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On one of the New Year's Eve specials, they were asking members of Congress what their goals were for 2009.  I was very surprised with how few of them mentioned the economy in any fashion.  I think they need to work on fixing the economy first.  I think it is clearly the biggest issue facing our country right now, and that seems to be reflected in the vast majority of polls.  But Congress just doesn't seem to get it.

Unfortunately, with the many band-aid bailouts that were passed in 2008, Congress seemed unwilling to even consider the long-term effects of what they were doing.  They didn't provide adequate methods for oversight or regulation of how the bailout money was spent.  And since the money was handed out, there have been a lot of news stories about how some of that money was wasted.  It doesn't seem logical to me that wasting additional taxpayer money will create long-term growth for the economy.

Mitch McConnell, the Republican Minority Leader in the Senate, has been one of the few Congressional representatives who is talking about fixing the economy every chance he gets.  He is making two key points.  The first is that we don't waste any additional tax dollars.  The second point is that any economic stimulus/recovery plan needs to be well thought out.  I strongly agree with both of those points.  We need to make sure that any short-term fix doesn't have major negative long-term consequences.

One of the areas I am most concerned about is the power that President-elect Obama and the large Democratic majority in Congress will have to repay political favors.  Repaying those favors may come at the expense of truly fixing the economy.  For instance, labor unions spent well over $300 million to help elect Obama and strengthen the Democratic majority in Congress.  Now it seems the unions expect to get repaid for their support by having Congress quickly pass the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as the "Card Check" bill.

This bill would take away secret ballot elections in businesses where unions want to organize.  I have no problems with unions when the workers decide on their own to form one.  Especially in business sectors involving dangerous materials or processes, unions can serve a great purpose to protect worker safety.  But it doesn't seem to make any sense to take away the workers' right to decide whether to unionize in a secret ballot election.  Just as people were intimidated and coerced to vote certain ways in political elections in the early days of this country, the same thing would happen to workers who weren't able to keep their votes secret.  It would effectively stifle a lot of the debate because people with dissenting viewpoints would be opening themselves up to retaliation.

Plus, the fear of harassment could lead to "push-button" unions in a lot of businesses that really don't require them - like very small businesses.  Small businesses have always been the driving force of job growth and this bill could stifle them under excessive regulations.  And that would really hurt the long-term prospects for the economy.  I saw that the Friends of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is working to make sure everyone knows about the potential negative effects of this bill.  I encourage the other readers to sign their petition or directly contact their Congressional representative and ask them to protect worker privacy, fix the economy first, and fix the economy in the right way to ensure long-term growth.  Here's a link to the petition and some more information about the bill - http://friendsoftheuschamber.com/email/email4.cfm?id=1
78

We've all seen amazing stories about lawsuit abuse.  People suing businesses because they spilled a hot drink on themselves, or because they were overweight, or because they didn't exercise common sense when using the products made by the business.  But this week I heard about an example of lawsuit abuse that beats all the rest.  It is one of the most incredible stories I've seen all year.

A couple of Canada geese took up residence outside a small pool maintenance store in Maryland.  The owners of the store tried to get the geese to leave, but their options were limited because of the Migratory Species Act.  The Act makes it illegal to disturb migratory birds, even when they aren't migrating.  So, it was illegal for the store owners to disturb the geese.  And because they weren't being disturbed, the geese stuck around.  Eventually, one of the geese honked at a shopper entering a DIFFERENT store.  The shopper was startled and fell down.  She decided to sue the pool maintenance store for damages, claiming the geese were the responsibility of the store owners.  The lawsuit was for $750,000.

I can't believe that something like that was even accepted by an attorney, much less actually go to trial.  What an incredible waste of the justice system.  Not only did it hurt the pool maintenance store, it wasted everyone's time who had to be involved with the case.  I'm sure that a lot of other cases could have benefited from having a shorter wait for a trial or more access to legal professionals who had to spend their time on this case.  You can see the entire story about the geese here - http://www.friendsoftheuschamber.com/email/email4.cfm?
id=185 .  There's even a video where the owners of the pool maintenance store talk about their experiences.  It is such an incredible story, I don't feel like I've done it justice in words - check out the video to see it for yourself.

It seems like there is more negative economic news every day.  In a recession like this, employers may cut jobs, consolidate offices, not give raises, or ask people to cut their hours/take a voluntary pay cut.  But I was recently reminded that other organizations are trying to use the economic conditions to their benefit.  Labor unions in particular are trying to strengthen their position now because they know that many people are just happy to have a job, so the individuals won't stand up to the unions.

For instance, I've been reading about the "Card Check" plan that some unions are proposing.  Basically, those unions want to take away workers' ability to choose whether or not to join a union through secret ballot elections.  In other words, the union can persuade the workers through unethical means to approve the union's wishes and they will know exactly who votes with them and who votes against them.  That just seems scary to me.  I think unions should be truly optional.  If workers decide that they want one, that's fine.  But if they decide they DON'T want one, that should be fine, too.  And the ballots should be filled out in private, with no way to identify individual votes.  Otherwise, I think workers would have to fear reprisals - like losing their job or harassment - if they don't vote the "right" way.

Unions are gathering a lot of signatures on a petition to get Congress to pass "Card Check".  Unfortunately, Congress seems so preoccupied that they appear to be passing everything, without regard to the long term effects.  I hope "Card Check" doesn't get put in the same category.  That would be disastrous.  Not only for the potential to make workers do what they don't want to do, but this could cause more unwanted unions to form in small businesses.  If that happens, any economic recovery will be slowed or stopped because the small businesses would have less flexibility to react to new opportunities because of restrictive union regulations.  If you are against the "Card Check" initiative like I am, make sure you let Congress know how you feel.  I found a petition online set up by the Friends of the United States Chamber of Commerce that we can sign.  You can go here to make your voice heard, too:
http://www.friendsoftheuschamber.com/takeaction/index.
cfm?ID=78

With Thanksgiving over and Christmas less than a month away, how has the economy directly affected you this year?  What did you do differently and what are you planning on doing differently?

There seem to be a lot of news stories about consumers in general, but I'm interested in individual perspectives.  The news stories have suggested that holiday travel is down for the first time in years, that people are buying fewer gifts for their family, that they are giving gifts to fewer people, that people are not using credit cards to buy gifts, and that they are being more selective about which stores they shop at.  Are any of those things true for you?  Also, it seemed like the parking lots of the restaurants open Thanksgiving day were fairly empty and the crowds out shopping the day after Thanksgiving were quite a bit less than previous years.  Did anyone else notice similar things or were your experiences different?  What other changes have you noticed?

One of the things that got me thinking about this was the Friends of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce website.  They have a poll up about the holidays and they are asking for personal videos about the economic slowdown affecting holiday choices.  The videos will help them know where to focus their efforts.  If you'd like to get your voice heard too, you can vote in the poll on their website and submit your video story on the page page that comes up after you vote.  Here's the link - http://www.friendsoftheuschamber.com/email/email4.cfm?
id=175

                                                  

                                    

                               

                              

 

AN HONORABLE GIFT , WOULD BE TO KEEP YOU ALIVE ,

BEFORE THANKSGIVING , VOTE TO SURVIVE ,

IN THE 20TH CENTURY ,  ALIVE ,

NO BAILOUT FEE , CAN SAVE YOU FREE ,

VOTE FREEDOMFREE , IF YOU ASK ME ,

MIRACLES COME , WHEN YOU VOTE FREE ,

NATURALLY , JUST THINK OF ME ,

SEE I HAD A DREAM , OF MAKING ICE CREAM ,

AND FEEDING THE WORLD , BUT IT KINDA SEEMS ,

THE ELDERLY , NEED MORE THEN A DREAM ,

I HAVE A DREAM , THAT WE ARE EQUAL ,

BUT IT SEEMS , THAT WE ARE PEOPLE ,

TO THE EXTREME , OF NOT BEING EQUAL ,

AFTER THE VOTE , IM SPEAKING FREE  ,

THE OUTCOME OF , REALITY ,

IM YOUR CREATOR , IM JUST LIKE YOU ,

SO STAND LIKE THE REST , AND JUST BE YOU ,

IF I WIN LIKE THIS , I DECIEDED ,

YOU NEED A KISS , ADDED TOO ,

YOUR MIRACLE WISH , WE THE NEXT GENERATION ,

OF THE WORLD TODAY , YOU MUST BE FREE ,

TO BE OK , THE FUTURE IS YOU ,

THIS VERY DAY , I MUST SAY ,

CUTEYPOPS THANKS , ITS OK ,

YOU HAVE BEEN , ALOT OF HELP TODAY ,

FREEDOM SEES , THE FUTURE DAY ,

HISTORY SENT ME , THE MESSAGE TO SAY ,

CLOSE DOWN , AND BE OK ,

BEFORE ANOTHER HUMAN , PASSES AWAY ,

THE PEN WINS , NEW FREEDOM TODAY ,

IF YOUR ON STRIKE , ITS ALRIGHT ,

I UNDERSTAND , ABOUT EQUAL RIGHTS ,

EVERYBODY , NEEDS EQUAL INSIGHT ,

IM ALWAYS RIGHT , SO TELL YOUR FRIEND ,

IT WILL BE ALRIGHT , TO USE THE PEN ,

TO SEE THE LIGHT , IS AT THE END ,

OF YOUR PEN YOU WRITE , IF YOUR WONDERING ,

THEN GRAB THE DICE , DONT PASS THIS TWICE ,

MIRACLES FORM , LIKE FROZEN ICE ,

IF YOU STILL THINK , LAWS IS INK ,

DONT BLINK , WHILE YOUR AT THE SHRINK ,

GRAB A DRINK , IT WILL HELP YOU THINK ,

YOU DONT NEED INK , TO MAKE YOU THINK ,

JUST REFILL YOUR DRINK , OR GRAB YOUR SKATES ,

ROLLER BLADES TAKE , YOUR ICE SKATES AND SHAKE ,

THE DUST OFF , DONT WAIT ,

FOR A MIRACLE DATE , START RIGHT NOW ,

BEFORE ITS TO LATE , BUT IF YOUR HAPPY ,

BUYING A HOME , YOU DONT NEED TO VOTE ,

JUST STAY AT HOME , ON THE PHONE ,

IF YOU DONT HAVE A HOME , CREDIT ALL GONE ,

STILL SUCKING , THE SAME OLD BONE?? ,

GRAB YOUR PHONE , IF YOU HAVE A TONE ,

HANG IT UP , GET A ICE CREAM CONE ,

AND GET RID OF , THAT SAME OLD BONE ,

IF YOUR CAR , DRINKS ALL THE GAS ,

LIKE YOUR AT THE BAR , SIPPING NO CASH ,

DONT GO TO FAR , TURN AROUND REAL FAST ,

THE LIGHT SAYS E , WHEN YOUR OUT OF GAS??

SING-A-LONG FAST ,

OLD MAC FOUND A  , SHOWWWW ,

 E , I , O , U KNOWWWW ,

WHY INTERSET IS ANONTHER O ,

G , I , B , OH NOOOOO ,

BANG BANG HERE , BOOM A CHEER ,

HERE COME , PEOPLE  HEAR??

A REMIXXX ,

I WONDER IF THIS IS YOUR LUCK DAYY ,

I WONDER IF ITS TIME , AT THE END TODAY ,

I WONDER IF YOU ARE REALLY , OK ,

I WONDER IF YOU VOTE MY WAY ,

RAINBOW PLAIN , RAINBOW RAIN ,

RAINBOW SHAME , RAINBOW FAME ,

RAINBOW CAME , RAINBOW BLAME ,

RAINBOW SING , RAINBOW NAME .

                                                    




                                                 

                                                   

                                 

Being from Philly I am quite an expert on what a real Philly Cheesesteak should be like, That is why I am tired of seeing signs outside of restuarants  claiming they serve the "Best Philly Steak in Town" because chances are they don't!! I have found out through extensive research it is just a ploy to get you in the door. I have been fooled on many occasions. So I am going to give those restuarants the key to making the best philly steak in town. Are you ready, here it is   "START WITH THE ROLL", Because without a great roll you have a terrible sandwich. Plain and simple!!!!!!!! 

So I hear some cities want to pass a law against kids that wear pants so low their underwear are showing. Do we really need another law on the books to get kids to pull up their pants? What happened to their parents, you know the people that were supposed to teach them to pull up their pants? I really think this situation could be handled with the Public Indecency Laws. We really don’t need to create another law. This could also help with the Bike Week issues and the bare behinds while riding/driving down Hwy.17. Quit making so many new laws and let the Police enforce the ones we already have.

So Myrtle Beach City council wants bikers to wear helmets to protect us bikers so this would mean city law should out way state law? Shouldn’t we be more concerned about those folks in golf carts and on mopeds? Sure they probably don’t have a license to drive but just think if a car hit a golf cart full of kids or retirees? There again maybe we should all wear bubble wrap and helmets, in our cars, trucks, SUVs’, golf carts, mopeds, and motorcycles. There again maybe just the City of Myrtle Beach council members need to wear helmets and bubble wrap! Grow up people…we live in an area that is open 24/7 and invaded by tourist of all kinds and there will always be things we don’t like. If living here makes you that miserable, MOVE! Being born and raised here we locals have had to adjust to a lot of things that we don’t like but we try not to discriminate against golfers or bikers…even if they are Yankees!

Ok, maybe this iPhone thing is getting out of hand? 

 

I'll admit to being a techno-dweeb.  I own a smartphone, a laptop, a couple of computers, and a GPS.  The iPhone, however, seems like a marketing gimmick wrapped around a black hole.  Oh, the iPhone is “cheaper” this go-around and has more features, but the AT&T-Apple alliance will get you, only worse this time.  The iPhone 3G comes with a $199 price tag AND a $10 increase on the data plan. The two-year contract that you are signed into raises the final cost of the iPhone 3G to $439 when including the phone and data plan hike.

 

The iPhone 3G is cool, I will refuse to take that away from Apple, but why a GPS without navigation? Not even for walkers! 

 

My advice to anyone planning to get an iPhone, try before you buy.  And if you don’t, well at least they have high resale value.

 

We all know the importance of curb appeal.  If you are waiting for the real estate market to pick up before selling your home, you want to keep it spruced up.

But the drought situation across South Carolina right now is moderate and worsening.  In the Myrtle Beach area, our rainfall in June was more than an inch and a half behind the average. 

Not to worry.  Curb appeal doesn't have to suffer in a dry summer, as long as you make the right choices.  Here are some tips:

• Go Dry.  Xeriscaping is drought-tolerant landscaping.  It refers to landscaping approaches that require little water to prosper.  Some plants require a little water to get established, but can remain dry once they've matured.  Also, you can mulch to conserve water around plant roots.  The website www.xeriscape.com offers more tips.
• Lay the Groundwork.  Ground covers that look good all year are smart substitutes for grass.  Creeping thyme, low-growing yarrow and low-growing sedums are just a few examples.
• Spread Pebble.  To give your yard a nice textural look, consider pea gravel, decomposed granite or colored rocks.  You can use large boulders for accents.  But don't cover your yard completely with rocks, because it will reflect too much heat, especially if you use white pebbles.
• Pave with Brick.  Because brick is porous, water percolates through it and into reserves rather than running off.  Pockets of xeriscaping materials soften edges and add color.

A Water Conservation Tip:  Using an electronic control, a drip irrigation system will conserve water by applying it directly to roots rather than dousing a wide area. 

hi, u dont kno me, but i just thought u mite like to see some of the thing i think, and do and stuff like that.  im just getting started, so lets see...

where i werk i recently got approval to begin a recycling program for the company.  so far its getting a great response,  my co workers are really stepping up and helping me help the environment.  we recycle cans and bottles, plastic cups u get from convenience stores and gas stations.  news papers too.  so far i have been going to recycling center about twice a week.  thats about two trash bags full of  cans and bottles and a heaping stack of newspapers a week.  you can start one where you werk too.  its easy and all you hav to do is ask and set an example.

first, get a medium sizebin and a trash bag.  make a sign, tape the sign over the recycle bin in your companys break room or nearby your soda machine.  send out a mass email to all of your co workers to inform them of your noble efforts!  then just remember to keep up with it and take out full bags, replace them and keep the bin cleen and stink free.  now u r an environmental hero!

Every year, Mark Nash of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate in Chicago conducts a poll to see what buyers want most.  His most recent poll shows what's in and out in real estate this year:

IN

Going Green:  A home that saves energy and lessens the contribution to global warming.

Outdoor Living:  Massive fireplaces, outdoor kitchens and under-patio heating.

Fully Concealed Appliances:  Appliances in the "IN" homes are hidden behind hinged doors.

Floating Homes:  Don't think "houseboat".  These nonmobile homes are basically single family ranches on stationary barges in a lake or river.

Home Elevators:  Even mid-priced homes are including this feature for boomers who are in no hurry to move into assisted-living.

Pet Showers:  Clean pets mean clean homes.  Why mess up the bathtub when this feature can be part of your garage or laundry room?

Freestanding Bathtubs:  These oversized soaker tubs, or "bath thrones", have replaced whirlpool baths as the must-have bathroom centerpiece.

Bathroom Suite:  Buyers are turning their bathrooms into mini-homes, complete with multiple flat-screen TV's, mini fridge and cappuccino maker.  I guess Tim Allen on "Home Improvement" was ahead of his time.

OUT

Living Rooms:  The incredible shrinking parlor has ceased to exist in some homes.

Voluminous Ceiling Heights:  The absurd look and wasted space of 20-foot ceilings in 120 square foot rooms is finally dawning on buyers.

Tiny Balconies:  Room for only one chair is worthless.  Balconies must now be functional for entertaining.

McMansions:  Today's motto might be "small is beautiful".  Just as long as it's not a one-person balcony.

Right now, home sales are about the same as they were in 1998.  Back then, it was a fast-paced, record-breaking market.  But a lot has changed in ten years.

Our national population has grown by 25 million people.  We have millions more jobs, higher household income, and a bigger stock market.

Home sales are off because of low confidence.  People who can afford to buy are waiting because they believe that home prices will fall. 

Our federal lawmakers have the option of breaking the cycle of homebuyer hesitancy.  It's a homewonership tax credit for owner-occupying buyers.

Washington, D.C. has successfully used this tax credit for years.  There are several proposals in Congress right now for similar credits of $5,000 to $7,000.

A $5,000 tax credit would create more than 1 million new homeowners, which would result in fewer homes on the market, which would create an upward momentum in home prices.

If you are considering selling your home in the near future, you should urge your congressman to support a homeownership tax credit.

An article appeared in USA Today on May 29 entitled "One Bright Sign Emerges in a Gloomy Housing Market".  The article was about the multi-year ordeal between the Department of Justice and the National Association of Realtors over Internet listing display rules.  The article suggested that the DOJ is coming to the rescue of the housing sector.

 

Richard Smith, CEO of Realogy Corporation, wrote a response letter which USA Today has not yet printed.  I want to publish that letter here in my blog in the event that you are not able to read it in the newspaper.  Mr. Smith makes some very important points that informed readers need to know:

 

Dear Editor,

To suggest in your May 29 editorial that the Justice Department has come to the rescue of the housing sector and is "the only promising development in an otherwise gloomy market for home sellers" is inaccurate and disingenuous. The multi-year ordeal between the DOJ and the National Association of Realtors over Internet listing display rules was like witnessing a battle over how best to deliver mail by horseback. Did someone forget it is 2008?

The industry and consumers have moved on. Real estate listings are ubiquitous on the Internet today (just type in "Real Estate for Sale" on Google and you will get 156 million hits). Also, to categorize the settlement as a win for discount brokers and sellers alike is also misguided. Discount or limited-service brokers have had access to multiple listing service (MLS) data for years. Their failure to achieve success, even during the boom years, has not been a lack of access to MLS data, but rather the lack of results. A failed business model by any definition is a failed business model. Crying foul to the federal government, or suggesting that states shouldn’t have the right to legislate minimum service standards for real estate practitioners doing business in their state, is no remedy to a flawed business model. 

Buying or selling property is a highly complex transaction with a long cycle time. Comparing the sale of a home to buying a share of stock or an airline ticket online is ridiculous at best. Those transactions take seconds to complete and the risk of making a bad decision is an inconvenience or a fraction of one’s net worth – not so with real estate. Home buyers and sellers would all be a lot better off if Congress and the administration focused on ways to stimulate the current housing and credit markets with meaningful and timely initiatives.

Richard A. Smith

President & CEO

Realogy Corporation

Parsippany, New Jersey

In this current buyer's market, it takes more than competitive pricing to sell your house.  There is excess inventory for buyers to choose from.  You and your realtor have to make your home more attractive than the others.  Proper staging is a critical step when you are listing your home.  You have the option of hiring an Accredited Staging Professional if your home is particularly hard to sell.  But here are some basic suggestions:

• Remove the clutter.  You want your home to look as spacious as possible.  Also clean out your closets.
• Keep the furnishings basic.  As stated above, you want your home to appear spacious, but not vacant.  Furniture helps the potential buyer to envision living there.
• Add some flowers and indoor plants.  But avoid scented candles and artificial air fresheners. 
• Put away the family pictures and other personal items.  You don't want it to be obvious to the buyer that they are visiting someone else's house.  Again, they have to be able to envision it as their home.
• Let the sunshine in.  Open the blinds and curtains.  Open the windows if it is pleasant outside.
• Clean, clean, clean.  Nobody wants to buy a dusty or dirty house.

Even in a slow market, good staging will help your home sell faster and for a better price.

I'm thrilled to see that a huge event is coming to Marion this summer.  This will be a great time and there are so many headliners.  I am not the biggest country fan, but who doesn't like Sugarland? 

I had a hard time deciding where to start for my premiere real estate blog. After all, real estate is a pretty big topic.

Then I decided the best place to begin would probably be to address the relentless gloomy headlines were are faced with week after week. According to the media, home values are falling across the nation. Why would ANYBODY want to buy a home right now?I'll tell you why. Because the media is wrong.

Statistics are only useful when analyzed accurately. Right now, there are fewer high-priced homes on the market due to stricter mortgage lending standards. At the same time, more lower-priced homes are being sold due to foreclosures. With fewer homes being sold on the high end, and more homes being sold on the low end, of course the median price is going to plummet. This does not accurately reflect whether homes are holding their values.

The main sources quoted by the media, including the S&P/Case-Shiller index, only track the 20 major markets. 17 of those markets have posted declining home prices. But more than 3/4 of the 330 metropolitan areas that are tracked by the National Association of Realtors have reported increases.

Housing values in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Conway increased 2.4% in the last quarter of 2007, and 2.8% in the last year, according to the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

Gloomy reporting without analysis is a dangerous thing. When trying to make sense out of this current housing market, don't be swayed by reporters. Just talk to a realtor. And if you ask me, there's never been a better time to buy a house in Myrtle Beach.

 

We certainly have ourselves in a pickle now don’t we? We love our gasoline. Of course, it’s not that we love the gasoline, we just love our cars. In fact, I think the bible had a quote about it:

“For we so loved our cars that we gave up our one and only future, that whosoever drives a hummer shall not perish, but have eternal strife.”

Ok, maybe not, but the freedom always comes with a cost. Either in lives, or money, or time, a sacrifice must be made. The ever-increasing population density of our cities demands a solution. I spend 300 dollars per month in gas now, so if I could find a public transportation solution, (well, with Wi-Fi), I would be there tomorrow. Of course, too many consider riding a bus beneath themselves. I am all for growth, but do we really want Myrtle Beach to look like Los Angeles or Atlanta during the morning commutes? Do we really want to wake up to catch the Smog Levels on the morning news to determine if we should go out? The time to answer the questions is now because it’s a lot easier to prevent the problem before it happens than to clean it up.

Now to place our problem in perspective by first saying that it’s only going to get worse, so stop whining! Whining will fix nothing. We have all heard that the Europeans pay more, and that bottled water costs more per gallon than gas does, and that ethanol is causing people to go hungry. From the American way of life, who cares! What should concern us is that diesel fuel is now about $4.30 per gallon. Trucks carry everything in this country and as the cost to deliver increases, eventually there won’t be any more “loss” that the trucking industry can take. At that point, we will get VERY uncomfortable at the grocery store line, at the line at Wal-Mart, or any store you like that has stuff made from somewhere else. I think if we cannot get the diesel cost under control, then we know hard times are a-coming.