The concept is pretty cool. Provide your guests with an outdoor heat source that extends the comfort range of your patio or deck during cooler evening hours and give you the use of your outdoor living spaces well into the fall and even winter if you live in a mild climate area.

These outdoor patio heaters are large, usually over 6 feet tall, and need a heat source such as propane. The best ones provide even heating a full 360 degrees around it so guests can be gathered in many groups around the unit and still be warm.

I wouldn’t say they’re incredibly stylish, although if you have metal decor like a hanging star or garland or perhaps metal wall sconces then the patio heater will at least look like it belongs. But how can you argue with a 6 foot cylinder pumping out 40,000 BTU’s?

They cost about $250 or so, depending on which store you buy it in and which sales you capture. They are obviously more popular during the winter months and are nearly impossible to find in a retail store during the summer unless you catch an inventory clearance event. Our best advice is to buy one in late winter or early spring when they’ll probably be on sale and then use it the following fall.

When you’re shopping for a patio heater you need to consider these things:

1. the size of your patio or deck

2. how much space you actually need to heat

3. if you want a large fixed heater or a portable one

4. if you care about the fuel source, such as propane, electric, or natural gas

5. how you’ll protect it when not in use.

The issue of protection is often easily solved with a patio heater cover. In fact many of them come with a free cover as incentive to get you to buy.

For more information on propane patio heaters and electric patio heaters please visit our website.

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Martina McBride and Trace Adkins have just extended their “Shine All Night” tour into May of 2010. They will have a few dates where scheduling conflicts keep Trace from performing, those dates will be filled by Blake Shelton.

Here’s the schedule:

January 2010
22 – Little Rock, AR – Verizon Arena
23 – Independence, MO – Independence Event Center
24 – Council Bluffs, IA – Mid-America Center
29 – Reading, PA – Sovereign Center
30 – Worcester, MA – DCU Center
31 – Fairfax, VA – Patriot Center

February 2010
13 – Bossier City, LA – CenturyTel Center
14 – Pensacola, FL – Pensacola Civic Center

18 – Auburn Hills, MI – The Palace at Auburn Hills
19 – Buffalo, NY – HSBC Arena
20 – Baltimore, MD – 1st Mariner Arena
21 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
25 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Allen County War Memorial
26 – Cleveland, OH – Wolstein Center
27 – Pittsburgh, PA – Petersen Events Center
28 – Highland Heights, KY – The Bank of Kentucky Center

March 2010
4 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
5 – Champaign, IL – Assembly Hall
6 – Evansville, IN – Roberts Stadium
12 – Richmond, VA – Richmond Coliseum
13 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
14 – Manchester, NH – Verizon Wireless Arena
26 – St. Louis, MO – Scottrade Center
27 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center
28 – DeKalb, IL – NIU Convocation Center

April 2010
8 – Loveland, CO – Budweiser Events Center
9 – Rapid City, SD – Don Barnett Arena
10 – Bismarck, ND – Bismarck Civic Center
23 – Uniondale, NJ – Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
25 – Roanoke, VA – Roanoke Civic Center
30 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum (McBride only)

May 2010
1 – Duluth, GA – Gwinnett Center (McBride only)
2 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena (McBride only)

Martina McBride and Trace Adkins have just extended their “Shine All Night” tour into May of 2010.  They will have a few dates where scheduling conflicts keep Trace from performing, those dates will be filled by Blake Shelton.

Here’s the schedule:

January 2010
22 – Little Rock, AR – Verizon Arena
23 – Independence, MO – Independence Event Center
24 – Council Bluffs, IA – Mid-America Center
29 – Reading, PA – Sovereign Center
30 – Worcester, MA – DCU Center
31 – Fairfax, VA – Patriot Center

February 2010
13 – Bossier City, LA – CenturyTel Center
14 – Pensacola, FL – Pensacola Civic Center

18 – Auburn Hills, MI – The Palace at Auburn Hills
19 – Buffalo, NY – HSBC Arena
20 – Baltimore, MD – 1st Mariner Arena
21 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
25 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Allen County War Memorial
26 – Cleveland, OH – Wolstein Center
27 – Pittsburgh, PA – Petersen Events Center
28 – Highland Heights, KY – The Bank of Kentucky Center

March 2010
4 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
5 – Champaign, IL – Assembly Hall
6 – Evansville, IN – Roberts Stadium
12 – Richmond, VA – Richmond Coliseum
13 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
14 – Manchester, NH – Verizon Wireless Arena
26 – St. Louis, MO – Scottrade Center
27 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center
28 – DeKalb, IL – NIU Convocation Center

April 2010
8 – Loveland, CO – Budweiser Events Center
9 – Rapid City, SD – Don Barnett Arena
10 – Bismarck, ND – Bismarck Civic Center
23 – Uniondale, NJ – Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
25 – Roanoke, VA – Roanoke Civic Center
30 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum (McBride only)

May 2010
1 – Duluth, GA – Gwinnett Center (McBride only)
2 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena (McBride only)

There are several things that you should really do to take care of your <a href="http://www.best-<a href="http://www.best-laptop-online.com" title="Buy Laptops“>Laptop-online.com” title=”Buy <a href="http://www.best-laptop-online.com" title="Buy Laptops“>Laptops”>laptop when you are trying to make sure it lasts a long time. From the most simple maintenance to that which requires a few minutes of your time it can significantly increase the life of your laptop and in return save you a bundle of money. With these simple and easy to follow suggestions you are sure to help you learn how to take care of your laptop like a pro.

1) Locking your notebook – This might sound unnecessary but locking your laptop will keep anyone around you from looking at what you are working on and ensure that anything private stays that way. To lock your laptop easily all you have to do is just press the Windows Key + L at the same time and it will lock your laptop. To unlock your laptop simply press Ctrl + Atl + Del and then enter your password and you will be returned back to exactly where you were previously.

2) Vent maintenance – This means you need to check all of the vents on your laptop at least once a week to ensure that they are clear and not blocked. Be sure you do not push anything into the air vents; the safest way to clean these vents typically is using a simple can of air that can be purchased at most computer supply stores.

3) Check the fan – If your fan is not working correctly you could experience some huge problems with your laptop overheating, which can cause problems with your monitor, memory or even the hard drive. To avoid this problem you need to make sure that the fan is working properly. If you are unsure whether the fan is working properly check the website for the laptop manufacturer, you can frequently find software there to use for testing purposes.

4) Keeping lap burn to a minimum – This may seem like a minor detail but when you experience it you will suddenly notice the significance of this. In order to help prevent this and ensure your laptop is getting proper airflow make sure you are using something such as a desk or similar hard surface to hold your laptop anytime you are using it.

5) Avoiding soft spots – This is a problem that is quite common for many people, if you are just sitting around on the couch you might prop your laptop up on a pillow on your lap. This may seem like a great idea but it can cause a huge problem since it can significantly restrict the airflow to fans and vents causing your laptop to heat up significantly.

6) Safely storing your laptop – While the great laptop bags that are sold are wonderful for transporting your laptop it is very important that you turn your laptop off before you actually put it into the bag. If you do not power it down you could melt your laptop or potentially catch it on fire.

7) Drinks beware – If you are thinking about getting a drink it is important to make sure that your drink is as far away from your laptop as possible. Drinks and laptops do not mix well under any circumstances regardless of what you are drinking.

Avoiding shocks – If you are looking to move your laptop around a bit you should always ensure that it is on a sturdy surface that will protect it from unexpectedly jostling around. If the laptop is well protected you can safely move it around, however if the laptop is not stable you should turn it off before moving it around.

9) Humidity is not your friend – regardless of the reason for the humidity, you should do your best to protect your laptop from humidity. This can cause damage to the motherboard as well as possible damage to the screen.

10) Dust is the enemy of your computer – You should always make sure that your laptop is kept away from dust; this can clog fans and even vents which will cause your laptop to heat up significantly. To help protect the laptop it is important to look for a way to protect your computer such as keeping it on a table or a desk.

Bonus) Off the floor – There is never any reason to leave your laptop on the floor even for a brief moment. While it might seem like a good place for only a moment it can create problems if you have a pet that decides to use the computer as a chew toy, or if someone accidentally steps on the laptop.

Bonus) Surge protectors are critical – This can allow you to adequately protect your computer in the event that a power surge occurs, which could damage your computer.

Bonus) Protect the screen – If you are in the habit of storing papers between the screen of your laptop and the keyboard it is possible to scratch the screen from the paper. This can create an extremely large repair bill that you would be left with. Avoid this as much as possible to ensure that your screen is protected.

Learning how to properly care for your laptop is really quick and easy, but will certainly allow your laptop to last much longer. As long as you are willing to take some basic precautions for your laptop, you are going to enjoy a lot of usage.

Best Rated Laptops Guide and Reviews

The Best Rated Laptops Guide features laptop reviews, advice on how to buy laptops (buying guide) and a host of news about the top manufacturers of laptops.

http://www.best-rated-laptops-guide.com/

Friends Link : Best Laptop Online,Low Price! Laptop review Laptops

Hey, ok so this is what i have so far, totally preliminary

function class() {
    var that = function() {
        this.__init__(arguments[0]);
    };
    that.prototype = new object;

    for (var x=arguments.length-1; x>=0; --x) {
        var m = new arguments[x];
        for (var i in m) { that.prototype[i] = m[i]; }
    }
    this[arguments[0].name] = that;
}

function object() {
    this.__init__ = function(kwargs) {
        for (var k in kwargs) {
            this[k] = kwargs[k];
        }
    }
}

Short, right?

Then I can write something like this,

class(A, object)
function A() {
    this.get_name = function() {
        return this.name;
    }
}

class(B, A)
function B() {
    this.get_age = function() {
        return this.age;
    }
}

class(C, object)
function C() {
    this.__init__ = function() {
        this.name = "OVERRIDE";
    }
}

var a = new A({name: "Daniel", age: "24"});
var b = new B({name: "David", age: "25"});
var c = new C({name: "John", age: "26"});

effectively just sticking a little header over normal javascript functions, and everything works as one would expect.

a.name // returns Daniel
a.age // returns 24
b.get_age() // returns 25
b.get_name() // returns David
c.name // returns OVERRIDE

And to boot, it executes at the same speed as writing it the “native” way. Here’s what i have for “native” (im a noob so correct any errors)

function object() {}
object.prototype.init = function(kwargs) {
    for (var k in kwargs) {
        this[k] = kwargs[k];
    }
}

function A(kwargs) {
    this.init(kwargs);
}
A.prototype = new object;
A.prototype.get_name = function() {
    return this.name;
}

function B(kwargs) {
    this.init(kwargs);
}
B.prototype = new A;
B.prototype.get_age = function() {
    return this.age;
}

function C() {
    this.name = "OVERRIDE";
}

I ran a test importing each implementation, respectively, and got similar results in execution speed and memory size. I created 100,000 thousand objects of each A, B, C and each method occupied 78mb according to top, and each method consistently ran between 2100-2300 ms with variance that occasionally hit 3000 ms. Ultimately its not surprising as all the class function i wrote does is auto write how you would do it natively. What Im surprised about is theres no extra cruft when the javascript runtime compiler handles it. I never intended this to be useful, it was all part of an experiment delving into javascript scope and messing with constructors so i could evaluate the use of a library like prototype.js or mootools.

But hell, so far this little bit of code is turning out to be fairly useful. I imagine if i write more magic methods, the memory size will increase by a small amount. I half expected to see a difference in memory since the C is much more stripped down in “native” version vs the version with __init__ cruft from object function.

This has all been using spidermonkey-bin (smjs) so now im curious to see how other javascript implementations handle the details, as from the get-go i expected a huge increase in memory (not that I know anything about anything) from functions existing in the constructor and then being linked to a prototype, and all those “new” instances called in class. But it all seems negligible, in spidermonkey anyway. This could be a totally different story in IE, lol

for reference, heres my lame-o profile code (i know, i know, but it was enough to find all sorts of issues when exploring javascript scope and constructors)

var date1 = new Date();
var milliseconds1 = date1.getTime(); 

load('custom.js'); // point this to which script to test
var l = [];
for (var j = 0; j < 100000; ++j) {
    l.push(new A({name: "Daniel", age: "24"}));
    l.push(new B({name: "David", age: "25"}));
    l.push(new C({name: "John", age: "26"}));
}

var date2 = new Date();
var milliseconds2 = date2.getTime(); 

var difference = milliseconds2 - milliseconds1;
print(l.length)
print(difference)

*** EDIT *** Also, function object needs a class(object) so you can call its magic methods, so in C this.__init__ = function(kwargs) { object.prototype.__init__.call(this, kwargs) }
Of which, im a little confused, b/c I originally expected to not work. Anytime a Class(X) is called, its constructor gets replaced, so another Class(X) later on will be referring to that replaced class which i thought would cause some kind of error, or so i would think. So deep inheritance might cause some bad mojo with the amount of memory or hell if i know. I haven’t looked into that yet
*** EDIT 2 *** Also, im not sure how much of a “class” this is really, if it turns out useful i may find a different name, maybe just call it “prototype” so like
prototype(A, object)
function A() {};
var a = new A({name: “daniel”});

There’s a moment of weakness that strikes shoppers in the checkout aisle. Right after the cashier scans your new gadget, there comes the inevitable question, “Do you want to get the extended warranty?”

Take a moment. This can be a tricky question.

Many shoppers will spend days comparing prices and specs on new electronics, and then hastily decide whether or not to buy a warranty in just a few seconds. So, is it a good deal? For most people, your answer to the pushy salesman should be “no, thanks.”

You might want to get a warranty for digital cameras, a student’s laptop, and other devices that you tote all over town. Continually getting jostled in a bag can push many gadgets into an early retirement.

But for electronics that sit still all day and especially those without any moving parts, extended warranties are almost always a bad idea. If something is defective, it’ll probably break in the first few months, when the free manufacturer’s warranty is still in force. Wear and tear doesn’t affect most products until after their third birthday, when extended warranties usually expire.

If you decline at first, most big chains will give you a few days after the purchase to change your mind. This lets you avoid snap decisions by asking to see warranty details in writing and then taking the brochure home. Better yet, “get the cheapest deal you can on an extended warranty by including the cost of one in your price comparison,” suggests Consumer Reports, which regularly inspects warranties and considers them “notoriously bad deals.”

Green Umbrella presents a different take on product protection. For $9.95 a month, it will give you a three-year warranty on all of your devices and appliances. The subscription covers laptops, iPods, washers, blenders, microwaves, almost all electronics that cost less than $5,000 – but not cellphones. Technology changes too quickly for them to cover phones and still keep monthly charges down, says Jennifer Leuer, general manager of Green Umbrella.

This year-old service, a branch of the Experian credit agency, “is about peace of mind,” she says. “Certainly some people believe in warranties and some don’t…. But we also cover things that many stores don’t. Wal-Mart is not going to offer an extended warranty on your blender.”

That’s because most stores stick to items over $150, and then sell a warranty that costs a percentage of the price tag. Those rates can vary from 5 percent to more than 40 percent.

With the average American spending $1,200 a year on electronics, according to the Consumer Electronics Association, that means Green Umbrella will add about 10 percent onto every purchase in exchange for the extra warranty. But Ms. Leuer adds that the more devices you buy, the more attractive the package.

2009 2010 Review of the Australian Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL)

Australia WHV Working Holiday Visa Blitz

A SPECIALIST integrity unit has been formed inside the Department of Immigration to deal with widespread fraud in the working holiday visa program, on which industries such as fruit growing depend.

More than 200 internet advertisements have been found offering to buy or sell documents allowing backpackers to claim they had worked in rural jobs without them leaving Sydney, and thus extend their working holiday visas. The standard fee is $400. So far, 64 visas have been cancelled over the fraud and at least 19 more are being reviewed.

One man, an Irish national, has been convicted of fraud. ”There’s been more than 100 fraudulent claims identified this financial year,” a spokeswoman for the department said. ”The answer is we don’t know [the full extent of the fraud]. At this stage it’s too early to determine and we will be looking at it over the next six months.”

The working holiday visa (subclass 417) allows people to extend their stay in Australia by a year if they can prove they have worked in a rural area for three months. Applications are lodged online but have been abused by people selling Australian business numbers linked to farms so backpackers can falsely claim they worked on farms.

”Second year visas for sale,” one ad read. ”Will email completed 1263 form and add your details to my books so you can gain second year visa with ease.”

Another ad offering similar services, posted on the Gumtree website on Saturday, had received more than 2000 hits by last night. Unlike visa scams targeting international students, mainly Indians, this fraud is used mainly by European visitors.

One backpacker told the Herald he had been offered the false documentation as soon as be arrived in Australia, by people staying at the same hostel.

”People told me about buying the documents – getting the numbers to put in,” he said. ”When I arrived here people said you can go there [to a farm] or you can buy. Everyone knows about it. It’s easy. All the people who are here know about that.”

The federal Opposition spokeswoman on immigration, Sharman Stone, said the widespread fraud reflected under-resourcing of the department.

OK.. Now that we started a new template forour game, all we need to do is just add a background. YUP! thats it.

DigiPen University had a very wonderful document on how to create a video game, so we are using that document to learn.

What’s annoying is that we copied the class that we are to work on and erased all the code so that we could do our own.

For some reason the “game” class that is already in DirectX cannot be extended …. !!!???

The French and German economies grew in the third quarter, confirming the eurozone giants are out of recession…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: recession proof businesses. The blog is also related to: recession industry.

The church I yearn for is a unified place, filled with broken people who have been set free. The father hears our cries and reaches out with grace and compassion and whispers good things to us, things that help us to carry on. He looks on us with love and appreciation; He sees the sacrifices we’ve made and the love we’ve lavished on His broken and hurting children, and He is pleased.

This church will be filled with overcomers, with people who have realized and harnessed the power that He can give. We stretch our arms out to him, we open our palms, and we ask for blessing and mercy, to be filled, and to carry such power and compassion that the world has never seen. We place value on that to such a degree that nice buildings and comfortable lifestyles no longer seem important, and we rely not on good music or attractive stages and pastors and messages and worship leaders but on the truth that lies within every page of the gospels, that the world is lost and broken and is seeking redemption in any way they know how.

This church will extend a hand to every broken person it can reach, and it is beautiful. We shine Jesus, speak the words of the Father, and empowered by the Holy Spirit we bring the same healing and love and grace and mercy and compassion that Jesus did.
The church I yearn for is a whole place, and nothing is hidden. No agendas, ulterior motives, and no secret things to keep us from each other and from the world.

President Obama is expected to sign a bill passed by Congress today extending and expanding the first-time homebuyer tax credit to homes under contract before May 1.

The credit, equal to 10 percent of a home’s purchase price, remains capped at $8,000 for first-time homebuyers, but income limits have been raised.

Congress also approved an expansion of the credit to allow homeowners who have been in a principal residence for at least five of the last eight years to claim a tax credit of up to $6,500 if they sell that home and buy another.

That will provide an incentive not only for entry level, but move-up buyers — a goal supported by real estate industry groups.

An extension of the existing tax credit — currently set to expire at the end of the month — was controversial, as it will cost an estimated $10.8 billion over 10 years. Critics said most of those who have claimed it would have bought a home anyway.

Earlier this year, former real estate broker Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., introduced a standalone bill that would have raised the ceiling on the tax credit to $15,000 and lifted first-time homebuyer and income restrictions.

In the end, lawmakers who supported an extension of the tax credit were forced to add it as an amendment to a bill extending federal unemployment benefits, HR 3548, to gain passage.

The bill was amended in the Senate last week and approved Wednesday in a unanimous 98-0 vote.

House lawmakers passed the bill today in a 403-12 vote, with all 12 no votes cast by Republicans.

The Obama administration had previously indicated it would support the more limited extension of the homebuyer tax credit included in HR 3548 (see story).

Although income limits for claiming the credit will be raised from $75,000 to $125,000 for individuals and from $125,000 to $225,000 for couples, homes purchases exceeding $800,000 will not be eligible.

Real estate industry groups hailed the extension of the credit as a necessary step to sustain a fragile recovery in housing markets.

“At a time when we are finally starting to see some signs of life in the housing and mortgage markets, extending and expanding the homebuyer tax credit is a critical step to keeping the momentum,” Robert E. Story Jr., chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association, said in a statement. 

Tax Credit Comparison Chart

FHA Loan Limits As a result of the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, on February 25, 2009, HUD published changes to FHA’s single family loan limits . Given that most of the loan limits decreased for 2009, most areas will revert to the higher 2008 mortgage limit. On October 29, 2009, House and Senate passed legislation to extend the current loan limits for FHA and Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae (the government sponsored enterprises, or GSEs) through December 31, 2010. These loan limits, set at 125% of local area median home price and capped at $729,750, would have expired on December 31, 2009 in which case loan limits would have been reduced in many markets.

HERE ARE A FEW LINKS AS A REFRESHER IN FHA FINANCING:

FHA Quick Reference Guide

FHA Lender Locator

FHA Mortgage Limits

Dear Users,

Very well, since all of you are pestering us with requests of increasing the upload limit, we are extending it to 200 MB and trying to work it all the way up to 500 MB.

Please be ready to wait patiently, till your content (we can afford to call it “content” now as we are incorporating uploads of any kind like audio, video, image, ppt, pdf, doc and many more) is completely uploaded.

If due to any external or internal error, if the upload gets affected, even at the last minute, please don’t blame us

Enjoy!!!

Dear EDUvis users,

We have been receiving a lot of queries asking us to allow more than 40 MB and expand it to 1 GB.

We have subjected our portal’s work flow through a lot of scrutiny before releasing it and there are credible reason why we restricted the limit to 40 MB.

- The internet speeds in India are much slower than foreign countries
- On a normal internet connection with speeds up to 1 mbps, a 40 MB file would take up to 5 minutes
- With a 1 GB file we are talking about 1024 MB, do the math, that’s a almost 2 hours we are talking about
- Even if you manage to upload that, once it is approved, it would take for ages to buffer
- EDUvis is the first video portal of this magnitude to allow video upload and sharing for the educational society

During upload, power failure, system failure, minor internet disruptions, session time out etc is a common factor that can disrupt the whole upload process.

Besides, would you actually sit and upload one video for almost 2 hours? Seriously?

We suggest, you use a video snipping tool and cut down your videos into parts to make it convenient for you and your viewers.

Until we have very high internet speeds in India, kindly roll with us on this aspect.

Please send us an email on support@spurr.in with your concern for any further help.

Regards,
Team Spurr

The writer of this photo caption on Yahoo! omg! should have extended a little more effort and come up with the right word:

winning option

Lets all pitch in 10 dollars to fund a real website and then sell space to advertisers to pay for it indefinitely. We can split any profit up between members who contributed.

Intentionally nurturing the ideas that bloom in your mind can open an entire new world of possibilities.

For over 12 years I’ve been a technical writer, so it is very natural and easy for me to enhance that existing talent. It’s safe; however, to step out and try something new and be willing to admit that I don’t do it well and be willing to fail is courage. 2009 has been a year of new beginnings for me. I’ve done so many things this year that I either thought were impossible for me to do or that I thought were not relevant to the goals in my life, but turns out that they were, for example blogging, writing articles, teaching Yoga, and drawing.

It’s all about blossoming ideas. When ideas bloom in our heads we can either ignore those blooms or nurture them. In prior years, in a different economy, and a different mind set, I ignored blooming ideas…especially ideas about any other type of writing that wasn’t technical. I had become comfortable in the usual, typical, and the stable. This year, God took me out of that comfort zone and grew my spirit and my mind.

I want to encourage you that when ideas bloom in your mind, nurture them, listen to them, research them, try them, and practice them. The Internet brings a myriad of resources to us without us needing to leave our homes or spend money. Don’t do like I did and get complacent, lazy, and content. I’m glad that God finally knocked me upside of my head, so that I could pay attention to the blooms in my mind.

Don’t panic when you get the vision, but not the specific ideas. It’ll come. Sometimes the visions are just seeds to bloom the idea. Keep praying, believing, and moving. Now is the time to entertain new ideas, extend your bed of knowledge, and enhance existing ideas. The only bad idea is one that doesn’t get tried.

Many blessings,
Trina

© 2009 KaTrina Love Abram

The Doctor appreciates a fine scarf

A question from one of our S&B London Ravellers gets Gerty thinking about sonic screwdrivers…

Hello Aunty Gerty.

Would you like some cake ? I have a question for you. How can I make more time for knitting?

Alpacaaddict

Hello AlpacaAddict and thank you for your question. A tricky one.

You have several options to make sure you have ample time to get your knit on:

a. The practical option – Give up housework and live like a slattern. Cockroaches may scuttle across your scummy surfaces, mice may make nests in your stash, and spiders may make cobwebs on your unused crochet hooks but what will you care when you have a fine knitted garment to take out on the town?

b. Lure passersby off the street using a friendly alpaca and cake spiked with obedience potion, then use them to do all the housework. Lots of knitting time and someone to make you cups of tea while you do so.

c. Find yourself a Time Lord and marry him. The tardis will take you wherever you want to go and they’re always rather dashing chaps to boot.

By JACKIE CALMES
Published: October 7, 2009

WASHINGTON — Democratic Congressional leaders are working with the White House to extend an expiring $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers, and aides said Wednesday that they were considering making it available to current homeowners who purchase a new residence.

Extending and possibly expanding the popular home-buyers credit, which is due to expire after November, is high among options for further stimulating the economy and creating jobs, Congressional aides said, though a White House official said it was only briefly mentioned on Wednesday in an Oval Office meeting between President Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate majority leader.

The Democratic leaders met with the president to discuss a broad range of options to combat persistent high unemployment, officials say. The existing credit for first-time home buyers will expire at the end of next month if not extended, and two other components of the economic safety net — unemployment compensation and health care benefits for those who have been out of work for long periods — will expire at the end of the year.

Besides the likelihood of extending those measures, which were part of the $787 billion stimulus law earlier this year, the president and Congress were also weighing additional steps, given projections that jobs will continue to be lost into the middle of next year despite signs of economic recovery, possibly driving the unemployment rate above 10 percent. But they insist that any package will not add up to a second stimulus package, a prospect that would invite Republicans’ attacks on the effectiveness of the first.

Keeping the home-buyers credit and broadening it has been a priority for real estate agents and the home builders lobbies, and for Mr. Reid, who faces a tough re-election race next year in a state that has been among the hardest hit by the housing crisis since mid-2007. In a statement after the White House meeting, Mr. Reid said the government should “continue efforts to strengthen the housing market by extending the home-buyer tax credit.”

By the time it is scheduled to expire, for home purchases that close before Dec. 1, the home-buyers credit will be responsible for nearly 400,000 sales of new and existing homes, out of total sales of 1.4 million, said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com. That is roughly in line with estimates from the National Association of Realtors.

Mr. Zandi, who formerly advised Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, and is now consulted by Democrats in the administration and in Congress, has advocated extending the credit through next August and making it available to all home buyers.

Allowing the credit to expire this year would result in a decline in sales of homes that are not facing foreclosure just as sales of foreclosed homes are expected to pick up, Mr. Zandi said in an interview, “putting further downward pressure on house prices.”

“The economic recovery will not evolve into a self-sustaining economic expansion and risks unraveling back into recession until house prices stop falling,” he added.

But the tax break is not cheap. Congressional analysts put the cost in lost tax revenues at about $1 billion a month. Mr. Zandi said that expanding the availability of the credit to more home buyers through August would cost perhaps $30 billion. While some in the housing industry have proposed nearly doubling the credit to $15,000, Mr. Zandi said $8,000 “seems to have been a sufficiently powerful incentive.”

While Democrats in Congress and the White House emphasize that no decisions have been made about the home buyers credit or any other measures, two officials said that the cost of extending the credit could be covered by redirecting money in the two-year $787 billion stimulus package that was scheduled to be spent after this year.

The current credit is limited to buyers who earn up to $75,000 a year, or couples who make $150,000; in gradually smaller amounts the credit is available to individuals with income from $75,000 to $95,000 and to couples making from $150,000 to $170,000. While the housing industry supports lifting the income caps so that even wealthy home buyers are eligible, White House and Congressional aides say that is not under discussion.

On Thursday, the House is expected to pass legislation from Representative Charles B. Rangel, Democrat of New York and chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, to extend the credit through 2010 for people who have been out of the country this year in the military or intelligence or foreign services.

Mr. Reid is a co-sponsor of a bipartisan Senate bill that would extend the existing credit for six months, through May.

The home-buyers credit has come in for criticism similar to that lodged against another popular stimulus program, the “Cash for Clunkers” subsidy that went to people who traded in vehicles for more fuel-efficient models — that the credit persuades people to act faster on purchases, depressing activity later.

Industry officials counter that expediting home sales helps to stabilize home values now, which is essential for sustaining economic growth. And unlike car sales, home sales have a multiplier effect that spurs job-creating growth throughout the economy. Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, said each house sale on average yielded $63,000 spent on goods and services, like moving vans and furniture.