Gary Stapp Weblog

*** AGE FINDER RIDDLE***1/18/10

If you want to know someone's age and they won't tell you try this riddle on them. It helps if you give them a calculator or a pencil and paper and let them do the calculations. All you need to know is the final answer. Don't tell them what you're after Pick a number between 1 and 10, double it, now add 5 and then multiply times 50. If the person's birthday has already gone by, add 1752. If their birthday is yet to come this year, add 1751 .... Now, from that number subtract the year the person was born ......... You now have a three digit number, of which the first number is the number they picked between 1 and 10 and the two digit number that's left is the person's age.

OPEN HOUSES ARE A JOKE

And sometimes dangerous. So your agent is going to have an open house this Sunday and hopefully a buyer will just stroll in and buy your home-------. Does anyone remember me addressing this in one of my newsletters last year? I was quoting from one of the best real estate schools in the country from the University of Texas I believe it was, and THEY let the cat out of the bag about how you probably had only 2 chances to sell your home at an open house-------slim and none-------and slim just left town----------. It seems they have done extensive research and found out that the main reason real estate agents hold open houses is to "pick up buyers"-------the 2nd reason is at the same time you can appease the seller that you are doing something to market their home. Oh----- so now you think there goes Gary again with some "off the wall" and "unbelievable" statements. Surely with all the open houses around he has to be wrong----------listen up----------have you ever seen an agent from one company hold ANOTHER AGENTS listing open from a different company? Gee-------I wonder why that agent would be willing to waste THEIR Saturday or Sunday trying to sell some other agents listing. I guess they must just be great friends. ----------Now here's MORE PROOF. A listing in our area that is listed by Re-Max, was held open both Saturday and Sunday by a Prudential agent. Gee-----it sure is nice of Prudential to help Re-Max sell that house-----unless of course that Prudential agent was JUST TRYING TO PICK UP A BUYER OR TWO----------what do YOU think----------? Also, remember a little warning the police issued about open houses-----an open house is an invitation to ANYONE-------no matter how sinnister their motives might be. Now I'm not telling you not to have open houses-----I'm just letting you know who REALLY benefits from them-------and to be careful who you let in. It's YOUR call. But make sure the windows are still locked after it's over....and be sure and hide your valuables in advance.......like money, jewelry, medicines and yes, even your underwear.

APPRAISAL BEFORE LISTING???

I heard someone saying that a new technique in selling a home was going to be to get an appraisal BEFORE listing your home, and that it would help you sell your home. Now you can do what you want-------but that is about the dumbest thing I ever heard. That's about as dumb as that fiasco here awhile back when some company had you advertising "you'll accept offers from $250,000 to $300,000"----------do they really think some idiot would offer you MORE than $250,000----? That would be like selling your car in the newspaper and saying you'll take $6,000 minimum and $7,000 maximum-------yeah-------DUMB! Pretty sure that was PRUDENTIAL. Anyway-----appraisers and real estate agents are two absolutely different fields. One is BEFORE the fact-----and one is AFTER the fact-----and the fundamentals and criteria to be factored into each is absolutely unrelated. This would be another BIG, BIG, BIGMISTAKE.

"WARNING"

*** YOUR BANK ACCOUNT IS NOT SAFE ***

Maybe I should say your checking account is not safe. Can you believe that all someone has to do is copy the numbers on your check .... you know, that long line of numbers on the bottom of your check called "routing numbers", ..... then call a company and pay a bill over the phone giving those routing numbers

.... AND THE BANK WILL TAKE THE MONEY OUT OF YOUR ACCOUNT WITHOUT

EVER SEEING OR GETTING A CHECK. What can the bank do to stop it ..... ABSOLUTELY

NOTHING I was told it's all part of the new system of automatic payments, credit cards, debit cards, electronic payments, etc., etc., etc.. So if somebody goes through your trash, mailbox or purse and finds a check .... whether it's new, used, blank, made out, cancelled or trashed, all they need is those routing numbers at the bottom and a phone. I think it's time we "all" owned a shredder, but THAT won't be enough. This will eventually need legislation. I don't know who to call right now, but when I find out I'll let you know. Until then - HIDE EM & SHRED EM.

*** CREDIT CARD "RIP OFF"1/14/10 ***

So you've got that $5,000 or $10,000 credit card with you and you're out Christmas shopping, or maybe you're out at one of the casinos, the horse races, or even at the bank and you decide to get a little "cash" from your card for "whatever" reason. Big, big mistake. You just did exactly what these credit card companies pray for. We all know that if we get "cash" it cost us a small fee, right? You couldn't be more wrong. You think to yourself, I know it's a higher rate so I'll just pay this portion of it off next month. NO, NO. That's NOT the way it works. Lets say you have a $5,000 limit on your card and you owe $3,000 on it. You go to the bank and withdraw $500 in cash on the card for "whatever reason". The credit card company charges you a $20 or $30 fee and adds the $500 debit. Now here's what you don't know. Remember that 9.9% interest for purchases? No, No,  not on "cash". You're going to be charged somewhere around 20% or 25%. Now for the killer. That $500 sits in a separate account (different interest rate) behind the $3000 balance you already have and none of your payments will go towards paying that down until the $3000 is completely paid off in full first. That means you are going to pay $10 a month interest ($120 a year) on that $500 cash advance you took at that ridiculous rate "for the rest of your life" unless you stop using the card and pay it off so you can finally get to that $500 and pay it off. But, sometimes that's not as easy as we think. One more thing. Not only is the credit card company going to charge you a fee, but the place that gave you the cash will too. Probably between 1 to 7%, and guess what.. .... those fees go on top of the $500, so you start out owing about $550 at that higher rate. It's conceivable that when you finally do payoff the card in say 5 years, you will have paid back about $1200 for that $500 cash advance. Do yourself a favor before it's too late and if you need a little cash, go to someplace like American General or Beneficial Finance it can be sooooooo much cheaper.

***HAIR OF THE DOG***

The next time you or someone you care about.. has a little too much celebration at Aunt Betty's wedding or the neighbors party and wakes up with that big head and turbulent tummy known as the"hangover" , forget the coffee, raw egg, bloody mary, glass of wine and the like and try toast & honey. It really works, where as "a hair of the dog" doesn't. It just prolongs the suffering. By theway "hair of the dog" stems from British folk treatments for dog bites, which held that a hair taken from the offending dog and placed on the wound would help to heal it.

*** OUR 2009 PORTFOLIO ***

First, let me say that even "I" (after 6 years of averaging 50% returns) got blasted by the stock market last year (2008). The only bright spot was our play on ZYNX (now ZYXI) that went from $1.57 to $6.15. After all the smoke had cleared, we actually lost about 50%. So we're 6-1 on good years vs bad years. Even though real estate and the economy is looking for more downward movement in 2009. Let's try and get back on the winning track. For 2009, as of the inking of this newsletter on Thursday Feb 5th, here are our stocks, BAC (Bank of America) at $4.84, ZYXI .OB AT $1.11, RF (Regions Financial) at $2.84, Feed (Agfeed Industries) at $1.35, HGSI (Human Genome Sciences) at $2.52, SOL (Renesola LTD) this is a solar play hedging against higher oil prices, and SWKS (Skyworks Solutions) at $5.02. You should have about 14% in each of these. Remember now, you can play with real money, monopoly money, or marbles. I would almost guarantee you, almost, that this portfolio will be up at least 50% this year, and I (we) will be back on the winning track.

***DOES ANYONE REMEMBER???

Back in 1943 when we were at war and most of our able body men were fighting, we almost lost the National Football League. Things were so bad that the league took what was left of the Pittsburgh Steelers "seven players" and the Philadelphia Eagles "seventeen players" and merged them into one temporary team for the 1943 season. The name of this makeshift team was, of course, the PITTSBURGH STEEGLES. Considering both Pittsburgh and Philly only had one winning season in the last ten years, the new team was the brunt of a lot of jokes with no one expecting them to even win one game. The Steegles surprised a lot of people by actually beating the BROOKLYN DODGERS in the first game of the year (I suppose you never heard of the Chicago Rams either) ...and went on to post a 5-4-1 season, with that one tie against the 1942 world champion Washington Redskins. By the way ...those soft leather helmets were tied on with a piece of shoe string in those days. Chin straps had yet to be invented. The Steegles were disbanded after the one season.

2010 stock market picks

Ocean Freight................$.92

CBAK..........................$2.78

FEED...........................$5.00

JDSU...........................$8.25

FITB............................$9.75

AONE..........................$22.44

Please visit "IMPORTANT NEWS" to view my opinions and how to play these stocks.

 INTERNET APPRAISALS OR .COM ANYTHING  1/02/10

Only missed my homes value by 40%. What ajoke! ....Don't be fooled by this ploy ..... all they probably really want is your address to sell to solicitors. Like a lot of other .com companys. If you give out your name or address or email over the internet the next thing you know you'll be getting e-mails and letters in the mail and phone calls from hundreds of solicitors and it will just keep "snow-balling" until you change your name, address, phone number and e-mail. Take my advice on this one, or you'll be sooorrrrrryyy .

**** APPLE-KNOCKERS LISTEN UP ****

Just because we live in Washington State and have been called "Apple-Knockers" all our lives, you would think we could pick out a fresh apple from an old one right.. ??? well if you don't know how, listen up and I'll tell you. The bottom side of the apple (opposite the stem side) has a leafy lookin fuzzy end at the bottom of the core. If the end is still relatively" closed" the apple is fresh but if those little flower looking petals are really opened, the apple is old. Remember, the tighter the formation the fresher the apple. Now does that mean everyone will start picking the fresher apples and I'll have to settle for the older ones ???????

*** DRIVING TIPS ***

As of only a few years ago, U-turns are now allowed to be made anywhere and not just at a signal where it's not posted otherwise. The catch is ..... "as long as the turn can be made safely and without delaying traffic".

When making a right turn at a corner and pedestrians are in the crosswalk coming your way from across the street .... The rule is "you can make the turn as long as the pedestrians have not reached the halfway point."

Try and stay approximately 1 car length behind the car in front of you for every 10 miles per hour of speed. If you're doing 60 mph on the freeway ..... the car in front of you should be at least 6 car lengths away.

*** TRASH CAN RIP OFF ***

Let me tell you what the garbage companies won't When you put those cans out to be picked up. Make sure those LIDS ARE DOWN. If the driver sees any daylight and that lid is not flat, they take down your address and add $4.00 to your trash bill EVERY TIME YOU DO IT. Do the drivers get a bonus for writing us up ????? I don't know, but I can guess. So unless you feel like paying that extra $4.00 push, a little harder on that lid...... UN1L  IT'S  FLAT.

*** DO YOU HAVE GOOD INSURANCE ???***

I don't care if their commercials are cute or how much they tell you that "THEY ARE THE BEST"  If they don't come through when you need them, then YOUR POLICY and the money you save IS WORTHLESS. I personally had to deal with a certain company (Progressive) twice in the last few years and actually wound up in court with their attorneys, and their client as the defendants, and everybody losing a days work over about a $150.00 claim I had against one of their insured. NOT THE INSURANCE COMPANY I WOULD WANT ON MY SIDE. Of course I won.  Now YOU have a chance to go online and evaluate for yourself how YOUR OWN INSURANCE COMPANY stacks up. Go to fortress.wa.gov/oic/complaints/ and if you wish to file a complaint, you can call the insurance consumer's hot line at 800-562-6900. I checked out a half dozen choices and here's what I found out after checking the consumer complaint index from the states Insurance Commissioner's office. The consumer complaint index measures the number of consumer complaints for one company in relation to other companies in the same market. A company with a complaint index of 1 has an average number of complaints. A company with an index higher than 1 has more complaints than average. Here are the results I found going back 2 years and averaging all the index results:

Company Index Company Index

State Farm .13 Geico .938, AllState .668 Safeco 1.102, Pemco .728, and Progressive 1.755 ( NO SURPRISE HERE). I can sure see why I wound up in court with Progressive. I wouldn't even insure my lawnmower with that company. Check the site out for yourself. Complaints are mostly for the insurance companies failing to pay or failing to satisfy an insured's claim. Think about that before picking or renewing a policy....and be sure to watch the movie "SICKO"..............

 

*** LET'S TALK TOILETS ***12-27-09

Now that you've all learned who invented the first flushable toilet, "Thomas Crapper" let's talk about them, and some things you might not know. You probably know they come in a lot of different colors and shapes, but did you know they come in different heights? Now you might not think that makes any difference .... especially if you are younger and healthier or shorter than the average person .... but if you are taller, heavier, have a knee, leg, back or arthritis problem ..... or are a senior with other problems .... you won't believe the difference a couple of inches in height can make. Get something that is a couple inches thick and put it on top of the toilet (with the lid down of course) and then sit down. You'll find it a whole lot easier than having to bend down two more inches. The average "john" (and no, I don't know where that term came from) is about 15" high and tall ones are about 17.5" high .... Not much, but enough to make a world of difference to some folks. The cost ..... ? Like anything, you can get as fancy and expensive as you like, but on the average they cost about $150 for a nice one and about the same $150 to have it delivered and set up ..... Well worth the price. I guarantee you, life will get a little easier

*** WARNING - DO NOT FLUSH ***

Never flush a toilet when the water level is higher than it usually is. If a toilet is plugged, it's human nature to try and flush it again to see if it'll UNCLOG. You grab the handle and NO - WAIT . Don't do that. Let the water level in the bowl recede to normal first or you'll be sorrryyy.

*** WASHINGTON'S "LEMON LAW" ***

We've all heard about a LEMON LAW, but I'll bet no one actually knows what or when a car is considered a "lemon" and can actually force the dealer to take it back and give you a refund. Well, I'm going to educate you right now. The Washington State Legislature has recognized that a defectivenew motor vehicle is likely to create hardship or even cause injury to the consumer. Some motor vehicles covered under Washington's lemon law are cars, trucks, suv's and motorcyles. Some not covered are buses, trucks with a GVW of 19,000 lbs or more, living portions of motor homes and vehicles in fleets of 10 or more. To be eligible you must have bought/leased and registered your vehicle in Washington State and within the first two years or 24,000 miles of purchase (whichever occurs first) your vehicle has (1) had at least two attempts to repair a serious safety defect and the defect still exists, or (2) had at least four attempts to repair a defect and the defect still exists, or (3) been out of service for at least 30 days. If you win your Washington State lemon law case, the manufacturer must, at your option: (1) replace your vehicle with an identical or reasonably comparable model, or (2) accept the return of your vehicle and refund full purchase price (Plus all collateral charges and incidental costs) less a reasonable allowance for your use. Lemon laws are very complicated and each state is different. If you are having problems, you may want to consult an attorney. Buying a NEW or used car under 24 month's old may also qualify. Returning to the dealer without results 3 times may also qualify instead of 4. You work hard all your life and you are probably not going to buy more than 2 or 3 new cars in your lifetime so just remember, you don't have to buy someone else's mistake.

***LES SCHWAB FIXES SEARS' TIRES ***

I've personally purchased tires from Les Schwab (across the street from Sears Tire Center on 148th Ave) and always got great deals, great tires and great service so why did the wife and I purchase our last set for our SUV from Sears? Who knows. Maybe the wife stopped by for a battery check, or saw an ad she thought was too good to be true. Whatever the reason, we purchased the tires at Sears (even though I probably could have gotten a better deal at Les Schwab across the street). A few months later, on our way back from Snoqualarnie Pass, we picked up a piece of broken snow chain link in one of our new tires, but didn't notice it until the next morning when it was almost flat. I called Sears and told them my dilema. I was then told that it was A ROAD HAZZARD and I had not purchased any "roadhazzard insurance" from Sears when I purchased the new tires. I was then told "they would charge me $22.00 for fixing the flat on their new tire" soooo I took the SUV across the street where Les Schwab (knowing I had just purchased the tires from Sears) fixed my tire for me for FREE. Now I like Sears and shop Sears a lot, but I learned a good lesson from this experience. From now on we'll buy ..... shirts and socks from Sears ..... and tires from Les Schwab.

**SOME NEAT WEBSITES** 12-25-09

These are some U.S. Government web sites that either auction or sell services or items: (l)BUREAU OF ENGRA VING AND PRINTING = www.bep.treas.gov/store/index.cfm (uncut currency, portraits, videos).

(2) SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM STORES = www.smithsonianstore.com (reproductions of objects from the smithsonian collections).

(3) US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY = http://ask.usgs.gov/products.html (digital maps and data, aerial photography, fact sheets, booklets, satellite imagery, software & atlases).

(4)U.S. MINT = www.usmint.gov/catalog (coins, coinsets, coin jewelry and gifts).

(5) DEFENSE REUTILIZATION AND MARKETING SERVICE = www.drrns.dla.mil/newsales (military goods no longer needed in front-line service, including single-engine aircraft, radar equiptment, radios, ships andtrucks).

(6) GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION = www.gsaauctions.gov (aircraft, communications and computer equiptment, electrical components, jewelry, vehicles, watercraft).

(7) OFFICE OF PROPERTY DISPOSAL = www.gsa.gov/pr/prhome.html (properties that are surplus or have been foreclosed).

(8) TREASURY = www.treas.gov/auctions/custorns (auctions of property taken in criminal seizures, including Real Estate, aircraft, automobiles, boats and electronics).

**REPLACING A FENCE - TAKE HEED**

Fences that have been in place for 10 years or more, have more or less marked the property boundaries by a Real Estate rule called ADVERSE POSSESSION. In other words, if your fence is currently encroaching let's say 2 feet onto your neighbor's property and no one has any documentation as to where the property line is and the neighbor has not granted you an easement.. you need to think about this. If you've used the.land as your own for ten years or more, you can probably go to court and claim the land as yours under the ADVERSE POSSESSION rule but, if you tear down the old fence and put up a new one, it could cause a problem if both you and the neighbor disagree on the location and boundaries of the NEW fence. I would suggest you get something in writing between all interested parties and then file that document with the proper agency. If the shoe is on the other foot and the fence has not been up for 10 years .....you MAY grant your neighbor an easement for the fence and let it remain up .....while retaining your property rights. If you find out the 10 years has passed and you just found the discrepancy, I would suggest you try and draw up some sort of amicable agreement with the other party while you are all still friends. Verbal agreements in Real Estate ARE LEGAL, "BUT NOT ENFORCEABLE", remember that.

**HARD TO OPEN LIDS**

We've all had those jars of mayonnaise, peanut butter, pickles or whatever that we just couldn't get open you pound it on top with something, then you turn it upside down and pound it on the counter. That doesn't help so you grab this new invention you bought from Fred Meyer last week that gets a bite on the lid for you then with one hand you try and hold the jar and with the other you try and turn the lid. Finally, after turning blue and pulling two muscles in your arm and shoulder you turn to someone and say.... "here" ..... "can YOU open this?" ..... sound familiar .....well guess what.. ....THOSE DAYS ARE OVER. I don't care if you have arthritis, gout, or you're 90 years old .... .I'm going to make life a little easier for you from now on .....Do you have any idea WHY those jars won't open ..... ? Well I'll tell you .....They're vacuum sealed. I've known for years that if you just take a regular bottle opener and gently pry the lid up until you hear the "whoosh sound" of the air, you could then give the jar to a five-year-old girl to open. I have to admit I was on the verge of designing something myself, but somebody beat me to it. I bought this thing calledthe "Jarpopper" at the Bed Bath & Beyond store at Crossroads Mall (kind of a neat store in case you've never been there) and it is EXACTLY what you need. I believe it was only $2.99 buy one for yourself, or someone you love it'll definitely make life a little easier.. you're welcome .

*** IVY CAN BE COSTLY ***

A lot of us have that nice area of ivy growing on the side of our house or garage and it looks great.. ...but looks can be deceiving. If you have wood siding, that ivy will eventually find a crack and start growing "into and under" the siding, forcing it farther apart and making room for more vines to enter. Then the weather, then the carpenter ants and then more problems, LIKE ROT. If your Ivy has started to do this, you need to get the clippers out.. or your wallet. The cost of repairs can run into the thousands.

CREDIT CARDS AND YOUR YOUR RIGHTS 12-20-09

Did the banks raise your interest to 15% or 25 or even 30%??? Do you realize that you don't have to stand for that. All card companies must notify you that they are raising your interest, and give you an opportunity to "opt out" of agreeing to their raise. You have probably already been notified and most of you had until July 1st to say no (read your individual letter). Here's the deal .... you need  to call or write your card holder. If you call, get a name and write it down along with the time and date. Just say "I'm rejecting your rate increase". Try and get them to verify your rejection in writing. They can't raise your rates if you don't agree to it. Being silent means you accept, or if you use the card for anything after opting out it will be considered agreeing to the new terms. Not only must you not use the card again but if you're late on a payment, it's breaking the terms of the original agreement and thus the new agreement comes into effect automatically. They'll also take your high balances away so you don't have any more credit to use. Some of you have been raised to 25% and 30%. Why stand for that,  just "opt out" and don't use the card(s). Believe me, it won't be long before these banks will start lowering rates again and fighting each other for credit card business. Just like they have always done in the past. It's called GREED .

Believe me, no one is any greedier than the banks. So stand up for your rights. They'll come back begging for your business with lower rates and special deals sooner than you think. Here's a couple more things ..... if you start paying bills with your credit cards (a sure sign you're in financial difficulty) they'll cut your available credit down and take it away. If you think you are going to need those funds to live on ..... take them all to max "the same day" and then "opt out". Beat them to the punch. Do I sound mad? You betterbelieve it. Considering President Obama and the rest of the politicians bailed out these banks with $3400 worth of funds from every man, woman and child in this country. Then the banks tighten the screws on-us for more money. What a world ..... the greedy just keep getting richer at our expense.

WANT TO SUPPORT AMERICA

"I'LL BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS"

Read the bar-code on what you are buying. From the department store to the grocery store The first 3

numbers of the bar-code will tell you where it's made. Anything starting with 000--- to 099--- is made in the USA or Canada. 300--- to 379--- is from France, 400--- to 449--- from Germany, 470--- to 479--- from Taiwan, 490--- to 499--- Japan, and 690--- to 692--- is made in China. It's our right to know where things come from, but since US and Chinese businessmen, and government officials, know people do not prefer products "made in China" because of the "black hearted goods", they prefer not to inform us. Remember, if you want to buy American and support American jobs look for the "0" on the start of the bar-code.

 W-D 40 USES - BELIEVE IT OR NOT

Restores and cleans chalkboards, removes lipstick stains, removes stains from stainless steel sinks, removes tomato stains from clothing, keeps glass or plastic shower doors free of water spots, removes sticky label glue from jars, removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor, removes bug guts from cars easily, keeps rust from forming on tools, keeps bathroom mirrors from fogging, removes splattered grease from stoves, removes all traces of duct tape, removes crayon from walls and ... believe it or not ... people spray it on their arms, hands and knees to relieve arthritis pain and you can even spray some on your fishing lures and bait, you'll catch more fish. It's made with fish oil ans was created in 1953 as a "water displacement" compound and lubricant for protecting Atlas missile parts. But as you can see, no one should ever be without a can.

*** FREE TAX HELP ***

Here are several agencies that will help you with your tax return for free .... United Way of King County has 14 locations offering help in many languages. See "goto.seattlepi.com/r1235". To find an AARP tax aide near you call 888-227-7669. For the "Seattle University Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program" also visit .... "goto.seattlepi.com/r1250". In King County you can call the "King County ACORN Working Families Prosperity Center" at 206-723-5845 from 5-9 p.m., Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. - 2 p.m. and also Saturdays. They are located at 134 S.W. 153rd St. in Burien. Also try Bellevue "Hope Link" at 14812 Main St.

Have you ever noticed that when you put the two words "THE" and "IRS" together it spells "THEIRS"

NEW CREDIT CARD RIP-OFF 12-20-09

If you ever get a phone call from someone pretending to be your credit card company checking on a purchase you've made, or telling you there is a charge on your card that doesn't belong and you are being "scammed", beware And under no circumstance ever give them your card numbers. They'll tell you they need to verify your card # ..... but if it's really your credit card company, they already know your card numbers and would never ask. Hang up! You're being scammed. Just remember one simple, rule never give out your social security #, drivers license #, or credit card numbers to anyone that calls you for any reason, or you'll be sorry. Hang up, and YOU CALL THEM.

 BUMPITY .. BUMPITY .. BUMP

Has anybody out there noticed the ever increasing rise in "Speed Bumps"? I believe they call it "Traffic Calming". Frankly .... I call it Lunacy. I mean we pay millions of tax dollars to repave our roads .... and then someone comes along and puts speed bumps on them. Why not just leave the chuck holes or dig some more. Wouldn't that work just as good as speed bumps and be a lot less expensive? I just can't believe in this day and age that we are regressing to "speed bumps". Is it only a matter of time untill we regulate the traffic in our area by the size of the speed bumps ..... ????? .... We could have small ones on the freeways ..... medium ones on N.E. 8th and 148th .... and big ones on the side streets. We would probably need a "moon rover vehicle" to get over the ones near hospitals and schools ..... Let's not forget the wear and tear on our cars including wearing out the shocks, breaking motor mounts, and knocking the front end out of alignment.  Your tires wear out 1O times faster and just think of all the new rattles and clanks your car is going to acquire. Now for the worst thing .... I would hate to have one of my children choking to death .... where every second counts .... and waiting on an ambulance or fire truck that had to keep slowing down for those speed bumps. I'm sorry but you so called bureaucrats and planners are really screwing up here. You need to comeup with a new idea not something from the stone age.

 SAVE YOUR CHILD'S LIFE AND MAYBE YOURS

It's Winter now and nights are usually darker because the clouds block out the moon. Add some rain and glare on a windshield and it's really hard to see at night. I suggest you dress your kids as "bright" as you can for evening excursions. Children as well as adults don't show up very well at night dressed in dark clothing ..... not even in crosswalks or parking lots. Never take it for granted that the driver sees you, and always try and dress the kids .... and yourself .... in at least one piece of reflective clothing like a white or light coat or white tennis shoes. Just anything that will reflect off of a car's headlights. I can't count the times I've seen people just walk right in front of my car at night, in a driving rain storm, and think I should see them just because they're in a crosswalk crossing a street or a crosswalk in a parking lot or mall . pay attention here ..... this might just save your life ..... or someone else's.

 GIVE US A BREAK 

I see now there's about a half dozen real estate gurus trying to milk your wallet on TV again ... and they're all selling the exact same so called system. I even see one guru selling his winning gambling system.  Hey! That's old news. 25 years old as a matter of fact and if you ever tried to play his black jack system they would throw you out of the casino. Listen up people if these so called gurus knew how to make a million dollars do you really think they would tell you ???

WARNING - DUMMY WARANTEES AND CONTESTS

Did you get a warantee card to register your latest Christmas gift? Did it seem not worth the effort? Then it probably wasn't! The latest fiasco of late is getting people to fill out warantee cards, grocery store cards, questionaires, credit card applications and yes even a contest at your local store or mall. The only reason they want your name and address is to SELL IT to other people, that SELL IT to other people, that SELL IT to other people. And thats where a lot of your junk mail and phone solicitors come from. Want it to stop? Write to EQUIFAX, PO Box 740256, Atlanta, GA. 30374, EXPERIAN, PO Box 919, Allen, TX. 75013 and  TRANSUNION, PO BOX 97328, JACKSON, MS, 39288. Your local bank, grocery and retail stores you have cards for (like Costco, Safeway, Sears, B of A, Visa or ANY PLACE you have credit) get away with it by saying they only share your name with their affiliates. ANOTHER JOKE. If a grocery store shares your name with General Mills, that's an affiliate. If B of A shares your name with VISA or MASTER CARD, those are affiliates..........See what I mean. Always read what you sign and NEVER give them permission to "share" your information, WITH ANYONE........

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THINGS STILL GETTING WORSE AROUND HERE    DATED  12/12/09

I've been telling you for years that we are always the last ones to go up in price and the last ones to go down, now let me prove it. The FORECLOSURE FILINGS for November were down 15% from October NATIONWIDE. Good news??? Not just yet.....While the rest of the Country basked in that 15% improvement, Washington State only improved 1.5% in the same period. While that still sounds like an improvement STATEWIDE......it's a long way from better for us. FORECLOSURE FILINGS IN KING COUNTY ACTUALLY INCREASED BY 25% from October to November. We currently rank 28th in States for forclosure rankings, but that 25% monthly gain in KING COUNTY sets us right at the top of the list for increasing foreclosure filings in a metropolitan area, which obviously keeps setting us up for lower and lower prices.

 

12/08/09 MORE INFORMATION

* * * We all like to save our pocket change and once in a while we get some pretty good sized jugs full. If you'll keep the pennies separated, it's easy to estimate how much you have in silver. Weigh your silver on the bathroom scale. One pound will equal approx. $18.00 .... So if your change bank weighs 10 lbs, you have approximately $180.00 in change.

* * * Do you have abunch of candles stored for our next storm ..... ? You better think twice about using them. The soot that the candle flame makes will get on your ceilings and walls and you'll have to clean it off before you paint again. What .... you've used them before .... ??? Take a look at the corners where your walls meet the ceilings ..... If you can see that it's whiter in the corner and darker on the sides and tops, it's definitly time to paint. If you've burned a lot of candles in the past ..... it's probably twice as bad.

* * * What to say when you get a ticket for speeding, turning, stop sign or whatever ..... NOTHING! KEEP YOUR MOUTH CLOSED. Remembe, THAT OFFICER will try and ask you "why you did it" or "did you know you were speeding?" and if you say yes, OR ANYTHING, he's going to write it down on the back ofthe ticket for the judge to read, in case you fight the ticket. Another thing or two ..... If you request a hearing, the officer will not show up unless YOU request him to be there. It'll be just you and the judge. Bring pictures, distance measurements and best of all a witness or two ..... and you'll win, especially if there's no one there to dispute your story. So remember, keep it zipped, and tell it to the judge........later.

Thinking you can go to traffic school and get a ticket off your record.....? Yes, but only once, and it'll still cost you about $150.00. Get another ticket in a year and it was all for not. Be aware that ticket fines in construction zones are doubled and you are not allowed to go to traffic school on those ..... so slow down in those construction and school zones. One last thing, be sure and ask for a copy of the ticket once you get a hearing date. Call the court. You'll want to see what it says on the back of it BEFORE you get to court, to counter the accusation. Be prepared.

* * * Life Insurance without a physical?? OF COURSE THEY'LL GIVE YOU A POLICY WITHOUT A PHYSICAL ..... but if you lie on the application, or leave something out, your policy will be void and worthless when you really need it, and you'll lose all the premiums you've ever paid. Remember that the next time you hear that on T.V. You're not going to outsmart those big insurance companies, believe me .....even on those cheap policies. Michael Moor has made a movie about how insurance companies actually hire people to find the slightest mistake or some trivial thing you've left out on the application, JUST TO DISALLOW and CANCELL YOUR POLICY when you really need it. The movie is called I think..."SICKO"............You really need to see it.......

*** Is soda pop REALLY on sale ..... ????

 Did you know that soda pop starts to get bad after 90 days? Therefore, they put that date on the bottom of every can and that same date on every 12 pack. Now that's when soda starts getting bad.  Beer? The date on each beer can is the date the beer was "born" (made) and beer will start going bad 110 days AFTER THAT DATE. Make sure you always save this letter so you don't get the two mixed up.

*To clean your dishwasher and have it smell great and sparkle run it through a cycle with "Orange Tang" the breakfast drink. You won't believe it.

*Billy The Kid's real name. No it wasn't William Bonney, it was Henry McCarty.

*Two glasses of Gatorade can relieve a headache almost immediately.

*For a urinary tract infection, dissolve two Alka-Seltzer tablets in water and drink it at the onset of symptoms. It begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly.

*To get onion, garlic or other bad odors off your hands, just rub some salt on them with cool water. Washing with regular salt works better than tomato juice or other remedies, and it's a whole lot cheaper.

*The Do Not Call List # 1-888-382-1222. Remember, you must call from the number you want to register, and you have to do it every 5 years.

*Clean soot off your masonry fireplace fronts. Go to saversystems.com. They make an environmentally safe cleaner for fireplaces and masonry.

* Buying a car battery? Check the code for how old they are. You don't want to buy a battery that was made over 6 months ago. They usually have a sticker on them with A for Jan, B for Feb, etc., etc. and then the year. "B9" would be made Feb 2009 and "D9."would have been made in April 2009.

*Jumping or charging a battery? Always hook up the positive cable first (+) and then the negative (-) and take them off in reverse order .... negative off and then the positive. It's the same order for charging a car battery, except it goes positive - negative - plug in or turn on then unplug or turn off - negative off -positive cable off.

*Call in to the city for Potholes that need repair. "Pothole Rangers" 206-684-7623.

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             MORE TO KNOW

ANY CHILD 7 YEARS OLD, OR YOUNGER, is deemed by law to be incapable of negligence. Remember that the next time your neighbors child does something to your property. You will not be able to sue them.

TYPE 2 DlABETICS If you're still taking Reslin stop! It is killing people. Have your Doctor switch you over to "Avandia" and have your liver checked. This could very possibly save your life.

EVERYONE OBVIOUSLY KNOWS where we got the "one foot" measurement from, your foot of course. But did you know that a "fathom" was measured by holding your arms out to the side - finger tip to finger tip. The most interesting I find is the inch. It was measured in early days by "barley corns". 3 barley corns end to end would equal 1 inch, and 36 barley corns would equal 1 foot. Barley corns were used because they were all so precise.

TAX DEDUCTIONS??? Capital gains such as stock market gains means you must hold the stock for at least 1 year to qualify for the capital gains tax rate. Any gains from stocks (or other securities) held less than one year
are considered "income", and taxed just like you had a second job. Stock market losses on the other hand are only allowed at a rate of a $3,000 deduction per year, but you may go backwards I believe, one year, and
forward until you use all your losses up at $3,000 per year, or make enough profit to "offset".

INTERNET CMA'S ? I heard another company say they are thinking about doing cma's (comparable market analysis), on homes over the internet. YEAH - RIGHT!  Half the agents can't even do them right when they see them in person...much less over the phone or the internet. What's next ..... a crystal ball?

BLACKBERRY SEASON IS APPROACHING. If by chance a bird happens to drop a message on your car In berry season, I would suggest you clean it off fast. The acid in the berries will eat right into your paint and scar it.

Why do so many companies offer mail in rebates on their products..... Because only about 20% of the buyers bother to mail them in.

Why they put nickle and penny slot machines in the casinos. So they can let people win a bigger percentage while holding down percentages on the more expensive machines. This lets the casino advertise that they return a larger percentage of the bets. Obviously, if the penny machines are set to return 125% back and the dollar machines are set to return only 75%, the casino can advertise that they return 100% of player's bets while making a fortune on the slots. Just don't bet too many pennies at once, or it won't work.

The water from Niagara Falls drops approximately 1 foot farther each year due to the force of the falls on the rocks below.

In the early 1900's when the first gas stations were pumping your gas for you .... you had to trust the attendant, because calibrated pumps had not been invented yet. The attendants would count to themselves and knew how much time it took per gallon. You definitely didn't want to go to an attendant that stuttered.

How to keep strawberries from getting mushy and moldy before you get a chance to eat them. Go ahead and slice them up and then mix 1 teaspoon of sugar with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar per 8 ounces of strawberries and combine. Some people might want more vinegar, it's a matter of taste. Try it. They'Il last a week or more in the refrigerator. This works on other berries as well, without slicing.

A lot of times we find ourselves pondering what to use on a stain. I recently pulled these common household stain fighting ideas from an article by the Ohio State University extension and some by me.

*Alcohol: Removes grass, grease and soft drinks.
*Ammonia: Removes blood, perspiration, tea & urine.
*Borax: Removes fruit & juice stains
*Dry-cleaning solvent: Removes chocolate, lipstick, milk, and ice cream.
*Hydrogen peroxide: Removes scorch marks & chocolate
*Lemon Juice: Removes ink, iodine, and rust
*Liquid shampoo: Removes grease, oil and tar
*Petroleum Jelly: Removes Ink
*White vinegar: Removes Alcohol, deodorants, coffee and glue
*GoofOff: Removes Latex painting smudges to 50 years old .... .just put some on a rag and wipe off the mistake. Most paints are latex based.
*Ring around the collar: Try some shampoo. Rub it in and let stand for a few minutes before washing.

*Stove Top Burners: Outside or on the garage floor, put burners in a plastic bag and seal it, along with a small
bowl of amonia for several hours, depending on the need. Remove and clean with a mix of vinegar and baking soda and a toothbrush. This really works, but some need to stay in that bag all night.

INTERESTING THINGS

* No more mosquitoes - place a dryer sheet in your pocket - It helps keep them away.

* To keep squirrels and raccoons away - sprinkle cayenne pepper.

* Deviled eggs - put your mix in a zip lock bag, cut one comer and squeeze.

* Reheat pizza in a skillet on medium to low heat - better than soggy micro. (It really works great)

* To re-open an envelope - put it in the freezer for an hour or two.

* Foggy windshield? buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box. (If you can find one, buy a few)

* Get rid of ants - put small piles of cornmeal down. Ants can't digest it. It won't kill them all though.

* Use orange Tang (the breakfast drink) instead of soap for 1 cycle to clean your dish washer. (Works FANTASTIC)

* If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it "FEDUP" .

* Have you ever spent $2.00 on a small bottle of "Evian" water ? Evian spelled backwards .... is "Naive". Are we????

** Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.

** There are more chickens than people in the world.

** On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying over the Parliament building is an American flag.

** All of the clocks in the movie "Pulp Fiction" are stuck on 4:20.

** In most advertisements, the time displayed on a watch is 10:10

** Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.

** It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

**  In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.

** Mr. Rogers is an ordained minister.

**  The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.

*Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately - without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers".

*Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffy nose.

*Sore throat? Just mix equal amounts of vinegar with honey and take one tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria and the honey soothes the throat.

* I've already told you about odd and even address numbers (even numbers being on the North and East side of the street) now for the streets themselves. If the direction of the street, such as S.E. and N.E. are in front of the street name like N.E. 8th St those streets run East and West (towards Seattle to the West and Lake Sammamish to the East). Subsequently, if the direction appears after the name of the street such as 156th Ave N.E., then those streets usually run North towards Canada, or South towards Renton. Remember that. Directions in front of the street name means it runs East & West and directions after the street name means it runs North & South. Bellevue likes to have "streets" rurming East and West, and "avenues" running North and South.

*This is flu season and the bugs are going around. Remember to wash your hands and the kids to do the same, every time you come home from a public place like shopping, parks and especially the grocery store.

NEVER, I repeat NEVER look at the magazines at the doctors office, or let the kids play with those toys in the comer of the waiting room. You'll be sorry if you do. Lots of sickly germs.

* In the mid 17th century Londoners sincerely believed that 666 was difinitely the sign of the devil. London was destroyed by a fire storm that consumed more than 13,000 homes and buildings. The year...........1666.

* The best cleaner in the world for pet stains is borax and water ..... as long as we're talking about pets .....remember those rawhide bones will wear off your dog's teeth if you give them too many. Also, if your dog or cat developes a skin problem and is always scratching, try changing their diet. Read the labels and delete anything that has chicken or chicken parts.

* Portland Cement got it's name from the look of stone it matches .....in Portland, England.

* Scott paper company got their start from selling paper dresses for $1.00.

* How to buy shoe laces for most shoes .... Count the number of lacing holes on your shoe. For example:Your tennis shoe has 6 holes on each side, then that equals 12 holes total ..... now multiply the total x 3 ....12x3=36. You should be looking for approximately 36" shoe strings. 9 holes on one side ..... then 9x2=18 total holes = 18x3=54" shoe strings. Big shoes and small shoes will vary a few inches up or down. This calculation is for an "average" size shoe, and I find they are usually long.

* This is probably more information than you'll ever need, but I just wanted you to know who invented that porcelain throne sitting in our bathrooms. The year was 1863 and the inventer of the first flushing toilet was Thomas Crapper. I guess we all know now why that term has become synonymous with toilets.

Did anyone else catch the auction of Star Trek memorabilia on EBAY. I guess I was probably a little naive thinking I had a chance to buy a couple of things. The two things I wanted were the communicator ..... remember "Kirk to Enerprise"? And I also actually thought I had a chance to buy Captain Kirk's tunic (shirt). The communicator went for $40,000 and the tunic also went for $40,000. One of the phasers went for $15,000 and lots of drawings and sketches went for $300 to $1500. In other words, you didn't really miss anything. Guess I'll just keep clicking the remote at the wife.....and "pretend" it's a phaser.

 

READ AND LEARN

**All that beauty bark in your yard is flammable. That's right! You can throw a lit cigarette onto gasoline and it won't explode or even catch on fire, (except in the movies) but throw one down on your bark and watch out. It may even take a day for the bark to get really started, but it can definitely burn your house down. And if you don't smoke, make sure you keep an eye on your friends that do.

***The best mosquito repellant is "Deet". Don't argue with me on this one, just buy it if you want some serious protection. And pin a couple dryer sheets near a door or widow....you won't believe how fast they'll leave.

***The maximum interest deduction for your home is up to $1,100,000. If you buy a $2,000,000 home, you'll only be able to write off the $1,100,000 portion of mortgage interest, and eat the other $900,000 worth. But they change amounts all the time. We should all have that problem.

***Who invented fish sticks ??? It was GORTON'S, and they were introduced in 1955.

***1 told you about the JAR POPPER several years ago, and Ican't believe you haven't bought one. Don't pull every muscle in your body trying to open that jar of pickles, or pass the jar to someone else to open. Just use the JAR POPPER like a can opener to release the vacuume and then let your five year old open the jar. Once the vacuume seal is broken, the jars open real easy. The JAR POPPER is about a '$3.00 item and you can find it with the kitchen utensils. Life is too short to live without a JAR POPPER.

***FAREREPORT.COM   Check out this new website. It shows you when and where your airline ticket prices are the highest and the lowest.

Another great website to check out is cobgis.cityofbellevue.net, Put in your address and check out your property.

* Everyone knows what a Dinosaur is, but do you know what the word Dinosaur means? It means "TERRIBLE LlZZARD".

* Never throw water on a grease fire, it will explode and send fire everywhere. Also never put flour or sugar on it. Stay calm, soak a kitchen towel and then place it over the pot or pan. The fire will go out.

* French kissing - Adults who french - kiss anyone under 13 can be convicted of a misdemeanor in Richmond, Va.. The penalty is up to 1 year in jail and a $2,500 fine. In South Africa it is illegal for anyone under 16 to kiss or much less, have any physical or romantic contact.

* FDA set to accept cloned meat and milk. After a year long study, they are ready to go forward. Not as long as I'm around, and congress is also saying no. I think we need a shake up at the FDA.

* Clean masonry or concrete stone fireplaces with an environmentally safe cleaner by Saver Systems (saversystems.com). It works much better than bath & tile cleaners.

GREAT CELL PHONE INFO

* Free cell phone information number. Never call 411 on your cell phone for information ... it cost about $1.00 to $1.75. Call (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. I would check with my carrier before I program it into my cell phone though. YOUR carrier might just have a charge now.

* In an emergency dial 112 on your cell phone. Even if you are out of the coverage area, the phone will search for any existing network and establish contact. 112 is for cell phones like 911 is for regular phones. It can even be dialed if the key pad is locked.

* Hidden battery power - to activate press the keys *3370#. Your cell phone will restart with this reserve. and show an increase to 50% POWER from VERY LOW. This reserve will automatically recharge when you charge your cell phone the next time.

* How to disable a STOLEN mobile/cell phone? To check your mobile/cell phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: *#06#   A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone gets stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the sim card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. Of course these things don't work on ALL cell phones.

* Have you locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).