over a year and we’ve had tons of offers and almost sales. But because the banks are swamped, we’ve had 5 buyers walk due to waiting. We would call and call the banks to push our sale along but everyone’s mailboxes are full. And the cycle repeats. My realtor called my husband today and asked him a question. Somehow the topic came up that we COULD save our home because they can slash our mortgage payments in half. And they can work with us. My husband wants to keep the house and I’m a bit weary because we simply can’t afford it. He has no job, no income, to assume you can afford this and put yourself right back in that same BAD financial spot isn’t going to do you any good. So because I fear we can’t afford it, I say no. Because he can’t accept what’s been happening, he wants to keep it. I don’t know how I can put this into words for him. He flat out won’t listen to me. The only advantage is that in order to “save” our home I assume they’d need both of our signatures in order to make it happen. I won’t sign if I’m not comfortable. He hasn’t had a job in 4 wks, hasn’t really looked (my opinion). And so now that he knows about the chance to save the home, he says he’s looking. WTF? I need advice on how I can get through this. I absolutely don’t know what more to say or how to get my point across. And I’m looking for advice because as a married couple, this is something we need to do together. We need to be on the same page. And let me add, my husband has NEVER had to deal with money or be responsible about it. Please advise how I can speak to my husband about this. I'm at my wits end. Let's not forget to factor in taxes and insurance. Dropping the mortgage is one thing, but we all know taxes and insurance are fairly set. How can you job hunt without those three? Easy...the library. It's free. We have a cell phone so he can get calls and make calls. And to be honest, we're far from being the only people in this situation. All apartments around here say "foreclosure friendly" because they know renting is the only option for some. I won't file bankruptcy. If my husband would work with me, we can pay off our debts. I'm not worried about it. But if we don't live within our means, we'll never get out of debt. And debt/credit is something my husband doesn't seem to think is an important thing to fix. And honestly, where did I ever say I wasn’t working? I’ve kept my job for 6 yrs. It’s been the only thing keeping us from drowning completely. I know nobody can predict the future so that’s of course where it gets tough. But say we DO go along with the house and we keep it, what if he loses his job AGAIN? It’s happened twice already with his field. He’s in construction and we all know how unstable that is. Heck does it even matter where you work anymore? Everyone seems to be laying off. I just worry that if we make things happen, that the same mistakes will take place again because we NEED two incomes to afford anything. And we haven’t had that for a while. So we’re behind and it’ll take time to catch up. How can you catch up if you’re always behind? I would like to keep my house if I had 110% confidence we’d be okay financially. But obviously I’m not feeling all that secure and confident, hence why I’m weary! I have my dreams too, but I’m also a realistic person.
I am being too clingy to my boyfriend? Or am I just right? I am 18 years old and so is my boyfriend and I have been going out over a year now, the relationship started out great, we went to near by schools and seen each other quite regularly and texted and phoned with cute messages. He used to take me out to the cinema and restaurants etc. and pay for me. However, now that he has went to university it has completely changed (I am still at school my last year). He ignores my texts, and when I ask him to call he’s “out parting”. One particular month, I had a massive argument with my friends, so I felt so alone and angry. Then I went on facebook to look at his page because I missed him and wanted to look at his picture, I saw him in a picture with his arms around another girl. It was innocent... But I just saw red... and started to cry... and I told him (while crying my eyes out of course) and he told me basically to wise up; that just because he didn’t text as much and goes out more doesn’t mean that he doesn’t love me and the girl is just a friend of his and that I also have friends who are boys. So that was alright, he said he was sorry that he was ignoring me and he would pay more attention. The next week past and he saw me at the week end (Valentines weekend). again he had been ignoring me so I told him... and he admitted he was a shit boyfriend and that he doesn’t pay enough attention because sometimes he just bees lazy and couldn’t be bothered and he felt awful and I told him that I didn’t want to tell him these things because I knew it would hurt him, and I hate seeing him sad. And he told me that I was far too nice, and I shouldn’t be sticking up for him, and that he would defiantly try harder this time. So that was alright I forgave him. He took me to his flat were he lives with different people 3 girls – 4 boys and himself in university. The whole time I had to spend time with these people feeling awkward and we couldn’t do anything “couplely”; so much for a valentines weekend. I also wanted to stay another night but he basically hinted that he did not want me there so I went home this whole week I have been off school (mid term break) and he is texting me but it’s very brief, and when I texted “I love you” a few times he wouldn’t respond.. Until I sent a sad face then he said it. I sent him a really cute message tonight, but no response, but I do know it’s his mates’ birthday. I feel used as I run him around in my car, to his house, football training, buy him loads of stuff, and do romantic things; like for valentines’ day I got him a game he wanted, DVDs, a card, loads of cute stuff, sweeties I even made him a slide show with our song in the background... I took time and really thought about it. All he got me was socks and a DVD, not even wrapped up no card; Nothing. Still in the bags he bought them in, with the prices still on. I know university is expensive and that’s why I pay my own way in cinemas restaurants and stuff... but he could have saved his money by not going out so blooming much to get me a card for valentines’ day. I feel like he has no time for me; that I just fit in his life when it suits him. Can any on help me and tell me what to do. I am not going t break up with him. He is a really nice man and I love him, I am just going though a tough time lately with all this and need advice.
Is my contract with my realtor valid? I am a prospective home buyer and I have signed a contract with my realtor stating that they will represent me, which is apart of the 40 pages of contract that includes the final price of the house for which the seller has not yet signed (awaiting my emd check) - My realtor isn't representing my interests to include contingencies withinin the contract and I just want to start over with someone who will put in writing the fixes that are needed. - Is this realtor contract not valid since it hasn't been sent over yet? Thank you, helpful responses, but I'm not level 2 so I can't rate
The introduction to a short story, Crates in the Attic? I'm writing a short story with a friend of mine and I'm looking for critiques on my introduction. Haha, so what do you think? G, before you start reading this, I'm just putting it out there that I'm taking a completely different approach to this. You might love it, you might hate it, but it doesn't matter to me. I just wrote it while I was feeling sick yesterday because it was a good way to get my mind off of how bad I felt. Haha, if you want to work more with your introduction, then we can take a second look at it. Crates in the Attic “How about Thursday at 4:30?” says the voice on the other end of the phone call. I turn to the next page of my calendar, “June,” the bolded print reads. I search the month for the Thursday in question, Thursday, June 3. Just below the date, a red sharpie marker left its mark: appointment with Dr. Meck, 3:15. “Uh, no, that’s not going to work; I’ve got an appointment that day with Dr. Meck. When you have an appointment to see Meck,” I laugh, “you waste a good handful of hours in the waiting room.” I scan the bolded 24pt Times New Roman font for another available day— hopefully, something in the distant future. “Jim, can you pencil me in on the 18th?” Jim, his voice raspy from years of cigarette use, clears his dry throat. He coughs then tries again— still too dry for words. The sound of a few gulps of water comforts me, as I wait for Jim to regain his voice. “Sorry,” he says, while he musters up the right words, “but you know I don’t plan that far in advance. I’ll be away on business next week, so can you do this Friday?” Again, I glance on the calendar on my lap, “Friday sounds good. What time can I expect you over there?” “What time’s good for you?” “Well,” I reply, “if you meet me at 243 Meadowbrook Court at 10 or 10:30, we can have the appraisal done in time for lunch. We could always stop by that diner that Melissa owns; it’s only a few minutes from the house. You remember Melissa from high school, right?” There was a pause in the conversation, perhaps a blast to the past for Jim. “Melissa Radcliffe, from Mr. O’Connor’s chemistry class?” “Yeah, that’s the one. She’s got her own diner now. I’ve been meaning to pay her a visit since the place opened three months ago.” “Oh, how time flies,” Jim replies, letting his words roam in the air. “So, I’ll see you Friday and we’ll figure out a price for your grandfather’s house. Promise me you’ll clean up.” The gravity of the situation strikes me: I have just three days to make grandpa’s home— a collection of every item he saw during his ninety-two years —a somewhat “presentable” house. Hesitantly, I answer, “You have my word.” “All right, see you Friday, Charlie,” Jim says before his telephone meets the receiver once more. Charlie—I haven’t been called that in a while. The thought of being called Charlie again brings an air of discomfort, but oddly enough, it’s a good discomfort this time. It brings me back to the days where everyone called me Charles, but grandpa insisted on calling me Charlie. It brings me back to the days where grandpa’s stories painted my imagination when my eyes couldn’t. But most importantly, it brings me back to the days where grandpa and I searched through dozens of crates in his attic— always looking for something, but I never knew what. Ding! Ding! Ding! The sounding of the alarm startles me out of my dreary state and sends me into the photo developing room. “We’ll have your photos done in an hour,” reads the sign on the door. It is our promise to the customers, but if I don’t quickly place the dry photos in the envelope and into the basket of completed photos, it will just be empty words. Without skipping a beat, I grab the photos one by one and shuffle them in my hands. I love the glossy feel from the photos, but what I love more are the photos themselves. Each photo is different, unique, special. Although it is against store policy, I take the photos under the dim light and just look at them. I like the stories they show and the feelings they describe. I like everything about them, except I wish they weren’t so unclear. With this stack of photos, I have to pull my thick-rimmed glasses closer than ever— an anything but subtle sign that my vision is worsening. I see a photo of a baby’s first birthday, but it’s too blurry to tell the gender. I see a photo from a young girl’s senior prom, but it’s too blurry to see the intricate designs on her dress. I see a photo of a child’s mud pie, but for my sake, it’s too blurry to see its true contents. After flipping through the stack of photos, I peak at the extra large hands on my wristwatch. It’s 5:57; my shift is almost over. With only a few minutes of my shift remaining, I take an envelope from the bin and place the photos inside. I snatch a piece of tape and seal the envelope up before placing it into the proper basket. By now, it’s 5:59, but I head out the door; no one will use o Bleh, Yahoo always cuts off the end. Oh well, at least it was only a few words this time. Yeah, I know, it is kind of boring, though. Actually, it’s a really boring start, but it’s a “safe” start. You know, there’s not much negative— or positive, for that matter —you can say about it because it’s just really average. As a writer, I didn’t take any risks and I didn’t paint any pictures; I just put some words on paper. Anyway, I like the idea that you suggested. I don’t know if you want to write a rough draft, but if you give me a few days, I can write a rough draft. Or, we could both write a rough draft from that idea and then combine later. Either works for me, but let’s aim for interesting. Haha, actually, scratch that. Allow me to aim for interesting and you aim for what you’ve been doing the whole time. :) By the way, I’m feeling much better. I think it was something heat-related because it’s been like 100+ for the last few days. Hopefully, it’ll get a little cooler, but not too cool; I love the hot weather of summer.
Very odd dream that is still manifesting in real life.? A few months ago, I was living as a roommate in a house with a friend, when I had this dream. Me and my roommate were at home and terrorists came to take over the house. He tried to defend it and I took his jeep (which I would borrow from time to time awake) to go get ammo and such to defend the house. I ran into a girl that was someone I knew, but felt like hadn't had contact with recently, and me and her decided to move away. I went to return to the house and by the time I had gotten there, the terrorists had set up. I begged them to let me gather my belongings, and they allowed me to so I moved out. No clue where my roommate had gone. That same day, I found out that we were all getting kicked out because our dumb landlord screwed up the mortgage on the house, and was going to rerent for a higher price. I ended up moving half way across the country to my home state to help my friend's mother (not who I saw in the dream). This came as a little odd to me, but felt strangely suspected. There is still the matter of the girl. You see, there was this girl my age that had hung around my roommate (where I lived before I lived with my roommate in the dream), that I had a LOT in common with, so much so it was scary as I never knew anyone who I felt was on the same page as me. I really didn't talk to her much after I moved out aside from a few times here and there on the phone or myspace. I decide to give her a call after I moved out here to see how she was. I had told her the story of how I moved in to help my friend's mom and how we got kicked out and I had to just up and move. AFTER I tell her all of this, keeping in mind the last time I had talked to her I still lived in the same city as her, she tells me she had been making plans to go to school not more than 20 minutes from where I am living now. Explain that one. :) Dream dictionaries are handy, but I already know what everything was symbolic for. The question is why, and do my assumptions seem accurate or a strange coincidence. On another note, you COULD just paste that link on every topic, but it lends no real help to the people asking questions.
Need help on pricing a consignment sale item? I bought this at a consignment sale for $20 and I don't have room for it in my house. http://www.target.com/Simply-Shabby-Chic-Vanity-Table/dp/B0007T307O/sr=1-2/qid=1237171013/ref=sr_1_2/175-8553691-9089161?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=0&index=target&rh=k%3Avanity%20table&page=1 --- It's Like New, but it does have a chip the very bottom of one of the legs, but I've painted it so it's not really noticable. Anyways, I'm puting it into another consignment sale. I'd like to at least get my money back out of it. The consignment people take 30%. I thought about puting it in for $25.00 or could I get more? I don't want to be bringing it back home so I don't want to price it too high. What would you personally give for it at a sale?
What do you think so far of my story? Granted, I'm only 15 and I only write whenever I'm not forced to do my homework, but I was hoping I could get some constructive criticism for my story. Keyword: constructive, as in helping me out because you are a nice person and can appreciate that others also have a dream of writing--not putting me down if you're jealous or upset for whatever reason or whatever other reason you'd have for being whiny and mean with your comments. Thanks! :) (This is just the first page and a half of my story. I've written more, but, like a sexually ambiguous emo kids, I like to keep everyone guessing.) 1 CLEARWATER, PENNSYLVANIA THE JITTERBUG 9:13 P.M. SATURDAY, AUGUST 7th Clearwater, Pennsylvania was one of those smaller American towns--the kind where the town was small enough for everyone to know everyone but not their personal business, where you could strike up a conversation with the gas attendant that was filling up your car before reluctantly leaving as if you were having to depart from a friend you hadn’t seen in years, and where you could go into one of those small cafés that were delicious and well-priced but didn’t have the same financial backing as, let’s say, McDonald’s and get a generous slice of apple pie, which was, of course, “on the house.” You could ask anyone in an elderly home about the town’s history, and they’d gladly tell you everything you would want to know and they could remember about Clearwater as long as you knew the right times to agree with them, which would mostly just consist of you saying it was a real tragedy when little Bobby, Jr. drowned in the creek or it was wonderful day whenever the doors of Cathy’s Little Café opened. Aiden Barell, unlike the elderly men and women that were sitting in rocking chairs at the retirement home, was only sure about three things when it came to Clearwater. First and foremost, the apple pie at Cathy’s Little Café was delicious. Second, the town was so small that newcomers were easily recognized and someone would somehow tip off the person you were tracking if you were tracking someone, which Aiden most definitely was. Finally, the Jitterbug was the most happening place to be on a Saturday night if you were between the ages of sixteen to thirty-six. IDs weren’t needed; just a good-looking face and enough money in your wallet to pay the bartender a fiver for his services. The music was whatever you requested and the disco ball that was suspended from the ceiling covered dancers in squares of iridescent light. Yes, it was a tad outdated, but it was still popular. “Everybody, put your hands up!” the DJ bellowed into his handheld microphone as he began playing a song by the Cataracs, a band that Aiden knew fairly well since one of his ex-girlfriends (he couldn’t remember if it was No. 8 or No. 13) had been obsessed with them. While the crowd threw their arms into the air, bangles clanging and rings sparkling, and began to sway their well-clad bodies around, Aiden merely lifted his glass tumbler of Scotch and chugged it. His gulps and the bass beats of the song corresponded flawlessly. If you wanna get with me, there’s some things you gotta’ know. I like my beats fast and my bass down low. Bass down low. Bass-bass, bass down low. I like my beats fast and my-- Catch me if you can. Aiden spat out his alcoholic drink, grateful that no one had been sitting near him or watching him as he slowly mopped up the Scotch-and-saliva spill with his napkin. It had only been a trick of his mind, his tipsy, paranoid mind at that, but it still felt as though she had whispered that annoying, little catchphrase of hers into his pierced, left ear. Aiden had shown up ten minutes ago but already felt as though the Axe cologne he’d applied seconds before leaving was already coming off his body in rivulets of stress-induced sweat. It wasn’t so much that a little girl scared him, except for the fact she did, which was pathetic. But she’s not a little girl, Aiden said as his blue-green eyes canvassed the masses of swaying, sweating bodies on the dance floor. A group of leggy, blonde girls were dancing around in a tight-knit circle, their backs to Aiden. The girls were in their late teens at the youngest, and the girl he was tracking could be any one of those snickering, shimmying girls that would almost always double over into hysterics as a guy stopped to look at the group, appearing like he was about to ask one of them to dance, and then left without even saying a word. She’s sixteen but dangerous. Aiden knew that danger all too well.
CCAGW calls for No votes for the Bailout? Do they not understand the consequences and need of this action? A letter from CCAGW Dated Sept. 29, 2008 Dear Representative, You will soon vote on H.R. 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act and it will be a difficult vote. The more than 1.2 million members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) are angry about this financial crisis because most of it can be blamed on Washington. Taxpayers are now being asked to provide up to $700 billion to the Secretary of the Treasury to buy failed mortgages and other troubled credit assets as a result of government meddling in the housing market. While the bill is much improved since the original draft that was circulating late last week, the bill is still too troublesome for CCAGW to support. On behalf of our members, I ask that you vote against H.R. 3997. Starting in 1993, the rules governing the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were re-written to force banks to establish new quotas for writing mortgages in low-income neighborhoods and to enter the subprime loan markets. The changes drove up the price of homes and the easy money was carried right into Wall Street where shaky loans were packaged and sold. While efforts were made several times to get a handle on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac before the implosion of the housing market, these efforts were stopped in Congress by the companies’ political allies. CCAGW appreciates the efforts of several members of Congress that have improved the bill. Removing the 20 percent slush fund for groups like ACORN is an important policy change. The bill gives the Security and Exchange Commission the ability to suspend mark-to-market accounting. The bill will not give the $700 billion in one step but instead will require the President to certify that additional funds are needed. By establishing an advisory board, power is not left with one individual. But these changes are not enough to overcome the opposition to H.R. 3997 that has been expressed by CCAGW members and taxpayers across the county. Government created these programs, and CCAGW is not confident that government can correct them. I urge you to vote against H.R. 3997. All votes on H.R. 3997 will be among those considered for CCAGW’s 2008 Congressional Ratings. Sincerely, Tom Schatz http://councilfor.cagw.org/site/News2?abbr=CCAGW_&page=NewsArticle&id=11622
What would you charge for this at a consignment sale? I bought this at a consignment sale for $20 and I don't have room for it in my house. http://www.target.com/Simply-Shabby-Chic-Vanity-Table/dp/B0007T307O/sr=1-2/qid=1237171013/ref=sr_1_2/175-8553691-9089161?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=0&index=target&rh=k%3Avanity%20table&page=1 ---It's Like New, but it does have a chip the very bottom of one of the legs, but I've painted it so it's not really noticable. Anyways, I'm puting it into another consignment sale. I'd like to at least get my money back out of it. The consignment people take 30%. I thought about puting it in for $25.00 or could I get more? I don't want to be bringing it back home so I don't want to price it too high. What would you personally give for it at a sale?
real estate, making offer? we are looking to buy our first starter home. the home has 967 square feet. There are 3 bedrooms and 1 bath. it does need some updating. there is only a small yard. the asking price is $177,400. since the market is low, How low do you think I can make an offer? Here is the link of the house so that you can see for your self. http://coldwellbanker.com/servlet/PropertyListing?action=detail&ComColdwellbankerDataProperty_id=12863536&page=property
Plz tell me this sentences are correct or not? I'm learning English in the U.S. so I wonder these sentences I made are wrong or not. Plz review and correct them. 1) A. Are all of the teachers from the U.S.? B. Are all of the teachers in this school native speaker? 2) In front our building, there was an accident. Some gasoline gas was leaking. 3) A.(In a post office) When can this letter be reached? -(when i used this sentence in a post office, a staff who work in the post office didn't understand my question) B. (so i thought my question again when i get back home) How long will it take to get there? 4)Look at the page 137 real quick 5)I drank at/in my friend's house last night. (which one is correct between at and in?) 6)Yesterday, you got drunk/drunken? (which one is correct? drunk or drunken?) 7)How many Chinese student are there in one class? 8)A.What was (original/standard) price before I get a discount? B.How much did I get a discount? or How much percentage did I get a discount? 9) What this coupon for? (As showing a coupon to clerk cuz i don't know where I should how I should this coupon)
33,000 couldbe made homeless by repossessions ? We read that economists warn that 33,000 could be made homeless by the housing repossessions by mortgage lenders. But what about all those that are already homeless becuase they cannot afford the current high prices of properties ? Will it the situation not just balance itself out as those who previously could not aford a home, such as myself, manage to jump on the bottom rung of the 'housing ladder' ? Source: http://www.metro.co.uk/money/article.html?in_article_id=144855&in_page_id=36
How old do you think the author of this is? I sit there, watching everyone with ideas typing away. What to write, what to write. The clicking of the keys surrounds me, haunting my every thought. I need something to write about. The assignment is due in three days, is it enough time, we'll see. I have writer's block, no ideas, nothing to inspire me. I look around, I see people, I see books, and I see computers. Nothing interesting here, unless you like cream colored walls. My best friend already has a page written, and what do I have? Not even three paragraphs? Not good, at all. I look down at my computer; my celebrity crush stares back at me. Inspire me! My First Try: Brown hair, long, but not too long, framed his face. His eyes. They were a golden brown. I looked at them, and I was under his spell. His name was Justin, how could I resist him? His hotness was unbearable. He was hunk of burning love. Teenage girls throughout the town were in love with him. But out of everyone, he chose me. Why? Because I am super hot and totally irresistible? Nope. Because I loved him for who he was, not for his fame or success, but that was definitely a bonus.No, never mind. I don't just want to write about some boy I am hopelessly in love with. That will not do. So I am stuck. No ideas. No inspirations. Nothing. Usually I like to write poems, but the only topics for poems I can come up with sound like second grade works. A poem about snowflakes or rain surely won't do. It seem as though I live in my brothers shadow. He is an amazing writer. He has won a Scholastic Gold Key as well as multiple essay contests. It is his passion, not mine. I love to write, don't get me wrong, it is just that I can't sit down and write something. I wish I could, it would make this assignment so much easier. Nevertheless, I am not my brother; I am myself. An independent person. Free to do what I please. At least I got some talent with art. I might not be amazing, but I am better then he is. I guess that evens us out, he gets the amazing writer gene and I get the good artist gene. Too bad. I am at least going to try. My Second Try: I was a Monday afternoon. School just let out, and my best friend and I raced to the English Room. After going back and forth a few times, I make her ask to use the phone. She does, and Mrs. Fagglehaggen asks why. We look at each other, then to the floor, and back to Mrs. Fagglehaggen. Our response: "We need to call Taylor's mom to see if she's buying Jingle Ball tickets?" It was the truth, and we didn't want to lie. Mrs. Fagglehaggen looked at us and said no. They will still when you get home, she told us. We weren't so convinced. These tickets have sold out within five minutes of being posted, how sure could we be? We suffered through two hours of test prep classes (our last ones  and then ran home. Luckily, we got the six tickets we needed. I am not even going to mention the price because it was so extravagant, I am even ashamed to say I spent that much on one ticket. You might wonder why we needed Jingle Ball tickets so badly. And, that it is a very good question. Well, we being teenage girls, we will do almost anything for a boy. So yes, this is for Justin Bieber, what else can I say? But we also want to see Taylor Swift, Owl City, Pitbull…the others. Though, Justin Bieber is the main reason. I have even emailed his manager, asking for backstage passes (no answer as of now) and tried to work our connections. Nothing yet. And now, the day after we bought the Jingle Ball tickets, Justin Bieber is on Ellen. Now, online on the Ellen show's website, it says that in Northern New Jersey, where I live, it is on at three. So of course, the fact that we have sports till four is really a bummer. Taylor and I are going crazy coming up with how we can watch it. There ends up being no way, and as soon as we are dismissed, we run to Taylor's house. We are lucky that Taylor only lives around the corner from the school. It is just about four when she turns on the TV in her room. Wow. The show didn't start until four. How? I'm not really sure, but I looked online again, and I looked at the listings for NYC. This being the fact that we live fifteen minutes away from there. Ah! It says 4:00 there, so I guess that is where our TV signal is coming from. just saying: my bff wrote this not me... I ASKED FOR AN AGE NOT AN OPINION PEOPLE GOSHH GET WITHT THE PROGRAM
Are pet sanctuaries catering to their friends & associates? I recently visited a 20 acre pet sanctuary nestled in the rolling hills of a nearby town in Central California. They advertised a set price for their animals as well as their rules & terms for adoption of one of their "pets". We were told that we met their criteria & cleared for a walk around the grounds to view the 100 dogs. We braved the steep hillsides & viewed the animals in their pens. Each seemed happy, yet protective of their personal areas. We had no guide with us. Only a 5 page instruction sheet with the pen/cage number & name & description of each dog. We found the dog of our dreams. The sheet said "not ready for adoption". We asked when this dog would be ready & the man said after it was "fixed" by the vet in a week or so. We filled out the forms & went home. Happy knowing that the extra trip & all the physical exertion was worth the trip & the time. We were elated to find such a wonderful dog. A talker! Then we got a phone call from the owner who said she was sorry because we could not adopt a young animal without having an older dog already in our home. She said something about "socialization" & suggested that we take one of her older dogs. No thanks. They weren't a good match. We want a forever pet that we will love & socialize with other animals. The dog will get the best training money can buy. ~What's wrong with only having one ONE DOG in a house? I don't get it with these groups. We are so sad that years of searching have been squashed with a phone call from a person who seemed to have ulterior motives for their dogs. Note to John- The info we have on these pups is what the volunteers & workers have told us. We didn't even know this sanctuary had pups for adoption until we saw them in a cage. Outside & in the elements, chewing on foxtails through the fencing. Anyone with dog knowledge knows that foxtails are something that should not be left to grow in the areas where dogs or cats live & exercise. Anyway, the only consistency in the stories is that the vet has first crack at taking the pets when they go in for their spay & neutering @ 12 weeks of age. I smell a rat in all of this. It's none of my business. The least they could do is to list these rules somewhere on their 5+pages of doggie listings & orgaization criteria. We will spend 10x the amount the rescue is asking for this dog to travel to another state for a "like" type of a dog. I suspect Tilly will be used for breeding stock. It's a shame how SOME rescue orgs get around their own rules when there's money & trade involved!
Democrats want to take even more out of our pockets, can Nov 2010 get here fast enoughh to suit you? House Democrats have been discussing taxing trades worth more than $100,000 as a way to pay for more economic-stimulus programs to create jobs. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a0THokhNGb5I The health-insurance industry tax in the Senate bill would be divided among insurers, based on their market share. In an earlier version passed by the Senate Finance Committee, each company's fee would have been determined based on its share of premiums written. Self-insured plans would have been disregarded when calculating the tax. http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200911241600DOWJONESDJONLINE000408_FORTUNE5.htm Tucked into the last hundred pages of Sen. Harry Reid's proposed health care bill is a 5 percent tax on cosmetic surgery that has doctors from various specialties wondering if they will soon become tax collectors who must also interpret the tax code. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Cosmetic/cosmetic-tax-reid-health-bill-doctors-worried-confused/story?id=9141774 Yet arising (again) are proposals for a soda tax ---- specifically, a special levy on sugary drinks (read: non-diet soda, most juice drinks) ---- being touted by both experts and politicians as a means of achieving a more physically fit society. Sure. http://www.nctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_64332697-e42b-5da3-a823-ba5dac1ef10a.html WASHINGTON -- However they satisfy their nicotine cravings, tobacco users are facing a big hit as the single largest federal tobacco tax increase ever takes effect Wednesday. Tobacco companies and public health advocates, longtime foes in the nicotine battles, are trying to turn the situation to their advantage. The major cigarette makers raised prices a couple of weeks ago, partly to offset any drop in profits once the per-pack tax climbs from 39 cents to $1.01 http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/29/single-largest-cigarette-tax-hike-goes-effect-wednesday/ At the rate Democrtas are taxing us, soon we'll hvae no take home pay at all. Is this their ultimate goal?
What are the absolute neccessities for owning a rat? As i said in a previous question (I really want some rats but my parents aren't too sure. Help?) I was having trouble trying to convince my parents to warm to the idea of having rats in the house, and i looked at all the answers (which were all very helpful) and i've done it!!! I have to wait a couple of months, but as long as i'm good (lol it sounds like i'm like 4 years old) then my parents will let me have two little rattie friends(both female). But now i need to know the accessities...like what type of cage is big enough and better for two rats to live in: www.petsathome.com/find/category-is-6+small+pets/breed-is-rat/product-is-10781 In that one it says its big enough for up to four rats to live...but i don't trust them -_-, they'd say anything just to get you to buy it for that price. or maybe this one would be good for two rats: www.petsathome.com/find/category-is-6+small+pets/breed-is-rat/product-is14066 it's a little cheaper, and there are actually two rats in it...but it looks a tad small...but whatt do i know? also what else would a first time rat owner need to know...please tell me...like what bedding, what litter, what toys...etc. also any names for girl rats would be helpful, i'd prefer them not to be everyday human names, (like sally, sarah, sue etc-lol i didn't intend them all to begin with S) anyway, so any help would be much appreciated. thanks =). PS. Please don't leave any unhelpful and immature comments. Thanks =). ALSO: if the link's don't work, then just go on the pets at home website and click on "small pet", at the top, scroll down a tiny bit and click on rat, with the picture to the left of it, go straight to page two, scroll down, and i'm talking about the "jenny rat cage by ferplast" in the first one, and "Freddy 2 Rat cage by Savic" in the second one. THANK YOU. no immature comments please ( i know i write it twice, but this is just to emphasise how much i dislike people who just log in and write unhelpfull comments on purpose.
Internet Debate Essay. What Do You Think ? Please Help ! ( Year 10 Coursework)? It could be argued that the internet is the best technical development of our time. Since its creation in the late sixties, it has quickly become an important and beneficial piece of modern technology to millions of people all over the world. It is a global computer network, which provides a variety of facilities for communication, information and entertainment. With simple and immediate access to endless websites, available with just a click of a mouse, it may seem that surfing the net is the perfect cure for boredom. On the contrary, many people find themselves questioning this positive attitude towards the World Wide Web, when considering the risks and disadvantages that it brings, and the dangers that anyone may encounter whilst online. Amongst the most popular sites are social networks, such as ’Facebook’ and ‘Netlog’, where users have their own page within the network, and can communicate with each other no matter where in the world they are. People of any age, race or background can use these sites, which means you can talk to all sorts of people and learn about hundreds of different cultures and lifestyles. This is a great way to meet new friends or keep in touch with your old ones. ‘MySpace’ is a network where accounts and home pages are created by users, and pictures, music, blogs (online diaries) and videos can be uploaded. Bands, venues, individuals or even companies may have their own ‘MySpace’ and therefore you are sure to find something of interest amongst the thousands of accounts. ‘Msn Messenger’, the instant messaging service, is probably the most popular way for web users to stay in contact and have free, live conversations with any number of people. This means it is possible for many disabled internet users to talk amongst friends, without the trouble of leaving the house or the high expense of using the telephone. The disadvantage of this way of communicating is the lack of trust available between members, due to the fact that there is no sure way of knowing exactly whom you are talking to. People can lie about their identity, particularly their age, and paedophiles and stalkers may use the sites as easy access to their victims. Adults may lure children into thinking they are other children of a similar age and might convince them into meeting up with them in the outside world. This is called grooming and has been known to lead onto kidnappings, rape and violent attacks. Innocent youths may also fall victims to people of their own age, when accounts are hacked and abuse can be written through fake identities. It seems easier for teenagers to emotionally and mentally bully children of their own age whilst online, without the full contact of face-to-face conversation in real-life. Hateful messages can be sent through instant messaging, emails and even comment boxes on websites or someone’s personal page. This cyber bullying is a huge issue online and children can often feel unsafe within their own homes if they are suffering this abuse. Social networks may also have an addictive affect on users meaning they interact a lot less with friends and family. Users may even be left lacking the skills to have real conversations with people, without being able to hide behind a computer screen and keyboard. Then again, there is also the isolation that people who do not have internet access may face. They are unable to stay in touch with friends in the way that so may people take for granted. However, a final advantage of these social networking sites is that they are an advertisers dream. Businesses can easily advertise online, and popular sites such as these social networking ones are a huge opportunity to attract customers. Children, adults, parents and people of different professions and interests can be specifically targeted through certain websites, which are suited to them, in order to attract the most potential customers. A good example of this is through search engines, which make their money by displaying advertisements within the results of what the internet user has searched. Of course businesses can use the internet to their advantage in many other ways also. Records and databases can be held on the internet, and secured and accessed through passwords. The stock exchange can be viewed online and companies can check in on their competition by simply searching for them on the internet. They can research customer demand , or keep in touch with buyers, employees and other businesses via email or their own webpage .Finally, websites like ‘Monster’, which is an online directory where employees upload their CV’s, allow employers to find the most suitable staff, without having to hold hundreds of interviews. Another way in which the internet is highly useful is through its vast range of entertainment available. This entertainment can mean that it is no longer necessary to leave your seat in order to have fun, and therefore hundreds of people have a significant lack of exercise, which of course is a health risk. This has been linked to the increasing problem of obesity in both children and adults. On the other hand, the vast sources of entertainment are a major plus to millions of internet surfers. Video upload sites prove to be very popular with hundreds of thousands of viewers visiting Youtube everyday. Anyone can upload anything they like onto these sites from TV series, to homemade short films, music videos and any other creations. It is a great way to watch and create video blogs and learn about other people from across the world. It could even be said that the internet is better than a remote control. Online gaming is another aspect of the internet to enjoy. Hundreds of free games are available to download and play with genres to suit everyone. Puzzle, adventure, racing and even multiplayer games can be accessed quickly through many websites, the majority are free and simple to download or play though a flash player. Downloading is relied on by many people so that they can have the latest songs and films stored to their own computer and then sent to their phone or personal music and video players (Ipods or MP4s). ‘Limewire’ is a program that allows millions of files to be shared across the net and almost anything can be downloaded quickly and simply from this free source. This can mean that the artists and producers of songs are missing out on profits that they deserve. All this freedom of viewing on the net can be dangerous when there are no age restrictions. Youths may be badly influenced by violent images they see online, and unsuitable pornographic material is easily accessible to them at the click of a mouse. Most adults would agree that this needs to be more carefully regulated, but it is highly unlikely that age restrictions would ever prevent teenagers from intentionally viewing these sites, when they can simply type in a false age. This easy accessibility throughout the internet can be useful though when referring to educational purposes. Students have many websites available that are dedicated to encourage and enable studying, revision and coursework. BBC Bitesize in particular is a useful website which pupils of Key stage three and Key Stage four can use to assist them in learning. Teachers can also benefit from the online lesson plans on offer throughout the net and students can stay in touch with their tutors through email whenever necessary. The internet can also be considered as a brilliant learning aid because of its huge volumes of information covering endless varieties of subjects; it could be thought of as the biggest encyclopaedia in the world. Information that is usually unobtainable in local libraries is easily reached through search engines and students can read expert knowledge from specialists in the topic they need. Never the less there are still negative aspects to using the internet this way. It makes it possible for pupils to copy and cheat on tests and coursework using past essays and work that someone has uploaded onto the web previously. Some learners may become dependent on using the internet for help with their work and not able to perform as well under exam conditions in school. Some information gained from websites may be seriously outdated or inaccurate and therefore useless. There is also an unfair advantage on students that do no have internet access at home. Shopping online is another great way of taking advantage of the World Wide Web. You can purchase anything from a huge assortment of products from anywhere in the world; from clothes, gifts, memorabilia and anything else that you could possibly want. It’s the ultimate shopping experience, and shops you can find on the high street have their own online stores along with shops only available on the net. It is a much simpler way of browsing for whatever you may be looking for, without the bother of busy crowds. There are also often online discounts available, or some items sold on the internet are originally cheaper than on the high street anyway, and comparing prices online is easily done. Being able to shop online makes a big difference in peoples lives if they are disabled or seriously ill. Being housebound means that they do not get the chance to visit the supermarket or their local city centre on a regular basis, like so many people do, but that problem has been solved with home delivery. Anything they might buy off the internet can probably be delivered straight to their doorstep, whether it’s their weekly shop or something they’ve splashed out on. ‘Ebay’ is a massively successful online auction site where you can bid on items which other people are selling through the website. All you need is an online account and then you can start buying and selling pretty much what ever takes your fancy. You can make money by selling unwanted pieces in your home or save money by striking lucky in an auction, and having the winning bid on your requested item. However, things that you see on the internet may not always turn out to be what you expected when they arrive at your home. What you have bought may have been misrepresented online and you could be left disappointed with something you have no use of. It is also common to overspend without realising when buying online. Paying for goods via the internet is only possible by using a credit card and sometimes this means that you are not as aware of exactly how much money you are parting with, if you do not physically hand it over. Even more unfortunate is that your card details may not be secure and someone else could use your bank account without you knowing. Although using the internet is an essential aspect to many people’s lives, it does prove to have risks and consequences if used inappropriately or too often. Still, I have to disagree with the statement of “the internet is a monster out of control” because I find that the pros out weigh the cons by far. Without the internet certain aspects of life would prove difficult to me and millions of other people. The web is relied on everyday for purposes of work, school and play and as long as we approach it with more knowledge of the dangers, it can benefit us the many ways that it is intended to.
Is this for real????? 1st email ----- Original Message ---- From: Yahoo <info@msn.com> Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 8:54:18 PM Subject: Yahoo Lottery Incorporation® Baley House, Har Road Sutton, Greater London SM1 4te United Kingdom This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS (£500,000) for the month of July 2008 Lottery promotion which is organized by YAHOO LOTTERY INC & WINDOWS LIVE. YAHOO & MICROSOFT WINDOWS, collects all the email addresses of the people that are active on-line, among the millions that subscribed to Yahoo and Hotmail we only select five people every Month as our winners through electronic balloting System without the winner applying, we congratulate you for being one of the people selected. PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM You are to contact your Claims Agent, Winners Shall be paid in accordance with our payment Centre. Yahoo Lottery Prize must be claimed no later than 15 days from date of Draw Notification after the Draw date in which Prize has won. Any prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited. These are your identification numbers: Batch number.....................YM 09102XN Reff number.......................YM35447XN Winning number...................YM09788 Please fill out this form below for claims 1. Full name.............. 2. Country................United States 3. Contact Address........ 4. Telephone Number....... 5. Marital Status......... 6. Occupation............. 7. Age.................... Congratulations!! once again. Sincerely Richard Wilsdom. Email me at microsoft_claimsdept3@yahoo.it for prompt collection... ---------- Leeds Professional College--A gateway to professional knowledge and skills. Yahoo/Msn Lottery Incoperation Baley House, Har Road Sutton, Greater London SM1 4te United Kingdom . Attn.Lucky Winner, We are in full receipts of your mail Congratulations once again on behalf of the Lottery Board. We do believe that your winnings will be put into good use for community, educational and business development. On Behalf of the Screening Committee of Yahoo/Msn Lottery Incoperation, I wish to formally announce to you that you have successfully passed the Email Screening and Verification Matching Test conducted for all online winners in your Category. This is to acknowledge the receipt of the requested data you provide, and the confirmation of your reliability in this universal programme. Do note that we have finished All necessary documents that will facilitate the clearance of your cheque in your name from your Bank. we have the document products data from the head offices of the Yahoo/Msn Lottery Incoperation(UNITED KINGDOM) . A cheque has been issued in your name Do Note that the Cheque is obtien from Yahoo/Msn Lottery Incoperation (UNITED KINGDOM) this cheque is been authorised and authenticated by the world bank. i must say that you should count yourself extremely lucky to have emerged as one of the receipient in this Universal lottery program. And we have concluded the processing of all documents that will facilitate the clearance of the cheque in your Bank These documents have been securely sealed and packed for security reasons. The documents to be sent are; 1.WINNING CERTIFICATE FROM THE YAHOO/MSN MICROSOFT. 2.WINNERS CHEQUE OF £500,000.00 GB-Pounds. 3.CLEAR SOURCE OF FUNDS CERTIFICATES(C.S.F.C.); 4. BENEFICIARY PAYMENT FORM (KINDLY NOTE THIS FORM STATES THE BENEFICIARIES NAME FOR BANK TO ACCELPT THE CHEQUE.) 5. LETTER OF AFFIDAVITS FROM THE UK HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE, STATING THAT THE DONATION WAS RECEIVED LEGALLY FROM THE YAHOO/MSN MICROSOFT LOTTERY PROGRAMME, AND DUELY SIGNED BY THE LEGAL ATTORNEY TO THE MICROSOFT. TNT COURIER SERVICE, has been contracted to deliver your winning package to your location.Contact the courier company with the contact information below for further instructions on how to send the consignment to your location. TNT COURIER SERVICE ADDRESS OF HEAD OFFICE: Link House, 1C CHURCH STREET, WHIT CHURCH, HANTS,REG28 7AD ENGLAND. NAME: MR Steve Dove (dispatch officer) . tntcourier.xpress@yahoo.com TEL: 447045700409 Its is Expected that you add your IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS {PARCEL/NUM/3131} As the subject of any correspondence with the courier company to ensure they respond in a timely manner. And also you are to fill out this form below. when contacting Elite Courier, Poster Address for delivery. Delivery Destination Form {PARCEL/NUM/3131} Receiver Name: Receiver Address: Receiver Country: Receiver Phone: :The Yahoo/Msn Lottery Incoperation Lottery has discovered a huge number of double claims due to winners informing close friends relatives and third parties about their winning and also sharing their pin numbers. As a result of this, this friends try to claim the lottery on behalf of the real winners. The Yahoo/Msn Lottery Incoperation Lottery has reached a decision from the Authority that any double claim discovered by the Lottery Board will result to the cancelling of that particular winning, making a loss for both the double claimer and the real winner. So you are hereby strongly advised once more to keep your winnings strictly confidential until you claim your Price. This office will not be responsible for any outstanding fees. Services to rendered by TNT COURIER SERVICE are to be paid by you and not the lottery board, for the fact that the lottery organisers didn't make any provision for any upcoming expenses, regarding delivery of parcel or any transfer such. Have it in mind that your won Price cannot be deducted from this is because the total amount has been insured to the real value and as such cannot be deducted from. This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds. Thanks for your swift understanding. Regards, Mr Richard Wilsdom. (Claims Agency) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posta, news, sport, oroscopo: tutto in una sola pagina Crea l'home page che piace a te!.
Beginning of my book? Ok so I'm writing a novel and this is the beginning of it. Can you read it and maybe give me some critisizim or advice? I'll even take some problems or questions you have. Thank you in advance!: “Okay you hooligans in a few weeks were going to be starting our annual creative writing project.” The class groaned. Mr. Crawford had been our English teacher for the past few months, in place of our teacher Mrs. Thompson, who was on maternity leave. Mr. Crawford was a short, old, crazy haired, substitute teacher our class had gotten to know very easily. Unfortunately, there was twenty of us and one of him; so he had a really hard time with names, except Jeremy’s. That shouldn’t be a problem, right Mr. Scott?” Jeremy was talking with one of his bonehead jock friends. “Um…yeah sure” Jeremy laughed and snickered under his breath, “at least your daughter didn’t think so.” The right side of the room quietly chuckled. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Jeremy, I mean have been together since the beginning of the year. We one cutest couple, twice, and we had a good shot at winning prom king and queen. It’s just…sometimes, well most of the time he forgets to use his brain before he speaks, but who doesn’t have that problem, right? “See me after class Mr. Scott, and you can tell me all about it.” Mr. Crawford was in a good mood. “Jeff Carey, Michael Carter, Jenna Harrison.” Jenna, one of my best friends, moved here from Chicago last year. Have you ever had a best friend that you started out hating; then once you got to know them you fell in love? That is how Jenna and I started out. The first time I met her she was flirting with Trevor, the guy I liked when I was a sophomore, at the charity football game down at the old Hampton Church . Long story short, we did not start off on good terms. I confronted her at a party thrown by one of his friends. She threw her drink on me and I punched her in the nose. While we were going at it Trevor was having more than a good time watching two girls fight over him. While we were getting thrown out we both glanced over and saw him making out with a girl from another school. With that, we walked home together and talked things out. We were together everyday for cheerleading and she was with me the whole summer Brooke went to Arizona. We became best friends quickly and she was welcomed into our group with open arms. Jenna also dates my other best friend, Ryan. “Sarah Herbing Aaron Howard, Alexandra Martin.” “Um…Allie.” I spoke “Oh yeah, Allie, sorry” Mr. Crawford scribbled something down on his notepad, “Andrea Mattingly, Rachael May, Shayne McDonald.” Ugh. Shayne McDonald. Have you ever had that one girl in your class, you know, the one who thinks she is ten million times better than everyone else? Well, then you’ve met someone like Shayne McDonald. We used to be friends, until second grade when I accidentally got play-dough in her hair, she had to get almost all of it cut off and blamed me because all the boys called her bucket head. We lost touch during the summer and it was never the same. Her dad owned the top modeling agency in Morton Heights and gave birth to the top model. Of course, I had the hot boyfriend, who was also the all-star basketball player, the hottest best friends and, well I was pretty popular. I mean every cheerleader is, right? “Christian Mowry, Antwon Neal, we all know Jeremiah”, Jeremy shot him and evil look. “Oops, Jeremy is here.” Mr. Crawford said sarcastically. “Brittany Oliver, Cameron Price, Molly Robinson, Ryan Scott.” Ryan, or Ry as I call him, has been my friend for as long as I can remember. He is just like the bigger brother I never had, even though I’m three weeks older than him. When we were little my mom told us we were inseparable, and that people always thought we were brother and sister. One time, when we were eight, he and I found some matches and lighter fluid in my shed; we ran out back to get logs and I doused lighter fluid on them. Both of us tried, without success, to light the match (We didn’t really understand the whole concept). Finally he lit one and threw it on the pile of soaked wood. Flames shot for the sky and the next thing we know his mom is running towards us with an unpleased look on her face. We were both grounded for two weeks, and to this day, I will never regret having that much fun. We spent every single summer together and together we walked to and from school, he even taught me how to ride a skateboard. Even now, as juniors people still mistake us for a couple, which has happened to us since about fifth grade. Whenever I need help with Brooke or Jenna or anybody for that matter he is there. I can talk to him anytime I want to really, since he lives next door. Aaron Smith, Sophia Wal…” “Brooke Brooke!” “Please call me Brooke, Mr. Crawford”. “Man sorry Brooke, I’ll get it right one day.” He said and smiled “Is that everybody?” Sophia or Brooke had been my best friend since we were nine. She was the quiet, shy girl and I was the loud, center of attention. No connection right? Wrong. At our third grade picnic, the first time we met, my ex friend Shayne plotted revenge and decided it would be funny to put a ketchup filled tampon on my blanket and holler “Ew Allie had a little accident”. Brooke let me borrow a pair of shorts and healed my broken heart. She also gave Shayne a pretty good beating, but she doesn’t know I saw her do it. Why? Excellent question, maybe she just wanted to take up for the skinny nice girl. From then on we have been linked at the hip. I convinced her to join the cheerleading squad and we spent every day, every summer, (except for the one going into ninth grade) together. Singing and joking having a good time. The summer going into ninth grade, her mom passed away and she spent the summer in Arizona with her Grandparents. I called her everyday and we talked non-stop. Dinngggggggg! “Page 764 is due on Monday!” Mr. Crawford sputtered just before everyone blew out of the room. “Ugh can you believe this, homework on the weekend of Prom?” Brooke and I were walking down the crowded hallway with some of the cheerleading girls. “Oh my gosh tonight is going to be so fun!” “Yeah as long as they don’t spike the punch, like at the last dance.” A few of the girls chirped. “Brooke, you are going to be fine, I will help you with your English, if you help me with my calculus. Yeah it is going to be really exciting.” I laughed, “I’m just happy Jeremy is going, maybe this time he won’t end up drunk and lose his mind.” Amber chimed in, “you are so lucky, because honey, your boyfriend is fine. He got the body the looks the…” “Hey babe,” Jeremy said as Amber was finishing her your-man-is-so-fine-speech. Everyone was crowded around my locker. “You ready for tonight because I’m ready to…” he spun around, stuck his hand in the air and galloped in the middle of the hallway. “BUST A MOVE”, He said gallantly as he spun again and accompanied me and my locker. “Hey Al, I’ll meet you at the mall, five o’clock sharp.” Brooke added, “Nice moves Jeremy, better work on that spin if you want to win prom king tonight.” She said as the group walked away in awe. Jeremy was tall, slim and, had tan skin that complimented his jet black hair. He wore his royal blue and black letterman jacket (with his varsity basketball patches sewn across the back) and dirty jeans along with his favorite white and black nike’s. He was easily the most popular guy in school, he was a star on the basketball court, his parents were rich, he always had the nicest clothes, shoes, and of course a range rover as his sixteenth birthday present. When are you going to grow up?” I grinned and kissed him softly. He tried to lower his voice, as if he thought I was mad at him, “I’m sorry baby, it won’t happen again,” his eyes widened “but hey I have a surprise for you.” He pulled out a small rectangular black box. “Oh, Jeremy, you shouldn’t have.” I assured him as I slowly opened the box, expecting a lot more than its contents held. “Yeah what do you think about that”, He proudly exclaimed. He moved closer and whispered into my ear, “It’s a suit.” “No, you really shouldn’t have.” I closed my locker and shoved the box back in his chest. “I can’t believe how insensitive he is!” I shrieked, as Brooke, Jenna, and I were shuffling through the Morton Heights mall. “I can’t believe he actually got you guys a room,” Brooke replied laughing. Jenna chimed in “You know you are the only girl he has actually gotten a room for, he just took all the other girls to his house, and she laughed. “Oh my gosh, this is so not funny. I cried as we walked through the mall. I am going through a relationship crisis here, and you two, of all people are laughing and making jokes! We have been dating this whole year just to get to this point and I ca….” “Allie” “I just can’t take this right now I mean my…” “Allie?” “My mom is freaking out because tonight is my first prom and…” “ALEXANDRA FELICITY MARTIN!” Brooke yelled as we made our way into a store. Jenna chimed in, “Wow, she broke out the full name.” Brooke grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eyes, “Listen to me, I am your best friend, I love you, and Jeremy…Jeremy does too but he is a guy and guys are a little confused of what they want right now.” “But a room key Brooke, a room key, what kind of surprise is that supposed to be?” I sadly argued. “What am I supposed to do?” “How do you know he wants to have sex Al, he might just want to talk or something” Brooke concluded. “Yeah and maybe tomorrow it will snow in Florida.” Jenna responded sarcastically before she jerked through the clothes rack. I sighed, as I searched through the sea of necklaces. “Anyway it’s not like it’s your first time Allie, I mean come on, what’s the big deal?” Jenna added. The big deal was that I loved Jeremy. Somewhere between his silly comments, his hot body, and ridiculous study habits (that included no studying) I fell in love with him. Never before had I went all the way with somebody that I loved, and to tell you the truth, it scared me. In my eyes, it’s easy to give yourself up to some guy at a party or one of your friends brothers, you were most likely wasted anyway, and if you weren’t, its not like your going to have a future relationship, therefore nobody gets hurt. Harmless fun. The thought of having that special time that special moment with the one person who you love most, well it made me sick. To think that he is going to see me when I’m most vulnerable gave me a headache. “I think you just need to relax Al because honestly…” I looked up awaiting some of that good best friend advice. “Your boyfriend is so fine!” Brooke and Jenna sputtered in unison just before bursting into laughter. I quietly giggled to myself before facing them. “I just…I don’t know, expected more from him, I mean it’s been almost a year and he hasn’t said anything about it before.” “Except at Trevor’s party.” Jenna exclaimed boastfully. I looked around for Brooke and sighed, “Oh thank you, Jenna, for adding that wonderful piece of information to the conflict, and how many times do I have to tell you, he was drunk.” When Jeremy and I were together for a few months in the middle of the year, Trevor Dennison threw this big back to school bash for all the juniors. It was crazy, almost everyone was drinking, the walls were crowded with high school students about to blow chunks and the football team called for real strippers. Talk about a high school blowout. Jeremy offered to take me up into a room for some harmless fun. We started and I was into it at first but for some reason while we were in that room scenes floated through my head, the room started spinning and, suddenly it didn’t feel right. I realized that I liked him a lot more than any other guy I had gone this far with and I didn’t yet understand if I liked that feeling. I quickly got up and searched for my top. I walked to the door but he wouldn’t let me through. I told him he was drunk and we got into an argument that got way out of hand. I broke up with him that night and drove home crying hysterically, crying I called Jenna and Brooke, and told them everything, unfortunately, what I didn’t know was that it would come back to haunt me for the rest of my life. “Where is Brooke?” Jenna said looking around. Her phone rang and her eyes lit up. It must have been Ryan. She walked over to a bench and sat down. I looked up and saw my best friend. She was talking to some guy that looked as if he worked in the food court. He was a tall blonde, that looked like he was maybe in his early twenties. Just then, Shayne strutted into the store as we were on our way out. She was wearing a baby doll top with Capri‘s and heels accompanied by a beautiful coach purse that hadn’t even been seen in stores yet. Her father had obviously pulled some strings. Shayne had long dirty blonde hair that came down to the middle of her back. She was tan (probably from her recent purchase of a tanning bed, I know that because she practically advertised it to our whole fourth period class last week) with light blue eyes, and her make-up was very nicely done, it almost looked professional. Even though I believed she was the devils daughter, and hated to admit it, Shayne was very pretty, in her own skanky way. She was always put together and never out of style. That did not keep me from trying my best to humiliate her, “Look what the cat dragged in” I called as she stepped into the store. “Look what the cat spit up” she answered back. Shayne had two friends, or minions as I liked to call them, Courtney and Lindsey, they followed her around everywhere like a flock of geese. “Oh Allie, if only your so-called friends would have told you, your hips look like a package of hot dogs in those jeans. “Oh yeah because you know so much about being a good friend, don’t you? I shot back. Courtney chimed in “Oh yeah, well maybe one day you’ll be as pretty and as popular as Shayne.” “That will be the day, oh wait, today must be the day because I am certain she won’t win prom queen tonight. I answered back. I looked to walk between them and quickly scanned for Brooke. She was nowhere to be found.” “Is there a problem here Lady and the Tramps?” Brooke had already stepped into the conversation. “Oh you’ve come to be in the parade, wait, the freak show isn’t until the 28th, (she was referring to “The lights of California celebration”) its okay sweetheart you need all the practice you can get.” Shayne mentioned at the sight of Brooke. “You would know all about it sense, you, tweedle dee, and tweedle dumber, won first prize last year. Tell me, was it hard to walk and talk, like an idiot at the same time? Brooke waited on an answer, then Shayne spoke “Whatever, I’ll see you tonight, my prom queen crown awaits me, and I would just hate for you guys miss it.” She and her minions walked off giggling. “One of these days I’m going to show her…ugh.” I complained “ Let’s go guys, I have to be home at 5:30 so my mom can take pictures. We started out. “So who was that cutie in the food court?” I called. “Jenna added. “Wait, I thought you were going to the Prom with Jay?” “He was cute; I had to go check him out.” Brooke replied, He is twenty and he just moved here from North Carolina.” She added, him, his mom, and his baby brother live on the river, probably by you Al.” “Well Miss. America, did you get his number?” I laughed, “But of course Alexandra my darling” She said boastfully as she held up a strand of napkin with black numbers on it. Laughing, we walked out of the store and over to get smoothies. I saw Courtney and Lindsey in Rue 21 fighting over a skimpy little shirt. I smirked, “They’re definitely going to be running against you for the Miss America title.” Together, Brooke, Jenna and I walked out of the mall. “Tonight is going to be so fun” Brooke laughed. “A night to remember.” “Hey Mom, I’m home.” My house was unusually quiet. “Mom?” I walked into the living room. “Dad?” I walked into the kitchen and found a note. It read: Allie, Your father and I are attending his benefit dinner for work. We will be home around 6:30. Try to eat something, start getting ready and we will see you when we get home. Love, Mom P.S- Feed Max for me please, his food is in the garage. With the house to myself, I opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. Then I heard a strange noise. Thump, thump, thump. I stopped, the noise stopped. Quickly I walked out into the garage, to feed Max, our golden retriever. Walking back into the house I heard the sound again. This time harder and faster, thump, thump, thump. “What is that?” I thought to myself. The strange sound continued. I went through the back door and opened the fence to the waterfront. My house sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking the river and on the other side of the river was the entire city. A little bit past my back yard through the white picket fence and down the river front a little ways was an open lot. Back when we were in fifth grade some elderly couple cleared out the trees and was set to build a house there, until the man passed away just before they started to build. It has been empty ever sense. As I walked down the path to the waterfront I knew to be careful. A pebble path was the only way of getting to the bottom. Trees and bushes covered any other entrance. Ryan and I would come down here all the time when we were little and swing from the zipline we built, than ran across the river. Once, when Brooke and I were freshman we ran down to watch the “Lights of California.” It was this big festival right before Halloween, they had carnival games, rides, and all sorts of booths. At nine o’clock, every year they hosted a huge firework show over the river to bless the Halloween ghosts, and every year Brooke, Ryan and I would watch it together. Well when we were running down the pebble path I tripped and fell, well rolled down the hill, taking Brooke with me. Ryan laughed so hard he fell too and we all watched the fireworks with bruised bodies. When you arrive to the waterfront there’s a medium sized field on the left. To the right there is an old beat-up basketball goal, accompanied by small wooden swing overlooking the entire city. When we were little, Brooke and I would sneak out and meet here to talk. We never brought anybody down here, except Ryan, and it wasn’t until Jenna that we accepted anyone else to know about it. That was our special place, we could go down there to think, or read, or do pretty much anything. I hadn’t been there in a while. Water bottle in hand I stepped through the wooden barricade Brooke and I built in sixth grade to keep Thomas and Dylan Perry out. As I cleared through the brush I saw a tall hooded figure on a ladder, hammer in hand, up against the basketball goal. At first I thought it was Ryan and it wasn’t until I got closer that I realized it wasn’t him. He was hammering a wooden board over the old one and dismembering the rim. I started running down. “Hey you!” I stammered, “What do you think your doing?” Startled, the figure looked at me and started down the ladder. I walked towards him. When I finally approached him, he took out his head phones and started speaking. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know anybody lived here.” I stepped over the bushes and moved closer to him “I just moved here from Nor…” I cut him off. “Look here, I don’t care where you moved from or how you got here. This is my property and I don’t think you have permission to be hammering around like a maniac, and why are you wearing a hoodie in 80 degree weather? I was out of breath. He slowly took his hood off, started talking. He was tall, muscular and had dark brown hair cut to his ears along with sideburns. The boy had a soft face, slender body and the most beautiful light green eyes I had ever seen. He spoke again, “Look I’m sorry if I bothered you my name is…” He was wearing a blue Duke University hoodie, accompanied by some white and blue basketball shorts and black Air Jordan basketball shoes. I was stunned for a brief moment. I thought to myself, “What is wrong with me, like I haven’t ever seen a cute boy before.” He was still talking, “so maybe we could be fri…” I looked down at my watch, it was six o’clock and I still had to get ready. I stopped him again, “Okay I don’t have time to deal with this right now, I have a prom to go to now and when I get back I expect you be gone, Got it Bob the builder?” He babbled back, “Yeah…sure, whatever. I started up the hill and he yelled up at me. “Hey, can I get your number, you know, just in case I forget my hammer or my tools here. Just so you can get them back to me?” I turned around, the pick-up lines guys use today. I fiddled through my pockets and found what I was looking for. I threw him the coin and answered back, “Heads you might get my number, tails, you leave.” He caught it and hollered up. “Heads it is.” He fumbled with the coin. “So do I still have to leave?” I walked into my back door and was met by my mother. “Hey sweetheart”, she walked over to shut the door, “where have you been?” I answered back. “Nowhere, just walking Max.” “Well sit down Allie, your father and I have some pleasant news.” I walked into the living room, in no way was I prepared for the news they welcomed me with. “Moving!” I cried.” Were moving!” My father stammered, “Honey, it is only for a couple of years, we can come back and visit whenever you want to.” “No Dad, a couple of years is too long, what about Brooke, Ryan, and Jenna, and Jeremy and the cheerleading squad. Did you think about them?” “Sweetheart”, my mother added quietly. “You can make new friends in Michigan and I‘m sure they have a cheerleading team.” “ Michigan … Michigan !” I shouted. “Your moving me half-way across the county away from everything I love and that is supposed to be good news?” “I can’t believe you two right now.” I got up and turned my back “It was a very good job offer and your father had to take it.” I started to my room. “Look here missy, this is my house and my rules, your moving to Michigan weather you like it or not.” My mother scolded me. “No Mom,” I shot back, “Right now I am going to my first prom, and probably last prom at Morton Heights, don’t speak to me don’t try to take pictures. Just stay down here and think about how much you are ruining my life.” My father tried to speak as I was walking up the stairs. “Alexandra, honey co…” I slammed my door and smothered my face into my pillow. After a few minutes I got up and looked out my window, good, the boy was gone. Lying on my bed, I found myself thinking about him, he was really cute and kind of witty in his own little way. I glanced down at my clock and realized it was seven o’clock. Brooke and Jeremy would be here to pick me up in one hour. I took a shower, fixed my hair and make-up, and then slid the red dress over my head. I was getting my shoes and purse ready when I saw Jeremy pull into my drive way. I grabbed my things and he met me at the door. Instead of waiting inside my house for the limo we sat in his car. “Allie, what’s wrong babe?” “Nothing, just ready to leave” I sighed and Jeremy got out of the car. I turned look at him and saw the limo. It was an Escalade stretch limo and took up almost my whole driveway. Brooke stuck her head out of the sun roof and yelled, “Its party time baby!” The way to the Prom was nothing less than I expected. The long car included most of the basketball team and cheerleaders plus Me, Jeremy, Brooke, Jay, Jenna, and Ryan. Everyone was laughing and having a good time while I was still marinating in my parents recent decision to move me away from all humanity. Brooke noticed something was wrong, she slid over and took a seat between me and Jeremy. “What’s up girl?” Brooke asked gasping for breath after singing Car wash with the rest of our crew. I answered back covering up my real feelings. I looked up “You know the last time we were in a limo was for our eighth grade dance, remember?” “Yeah, you and Ryan went together. And Jenna was really mad at me because I went with Aaron Gates.” She replied back. I laughed, “And we spent forty minutes in the bathroom trying to get that punch out of your dress that Ryan spilled on you because he was so nervous. We both laughed. “Those were the good old days huh?” She giggled. “Hey stop looking back, try to have some fun tonight okay?” “Just promise me you’ll have fun tonight okay?” “I will.” I assured her. When we stepped into the Belmont hotel all of us looked around with wide eyes. Black and blue streamers covered the walls of the beautiful ball room. The hard wood floor glistened through the sun roof and reflected off of every girl’s jewelry. Everyone was dollied up from head to toe. Girls had their hair and nails done accompanied by guys with fresh cuts and new suits as well. The stage was in the center of the room under a giant disco ball, surrounded by several small spotlights. Balloons and confetti were held overhead by a large basket, ready to fall when king and queen were announced. The room was filled with adrenaline pumped teenagers ready for a night of fun. We all gracefully walked down the ballroom stairs and found a table to put our things onto. Ryan and Jenna sat together while Jay and Brooke got everyone some punch. Jeremy and I were out on the dance floor dancing the night away. He must have already been drinking a little. Pretty soon everybody joined us and we were all having a blast when the one and only made her entrance. Shayne walked down the ballroom stairs accompanied by some boy I had never seen before. She wore an average sized blue dress with many small silver sequins patched onto it, along with silver shoes that had the same sequins on them. Around her neck was the most beautiful diamond I had ever laid my eyes on. It was white surrounded by many smaller blue diamonds stringing around her. With every move she made one of the diamonds caught the light and blinded everyone in the ballroom. “She always has to make an entrance,” I said to Jeremy who was staring at Shayne in awe. He said nothing for a second then answered back, “Whoa, she’s hot.” I looked at him in disbelief and stormed off to the table. As I was making my way through the crowd something caught my arm. “Look baby I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I’ll be in the room at eleven thirty.” I snatched my arm away and kept walking. He walked the other way to talk to one of his basketball buddies. Sometimes I wondered what made me like him so much. I sat down at the table and started talking to one of the cheerleading girls. Every now and then I would glance up to look at the clock. It was going on eleven thirty. Just then Brooke walked up to me, her eyes as big as golf balls. “Allie come quick, Jenna needs help.” I rose from my seat with a sense of urgency, and followed Brooke out to the parking lot. When I approached the limo I saw feet hanging out of and open car door one without a shoe. “Its okay baby we’re going to get you home.” Ryan was sitting in the car holding a scrawny figure. “Is that Jenna?” I giggled. Brooke spoke, “One of the girls brought a canteen of vodka, and Lindsay Lohan here downed the whole thing.” “The whole thing?” I exclaimed. “Well someone needs to take her home, but she is going to be in so much trouble.” What if I take her home with me and one of you can just say she stayed with you? “Ryan suggested while holding onto his drunken girlfriend. “Brooke can stay the night with me and I will just tell my mom it’s Jenna.” I explained. “You don’t have any plans tonight do you?” She answered back, “No but you do, where is Jeremy? I sighed. “I don’t know probably in the room.” Ryan looked up at me. “Allie, just be careful, I know I can’t look after you like I used to but I just want you to thinks things over. I grabbed him and gave him a hug. Jenna was sound asleep. “You can always look after me big brother.” I kissed him on the head and closed the limo door. “You guys creep me out sometimes.” Brooke complained. “Have you two ever went out?” I chuckled back “Yeah when we were five and he asked me to marry him. Brooke and I walked inside arm in arm to the dance floor. On our way in Mr. Murray, the principal, was up on the stage announcing the prom king and queen. I looked over the ballroom for Jeremy but couldn’t find him. The room was filled with anticipation as Mr. Murray picked up the envelope. “And now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the crowning of this years prom king and prom queen. I will announce the queen first.” A drum roll started. Silence fell over the room and Mr. Murray’s voice was the only one that spoke. “This years Morton Heights High School Prom queen is…” He opened the envelope. “Shayne McDonald!” Brooke and I looked at each other and smiled. The crowed looked around and Shayne was no where to be found. Mr. Murray spoke again, “Shayne McDonald can you please come up and accept your crown?” “Well she got what she wanted, as always.” I sighed. Brooke comforted me. “Oh don’t worry about that girl. She only won because her dress blinded everyone and they couldn’t even see anybody else. I laid my head on her shoulder and looked at the clock. It was going on twelve. Courtney and Lindsay walked onto the stage to accept Shayne’s crown on there way down, the two were fighting over it like little boys in a sand box. “Jeremy told me he would be in the room at eleven thirty.” Brooke looked down at me in amazement. “Why the hell aren’t you up there then?” I smiled and looked up at her. “You think I should?” She stared at me with serious eyes. “Al, I think you should do what you want to do and stop worrying about the bad that can happen, go get him tiger.” She pushed me away and told me she would meet me at home at three. I got into the elevator and made my way up to the fifth floor. The elevator doors opened slowly and I walked out into the hallway alone. Searching through my purse for the room key, I approached the door. Key in hand I stared at the room number for a moment. After I gathered all the courage in my body I finally pushed the heavy door open. The room was black. I walked in and turned on the closest lights I could find. The room lit up, to the right was a small kitchen, that included a small stove top, a microwave, and a small refrigerator on the wall. A bar top stood in the middle with a small sink on one side and two stools on the other. On the opposite side of the bar was a small living room, with a flat screen television, couch and recliner. The bathroom was on the left across from the kitchen. “Wow, he really went all out,” I spoke to myself. Over to the left the master bedroom door was shut. I slowly approached it, “Jeremy? Are you in there?” I knocked twice and walked in. As I opened the door I heard heavy breathing and saw two figures on the bed. With cruel intentions I flipped on the lights. “Oh my god!” The girl figure screamed and rolled over. As she was turning over the male figure jumped up, it was Jeremy. Regretting going up there I took a look at the female figure, to my surprise, it was Shayne. My mouth dropped and tears started forming in my eyes. I slammed the door and started towards the hall. I heard someone behind me, and as I was attempting to open the other door, the person shut it. “Baby wait, let me explain.” “I turned with tears streaming down my face. “EXPLAIN! You want me to let you explain why you were in bed with that slut!” I opened the door and started out. “Baby I was drunk, and I didn’t know if you were going to come up…” So you decided to sleep with her huh?” I was trying to hold in the tears and speak at the same time. “Jeremy I tried, I gave you a chance, I took your cockiness, I took it all, and this is how you repay me! You said you loved me! I was done I turned around and left him standing in front of the door in only his boxers. “Wait, wait, so what’s this mean?” He stuttered. Without turning around I screamed at the top of my lungs. “Were over!” The elevator door opened, I stepped in and pressed the lobby button. Once the doors closed I fell to my knees and started bawling. I arrived down in the lobby and walked out the front doors no one even saw me leave. I didn’t know how far the hotel was from my house and personally I didn’t care, all I knew, was that I had to get away from there. It started to rain. Shoes in hand I started walking down the street with tears streaming down my face. Tyler watched her walk up the hill and smiled. “Well isn’t she something else.” He gathered up his tools and started up to his house. When he walked in he found his brother still in his work uniform sitting on the couch playing the Xbox 360, and his mother in the kitchen working on dinner. “Hey beautiful,” he walked over to his mother, kissed her on the cheek and put his things down. “Hey Tyler, where have you been?” “He responded back, “Oh down the river there is a little court and I just took dads tools down there to see if I could fix it up a bit.” Trey looked over from his video game “Why did you take dads tools?” “I don’t know, I didn’t think I was going to get interrogated for it.” Their mother spoke, “okay boys that’s enough.”
Do you like this beginning? Ok so I'm writing a novel and this is the beginning of it. Can you read it and maybe give me some critisizim or advice? I'll even take some problems or questions you have. Thank you in advance!: “Okay you hooligans in a few weeks were going to be starting our annual creative writing project.” The class groaned. Mr. Crawford had been our English teacher for the past few months, in place of our teacher Mrs. Thompson, who was on maternity leave. Mr. Crawford was a short, old, crazy haired, substitute teacher our class had gotten to know very easily. Unfortunately, there was twenty of us and one of him; so he had a really hard time with names, except Jeremy’s. That shouldn’t be a problem, right Mr. Scott?” Jeremy was talking with one of his bonehead jock friends. “Um…yeah sure” Jeremy laughed and snickered under his breath, “at least your daughter didn’t think so.” The right side of the room quietly chuckled. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Jeremy, I mean have been together since the beginning of the year. We one cutest couple, twice, and we had a good shot at winning prom king and queen. It’s just…sometimes, well most of the time he forgets to use his brain before he speaks, but who doesn’t have that problem, right? “See me after class Mr. Scott, and you can tell me all about it.” Mr. Crawford was in a good mood. “Jeff Carey, Michael Carter, Jenna Harrison.” Jenna, one of my best friends, moved here from Chicago last year. Have you ever had a best friend that you started out hating; then once you got to know them you fell in love? That is how Jenna and I started out. The first time I met her she was flirting with Trevor, the guy I liked when I was a sophomore, at the charity football game down at the old Hampton Church . Long story short, we did not start off on good terms. I confronted her at a party thrown by one of his friends. She threw her drink on me and I punched her in the nose. While we were going at it Trevor was having more than a good time watching two girls fight over him. While we were getting thrown out we both glanced over and saw him making out with a girl from another school. With that, we walked home together and talked things out. We were together everyday for cheerleading and she was with me the whole summer Brooke went to Arizona. We became best friends quickly and she was welcomed into our group with open arms. Jenna also dates my other best friend, Ryan. “Sarah Herbing Aaron Howard, Alexandra Martin.” “Um…Allie.” I spoke “Oh yeah, Allie, sorry” Mr. Crawford scribbled something down on his notepad, “Andrea Mattingly, Rachael May, Shayne McDonald.” Ugh. Shayne McDonald. Have you ever had that one girl in your class, you know, the one who thinks she is ten million times better than everyone else? Well, then you’ve met someone like Shayne McDonald. We used to be friends, until second grade when I accidentally got play-dough in her hair, she had to get almost all of it cut off and blamed me because all the boys called her bucket head. We lost touch during the summer and it was never the same. Her dad owned the top modeling agency in Morton Heights and gave birth to the top model. Of course, I had the hot boyfriend, who was also the all-star basketball player, the hottest best friends and, well I was pretty popular. I mean every cheerleader is, right? “Christian Mowry, Antwon Neal, we all know Jeremiah”, Jeremy shot him and evil look. “Oops, Jeremy is here.” Mr. Crawford said sarcastically. “Brittany Oliver, Cameron Price, Molly Robinson, Ryan Scott.” Ryan, or Ry as I call him, has been my friend for as long as I can remember. He is just like the bigger brother I never had, even though I’m three weeks older than him. When we were little my mom told us we were inseparable, and that people always thought we were brother and sister. One time, when we were eight, he and I found some matches and lighter fluid in my shed; we ran out back to get logs and I doused lighter fluid on them. Both of us tried, without success, to light the match (We didn’t really understand the whole concept). Finally he lit one and threw it on the pile of soaked wood. Flames shot for the sky and the next thing we know his mom is running towards us with an unpleased look on her face. We were both grounded for two weeks, and to this day, I will never regret having that much fun. We spent every single summer together and together we walked to and from school, he even taught me how to ride a skateboard. Even now, as juniors people still mistake us for a couple, which has happened to us since about fifth grade. Whenever I need help with Brooke or Jenna or anybody for that matter he is there. I can talk to him anytime I want to really, since he lives next door. Aaron Smith, Sophia Wal…” “Brooke Brooke!” “Please call me Brooke, Mr. Crawford”. “Man sorry Brooke, I’ll get it right one day.” He said and smiled “Is that everybody?” Sophia or Brooke had been my best friend since we were nine. She was the quiet, shy girl and I was the loud, center of attention. No connection right? Wrong. At our third grade picnic, the first time we met, my ex friend Shayne plotted revenge and decided it would be funny to put a ketchup filled tampon on my blanket and holler “Ew Allie had a little accident”. Brooke let me borrow a pair of shorts and healed my broken heart. She also gave Shayne a pretty good beating, but she doesn’t know I saw her do it. Why? Excellent question, maybe she just wanted to take up for the skinny nice girl. From then on we have been linked at the hip. I convinced her to join the cheerleading squad and we spent every day, every summer, (except for the one going into ninth grade) together. Singing and joking having a good time. The summer going into ninth grade, her mom passed away and she spent the summer in Arizona with her Grandparents. I called her everyday and we talked non-stop. Dinngggggggg! “Page 764 is due on Monday!” Mr. Crawford sputtered just before everyone blew out of the room. “Ugh can you believe this, homework on the weekend of Prom?” Brooke and I were walking down the crowded hallway with some of the cheerleading girls. “Oh my gosh tonight is going to be so fun!” “Yeah as long as they don’t spike the punch, like at the last dance.” A few of the girls chirped. “Brooke, you are going to be fine, I will help you with your English, if you help me with my calculus. Yeah it is going to be really exciting.” I laughed, “I’m just happy Jeremy is going, maybe this time he won’t end up drunk and lose his mind.” Amber chimed in, “you are so lucky, because honey, your boyfriend is fine. He got the body the looks the…” “Hey babe,” Jeremy said as Amber was finishing her your-man-is-so-fine-speech. Everyone was crowded around my locker. “You ready for tonight because I’m ready to…” he spun around, stuck his hand in the air and galloped in the middle of the hallway. “BUST A MOVE”, He said gallantly as he spun again and accompanied me and my locker. “Hey Al, I’ll meet you at the mall, five o’clock sharp.” Brooke added, “Nice moves Jeremy, better work on that spin if you want to win prom king tonight.” She said as the group walked away in awe. Jeremy was tall, slim and, had tan skin that complimented his jet black hair. He wore his royal blue and black letterman jacket (with his varsity basketball patches sewn across the back) and dirty jeans along with his favorite white and black nike’s. He was easily the most popular guy in school, he was a star on the basketball court, his parents were rich, he always had the nicest clothes, shoes, and of course a range rover as his sixteenth birthday present. When are you going to grow up?” I grinned and kissed him softly. He tried to lower his voice, as if he thought I was mad at him, “I’m sorry baby, it won’t happen again,” his eyes widened “but hey I have a surprise for you.” He pulled out a small rectangular black box. “Oh, Jeremy, you shouldn’t have.” I assured him as I slowly opened the box, expecting a lot more than its contents held. “Yeah what do you think about that”, He proudly exclaimed. He moved closer and whispered into my ear, “It’s a suit.” “No, you really shouldn’t have.” I closed my locker and shoved the box back in his chest. “I can’t believe how insensitive he is!” I shrieked, as Brooke, Jenna, and I were shuffling through the Morton Heights mall. “I can’t believe he actually got you guys a room,” Brooke replied laughing. Jenna chimed in “You know you are the only girl he has actually gotten a room for, he just took all the other girls to his house, and she laughed. “Oh my gosh, this is so not funny. I cried as we walked through the mall. I am going through a relationship crisis here, and you two, of all people are laughing and making jokes! We have been dating this whole year just to get to this point and I ca….” “Allie” “I just can’t take this right now I mean my…” “Allie?” “My mom is freaking out because tonight is my first prom and…” “ALEXANDRA FELICITY MARTIN!” Brooke yelled as we made our way into a store. Jenna chimed in, “Wow, she broke out the full name.” Brooke grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eyes, “Listen to me, I am your best friend, I love you, and Jeremy…Jeremy does too but he is a guy and guys are a little confused of what they want right now.” “But a room key Brooke, a room key, what kind of surprise is that supposed to be?” I sadly argued. “What am I supposed to do?” “How do you know he wants to have sex Al, he might just want to talk or something” Brooke concluded. “Yeah and maybe tomorrow it will snow in Florida.” Jenna responded sarcastically before she jerked through the clothes rack. I sighed, as I searched through the sea of necklaces. “Anyway it’s not like it’s your first time Allie, I mean come on, what’s the big deal?” Jenna added. The big deal was that I loved Jeremy. Somewhere between his silly comments, his hot body, and ridiculous study habits (that included no studying) I fell in love with him. Never before had I went all the way with somebody that I loved, and to tell you the truth, it scared me. In my eyes, it’s easy to give yourself up to some guy at a party or one of your friends brothers, you were most likely wasted anyway, and if you weren’t, its not like your going to have a future relationship, therefore nobody gets hurt. Harmless fun. The thought of having that special time that special moment with the one person who you love most, well it made me sick. To think that he is going to see me when I’m most vulnerable gave me a headache. “I think you just need to relax Al because honestly…” I looked up awaiting some of that good best friend advice. “Your boyfriend is so fine!” Brooke and Jenna sputtered in unison just before bursting into laughter. I quietly giggled to myself before facing them. “I just…I don’t know, expected more from him, I mean it’s been almost a year and he hasn’t said anything about it before.” “Except at Trevor’s party.” Jenna exclaimed boastfully. I looked around for Brooke and sighed, “Oh thank you, Jenna, for adding that wonderful piece of information to the conflict, and how many times do I have to tell you, he was drunk.” When Jeremy and I were together for a few months in the middle of the year, Trevor Dennison threw this big back to school bash for all the juniors. It was crazy, almost everyone was drinking, the walls were crowded with high school students about to blow chunks and the football team called for real strippers. Talk about a high school blowout. Jeremy offered to take me up into a room for some harmless fun. We started and I was into it at first but for some reason while we were in that room scenes floated through my head, the room started spinning and, suddenly it didn’t feel right. I realized that I liked him a lot more than any other guy I had gone this far with and I didn’t yet understand if I liked that feeling. I quickly got up and searched for my top. I walked to the door but he wouldn’t let me through. I told him he was drunk and we got into an argument that got way out of hand. I broke up with him that night and drove home crying hysterically, crying I called Jenna and Brooke, and told them everything, unfortunately, what I didn’t know was that it would come back to haunt me for the rest of my life. “Where is Brooke?” Jenna said looking around. Her phone rang and her eyes lit up. It must have been Ryan. She walked over to a bench and sat down. I looked up and saw my best friend. She was talking to some guy that looked as if he worked in the food court. He was a tall blonde, that looked like he was maybe in his early twenties. Just then, Shayne strutted into the store as we were on our way out. She was wearing a baby doll top with Capri‘s and heels accompanied by a beautiful coach purse that hadn’t even been seen in stores yet. Her father had obviously pulled some strings. Shayne had long dirty blonde hair that came down to the middle of her back. She was tan (probably from her recent purchase of a tanning bed, I know that because she practically advertised it to our whole fourth period class last week) with light blue eyes, and her make-up was very nicely done, it almost looked professional. Even though I believed she was the devils daughter, and hated to admit it, Shayne was very pretty, in her own skanky way. She was always put together and never out of style. That did not keep me from trying my best to humiliate her, “Look what the cat dragged in” I called as she stepped into the store. “Look what the cat spit up” she answered back. Shayne had two friends, or minions as I liked to call them, Courtney and Lindsey, they followed her around everywhere like a flock of geese. “Oh Allie, if only your so-called friends would have told you, your hips look like a package of hot dogs in those jeans. “Oh yeah because you know so much about being a good friend, don’t you? I shot back. Courtney chimed in “Oh yeah, well maybe one day you’ll be as pretty and as popular as Shayne.” “That will be the day, oh wait, today must be the day because I am certain she won’t win prom queen tonight. I answered back. I looked to walk between them and quickly scanned for Brooke. She was nowhere to be found.” “Is there a problem here Lady and the Tramps?” Brooke had already stepped into the conversation. “Oh you’ve come to be in the parade, wait, the freak show isn’t until the 28th, (she was referring to “The lights of California celebration”) its okay sweetheart you need all the practice you can get.” Shayne mentioned at the sight of Brooke. “You would know all about it sense, you, tweedle dee, and tweedle dumber, won first prize last year. Tell me, was it hard to walk and talk, like an idiot at the same time? Brooke waited on an answer, then Shayne spoke “Whatever, I’ll see you tonight, my prom queen crown awaits me, and I would just hate for you guys miss it.” She and her minions walked off giggling. “One of these days I’m going to show her…ugh.” I complained “ Let’s go guys, I have to be home at 5:30 so my mom can take pictures. We started out. “So who was that cutie in the food court?” I called. “Jenna added. “Wait, I thought you were going to the Prom with Jay?” “He was cute; I had to go check him out.” Brooke replied, He is twenty and he just moved here from North Carolina.” She added, him, his mom, and his baby brother live on the river, probably by you Al.” “Well Miss. America, did you get his number?” I laughed, “But of course Alexandra my darling” She said boastfully as she held up a strand of napkin with black numbers on it. Laughing, we walked out of the store and over to get smoothies. I saw Courtney and Lindsey in Rue 21 fighting over a skimpy little shirt. I smirked, “They’re definitely going to be running against you for the Miss America title.” Together, Brooke, Jenna and I walked out of the mall. “Tonight is going to be so fun” Brooke laughed. “A night to remember.” “Hey Mom, I’m home.” My house was unusually quiet. “Mom?” I walked into the living room. “Dad?” I walked into the kitchen and found a note. It read: Allie, Your father and I are attending his benefit dinner for work. We will be home around 6:30. Try to eat something, start getting ready and we will see you when we get home. Love, Mom P.S- Feed Max for me please, his food is in the garage. With the house to myself, I opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. Then I heard a strange noise. Thump, thump, thump. I stopped, the noise stopped. Quickly I walked out into the garage, to feed Max, our golden retriever. Walking back into the house I heard the sound again. This time harder and faster, thump, thump, thump. “What is that?” I thought to myself. The strange sound continued. I went through the back door and opened the fence to the waterfront. My house sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking the river and on the other side of the river was the entire city. A little bit past my back yard through the white picket fence and down the river front a little ways was an open lot. Back when we were in fifth grade some elderly couple cleared out the trees and was set to build a house there, until the man passed away just before they started to build. It has been empty ever sense. As I walked down the path to the waterfront I knew to be careful. A pebble path was the only way of getting to the bottom. Trees and bushes covered any other entrance. Ryan and I would come down here all the time when we were little and swing from the zipline we built, than ran across the river. Once, when Brooke and I were freshman we ran down to watch the “Lights of California.” It was this big festival right before Halloween, they had carnival games, rides, and all sorts of booths. At nine o’clock, every year they hosted a huge firework show over the river to bless the Halloween ghosts, and every year Brooke, Ryan and I would watch it together. Well when we were running down the pebble path I tripped and fell, well rolled down the hill, taking Brooke with me. Ryan laughed so hard he fell too and we all watched the fireworks with bruised bodies. When you arrive to the waterfront there’s a medium sized field on the left. To the right there is an old beat-up basketball goal, accompanied by small wooden swing overlooking the entire city. When we were little, Brooke and I would sneak out and meet here to talk. We never brought anybody down here, except Ryan, and it wasn’t until Jenna that we accepted anyone else to know about it. That was our special place, we could go down there to think, or read, or do pretty much anything. I hadn’t been there in a while. Water bottle in hand I stepped through the wooden barricade Brooke and I built in sixth grade to keep Thomas and Dylan Perry out. As I cleared through the brush I saw a tall hooded figure on a ladder, hammer in hand, up against the basketball goal. At first I thought it was Ryan and it wasn’t until I got closer that I realized it wasn’t him. He was hammering a wooden board over the old one and dismembering the rim. I started running down. “Hey you!” I stammered, “What do you think your doing?” Startled, the figure looked at me and started down the ladder. I walked towards him. When I finally approached him, he took out his head phones and started speaking. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know anybody lived here.” I stepped over the bushes and moved closer to him “I just moved here from Nor…” I cut him off. “Look here, I don’t care where you moved from or how you got here. This is my property and I don’t think you have permission to be hammering around like a maniac, and why are you wearing a hoodie in 80 degree weather? I was out of breath. He slowly took his hood off, started talking. He was tall, muscular and had dark brown hair cut to his ears along with sideburns. The boy had a soft face, slender body and the most beautiful light green eyes I had ever seen. He spoke again, “Look I’m sorry if I bothered you my name is…” He was wearing a blue Duke University hoodie, accompanied by some white and blue basketball shorts and black Air Jordan basketball shoes. I was stunned for a brief moment. I thought to myself, “What is wrong with me, like I haven’t ever seen a cute boy before.” He was still talking, “so maybe we could be fri…” I looked down at my watch, it was six o’clock and I still had to get ready. I stopped him again, “Okay I don’t have time to deal with this right now, I have a prom to go to now and when I get back I expect you be gone, Got it Bob the builder?” He babbled back, “Yeah…sure, whatever. I started up the hill and he yelled up at me. “Hey, can I get your number, you know, just in case I forget my hammer or my tools here. Just so you can get them back to me?” I turned around, the pick-up lines guys use today. I fiddled through my pockets and found what I was looking for. I threw him the coin and answered back, “Heads you might get my number, tails, you leave.” He caught it and hollered up. “Heads it is.” He fumbled with the coin. “So do I still have to leave?” I walked into my back door and was met by my mother. “Hey sweetheart”, she walked over to shut the door, “where have you been?” I answered back. “Nowhere, just walking Max.” “Well sit down Allie, your father and I have some pleasant news.” I walked into the living room, in no way was I prepared for the news they welcomed me with. “Moving!” I cried.” Were moving!” My father stammered, “Honey, it is only for a couple of years, we can come back and visit whenever you want to.” “No Dad, a couple of years is too long, what about Brooke, Ryan, and Jenna, and Jeremy and the cheerleading squad. Did you think about them?” “Sweetheart”, my mother added quietly. “You can make new friends in Michigan and I‘m sure they have a cheerleading team.” “ Michigan … Michigan !” I shouted. “Your moving me half-way across the county away from everything I love and that is supposed to be good news?” “I can’t believe you two right now.” I got up and turned my back “It was a very good job offer and your father had to take it.” I started to my room. “Look here missy, this is my house and my rules, your moving to Michigan weather you like it or not.” My mother scolded me. “No Mom,” I shot back, “Right now I am going to my first prom, and probably last prom at Morton Heights, don’t speak to me don’t try to take pictures. Just stay down here and think about how much you are ruining my life.” My father tried to speak as I was walking up the stairs. “Alexandra, honey co…” I slammed my door and smothered my face into my pillow. After a few minutes I got up and looked out my window, good, the boy was gone. Lying on my bed, I found myself thinking about him, he was really cute and kind of witty in his own little way. I glanced down at my clock and realized it was seven o’clock. Brooke and Jeremy would be here to pick me up in one hour. I took a shower, fixed my hair and make-up, and then slid the red dress over my head. I was getting my shoes and purse ready when I saw Jeremy pull into my drive way. I grabbed my things and he met me at the door. Instead of waiting inside my house for the limo we sat in his car. “Allie, what’s wrong babe?” “Nothing, just ready to leave” I sighed and Jeremy got out of the car. I turned look at him and saw the limo. It was an Escalade stretch limo and took up almost my whole driveway. Brooke stuck her head out of the sun roof and yelled, “Its party time baby!” The way to the Prom was nothing less than I expected. The long car included most of the basketball team and cheerleaders plus Me, Jeremy, Brooke, Jay, Jenna, and Ryan. Everyone was laughing and having a good time while I was still marinating in my parents recent decision to move me away from all humanity. Brooke noticed something was wrong, she slid over and took a seat between me and Jeremy. “What’s up girl?” Brooke asked gasping for breath after singing Car wash with the rest of our crew. I answered back covering up my real feelings. I looked up “You know the last time we were in a limo was for our eighth grade dance, remember?” “Yeah, you and Ryan went together. And Jenna was really mad at me because I went with Aaron Gates.” She replied back. I laughed, “And we spent forty minutes in the bathroom trying to get that punch out of your dress that Ryan spilled on you because he was so nervous. We both laughed. “Those were the good old days huh?” She giggled. “Hey stop looking back, try to have some fun tonight okay?” “Just promise me you’ll have fun tonight okay?” “I will.” I assured her. When we stepped into the Belmont hotel all of us looked around with wide eyes. Black and blue streamers covered the walls of the beautiful ball room. The hard wood floor glistened through the sun roof and reflected off of every girl’s jewelry. Everyone was dollied up from head to toe. Girls had their hair and nails done accompanied by guys with fresh cuts and new suits as well. The stage was in the center of the room under a giant disco ball, surrounded by several small spotlights. Balloons and confetti were held overhead by a large basket, ready to fall when king and queen were announced. The room was filled with adrenaline pumped teenagers ready for a night of fun. We all gracefully walked down the ballroom stairs and found a table to put our things onto. Ryan and Jenna sat together while Jay and Brooke got everyone some punch. Jeremy and I were out on the dance floor dancing the night away. He must have already been drinking a little. Pretty soon everybody joined us and we were all having a blast when the one and only made her entrance. Shayne walked down the ballroom stairs accompanied by some boy I had never seen before. She wore an average sized blue dress with many small silver sequins patched onto it, along with silver shoes that had the same sequins on them. Around her neck was the most beautiful diamond I had ever laid my eyes on. It was white surrounded by many smaller blue diamonds stringing around her. With every move she made one of the diamonds caught the light and blinded everyone in the ballroom. “She always has to make an entrance,” I said to Jeremy who was staring at Shayne in awe. He said nothing for a second then answered back, “Whoa, she’s hot.” I looked at him in disbelief and stormed off to the table. As I was making my way through the crowd something caught my arm. “Look baby I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I’ll be in the room at eleven thirty.” I snatched my arm away and kept walking. He walked the other way to talk to one of his basketball buddies. Sometimes I wondered what made me like him so much. I sat down at the table and started talking to one of the cheerleading girls. Every now and then I would glance up to look at the clock. It was going on eleven thirty. Just then Brooke walked up to me, her eyes as big as golf balls. “Allie come quick, Jenna needs help.” I rose from my seat with a sense of urgency, and followed Brooke out to the parking lot. When I approached the limo I saw feet hanging out of and open car door one without a shoe. “Its okay baby we’re going to get you home.” Ryan was sitting in the car holding a scrawny figure. “Is that Jenna?” I giggled. Brooke spoke, “One of the girls brought a canteen of vodka, and Lindsay Lohan here downed the whole thing.” “The whole thing?” I exclaimed. “Well someone needs to take her home, but she is going to be in so much trouble.” What if I take her home with me and one of you can just say she stayed with you? “Ryan suggested while holding onto his drunken girlfriend. “Brooke can stay the night with me and I will just tell my mom it’s Jenna.” I explained. “You don’t have any plans tonight do you?” She answered back, “No but you do, where is Jeremy? I sighed. “I don’t know probably in the room.” Ryan looked up at me. “Allie, just be careful, I know I can’t look after you like I used to but I just want you to thinks things over. I grabbed him and gave him a hug. Jenna was sound asleep. “You can always look after me big brother.” I kissed him on the head and closed the limo door. “You guys creep me out sometimes.” Brooke complained. “Have you two ever went out?” I chuckled back “Yeah when we were five and he asked me to marry him. Brooke and I walked inside arm in arm to the dance floor. On our way in Mr. Murray, the principal, was up on the stage announcing the prom king and queen. I looked over the ballroom for Jeremy but couldn’t find him. The room was filled with anticipation as Mr. Murray picked up the envelope. “And now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the crowning of this years prom king and prom queen. I will announce the queen first.” A drum roll started. Silence fell over the room and Mr. Murray’s voice was the only one that spoke. “This years Morton Heights High School Prom queen is…” He opened the envelope. “Shayne McDonald!” Brooke and I looked at each other and smiled. The crowed looked around and Shayne was no where to be found. Mr. Murray spoke again, “Shayne McDonald can you please come up and accept your crown?” “Well she got what she wanted, as always.” I sighed. Brooke comforted me. “Oh don’t worry about that girl. She only won because her dress blinded everyone and they couldn’t even see anybody else. I laid my head on her shoulder and looked at the clock. It was going on twelve. Courtney and Lindsay walked onto the stage to accept Shayne’s crown on there way down, the two were fighting over it like little boys in a sand box. “Jeremy told me he would be in the room at eleven thirty.” Brooke looked down at me in amazement. “Why the hell aren’t you up there then?” I smiled and looked up at her. “You think I should?” She stared at me with serious eyes. “Al, I think you should do what you want to do and stop worrying about the bad that can happen, go get him tiger.” She pushed me away and told me she would meet me at home at three. I got into the elevator and made my way up to the fifth floor. The elevator doors opened slowly and I walked out into the hallway alone. Searching through my purse for the room key, I approached the door. Key in hand I stared at the room number for a moment. After I gathered all the courage in my body I finally pushed the heavy door open. The room was black. I walked in and turned on the closest lights I could find. The room lit up, to the right was a small kitchen, that included a small stove top, a microwave, and a small refrigerator on the wall. A bar top stood in the middle with a small sink on one side and two stools on the other. On the opposite side of the bar was a small living room, with a flat screen television, couch and recliner. The bathroom was on the left across from the kitchen. “Wow, he really went all out,” I spoke to myself. Over to the left the master bedroom door was shut. I slowly approached it, “Jeremy? Are you in there?” I knocked twice and walked in. As I opened the door I heard heavy breathing and saw two figures on the bed. With cruel intentions I flipped on the lights. “Oh my god!” The girl figure screamed and rolled over. As she was turning over the male figure jumped up, it was Jeremy. Regretting going up there I took a look at the female figure, to my surprise, it was Shayne. My mouth dropped and tears started forming in my eyes. I slammed the door and started towards the hall. I heard someone behind me, and as I was attempting to open the other door, the person shut it. “Baby wait, let me explain.” “I turned with tears streaming down my face. “EXPLAIN! You want me to let you explain why you were in bed with that slut!” I opened the door and started out. “Baby I was drunk, and I didn’t know if you were going to come up…” So you decided to sleep with her huh?” I was trying to hold in the tears and speak at the same time. “Jeremy I tried, I gave you a chance, I took your *********, I took it all, and this is how you repay me! You said you loved me! I was done I turned around and left him standing in front of the door in only his boxers. “Wait, wait, so what’s this mean?” He stuttered. Without turning around I screamed at the top of my lungs. “Were over!” The elevator door opened, I stepped in and pressed the lobby button. Once the doors closed I fell to my knees and started bawling. I arrived down in the lobby and walked out the front doors no one even saw me leave. I didn’t know how far the hotel was from my house and personally I didn’t care, all I knew, was that I had to get away from there. It started to rain. Shoes in hand I started walking down the street with tears streaming down my face. Tyler watched her walk up the hill and smiled. “Well isn’t she something else.” He gathered up his tools and started up to his house. When he walked in he found his brother still in his work uniform sitting on the couch playing the Xbox 360, and his mother in the kitchen working on dinner. “Hey beautiful,” he walked over to his mother, kissed her on the cheek and put his things down. “Hey Tyler, where have you been?” “He responded back, “Oh down the river there is a little court and I just took dads tools down there to see if I could fix it up a bit.” Trey looked over from his video game “Why did you take dads tools?” “I don’t know, I didn’t think I was going to get interrogated for it.” Their mother spoke, “okay boys that’s enough.”
How Many of these Moderators are on the Purdue Cytometry Mail List? Author Topic mlinde Member United States 17 Posts Posted - February 03 2006 : 6:21:13 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm looking into flow cytometer analysis programs for the PC and I was wondering whether anyone had any insight into which programs were the most useful and worthwhile. From what I have seen, Flow-Jo and FCSexpress are the more commonly used PC programs. Does anyone have any experience with either of these programs? The other option would be to purchase another Macintosh and use CellQuest. Advice, comments, suggestions? rakeshverma Member United States 93 Posts Posted - February 04 2006 : 10:46:54 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have used CellQuest. Its a good option. Antonio68 Member Germany 20 Posts Posted - May 01 2006 : 11:48:43 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can use Summit from Dako is free and gives you the possibility to do offline compensation. However, the best flow cytometry software is FlowJo. There is a PC (Java based) and a Mac version. The Mac version for the moment is quite better. lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1028 Posts Posted - July 06 2006 : 4:59:46 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm not a PC person, but am an ardent flow person. My flow friends with PCs swear by WinMidi, which is free. If you Google for free flow cytometry software, you'll come to 2 sites, one at UMass, one at Scripps. Lots of free analysis software for the PC, maybe because BD relied on Macs for so long. mlinde Member United States WI 17 Posts Posted - August 02 2006 : 5:44:55 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an update, I tried trial versions of FCSexpress and FlowJo and wasn't really happy with either of them compared to Cell Quest. I found FCSexpress almost impossible to work with. FlowJo was alright, but I don't think I had the time to really get the software down. Anyone know if BD ever plans to put out CellQuest on PC? lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1028 Posts Posted - August 09 2006 : 1:22:04 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an update, I tried trial versions of FCSexpress and FlowJo and wasn't really happy with either of them compared to Cell Quest. I found FCSexpress almost impossible to work with. FlowJo was alright, but I don't think I had the time to really get the software down. Anyone know if BD ever plans to put out CellQuest on PC? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don't quote me, but I do believe that CellQuest is available for PC because the newer BD flow cytometers are digital and use PCs for acquisition. Mlinde, have you ever tried WinList or WinMidi? Both of those were written for PCs. Also WEASEL comes in PC and Mac versions. Did you read the flow perspectives? There is a software discussion there. (Disclosure-- I wrote it). Mlinde or anyone else, you can contact me through the SAB e-mail system if you want to discuss flow software or anything flow some more off the forum. I'll be glad to help if I can. Edited by - lovesthelab on August 09 2006 1:24:07 PM PLapierre Senior Member Canada 242 Posts Posted - February 11 2008 : 7:49:11 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For PC a i think WEASEL is the best free alternative. I haven't tried many but there any many alternatives Author Topic mlinde Member United States 17 Posts Posted - February 03 2006 : 6:21:13 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm looking into flow cytometer analysis programs for the PC and I was wondering whether anyone had any insight into which programs were the most useful and worthwhile. From what I have seen, Flow-Jo and FCSexpress are the more commonly used PC programs. Does anyone have any experience with either of these programs? The other option would be to purchase another Macintosh and use CellQuest. Advice, comments, suggestions? rakeshverma Member United States 93 Posts Posted - February 04 2006 : 10:46:54 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have used CellQuest. Its a good option. Antonio68 Member Germany 20 Posts Posted - May 01 2006 : 11:48:43 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can use Summit from Dako is free and gives you the possibility to do offline compensation. However, the best flow cytometry software is FlowJo. There is a PC (Java based) and a Mac version. The Mac version for the moment is quite better. lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1028 Posts Posted - July 06 2006 : 4:59:46 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm not a PC person, but am an ardent flow person. My flow friends with PCs swear by WinMidi, which is free. If you Google for free flow cytometry software, you'll come to 2 sites, one at UMass, one at Scripps. Lots of free analysis software for the PC, maybe because BD relied on Macs for so long. mlinde Member United States 17 Posts Posted - August 02 2006 : 5:44:55 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an update, I tried trial versions of FCSexpress and FlowJo and wasn't really happy with either of them compared to Cell Quest. I found FCSexpress almost impossible to work with. FlowJo was alright, but I don't think I had the time to really get the software down. Anyone know if BD ever plans to put out CellQuest on PC? lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1028 Posts Posted - August 09 2006 : 1:22:04 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an update, I tried trial versions of FCSexpress and FlowJo and wasn't really happy with either of them compared to Cell Quest. I found FCSexpress almost impossible to work with. FlowJo was alright, but I don't think I had the time to really get the software down. Anyone know if BD ever plans to put out CellQuest on PC? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don't quote me, but I do believe that CellQuest is available for PC because the newer BD flow cytometers are digital and use PCs for acquisition. Mlinde, have you ever tried WinList or WinMidi? Both of those were written for PCs. Also WEASEL comes in PC and Mac versions. Did you read the flow perspectives? There is a software discussion there. (Disclosure-- I wrote it). Mlinde or anyone else, you can contact me through the SAB e-mail system if you want to discuss flow software or anything flow some more off the forum. I'll be glad to help if I can. Edited by - lovesthelab on August 09 2006 1:24:07 PM PLapierre Senior Member Canada 242 Posts Posted - February 11 2008 : 7:49:11 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For PC a i think WEASEL is the best free alternative. I haven't tried many but there any many alternatives anyway.. Author Topic mlinde Member United States 17 Posts Posted - February 03 2006 : 6:21:13 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm looking into flow cytometer analysis programs for the PC and I was wondering whether anyone had any insight into which programs were the most useful and worthwhile. From what I have seen, Flow-Jo and FCSexpress are the more commonly used PC programs. Does anyone have any experience with either of these programs? The other option would be to purchase another Macintosh and use CellQuest. Advice, comments, suggestions? rakeshverma Member United States 93 Posts Posted - February 04 2006 : 10:46:54 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have used CellQuest. Its a good option. Antonio68 Member Germany 20 Posts Posted - May 01 2006 : 11:48:43 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can use Summit from Dako is free and gives you the possibility to do offline compensation. However, the best flow cytometry software is FlowJo. There is a PC (Java based) and a Mac version. The Mac version for the moment is quite better. lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1028 Posts Posted - July 06 2006 : 4:59:46 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm not a PC person, but am an ardent flow person. My flow friends with PCs swear by WinMidi, which is free. If you Google for free flow cytometry software, you'll come to 2 sites, one at UMass, one at Scripps. Lots of free analysis software for the PC, maybe because BD relied on Macs for so long. mlinde Member United States 17 Posts Posted - August 02 2006 : 5:44:55 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an update, I tried trial versions of FCSexpress and FlowJo and wasn't really happy with either of them compared to Cell Quest. I found FCSexpress almost impossible to work with. FlowJo was alright, but I don't think I had the time to really get the software down. Anyone know if BD ever plans to put out CellQuest on PC? lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1028 Posts Posted - August 09 2006 : 1:22:04 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an update, I tried trial versions of FCSexpress and FlowJo and wasn't really happy with either of them compared to Cell Quest. I found FCSexpress almost impossible to work with. FlowJo was alright, but I don't think I had the time to really get the software down. Anyone know if BD ever plans to put out CellQuest on PC? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don't quote me, but I do believe that CellQuest is available for PC because the newer BD flow cytometers are digital and use PCs for acquisition. Mlinde, have you ever tried WinList or WinMidi? Both of those were written for PCs. Also WEASEL comes in PC and Mac versions.Author Topic mlinde Member United States 17 Posts Posted - February 03 2006 : 6:21:13 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm looking into flow cytometer analysis programs for the PC and I was wondering whether anyone had any insight into which programs were the most useful and worthwhile. From what I have seen, Flow-Jo and FCSexpress are the more commonly used PC programs. Does anyone have any experience with either of these programs? The other option would be to purchase another Macintosh and use CellQuest. Advice, comments, suggestions? rakeshverma Member United States 93 Posts Posted - February 04 2006 : 10:46:54 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have used CellQuest. Its a good option. Antonio68 Member Germany 20 Posts Posted - May 01 2006 : 11:48:43 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can use Summit from Dako is free and gives you the possibility to do offline compensation. However, the best flow cytometry software is FlowJo. There is a PC (Java based) and a Mac version. The Mac version for the moment is quite better. lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1028 Posts Posted - July 06 2006 : 4:59:46 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm not a PC person, but am an ardent flow person. My flow friends with PCs swear by WinMidi, which is free. If you Google for free flow cytometry software, you'll come to 2 sites, one at UMass, one at Scripps. Lots of free analysis software for the PC, maybe because BD relied on Macs for so long. mlinde Member United States 17 Posts Posted - August 02 2006 : 5:44:55 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an update, I tried trial versions of FCSexpress and FlowJo and wasn't really happy with either of them compared to Cell Quest. I found FCSexpress almost impossible to work with. FlowJo was alright, but I don't think I had the time to really get the software down. Anyone know if BD ever plans to put out CellQuest on PC? lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1028 Posts Posted - August 09 2006 : 1:22:04 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an update, I tried trial versions of FCSexpress and FlowJo and wasn't really happy with either of them compared to Cell Quest. I found FCSexpress almost impossible to work with. FlowJo was alright, but I don't think I had the time to really get the software down. Anyone know if BD ever plans to put out CellQuest on PC? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don't quote me, but I do believe that CellQuest is available for PC because the newer BD flow cytometers are digital and use PCs for acquisition. Mlinde, have you ever tried WinList or WinMidi? Both of those were written for PCs. Also WEASEL comes in PC and Mac versions. Did you read the flow perspectives? There is a software discussion there. (Disclosure-- I wrote it). Mlinde or anyone else, you can contact me through the SAB e-mail system if you want to discuss flow software or anything flow some more off the forum. I'll be glad to help if I can. Edited by - lovesthelab on August 09 2006 1:24:07 PM PLapierre Senior Member Canada 242 Posts Posted - February 11 2008 : 7:49:11 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For PC a i think WEASEL is the best free alternative. I haven't tried many but there any many alternatives anyway.. Mlinde or anyone else, you can contact me through the SAB e-mail system if you want to discuss flow software or anything flow some more off the forum. I'll be glad to help if I can. Edited by - lovesthelab on August 09 2006 1:24:07 PM PLapierre Senior Member Canada 242 Posts Posted - February 11 2008 : 7:49:11 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For PC a i think WEASEL is the best free alternative. I haven't tried many but there any many alternatives anyway.. Flow Cytometry Plus Microscopy "The visualpower of microscopy plus the statistical rigor of flow cytometry rolled into 1 package." That's the company's tag line. And they deliver. LOVETHELAB?************ I'm a BD flow lover, a confirmed Mac user (I tell everyone "I don't do Windows"). So why am I touting a machine made by Amnis that requires Windows? Because this instrument goes above and beyond mere flow cytometry- it shows you every event (that's cell to non-flow users) in detail. I used it and I am sold. It takes a single experiment now to do intracellular localization, in place of two. A simpler caspase activation assay. What's not to love? Even the computer quandary is solvable (the one feature I'd change: I'd have it run off a Mac) - with an Intel Mac; just get Parallels software, install Windows, and you are good to go, or rather, run. And the ImageStream can run off an Intel Mac this way too. I bought an Intel iMac just for analysis. Installation of Parallels was easy, IDEAS is about as intuitional as any flow software package. And Amnnis reps bend over to be helpful. Don't let the price tag scare you; rather, help write a shared- instrument grant (we did) for your institution to get one. It is simply amazing. Review by lovesthelab ************************************************** ************************************************** ***************************** lovesthelab Senior Member United States 807 Posts Posted - August 09 2006 : 1:22:04 PM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- quote: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an update, I tried trial versions of FCSexpress and FlowJo and wasn't really happy with either of them compared to Cell Quest. I found FCSexpress almost impossible to work with. FlowJo was alright, but I don't think I had the time to really get the software down. Anyone know if BD ever plans to put out CellQuest on PC? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Science Advisory Board Home | Forums | My Profile | Active Topics | Members | Search | News | Resources | Studies | About Us | Site Map Screen Name: Password: Save Password Forgot your Password? All Forums Software Flow cytometer analysis on PC Printer Friendly Author Topic mlinde Member United States 11 Posts Posted - February 03 2006 : 6:21:13 PM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm looking into flow cytometer analysis programs for the PC and I was wondering whether anyone had any insight into which programs were the most useful and worthwhile. From what I have seen, Flow-Jo and FCSexpress are the more commonly used PC programs. Does anyone have any experience with either of these programs? The other option would be to purchase another Macintosh and use CellQuest. Advice, comments, suggestions? rakeshverma Member United States 93 Posts Posted - February 04 2006 : 10:46:54 PM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have used CellQuest. Its a good option. Antonio68 Member Germany 20 Posts Posted - May 01 2006 : 11:48:43 AM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can use Summit from Dako is free and gives you the possibility to do offline compensation. However, the best flow cytometry software is FlowJo. There is a PC (Java based) and a Mac version. The Mac version for the moment is quite better. lovesthelab Senior Member United States 807 Posts Posted - July 06 2006 : 4:59:46 PM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm not a PC person, but am an ardent flow person. My flow friends with PCs swear by WinMidi, which is free. If you Google for free flow cytometry software, you'll come to 2 sites, one at UMass, one at Scripps. Lots of free analysis software for the PC, maybe because BD relied on Macs for so long. mlinde Member United States 11 Posts Posted - August 02 2006 : 5:44:55 PM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an update, I tried trial versions of FCSexpress and FlowJo and wasn't really happy with either of them compared to Cell Quest. I found FCSexpress almost impossible to work with. FlowJo was alright, but I don't think I had the time to really get the software down. Anyone know if BD ever plans to put out CellQuest on PC? lovesthelab Senior Member United States 807 Posts Posted - August 09 2006 : 1:22:04 PM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- quote: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an update, I tried trial versions of FCSexpress and FlowJo and wasn't really happy with either of them compared to Cell Quest. I found FCSexpress almost impossible to work with. FlowJo was alright, but I don't think I had the time to really get the software down. Anyone know if BD ever plans to put out CellQuest on PC? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don't quote me, but I do believe that CellQuest is available for PC because the newer BD flow cytometers are digital and use PCs for acquisition. Mlinde, have you ever tried WinList or WinMidi? Both of those were written for PCs. Also WEASEL comes in PC and Mac versions. Did you read the flow perspectives? There is a software discussion there. (Disclosure-- I wrote it). Mlinde or anyone else, you can contact me through the SAB e-mail system if you want to discuss flow software or anything flow some more off the forum. I'll be glad to help if I can. Edited by - lovesthelab on August 09 2006 1:24:07 PM rgrant Moderator Australia 2364 Posts Posted - October 10 2007 : 02:34:47 AM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, it took me about 30 seconds to discover that Mitchell Haynes is VP Sales at Kanecki - see http://www.kanecki.com/about.html Admin, this is blatant advertising (MH started this thread yesterday). -- "I don't have a lot of use for Coldplay most of the time" -- rwintle http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/rpg rwintle Advanced Member Canada 4710 Posts Posted - October 10 2007 : 10:49:46 AM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AND SOMEBODY TELL HIM TO STOP SHOUTING. khenwood67 Administrator United States 248 Posts Posted - October 10 2007 : 11:03:53 AM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I've deleted the topic that he started, and also deleted his post in this forum. He won't be posting on the forums again. Kathryn Henwood Membership Coordinator The Science Advisory Board k.henw...@scienceboard.net Printer Friendly Jump To: Select Forum Et Cetera Humor in Don't quote me, but I do believe that CellQuest is available for PC because the newer BD flow cytometers are digital and use PCs for acquisition. Mlinde, have you ever tried WinList or WinMidi? Both of those were written for PCs. Also WEASEL comes in PC and Mac versions. Did you read the flow perspectives? There is a software discussion there. (Disclosure-- I wrote it). Mlinde or anyone else, you can contact me through the SAB e-mail system if you want to discuss flow software or anything flow some more off the forum. I'll be glad to help if I can. Edited by - lovesthelab on August 09 2006 1:24:07 PM ********************************************** rgrant ************************************************** *********************** Moderator Australia 2364 Posts Posted - October 10 2007 : 02:34:47 AM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, it took me about 30 seconds to discover that Mitchell Haynes is ******************************************* VP Sales at Kanecki - see http://www.kanecki.com/about.html Admin, this is blatant advertising (MH started this thread yesterday). -- "I don't have a lot of use for Coldplay most of the time" -- rwintle http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/rpg ************************************************** *************** WELL I MUST BE SHOUTING SINCE THIS IS IN CAPITAL LETTERS. WHO IS ON THE PURDUE CYTMETRY MAIL LIST OR WAS THAT MAKES THESE COMMENTS? DOES PURDUE *********MANAGE THE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD? Admin, this is blatant advertising (MH started this thread yesterday). THE DISCLAIMER JUST POPPED UP FOR SCIENTIST SOLUTIONS PUCL PURDUE CYTOMETRY MAIL LIST **********MANAGES**** THE DISCUSSIONS..... ARE PEOPLE GETTING INFLUENCED ANSWERS WITH LEADING QUESTIONS TO PROMOTE SOFTWARE? SAME PEOPLE IN SAME CONVERSATIONS Mitchell Haynes is ******************************************* VP Sales at Kanecki - see http://www.kanecki.com/about.html Lovesthelab Did you read the flow perspectives? There is a software discussion there. (Disclosure-- I wrote it). So why is she giving referrals on software? ???????????? WHO CAN YOU GET HONEST ANSWERS FROM WITH *********NO INFLUENCE???? ****** General Flow Cytometry Resources Purdue University Cytometry Laboratory Website Start learning about flow cytometry on the web at this site. The most comprehensive flow cytometry and analytical cytology website I have found. You will find resources ranging from archived protocols to request forms for the latest protocols CD-ROMs - and they are free while supplies last. Job listings, meetings, journals, latest developments- it is all here. Lectures Website Dr. J. Paul Robinson, Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, has put a compilation of lec-ture slides on a website. Some of the information is bullet statements, but the pictures are great. If you've never seen a flow cytometer, you'll see lots of them here. If you are new to flow, you'll find in-troductory slides here. Practical Flow Cytometry, Fourth Edition by Howard Shapiro, published by J. Wiley & Sons, 2003. Website Dr. Shapiro has kindly put his textbook online through Molecular Probes. It is free! Yes, you do need to register to see it, but that's all you need to do, and you have access forever. Flow Cytometry E-mail Discussion Group Website Have a question? Novices to experts, all levels of questions are welcome. This e-mail group has been invaluable to me. E-mails are archived and can be searched by topic. International Society for Analytical Cytology Website The premier society for flow cytometry, it publishes Cytometry Parts A and B (Clinical Cytometry), Case Studies in Clinical Flow Cytometry, and Current Protocols in Cytometry. These are available on-line, but you must be subscribed for access. Regular dues are US $126; fees are deeply dis-counted for students, post-doctoral fellows, and scientists from developing nations. Please consider joining. National Flow Cytometry Resource, Los Alamos National Laboratories Website Where the cutting edge happens. NFCR runs a course every June that alternates between Los Ala-mos and New England. I recommend it to the serious flow person; you will learn a tremendous amount, including how to build your own flow cytometer, if you are so inclined. FlowCyte Website This discussion group is dedicated to flow users interested in developing uniform bioinformatics standards. They are also developing analysis and statistics software for flow users. SUCH A LARGE LIST TOOOOOO ALL GOES BACK TO J PAUL ROBINSON JUST GOOGLE PURDUE CYTOMETRY MAIL LIST YOU WILL FIND ALL YOUR MODERATIORS PROBABLY WENT THROUGHT THE LIST Re: mr on Apple web site * This message: [ Message body ] [ More options ] * Related messages: [ Next message ] [ Previous message ] [ In reply to ] [ Next in thread ] From: J. Paul Robinson <j...@flowcyt.cyto.purdue.edu> Date: Mon Aug 23 2004 - 18:46:12 EST I knew that I should not have taken Mario's bait....but its been a long summer.....! paul - Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - J.Paul Robinson, PhD PH765)4940757 Professor of Immunopharmacology Professor of Biomedical Engineering Purdue University FAX765)4940517 EMAIL:j...@flowcyt.cyto.purdue.edu WEB: http://www.cyto.purdue.edu Have you seen our new HCS webpage? http://www.cyto.purdue.edu/hcs Received on Tue Aug 24 15:58:00 2004 * This message: [ Message body ] * Next message: Fischer, Randy (NIH/NIAMS): "RE: mr on Apple web site" * Previous message: Beverly Barton: "Re: mr on Apple web site" * In reply to: Beverly Barton: "Re: mr on Apple web site" * Next in thread: Fischer, Randy (NIH/NIAMS): "RE: mr on Apple web site" * Contemporary messages sorted: [ By Date ] [ By Thread ] [ By Subject ] [ By Author ] [ By messages with attachments ] This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.8 : Wed Aug 25 2004 - 03:12:04 EST Posted by Mitch Haynes On Mar 1, 12:56 pm, Mitch Haynes <mitchhay...@gmail.com> wrote: The Science Advisory Board - Protocols, Product Reviews, Member ... Dec 14, 2006 ... Dr. Beverly Barton of the New Jersey Medical School, USA and Dr. Richard Wintle of The Centre for Applied Genomics, Toronto, Canada were the ... http://www.scienceboard.net/communit.../news.314.html - 23k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this Posted by Mitch Haynes On Mar 3, 11:20*pm, Mitch Haynes <mitchhay...@gmail.com> wrote: PLapierre Senior Member Canada 262 Posts Posted - February 11 2008 : 7:42:43 PM Show Profile Visit PLapierre's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply to Topic What do you think is a better platform for bioinformatics, i think it use to be mac (Dnasis, etc) but i think its changing, i m happy that Intel mac can run windows now! What do you think? Kannan Senior Member India 188 Posts Posted - February 12 2008 : 12:26:48 AM Show Profile Visit Kannan's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply Let it be MAC or PC. The software should be compatible.Go to Top of Page rgrant Moderator Australia 2514 Posts Posted - February 12 2008 : 01:08:26 AM Show Profile Visit rgrant's Homepage Send rgrant a Yahoo! Message Send rgrant an instant message Reply with Quote Reply Unix. Every time. -- "I don't have a lot of use for Coldplay most of the time" -- rwintle http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/rpg Go to Top of Page Nexins Advanced Member Germany 2631 Posts Posted - February 12 2008 : 03:34:26 AM Show Profile Visit Nexins's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply Unix = Mac OSX. no need to comment more. -- 'Work should not interfere with the quality of life' -Dr. Alex SavovGo to Top of Page Ana Laura Senior Member Argentina 351 Posts Posted - February 12 2008 : 3:28:00 PM Show Profile Visit Ana Laura's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply Why would anyone infect a Mac with Windows?Go to Top of Page rgrant Moderator Australia 2514 Posts Posted - February 12 2008 : 6:05:10 PM Show Profile Visit rgrant's Homepage Send rgrant a Yahoo! Message Send rgrant an instant message Reply with Quote Reply Sometimes, Ana, it is unfortunately unavoidable. Doesn't mean I have to like it. A bit like public transport, really. -- "I don't have a lot of use for Coldplay most of the time" -- rwintle http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/rpg Go to Top of Page jooly Senior Member United Kingdom 740 Posts Posted - February 12 2008 : 6:26:32 PM Show Profile Visit jooly's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply Note: I am resolutely not having anything to do with this debate.Go to Top of Page rgrant Moderator Australia 2514 Posts Posted - February 12 2008 : 8:05:25 PM Show Profile Visit rgrant's Homepage Send rgrant a Yahoo! Message Send rgrant an instant message Reply with Quote Reply And we love you for that, Jooly -- "I don't have a lot of use for Coldplay most of the time" -- rwintle http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/rpg Go to Top of Page lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1032 Posts Posted - February 13 2008 : 10:08:25 AM Show Profile Visit lovesthelab's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: Why would anyone infect a Mac with Windows? **SIGH** Because certain imbecile flow cytometry software executives made the executive decision to release acquisiton/analysis software for Windows only. We hates it. Ruins the Precious, it does. been there, done that more times than I care to admitGo to Top of Page PLapierre Senior Member Canada 262 Posts Posted - February 13 2008 : 11:27:33 AM Show Profile Visit PLapierre's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply Did BD biosciences change their FACS platform from Mac to PC? That would be a shame, i can already see myself rebooting the FACS every 10 minutes Go to Top of Page rchen Member United States 8 Posts Posted - February 13 2008 : 1:02:33 PM Show Profile Visit rchen's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply Most softwares are PC based , though few in Mac for special instrument vendors.Go to Top of Page lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1032 Posts Posted - February 13 2008 : 2:52:37 PM Show Profile Visit lovesthelab's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: Did BD biosciences change their FACS platform from Mac to PC? That would be a shame, i can already see myself rebooting the FACS every 10 minutes **BIG SIGH** Yes. See FACSDiva on the web. Imbecile is being kind. Also see Winlist, Amnis IDEAS software for ImageStream. The Precious calls. been there, done that more times than I care to admitGo to Top of Page Ana Laura Senior Member Argentina 351 Posts Posted - February 13 2008 : 4:30:54 PM Show Profile Visit Ana Laura's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply Nice Macs Nice Fishes Nasty Windowses Edited by - Ana Laura on February 13 2008 6:38:48 PMGo to Top of Page rgrant Moderator Australia 2514 Posts Posted - February 13 2008 : 8:41:11 PM Show Profile Visit rgrant's Homepage Send rgrant a Yahoo! Message Send rgrant an instant message Reply with Quote Reply *HOWLS* of laughter. (My iMac's name on the network, coincidentally, is 'Gandalf') -- "I don't have a lot of use for Coldplay most of the time" -- rwintle http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/rpg Go to Top of Page PLapierre Senior Member Canada 262 Posts Posted - February 14 2008 : 10:07:44 AM Show Profile Visit PLapierre's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply Cool!!! They should use this in an mac ad!Go to Top of Page rwintle Advanced Member Canada 4965 Posts Posted - February 14 2008 : 11:53:44 AM Show Profile Visit rwintle's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply I'm with jooooly on this debate, but I am also howling with laughter at Ana Laura's post . -- "There is another way of putting this. But I forgot it." - Pier Giorgio DiCiccoGo to Top of Page lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1032 Posts Posted - February 14 2008 : 1:43:50 PM Show Profile Visit lovesthelab's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! Ana Laura, can you send me a jpg (signed by you, of course) so I can hang it up in my new office? been there, done that more times than I care to admitGo to Top of Page lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1032 Posts Posted - February 14 2008 : 1:45:23 PM Show Profile Visit lovesthelab's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: Most softwares are PC based , though few in Mac for special instrument vendors. Most does not equal best. been there, done that more times than I care to admitGo to Top of Page PLapierre Senior Member Canada 262 Posts Posted - February 16 2008 : 09:05:25 AM Show Profile Visit PLapierre's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: quote: Most softwares are PC based , though few in Mac for special instrument vendors. Most does not equal best. been there, done that more times than I care to admit Aint that the truth! the amount of useless and crappy software available for windows is mind boggling!Go to Top of Page lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1032 Posts Posted - February 16 2008 : 8:23:09 PM Show Profile Visit lovesthelab's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: *HOWLS* of laughter. (My iMac's name on the network, coincidentally, is 'Gandalf') -- "I don't have a lot of use for Coldplay most of the time" -- rwintle http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/rpg My iMac at home is Galadriel, my daughter's iBook is Arwen, my iMac at work is Elrond, and my iPod is of course Frodo. Our network at home is Rivendell. been there, done that more times than I care to admitGo to Top of Page Ana Laura Senior Member Argentina 351 Posts Posted - February 16 2008 : 8:58:13 PM Show Profile Visit Ana Laura's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply So you have an iFrod Go to Top of Page rwintle Advanced Member Canada 4965 Posts Posted - February 17 2008 : 09:55:31 AM Show Profile Visit rwintle's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: My iMac at home is Galadriel, my daughter's iBook is Arwen, my iMac at work is Elrond, and my iPod is of course Frodo. Our network at home is Rivendell. [sigh] My laptop's network ID is "XPWS-15" or something like that. Danger of having to have the institutional IT folks set it up, I guess. -- "There is another way of putting this. But I forgot it." - Pier Giorgio DiCiccoGo to Top of Page Nexins Advanced Member Germany 2631 Posts Posted - February 17 2008 : 11:31:06 AM Show Profile Visit Nexins's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: ... Our network at home is Rivendell. sweet. good to know for wardriving. -- 'Work should not interfere with the quality of life' -Dr. Alex SavovGo to Top of Page lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1032 Posts Posted - February 17 2008 : 4:56:32 PM Show Profile Visit lovesthelab's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: quote: ... Our network at home is Rivendell. sweet. good to know for wardriving. ? Online game? been there, done that more times than I care to admitGo to Top of Page Nexins Advanced Member Germany 2631 Posts Posted - February 18 2008 : 03:47:11 AM Show Profile Visit Nexins's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: ? Online game? no, dear. hacking your WiFI access point at home . it's called 'wardriving'. just kidding - i was planning for Baltimore, not for Newark -- 'Work should not interfere with the quality of life' -Dr. Alex SavovGo to Top of Page PLapierre Senior Member Canada 262 Posts Posted - February 18 2008 : 09:32:27 AM Show Profile Visit PLapierre's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: quote: *HOWLS* of laughter. (My iMac's name on the network, coincidentally, is 'Gandalf') -- "I don't have a lot of use for Coldplay most of the time" -- rwintle http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/rpg My iMac at home is Galadriel, my daughter's iBook is Arwen, my iMac at work is Elrond, and my iPod is of course Frodo. Our network at home is Rivendell. been there, done that more times than I care to admit You re a lot more imaginative than me, my network is named NETGEAR and my computers are named PC-1, PC-2, etc.. Go to Top of Page Nexins Advanced Member Germany 2631 Posts Posted - February 18 2008 : 11:45:08 AM Show Profile Visit Nexins's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: ... my network is named NETGEAR and my computers are named PC-1, PC-2, etc.. s/he just cries to get hacked! wardrivers of the world, unite -- 'Work should not interfere with the quality of life' -Dr. Alex SavovGo to Top of Page lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1032 Posts Posted - February 18 2008 : 12:52:59 PM Show Profile Visit lovesthelab's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: quote: ? Online game? no, dear. hacking your WiFI access point at home . it's called 'wardriving'. just kidding - i was planning for Baltimore, not for Newark Have to know the password and I know you'll never guess it. Nor will anyone outside of my family. 3 firewalls are up. paranoid, we are. been there, done that more times than I care to admitGo to Top of Page jooly Senior Member United Kingdom 740 Posts Posted - February 18 2008 : 2:31:19 PM Show Profile Visit jooly's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply I'm guessing it's either JRRTolkein or silmarillion Go to Top of Page rgrant Moderator Australia 2514 Posts Posted - February 18 2008 : 3:50:14 PM Show Profile Visit rgrant's Homepage Send rgrant a Yahoo! Message Send rgrant an instant message Reply with Quote Reply Mmm, but if PLapierre's network is still called 'NETGEAR' then the password is easily guessable. -- "I don't have a lot of use for Coldplay most of the time" -- rwintle http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/rpg Go to Top of Page jooly Senior Member United Kingdom 740 Posts Posted - February 18 2008 : 4:14:52 PM Show Profile Visit jooly's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply Well... ours is called Belkin something or other, and it's fully password protected. Unfortunately (being a cheap and nasty belkin) it gets horrifically unstable if we try to change too many settings on it, like assigning an SSID or using MAC address control. If I'd paid for it, I'd be demanding my money back, but it came with the house.Go to Top of Page PLapierre Senior Member Canada 262 Posts Posted - February 18 2008 : 5:06:50 PM Show Profile Visit PLapierre's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply Ok As of 16:54 PM Eastern Time, my Network is now called er7tr6re7e98r6987re6e9r8t. Somehow i feel more secure now Go to Top of Page jooly Senior Member United Kingdom 740 Posts Posted - February 18 2008 : 5:12:39 PM Show Profile Visit jooly's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply 'Tree' would be just as secure, methinks. Right, bed now. Getting up at 4am (GMT)Go to Top of Page Quicksilver Member United Kingdom 73 Posts Posted - February 19 2008 : 05:26:34 AM Show Profile Visit Quicksilver's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply resisting the urge to tell everyone you meet would be even more secureGo to Top of Page lovesthelab Senior Member United States 1032 Posts Posted - February 19 2008 : 09:19:22 AM Show Profile Visit lovesthelab's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: I'm guessing it's either JRRTolkein or silmarillion Nothing even remotely Tolkien. heh heh heh... been there, done that more times than I care to admitGo to Top of Page PLapierre Senior Member Canada 262 Posts Posted - February 19 2008 : 3:14:31 PM Show Profile Visit PLapierre's Homepage Reply with Quote Reply quote: resisting the urge to tell everyone you meet would be even more secure Oops... http://www.scienceboard.org/forum/to...Title=Software SO GLAD WE HAVE EDUCATION IN THE FORUM
What do u think of these 911 conspiracy theories & debunks? The main conspiracy points put forward are outlined below. (These points are in no particular order) Conspiracy 1) The George W Bush administration conspired to either organize the attacks or, at the very least, allowed them to take place. The evidence for this, conspirators argue, comes in the form of a policy document - Rebuilding America's Defenses: Strategy, Forces and Resources for a New Century (pdf, size: 852KB) (external link to newamericancentury.org) - which was written a year before 9/11. The report was authored by leading members of the Bush administration under the name of The Project for the New American Century (Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Jeb Bush were contributors to this report, according to UK Channel 4 documentary 'The 9/11 Conspiracies', broadcast 9/9/2004). The report says that it would only be possible to fully secure America's defenses in the world if there was a 'catastrophic' or 'catalyzing event', 'such as a Pearl Harbor'. Michael Moore's movie Fahrenheit 911 argues that the Bush presidency used 911 to radically increase powers at home and to increase a climate of fear, so that it could wage wars which will increase America's influence in other areas - American business has much to gain from the reconstruction and oil in Iraq. In a meeting after 11th September, Bush was keen to find a connection with Iraq so that it could be attacked. Counter: There is a report, and it does say these things (page 63), but does it mean that these people therefore engineered 9/11? This is seen as a smoking gun by many conspirators, and even for skeptics this is quite a strange report. The counter must be that the George W Bush administration would be absolute monsters to do it. After 9/11 they pretty much did react in the way set out in the report, which could be seen as an understandable reaction if they felt the country was under attack. Iraq never had anything to do with 9/11. Conspiracy 2) President George W Bush, or those in his Administration, stood down air defenses on September 11, 2001. According to the conspiracy argument, in the year before 9/11, commercial airlines went off-course 57 times and in each case they were given an airforce escort. Where were the airforce on 9/11? If there was such an order it would have had to come from at least Vice President level. Counter: The 9/11 Commission looked into this and did not find evidence of a stand down order. Embarrassingly for the USA, however, this investigation revealed that the USA was particularly vulnerable on 9/11 to this type of attack. As part of the peace dividend, following the collapse of the Berlin Wall and Communism, savings were made to the airforce cover provided inside the USA. The emphasis was more on preventing an attack from abroad, not from inside the US itself. So, airforce cover had been shut down as a long term policy, rather than told to stand down specifically for these attacks. (Where does the assertion that, 57 times before 9/11, the airforce did provide cover come from?) Conspiracy 3) The Pentagon attack. The Pentagon was not even hit by flight 77, but was hit by a missile under US orders. The impact crater in the Pentagon was only 18 feet wide, but it had just been hit by a Boeing 757 which has a wing span of 125 feet and a tail 40ft high! There was also little wreckage. The US (or Soviets, or UFO) must have bombed it with a missile, surely? Counter: Many credible eyewitnesses saw a Boeing 757 hit the Pentagon. Security camera footage (from which the still, above, is taken), which was used by those putting forward this conspiracy argument, missed flight 77 actually hitting the Pentagon, it just sees the explosion (it also doesn't show a missile hitting the Pentagon either by the way). The plane hit the building at some 500 miles an hour, the subsequent inferno burnt up the plane which explains why hardly any wreckage was found. Evidence: To see the video (released under the Public Information Act 16th May 2006, click here (.wmv format)) to see all the frames from this video click here. Conspiracy 4) The sudden collapse of the Twin Towers. Conspirators say that a steel framed high rise building has never collapsed before just because of fire. The collapse is consistent with a controlled demolition. Did US agents plant explosive charges to maximize the death toll? Counter: The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were designed in the 1960's to withstand either a hit from an airplane or fire, but this attack was both together. Leslie Robertson, Structural Engineer of the World Trade Center: "There is no evidence there was a bomb inside." The planes were filled with fuel and this set off a chain reaction in the buildings which caused the damage. Conspiracy 4b) We have seen arguments that the following footage shows a controlled explosion (video: wmv rm). We just don't see it that way. A controlled demolition would have required an explosion from the bottom, all this video shows is the tower collapsing from above. It is said that you can hear a large bang (the commentator refers to it) but that could easily have come from the beginning of the collapse at the top of the structure. Conspiracy 4c) We have also heard arguments that the top-down collapse of the mainly steel Twin Towers can be compared to a controlled explosion of a brick and mortar building, as seen in this example (wmv rm). Trouble is, the Twin Towers did not collapse like the second controlled demolition example in this video. In the controlled demolition example the explosive charge is set at the base of the structure (you can't see it explode because there are buildings in the way), the explosion then starts off a domino type effect and the entire structure collapses downwards. The Twin Towers collapsed from the top down, not bottom-up like in a controlled explosion. Conspiracy 4d) We have also heard it alleged that the secret services have hushed up satellite images which apparently show a heat source at Ground Zero, after the collapse of the building. The conspiracy says that it was this (additional) heat source that enabled the Twin Towers to collapse in the way that they did. However, following the high heat required to destroy the towers from the aircraft filled with fuel, we would expect to see a heat image following the collapse of the building, and don't see that this proves there was an additional heat source put there to create the controlled demolition. Conspiracy 5) Israeli agents knew of the 9/11 attacks in advance but did nothing to try to stop them, hoping it could be used to their advantage against the Arabs. A group of men in a van were seen apparently celebrating when they saw the Twin Towers being attacked. They were arrested by police. The police were suspicious. They found dual passports, $4000 cash in a sock. At least one of the men was Israeli secret service who refused to take a lie detector test for 10 weeks. Counter: This opened up a conflict between Israel and the USA. The USA seemed to be unaware that Israel were spying on them. The men were not charged, apparently on the condition that Israel stops spying on the USA. There is no evidence that Israeli secret service had any information on 9/11 before it happened. Conspiracy 6) Similar to Conspiracy 5) but the House of Saud were behind the 9/11 attacks in the hope that the USA would then take action against the growing fundamentalism which is particularly destabilizing for them in Saudi Arabia. Immediately after 9/11, charter flights crisscrossed the USA picking up high ranking Saudis including many bin laden family members to enable them to leave the country. Surely they were material witnesses who should at least have been questioned? This is alleged to be part of a cover up as there are close family/business ties between the Bush family and the House of Saud. Conspiracy 7) Al Qaeda used the stock market to make money out of the 9/11 attacks. Suspicious short selling was observed in the airline companies involved in the attacks, which meant that someone somewhere profited when the price of the airlines involved in the attacks fell sharply when the stock exchange reopened. Counter: The 9/11 Commission investigated all trades and found no links to Al Qaeda. There are millions of trades outstanding at any time in a market the size of Wall Street. It is unlikely that Al Qaeda would be able to do this without it being traced back to them as the market is highly regulated (highly auditable WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?
i was reading an article and im suppose to answer this question ..? What does the article say about the housing prospects for full time minimum wage earners? i answer (That According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition A person working full time for minimum wage can pay for to rent a one-bedroom home at reasonable market price) im not sure if this is the answer i read it and everything but im not sure could u plz correct me if im wrong the article link is http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030120-407358,00.html i got my answer from ...2 page last paragraph the article link
Feeling Pinch, Stores Woo Lagging Shoppers. Evaluate Article? Lackluster sales in this holiday season have retailers scrambling to wring a few last dollars from procrastinators by slashing prices, extending hours and wooing customers more persistently than last year. The moves show that retailers' strategy during this final weekend before Christmas -- when about 10% of holiday sales are expected to take place -- has become increasingly reliant on the same promotions and marathon hours once unique to the "Black Friday" weekend following Thanksgiving. But the discounts also reveal the pinch stores are in this year as the credit crunch, rising gas prices and winter storms have taken a toll on companies dependent on end-of-year sales. The tough economy has left aisles more empty this year. Total foot traffic at U.S. retail outlets took an 8.9% dive during the second full week of December, compared with the same period last year, according to an estimate from ShopperTrak RCT Corp., which bases its numbers on a formula that involves an electronic count of shoppers in malls and other retail outlets nationwide. A bright spot, however, has been online, where aggressive discounting and cut-rate deals on fast shipping have contributed to a surge in spending. From Nov. 1 to Dec. 16, online shoppers spent $23.5 billion, 19% higher than the corresponding days last year, according to comScore Inc., a Reston, Va., market research firm that tracks Web spending and traffic. Videogames, consoles and accessories are the fastest-growing category, more than doubling from the comparable period last year. Furniture, appliances and equipment ranks second, up 63%, while event tickets and consumer electronics are up 29% and 24%, respectively. Now, a final push is on, both online and in stores. Web retailers continued to hunt for business by cutting shipping charges to seal deals before the pre-Christmas shipping window closes. Shoebuy.com, a Boston-based unit of IAC/InterActive Corp. offered free express shipping until today. Online handbag merchant eBags upgraded purchases made by Wednesday from standard shipping to two-day air-shipping through UPS for no extra cost. Brick-and-mortar stores, meanwhile, retooled their hours for the weekend, hoping to spark their own shopping flurry. J.C. Penney Co. stores are staying open until midnight tonight and Saturday. Select Macy's Inc. stores on the East Coast will stay open nonstop throughout the weekend -- 107 hours straight for one branch in Queens. And New York-based FAO Schwarz made discounts of 25% to 50% on certain toys. Ed Schmults, the chief executive officer at FAO Schwarz, said that while foot traffic was up, business had not been as booming throughout the season as he hoped. The National Retail Federation, a trade group, is predicting just 4% in sales growth for 2007, the smallest growth rate in five years. Britt Beemer, chairman of America's Research Group, paints an even grimmer picture: He lowered his forecast of 2% retail sales growth to 1.8%, his lowest forecast in nearly 10 years. In the apparel category, men's clothing has showed modest single-digit growth through the first 20 days of the shopping season, according to MasterCard Spending Pulse, a unit of MasterCard Advisors, which tracks spending of all types. But women's apparel -- which last year constituted three times the sales of men's -- has been a major disappointment, as shoppers have avoided big purchases. Sales were down 5.7% from the same time last year. Retailers have responded with a flurry of price cuts, but large inventory remains in some stores. One of Gap Inc.'s Old Navy stores in downtown Chicago on Wednesday had piles of festive sweaters marked down to $20 from $36.50. Women's coats still stuffed the racks, despite being already marked down 50%, and its signature "performance fleece," also half off, was stacked eight shelves high. The bad tidings for apparel have left some retailers looking for other items to push. At Banana Republic, also owned by Gap, $64 gift sets of its perfumes, body creams and shower creams were marked down 30%. Gold-boxed gift sets of a new line of bath products at Ann Taylor Stores Corp. stores were discounted to $19.50 from $29. At Limited Brands Inc.'s Victoria's Secret, stores were piled with beauty gift sets, many 40% off. Meanwhile luxury goods are expected to have a good season this year, and retail consultant Frederick Crawford of AlixPartners predicts "pockets of good news" for high-end retail. For brands like Prada and Gucci, he expects to see 5% to 7% growth. According to retail surveys, electronics sales were down 0.5% in the three-week period between Nov. 18 and Dec. 9 compared to a year ago, according to Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis for market watcher NPD Group. He said consumers in recent years have been delaying purchases until closer to Christmas, which may account for the slowdown. Indeed, Angela Smith has waited until the last week to make her purchases. A 39-year-old bank employee in Dallas, Ms. Smith said she is waiting for prices to drop further as well as trying to spend less. For her three nephews, ages 12, 8 and 7, she plans to buy remote-controlled cars, which Wal-Mart Stores Inc. initially priced at $59 and has since dropped to $49. "I am going to swing by this weekend and see if they are going to take it down one more time," says Ms. Smith, who was shopping for a co-worker's present at her local Wal-Mart midweek. Home-furnishings retailers, fighting the weak housing market, are being particularly aggressive with their promotions this year. At Williams-Sonoma Inc.'s Pottery Barn store on Chicago's Michigan Avenue, Christmas-tree-shaped candles were discounted 50%, and holiday garlands of fake evergreen branches were 30% off. Wrapped gifts such as silver jewelry boxes, also marked down 30%, were stacked high Wednesday afternoon. Home-improvement outfits like Lowe's Cos. Inc. and Home Depot Inc. are destined to be hardest hit, says AlixPartners' Mr. Crawford. "Consumers are absolutely showing us that they will be delaying discretionary purchases" like gear to remodel a kitchen, he said. A boom-bust pattern is typical after Thanksgiving's Black Friday discounts, which encourages a flurry of purchases early but leads to a tapering off in early December, killing shopping momentum. This year the pattern was more pronounced: A double-digit sales surge on Black Friday exceeded retailers' expectations; but come December, throngs of shoppers didn't return. There was one exception, however: online retail. Web merchants have discounted and promoted heavily this season, say industry analysts. Shipping promotions have been particularly popular. Sixty-eight percent of surveyed Web retailers said they are offering express shipping promotions this year, up from 49% last year, according to Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org, an online retail trade group and unit of National Retail Federation. As the boom continues, these companies are becoming increasingly creative to draw customers. This year Ice.com, a Montreal-based Internet jeweler, has rolled out new videos to promote products and free overnight shipping. It has experimented with new marketing tricks such as buying front-page ads on Microsoft Corp.'s MSN and Yahoo Inc.'s Web sites this week. Ice.com even tried to tap influencers to drive word-of-mouth among blogs, magazine mentions and celebrities.
Bush a true orator? "We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job. That's what I'm telling you." —George W. Bush, Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 20, 2005 "If it were to rain a lot, there is concern from the Army Corps of Engineers that the levees might break. And so, therefore, we're cautious about encouraging people to return at this moment of history." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2005 "Listen, I want to thank leaders of the — in the faith — faith-based and community-based community for being here." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 6, 2005 "So please give cash money to organizations that are directly involved in helping save lives — save the life who had been affected by Hurricane Katrina." —George W. Bush, Washington D.C., Sept. 6, 2005 "I can't wait to join you in the joy of welcoming neighbors back into neighborhoods, and small businesses up and running, and cutting those ribbons that somebody is creating new jobs." —George W. Bush, Poplarville, Miss., Sept. 5, 2005 "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." —George W. Bush, to FEMA director Michael Brown, who resigned 10 days later amid criticism over his job performance, Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005 (Listen to audio; read more stupid quotes about Hurricane Katrina) "We've got a lot of rebuilding to do. First, we're going to save lives and stabilize the situation. And then we're going to help these communities rebuild. The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch." (Laughter) --George W. Bush, touring hurricane damage, Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005 "My thoughts are, we're going to get somebody who knows what they're talking about when it comes to rebuilding cities." —George W. Bush, on rebuilding New Orleans, Biloxi, Miss., Sept. 2, 2005 "Americans should be prudent in their use of energy during the course of the next few weeks. Don't buy gas if you don't need it." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 1, 2005 "It's totally wiped out. ... It's devastating, it's got to be doubly devastating on the ground." —George W. Bush, turning to his aides while surveying Hurricane Katrina flood damage from Air Force One , Aug. 31, 2005 "The best place for the facts to be done is by somebody who's spending time investigating it." —George W. Bush, on the probe into how CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity was leaked, Washington D.C., July 18, 2005 "I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend." —George W. Bush, on visiting Denmark, Washington D.C., June 29, 2005 "I was going to say he's a piece of work, but that might not translate too well. Is that all right, if I call you a 'piece of work'?" —George W. Bush to Jean-Claude Juncker, prime minister of Luxembourg, Washington, D.C., June 20, 2005 "The relations with, uhh — Europe are important relations, and they've, uhh — because, we do share values. And, they're universal values, they're not American values or, you know — European values, they're universal values. And those values — uhh — being universal, ought to be applied everywhere." —George W. Bush, at a press conference with European Union dignitaries, Washington, D.C., June 20, 2005 "You see, not only did the attacks help accelerate a recession, the attacks reminded us that we are at war." —George W. Bush, on the Sept. 11 attacks, Washington, D.C., June 8, 2005 "And the second way to defeat the terrorists is to spread freedom. You see, the best way to defeat a society that is — doesn't have hope, a society where people become so angry they're willing to become suiciders, is to spread freedom, is to spread democracy." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 8, 2005 "It seemed like to me they based some of their decisions on the word of — and the allegations — by people who were held in detention, people who hate America, people that had been trained in some instances to disassemble — that means not tell the truth." —George W. Bush, on an Amnesty International report on prisoner abuse at Guantanamo Bay, Washington, D.C., May 31, 2005 (Listen to audio) "See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." —George W. Bush, Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005 (Listen to audio) "We discussed the way forward in Iraq, discussed the importance of a democracy in the greater Middle East in order to leave behind a peaceful tomorrow." —George W. Bush, Tbilisi, Georgia, May 10, 2005 "I think younger workers — first of all, younger workers have been promised benefits the government — promises that have been promised, benefits that we can't keep. That's just the way it is." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 4, 2005 "It means your own money would grow better than that which the government can make it grow. And that's important." —George W. Bush, on what private accounts could do for Social Security funds, Falls Church, Va., April 29, 2005 "I can only speak to myself." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005 "It's in our country's interests to find those who would do harm to us and get them out of harm's way." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005 "We expect the states to show us whether or not we're achieving simple objectives — like literacy, literacy in math, the ability to read and write." —George W. Bush, on federal education requirements, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005 "He understands the need for a timely write of the constitution." —George W. Bush, on Prime Minister Iyad Allawi of Iraq, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005 "Well, we've made the decision to defeat the terrorists abroad so we don't have to face them here at home. And when you engage the terrorists abroad, it causes activity and action." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005 "But Iraq has — have got people there that are willing to kill, and they're hard-nosed killers. And we will work with the Iraqis to secure their future." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005 "I appreciate my love for Laura." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 20, 2005 "We have enough coal to last for 250 years, yet coal also prevents an environmental challenge." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 20, 2005 "Part of the facts is understanding we have a problem, and part of the facts is what you're going to do about it." —George W. Bush, Kirtland, Ohio, April 15, 2005 "I'm going to spend a lot of time on Social Security. I enjoy it. I enjoy taking on the issue. I guess, it's the Mother in me." —George W. Bush, Washington D.C., April 14, 2005 "We look forward to analyzing and working with legislation that will make — it would hope — put a free press's mind at ease that you're not being denied information you shouldn't see." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 14, 2005 "I want to thank you for the importance that you've shown for education and literacy." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 13, 2005 "I understand there's a suspicion that we—we're too security-conscience." —George W. Bush, Washington D.C., April 14, 2005 "If they pre-decease or die early, there's an asset base to be able to pass on to a loved one." —George W. Bush, on Social Security money held in private accounts, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 30, 2005 [I'm] occasionally reading, I want you to know, in the second term." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005 "In this job you've got a lot on your plate on a regular basis; you don't have much time to sit around and wander, lonely, in the Oval Office, kind of asking different portraits, 'How do you think my standing will be?'" —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005 "In terms of timetables, as quickly as possible — whatever that means." —George W. Bush, on his time frame for shoring up Social Security, Washington D.C., March 16, 2005 "I like the idea of people running for office. There's a positive effect when you run for office. Maybe some will run for office and say, vote for me, I look forward to blowing up America. I don't know, I don't know if that will be their platform or not. But it's -- I don't think so. I think people who generally run for office say, vote for me, I'm looking forward to fixing your potholes, or making sure you got bread on the table." —George W. Bush, on elections in the Middle East, Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005 "I repeat, personal accounts do not permanently fix the solution." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005 "This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. And having said that, all options are on the table." —George W. Bush, Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 22, 2005 "If you're a younger person, you ought to be asking members of Congress and the United States Senate and the president what you intend to do about it. If you see a train wreck coming, you ought to be saying, what are you going to do about it, Mr. Congressman, or Madam Congressman?" —George W. Bush, Detroit, Mich., Feb. 8, 2005 "Because the — all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those — changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be — or closer delivered to what has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled. Look, there's a series of things that cause the — like, for example, benefits are calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to the increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate — the benefits will rise based upon inflation, as opposed to wage increases. There is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if those — if that growth is affected, it will help on the red." —George W. Bush, explaining his plan to save Social Security, Tampa, Fla., Feb. 4, 2005 "You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that." —George W. Bush, to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 4, 2005 (Listen to audio) "After all, Europe is America's closest ally." —George W. Bush, Mainz, Germany, Feb. 23, 2005 "Because he's hiding." —George W. Bush, responding to a reporter who asked why Osama bin Laden had not been caught, aboard Air Force One, Jan. 14, 2005 "I'm also mindful that man should never try to put words in God's mouth. I mean, we should never ascribe natural disasters or anything else to God. We are in no way, shape, or form should a human being, play God." —George W. Bush, ABC's 20/20, Washington D.C., Jan. 14, 2005 "I want to appreciate those of you who wear our nation's uniform for your sacrifice." —George W. Bush, Jacksonville, Fla., Jan. 14, 2005 "I speak plainly sometimes, but you've got to be mindful of the consequences of the words. So put that down. I don't know if you'd call that a confession, a regret, something." —George W. Bush, speaking to reporters, Washington, D.C., Jan. 14, 2005 "Who could have possibly envisioned an erection — an election in Iraq at this point in history?" —George W. Bush, at the white House, Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2005 "We need to apply 21st-century information technology to the health care field. We need to have our medical records put on the I.T." —George W. Bush, Collinsville, Ill., Jan. 5, 2005 "I believe we are called to do the hard work to make our communities and quality of life a better place." —George W. Bush, Collinsville, Ill., Jan. 5, 2005 Read More Bushisms • Bushisms from 2004 • Bushisms from 2003 • Bushisms from 2002 • Bushisms from 2001 • Bushisms from 2000 Got a Bushism? Email it to politicalhumor.guide@about.com Are You An Expert on Bushspeak? Take the Bushisms Quiz -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Email This Page to a Friend | Subscribe to Newsletter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From Daniel Kurtzman, Your Guide to Political Humor. FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Sponsored Links Anti-Bush Merchandise Posters, Bumper Stickers & More Daily Blog & News Roundup www.bushmark.com George W. Bush Are You Happy Bush Won? Vote & Win a Free Razr Phone bush.peel.com Look Alikes Nationwide Music-TV-Movies-Political Stage Show-Meet & Greet www.besserentertainment.com George W Bush Humor Videos, bloopers, songs, jokes, & hilarious cartoons. 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Is Obama Honest? 1. He joined and remained active in a church where racism and anti-American hate is routinely preached. He and his family attended, and heavily contributed for about 20 years. This has received worldwide attention, as show in the link below. Ten Must-See Videos from The Times Online Obama first claimed not to know about Wright’s inflammatory statements. He later admitted he did. CBS News Flip-Flip Video CBS News OOPS… didn’t notice. Or else he forgot. Rev Wright, one of the ministers, even promoted Obama and denigrated Hillary Clinton from the pulpit spurring an IRS investigation as to the validity of their non-profit status. The Obama campaign is also reported to have campaigned on at least one occasion at church events, furthering the curiosity of the IRS. WCBS TV Obama Speech at General Synod of the United Church of Christ But, OOPS… he didn’t know. Or didn’t mind. 2. Senator Obama bought stock in two companies whose investors included his 2004 campaign political donors. One, in fact, was developing medicine to treat avian flu — with the stock purchase coming right before Obama introduced legislation to increase funding to combat the virus. The other company, SkyTerra, received government permission to build a national wireless network on the day Obama purchased his shares. Among the principal owners of this business were four people who had raised more than $150,000 for Obama. Attorney Obama claimed later that they were in a semi-blind trust, that just didn’t legally work out. When this became public, Obama sold the stock. Chicago Sun-Times New York Times Oops… he didn’t know. Or didn’t he mind? 3. Senator Obama came into politics through the famously corrupt Chicago political machine, with the help of some of the slimiest characters imaginable. (Several major players who helped him are have been indicted for graft, fraud, etc. Obama now keeps a rep at Rezko’s trial every day to monitor testimony.) Obama has had to donate to charity much of the money they gave him to get his start, though the admitted dollar amount keeps increasing as time goes on. It’s now up over $250,000. Tony Rezko, currently at trial on federal charges of attempted extortion, money laundering, and fraud, was also involved in the purchase of Obama’s home at well below market value. Huffington Post Chicago Sun-Times New York Times Not so well publicized is the fact that Obama wrote letters to the Illinois Dept of Housing, recommending Rezco’s company, North Kenwood, LLC, for the housing projects that soon became slums, causing inhumane hardship for their residents. Obama Letters These slums, later repossessed, were in Obama’s district while he was an Illinois senator. In fact, some are about a mile from his home, and several are still boarded up. Obama professed to be unaware of any problems. During the Democratic debate on January 21, 2008, Obama, in fact, gave the impression that he had merely done about 5 hours of legal work for “this individual.” The Rezko Foreclosed Properties telegraph.co.uk No Quarter Rezko Watch Chicago Tribune: Almost Believable OOPS… he didn’t know. Or did he care? 4. According to the Sun-Times, Barack Obama, “allegedly decent guy and agent of change” in Washington, requested an earmark in 2006 for $1 million taxpayer dollars for the University of Chicago Hospitals, where is wife, Michelle Obama, was a vice president. Said hospital, by the way, gave Michelle Obama a huge raise (nearly $200,000, more than doubling her salary) in 2005 after Barack was elected to the United States Senate. Michelle Obama Chicago Sun-Times According to The Chicago Tribune, “Obama had a special connection to Maytag: Lester Crown, one of the company’s directors and biggest investors whose family, records show, has raised tens of thousands of dollars for Obama’s campaigns since 2003.” Maytag closed its refrigerator plant in Galesburg, Ill during Obama’s 2004 Senate campaign, but Crown says Obama never raised the fate of the Galesburg plant with him. Obama’s campaign responded “that the senator did not know Crown sat on Maytag’s board until the Tribune noted it last September in a story about the closing of the Maytag headquarters in Newton, Iowa.” Chicago Tribune Obama Truth Oops… he didn’t know? Or didn’t he care? 5. Obama took donations from federal lobbyists and political action committees for his House and Senate races and his own Hopefund political action committee. He only stopped taking this political money — and began speaking out against it — when he launched his presidential campaign in February 2007. However, he still takes hundreds of thousands of dollars from their high level employees. Politifact The Hill Politifact Oops… he didn’t know? Or doesn’t mind? 6. Opponents have asked Senator Obama to release the records from his term of state office in Illinois. Since he has little other experience in politics (he did, after all, declare his presidential candidacy barely 2 years after election to the US Senate), this doesn’t seem an unreasonable request. The records might also shed light on his relationship with Rezko and some of the other corrupt individuals he rubbed shoulders with during his climb up through Chicago politics. But lo and behold, the records all seem to have mysteriously disappeared. Politico The Pantagraph, a central Illinois newspaper Questions have also been raised about Obama-sponsored legislation during the last year he was in office there. It is alleged that, in the interest of making Obama appear more prolific, then Illinois Senate Majority Leader Emil Jones appointed Obama as sponsor of many pieces of legislation, even though other senior senators had spent many years working on the bills. “I took all the beatings and insults and endured all the racist comments over the years from nasty Republican committee chairmen,” State Senator Rickey Hendon, the original sponsor of landmark racial profiling and videotaped confession legislation yanked away by Jones and given to Obama, complained to me at the time. “Barack didn’t have to endure any of it, yet, in the end, he got all the credit.” “I don’t consider it bill jacking,” Hendon told me. “But no one wants to carry the ball 99 yards all the way to the one-yard line, and then give it to the halfback who gets all the credit and the stats in the record book.” As a result, Todd Spivak of the Houston Press noted, “During his seventh and final year in the state Senate, Obama’s stats soared. He sponsored a whopping 26 bills passed into law — including many he now cites in his presidential campaign when attacked as inexperienced.” Houston Press Oops… he didn’t know? Or did he mind? 7. Obama’s website sported a page for the New Black Panthers organization until it was discovered and reported by the media. It was quickly removed. Obama denounced their support, but the New Black Panthers’ Winter 2008 newsletter still carries a full page ad for his campaign on page 36. Though the origin of the ad is not stated, it contains logos, graphics and quotes from the Obama website, which Obama could have ordered removed as a copyright violation. The NBP page, before its deletion. NBP Winter 2008 Newsletter OOPs… he didn’t know. 8. In addition to the controversy concerning his numerous “present” votes while in the Illinois legislature, Obama also maintains that he just pushed the wrong button on 5 or 6 other votes. (Let’s not even go there!) According to the New York Times, however, an examination of Illinois records shows at least 36 times when Mr. Obama was either the only state senator to vote present or was part of a group of six or fewer to vote that way, causing many to question whether he was really just trying to avoid taking a stand. LA Times on Obama votes Real Clear Politics New Your Times Obama also has an exceptionally high no-show ration for votes since coming to the Senate. Media Matters OOPS… he didn’t know? Or didn’t he care? 9. On Wednesday, Feb 27, 2008, CTV reported that a senior member of Obama’s campaign, Austan Goolsbee, spoke directly with the Canadian Consulate General in Chicago to assure them that if Obama publicly spoke about opting out of NAFTA, they should not take it seriously. It would just be political posturing… campaign rhetoric. Obama flatly denied the report, attacking both Senator Clinton and Senator McCain for their comments on the issue. On March 4, the New York Times, among other sources, revealed that the conversation had indeed taken place, and published the memo. The Canadian government announced that an investigation would begin to find out who was responsible for leaking the memorandum concerning the conversation. CTV News New York Times New York Times published the memo OOPS… he didn’t know. 10. Obama’s position on the war in Iraq, in spite of the October 2002 speech, has not been as unwavering as he would have us believe. # He wrote in The Audacity of Hope that by March of 2003, “I began to suspect that I might have been wrong.” # In July, 2004, he told the Chicago Tribune, “There’s not that much difference between my position and George Bush’s position at this stage.” # Once elected to the US Senate, he told Charlie Rose on PBS, “Once the decision was made, then we’ve got to do everything we can to stabilize the country, to make it successful, because we’ll have too much at stake in the Middle East. And that’s the position that I continue to take.” # Obama continued that tack in his speech of November, 2005. Mirroring the Bush administration’s position, he asserted on January 26, 2006, that “it remains my position that we have a role to play in stabilizing the country as Iraqis are getting their act together.” In this interview on Meet the Press, he further stated, “My position has been that it would not be responsible for us to unilaterally and precipitously draw troops down regardless of the politics, because I think that all of us have a stake in seeing Iraq succeed.” # It wasn’t until October of 2006 that he called for “all the leadership in Washington to execute a serious change of course in Iraq.” # A month before he announced his presidential candidacy he repositioned himself again, saying for the first time, “It’s time to start bringing our troops home.” # It wasn’t until May of 2007 that Obama voted against funding for the war for the first time. # In June, 2007, Obama voted no to Senator John F. Kerry’s proposal to remove most combat troops from Iraq by July 2007, warning that an “arbitrary deadline” could “compound” the Bush administration’s mistake. He voted instead for a Republican-sponsored resolution that stated the Senate would not cut off funding for troops in Iraq. Commentary Magazine Obama Gets the Facts Wrong Clinton Takes on Obama MSNBC The Boston Globe OOPS… did he forget? 11. Senator Obama is chair of of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on Europe, having been appointed in early 2007. According to Congressional Records, the subcommittee’s jurisdiction includes “all matters, policies and problems concerning the continent of Europe, including the European member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.” That means it has jurisdiction over NATO. As Senator Clinton asserted in a recent debate, “NATO is critical to our mission in Afghanistan. He’s held not one substantive hearing to do oversight, to figure out what we can do to actually have a stronger presence with NATO in Afghanistan.” Politifact OOPS… he didn’t know… or did he forget? 12. Senator Obama told Tim Russert in January of 2006 that “I will serve out my full six-year term.” From the official transcript of Meet the Press: MR. RUSSERT: But there seems to be an evolution in your thinking. This is what you told the Chicago Tribune last month: “Have you ruled out running for another office before your term is up?” Obama answered, “It’s not something I anticipate doing.” But when we talked back in November of `04 after your election I said, “There’s been enormous speculation about your political future. Will you serve your six-year term as United States senator from Illinois?” Obama, “Absolutely.” SEN. OBAMA: I will serve out my full six-year term. You know, Tim, if you get asked enough, sooner or later you’re going to get weary and you start looking for new ways of saying things. But my thinking has not changed. MR. RUSSERT: So you will not run for president or vice-president in 2008? SEN. OBAMA: I will not. Obama formed an exploratory committee in January of 2007 and declared his candidacy two months later. Meet The Press Transcript January 22, 2006 “Obama Takes the Russert Test” from The Swamp Obama Learns the Washington Ways OOPS… he forgot. 13. Senator Obama promised to use public financing for the general election if his Republican opponent would do the same. Now, apparently after he realized how much more money he could have at his disposal, he has reversed himself. League of Women Voters Mr Obama’s Waffle OOPS… he forgot. 14. Obama bragged in the Iowa debate about the “nuclear legislation I’ve passed.” When he encountered resistance from the nuclear industry… including Illinois-based Excelon, the country’s largest nuclear plant operator and one of Mr. Obama’s largest sources of campaign money, he edited his bill several times, making it weaker each time. The bill, however, never passed. It died. But Mr Obama gained a chief political strategist… David Axelrod. In October 2007, Obama resubmitted the bill in its watered-down version. Nuclear Leaks and Response Tested Obama in Senate OOPS… he forgot. 15. Senator Obama purports to be in favor of “universal” health care, utilizing private insurance, on the campaign trail. In fact, he adamantly denied advocating single payor. But there was a time when he was in favor of the single payor system. Video The Swamp OOPS… he forgot. 16. While campaigning, Obama told several hundred people in Iowa, “No lobbyists need apply to my White House.” However, in contrast to his pledge to fight against the influence of special interests, his record on employing lobbyists isn’t quite so pristine. Several high level members of his campaign are registered lobbyists, including his New Hampshire campaign manager. Lately, he has softened his campaign line to, “They are not going to run my White House.” The Boston Globe The Wall Street Journal Politico The Washington Post The Hill Obama actually seems very comfortable working with lobbyists on legislation. To site just one example… According to ABC, Obama “has quietly worked with corporate lobbyists to help pass breaks worth $12 million,” that gave two overseas companies tariff suspensions. Both companies also have facilities in Illinois. One of these companies, Nufarm, told its shareholders it was making “more money than ever before in North America because it had increased its prices on its U.S. and Canadian customers, predominantly farmers.” This had the effect of profiting business interests in his state, while punishing its farmers. According to ABC News, “With a dozen tariff suspension bills to his name, Obama stands out as the most prolific of any Democratic presidential hopeful on the topic.” Despite Rhetoric, Obama Pushed Lobbyists’ Interests OOPS… he forgot. Or didn’t he mind? How many other things are we going to find that Senator Obama conveniently forgot? It is my hope that the political powers-that-be will lay off the talk about ending the primaries early, and that the media and the internet diggers will help us truly vet Senator Obama. Use a little old-fashioned, objective journalism… remember that? If he has nothing more to hide, it can only help him. But if we don’t know the whole story yet, it might just help us be certain that we can indeed put a Democrat in the White House in November. That is, after all, what Democrats want, isn’t it? Farrakhan: ‘Mischief making’ should not dampen support for Obama http://www.noi.org/statements/statement_02-28-2008.htm
Listen to what the armed forces have to say about Iraq.? Soldiers’ Voices Listen to what the armed forces have to say about Iraq. Operation Arrowhead Ripper, as the latest American offensive is called, has successfully swept into al Qaeda-infested Baquba, the capital of Diyala Province northeast of Baghdad, killing and capturing hundreds of terrorists. The battles in Iraq and Afghanistan time and time again have resulted in significant, but often untold military successes. Realities on the ground often go unnoticed or under-appreciated. The American soldier has often lacked a voice to articulate his mission and his successes amidst the cacophony of defeat in Congress and public opinion polls. I invited warriors to weigh in with their perspectives, interviewing hundreds of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, many on the battlefields of Iraq. Together, their interviews constitute much of War Crimes: The Left’s Campaign to Destroy the Military and Lose the War on Terror. And the picture they paint of their fellow citizens at home is anything but rosy. “Every day, the enemy changes…only now, the enemy is becoming something new. The enemy is transitioning from the Muslim extremists to Americans. The enemy is becoming the very people whom we defend with our lives. And they do not realize it. But in denouncing our actions, denouncing our leaders, denouncing the war we live and fight, they are isolating the military from society…and they are becoming our enemy. Terrorists cut the heads off of American citizens on the Internet…and there is no outrage but an American soldier kills an Iraqi in the midst of battle, and there are investigations, and sometimes soldiers are even jailed…for doing their job…It is absolutely sickening to me to think our country has come to this.” —Sergeant Eddie Jeffers, U.S. Army “Some of the American public have no idea how much freedom costs and who the people are that pay that awful price. I think sometimes people just see us as nameless and faceless and not really as humans…A good portion of us are actually scared that when we come home, for those of us who make it back, that there will be protesters waiting for us and that is scary.”—-Specialist Jason Gilson, U.S. Army “What angers and hurts me as a soldier is that they parade their anti-war views in the face of my brothers and sisters who are recovering from the same battlefield that I fought on and am still fighting on as I type this e-mail. Is there no honor or dignity left in the antiwar movement? Do they have no shame? Do they have no integrity? Do they have no heart? Do they have no soul? I can answer that with a simple no! How can they say they support the troops but protest where they try to recover from war? You interviewed one gentleman, and I use that term loosely, who stated ‘If I was injured I would want someone to speak for me like this.’ Well let me tell him something, we do not want you to speak for us and we do not need you to speak for us!” —Sergeant Mark Leach, U.S. Army “Compared to the shock of the instant, violent death of a squad-mate standing right next to me or the excitement of a child looking at my uniform, the constant barrage of partisan politics, runaway brides and the activities of Paris Hilton seem utterly devoid of importance. I have marines slowly recuperating at hospitals in San Francisco, Washington, Bethesda and San Diego. Who is telling their stories?” —Captain Rory Quinn, U.S. Marines “We daily see the gross distortions. We can’t recognize the caricatures they [the media] scratch out, neither in our fellow soldiers, nor on the battleground. I know they claim to be objective but really they’re nothing more than accomplices in the face of this evil.” —First Sergeant Jeff Nuding, U.S. Army “The troops’ number-one frustration has consistently been the media reporting. The way the press mishandled Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo had a tremendous negative effect on us. It inflamed the Iraqis at a time when we were making great progress in their support and willingness to help.”——Major Eric Egland, U.S. Air Force “We are at war, Representative Murtha, and your actions and conduct give aid and comfort to our enemies…You have dishonored all of those who have fought and died up to the day you stood on the floor of the House of Representatives and demanded that we withdraw immediately. Representative Murtha, you have given aid and comfort to our enemies in a time of war. You have given them hope, which they have fast been losing, due to all of the victories and sacrifice by our sons and daughters on the field of battle in Iraq and Afghanistan. You have been honored by our enemies on the front page of Al Jazeera. . . ” —Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Stark, U.S. Army Listen to these voices. Listen to their clarity and purpose. Have you heard anything lately from Washington, D.C., or in the mainstream media nearly as cogent? As with all wars, America’s fate resides in the hands of the vocal elite manning the editorial desks, congressional offices, and studio back lots. As we approach the birthday of our independence, let us add another voice to the dialogue: the uniformed men and women who, then as now, granted and preserved our freedom. Our way of life is at stake, as is the plight of 25 million Iraqis. Shouldn’t we listen?
Is Obama Disigenuous? http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23643866-5013948,00.html The illusion that is Barack Obama * Font Size: Decrease Increase * Print Page: Print Fred Siegel | May 05, 2008 POLITICAL campaigning necessarily produces a wide gap between words and deeds. This is the price of bringing together a broad coalition with disparate interests. All effective politicians are at times authentically insincere or sincerely inauthentic. Exaggeration, embellishment, overstatement, doubletalk, deception and lies presented as metaphorical truths are the order of the day. So, of course, Barack Obama is no different. He exaggerates the credit he deserves for a limited piece of ethics-reform legislation. He embellishes when he presents himself as having had a consistent record on the Iraq war when in fact he's done a fair amount of zigzagging. He engages in doubletalk when, on free trade and Iraq, he tells the yokels one thing and the policy people another. He overstates when he presents his minimal accomplishments in the Illinois Senate as proof of his stature. He engages in systematic deception when he says he doesn't take money from lobbyists. He presents a lie as metaphorical truth when he says it was the 1965 bloody Sunday attacks on peaceful civil rights protesters in Selma, Alabama, that inspired his parents to marry. (They had been married for years already.) All of this is unappealing, but also unexceptional. What makes it different is that there's not just a gap but a chasm between his actions and his professed principles, which would normally kill a candidacy. And because his deeds are so few, the disparity is all the more salient. Obama, far more than the others, is the "judge me by what I say and not what I do" candidate. He wants to be the conscience of the country without necessarily having one himself. The disparity between Obama's rhetoric of transcendence and his conventional Chicago racial and patronage politics is a leitmotiv of his political career. In New York, politicians (Al Sharpton excepted) are usually forced to pay at least passing tribute to universal principles and the ideal of clean government. But Chicago, until recently a city of Lithuanians, blacks and Poles governed by Irishmen on the patronage model of the Italian Christian Democrats, is the city of political and cultural tribalism. Blacks adapted to the tribalism and the corrupt patronage politics that accompanied it. Historically, one of the ironies of Chicago politics is that the clean-government candidates have been the most racist, while those most open to black aspirations have been the most corrupt. When the young Jesse Jackson received his first audience with then mayor Richard Daley Sr - impervious to the universalism of the civil rights movement in its glory - offered him a job as a toll-taker. Jackson thought the offer demeaning but in time adapted. In Chicago, racial reform has meant that the incumbent mayor, Richard M. Daley, has been cutting blacks in on the loot. Louis Farrakhan, Jackson, Jeremiah Wright and Obama are all, in part, the expression of that politics. It hasn't always worked for Chicago, which, under the pressure of increasing taxes to pay for bloated government, is losing its middle class. But it has served the city's political class admirably. For all his Camelot-like rhetoric, Obama is a product, in significant measure, of the political culture that Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass described: "We've had our chief of detectives sent to prison for running the Outfit's (the mob's) jewellery-heist ring. And we've had white guys with Outfit connections get $100 million in affirmative action contracts from their drinking buddy, Mayor Richard Daley ... That's the Chicago way." At no point did Obama, the would-be saviour of US politics, challenge this corruption, except for face-saving gestures as a legislator. He was, in his own Harvard law way, a product of it. Why, you may ask, did the operators of Chicago's political machine support Obama? Part of the answer was given long ago by the then boss of Chicago, Jake Arvey. When asked why he made Adlai Stevenson - a man, as with Obama, more famous for speeches than for accomplishments - his party's gubernatorial candidate in 1948, Arvey is said to have replied that he needed to "perfume the ticket". Obama first played a perfuming role as a state senator. His mentor, Emil Jones, the machine-made president of the Senate, allowed him to sponsor a minor ethics bill. In return, Obama made sure to send plenty of pork to Jones's district. When asked about pork-barrel spending, Jones famously replied: "Some call it pork; I call it steak." Obama repaid the generosity. When he had a chance to back clean Democratic candidates for president of the Cook County board of supervisors and Illinois governor, he stayed with the allies of the Outfit. The gubernatorial candidate he backed, Rod Blagojevich, is under federal investigation, in part because of his relationship with Tony Rezko, the man who helped Obama buy his house. The Chicago way has delivered politically for Obama even this year. Ninety per cent of his popular-vote lead over Hillary Clinton comes from Illinois, and two-thirds of that 90 per cent comes just from Cook County. Some of this advantage came from the efforts of Obama's political ally, the flame-throwing reverend James Meeks, a political force in his own right. Meeks, who mocks black moderates as "niggers", is an Illinois state senator, the pastor of a mega-church and a strong supporter of Jackson's powerful political operation, which has put its vote-pulling muscle squarely behind the Obama campaign. It was only with Obama's remark about bitter, white, working-class, small-town voters that we saw his difficulties appealing beyond the machine's reach. He won his US Senate race in 2004 not only because his opponents self-destructed but also because of the machine's ability to deliver votes. In Pennsylvania, he has lacked such assistance and the campaigning has not gone nearly so well. First, Obama pretended to be a tenpin bowler and scored a 37. Then, appearing before a supposedly closed San Francisco audience, he complained that small-town Pennsylvanians "cling to guns or religion or antipathy towards people who aren't like them, or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment, as a way to explain their frustrations". This is the man who belongs to a church built on bitterness, rancour and conspiratorial fear. During the Wright affair, Obama not only repeatedly lied about what he knew and when but violated the spirit of the civil rights movement in its mid-1960s glory. When, as a young man, I was on the periphery of the movement, there was an unwritten rule that if people told racist jokes or speakers engaged in defamatory rhetoric, you needed to register your immediate disapproval by confronting the speaker or ostentatiously walking out. Wright's "black theology" is essentially a Christianised version of Malcolm X's ideology of hate. But for 20 years, Obama, who had planned to run for mayor of Chicago, kept silent about the close, if at times competitive, relationship between Wright, whose 8000-member mega-church gave him his political base, and Farrakhan. His ambition overrode his moral integrity. As part of his "black value system", Wright attacked whites for their "middle classism", materialism, and "greed in a world of need". Obama sounded similar notes in his recent address at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York, in which he laid the blame for the sub-prime mortgage crisis on those who had "embraced an ethic of greed, corner cutting and inside dealing". But that's exactly what Obama did in buying his luxurious house. Given the choice of purchasing a less expensive home or getting into bed with his fundraiser-cum-slumlord-cum-fixer Rezko, Obama chose the latter. Then again, the oppressed of Trinity United Church of Christ are building Wright a $US1.6 million ($1.7million), 960sqm home complete with four-car garage, whirlpool and butler's pantry. This house, which backs on to a golf course, is to sit in Tinley Park, a gated community in southwest Chicago that is 93 per cent white. The Obamas' charitable giving is consistent with Wright's talking Left while living Right. Obama and his wife are quite well off. They had an estimated income of $US1.2 million from 2000 to 2004. But the man who preaches compassion and mutuality gave all of 1 per cent of that income to charity during those years. Most of that went to Wright's church. There is a similar chasm when it comes to Obama's claim to post-partisanship. His achievements in reaching out to moderate voters are largely proleptic. But words are not deeds and, although Obama has few concrete achievements to his name, his voting record hardly suggests an ability to rise above Left v Right. In the Illinois Senate, he made a specialty of voting present, but after his first two years in the US Senate, National Journal's analysis of rollcall votes found that he was more liberal than 86 per cent of his colleagues. His voting record has only moved further Left since then. The liberal Americans for Democratic Action gives him a 97.5 per cent rating, while National Journal ranks him the most liberal member of the Senate. By comparison, Clinton, who occasionally votes with the Republicans, ranks 16th. Obama is such a down-the-line partisan that, according to Congressional Quarterly, in the past two years he has voted with the Democrats more often than did the party's majority leader, Harry Reid. Likewise, for all his talk of post-racialism, Obama has played, with the contrivance of the press, traditional South Side Chicago racial politics. The day after his surprise loss in New Hampshire, and in anticipation of the South Carolina primary, with its heavily black electorate, South Side congressman Jesse Jackson Jr - Obama's national co-chairman - appeared on MSNBC to argue, in a prepared statement, that Clinton's teary moment on the campaign trail reflected her deep-seated racism. "Those tears," said Jackson, "have to be analysed ... They have to be looked at very, very carefully in light of Katrina, in light of other things that Mrs Clinton did not cry for, particularly as we head to South Carolina, where 45 per cent of African-Americans will participate in the Democratic contest ... We saw tears in response to her appearance, so that her appearance brought her to tears, but not hurricane Katrina, not other issues." In other words, whites who are at odds with, or who haven't delivered for, Chicago politicians can be obliquely accused of racism on the flimsiest basis, but pillars of local black politics such as Wright, with his exclusivist racial theology, are beyond criticism. Liberals love Obama's talk of taking on powerful financial interests. But here , too, he is rather slippery. In his Cooper Union speech, he denounced in no uncertain terms the "special interests" of people on Wall Street (who are well represented among his campaign donors). He, of course, had an opportunity to push for repealing the privileged tax treatment of private equity firms when that question was before Charles Grassley's Senate subcommittee - but he simply made a pro-forma statement in favour of doing so and disappeared. Nationally, as in Chicago, Obama the self-styled reformer never crosses swords with any of his putative foes. To pick another example, he has attacked "predatory" sub-prime lenders while taking roughly $US1.3 million in contributions from companies in that line of business. Obama is the internationalist opposed to free trade. He is the friend of race-baiters who thinks Don Imus deserved to be fired. He is the proponent of courage in the face of powerful interests who lacked the courage to break with Wright (until Wednesday). He is the man who would lead our efforts against terrorism yet was friendly with Bill Ayers, the unrepentant 1960s terrorist. He is the post-racialist supporter of affirmative action. He is the enemy of Big Oil who takes money from executives at Exxon-Mobil, Shell and British Petroleum. Obama has, in a sense, represented a new version of the invisible man, a candidate whose colour obscures his failings. But so far, the wild discrepancy between Obama's words and his deeds, and between his enormous ambitions and his minimal accomplishments, doesn't seem to have fazed his core supporters, who apparently suffer from a severe case of cognitive dissonance. Like cultists who rededicate themselves when the cult's prophecies have been falsified, his fans redouble their delusions in the face of his obvious hypocrisy. That is because Obama, in the imagination of many of his fans in the public and the press, is both a deduction from what was - the failures of the Bush administration and the scandals of the Clintons - and an expression of what should be. The ideal, the aspiration, is so rhetorically appealing that it has been assumed to be true. They remind one of Woodrow Wilson's answer when asked if his plan for a League of Nations was practicable: "If it won't work, it must be made to work." Fred Siegel is a contributing editor of City Journal. He teaches at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art.
Do you want to know the truth that McCain won't tell you? STRAIGHT FROM www.factcheck.org........ McCain's ad opens by turning Obama's housing problem attack back on Obama. The narrator says Chicago real estate developer Tony Rezko, one of Obama's "biggest fundraisers" helped Obama buy his "million-dollar mansion" by purchasing property that Obama couldn't afford. The ad goes on to charge that Obama helped Rezko receive "political favors" including "$14 million from taxpayers," and it points out that Rezko is now a convicted felon. It's untrue that Rezko got "$14 million from taxpayers" for himself, as the ad seems to be saying. The "help" to which it refers is a one-page letter Obama signed in October 1998 urging the city housing commissioner to support an apartment project for low-income senior citizens. A copy went to the state housing development authority. The 97-unit Cottage View Terrace, which opened in 2002, was funded with taxpayer money, and Tony Rezko was involved in developing the project. But the deal did not put $14 million into Rezko's pocket. That figure represents the total development cost for the project. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Rezko and his partner, Allison Davis, netted about $855,000. That's not pocket change, but it's a far cry from $14 million. And the tenants of the building benefited too. Moreover, the ad's claim that Obama wrote the letter as a favor to Rezko is without factual support. Both men deny that Rezko asked Obama to write them, and Obama says his district office frequently sent letters supporting "worthy" community projects, so routinely that "I wasn't even aware that we wrote the letter." Rezko's attorney, Joseph Duffy, told the Sun-Times in 2007 that "Mr. Rezko never spoke with, nor sought a letter from, Senator Obama in connection with that project." And Obama told Sun-Times reporters in a March 2008 interview: Obama (March 15, 2008): [He] did not solicit that from me. ... This was a project that was well-regarded in the community, has done well, and was supported on its own merits, and it was essentially a form letter of the sort that I did all [the] time. Can support for a low-income housing project be a "favor" to the developer if the developer didn't ask for it? You decide. As for that claim about Rezko helping Obama buy his house, well, we've dealt with that one before. The gist of the story: In 2005, Barack and Michelle Obama found a house that they wanted to purchase. The property had been divided into two parcels, one containing a house and the other undeveloped land. The owner had listed the properties separately. After considerable haggling, the seller accepted the Obamas' third bid of $1.65 million for the parcel containing the house. Tony Rezko's wife, Rita, purchased the adjoining lot for $625,000. When the Obamas wanted to increase the size of their yard, they approached the Rezkos about purchasing a strip of the adjacent parcel. Obama told the Sun-Times that a 10-foot strip of the 60-foot lot appraised for $40,000. The Obamas nevertheless paid Rita $104,500 (or 1/6 of the total purchase price of her lot) for the strip. In 2007, Rita sold the remaining lot for $575,000 (or roughly a $54,500 profit on the overall property). McCain's ad, however, is worded in a way that could leave a false impression. It says Rezko "helped him buy his million-dollar mansion" by "purchasing part of the property he couldn't afford." That's true, but only because the seller wanted to sell the two parcels as a unit and the Obamas couldn't afford both. Rezko did not make a gift of any property to the Obamas. Furthermore, the fact that his wife sold her lot for more than she paid for it contradicts any suggestion that the Rezkos overpaid for their part of the deal as a way of getting the seller to lower the price to the Obamas for their part. The McCain ad says of Rezko, "Now, he's a convicted felon." That's true; Rezko was indicted in 2006 and convicted of corruption charges on June 4, 2008. But those charges came after the 2005 Obama home purchase and had nothing to do with that or with the $14 million project mentioned in the ad. Obama has donated campaign contributions from Rezko and his associates to charity. JUST WANTED TO HELP SOME OF YOU OUT BEFORE YOU KEEP REPEATING MCCAINS REZKO LIE. ;)
Did you know that McCain's new ad tells another lie? STRAIGHT FROM www.factcheck.org McCain's ad opens by turning Obama's housing problem attack back on Obama. The narrator says Chicago real estate developer Tony Rezko, one of Obama's "biggest fundraisers" helped Obama buy his "million-dollar mansion" by purchasing property that Obama couldn't afford. The ad goes on to charge that Obama helped Rezko receive "political favors" including "$14 million from taxpayers," and it points out that Rezko is now a convicted felon. It's untrue that Rezko got "$14 million from taxpayers" for himself, as the ad seems to be saying. The "help" to which it refers is a one-page letter Obama signed in October 1998 urging the city housing commissioner to support an apartment project for low-income senior citizens. A copy went to the state housing development authority. The 97-unit Cottage View Terrace, which opened in 2002, was funded with taxpayer money, and Tony Rezko was involved in developing the project. But the deal did not put $14 million into Rezko's pocket. That figure represents the total development cost for the project. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Rezko and his partner, Allison Davis, netted about $855,000. That's not pocket change, but it's a far cry from $14 million. And the tenants of the building benefited too. Moreover, the ad's claim that Obama wrote the letter as a favor to Rezko is without factual support. Both men deny that Rezko asked Obama to write them, and Obama says his district office frequently sent letters supporting "worthy" community projects, so routinely that "I wasn't even aware that we wrote the letter." Rezko's attorney, Joseph Duffy, told the Sun-Times in 2007 that "Mr. Rezko never spoke with, nor sought a letter from, Senator Obama in connection with that project." And Obama told Sun-Times reporters in a March 2008 interview: Obama (March 15, 2008): [He] did not solicit that from me. ... This was a project that was well-regarded in the community, has done well, and was supported on its own merits, and it was essentially a form letter of the sort that I did all [the] time. Can support for a low-income housing project be a "favor" to the developer if the developer didn't ask for it? You decide. Million-Dollar Mansion As for that claim about Rezko helping Obama buy his house, well, we've dealt with that one before. The gist of the story: In 2005, Barack and Michelle Obama found a house that they wanted to purchase. The property had been divided into two parcels, one containing a house and the other undeveloped land. The owner had listed the properties separately. After considerable haggling, the seller accepted the Obamas' third bid of $1.65 million for the parcel containing the house. Tony Rezko's wife, Rita, purchased the adjoining lot for $625,000. When the Obamas wanted to increase the size of their yard, they approached the Rezkos about purchasing a strip of the adjacent parcel. Obama told the Sun-Times that a 10-foot strip of the 60-foot lot appraised for $40,000. The Obamas nevertheless paid Rita $104,500 (or 1/6 of the total purchase price of her lot) for the strip. In 2007, Rita sold the remaining lot for $575,000 (or roughly a $54,500 profit on the overall property). McCain's ad, however, is worded in a way that could leave a false impression. It says Rezko "helped him buy his million-dollar mansion" by "purchasing part of the property he couldn't afford." That's true, but only because the seller wanted to sell the two parcels as a unit and the Obamas couldn't afford both. Rezko did not make a gift of any property to the Obamas. Furthermore, the fact that his wife sold her lot for more than she paid for it contradicts any suggestion that the Rezkos overpaid for their part of the deal as a way of getting the seller to lower the price to the Obamas for their part. Convicted Felon The McCain ad says of Rezko, "Now, he's a convicted felon." That's true; Rezko was indicted in 2006 and convicted of corruption charges on June 4, 2008. But those charges came after the 2005 Obama home purchase and had nothing to do with that or with the $14 million project mentioned in the ad. Obama has conceded that purchasing the land from Rezko, whom Obama knew to be under investigation at the time, was "boneheaded." As we reported in December, Obama has donated campaign contributions from Rezko and his associates to charity. If he lied about that, what else will he lie about? Everyone who tries to beat up Obama with the Rezko theory needs to research the facts themselves before making false assumptions. Hey Patrick G, CAN YOU READ?
Legitimate Work from Home Business? A recent lay-off has forced me to reevaluate my career. I’m 44 years old, without a college degree, and I’ve seen many changes in my twenty-five years as a administrative assistant. Where at one time a administrative assistant was highly utilized by the employer, younger executives are bringing with them excellent computer skills and the need for a administrative assistant has decreased. Let’s face it, today administrative assistants get stuck with the mundane jobs the higher ups don’t want to do. My statement is not to belittle any administrative assistants who are out there, I’m just stating what I have observed. Most admins, at one point or another, has developed something they excel in and made a niche for themselves. Mine happens to be desktop publishing (creating brochures, booklet, trade information, as well as PowerPoint presentations). I’m not an artist, but do pretty good. College educated graphic designers have the market cornered in that field. I also enjoy doing research. Before I relocated to another state I had a great job in NYC researching companies for a securities analyst so he might rate a company (stocks) for his investors. Not many securities firms in this area, as most are located within the financial districts of major cities. I still have a good 25 years left in me and fill a change is due. I would like to do something that I very much enjoy. I would very much like to work from home processing paperwork for the housing industry. There has to be a job in that area due to forecloses, bank appraisals, refinancing, etc. But where does one start? I don’t buy into these “for the one time price of only $159.99 we will show you how you can work from home and make $50,000 your first week”. Yeah right. It’s a win, win situation for both parties. The processor works from home basically as a subcontractors on a per page fee. The employer doesn’t have to make office space for employees, no insurance to pay as well as any other benefits. I don’t believe in get rich promises and fully understand that one may have to put in more hours as a contractor . I also got started late in the child department. Where most people my age are already having grandchildren, my son just turned eight years old. As a single parent, I’d like to be here for him. Does anyone out there know FIRST HAND of a legitimate company, or website, that one could become involved with? Thanks.
Why does everyone succomon to fear and sell thier stocks when the media yells recession? People panic and sell their stocks at low prices, because they think they are about to lose money, when that is exactly what causes companies to go under. On wall street, stocks fell DUE TO PEOPLE PANICING AND SELLING THEIR STOCKS because the media smears in the world face when a few companies go bankrupt. I mean people are selling their stocks (and not buying like they should be) in companies that aren't doing bad, causing their stock prices to fall. Remember America, when you buy stocks at low prices, the company gains money, does better and people prosper. All the media hype on fannie mae and freddie mack, Lehman, and now the AIG scare, has caused ALOT of other companies to lose in the stock market because people are thinking OH MY GOD< and selling even when they don't own stock in those companies. Doesn't everyone understand that "spending money on companies, buying stock, and buying their products is what makes those companies, and america's dollar value prosper. We had a natural disaster... Hurricane Ike, which yes, hurt oil prices due to the texas storm, however, now other countries are seeing everyone in American media yell... OH NO, recession,,,,, just because a couple of companies need help, thus selling thier stocks causing even more turmoil on wall street. America is prosperious because of the ability of businesses to prosper (small an large) however, when there is a "panic alert in the media, we get hurt even worse because people stop investing. Everyone needs loans to buy houses, supplies to build houses, and fix things in our current homes, food to eat, cars to get around, and what makes America so prosperious is the public (people) buying things to do this. COmpanies are going under because people are in fear and not spending like they could. Gas prices hurt us, yes, but think of it this way...... It's only 2.00 more than 4 years, ago, if that, yet we will spend thousands of dollars on video games for our kids, eat a nice resturants, and buy non needed items-over needed ones, then complain about gas prices, Yet Americans can see that those three companies that failed is not what made America prosper... it's all the businesses, So why punish those companies and hurt our ecomony more buy selling their stocks when we should be taking advantage and buying more stocks now, while cheaper.... that alone would help our economy. I'm just saying, think about it......... we panic....we sell....we all lose in the long run..........(i understand selling companies that are folding, but let's not make more fold by doing unnecessary things.) With all the media hype, You can bet, other countries are going to pull their shares out of our stocks, which will cause us to fail more, while we here are doing the same.... All because the media yells.... recession or some journalists writes a front page article sayong "worst recesion since 1930... Well hell yeah, thank you, now it will be worse. People, wake up, we can fix this problem, buy low...sell high! Not the other way around. What are your thoughts on this....."Crisis" per the newspaper. And what can we do about it BESIDES pass the buck? If stocks are low now..... BUY! They will go back up ya know, and I bet right after the election too! But instead of people leaving them be, and waiting for them to go back up... they panic, and sell because they think that company can't regain when it can! Like I said..panic! It's not impossible...!
Can you translate these English paragraphs to Tagalog about UAE??? Introduction Background: Definition Field Listing The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region. Geography Location: Definition Field Listing Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia Geographic coordinates: Definition Field Listing 24 00 N, 54 00 E Map references: Definition Field Listing Middle East Area: Definition Field Listing Rank Order total: 83,600 sq km land: 83,600 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: Definition Field Listing slightly smaller than Maine Land boundaries: Definition Field Listing total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km Coastline: Definition Field Listing 1,318 km Maritime claims: Definition Field Listing territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: Definition Field Listing desert; cooler in eastern mountains Terrain: Definition Field Listing flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east Elevation extremes: Definition Field Listing lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m Natural resources: Definition Field Listing petroleum, natural gas Land use: Definition Field Listing arable land: 0.77% permanent crops: 2.27% other: 96.96% (2005) Irrigated land: Definition Field Listing 760 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources: Definition Field Listing 0.2 cu km (1997) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): Definition Field Listing total: 2.3 cu km/yr (23%/9%/68%) per capita: 511 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: Definition Field Listing frequent sand and dust storms Environment - current issues: Definition Field Listing lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills Environment - international agreements: Definition Field Listing party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography - note: Definition Field Listing strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil Government Country name: Definition Field Listing conventional long form: United Arab Emirates conventional short form: none local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah local short form: none former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States abbreviation: UAE Government type: Definition Field Listing federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates Capital: Definition Field Listing name: Abu Dhabi geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: Definition Field Listing 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn (Quwayn) Independence: Definition Field Listing 2 December 1971 (from UK) National holiday: Definition Field Listing Independence Day, 2 December (1971) Constitution: Definition Field Listing 2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996 Legal system: Definition Field Listing based on a dual system of Shari'a and civil courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: Definition Field Listing none Executive branch: Definition Field Listing chief of state: President KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004); Vice President and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006) head of government: Prime Minister and Vice President MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) and HAMDAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC for five-year terms (no term limits); election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (next to be held in 2009); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan elected president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum unanimously affirmed vice president after the 2006 death of his brother Sheikh Maktum bin Rashid al-Maktum Legislative branch: Definition Field Listing unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; 20 members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states, 20 members elected to serve two-year terms) elections: elections for one half of the FNC (the other half remains appointed) held in the UAE on 18-20 December 2006; the new electoral college - a body of 6,689 Emiratis (including 1,189 women) appointed by the rulers of the seven emirates - were the only eligible voters and candidates; 456 candidates including 65 women ran for 20 contested FNC seats; one female from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi won a seat note: reviews legislation but cannot change or veto Judicial branch: Definition Field Listing Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) Political parties and leaders: Definition Field Listing none Political pressure groups and leaders: Definition Field Listing NA International organization participation: Definition Field Listing ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: Definition Field Listing chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 consulate(s): New York, Houston Diplomatic representation from the US: Definition Field Listing chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Martin R. QUINN embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200 FAX: [971] (2) 414-2603 consulate(s) general: Dubai Flag description: Definition Field Listing three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side Economy United Arab Emirates Top of Page Economy - overview: Definition Field Listing The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Despite largely successful efforts at economic diversification, nearly 40% of GDP is still directly based on oil and gas output. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE more than 30 years ago, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector involvement. In April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with Washington and in November 2004 agreed to undertake negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement with the US. The country's Free Trade Zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes - are helping to attract foreign investors. Higher oil revenue, strong liquidity, housing shortages, and cheap credit in 2005-07 led to a surge in asset prices (shares and real estate) and consumer inflation. Rising prices are increasing the operating costs for businesses in the UAE and adversely impacting government employees and others on fixed incomes. Dependence on oil and a large expatriate workforce are significant long-term challenges. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on diversification and creating more opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment. GDP (purchasing power parity): Definition Field Listing Rank Order $167.3 billion (2007 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): Definition Field Listing $192.6 billion (2007 est.) GDP - real growth rate: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 7.4% (2007 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): Definition Field Listing Rank Order $37,300 (2007 est.) GDP - composition by sector: Definition Field Listing agriculture: 1.8% industry: 59.3% services: 38.9% (2007 est.) Labor force: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 3.065 million (2007 est.) Labor force - by occupation: Definition Field Listing agriculture: 7% industry: 15% services: 78% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 2.4% (2001) Population below poverty line: Definition Field Listing 19.5% (2003) Household income or consumption by percentage share: Definition Field Listing lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): Definition Field Listing Rank Order 11% (2007 est.) Investment (gross fixed): Definition Field Listing Rank Order 21.8% of GDP (2007 est.) Budget: Definition Field Listing revenues: $58.88 billion expenditures: $38.06 billion (2007 est.) Public debt: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 22.9% of GDP (2007 est.) Agriculture - products: Definition Field Listing dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish Industries: Definition Field Listing petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles Industrial production growth rate: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 4.3% (2007 est.) Electricity - production: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 57.06 billion kWh (2005) Electricity - consumption: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 52.62 billion kWh (2005) Electricity - exports: Definition Field Listing 0 kWh (2005) Electricity - imports: Definition Field Listing 0 kWh (2005) Oil - production: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 2.54 million bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil - consumption: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 372,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil - exports: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 2.54 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil - imports: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 137,200 bbl/day (2004) Oil - proved reserves: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 97.8 billion bbl (2007 est.) Natural gas - production: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 45.07 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas - consumption: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 39.56 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas - exports: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 6.848 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas - imports: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 1.343 billion cu m (2005) Natural gas - proved reserves: Definition Field Listing Rank Order 5.823 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: Definition Field Listing Rank Order $41.67 billion (2007 est.) Exports: Definition Field Listing Rank Order $156.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) Exports - commodities: Definition Field Listing crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates Exports - partners: Definition Field Listing Japan 23.4%, South Korea 10.3%, Thailand 5%, India 4.8% (2006) Imports: Definition Field Listing Rank Order $101.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) Imports - commodities: Definition Field Listing machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food Imports - partners: Definition Field Listing China 13.1%, India 10.2%, US 8.9%, Japan 6.2%, Germany 6.1%, Italy 4.7% (2006) Economic aid - donor: Definition Field Listing since its founding in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has given about $5.2 billion in aid to 56 countries (2004) Economic aid - recipient: Definition Field Listing $5.36 million (2004) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Definition Field Listing Rank Order $76.62 billion (31 December 2007 est.) Debt - external: Definition Field Listing Rank Order $57.52 billion (31 December 2007 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Definition Field Listing Rank Order $44.37 billion (2007 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Definition Field Listing Rank Order $14.14 billion (2007 est.) Market value of publicly traded shares: Definition Field Listing Rank Order $138.5 billion (2006) Currency (code): Definition Field Listing Emirati dirham (AED) Exchange rates: Definition Field Listing Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.673 (2007), 3.673 (2006), 3.6725 (2005), 3.6725 (2004), 3.6725 (2003) note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002 Fiscal year: Definition Field Listing calendar year Transnational Issues Disputes - international: Definition Field Listing boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed maps showing the alignment have not been published; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which Iran occupies Illicit drugs: Definition Field Listing the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to Southwest Asian drug-producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering controls improving, but informal banking remains unregulated
A Martha Stewart Christmas? Dear Santa: I rarely ask for much. This year is no exception. I don't need diamond earrings, handy slicer-dicers or comfy slippers. I only want one little thing, and I want it deeply. I want to slap Martha Stewart. Now, hear me out, Santa. I won't scar her or draw blood or anything. Just one good smack, right across her smug little cheek. I get all cozy inside just thinking about it. Don't grant this wish just for me, do it for thousands of women across the country. Through sheer vicarious satisfaction, you'll be giving a gift to us all. Those of us leading average, garden variety lives aren't concerned with gracious living. We feel pretty good about ourselves if our paper plates match when we stack them on the counter, buffet-style for dinner. We're tired of Martha showing us how to make centerpieces from hollyhock dipped in 18-carat gold. We're plumb out of liquid gold. Unless it's of the furniture polish variety. We can't whip up Martha's creamy holiday sauce, spiced with turmeric. Most of us can't even say turmeric, let alone figure out what to do with it. OK, Santa, maybe you think I'm being a little harsh. But I'll bet with all the holiday rush you didn't catch that interview with Martha in last week's USA Weekend. I'm surprised there was enough room on the page for her ego. We discovered that not only does Martha avoid take-out pizza (she's only ordered it once), she refuses to eat it cold (No cold pizza? Is Martha Stewart living?) When it was pointed out that she could microwave it, she replied, "I don't have a microwave." The reporter, Jeffrey Zaslow, noted that she said this "in a tone that suggests you shouldn't either." Well, lah-dee-dah. Imagine that, Santa! That lovely microwave you brought me years ago, in which I've learned to make complicated dishes like popcorn and hot chocolate, has been declared undesirable by Queen Martha. What next? The coffee maker? In the article, we learned that Martha has 40 sets of dishes adorning an entire wall in her home. Forty sets. Can you spell "overkill"? And neatly put away, no less. If my dishes make it to the dishwasher that qualifies as "put away" in my house! Martha tells us she's already making homemade holiday gifts for friends. "Last year, I made amazing silk-lined scarves for everyone," she boasts. Not just scarves mind you. Amazing scarves. Martha's obviously not shy about giving herself a little pat on the back. In fact, she does so with such frequency that one has to wonder if her back is black and blue. She goes on to tell us that "homemaking is glamour for the 90s," and says her most glamorous friends are "interested in stain removal, how to iron a monogram, and how to fold a towel." I have one piece of advice, Martha: "Get new friends." Glamorous friends fly to Paris on a whim. They drift past the Greek Islands on yachts, sipping champagne from crystal goblets. They step out for the evening in shimmering satin gowns, whisked away by tuxedoed chauffeurs. They do not spend their days pondering the finer art of toilet bowl sanitation. Zaslow notes that Martha was named one of America's 25 most influential people by Time magazine (nosing out Mother Theresa, Madeline Allbright and Maya Angelou, no doubt). The proof of Martha's influence: after she bought white-fleshed peaches in the supermarket, Martha says, "People saw me buy them. In an instant, they were all gone." I hope Martha never decides to jump off a bridge. A guest in Martha's home told Zaslow how Martha gets up early to rollerblade with her dogs to pick fresh wild blackberries for breakfast. This confirms what I've suspected about Martha all along: She's obviously got too much time on her hands. Teaching the dogs to rollerblade. What a show off. If you think the dogs are spoiled, listen to how Martha treats her friends: She gave one friend all 272 books from the Knopf Everyman Library. It didn't cost much. Pocket change, really. Just $5,000. But what price friendship, right? When asked if others should envy her, Martha replies, "Don't envy me. I'm doing this because I'm a natural teacher. You shouldn't envy teachers. You should listen to them." Zaslow must have slit a seam in Martha's ego at this point, because once the hot air came hissing out, it couldn't be held back. "Being an overachiever is nothing despicable. It is only admirable. Never lower your standards," says Martha. And of her Web Page on the Internet, Martha declares herself an "important presence" as she graciously helps people organize their sad, tacky little lives. There you have it, Santa. If there was ever someone who deserved a good smack, it's Martha Stewart. But I bet I won't get my gift this year.
WILL YOU BE ABLE TO GET THE $7,500 TAX CREDIT? (read on)? 1. Who is eligible to claim the $7,500 tax credit? First time-home buyers purchasing any kind of home — new or resale — are eligible for the tax credit. 2. What is the definition of a first-time home buyer? The law defines "first-time home buyer" as a buyer who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase. 3. What types of homes will qualify for the tax credit? Any home purchased by an eligible first-time home buyer will qualify for the credit, provided that the home will be used as a principal residence and the buyer has not owned a home in the previous three years. This includes single-family detached homes, attached homes like townhouses, and condominiums. 4. Are there income limits to determine who is eligible to take the tax credit? Yes. Home buyers who file their taxes as single or head-of-household taxpayers can claim the credit if their modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than $75,000. For married taxpayers filing a joint tax return, the MAGI limit is $150,000. The limit is based on the buyer’s modified adjusted gross income for the year that the house is purchased, except for certain purchases in 2009. 5. What is “modified adjusted gross income”? Modified adjusted gross income, or MAGI, is defined by the IRS. To find it, a taxpayer must first determine “adjusted gross income,” or AGI, which is total income for a year minus certain deductions (known as “adjustments” or “above-the-line deductions”), but before itemized deductions from Schedule A or personal exemptions are subtracted. On Forms 1040 and 1040A, AGI is the last number on page 1 and first number on page 2 of the form. For Form 1040-EZ, AGI appears on line 4 (as of 2007). Note that AGI includes all forms of income — including wages, salaries, interest income, dividends and capital gains. To determine modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), add to AGI certain amounts such as foreign income, foreign-housing deductions, student-loan deductions, IRA-contribution deductions and deductions for higher-education costs. 6. If my modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is above the limit, do I qualify for any tax credit? Possibly. It depends on your income. Partial credits of less than $7,500 are available for some taxpayers whose MAGI exceeds the phaseout limits. The credit becomes totally unavailable for individual taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income of more than $95,000 and for married taxpayers filing joint returns with an AGI of more than $170,000. 7. Can you give me an example of how the partial tax credit is determined? Just as an example, assume that a married couple has a modified adjusted gross income of $160,000. The applicable phaseout to qualify for the tax credit is $150,000, and the couple is $10,000 over this amount. Dividing $10,000 by $20,000 yields 0.5. When you subtract 0.5 from 1.0, the result is 0.5. To determine the amount of the partial first-time home buyer tax credit that is available to this couple, multiply $7,500 by 0.5. The result is $3,750. Here’s another example: assume that an individual home buyer has a modified adjusted gross income of $88,000. The buyer’s income exceeds $75,000 by $13,000. Dividing $13,000 by $20,000 yields 0.65. When you subtract 0.65 from 1.0, the result is 0.35. Multiplying $7,500 by 0.35 shows that the buyer is eligible for a partial tax credit of $2,625. Please remember that these examples are intended to provide a general idea of how the tax credit might be applied in different circumstances. You should always consult your tax advisor for information relating to your specific circumstances. 8. Does the credit amount differ based on tax filing status? No. The credit is in general equal to $7,500 for a qualified home purchase, whether the home buyer files taxes as a single or married taxpayer. However, if a household files its taxes as “married filing separately” (in effect, filing two returns), then the credit of $7,500 is claimed as a $3,750 credit on each of the two returns. 9. Are there any circumstances under which buyers whose incomes are at or below the $75,000 limit for singles or the $150,000 limit for married taxpayers might not be able to claim the full $7,500 tax credit? In general, the tax credit is equal to 10% of the qualified home purchase price, but the credit amount is capped or limited at $7,500. For most first-time home buyers, this means the credit will equal $7,500. For home buyers purchasing a home priced less than $75,000, the credit will equal 10% of the purchase price. 10. I heard that the tax credit is refundable. What does that mean? The fact that the credit is refundable means that the home buyer credit can be claimed even if the taxpayer has little or no federal income tax liability to offset. Typically this involves the government sending the taxpayer a check for a portion or even all of the amount of the refundable tax credit. For example, if a qualified home buyer expected federal income tax liability of $5,000 and had tax withholding of $4,000 for the year, then without the tax credit the taxpayer would owe the IRS $1,000 on April 15. Suppose now that taxpayer qualified for the $7,500 home buyer tax credit. As a result, the taxpayer would receive a check for $6,500 ($7,500 minus the $1,000 owed). 11. What is the difference between a tax credit and a tax deduction? A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in what the taxpayer owes. That means that a taxpayer who owes $7,500 in income taxes and who receives a $7,500 tax credit would owe nothing to the IRS. A tax deduction is subtracted from the amount of income that is taxed. Using the same example, assume the taxpayer is in the 15% tax bracket and owes $7,500 in income taxes. If the taxpayer receives a $7,500 deduction, the taxpayer’s tax liability would be reduced by $1,125 (15% of $7,500), or lowered from $7,500 to $6,375. 12. Can I claim the tax credit if I finance the purchase of my home under a mortgage revenue bond (MRB) program? No. The tax credit cannot be combined with the MRB home buyer program. 13. I live in the District of Columbia. Can I claim both the D.C. first-time home buyer credit and this new credit? No. You can claim only one. 14. I am not a U.S. citizen. Can I claim the tax credit? Maybe. Anyone who is not a nonresident alien (as defined by the IRS), who has not owned a principal residence in the previous three years and who meets the income limits test may claim the tax credit for a qualified home purchase. The IRS provides a definition of “nonresident alien” in IRS Publication 519 (www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p519.pdf). 15. Does the credit have to be paid back to the government? If so, what are the payback provisions? Yes, the tax credit must be repaid. Home buyers will be required to repay the credit to the government, without interest, over 15 years or when they sell the house, if there is sufficient capital gain from the sale. For example, a home buyer claiming a $7,500 credit would repay the credit at $500 per year. The home owner does not have to begin making repayments on the credit until two years after the credit is claimed. So if the tax credit is claimed on the 2008 tax return, a $500 payment is not due until the 2010 tax return is filed. If the home owner sold the home, then the remaining credit amount would be due from the profit on the home sale. If there was insufficient profit, then the remaining credit payback would be forgiven. 16. Why must the money be repaid? The intent of Congress was to provide as large a financial resource as possible for home buyers in the year that they purchase a home. In addition to helping first-time home buyers, this will maximize the stimulus for the housing market and the economy, will help stabilize home prices and will increase home sales. The repayment requirement reduces the impact on the U.S. Treasury and assumes that home buyers will benefit from stabilized and, eventually, rising future housing prices. 17. Because the money must be repaid, isn’t the first-time home buyer program really a zero-interest loan rather than a traditional tax credit? Yes. Because the tax credit must be repaid, it operates like a zero-interest loan. Assuming an interest rate of 7%, that means the home owner saves up to $4,200 in interest payments over the 15-year repayment period. Compared to $7,500 financed through a 30-year mortgage with a 7% interest rate, the home buyer tax credit saves home buyers more than $8,100 in interest payments. The program is called a tax credit because it operates through the tax code and is administered by the IRS. Also like a tax credit, it provides a reduction in tax liability in the year it is claimed. 18. If I’m qualified for the tax credit and buy a home in 2009, can I apply the tax credit against my 2008 tax return? Yes. The law allows taxpayers to choose (“elect”) to treat qualified home purchases in 2009 as if the purchase occurred on Dec. 31, 2008. This means that the 2008 income limit (MAGI) applies and the election accelerates when the credit can be claimed (tax filing for 2008 returns instead of for 2009 returns). A benefit of this election is that a home buyer in 2009 will know their 2008 MAGI with certainty, thereby helping the buyer know whether the income limit will reduce their credit amount. 19. For a home purchase in 2009, can I choose whether to treat the purchase as occurring in 2008 or 2009, depending on in which year my credit amount is the largest? Yes. If the applicable income phaseout would reduce your home buyer tax credit amount in 2009 and a larger credit would be available using the 2008 MAGI amounts, then you can choose the year that yields the largest credit amount.
Does this facts prove that greeks are stolling Macedonian history?? Macedonia and Alexander were never greeks? Documents of the Continued Existence of Macedonia and the Macedonian Nation for a period of over 2500 years What follows are documents that speak of the continued existence of Macedonia and of the Macedonian nation through the last 25 centuries. Macedonia is clearly distinguished from Greece (Hellas), Thrace, Illyria, Bulgaria, Serbia, and the Macedonians are likewise distinguished as distinct nation from the Greeks, Thracians, Illyrians, Bulgarians, Serbs, Albanians, as nation which continued to exist and survive trough the centuries (makedonika.org). 500 B.C. - 500 A.D. Macedonia and the Macedonians as distinct nation in the works of the ancient Greek, Roman, and Jewish historians, as well in the works of the modern German, French, English, American historians. 586 A.D. From the "Miracles of St. Demetrius of Salonika, I ": "...For if one was to imagine them in a heap, not only the Macedonians gathered in Salonika... Certainly he who inspired the Macedonians with courage..." Mirac. I, 13, p.1285-14; 1313 758-759 A.D. From the Chronographia of Theophanes the Confessor "That year Constantine plundered the Sclavinii throughout Macedonia and subjugated the rest." Theoph., I, p.430, 21-22. From the Chronographia Tripertita by Anastasius Bibliothecarius: "In the eighteenth year of his reign, Constantine enslaved the Sclavinii of Macedonia and he subjugated the rest." A. B., p.282, 20-21. 8th Century From Strabonos Epithomatus: "And now, in that way almost all of Epirus, Hellada, the Peloponnese and Macedonia have also been settled by the Skiti-Slavs." C. Muller, Geographi graeci minores, Paris 1882, p.574. 821-823 A.D. From the letter of Michael II to the honorable Ludwig: "Thomas...having gathered our barges and dromon, had the opportunity to arrive in (some) parts of Thrace and Macedonia." Mansi, Michaelis Belbi et Theophilii....Florentinae, 1759 904 From On the Capture of Salonika by John Cametinae: "...I introduce you to the same, the great and the first city of the Macedonians..." J.K. Begunov, Kozma Prezviter v slavjanskih literaturah, Sofia 1976, p. 297 First half of 10th C. From On the Themes by Constantine Porphyrogenitus: "... So from a kingdom Macedonia turned into a province and now it has reached the position of a theme and strategy." C. Porfirogenito, De thematibus, Citta del Vaticano, 1952. 986 From the History of Leo the Deacon: "...since they robbed the region of the Macedonians mercilessly, destroying all adults.". Leonis Diaconi Historiae, Paris 1864, p. 311. 1041 From the Annals of Bari: "...he had already written to Sicily from where the unfortunate Macedonians, Paulicians and Calbrians arrived." G.H. Pertz, Annales Barenses, Monumenta Germaniae historica, Scriptores V, p.53. 1064 From the Chronicle of John Zonaras: "The Uzians...invaded Macedonia and plundered it, and reached Hellada". Ioannis Zonorae Epitomae historiarum, Vol. VIII, Ed. Th. Buttner-Wobst, Bonnae 1897, p.678. 1072-1073 From the History of Necephorus Vryenius: "...for the Scythians were carrying out sudden attacks in Thrace and Macedonia." Nicephori Bryenii commentarii, Ed. A. Meicke, Bonnae 1836, p.100, 102. 1083-1085 From De expeditione Yerosolymitana by Radulfo Cadonis: "...Beomund Guiscard sailed across the Adriatic and occupied Macedonia." Tancredi in expeditione Yerosolymitana ....Paris, 1854, p.499. c. 1106 From the letter of Theophylactes of Ohrid to Gregorius Camaterus: "...do not retain such a man in the narrow regions of our Macedonia...". Theophylacti, col. 496, B-C. Beginning of 12th Century From the Byzantine satire Timarion: "The day of Saint Demetrius in (Salonika) is as great a festival as the Panathinei in Athens or Panionii in Miletus; it is a grand Macedonian celebration in which not only the Macedonian people gather, but people of all sorts and from all directions: Greeks from different regions of Hellada, the Mizian tribes...". Vizantiiski Vremenik, Moscow VI 1953, p. 367. 1185 "Woe, woe, the city of Salonika is captured, I say, the metropolis of the Macedonians." Ephraimi Chronologici caesares; Ed. J.P. Migne - PG 143 , Paris 1891, p.198. Beginning of 13th C. From the synod records of the Ohrid Archibishopric: "Ioannis Ierakar by birth Macedonian". J. Pitra, Analacta sacra et classica specilegio Solesmensi parta, t. VI Juris ecclesiastici graecorum selecta paralipomena. Parissis et Romae 1891, col. 315. 1246 Ser was one a large city, but the Bulgarian Ivan had demolished when besieging it and other Macedonian cities. Georgii Acropolitae Opera, Recensuit A. Haisenberg vol. I, Lipsiae 1903, p.74-75, 77 1282-1321 ...that king's alliance is certain and unanswering, just as long as he can settle near to Macedonia. While he was spending his time on these (matters), the protostrator Theodore Sinadinus, once freed from the West, arrived in Byzantium. He governed Prilep, the neighbouring regions and the lower Macedonian towns. Ioan Cantacuzeni Historiarum libri IV, Ed. J.P.Migne - PG Paris 1866, p.94 1305 At the battle of Apros in 1305 there were five syntaxeis, differentiated by ethnicity: the Alans and Tourkopouloi in the van, followed by the Macedonians, the Anatolians, the Vlach infantry and the Thelematarioi. The Late Byzantine Army. Mark C. Bartusis 1992. p.256 1326 ...I beleive you know that Strimon...is the largest of all those that biscet Thrace and Macedonia... Nicephore Gregoras, Correspondence. Paris 1927, p.30-50. Middle 14th C. ...Stefan became king of the Tribals. After he had set off from the region of the Ionian Sea, he razed Epidamnus to the ground, went into Macedonia and made Skopje the capital... The king left the city of Skopje, taking with him men experienced in battle and a strong army and subordinated to his rule the places in the vicinity of Kastoria. Then having moved camp, he subjugated all of Macedonia, except for Terma... Laonici Chalcocondiae Historiarum. Ed. J. P. Migne - PG t.CLIX (Paris, 1866) col. 36, B-37, C. 1349 (Code of) the honorable and Christ-loving Macedonian Tsar Stefan, Serbian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Dalmation, Arbanasian, Hungarian Wallachian and indipendent ruler of many other regions and lands... Lj. Stojanovic, Stari srpski zapisi i natpisi. Knj. III, Beograd 1905, p. 41 (nbr.4949). Middle of the 14th C. A Slav inscription from the church of St. George at Upper Kozjak in which a man called Bratan signs himself as being from Macedonia. Z. Rosolkovska-Nikolovska, Crkvata Sv. Georgi vo Goren Kozjak vo svetlinata na novite ispituvanja - Zbornik "Kiril Solunski", Kn. I, Skopje, MANU 1970, p. 222. 15th C. I remember the great subordination under which the Turk holds the emperor in Constantinople and all the Greeks, Macedonians and Bulgarians....As I said earlier, there are many Christians who are forced to serve the Turk, such as Greeks, Bulgarians, Macedonians, Albanians, Esclavinians, Rasians and Serbians... Bertrand de la Brocuiere, Putovanje preko mora, Beograd 1950, p.134-135, 140-141. 13th Century - 15th Century Byzantine historians of the Palaiologan period (13th Century - 15th Century) rarely make any distinction more specific then "Thrace" and "Macedonia". Thus we read of the "Thracians" and "Macedonians", the "Thracian and Macedonian armies", the "army" or "forces from Thrace and Macedonia"… For these historians the border between the two areas was the Nestos River or Kavalla. To the west was Macedonia to the east was Thrace. The Late Byzantine Army. Mark C. Bartusis 1992. p.65 1461-1462 When the enemy forces are battered, no one doubts that the whole of Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Greece or Attica and the Peloponnese will return to the faithful....Inspired by this example the Thessalians, the Greeks, the Poloponnesians, the Epirans and the Macedonians will all rebel and will win ... Jovan Radonic, Gjurac Kastriot Skenderbeg i Arbanija u XV veku - Spomenik XCV (1942), p. 128-129. August 8th, 1470. The Sultan stopped and spent the night ...in afield that represented the Macedonian border...The River Vardar is nearby, which flows through Macedonia...of which some are Greeks, others Macedonians, Wallachs and even Italians, as well as other nations....Greeks and Macedonians live there... Gio Mario degli Angiolelo, A. Matkovski i P. Angelkova, Nekolku kratki patopisi za Makedonija, Glasnik na INI, VXI/1 (1972), p. 246-247. 1557 ...It is located in Thessaly, which borders on Macedonia, where the plague has reduced much of the population... Nbljudeni na mnozhestvo redki i zabelezhitelni neshta, videni v Grcija, Azija, Judea, Egipet, Arabia i drugi chuzhdi strani ot Pierre Belon d'Man, Sofia 1953, p.132-133; Frenski patepisi za Balkanite, XV-XVIII v. Sofia 1975, p. 95-98. 1566 ...called Jakov; I laboured for much time and many years for this work (in order to contribute) to the holy books. I came out of Macedonia, my fatherland, and I entered.... Lj. Stojanovich, Stari srpski zapisi i natpisi I, p. 203-204. 1579 German ruler Rudolph II to the Pope: ..the deliverer of this letter, don Petar Crnovic...born in Salonika and the other parts of Macedonia... A. Theiner, Vitera monumenta Slavorum meridionalium illustrantia. II. Zagrabiae 1875, p. 70. 1589 Gavril, Archbishop of Ohrid to Archduke Ferdinand of Habsburg: ...the Turk, who from day to day has pursued and blackmailed us and our ancestors ....in the whole of Macedonia, Greece and the nearby countries...then among our countries we have Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, Oltenia... Landesregierungsarchive - Innsbruck, VI 50. 1593 Project by Alexander Komulovic to expel the Ottomans from the Balkans ...In other parts of Epirus and Macedonia almost all are Christians of the Greek ritual... Biblioth. Barberiana cod. mnc. LVIII, 33, - Starine (Zagreb), Knj. XIV (1882), p. 86-87. August 11th, 1607 The Duke of Savoy, Charles Emmanuel I, sends his own man of trust to Macedonia. ...who had arrived from Albania and Macedonia... V. Makrusev, Istoriski spomenici Juznih Slovena i okolnih naroda, Beograd 1882, p. 297-299. April 6-24, 1618 (Senato Secreta. 337. Macedonia) ...The nobility of Macedon do not wish to have anything to do with the king of Spain... Calendar of State Papers and Manuscripts relating to English Affairs existing in the Archives and Collections of Venice and other libraries in Northern Italy, London 1864, Vol XV, p. 201-202. 1624 A letter from Pope Urban VIII to the Archbishop of Ohrid, Porphyrius Palaelogus To the respected brothers Porphyrius Paleologus, Patriarch of Justiniana Prima of Ohrid and the other subordinate archbishops, bishops of Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania and of the other side of Macedonia. A. Theiner, Vetera monumenta Slavorum II, (Zagrebiae 1875), p. 123. 1690 Manifesto of the Austrian Emperor Leopold I to the Nations of the Balkans ...Therefier we kindly call all the people who live throughout Albania, Servia, Mysia, Bulgaria, Silistria, Illyria, Macedonia and Rashka... J. Radonjic and M. Kostic, Srpske privilegije od 1690 do 1792. SAN, Posebna izdanja CCXXV, Beograd 1954, p. 26-27. April 26th, 1690 Letter of protection from Leopold I. ...This is to inform you that two Macedonians, Marko Kraida born in Kosana and Dimitri Georgi Popovic, born in Macedonian Salonika, have told us that the Macedonian people, with respect for our most righteous task, with devotion and zeal towards our service....we graciously accept them under our imperial and royal mercy and in any case and way the above mantioned Macedonian people, cordially recommending to each and all of our willing commanders not to attack the Macedonian people....Issued in Vienna, April 26th, 1690. Representatives: defenders of the Macedonian people.... J. Radonic, Prilozi za istoriju Srba u Ungarskoj u XVI, XVII and XVIII veku. Knj. I, Matice srpske, nbr 25 and 26, Novi Sad 1908, p. 52-53. 1704 The French treveller and writer Paul Luca on Macedonia ...and hour after midnight for Kavalla, which is six miles away and once was a large Macedonian city by the sea coast. We should note that almost all the villages in Macedonia are full of Christians and there are few Turks. A. Matkovski and P. Angelakova, Patuvanjata na francuskiot petepisec Pol Luka niz Makedonija od 1704 do 1714-Istorija v/2 (1969). p. 101. End of 18th C. Reports by the French Consul in Salonika, Felix de Beaujour, about Macedonia. The pashalik of Salonika includes the whole of Lower Macedonia and covers 700 sq. miles....it must be noted that here I am only speaking about the most populated part of Macedonia; since Upper Macedonia and Epirus are less populated....In Macedonia, as in Poland, the peasants die from hunger, while the masters live in abundance of gold... Felix de Beaujour, Voyage militaire dans l'Empire Othoman, I, Paris 1829, p. 127-128. n.1; p.130, 132. 1821 Macedonians pertecipate in the Romanian uprising ...At that time there was a man they called Sludzar Todor who urged all the foreigners (mostly Macedonians) to rebel against the boyar... Marko K. Cepenkov, Makedonsko narodno tvoreshtvo, Kn. X, Skopje 1972, p.308 1846 ...I learnt the Slav alphabet from my father Makedonski, who calls himself so because we are Macedonians, and not Greeks.... Georgija Makedonski, Bogosluzhbena kniga "Opshti minej" - vo crkvata vo s. Radibush, Kriva Palanka, posledna nepagirana stranica. 1851 Bulgarian Comments on the language of J.H. Dzinot ...May the inhabitants of Skopje and those who speak similarly forgive me, but they do not understand our language and cannot speak either... "Bolgarski", Tsarigradski Vestnik, nbr. 55 (6.X.1851, p. 19). 1858 Education in Veles ....Archbishop Antim declared to his peers that all peoples have been enlightened by the Greeks and so it is necessary that Greek should be taught in the schools of Veles, and not Macedonian, since the children alrady know their own language from their home... J. N. Iz Velesa u Makedoniji: Srbski Dnevnik, nbr. 44 (1858) (according to Branislav Vraneshevic, Vojvodinska javnost, p. 320-321). 1865 A note from the priest Demetrius: In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I, priest Demetrius, was born in the village of Ogut, in the Kriva Palanka region. and held the services in my native village, when in the year of our Lord 1848, the champions of the town of Kriva Palanka employed me as a priest against the will of His Grace, the Greek priest Kir Gavrail. Mr. Mikhail Makedonski interceded most in favor of my appointment, because I'm a Macedonian by birth and hold the services in the Slav language. Such was the Fate of my fatherland Macedonia, to suffer from the Greeks, so that they will not give us peace even today, although everyone knows that Macedonia is an older state then their kingdom. We had our own Slav educators, Cyril and Methodius, who left us our Slav alphabet. They were Macedonians born in Salonika, the glorious capital of Macedonia. Our Greek bishop does not admit this, so we do not want him to be our priest, but we want to have our own arch-priest, a Slav, for time everlasting. Amen. Zapis vo knigata Zitie Svetih vo Krivopalaneckata crkva. Pretposledna nepagirana strana. January 28, 1867 To the Editor of "Makedonija" newspaper: ...The Greeks and the greacomans have met the newspaper with sorrow, since they always tried to hellenize the Macedonians, destroying also the Archibishopric of Ohrid -The Spark of Our Future. Yet, however hard they have tried to stop us from making progress, they could not entirely uproot the feelings of the Macedonians that they are Macedonians. T.I. Kusev, Makedonija, Istanbul, Nbr. I (1/28/1867) March 25, 1870 ...lets us consider those of the present Macedonians who blinded by concealed glow of Hellenic wisdom, accept that they should scorn and revoke their own nationality...the time seems opportune for me to exclaim:Ah, how far away the time really is when Hellas, as everybody calls her today, was subjected to Macedonian authority... Stefan Zahariev, Chitalishte, Istanbul, I/7, 1871, p.214-216. November 30, 1870 ...A teacher named Mr. Shapkarevic...has come to visit me...the same day the books you had sent me...arrived. But as soon as he saw them he said that they should not be taught in the Macedonian schools, since they were in the Bulgarian dialect; and that we should take his books which are in the Macedonian dialect... Pravo of 10/30/1870 (according to B. Koneski, Kon Makedonskata prerodba, p.68). February 1874 A letter from P.R. Slaveykov to the Bulgarian Exarch: Your Grace, I arrived in Salonika on the evening of the 14th of last month (January 1874). I immediately went to meet all the important local people and some others from the other Macedonian towns. My aim was to gather information as son as possible on what was to be necessary for the succes of the mission with which you had entrusted me. I first met Father Averkij Zografski, and the following day Father Petar Dimitrov as well, the local president of the community. I may inform you, Your Grace, that the wind from here, from Salonika, blows and scatters to all sides. These two clergyman, to my mind, are the leaders of the movement fot the restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid, although one should not neglect Ohrid and to certain extent Bitola, Veles and Skopje either. The Uniate movement here is not without roots, as they think in Constantinople, especially His Grace, Count Ignatiev. During the time I have been in Macedonia I have ascertained the same we had formerly known and written three years ago. Now, as then or twenty years ago, we are dealing with the Macedonian question. In talks with few Macedonian "patriots" I have understood that this movement, which had been only bare words till a few years ago, is now clear and precise thought - "The Macedonians are not Bulgarians" and they persistenly strive, regardless of the price, to obtain a separate church of their own. They also have the support in their separatism of smoe high clergyman in Constantinople, especially His Grace Nathaniel Ohridski, Panariot Plovdivski, and Archimandrite Hariton Karpuzov. I have understood this month from reliable sources that there are letters which arrive every day from Constantinople to the Salonika community, and are then sent to the other communities in the provinces. The letters are written in this spirit. One such letter, which the Salonika community sent to the community of Voden, calls upon the inhabitants of Voden to break off all their relations with theExarchate until the Macedonian Church question is settled, because "now is the moment". Mr. Kuzman Shapkarev from Ohrid, who is well known to us, has done a great deal to spread the idea of the restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid; he consatnly travels between Kukish and Ohrid and v.v., but at whose expanse, I do not know. Mr. Dimitar Makedonski, "the Macedonian textbook writer", is no less active, reciving salary as a teacher from the Exarchate and from local Lazarists. Owing to such unreasonable sermons by the Macedonian patriots that the church question has been settled only in favor of the Bulgarians, there is discontent among the people towrds the eparchies of th4 Danube and Adrianople vilayets as well as envy because of the earlier awakening of the Bulgarians. One can especially feel a great resistance against the East Bulgarian variant in literature. A general impression is that the local people think that the Macedonians have been done a great harm with the settlement of the church question in favor of the Danubian and Thracian Bulgarians. This discontent has already grown into distrust of the Exarchate and its higher echalons. and there is an attitude formed that the local Macedonian dialect should be declared a literary language and a Macedonian hiearchy established. Great attention, Your Grace, should be paid to His Grace Nathaniel, who promised the local people taht as soon as he comes to his eparchy he will take steps for the restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid. He seems to be connected with the Macedonian craftsman in Constantinople, among whom he spreads the news about the agreement with the Patriarchate. For their own part they inform their own people in Macedonia about this. It causes great discontent here. Consequently, separatism has its roots in the secret circle of Constantinople. If you press them there, the commotion wil calm down here. Silence the trumpet, there won't be any echo! The question of Father Nil is a highly delicate one, because he has barricaded himself in Kukush and does not want to return. His ambition seems to have made him to this. He stuffed his head with the thought of becoming the Archbishop of Ohrid ar at least Metropolitan of Salonika. As an Exarchate delegate he spreads the news about the agreement with the Patriarchate as the " most informed person". He decribes the Exarchate to the people as indifferent and passive in saving the Macedonian population from Greek spiritual slavery. Father Nil, who proved to be completely immature, seems to be a hireling of the highest Turkish vilayet authorities. However, his disobidiance to his headquarters began at the moment when he was summoned to return to Constantinople. Instead of obeying orders, he remained waiting there. His disobidiance also comes as a result of the suggestions that have been arriving from Constatinople. He maintains constant relations with Bishop Panaret and Nathaniel especially with the latter, who has suggested he stay in Macedonia until he gets an appointment for Ohrid and arrives in Macedonia. I think that Father Nil should be cast out of Macedonia at any cost and sent to Constatinople, because he is dangerous here. He already acts under the protection of the local Lazarists and the French consul. Thoughts of the restoration of the Archbishop of Ohrid at the moment are most prevalent here, in Salonika. Here the schemes are being devised and here the hotheads are gathering. These thoughts of course are not based upon mature foundation, especially since Midhat-Pasha has been dismissed from Salonika. But they are gradually spreading to northern Macedonia, although they are not very clear. Some say one thing to the people and others say another. There is danger, if steps are not taken from spme authoritative place, of creating a genral ideal. Then the consequences would be much more serious. The best thing would be if His Grace, Count Ignatiev, were to visit Macedonia, because the population feels a secret hope thet only Russia could help them. Tomorrow, with Gos's help, I intend to meet some of the elders from the local community. I shall try to convince them of the groundlessnes of their aspirations for a separarte Church when they already have one in the form of the Exarchate. Certainly the most difficult question will be that of the appointment of bishops of Macedonian origin and especially that of the cheirotonia of Father Hariton. I kiss Your Grace's right hand. Salonika, Fabruary 1874. Your obedient P.R. Slaveykov Another letter from P.R. Slaveykov: Your Grace, I sent you a letter via a trustworthy man two days ago, in which I briefly described to you the situation in Salonika and Macedonia in connection with the unreasonable movement for the restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid in union with the Roman Catholic Church. After the meeting with some of the local elders I have understood that there were everywhere wide discussions for a broader plan, namely, to create a Uniate Church in Macedonia. According to reliable sources, only the cheirotonia of Father Hariton is awaited before action will be taken. Until the blessing of the Pope for the proclamation of the Uniate Archbishopric of Ohrid arrives, the bishops with their eparchies will be constituent apart of the Uniate Church with their seat in Adrianople. Then Father Nathaniel will be appointed Archbishop of Ohrid and the following appointments will be made in the eparchies: Father Panaret for the Pelagonia eparchy, Brother Kozma Prechistenski for the Debar eparchy, Father Nil Izvorov for the Salonika eparchy and Father Dorotej for the Skopje eparchy. The other eparchies, for which there are no candidates proposed, will temporarily be governed by the neighboring archpriests. Father Nil will be Bishop of Salonika, Kukush and Voden. Father Hariton, after his ordination, will also become bishop of the Serez and Melnik eparchies. Father Dionisij, as an archimandrite, will temporarily govern the Strumica eparchy. I have personal impression, Your Grace, that nobody here is asking for a real union with the Roman Catholic Church. It is simply a means of restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid. Catholic circles also feel this and therefore have no great confidence in the people with whom they are negotiating. So I do not think it is too late to actin order to overcome the discontent, which later could be subdued. The Uniate movement is more dangerous in the places where formerly there was a Union because of similar reasons. Kukush comes in the first place, followed by Dojran with sympathy from Strumica, Maleshevo and Voden. The Salonika, Serez, Melnik and Drama villages lag behind them. There is not any powerful stirring of the Uniate propaganda indeed, but where there is smoke there must be fire. The appointment of Bishop Nil is expected for the fire to blaze forth. The Poljanin eparchy will immediately turn into a Union and the Strumica and Voden eparchies will join in, as well as a huge number of villages in Salonika, Drama, Serres and other eparchies. The other Macedonian eparchies will certainly be shattered, too, first the Veles eparchy and then the Skopje one. The Veles eparchy is also dissatisfied with its bishop, Damaskin, while at the same time the citizens of Veles, aroused by a craving for power, believe that they should govern Macedonia in religious matters. The causes of such a situation in the whole of Macedonia are very obvious. The Macedonian eparchies and towns I have already mentioned are extremely embittered by the serious position of the Church and the people in which they find themselves. The spreading of the idea of restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid upon an Uniate basis is also helped by the French and Austrian consuls, who promise full protection before the Turkish authorities and persecution of the Constantinople Patriarchate. The Greeks themselves indirectly help the spreading of the Union in Macedonia, expecting the Exarchate to become weak because of the Union and thus finding allies in the liquidation of the Catholic propaganda in Macedonia. I have concluded this from the talks I had with the Greek consul in Salonika. He was not in the least worried at the danger of the spread of the Union in Macedonia. On the contrary, Greece is seeking support for its economic and national activity in Macedonia. According to the opinion of the Greek consul, the part of the people who will not accept the Union, disillusioned with the Exarchate, will remain under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate. In the talks I had it was not by chance that the agents and adherents of the Union mentioned that the "Macedonian question" could only be settled through the Union. In order to make full use of the discontent and bitterness of the people against the Exarchate, they strengthen their accusation against the Exarchate. They speak about the Macedonian question upon a religious basis, but at the same time stir up the old separatist trends among the Macedonians - to create a new ethnic region through the Union - in the spirit of Midhat-Pasha's schemes. As the Roman Catholic agents worked out a cultural and national program for the Union in 1860 for the liberation of the Bulgarian people from the Patriarchate, they now also appear with a specific program for the spiritual and national liberation of the Macedonian eparchies through the Union. The Macedonian activists already widely use the expression the Macedonian movement in their language of communication, by which one should understand independent national and church liberation. I must emphasize strongly, Your Excellency, that this is a factor of an important political character - separatism is being spread starting from a religious basis towards a broader national one. After the talks I had with Father Petar Dimov I felt that he has slowly retired from being drawn into the Union. Today he has officially renounced the Union and sent a letter to You expressing his loyalty to the Exarchate. I also talked to Father Averkij. He told me that he would also withdraw from the movement if appointments for the Exarchate bishops were issued by the autumn. My attitude towards these two Church dignitaries was moderate and friendly, because any repressive measures could stir up spirits. .... Your spiritual child P.R. Slaveykov S. Dimevski, Dve pisma na P. R. Slaveykov za makedonizmot. - Razgledi XIV, 5(1972), p.561-566 April 6, 1878 in Salonika To the Right Honorable Austen Henry Layard "...Russian agents are busy in the country, and even here, trying to get petitions that the whole of Macedonia be included in Bulgaria... They tell the people: If you remain out, your state (and you see what it is) will be worse then it was before, while if you attach yourselves to us and our cause, you will get all the benefits accruing to a large and powerful Kingdom, under Russian protection... I remain... Edward B. Barker British Museum, London, Dmss Layard Papers, Vol. LXXXIX Addd. 39.019, 186-187. 1878 From the record of the Imperial Russian secret archives on the arrangement and government of the Balkan regions. ...Count Shuvalev demands that all the necessary measures for pacification of Macedonia be undertaken. For its purpose, it would be desirable to send competent agents there, and to proclaim to the Macedonians on behalf of the Governor, the Emperor, that His Highness is concerned about their fate, as much as for the other Slavs, and they will be granted the same freedom as that of the Bulgarians, now already liberated.... Dokumenti iz sekretnite arhivi na Ruskoto pravitelstvo. Sofia 1893, p.11-12. 1878 The rules of the Macedonian Rebel Commitee of the Kresna Uprising It is well known to all of us that this ill-fated country of ours, Macedonia, owing to the egoistic aims of the Great Powers, was gain left to Turkey after the Congress of Berlin. As a result of that, in certain regions of our fatherland many scenes full full of blood, known to all of us, took place....We rebelled as advocates of freedom. With the blood we shed all over Macedonian fields and forests, we serve freedom, as the Macedonian army of Alexander of Macedon did, with our slogan "Freedom or Death!" The aim of the Uprising in Macedonia 1.The uprising in Macedonia...should be extended all over Macedonia. 2. Those people from Macedonia who feel themselves to be Macedonians and love the freedom of their fatherland are taking part in the uprising. From the private archives of Cyril, Patriarch of Bulgaria, Arch. of Act 2341, AE 50, pp. 30-61. The Residence of the monastery of Dragolevci, Sofia, P.R. Bulgaria. June 8, 1879 Georgi Pulevski to Despot Badzovic: ...The Bulgarians here are playing tricks with us and are turning the water to their mill alongside divine Nathaniel, who is a Macedonian, but rather inclined towards the Bulgarians... Arhiv Srbije (Beograd) Fond: Ministarstvo prosvete, P. nbr. 981/8.VI.1879; Razgledi XIV/10 (1972), p. 1132. March 23, 1881 Manifesto of the Provisional Government of Macedonia: ...our dear Macedonia, our dear homeland is calling upon you: you who are my faithful children, you who are descendants of Aristotle and Alexandar the Great, you in whose veins Macedonian blood flows, do not let me die, but help me!... President Vasil Chomo, Secretary Nikola Trajkov in Kjustendil Centralnii Gosudartsvenii Arhiv Okjabarskii revoljucii i socialtieskoga stroitelstva SSSR, Moskva - Fond Gr.Ignatieva No.730 - opis No. 1, ed.hr.79; Lj. lape, Odbrani tekstovi za istorijata na makedonskio narod, II del, Skopje 1976, p.256-258. May 9, 1888 Salonika. Temko Popov to Despot Badzovic ...I shall try to write to you, as far as possible, in our language, replacing the words I don't know with Bulgarian ones. What else can I do, Despot? While our language could one dictate to the other Slav languages, it has now remained the poorest of all, and like a begger, it serves either Bulgarian or Serbian....Let us no lie to ourselves, Despot, tha national spirit in Macedonia has reached such a stage today that even if Jesus Christ had come to the Earth, he would not have been able to persuade the Macedonian that he was a Bulgarian or a Serb, excepting those Macedonians in whom Bulgarian propaganda has already taken root. In order to convince yourself of this, you must have Bulgarianism in view. Bulgarian propaganda has now been working for 20 years in Macedonia, in the blindest of times - when Hellenism, coming from and entirely alien nation, started to take root in the Macedonian heart; but the Macedonians, seeing a ray of Slavism, rejected everything as if eyeless, without paying attention to the difference. It was sufficient for them to have broken with Hellenism. But what is to be done now i.e. after twenty years of Bulgarian striving, indoctrination and unsparing pecuniary sacrifaces? My dear Despot, everybody does what is natural, but unexpected for the Bulgarians, that is, now every Macedonian admits he is not a Bulgarian and declares loudly his nation, even though he may stilluse Bulgarian means, not having his own, of course. ... Your friend T. Popov Narodna Biblioteka, Belgrade - fond - Jovan Hadzi Vasiljevic II 413/III May 9 1988. 1890 A request by the citizens of Ohrid for the restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid To His Holiness, the Great Patriarch, Constantinople, We, loyal subjects to His Majesty, the Emperor Sultan Abdul Hamid II, for a long time did not have freedom for our Church, and since 1872 have become an even more misled flock, for we came under the Bulgarian Exarchate, deceived by Bulgarian propaganda. Thus we became schismatics, as well. ...Apart from the fact that Bulgarians deceived and beguiled us, they also reject our language, change our holy customs and alter our character, too. We cannot tolerate it any more and we do not want our children to curse us and the graves of our forefathers... (signatures of 120 citizens of Ohrid) DA DSIP - Beograd - PPO, F.7, d.6, p.br. 962, 1890. June 22, 1891 Skopje Theodosius, Metropolitan of Skopje, to Archimandrite Dionysius in Sofia. ...our Holy Exarchate headed by His Holiness Exarch Joseph I does everything possible to persuade the wretched Macedonian people that it has good intentions, that it cares for their present and future and that it wants to draw them out of the darkness of national unawareness and create holy Bulgarians of them. But I would not have to persuade you too long, my dearest brother in Christ, that our Holy Exarchate, with its religious and educational activity here, in Macedonia, in fact carries out a most miserable task, it deprives a people of its name and replaces it with another, it deprives them of their mother tongue and replaces it with another, alien one, in order to allow its government and its Bulgarian masters to extend their commerce to foreign territories, too. And what else would you call this, my dear brother, other then a new slavery, even more terrible then the Turkish one? The Turks take the property and the lives of the people, but do not encroach upon their spirit. They destroy the body but respect the soul. And our Holy Exarchate kills the latter, the perpetual... I have written this to you, so that you would not be amazed by my previous letter in which I stated my opinion that we clergyman, Macedonians in origin, should unite and urge our people to awaken, throw off foreign authority, throw off even the Patriarchate and the Exarchate, and spiritually unified under the wing of the Archbishopric of Ohrid, their only true Mother Church. Is it not high time to put an end to the national movements of a single people among which some recognize the Patriarchate, some the Exarchate and some even bow to Mohammed? Is it not high time to put an end to hatred between blood brothers? And how could this be achieved if not by the way of our national Church , by way of the Archbishopric of Ohrid? I shall be sincere, my dear brother in Christ, and shall openly declare to you: we, the Macedonians, to not suffer as much by the Turks, long live our Padishah, as by the Greeks, the Bulgarians and the Serbs, who have set upon us like vultures upon a carcass in this tortured land and want to split it up. ("And they parted Your garments, Jesus")..... ...Theodosius of Skopje Centralen D'rzhaven istoricheski archiv (Sofia) 176, op. 1. arh.ed. 595, l.5-42 - Razgledi, X/8 (1968), p.996-1000. December 4, 1891 Theodosius, Metropolitan of Skopje, to Pope Leo XIII I, the undersigned Metropolitan of Skopje, Theodosius, by God's Mercy head of Skopje eparchy, am submitting this request both in my name and in the name of of the whole Orthodox flock of Macedonia, in which we are begging His Holiness to accept us under the wing of the Roman Catholic Church...Our desire springs from the historical right of the Orthodox Macedonian people to be freed from the jurisdiction of foreign Churches - the Bulgarian Exarchate and the Constantinople Patriarchate - ....The borders of the Archbishopric should conform to the present borders of Macedonia... Archivio della S. Congregazione de Propaganda Fide - Roma: Indice della Potenza - Marzo 1892-93, Somm.XV, f.132-141. August 20, 1892 Serbian Consul in Bitola, Dimitrije Bodi, to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vladan Djordjevic, in Belgrade. I have to inform you, dear Sir, that some intellectualist movement among the local teachers has recently appeared in the town of Kostur, which insists upon rejection of Greek and Bulgarian propaganda, and the introduction of the Macedonian dialect as the language of teaching in the schools. This initiative has in fact been started....If you are interested in these matters, Sir, please answer me with a ciphered telegram. DA - DSIP. P odd.I red 278 (1892). August 26, 1892 Serbian Consul in Bitola, Dimitrije Bodi, to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vladan Djordjevic, in Belgrade. ....I have heard from my own people that the local community at its meeting of 22nd Auguts this year, decided that the teaching in the new 1892/1893 school year should be done in the Macedonian dialect. The town teachers were given the task of working a program for the language teaching and a provisional grammar of the Macedonian dialect.... DA - DSIP. P odd.I red 278 (1892). 1890 Karl Hron: "The Nationality of the Macedonian Slavs": ...From my own studies of the Serbo-Bulgarian dispute I came to the conviction that the Macedonians are an individual nation, both by their history and their language; thus, they are neither Serbs nor Bulgarians... Karl Hron, Das Volksthum der Slaven Makedoniens, Wien 1890, S. 4-5, 15-17, 20, 22,26 1896 Paul Argyriades (A French socialist born in Macedonia): ...Present day Macedonia is one of the European provinces of the Turkish Empire. It borders on the south with Epirus, Thessaly and the Mediterranean, on the east with Thrace and the Mediterranean, on the north with Mount Hemus, Bulgaria and Serbia and with Albania on the west....Macedonia, as the homeland of the two greatest personalities of the Ancient World - Aristotle and Alexander the Great, who conquered the world. should it anew conquer its independence and its autonomy?...And if an autonomous Macedonian administration were to be introduced in this land in ten years only, it would be the earthly paradise of the world...The small states - the Greek, Bulgaria and Serbian ones -argue for the acquisition of Macedonia, using all kinds of proofs - chauvinist and historical - invented in support of their interests, while no one seems to realize that if the historical truth were to be respected, Macedonia should rather have the right to possess all those countries, which would like to devour it, since once it governed and ruled them itself....The Macedonians do not want the kind of caresses which may strangle them. They want to remain Macedonians without any other epithet, guarding for themselves their beautiful Macedonia... Almanach de la Question Sociale. Illustre'. (Paris), Pour 1896, pp. 240-244. 1897 From "Maleshevski Balkan" journal: At Least Do Not Hinder Us There is hardly any harsher situation then that of the Macedonian cause. Aroused by sympathy, feelings and tradition to maintain always the closest links with its direct neighbors, the Bulgarians, Serbs, and others, today it surprises us most mercilessly and makes us repent. Nobody, undoubtedly nobody, would deny the justification of our hopes in the Bulgarians and the Serbs, as people who stand closest to us, as people with the same past as ours, etc. ... From "Maleshevski Balkan", Sofia, I, 16, 1 (1897). 1897 William Gladstone ...Next to the Ottoman Govt. nothing can be more deplorable and blameworthy then jealousies between Greek and Slav, and plans by the States already existing for appropriating other territory. Why not Macedonia for Macedonians, as well as Bulgaria for Bulgarians and Servia for Servians. And if they are small and weak, let them bind themselves together for defence, so that they may not be devoured by others, either great and small, which would probably be the effect of their quarreling among themselves. The Times (London), 6th January 1897, p.12 1898 Petar Mandzukov to Kostadin Kirkov ...Perhaps our slavery would not have been so difficult if various kinds of propaganda had not interfered in our affairs, which under the name of "brothers" and "benefactors" divide brothers from brothers and make the Turks commit the worst of crimes. Those "brothers" of ours do everything possible to prevent the unity of our freedom-loving forces. And what has been the result of such propaganda? Even the true sons of our country, those whoa re really not afraid to sacrifice their lives at the altar of our Fatherland, often wrongly think that the liberation of Macedonia could not be conceived without the interference of this or that state. They go over to the side of this or that people and forget their own people. Instead of uniting their forces in favor of their own people and striving in unison to liberate it from bondage, they cannot agree whom they should serve. We know, Kostadin, that our fatherland differs by its population from one Bulgaria, Greece or Serbia, which are homogenous countries. There are various nationalities and religions in our country. There are Macedonians, Greeks, Wallachians, Turks, Jews, Albanians, even a few Armenians. and let us not forget the Gypsies.... CDIA (Sofia), f.70, on., AE70-74; - Razgledi, X/7 (1968), p.847-851 1900 A. Brutus (A. Drandar): Concerning a movement in Macedonia A considerable section of the European press does not cease to inform us of the immense sufferings undergone by the Christian population of Macedonia....It was the sad fate of that population that made us publish this booklet, based upon our experience and personal observations I had acquired impartially, as a foreigner, during my stay in Macedonia of several years...If one takes a retrospective view of the history of Macedonia to the most ancient of times, one remains amazed by the great role this small country, this classical country par excellance, played in the world....The Macedonian, born in a land to which nature was so favorable, has always longed for heroic feats and aspired to great deeds...Even the glorious cradle of Ancient Hellenism is subjected to the Macedonian kings...We find Macedonians on the Byzantine throne at the time when this empire was at its peak. Following the course of history, we see how the star of Macedonia shone with the same intensity. It plays the chief role in the revival of the Slav people. Thus, the two brothers exalted to apostles, Cyril and Methodius, objects of general admiration for the Slav world, are Macedonians, and owing to the very existence of these two apostles, this small land becomes the cradle of the Slav people to whom it gives its religion and art...The inhabitants of Macedonia do not want to be annexed either to Bulgaria or Serbia, or Greece; they want, they want so strongly, to live a human life in an autonomous country. Their slogan is: Macedonia to the Macedonians. A. Brutus, A Propos d'un Mouvement en Macedonie, Bruxelles 1900, pp.12-13, 15, 56. 1901 A.V. Amfiteatrov: The Land of Discord Each Slav should and is obliged to feel sympathy for Macedonian freedom. But Macedonian freedom cannot be achieved with their own, Macedonian means. The land is too small and weak to fight against the power of Constantinople, which only has to give a sign and tens of thousands of soldiers will attack the Rumalian vilayets and strangle them like mice before Europe could compose itself, even before Europe could know it. Hence, Macedonia cannot be freed with its own forces. Only an evil enemy, an unconscious enemy of Slavism could desire an armed movement in Macedonia now when the land is totally unprepared for an uprising, in circumstances of tied hands of the whole Europe, of Serbo-Bulgarian clashes, of huge preparations of the Turks against the slightest possibilities of movement. Or a real fool. These were the exact words of one of the high-ranking persons deciding the fate of Balkan Slavism in a discussion with me concerning the Macedonian committees. Nobody in Europe, none of the Great Powers can actively intercede in favor of the Macedonians against the Turks at the present moment - except, perhaps, Austria. Bu the very name of Austria causes panic in the Macedonian Slav element, who will allow Austria to reign in Macedonia? For it would be the destruction of all ideas of pan-Slavism, it would be the end of the Eastern Question, it would be the decisive and last victory of the German world over the Slav world. Then, we the Russians, would only be humbly left to falling out of step with that state with the projected historical tasks, with the repudiation of racial ideals - a state similar to modern Italy or Spain, only in greater proportions. The young Slav states, adjacent to Macedonia, are too young and too poor to go into struggle for it. At the same time, these states are disintegrating both from the internal situation and external family hostilities. The Bulgarians and the Serbians cannot stand each other; each consider Macedonia as their lawful property. Neither the Bulgarians nor the Serbs have even the slightest desire to create Macedonia for Macedonia. Enthusiast for an autonomous Macedonia can only be found among the Macedonian natives. Neither the Serb nor the Bulgarian wants the autonomy of Macedonia. As far as the question of whether Macedonia should become Bulgarian or Serbian is concerned, every Bulgarian would tell you with utter sincerity: -It would be better that the Turks ruled there eternally then to give the Serbs a chance to spread towards the Aegean Sea. And the Serb would say: - It would be better that the Turks did there whatever they allow your damned brothers to achieve their Greater Bulgaria from one sea to the other! The question of nationality has not been settled in Macedonia and it is hard to assume that it will ever be settled in a satisfactory manner. If we are to believe Gopcevic and Jasterbov there are almost no Bulgarians - all of the are Serbs. If we are to believe Ofejkov and Miljukov, there are no Serbs, all of them are Bulgarians. It is more probable that where we are dealing with a perfectly branch of Slavs, transitional between the Bulgarians and the Serbs. But that branch taken alone is insufficiently significant to win its freedom and turn itself into a state unit. Consequently, no matter how the question of its nationality is resolved, it is deprived of the possibility to exist, so to say; it is cursed in itself to serve as political material directly for its neighbors, and deviously and indirectly for Europe, which governs its naighbours. The basic reason for the failures of the Macedonian revolutionary organization lies in the fact that it is fed by means that have historically proved their ineffectiveness against state order of a European kind to overthrow the system and authority that have nothing in common with European order; since with the tactics, which have overthrown many European government, it attempts to erase military slavery, which has continued in Macedonia and Old Serbia for five centuries now; since the arms, victorious in the civil war, are also used in external war, because the Turk is not a fellow-citizen and compatriot of the Slavs, but he was, is and will be their external enemy... - They consider me a Bulgarophile, I.A. Zinovjev told me. But it isn't so at all. I behave in perfectly equal manner to all Slavs, and, if a person is decent and likable, it is all the same to me whether he is a Bulgarian, a Serb or a Macedonian. But I am a Russian representative and I have been sent here to protect, first of all, Russian interests. Permanent patronage over the Balkan Slavs is inseparably linked with Russian interests. We are their natural patrons. But this patronage does not mean Russia's following of Slav leaders; patronage is not characterless yielding. However, as far as the Macedonian question is concerned, the Bulgarians, as our most spoilt children in the whole of the Slav world, would like precisely to lead Russia with them where they have blindly started closing their eyes, demanding that the patronage be turned into yielding. The activities of the Macedonian committees, long under the patronage (with) our tolerance of the Bulgarian government, had the following direct calculation: - We shall force the Turks to abandon their reserved behavior they have taken up and borne with difficulty - wit a series of small explosions, murders and blackmails we shall arose the fanatic excitement of the Moslems, the Sultan will be forced to give in to the demands of his subjects of the same faith, and Turkish atrocities will start in Macedonia, blood will be shed, villages will be burnt. For the attainment of the sublime goal it is of no consequence whether fifty or fifty thousand people will be killed - the main thing is: slaughter must be caused, which will in turn cause the necessity of European intervention, and since the protection of the Slavs is the perennial deed of Russia and it will never leave the Macedonian question to Austria - consequently, volens-nolens, Russia shall have to send again hundred of thousands of soldiers to the Balkan Peninsula and achieve the freedom of Macedonia with its bayonets, i.e. it should put the land into the mouth of the Bulgarians. For they don't recognize any other nationality in Macedonia except the Bulgarian one. Consequently, the future freedom of Macedonia for them is either the fulfillment of the Treaty of San Stefano and unification of Macedonia with the Bulgarian Principality, or a creation of a new autonomous Bulgarian body, which will sooner or later be merged with the former into an 'integral Bulgaria'.... Cvetan Stanoevski, Kako ja vidoa Makedonija, Skopje 1978, pp.189-190,193-194. 1902 Appeal of the "National Macedonian-Albanian League" Brother Macedonians! Brother Albanians! ...There is no need that the Bulgarians, the Greeks or others amend our homeland... Executive Committee British Museum (British Library), London, 1902 1902 Nikola Karev to Goce Delchev ...Let us not expect freedom either from the Greeks or the Bulgarians; it is we, the Macedonians, who should fight for our Macedonia ourselves... Neobjaveno pismo, Nova Makedonija, (Skopje), XXIV, nbr.7744 (May 5 1968), p.8 1903 Victor Berard on the Macedonians. The ambition for a small homeland, the egotism of a small nation, is not the ultimate ideal of the Macedonians. To replace Turkish subjugation with Greek, Serbian or Bulgarian dependence does not seem to them to represent some great gain...Until recently France did not know the Macedonians. They were Thracian, Peons, Sclavins for us, a wild and almost a mythical people, that lived somewhere at the bottom of some unknown land for us. We either did not know them or despised them, since we heard of them from the malicious notes of the ancient and modern Greeks... La Revue de Paris, Juin 1903. 1904 A Macedonian Theory Was it so long before the liberation of the Bulgarians that throughout Bulgaria, in answer to the question as to what they were (by nationality), the Bulgarians said they were "Christians" or raya (non-Moslem Turkish subjects)?And even now it is not so rare on occasion to hear a Bulgarian answering in court as to the question of his nationality that he is a "Christian". The notion of nationality has still not become a new accomplishment of his mind. During the Turkish period, the Bulgarian peasant referred to the Bulgarians in the towns as "Greeks" and city lother were "Greek dress" for him. And since the Greeks designated that peasant as a "fat-headed Bulgar", his brother from the town loved to be called a "Hellene", so that he should not be scorned for his real national name. It is not exactly the same case with what Mr. Misirkov elaborates concerning the name of the Macedonian Slav? The name "Bulgar" fell even in Bulgaria to such position which earned only the contempt of the others. This name appeared so empty even in the mouth of the Bulgarians themselves that it became a synonym for "Christian"; the later designated the whole ethnic contents of Bulgarian individual and social consciousness. When our peasant used to say "we are Bulgars", he meant "we are Christians", i.e. Orthodox. The Russian Tsar was a "Bulgarian Tsar" for him not by nationality, but by Orthodox Christianity. A. Teodorov-Balan, Edna makedonska teorija - Periodichesko spisanie (Sofia), LXV (1904), p.818 1907-1908 The Macedonian Villages ...I asked him what language they spoke, and my Greek interpreter carelessly rendered the answer Bulgare. The man himself had said Makedonski. I drew attention to this word and the witness explained that he did not consider the rural dialect used in Macedonia the same as Bulgarian, and refused to call it by that name. It was Macedonian, a word to which he gave the Slav form of Makedonski, but which I was to hear farther north in the Greek form of Makedonike. And so the "Bulgarophone" villagers are no longer willing to admit that they speak Bulgarian. They have coined a new term of their own accord, and henceforth their dialect, until they have got rid of it, is to be known as "Macedonian". My Athenian friends were delighted when I told them of this on my return. It should give even greater pleasure to those Bulgarian agents who are so anxious to see the Macedonians thought they are Macedonians. Allen Upward, The East End of Europe, London 1908, pp. 204-205 June 25, 1910 Archimandrite Neophyte in Skopje to Bulgarian Exarch Joseph in Constantinople: Starting from some time ago, as I have already informed You several times, matters in the eparchy, and especially here have not developed as they should. The Eparchy Council, which, as You know, consists of the town's elders, has decided to send You a letter in which it strongly condemns the candidature of the former Metropolitan of Skopje, Theodosius, and among other things, upon my suggestion writes the following in the protest: "Outraged, we read in the newspapers that a group of villains wishes at any cost to urge the population - the voters of the Skopje Eparchy - to bring back that typical intransigent, Theodosious, as the Metropolitan of the Skopje Eparchy. This is the same Theodosius who 17 or 18 years ago wanted to separate the Skopje Eparchy from the Exarchate and proclaim himself an independent Metropolitan. For this purpose, he then made a special seal on which he deleted the words "Bulgarian Exarchate", so sacred to us, and printed his own baptismal certificates, marriage certificates and other documents; he did not fulfill the circular letters and the orders of the Exarchate, etc. Yet, since at that time there were not such a strong anti-Bulgarian movement among the local Bulgarians, it was possible for the Exarchate to remove this dangerous schismatic in time and thereby preserve the unity of the Bulgarian Church in Turkey. Now this same schismatic, contrary to Exarchist interests, wishes to restore his eparchy and continue his dishonest business of disuniting our Bulgarian people. We protest most strongly against his nomination as Metropolitan of Skopje, because he insults the Bulgarian feeling among the population". Unfortunately, Your Grace, if the Eparchy Council has such people with common sense, this is not the case with some craftsman's circles, which have come under the influence of Mr. Petar Pop Arsov, a teacher, who has taken the idea into his head that he is a leader of the people. He constantly speaks against the Exarchate and its leadership, including myself, and urges the craftsman to support Metropolitan Theodosios' candidature, since he once suffered for defending the interests of the Macedonians. It would not be superfluous if I informed You about another problem, which, I presume, will represent a kind of plot in this whole election propaganda. I have understood from some members of the Council that Krste Petkov, who at one time started "Misirkovism", had requested from certain relative of his, living here in Skopje, that he put him in touch with this teacher, Petar Pop Arsov, in connection with collecting songs about Krale Marko in the Skopje district, and Mr. Pop Arsov was so kind as to agree immediately. I am writing this to you, Your Grace, a justified suspicion that schismatic forces are being brought to life here. The said Mr. Krste Misirkov expressed in a letter to his relative has desire to return to Macedonia, more precisely, to come to Skopje as soon as Macedonia was liberated. The man wished to be a professor at the Skopje university (?!). If this is true, and there are no reasons for lying to me, then You may conclude Yourself what danger threatens the Bulgarian idea in these historic times. Just imagine if the "Misirkovism" of Mr. Krste, the "separatism' of His Grace Theodosius and the "autonomism" of Mr. Petar Pop Arsov joined together! I am of the opinion, Your Grace, upon the basis of the protest by the Eparchy Council (which was, after all, published in the press) that the candidature of His Grace Theodosius should be withdrawn, by which a danger of as yet unseen proportions for the Bulgarian cause in Macedonia would be evaded. I remain Your Grace's younger brother in Jesus Christ and I pray for You. S. Dimevski, Diskusija - K.P. Misirkov i nacionalno-kulturniot razvoj na makedonskiot narod do Osloboduvanjeto - Zbornik Misirkov. Simpozium. Skopje, Institut za makedonski jazik, 1975, pp.338-339. 1905 Sveta Simic, representative of the Kingdom of Serbia in Bulgaria, to Jovan Jovanovich-Pizon, head of the consular department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belgrade. D. Gruev again visited me last Saturday. D. Hristov also chanced to be in my house, so we spent more then 3 hours in discussion. The Macedonians have been afraid that the Bulgarians and we agreed to divide them, and accordingly they are the only ones left to frown at the Imperial Alliance. They suspect it hides something else. They continually make agreements and preparations but undertake nothing more serious. They constantly send smaller bands and ammunition into their country. All their activity is reduced to this only in present. They would like to make an agreement with us, but such as to sacrifice nothing of what they call their autonomy. They have come to see more and more that there are obstacles before them which they cannot fight successfully, and under the influence of which they continually lose their importance as an authoritative factor in the development of the Maced(onian) question. This is what hurts them immensely. They are divided among themselves, just as before. The differences of their views also intensify their personal hatred, which makes some of them avoid the others, plotting among themselves....Unfavorable rumors reach us from Macedonia, too. The people, craving for freedom, would like to reject their yoke and uncertainty as soon as possible, so that they would be ready for some decisive steps as well, but their distrust both of their leaders and Bulgaria prevent them. Under the influence of the news about the Imperial Alliance a mood has been created in which they would like to be freed from their yoke at any cost, even if they were compelled to come under Bulgaria and Serbia. And if these two did not help them, they would gladly accept Austrian occupation, as well... Arhiv SFR Jugoslavije (Belgrade) - Fond Jovan Jovanovic-Pizon, 80 (1905). 1906 To my brother in arms, Dushan, voyvoda from the village of Bistrica Brother, you should know that I have received your letter and understood all that you wrote me. We have put the people in great trouble, it is true, but who is to blame for this? You say we are to blame, we say you are to blame. As far as I know, ten years have passed (and) has never been over those years any bloodshed between ourselves or division into Serbomans or Bulgarophils. We have been Macedonian fighters and we will fight to the end for the Macedonian people, but we do not fight for Bulgaria or Serbia, nor Greece; they are free and live freely and drink in shaded inns; they have the right to drink so since they shed their blood earlier. We, who come from this Macedonian land should work for Macedonia, because our Macedonian brothers are murdered on the roads and our Macedonian sisters are disgraced by the bloody Turk, by the fat Turk. We are not against any nationality of either Bulgaria, Serbia, or Greece; we should recognize the merit of those who would help us. If there had been any Serbian, Bulgarian or Greek land here, they should not have waited for us to die in the mountains but should have liberated Macedonia with their armies; only then they could have demanded Serbia, Bulgarian or Greek land here... Blazhe Krusheski DA SSID - Fond Izvrshnog odbora Srpske narodne organizacije F-6 (1906) 1912 A.V. Amfiteatrov: Macedonia ...Following the Russian war, Turkey of the old regime finally turned into a "sick man", and the heirs of the executors of the expected will gathered around his death-bed. The future destiny of Macedonia came to depend not as much on the will of Turkey itself as on the sympathies of the European guardians. In the 19th century Europe learned through Germany, Italy and Greece to consider the right to national self-determination a little. Thus, all the states and countries bordering on Macedonia have started intensive propaganda in favor of their nationalities, as it were a race or along jump for an award. They have taken care, as much as they have means and power, to persuade Europe by truth and lies, that allegedly the national self-determination of the Macedonian inclines in their favor, and not in favor of the neighboring nation. In this respect the Bulgarians proved more swift the their rivals. In order to make Macedonia Bulgarian, they had to Bulgarize the Macedonians. Thus, following the Bulgaro-Serbian War of 1885, the greatest powers and considerable sacrifices of the Bulgarian state apparatus were given to the Bulgarization of the Macedonian Slavs. Bulgarian agents were the priests and the teachers; the
rev dr kamal k k roy. mba(m s suny maritime college,ny 74,id#578804399 ph d, ll.b,gop rebel us pres. nominee? see web on seach words: "kamal karna roy ". see below: Yahoo!My Yahoo!Mail Make Y! your home pageYahoo! SearchSearch:Welcome, diparoy67 [Sign Out, My Account]Answers Home -Forum -Blog -Help Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > Politics & Government > Government > Your Open Question Dipa_ Ray_mondal Member since: February 21, 2008 Total points: 8 (Level 1) Your Open QuestionShow me another » You may not know a person, a gop member,clergy, leader of people millions, u s gop pres rebel nominee to be? world news of a leader in making inusa dt 7.3. 2008 new york: Yahoo!My Yahoo!Mail Make Y! your home pageYahoo! SearchSearch:Welcome, vishwa_dh [Sign Out, My Account]Answers Home -Forum -Blog -Help Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > Politics & Government > Politics > Resolved Question Premansu ROY DAS Member since: April 15, 2008 Total points: 8 (Level 1) Add to My Contacts Block User Resolved QuestionShow me another » The rev kamal karna karuna roy ,newer horizon in sight for resolution _ bipartisan/ unique political resolve? effective on voters, McCain disassociating himself doesn't undo that effect. Because it's that first system, that affective, intuitive one, that's at play. P: It's the benefit without the burden. He can distance himself after the fact. The RNC has said that they're not going to officially make attacks on race and gender, but you can have other groups raise these concerns and it works to McCain's advantage. The other question here is how Obama and Clinton may tear themselves apart heading into the convention and the general election by raising all these questions about each other. They're provoking these implicit biases among the general electorate as we speak--and the Republican Party may not have to do much next fall. Featured, Expertinent, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama Permalink: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/a... Sphere It! Digg It! Newsvine Del.icio.us Facebook Type SizePrint Email RSS Social Networks Permalink: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/a... TrackBack URL: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/t... Sphere It! Digg It! Newsvine Del.icio.us Facebook DiscussEnter Your CommentSubmit Member Comments Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 26, 2008 at 7:51 PM) the reverend dr kamal karna karuna roy was not delighted to report to we th peopleo usa that USA as a democratic republi pursuant to declaration in united state constitution, the supreme commandments or testaments of usa as a nation and one of the earliet proponents of league of nations , later , the united nations organization, U N O housed at new york city , new york Plaza, is truly on a showcase about to peril in authentic democratic dreams of over two enturies since independence from british rulers w e f 1766. racial discriminations are partly on way out , but extremely disappointing discrimination in between have_nots, poors in U S A and have_most, multibillionaires, human_god/s democratic devils, , human_animals'conceived custom made god/s of most religions, supposed to be democratic in motto and intentions of we the people in U S A et al are in deep concerts are united to bring peril of u s american democracy, almost in full , in respect of rights of have_nots in u s a whenever the leaderships iossues are concerned problem. Us Courts censor the petition and conenss of grievances of weker people as a whole, as if pains, harks and damages to a weaker man of we the the mauy not exists, judges mostly declare weaker people's concer and griefs are not damage controllable ineye of us $ economics. to be quoted in u s court of laws. As such weaker people,s peoples grievances are censorred for purpose to petion to govt to redress grievance. the us judiciary is a wing of u s govt and such depts are parties to check and balances on other segregated depts of legislative and executive wings, now the issue is U S JUDICIARY HAS TURNED MONSTER TO EAT UP WEAKER PEOPLE,S PETITIONS TO GOVT FOR KEEPING EYE OD THEIR ISSUES. U S JUDICIARY MAY NOT ACT AS CENSORRING WING OF U S GOVT ,BUT IN PRACTICAL EFFECT THE US JUDICIARY ENJOYS BACK DOOR POWER OF OPPRESSIONS ON WEAKER PEOPLE. bUT THE SYSTEM MUST BE CURED AND NOT DESTROYED IN DEMOCRACY, DR ROY TOLD WE THE AT LARGE IN USA AND BEYOND BORDERS OF USA THAT FEDERAL CIVIL ACTIONS HAVE BEEN FILED IN USDC FOR SOUTHERB DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA AT ALEXANDRIA VA AND AT USDC, DISTRICT OF WYOMING AT CHEYENNE WY, USA WITH COMPLAINTS WHERIN U S JUDICIARY ARE PARTIES AS DEFENDANTS AS WINGS OF U S GOVT SHOWING JUDGES OF US DISTRIC COURT ACTING AS DEFACTO OPPRESSOR ON WEAKER PEOPOE VIZ THE REV KAMAL KARNA KARUNA ROY, A US GOP HOPEFUL AND DEMANDING TO BE NOMINATED FOR GOP AT THENEXT PARTY NOMINATING CONVENTION OF GOP, FOR DECIDING ON CANDIDATE OR GOP AT THE U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORAL RACE SCHEDULED ON NOV 4 2008 , AND DR ROY DEMANDED TO COURTS 48+USDC'S TO ISSUE INJUNCTIVE ORDER TO POSTPONE U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FOR PROPOSE ORDER OF INESTIGATIONS ON CORRUPTION IN CAMPAIGN , AS WELL AS CONDUCTS OF SPECIFIC JUDGES AS THEY WERE ENGAGED TO CURB WEAKER PERSON'S RIGHT IN DEJMOCRACY. oNE OF THE DEFENDANTSNAMED VIZ HON DORA LIZZETTE iRIZARRY OF USD COURT, E D NY AS SHE LOVED TO CURB U S CONSTITUTONAL RIGHTS OF CITIZEN VIZ THE RE DR KAMAL ROY A U S AERICAN POOR IN ALL STANDARD AS HE HAD BEEN ON VOW OF POVERTY AS AN ORDAINED CLERGY REGISTERED IN TH CITY CLERK'S OFFICE IN CITY OF NEW YORK IN NEW YORK COUNTY IN MANHATTAN. THE JUDGE IS IMMIUNE OF FEDERAL CIVIL CHARGES BUT MISCONDUCTS OF FEDERAL JUDGES CAN BE MADE A LIABILITY ISSUE OF US GOVT AS DEFENDANT AS JUDGES MAY NOT VIOLATE U S CONSTITUTION AS U S PRESIDENT ISANSWERABLE FOR VIOLATIONS OF U S CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS, ALTERNATELY NATION OF DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC SHALL FAIL EXISTANCE OF NATION,USA. FILED LAWFULLY ON 4.26. 2008 VIA MAIL FROM SARANAC LAKE NEW YORK 12983 . Report Abuse --------------------------------------... Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 26, 2008 at 9:00 AM) the reverend hon'ble mr premansy roy das, fellow of world religions school and university of god/s, religions and people in democracies , as is & efforts forsurvival in optimum privileges to al members of we the people, new yorl, world wide. Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > News & Events > Current Events > Your Open Question Premansu ROY DAS Member since: April 15, 2008 Total points: 34 (Level 1) Your Open QuestionShow me another » The rev dr kamal karna roy's life events ,struggle to lead,his masterpiece "jungle democracy"volume:sale 15m$? contact : Roy v. CBS Inc. et al :: Justia NewsTrenton NJ, Don Imus, CBS Inc., CBS Radio - filed by Kamal Karna Roy. (Attachments: # 1 Complaint Part 2.(ead) (Entered: April 20, 2007) ... news.justia.com/cases/featured/delawar... - 41k - Puhverdatud - Sarnased lehed KAMAL KARNA ROY, U S BORN IN GUAM (u s territory .no much oriental ..."KAMAL KARNA ROY, US BORN IN GUAM (us territory .no much oriental indian blood; do u know? if no it is okay." - Find the answer to this question and ... answers.yahoo.com.au/question/index?qi... - 34k - Puhverdatud - Sarnased lehed U s america, european, any publisher may buy publication right ..."U s america, european, any publisher may buy publication right: kamal karna roy /jungle democracy? 15 m us $" - Find the answer to this question and ... 0 seconds ago - 4 days left to answer. Report It Report Abuse --------------------------------------... Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 3:53 PM) News Politics Tech and Business Culture Health Voices Quick Guide Blogitics Ruckus HomepageAbout The RuckusStumperRSSAuthors John Amato Bio | Crooks and Liars Faye Anderson Bio | Anderson@Large Joe Gandelman Bio | The Moderate Voice James Joyner Bio | Outside the Beltway Brian Leubitz Bio | Calitics Jeralyn Merritt Bio | TalkLeft Ed Morrissey Bio | Hot Air David Oatney Bio | The World According to Oatney Greg Palmer Bio | Keystone Politics Oliver Willis Bio | OliverWillis.com --------------------------------------... Checkpoint Baghdad Countdown to Beijing Level Up I, Breeder The Gold Digger Lab Notes The All-Starr Blog Soldier's Home Stumper Why it Matters --------------------------------------... LinksThe Caucus The Fix OnPolitics Hotline Blog Campaign Junkie First Read Pollster Tech President PrezVid Wonkette Marc Ambinder Ben Smith Jonathan Martin The Politico: Playbook The Stump The Plank Paul Krugman Ezra Klein Kevin Drum Atrios Daily Kos Huffington Post Talking Points Memo The Corner Redstate Instapundit Captain's Quarters Michelle Malkin Hugh Hewitt Powerline N.H. Presidential Watch Radio Iowa Featured PostingsOliver Willis: GOP Bigot Eruption: McCain Again “Fights” His Party’s Racist Impulses 1:07 PM, April 23, 2008 | Comments (2) The North Carolina Republican party is up on the air with an ad trying to paint Sen. Obama as a radical black nationalist and McCain writes a letter to try and get them to pull it back. Maybe I’m too cynical, but I think the McCain camp’s real beef is... --------------------------------------... Talk Left: Demography Is Political Destiny 10:29 AM, April 23, 2008 | Comments (0) Keystone Politics (Greg): The Inevitable Philly v. Pittsburgh Story! 4:54 AM, April 11, 2008 | Comments (8)ArchivesSee All from AprilPreviousApril 2008NextSun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 About The Media Bloggers Association The Media Bloggers Association is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting, protecting and educating its members; supporting the development of "blogging" or "citizen journalism" as a distinct form of media; and helping to extend the power of the press, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails, to every citizen. MBA Members support the freewheeling expression of ideas and strong personal opinions inherent to blogging but are equally committed to commonly accepted journalistic standards of fairness, accuracy, transparency and accountability in expressing those ideas and opinions. Read more about the MBA here. --------------------------------------... --------------------------------------... FACTCHECK.ORG LATEST FACTCHECKS "Reprehensible Misrepresentation" PAC-ing Heat Misleading Pennsylvania Voters Taking Liberties in Philadelphia Oily Words LATEST NEWSWEEK BLOG POSTS LPGA Pro-am Kicks Off in Florida First Daughters for Obama? McCain: 'Judge Me on My Own Record' Page 110: Even Though Wii Fit Is Clearly Intended For the Human Animal, Nintendo Design Guru Shigeru Miyamoto Still Got Mad Love For His Dogs Ad Hawk: Welcome to the N.C., B**ch --------------------------------------... Full Post Posted Friday, April 11, 2008 4:54 AM Keystone Politics (Greg): The Inevitable Philly v. Pittsburgh Story! Newsweek The inevitable “Philly is different than Pittsburgh” story is out this morning. It was only a question of “when,” not “if.” Steelers or Eagles? Pro-football loyalties are not the only differences that divide Pennsylvania’s two big cities. read more Read the Full Post Advertisement Featured Permalink: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus... Sphere It! Digg It! 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DiscussEnter Your CommentSubmit Member Comments Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 8:15 AM) Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 7:56 AM) the hon'ble reverend premansu roy das , a Religious leader of weaker people world wide ,& agent to remove inequities in democratic rules, and the associate editor publication s of JUNGLE DEMOCRACIES, CAT AND MOUSE DOCTRINES OF OPPRESSIONS on weaker peple or weaker entities or weaker naion ,or weaker social movements for people of regional interests with regional religiou flavour, those movemnts were being termed as terrorism as per view of powerful interests groups domesti or or foreign origins: :Author th rev dr kamal karna karuna roy of usa,anda gop Presidential candidate and hopeful and demanding to be nominee of u s president of gop on basis of qualification, ability to operate(mobile, electroni and hard copis aroun globe to spread love of democratic rule as a best sermon of god/s for equitable societal coexistence.disciple of dr kamal k roy: Report Abuse --------------------------------------... Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 7:56 AM) he hon'ble reverend premansu roy das a leligious leader o weaker people world wide &agen to remove inequities in democratic rules and the associate editor publication (mobile, electroni and hard copis aroun globe to spread love of democratic rule as a best sermon of god/s for equitable societal coexistence.discilpe of dr kamal k roy: Click here to join the NEWSWEEK community, post comments and subscribe to our e-mail newsletters User Name:Password: Forgot password? News Politics Tech and Business Culture Health Voices Quick Guide Blogitics Ruckus HomepageAbout The RuckusStumperRSSAuthors John Amato Bio | Crooks and Liars Faye Anderson Bio | Anderson@Large Joe Gandelman Bio | The Moderate Voice James Joyner Bio | Outside the Beltway Brian Leubitz Bio | Calitics Jeralyn Merritt Bio | TalkLeft Ed Morrissey Bio | Hot Air David Oatney Bio | The World According to Oatney Greg Palmer Bio | Keystone Politics Oliver Willis Bio | OliverWillis.com --------------------------------------... Checkpoint Baghdad Countdown to Beijing Level Up I, Breeder The Gold Digger Lab Notes The All-Starr Blog Soldier's Home Stumper Why it Matters --------------------------------------... LinksThe Caucus The Fix OnPolitics Hotline Blog Campaign Junkie First Read Pollster Tech President PrezVid Wonkette Marc Ambinder Ben Smith Jonathan Martin The Politico: Playbook The Stump The Plank Paul Krugman Ezra Klein Kevin Drum Atrios Daily Kos Huffington Post Talking Points Memo The Corner Redstate Instapundit Captain's Quarters Michelle Malkin Hugh Hewitt Powerline N.H. Presidential Watch Radio Iowa Featured PostingsOliver Willis: GOP Bigot Eruption: McCain Again “Fights” His Party’s Racist Impulses 1:07 PM, April 23, 2008 | Comments (2) The North Carolina Republican party is up on the air with an ad trying to paint Sen. Obama as a radical black nationalist and McCain writes a letter to try and get them to pull it back. Maybe I’m too cynical, but I think the McCain camp’s real beef is... --------------------------------------... Talk Left: Demography Is Political Destiny 10:29 AM, April 23, 2008 | Comments (0) Keystone Politics (Greg): The Inevitable Philly v. Pittsburgh Story! 4:54 AM, April 11, 2008 | Comments (6)ArchivesSee All from AprilPreviousApril 2008NextSun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 About The Media Bloggers Association The Media Bloggers Association is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting, protecting and educating its members; supporting the development of "blogging" or "citizen journalism" as a distinct form of media; and helping to extend the power of the press, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails, to every citizen. MBA Members support the freewheeling expression of ideas and strong personal opinions inherent to blogging but are equally committed to commonly accepted journalistic standards of fairness, accuracy, transparency and accountability in expressing those ideas and opinions. Read more about the MBA here. --------------------------------------... --------------------------------------... FACTCHECK.ORG LATEST FACTCHECKS "Reprehensible Misrepresentation" PAC-ing Heat Misleading Pennsylvania Voters Taking Liberties in Philadelphia Oily Words LATEST NEWSWEEK BLOG POSTS LPGA Pro-am Kicks Off in Florida First Daughters for Obama? McCain: 'Judge Me on My Own Record' Page 110: Even Though Wii Fit Is Clearly Intended For the Human Animal, Nintendo Design Guru Shigeru Miyamoto Still Got Mad Love For His Dogs Ad Hawk: Welcome to the N.C., B**ch --------------------------------------... Full Post Posted Friday, April 11, 2008 4:54 AM Keystone Politics (Greg): The Inevitable Philly v. Pittsburgh Story! Newsweek The inevitable “Philly is different than Pittsburgh” story is out this morning. It was only a question of “when,” not “if.” Steelers or Eagles? Pro-football loyalties are not the only differences that divide Pennsylvania’s two big cities. read more Read the Full Post Advertisement Featured Permalink: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus... Sphere It! Digg It! 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DiscussEnter Your CommentSubmit Member Comments Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 4:17 AM) appeal to majority white population in usa by the reverend dr kamal karna roy , a gop contender of u s presidency 2008 electoral competiotion now in progress. white majority are possibly in sleep now. or they may may be unconmscious and possibly not in coma. pl do wake up. leadership of usa is going to be auctioned off to a female viz clinton mrs or a 1/2 black person who talks big without a bit of substance in this ethics and realities of usa. a woman president in usa is a very good idea. but u may not benefit from a woman leader of usa, who possibly was involved in whitewater real estate scandal which remained overed with scandalous mystery as the possible most corrupt in the deal hillary r clinton was not fully investigated as during the whitewater r/e investigations hillary was hiding or was covered in a clintonian first woman cloak. One top white house aide linked in above scandal was killed, or he disappeared by death or in a broader conspiracy he was removed from scene of investigations of said scandal many members of we the people lost millions in the deceiving operation of whitewater.reinvestigation is demanded to all law enforcement authorities of usa or stat of arkansas. only one thing i found of the investigatioins. illfamed hillary has been trying nowto steal fame among people by intending to be u s democrat president by causing public sentiment thatshe was woman and a woman presidentshoule b elected.The problem with hillary is she is doubtful, deficient in honesty and she is no proven leader to take as big responsibility of us president. a diffent story is for inability of barrak hussain obama. He is half black no doubt.. he is an opportunist without any question. he changed his religious faith from islam to christianity for privilege to hiself. He changed his nam,partly He changed his economic status by making ponzi crime deal of buying reidential hom with sweet_heart deal with a would be felon as alleged, now in jail and 199% sure he did not pay i r s taxes from illegal bargain for turning himself to be millionaire.Now he is trying to prove that he was leader likejfk or martin luther king jr . He is nothing but oratory magician He is a junk_patrio of usa. He needed clean up his face to show himself clearly to we the people. barrack hussain obama did hear sermon from rev wright which was apparently anti american_terrorist,s voice in usa. as religious leader wright could utter words against some oppressions of black community in usa. his talk was immune under freedom of expression and especillyu wright spoke in court of presumed god christ. But obama's fke renouncement of his 20 years of close relationship with rev right make obama a very devious man as he attended sermons , say , without feeling goo or bad about it whether patriotic or anti american. dump hillary or obama, white majority in usa , yu as a group in human civilization have been excellent selector or a leader like washington, lincoln, roosevelt of reagan, w , then why u sould pick up a counterfeit leader, who be a woman like hillary or black like obama. U could draft a better black person or a better woman to beyour leader if u find it harder to find an optimally good and talented patriot for the job of u s president . look around u may find a true leader for u. from 1. 20. 2009. Pl do not junk you future with sense o nobility to woman or a black.see below : DiscussEnter Your CommentSubmit Member Comments Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 21, 2008 at 8:22 PM) 4.21.2008new york rev makhan lal ghosh , democratice reforms agent & asst to dr kamal karna roy , a gop presidential hopeful and demanding to be mr cleaner gop would be president of nov 4 scheduled election of 2008 if be held on schedule as prayers were made inthe 42+ usd court jurisdictions in most regions of usa to postpone u s presidential election of 2008 for massive corruptions by 550+ defendants during 2007-08 to harm. to pain . and to damage chances of winningof the rev dr kamal karna k roy as the u s gop candidate and nominee as the mr cleaner president of usa as and when it be held without corruptions in campaign;and prayers were made that u s house of repsentative appoint an interim u s president on jan 20, 2009 pursuant to misc laws in the u s constitution and federal laws on a prayer of usd court ourt suggestion for the appointrment to refil of void in the system if election is postponed. dr roy shall move to ifferent circuit courts of appeals if correctional measures are no approved or granted by courts and pursuant to u s constitution action shall follow u s supreme court in washington dc for appellate reriefs if not be available by lower ourts and circuit court of appeals. Yahoo! SearchSearch:Welcome, viswa_dh [Sign Out, My Account]Answers Home -Forum -Blog -Help Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > Politics & Government > Politics > Your Open Question viswa_dh Member since: April 21, 2008 Total points: 91 (Level 1) Your Open QuestionShow me another » The rev mr makhan lal ghosh a leader of masses for democratic have-nots , oors and disadvantaged ? Search:Welcome, viswa_dh [Sign Out, My Account]Answers Home -Forum -Blog -Help Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > Politics & Government > Civic Participation > Your Open Question viswa_dh Member since: April 21, 2008 Total points: 96 (Level 1) Your Open QuestionShow me another » THE REV MAKHAN LAL GHOSH AUTHOR POLITICAL STRATEGIST WORLD_WIDE DEMOCRACIES, REFORM AGENT, ORDAINED CLERGY WR? VISITING BELGHORIA, NEAR KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA; BENGALI AUTHOR OF REPUTE; LAWYER; A LEADER OF STRUGGLING PEOPLE IN 3RD WORLD NATIONS; HE WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP STRATEGY TO BRING HAVE_NOTS CLOSE TO HAVE ALLS: HE IS A FOLLOWER OF DR THE REV KAMAL KARNA ROY, A U S GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND DEJANDING TO BE MR CLEANER GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE OF GOP IN THE NOV 4, 2008 U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2998 IF BE HELD ON TIME WITHOUT A USD COURTR INJUNCTION TO POSTPONE U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF NOV 4, 2008 FOR MASS AND SKYHIGH CORRUPTIONS BY 560+ defendants 1 second ago - 3 days left to answer. Report Abuse --------------------------------------... Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 19, 2008 at 2:46 PM) Report Abuse --------------------------------------... Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 4:25 AM) the rev makhan lal ghosh & mr the rev premansu das r das reporting themes of the reverend dr kamal karna k toy a u s gop presiential candidate of gop and demanding to be nominated as mr cleanest gop presidential nominee for 2008 nov 4 scheduled election if election be held without injunctive order of postponement of the election of president until enquiries may be completed fof allegations of corruptins by 590+ defendants in 48+ us d court of diverse juridiction. DiscussEnter Your CommentSubmit Member Comments Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 21, 2008 at 8:22 PM) 4.21.2008new york rev makhan lal ghosh , democratice reforms agent & asst to dr kamal karna roy , a gop presidential hopeful and demanding to be mr cleaner gop would be president of nov 4 scheduled election of 2008 if be held on schedule as prayers were made inthe 42+ usd court jurisdictions in most regions of usa to postpone u s presidential election of 2008 for massive corruptions by 550+ defendants during 2007-08 to harm. to pain . and to damage chances of winningof the rev dr kamal karna k roy as the u s gop candidate and nominee as the mr cleaner president of usa as and when it be held without corruptions in campaign;and prayers were made that u s house of repsentative appoint an interim u s president on jan 20, 2009 pursuant to misc laws in the u s constitution and federal laws on a prayer of usd court ourt suggestion for the appointrment to refil of void in the system if election is postponed. dr roy shall move to ifferent circuit courts of appeals if correctional measures are no approved or granted by courts and pursuant to u s constitution action shall follow u s supreme court in washington dc for appellate reriefs if not be available by lower ourts and circuit court of appeals. Yahoo! SearchSearch:Welcome, viswa_dh [Sign Out, My Account]Answers Home -Forum -Blog -Help Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > Politics & Government > Politics > Your Open Question viswa_dh Member since: April 21, 2008 Total points: 91 (Level 1) Your Open QuestionShow me another » The rev mr makhan lal ghosh a leader of masses for democratic have-nots , oors and disadvantaged ? Search:Welcome, viswa_dh [Sign Out, My Account]Answers Home -Forum -Blog -Help Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > Politics & Government > Civic Participation > Your Open Question viswa_dh Member since: April 21, 2008 Total points: 96 (Level 1) Your Open QuestionShow me another » THE REV MAKHAN LAL GHOSH AUTHOR POLITICAL STRATEGIST WORLD_WIDE DEMOCRACIES, REFORM AGENT, ORDAINED CLERGY WR? VISITING BELGHORIA, NEAR KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA; BENGALI AUTHOR OF REPUTE; LAWYER; A LEADER OF STRUGGLING PEOPLE IN 3RD WORLD NATIONS; HE WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP STRATEGY TO BRING HAVE_NOTS CLOSE TO HAVE ALLS: HE IS A FOLLOWER OF DR THE REV KAMAL KARNA ROY, A U S GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND DEJANDING TO BE MR CLEANER GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE OF GOP IN THE NOV 4, 2008 U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2998 IF BE HELD ON TIME WITHOUT A USD COURTR INJUNCTION TO POSTPONE U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF NOV 4, 2008 FOR MASS AND SKYHIGH CORRUPTIONS BY 560+ defendants 1 second ago - 3 days left Report Abuse --------------------------------------... 2 months ago Report Abuse by x_tedee_... Member since: April 17, 2007 Total points: 2379 (Level 3) Add to My Contacts Block User Best Answer - Chosen by Voters sure 2 months ago 100% 1 Vote 0 Rating: Good Answer 0 Rating: Bad Answer Report Abuse Sorry, you must be Level 2 to rate 0 stars - mark this as Interesting! 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PSP Slim dilemma....? I have a PSP phat system and I'm thinking of upgrading to a new PSP Slim....It's just that I don't feel comfortable spending at least 350 $ (the price is my country is a bit higher) on a new PSP, new card (my old one has 1GB of storage :( ) and a component AV cable. I don't have WiFi at home so I would probably use the PSP for gaming, video and music as well as a Media Center for my living room (using the AV cable).... I am thinking of installing a WiFi network in my house so I was wondering how is the internet on a PSP platform...Is it as fast as on the ipod Touch...how is the rendering....I am thinking of browsing web pages on my TV so I really need to know if it's quality browsing or not.... This answer could decide if I'm going to buy a Slim or an Ipod touch......which one is better for internet surfing...actual owners of devices are welcomed to post an opinion..
Are you sick of hearing americans complain about gas and other things? Cuz I sure am. Its all in their heads, Gas is only $1 more per gallon now http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_home_page.html, then it was in 2006. In 2006, the median income was $2,000 less than it is now http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/histinc/p05ar.html. Most americans use 10 gallons of gas a week. So americans, on average, are paying $500 more per year in gas, but making $2,000 more a year from income. But Im American, but its getting really annoying. Americans dont have real problems. We are so spoiled that we have nothing else to complain about but unemployment and housing and gas prices. We always have homeless shelters to give us food and a place to stay if we need it (I know, I did community service at City Team, the largest one). I heard some lady whining about the 45 people who died in the tornadoes recently...... How many people died in China and Myanmar this past month? Like over 100,000!?? (I live in Asia half the year, but these 2 countries are the 2 that I really dislike because they are communist and how they treat their people, but its still horrible it happened). I just moved from a big city in California(San Jose) to a small town in Florida (Fort Pierce). I have a high school diploma and nothing else. I had no problem finding a job so I just tested the unemployment thing under many different factors and it still did not affect me. I also make money on the internet and people are still spending because Im still making money WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT AMERICANS AND GAS PRICES? (im not going to choose a best answer, I will let this go into voting because I dont want anybody to think that I chose someone just because they shared similar views on things) It doesnt bother me that they talk about the tornadoes. yes any loss of life is significant and a tragedy. It bothers me when it comes out of the mouths of people that could care less about those people in other countries. As far as changing the subject, I haven't been able to for a year. I went to Asia for 6 months and it was nice to not hear about gas prices (they just dont complain as much, I would stay there but visas are a problem). When I come on yahoo answers, the first thing I see is someone talking about gas prices, I go to the gas station and the lady is yelling at the guy because the sign outside was misadvertised by 2 cents, I turn on tv and the oil companies are in court. Its like a whole nation of gas price zombies that have nothing else on their brain. 5 years ago, you could have a conversation with someone without gas prices being a part of it. Its impossible now.
How much should I charge for as an APPLICATION FEE? I have a few homes that I will be renting out. I am the owner and prefer to gather information and tenants myself rather than using a company. The application is 3 pages which includes one form asking their permission for a background/credit check. I have a website that charges 20 per month plus 25 cents for each credit check pulled. I will be doing a credit check on each application and will be sending a copy to each potential tenant. I am familiar with Housing Laws just to note. So my question is What is the most/decent price for me to charge them for this fee? The money will be going towards the Classified Advertising along with Gas/2 hours travel time to head out to the city where my first home is held. Also I am from California and the home is located in city/location where it will be easy to rent out. The home is a 2B/1B 1,000SQF with everything in excellent condition. I was thinking around $15.00
Work in Progress, Needs Advice? Please could you read through my story, I understand if you don't have time, I'd just like advice, it's an opening chapter, and definately not the final draft, the ending is somewhat rushed, but it gives the gist of it, but could do with a bit more describing and coversation with the wife. Spelling is unimportant, I have spell checked once about half way through, and I'm bound to have missed things or used wrong tenses, sorry I will fix these, I just wanted to get the words down. I understand also the whole, Mr. landon, Mr. brown can get boring, this will be worked on, first names will be brought in to make reading and typing easier. It's just a bit of fun, nothing serious, something I've worked on for a few months, adding to whenever I get the chance around college. Also the the words when copied in from notebook, got a put out of alignment sorry about this. Thanks for any advice in advance! ---------- 'Thud'...........'Thud'...........'Thud' "Every time I walked several metres down the street, a loud thud echoed from behind me and rang through my ears. I calmly carried on, attempting to not pay attention to the noise. However the only other noise around was the sound of my steps which when compared to the noise following me was like listening for a pin drop on a missile test zone. The noise filled my head like an explosion in a cave, screaming for several moments after entry, bouncing of the sides of my skull, until finally flooding out to carry on down the street. The noise was unbearable, it brought me back to my days at University, trying to revise when everyone else wanted to party. I became an expert at finding quiet places, unlucky for me that skill was of no use to me in this situation. I quickened my pace so I didn't spend more than a couple of seconds out of the light from the street lamps, which where the only thing allowing me to continue, otherwise I would be in complete darkness. Although the noise was unnerving, it wasn't close yet, which meant I had time to examine my surroundings. Probably not the best thing to do, maybe I should have been running away, or even confronting it. I mean, come on I'm thirty two and running away from a noise, it could have been a bunch of kids playing a trick on me." "My eyes swayed from left to right in a similar fashion to a pendulum, I was sure I could have hypnotised someone with them had I met anyone. Walking down the street I found my self drawn to glancing in through the windows of what I thought where shops, houses and restaurants, but the only thing that gave me that impression was the fact it said it above the windows and doors, not from looking through the windows, as I couldn't see anything through them. The windows where painted black from the inside. After trying to find any gap in the paint in the second chemist on the street, I decided I'd have a better chance on the other side of the road. Pushing my self away from the building, I quickly spun around and shot off for the other buildings. Before I knew it I'd lost my footing and got tangled up in bin bags, then I was lying face flat against the concrete. Had I been alone I would have sympathised with my self and laughed it off, But as I said 'had I been alone'. Now don't forget this noise was still following me, it's not like I'd forgotten and was checking out the shops for offers, or the restaurants so I could find a cheap meal deal for my upcoming anniversary." "Oh wait scrap that from your report, just encase my wife finds out I've said it, you'll think she won't but she knows everything about me, even stuff I wouldn't dream of telling her." A tall man was sat in a small room, he had shoulder length brown scraggy hair, his eyes a deep shade of brown looked like they were trying to escape from the sockets. His general look wasn't that appealing. Opposite him was another man, dressed entirely in black from his Sunglasses, to his suit down to his shoes. He sat holding a small burgundy notebook and frantically wrote things down, hoping not to miss a word a Dictaphone lay on the table as well. "You Know what I bet somehow she knew about this, don't ask me how, it's just a feeling." "Mr Landon, I couldn't care less if your wife knew the secrets of eternal youth, or the meaning of life at the moment, I'm sat here listening to some loon, describe a dream he had, about the time he walked down a never ending road, being followed by a noise which I heard you described as being louder than thousands of foghorns going off altogether, in your last interview." Mr. Brown proclaimed. Mr Landon stood hoping to intimidate Mr. Brown by standing over him, unluckily Mr Landon was a short stubby man, and rather than scare him, he seemed to strike his funny bone. "Alan, If I may use your first name" "Yes you may" Mr Landon spat back at him. "I don't mean to insult you, however I have a deadline and I'd like you to get to the point of your tale before we both die of old age. I mean have you actually read all your interviews you've done. Take for example The one you did for the local paper, it was ten pages of utter nonsense, you take anyone's comments on your story as an insult, and the papers turn it round on you and make you look like some escaped mental patient. I suggest after our meeting you just give people the basic facts, people aren't interested in your story and won't sit there reading ten pages." "Hey" Mr Landon carried on the conversation as though Mr. Browns speech hadn't even occurred. "What right have you got to come into my house and say it was a dream or even query me." "I'm going to be frank with you Mr Landon, if it was true I doubt you'd be able to answer any of my questions, because unfortunately I don't know sign language, and a noise that loud surely would have deafened you" At this point Mr. Brown slammed his cup of tea onto the table smashing his saucer, the tea splashed out and landed on his wrist. Though the tea was fresh and still boiling hot he did not flinch at all. "I've had enough of this Alan, your just another one of those people that think they can get money from making up these stupid stories about alien attacks. You do know there's been around 800 in the past month, the past month, for christ sake, all have been found out to be fake, the police, prime minster, general Gundore have all said so. So why should yours be different, You'll be found out soon enough... I'm sure of it" "You haven't even heard all of what happened maybe I could change your mind, now sit back down and allow me to continue. Mr. Brown slunk back into his seat and although he'd rather not listen, out of courtesy he did. "Like I said The reason I was looking through the windows of the buildings was because They where my only way out" Mr. Brown, looked confused. His eyebrows raised and his mouth opened but before he could ask a question, Mr Landon had carried on. "The road looked like it went on for miles. If I carried on walking I'd end up well past my house and probably up in Scotland by time I got to the end. If there was one." "The entire street looked as though it had been deserted many years ago. Rubbish lined the streets waiting for the bin men to come round in the morning, although it did look like they had never been and rubbish piles just ended up getting bigger and bigger. The street carried on for what felt like forever, I came across no other street leading off it, no alleyway, all the houses and shops where packed so close together, the only thing I could do was carry on going forward or turn round to face the noise." "Suddenly I stopped dead in my tracks, up ahead was a body lying in the light of one of the street lights. I ran towards it hoping the person was okay, well actually I was hoping they'd know away off the street. From a distance they looked injured all curled up as though protecting them self. I had to make sure they was OK. As I charged towards the body the noise from behind quickened, as though it knew I had began to run and wasn't risking me getting away. I stopped next to the person and bent down to examine him. I then realised the noise had stopped and I could finally concentrate on him, rather than worry what had happened to it." "The man looked as though he was barely into his mid twenty's, I brushed my hand across the side of his face to see if it would wake him, it felt like I was touching sandpaper, had he ever heard of a razor, you know get the hairs you'd miss with an electric shaver as it just can't get as close. He wouldn't have stubble then. Actually now I think of it maybe it was just part of some fashion trend, he could have been trying to look older as he did have a sort of babyish face. Not that there's anything wrong with trying to look older though I'd prefer looking younger." "Once again Mr Landon you are going off topic, I don't need to know any fashion tips, especially from you, you of all people really don't have any right to judge based on looks and come up with someone's life story just from there appearance, unless you know the man's reason for stubble I couldn't care less." "Now as you can see, I seem to have an empty cup, could you get that wife of yours to fetch another in." "Pass it here, I'll get you a refill, rather than disturb her." "NO! Sorry, it's, just I noticed a bit of dirt on the cup, a new one will do fine." "Suit your self, I'll be back in a moment." Mr Landon stood up and made his way to the kitchen. Mr. Brown then sat back slouched on the sofa, staring into the corner of the room, he nodded once and clamped his teeth together, he repeated this action for the other three corners of the room, and then sat back upright. Mr Landon then came back into the room carrying a tray with a fresh cup of tea on, oblivious to the peculiar activity which had just occurred. "Now I'll carry on, just drink your tea, slow, were getting to the good part." "Instantly the man lying on the floor huddled up grabbed out at my hand and jerked up right, his dark brown eyes fixated on my own. It was like looking into a mirror, they where so clear, I saw myself. I looked confused, my hair was all over the place. As I ran towards the man my hair must have been blown out of place by the wind. I looked confused and I was, I mean it's not everyday I helped a strange person lying injured in the street, being followed by a strange noise on a road that seems to never end." Mr Landon stopped started into his cup of tea as though hoping it would reveal what happened next to him. "I remember thinking, have I gone crazy, was it something I ate or is all this just in my head, maybe it's a dream. I could have fallen over and knocked my head on something and be lying in some hospital bed, but I wasn't. " There was a few moments of silence, still staring at his tea, it was as though Mr Landon had a brainwave and remembered every little detail that happened, and once again he carried on. "My arm started to burn where the man was holding me, a strange sensation like something was coming out from the man's hand and was trying to push me away, even though he was the one holding me." "Get Down!" He shouted. "What do you mean get down." I replied. "Just get out of the way." The man said with a hint of anger in his voice. "Hey I'm only helping you don't worry I'm not going to hurt you." "Yeah well in a minute you'll be getting hurt by something if you don't move." "Is that a thre- "At that moment his other arm slammed into my side, I was sent to the floor and grazed my arm along the concrete. The man looked angry with me, his eyes shot from me and the darkness several times. I had no idea what his problem was but I thought it best I got away. I dragged my self along the street,trying not to draw attention to myself, slowly I got up and with out glancing back I carried on as I would have, if the man hadn't been there." "I was stopped in my track as a screeching pierced through my head, I dropped back to my knees, covering my ears, shaking, I tried to gather my strength and turn around. The noise had stopped, everything was silent, until," 'Thud'....'Thud'....'Thud' "The pace of the noise had quickened, I had no idea why, I glanced back at the man to see he was still there staring down the street. Further in front of him, the street lights began to go off. The night was far from over and the sun was hours away from rising. Either there was something wrong with the lights or it was the noise destroying them." "Now I know the 'noise' wasn't destroying, at the time I didn't know what the noise was, so I referred to the noise as though it was a living thing. I shouted for the man to run, but he paid no attention so I made my way for him. Up ahead the lights where going out faster and faster. It was a race for the man I had helped moments before. I arrived first and attempted to drag him away he wouldn't budge like he was stuck on the spot. There was one street light left until the noise would be on us. The ground was shaking and the thud had been joined by a gentle groaning that felt rather pleasant compared to all the other noises I'd heard that night." "From out of the shadows a large figure strode out and stopped in the light in all it's glory. It was a giant muscular figure with hands and feet at least four times bigger than my own. It's skin was almost flurecant in the light, it had a thin layer of fur growing on it's arms, legs and all over it's back. It had a greeny brown tinge to it's skin accompanied by a pale yellow chest. It's claws where like curved blades able to slice through metal. It's face was still clouded in darkness as it was taller than the lamppost." "The man gazed at it in disgust like it was the most vile thing he'd ever seen but, I felt as though there was something else another reason why he looked at it the way he did. He raised his hand so it was pointed at the creatures face, and let out an almighty scream." "Light shot from his hand and struck the monster square in the face pushing it back with immense strength. It struggled to push it self back and force itself forward. With a flick of the hand to the left the creature was sent into the front of a building, causing bricks and glass to fall to the floor around the creature. I gasped at what I just saw, one man just threw a creature into a building and not flinch at all. It must have been a regular occurrence to the man as he'd already began to stroll towards the creature by time I got myself back to normal. He pulled out a small dagger from his right pocket and took it out of it's protective sleeve. He raised it high above the creature but stopped dead in his tracks, as a second screech bellowed from above the building." "I looked up to see what it was, but I already knew what to expect based on what I just saw. I always tell myself to not think that everything will happen the way I expect it too. Expect the unexpected. Unfortunately at times like this you don't have time to think about anything and that's why I ended up getting thrown through a shop window. As I lay there watching this giant, muscular creature casually walk over to where I lay, I could do nothing. I couldn't move my arms or legs, Fear had me pinned down, because this was the first time I had seen it's face. The creature lowered it's head from out of the darkness and it's grotesque form took shape in front of me. Eyes the size of a clenched fist targeted on me from behind scraggy hair that flopped in front of the creatures face, and being blown about by the gust of air shooting out of it's nostrils. Fangs curved out of it's mouth like tusks, but where as sharp as knifes, except the left one which had broken off half way down. It's mouth opened and closed as though it was simulating eating me." "As it craned it's neck through the window, it's breath awakened my senses and I found myself able to move again, but before I could run, the creatures hand was already around my waist and pulling me from the debris of the smashed up window. Back in the street, suspended upside-down five metres from the ground I took my chance to look around for the stranger I'd helped and in turn had saved my own life, but he was no where to be seen, the only thing I could make out in the distance was the other creature still knocked out at the side of road. Was this the end for me, or will my luck change. With in a split second that question was answered." "From out of the darkness a flash of red slammed into the side of the creature sending it sliding down the street. As I stared closer at the flash of red, my eyes widened in surprise as just down the street was a red double decker bus. The creature was now stumbling back up, it looked at the bus with complete confusion, obviously it hadn't seen one before other wise it would have known they are hardly dangerous." "It seemed to be thinking over whether or not to attack me, or the bus, as though it had learnt from this. I was shocked at my own thoughts and prejudices, just because it wasn't human I believed it wasn't as intelligent but this proved me wrong, this creature wasn't stupid and it was now finding another way to get me. The creature called out as though it was preparing to make it's move. When the whole street was lit up flames engulfing the creature from behind. The creature began to run around fiercly trying to put out the fire but there was no way for it to be put out in the street." "The buildings had caught a blaze, windows where shattering up and down the street. Rubbish that lay piled up at the side of the road was quickly disappearing engulfed by the flames and smoke which was pouring out of the buildings and ontothe street. The bus had slowly began to melt, no one came off and before I knew it all that was left was a large puddle of red liquid in the middle of the street. Had no one been driving or had they perished inside and now where nothing more than a puddle of remains mixed in with those of the bus." "Looking around me I realized I was surrounded by the flames, theyre was no way out, this time I felt for sure help would not arrive, no more buses would come bursting through the flames to pick me up and drive me to safety, no strange men with glowing palms would fly down and away again with me in theyre arms. The idea of this being a dream once again crossed my mind, before a blinding light in front of me emerged from the fire, as it got close the light split into two, on either side of the lights two more pairs appeared, heading straight towards me. Help had arrived, in what form I had no idea, but fear struck me, these lights where not slowing down and if they kept going would hit me, I ran" "Towards the flames was the only way, as far to the side as I could go, I was still in line with the lights furthest to the right, terrified I curled up, placing my head on my knees, tears running down my face. This nightmare was going to be over, the price I'd have to pay though, was my life. I closed my eyes and covered my ears, I didnt want to see or hear the lights approach ready to kill me. However my efforts to drown out any sound where crushed when the sound of tyre's screeching filled my ears. I jumped up onto my feet, and quickly scanned my surroundings. The buildings had disappeared, the road had been replaced with the M25, the lights where those of car headlights, driving down the lanes towards me. I dashed to the side of the motorway just escaping the path of an oncoming lorry." "I kept thinknig to my self, how had I survived again, I should have died at least three times that night, but there I was perfectly safe at the side of the M25, and just a few miles from my house." "Thats where I will have to interupt you Mr. Landon, you are correct, you should have died that night, and theyre where numerous attempts on your life, all failing, I am yet to find out who aided you that night, but where I do, they will suffer the sam consequence for escaping, as you shall." Stone faced, gazing at Mr. Landon a smirk crept across Mr. Browns face. Mr. Brown lept at Mr. Landon, over the coffee table pushing him into his chair. Grabbing him by the throat, Mr. Brown attempted to strangle him. Mr. Landon Pulled off a succesful kick to the unprotected crotch of Mr. Brown. Falling to the ground in pain, Mr. Landon took this time to strike back and protect himself in his own house. Grabbing a conveniently placed lamp from the small table next to the chair he had almost lost his life in, he strook down hard, after the previous events that had happened to him Mr. Landon was not taking any chances and strook Mr. brown on the head a further three times. A blood spattered Mr. Landon stood over the body motionless. His wife came rushing through the kitchen after hearing the fight going on. Dropping her book she had been attempting to read in the bedroom, she dashed for the phone, without asking her husband about the incident, she called for the police. She had feared for the past few days her husband would do something drastic after telling him she thought he's been out all night drinking, rather than fight9ing for his life, and he had punched her for it. the bruise was theyre but her tangerine cxomplexion from cheap beauty products had covered it enough to not cause any suspicions among family and friends. The minutes leadin up to Mr. Landon's arrest, went slowly, his wife sat cradling her husband in her arms, as he wept in disgust of his own actions. Rage had filled him the moment he struck Mr. Brown, he tried to persuade his wife, he hadn't actually done it, something had taken over him and he had no recollection of the event. He tried to explain how he had wanted to kill his wife and he was only protecting her. She knew what had happened and that he was trying to hide the truth from her, the thing is she had started to believe his tale about his mysterious night, after all every time she heard him talk about it, she saw how terrified he was about losing his life, how confused he was about the events and how all he had wanted to do was get home and be with her. She now began to regret ringing for the police, thinking about what to do, would she actually hand over her husband to be sent down for murder, although it was self defense, the courts could find his mental state unnerving and lock him up for his own good. Her concentration was lost when a loud knock from the door echoed through the room followed by. "Open the door, we know your in there" A deep, rough male voice shouted. "Just a moment" She shrieked back. Getting to her feet she pulled up her husband looking him the eye and told him to run. The backdoor was the only way out, either that or through a window. Mr. Landon dashed into the kitchen almost slipping on the freshly mopped floor. He burst through the door, without looking to see if he was being chased, he climbed over the garden fence, and sped off into the woods. Mrs. Landon, got her act together, and confronted the police, in her calmest voice, as not to arouse suspicion, she explained how they had just missed him, and he had ran down the street, knowing full well he had infact gone in the opposite direction. She then gave a fake description of her husband, but only the basic information, giving the excuse she was still in shock and details of what had happened where blurry, so blurry that giving a description of the man she loved was hard to do. The Medics pushed past after spotting Mr. Brown lying in a pool of blood, frantic shouting from both police and medics, filled the house, everything was happening so quickly, Mrs. Landon could not focus on one thing for long before being asked another question by both groups of people. She panicked, and slummped onto her knees, leaning against the front door, tears streaming down her face, she sobbed, saying nothing,she just watched.
answer as much as you can [i dare you]? When does it stop being partly cloudy and start being partly sunny? Are eyebrows considered facial hair? If a baby's leg pops out at 11:59PM but his head doesn't come out until 12:01, which day was he born on? In the song Yankee Doodle, is he calling the horse or the feather "macaroni"? Is there a time limit on fortune cookie predictions? Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round? Do they have the word "dictionary" in the dictionary? Can you daydream at night? Why is it that on a phone or calculator the number five has a little dot on it? Can crop circles be square? If ghosts can walk through walls and glide down stairs, why don't they fall through the floor? Is it legal to travel down a road in reverse, as long as your following the direction of the traffic? When Atheists go to court, do they have to swear on the bible? Why is vanilla ice cream white when vanilla extract is brown? Can animals commit suicide? 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What is the stage of a reptile when it has eggs in it but they haven't been laid. Are they pregnant? If Mars had earthquakes would they be called marsquakes? Why do people never say "it's only a game" when they're winning? If an ambulance is on its way to save someone, and it runs someone over, does it stop to help them? Why is it called a funny bone, when if you hit it, it's not funny at all? Do you yawn in your sleep? Why do dogs like the smell of other dogs butts? If a cannible was on death row could he ask for the last guy that was electricuted for his last meal? Do Chinese people get English sayings tattooed on their bodies? Do glow-in-the-dark objects stop glowing when somebody turns the lights on? If you died with braces on would they take them off? If someone has their nose pierced, have a cold, and take thier nose ring out. Does snot come out of the piercing hole? How come lemon washing up liquid contains real lemons, but lemon juice contains artificial flavorings. Do you wake up or open your eyes first? Did Noah have woodpeckers on the ark? If he did, where did he keep them? Why are builders afraid to have a 13th floor but book publishers aren't afraid to have a Chapter 11? How do you handcuff a one-armed man? If the FBI breaks your door down do they have to pay for it? In some books, why do they have blank pages at the very end? Why can't donuts be square? Why put a towel in the dirty clothes basket if when you get out of the shower you are clean? What happens to an irrisitable force when it hits an immovable object? If there's a speed of sound and a speed of light is there a speed of smell? Why do overalls have bel loops, since they are held up at the top by the straps? Do people in prison celebrate halloween.... if so how? Do the security guards at airports have to go through airport security when they get to work? Why are all of the Harry Potter spells in Latin if they're English? What do Greeks say when they don't understand something? What happens if a queen gives birth to a pair of siamese twins? Who gets to be king? Do all-boys schools have girls bathrooms? Conversely, do all-girls schools have boys bathrooms? Are children who act in rated 'R' movies allowed to see them? How come cats butts go up when you pet them? What would happen to the sea's water level if every boat in the World was taken out of the water at the same time? How come you never see a billboard being put up by the highway? Do the English people eat English muffins, or are they just called muffins? How much deeper would the ocean be if sponges didn't grow in it? Why do they call it the Department of Interior when they are in charge of everything outdoors? Why does Jello have a smell when you add the powder in the water, but when it "gels" the smell is gone? Why are dogs noses always wet? If a bee is allergic to pollen would it get the hives? Why do people say "heads up" when you should duck? Why is it OK for dudes to slap other dudes' asses in football, but not in any other situation? Why does triangularly cut bread taste better than square bread? If one man says, "it was an uphill battle," and another says, "it went downhill from there," how could they both be having troubles? Why does a round pizza come in a square box? At what point in man's evolution did he start wiping his ass? Do bald people get Dandruff? Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white? Why do superheros wear their underwear on the outside of their clothes? If you get cheated by the Better Business Bureau, who do you complain to? When sign makers go on strike, is anything written on their signs? Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet? Can you cry under water? Why Does Pluto Live in a dog house, eat dog food, etc. but Goofy, who is also a dog, lives in a condo and drives a car? If you blew a bubble in space would it pop? Are children who use sign language allowed to talk with their mouth full? How come all of the planets are spherical? How did the first women ever to shave their legs know that the skin wouldn't just peel right off? when a pregnant lady has twins, is there 1 or 2 umbilical cords? Why doesn't Winnie the Pooh ever get stung by the bees he messes with? Why do they put holes in crackers? Can you still say "Put it where the sun don't shine " on a nude beach? What do people in China call their good plates? How come toy hippos are always blue, or purple, when real hippos are brown? Why don't woodpeckers get headaches when they slam their head on a tree all day? If someone owns a piece of land, do they own it all the way to the center of the earth? If an escalotor breaks down, does it become stairs? Why do they call him Donkey Kong if he is not a donkey? Why do they say a football team is the 'world champion' when they don't play anybody outside the US? Do stuttering people stutter when they're thinking to themselves? If you put a chameleon in a room full of mirrors, what color would it turn? What are the handles for corn on the cob called? Why do British people never sound British when they sing? Why do we press the start button to turn off the computer? Do your eyes change color when you die? Were Mary and Joseph's surname Christ before Jesus was born? If a bunch of cats jump on top of each other, is it still called a dog pile? Do sheep get static cling when they rub against one another? In libraries, do they put the bible in the fiction or non-fiction section? How old are you before it can be said you died of old age? If K.F.C Stands for Kentucky Fried Chicken, Why do they play sweet home Alabama on the comercials? If people with one arm go to get their nails done, do they pay half price? What type of animal is Snuffaluffagus? If you had a three story house and were in the second floor, isn't it possible that you can be upstairs and downstairs at the same time? Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane? If a king is gay and marries another guy what is that guy to the royal family? Why do they call it "getting your dog fixed" if afterwards it doesn't work anymore? Does a 'Marks-A-Lot' marker, mark any more than a regular marker? If you really could dig a hole to China, and you did, and you fell in, would you stop in the middle because of gravity? If the funeral procession is at night, do folks drive with their headlights off? What happens when you put a lightsaber in water? On Gilligan's Island, how did Ginger have so many different outfits when they were only going on a 3 hour tour? If I had my legs amputated, would I have to change my height and weight on my driver's license? If nobody buys a ticket to a movie do they still show it? How do you tell when you run out of invisible ink? Do movie producers still say lights, camera, and action when it is a dark scene? What do you call male ballerinas? How does Freddy Kruger wipe his butt? Why people are so scared of mice,which are much smaller than us, when no one seems to be scared of Micky Mouse, who is bigger than us? Why are the numbers on a calculator and a phone reversed? Why are plastic bears the only animal you can get honey from? Why can't you get honey from a plastic bee? Can bald men get lice? When your photo is taken for your driver's license, why do they tell you to smile? If you are stopped by the police and asked for your license, are you going to be smiling? Do butterflies remember life as a caterpillar? If you undergo chemotherapy do you lose your pubic hairs? Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized? Does the postman deliver his own mail? Why does toilet bowl cleaner only come in the color blue? What happens when you put hand sanitizer on a place other then your hand? Why are women and men's shoe sizes different? Can you "stare off into space" when you're in space? Where do people in Hell tell other people to go? Is "vice-versa" to a dyslexic just plain redundant? How come you can kill a deer and put it up on your wall. but it's illegal to keep one as a pet? Why do we say we're head over heels when we're happy? Isn't that the way we normally are? If prunes are dehydrated plums, where does prune juice come from? Is it appropriate to say "good mourning" at a funeral? If there's an exception to every rule, is there an exception to that rule? When you're caught "between a rock and a hard place", is the rock not hard? Was Jesus a virgin when he died? Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer? Doesn't a lightning rod on top of church show a lack of faith? Who coined the phrase, 'coined the phrase?' If there were a thousand seaguls in an airplane while its flying, each weighing two pounds a piece, but they were all flying in the airplane, would the airplane weigh 2000 pounds more? If you soak a raisin in water, does it turn back into a grape? How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered? Why do they call steam rollers, steam rollers? They don't produce, get rid of, or have anythong to do with steam What is another word for "thesaurus"?
have you ever written a letter to santa? Dear Santa: I rarely ask for much. This year is no exception. I don't need diamond earrings, handy slicer-dicers or comfy slippers. I only want one little thing, and I want it deeply. I want to slap Martha Stewart. Now, hear me out, Santa. I won't scar her or draw blood or anything. Just one good smack, right across her smug little cheek. I get all cozy inside just thinking about it. Don't grant this wish just for me, do it for thousands of women across the country. Through sheer vicarious satisfaction, you'll be giving a gift to us all. Those of us leading average, garden variety lives aren't concerned with gracious living. We feel pretty good about ourselves if our paper plates match when we stack them on the counter, buffet-style for dinner. We're tired of Martha showing us how to make centerpieces from hollyhock dipped in 18-carat gold. We're plumb out of liquid gold. Unless it's of the furniture polish variety. We can't whip up Martha's creamy holiday sauce, spiced with turmeric. Most of us can't even say turmeric, let alone figure out what to do with it. OK, Santa, maybe you think I'm being a little harsh. But I'll bet with all the holiday rush you didn't catch that interview with Martha in last week's USA Weekend. I'm surprised there was enough room on the page for her ego. We discovered that not only does Martha avoid take-out pizza (she's only ordered it once), she refuses to eat it cold (No cold pizza? Is Martha Stewart living?) When it was pointed out that she could microwave it, she replied, "I don't have a microwave." The reporter, Jeffrey Zaslow, noted that she said this "in a tone that suggests you shouldn't either." Well, lah-dee-dah. Imagine that, Santa! That lovely microwave you brought me years ago, in which I've learned to make complicated dishes like popcorn and hot chocolate, has been declared undesirable by Queen Martha. What next? The coffee maker? In the article, we learned that Martha has 40 sets of dishes adorning an entire wall in her home. Forty sets. Can you spell "overkill"? And neatly put away, no less. If my dishes make it to the dishwasher that qualifies as "put away" in my house! Martha tells us she's already making homemade holiday gifts for friends. "Last year, I made amazing silk-lined scarves for everyone," she boasts. Not just scarves mind you. Amazing scarves. Martha's obviously not shy about giving herself a little pat on the back. In fact, she does so with such frequency that one has to wonder if her back is black and blue. She goes on to tell us that "homemaking is glamour for the 90s," and says her most glamorous friends are "interested in stain removal, how to iron a monogram, and how to fold a towel." I have one piece of advice, Martha: "Get new friends." Glamorous friends fly to Paris on a whim. They drift past the Greek Islands on yachts, sipping champagne from crystal goblets. They step out for the evening in shimmering satin gowns, whisked away by tuxedoed chauffeurs. They do not spend their days pondering the finer art of toilet bowl sanitation. Zaslow notes that Martha was named one of America's 25 most influential people by Time magazine (nosing out Mother Theresa, Madeline Allbright and Maya Angelou, no doubt). The proof of Martha's influence: after she bought white-fleshed peaches in the supermarket, Martha says, "People saw me buy them. In an instant, they were all gone." I hope Martha never decides to jump off a bridge. A guest in Martha's home told Zaslow how Martha gets up early to rollerblade with her dogs to pick fresh wild blackberries for breakfast. This confirms what I've suspected about Martha all along: She's obviously got too much time on her hands. Teaching the dogs to rollerblade. What a show off. If you think the dogs are spoiled, listen to how Martha treats her friends: She gave one friend all 272 books from the Knopf Everyman Library. It didn't cost much. Pocket change, really. Just $5,000. But what price friendship, right? When asked if others should envy her, Martha replies, "Don't envy me. I'm doing this because I'm a natural teacher. You shouldn't envy teachers. You should listen to them." Zaslow must have slit a seam in Martha's ego at this point, because once the hot air came hissing out, it couldn't be held back. "Being an overachiever is nothing despicable. It is only admirable. Never lower your standards," says Martha. And of her Web Page on the Internet, Martha declares herself an "important presence" as she graciously helps people organize their sad, tacky little lives. There you have it, Santa. If there was ever someone who deserved a good smack, it's Martha Stewart. But I bet I won't get my gift this year.
Some Funny && Crazy Thoughts? When does it stop being partly cloudy and start being partly sunny? Are eyebrows considered facial hair? If a baby's leg pops out at 11:59PM but his head doesn't come out until 12:01, which day was he born on? In the song Yankee Doodle, is he calling the horse or the feather "macaroni"? Is there a time limit on fortune cookie predictions? Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round? Do they have the word "dictionary" in the dictionary? Can you daydream at night? Why is it that on a phone or calculator the number five has a little dot on it? Can crop circles be square? If ghosts can walk through walls and glide down stairs, why don't they fall through the floor? Is it legal to travel down a road in reverse, as long as your following the direction of the traffic? When Atheists go to court, do they have to swear on the bible? Why is vanilla ice cream white when vanilla extract is brown? Can animals commit suicide? What do you do when you see an endangered animal that is eating an endangered plant? If a doctor suddenly had a heart attack while doing surgery, would the other doctors work on the doctor or the patient? How can something be "new" and "improved"? if it's new, what was it improving on? Why aren't drapes double sided so it looks nice on the inside and outside of your home? When two people marry, they say, "you may kiss the bride". What do they say if two MEN get married? Why is it that when we "skate on thin ice", we can "get in hot water"? Why do people say beans beans the magical fruit when beans are vegetables? If laughter is the best medicine, who's the idiot who said they 'died laughing'? If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks have branches? Why are the little styrofoam pieces called peanuts? Why does the Easter bunny carry eggs? Rabbits don't lay eggs. Do siamese twins pay for one ticket or two tickets when they go to movies and concerts? Why are they called 'Jolly Ranchers'? Who said that the ranchers were jolly? Why does caregiver and caretaker mean the same thing? Can a short person "talk down" to a taller person? If a bald person works as a chef at a restaurant, do they have to wear a hairnet? If milk goes bad if not refrigerated, does it go bad if the cow isnt refrigerated? How fast do hotcakes sell? Do prison buses have emergency exits? Do astronauts change their clocks when they move over different time zones in space? Can a black person join the kkk? When lightning strikes the ocean why don't all the fish die? When there's two men who "get married", do they both go to the same bachelor party? If a guy that was about to die in the electric chair had a heart attack should they save him? Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii? Do Jewish vampires avoid crosses or Stars of David? If London Bridge is standing why is there a song about it falling down? Why is it that before 9/11 they always showed the emergency broadcast system test, and on 9/11 they never used it? If a nursing mother had her nipples pierced would the milk come out of all three holes? Who was Sadie Hawkins? If a stripper gets breast implants can she write it off on her taxes as a business expense? Why do we sing "Rock a bye baby" to lull a baby to sleep when the song is about putting your baby in a tree and letting the wind crash the cradle on the ground? If parents say, "Never take candy from strangers" then why do we celebrate Halloween? Do the minutes on the movie boxes include the previews, credits, and special features, or just the movie itself? Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale? What does PU stand for (as in "PU, that stinks!")? Why do we put suits in a garment bag and put garments in a suitcase? Can cannibals be arrested for being under the influence of alcohol (e.g. drunk-driving) if they have eaten someone who was drunk? What is the stage of a reptile when it has eggs in it but they haven't been laid. Are they pregnant? If Mars had earthquakes would they be called marsquakes? Why do people never say "it's only a game" when they're winning? If an ambulance is on its way to save someone, and it runs someone over, does it stop to help them? Why is it called a funny bone, when if you hit it, it's not funny at all? Do you yawn in your sleep? Why do dogs like the smell of other dogs butts? If a cannible was on death row could he ask for the last guy that was electricuted for his last meal? Do Chinese people get English sayings tattooed on their bodies? Do glow-in-the-dark objects stop glowing when somebody turns the lights on? If you died with braces on would they take them off? If someone has their nose pierced, have a cold, and take thier nose ring out. Does snot come out of the piercing hole? How come lemon washing up liquid contains real lemons, but lemon juice contains artificial flavorings. Do you wake up or open your eyes first? Did Noah have woodpeckers on the ark? If he did, where did he keep them? Why are builders afraid to have a 13th floor but book publishers aren't afraid to have a Chapter 11? How do you handcuff a one-armed man? If the FBI breaks your door down do they have to pay for it? In some books, why do they have blank pages at the very end? Why can't donuts be square? Why put a towel in the dirty clothes basket if when you get out of the shower you are clean? What happens to an irrisitable force when it hits an immovable object? If there's a speed of sound and a speed of light is there a speed of smell? Why do overalls have bel loops, since they are held up at the top by the straps? Do people in prison celebrate halloween.... if so how? Do the security guards at airports have to go through airport security when they get to work? Why are all of the Harry Potter spells in Latin if they're English? What do Greeks say when they don't understand something? What happens if a queen gives birth to a pair of siamese twins? Who gets to be king? Do all-boys schools have girls bathrooms? Conversely, do all-girls schools have boys bathrooms? Are children who act in rated 'R' movies allowed to see them? How come cats butts go up when you pet them? What would happen to the sea's water level if every boat in the World was taken out of the water at the same time? How come you never see a billboard being put up by the highway? Do the English people eat English muffins, or are they just called muffins? How much deeper would the ocean be if sponges didn't grow in it? Why do they call it the Department of Interior when they are in charge of everything outdoors? Why does Jello have a smell when you add the powder in the water, but when it "gels" the smell is gone? Why are dogs noses always wet? If a bee is allergic to pollen would it get the hives? Why do people say "heads up" when you should duck? Why is it OK for dudes to slap other dudes' asses in football, but not in any other situation? Why does triangularly cut bread taste better than square bread? If one man says, "it was an uphill battle," and another says, "it went downhill from there," how could they both be having troubles? Why does a round pizza come in a square box? At what point in man's evolution did he start wiping his ***? Do bald people get Dandruff? Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white? Why do superheros wear their underwear on the outside of their clothes? If you get cheated by the Better Business Bureau, who do you complain to? When sign makers go on strike, is anything written on their signs? Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet? Can you cry under water? Why Does Pluto Live in a dog house, eat dog food, etc. but Goofy, who is also a dog, lives in a condo and drives a car? If you blew a bubble in space would it pop? Are children who use sign language allowed to talk with their mouth full? How come all of the planets are spherical? How did the first women ever to shave their legs know that the skin wouldn't just peel right off? when a pregnant lady has twins, is there 1 or 2 umbilical cords? Why doesn't Winnie the Pooh ever get stung by the bees he messes with? Why do they put holes in crackers? Can you still say "Put it where the sun don't shine " on a nude beach? What do people in China call their good plates? How come toy hippos are always blue, or purple, when real hippos are brown? Why don't woodpeckers get headaches when they slam their head on a tree all day? If someone owns a piece of land, do they own it all the way to the center of the earth? If an escalotor breaks down, does it become stairs? Why do they call him Donkey Kong if he is not a donkey? Why do they say a football team is the 'world champion' when they don't play anybody outside the US? Do stuttering people stutter when they're thinking to themselves? If you put a chameleon in a room full of mirrors, what color would it turn? What are the handles for corn on the cob called? Why do British people never sound British when they sing? Why do we press the start button to turn off the computer? Do your eyes change color when you die? Were Mary and Joseph's surname Christ before Jesus was born? If a bunch of cats jump on top of each other, is it still called a dog pile? Do sheep get static cling when they rub against one another? In libraries, do they put the bible in the fiction or non-fiction section? How old are you before it can be said you died of old age? If K.F.C Stands for Kentucky Fried Chicken, Why do they play sweet home Alabama on the comercials? If people with one arm go to get their nails done, do they pay half price? What type of animal is Snuffaluffagus? If you had a three story house and were in the second floor, isn't it possible that you can be upstairs and downstairs at the same time? Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane? If a king is gay and marries another guy what is that guy to the royal family? Why do they call it "getting your dog fixed" if afterwards it doesn't work anymore? Does a 'Marks-A-Lot' marker, mark any more than a regular marker? If you r