February 27, 2009 at 11:33 pm (Uncategorized)
First and foremost are the reasons for having a backyard orchard and garden. Having created some extra yard space behind the house, I’m going to put in a series of raised-bed gardens that will yield enough food for the family.
See more at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1518392/tips_for_a_bountiful_orchard_in_the.html
July 18, 2008 at 2:14 pm (Blogroll, Politics, housing, property management, real estate, society)
Tags: detroit, economy, gas prices, World War III
Good Night John Boy. Would the last one to leave Detroit please turn out the lights? Sound familiar? Maybe you remember some of these quips from 1974 when the first gas crisis struck on the heels of an earlier disagreement between the powers that be. The economy shuddered a little, there was a lot of debate that turned out to be mostly hot air, and the nation adapted and moved on. That’s what we do and do well once we get used to an idea or a situation that affects us nationally. It’s the economy and the war this time, but wasn’t it the economy and another war the last time as well? Perhaps the war didn’t have a name back then, but in retrospect, it was, and remains merely a continuation of the earlier World War. If you haven’t heard of World War III, then think about it like this: What we’re experiencing now is World War III – a world war being fought in the third world over dwindling resources and much more which I won’t go into here.
The impact, or pain at the pump, here at home is different from the first crisis in that the government seems to be clueless, powerless, impotent, or unwilling to tell the nation the truth. Whatever the reasons are, there remains a winter ahead, homes to heat, school buses to drive, trains, planes and automobiles to move, and the nation’s trucks to deliver our food and household needs to the nearby retailer.
Everyone has been touched by the surge in gas prices and we’re all singing the gas pump blues. Here’s an article the explores this topic a little more. Surge in Gas Prices
March 15, 2008 at 5:14 pm (Blogroll, society)
Tags: carib, gulf coast, hurricane, Hurricane Katrina, hurricanes, maya, new orleans, oceans, storms
The ghost of Hurricane Katrina is going to be haunting our nation for years to come. The Gulf Coast and especially the Crescent City, New Orleans have much to be concerned about. Rebuilding these devastated areas is taking great effort and consuming valuable economic resources. Thousands of people and their families will never forget, nor should they, how the government failed to protect them and then assist them in recovery. Not to blame the government entirely, because there is a strong element of human pride, poverty, and the human condition that also contributed to the toll taken on the people of the Gulf. Regardless of the arguments over it however, hurricanes will return year after year, and with every hurricane season the good people of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans will pray that the coming storm will pass them by. The images and the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, Camille, Albert, and many others will serve to remind us that every year these storms are sure to return when the oceans begin to heat up under the blaze of the summer sun. The Maya and Carib people considered these storms Gods because of their destructive power.
Hurricanes are perhaps the most fearsome and devestating natural force we will ever encounter. Learn more about the formation and early encounters with hurricanes in these two articles. The article Hurricane explores the origin of the word for these monster storms, and the article Hurricanes explores how hurricanes are formed.
March 12, 2008 at 5:52 pm (Blogroll, Politics, housing, property management, real estate, society)
Tags: consumer, consumer goods, consumers, cost fuel, energy, home heating oil, investing, rebate check, saving money
How do saving money and investing fit into the government’s economic stimulus plans/ That question is being bantered around these days, often with a hint of fear on the government’s behalf, that Americans won’t just spend the money according to their plans. As is usually the case made against centralized planning, it just doesn’t work. Human behavior is seldom bent or shaped to the whimsy of government bureaucrats. Whatever happens, however we choose to spend our money, is sure to be touted as a success for the government’s plans in any case.
How consumers choose to spend their rebate check is a personal choice, one governed by more often by want than need. That’s what the government is counting on, the buying of consumer goods. But with the skyrocketing cost of fuel for the necessities of life, namely the automobile and home heating oil, some consumers may be thinking twice about wasting money on consumer goods. With no end in sight to inflated energy costs, consumers are considering investing and saving instead of buying, much to the government’s chagrin.
Be the next one to learn how Investing for the Future will result in saving money for your future and stimulating the economy of the nation.
March 9, 2008 at 10:57 pm (Blogroll, property management)
Tags: Intellectual Property Rights, IPR, property rights
Intellectual Property Rights are a concept that arises when businesses and employees grapple over who owns something created while in the employ of another. For instance, if I work for ABC Company and design a widget while working there, who owns the right to profit from it in the future. That may be a very simple example, but its intent is to stimulate thinking about the concept. This is a complex issue which can be better understood by looking at contracts, employment agreements, and the history of related legal issues. If you are employed to create something on an intellectual basis, you may want to read more about this.
Who will be the next to read this article: Intellectual Property Rights?
March 8, 2008 at 5:58 pm (Politics, Uncategorized)
Tags: constitution, democracy, election, former u.s. presidents, presidents, speaking out
Former U.S. Presidents are expected to go quietly into the night, not speaking out about any of the problems that the incumbent has created for our nation. This is an accepted condition, perhaps created out of respect or out of fear of upsetting the national apple cart. After all, the incumbent represents the political will of the majority that elected him (or her). It might seem right that the voice of the now minority ex-president should not be heard in the public debate, unless it’s an endorsement of something the ruling party considers favorable to their position.
The nation has a compelling history-changing decision to make during the coming election. One that may affect the Constitution and the very foundation of representative democracy. Of course, not all the votes have been counted and not all the voices have been heard, including those of our former Presidents. The speaker’s line up alone is cause for concern.
You can read more about The Right to Speak Out of former U.S. Presidents at this article.
March 7, 2008 at 5:19 pm (Blogroll, property management, real estate)
Tags: internet marketing, landlords, property managers, rental, rental property, renters, save money
The question is whether or not landlords are able to find renters using the Internet and save money doing so. The most common way to market a rental property is through the newspapers or other print media. This approach reaches primarily into the local market, but does nothing to reach beyond. The Internet, on the other hand, is global and is the greatest information resource ever created. Landlords and property managers should seriously consider Internet marketing and the possibility of keeping the occupancy rate up by reaching out to find new renters through Internet.
Here’s an article where you can learn more about Internet Marketing for Landlords and how landlords may be able to save money doing so.
March 5, 2008 at 5:04 pm (Blogroll, Uncategorized)
Tags: evict, eviction, eviction process
Landlords are sometimes faced with the unhappy decision to evict a tenant. The decision to evict is never taken lightly, as there is a lot of work to it, especially of the renter opposes the eviction. An uncooperative renter can make life difficult, but not so much so that you should cave in and allow a bad renter to stay. There are some good ideas about how to handle the eviction process, based on experience in dealing with the matter. If you have to evict, it will probably just be worth your time and effort to read up on it and be prepared.
Want to learn more about how to handle an eviction? Here’s an article the captures the essence of evictions: Evicting Tenants
March 4, 2008 at 11:57 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: business forecasting, business trends, excel, forecasting, forecasting tools, future sales
Most businesses engage in some form of forecasting. It may be sophistacated or simple, but the intent is the same: Project future sales based on recent and past business trends or cycles. Forecasting tools can be as complicated as dedicated AI software programs or as simple as an Excel spreadsheet. The most important factor is always the judgement of the business managers.
Interested in learning more about forecasting? Here’s an article that describes the basics of Sales Forecasting. Forecasting 101
