I made this lot with mods. Its red, black and white which is why I call it ‘newspaper‘. This is one of my favorite ones that I have built/designed so far. I haven’t uploaded it to The Sims 3 site because I kept getting a network error and even if I could, people would have to download all the mods that I have to actually enjoy the house like I did.

Well I haven’t played the game since my save files have totally disappeared. I’m still trying to figure out why all of my save files just magically disappeared off my computer. Save file recovery programs couldn’t even find them either. Its like the save files never existed. All it left me was the ‘BACKUP’ files and I’m sure you can’t use those. What’s weird that it didn’t delete any of the lots that I’ve created, even all the Sims I created was still there, just the save files were gone for all of my games. If that isn’t a reason to stop playing The Sims 3, I don’t know what is.

Newspaper

I’m not much of a landscaper but I might open up the game and do a little landscaping around the house. It does look a bit plain but its not bad…I guess. The pink and white house that’s in some of the screen shots was made by me of course and you can go here to download it. Its not made with any mods so you shouldn’t have a problem downloading it. My boyfriend said the game reminded him of Mirror’s Edge because of the random places where there are red walls.

What’s black, white and ‘read’ all over? A newspaper….Lol.

When you take a visit to a small city such as Tolleson, you instantly judge that it doesn’t have much to offer. But that’s where you are wrong. Tolleson city has so many great things to cater and visitors have to stay longer to see what they are. Aside from looking at these residential real estate in Tolleson AZ, visitors and potential buyers should also look into the tons of community services and annual events that might be very enjoyable to you and to your friends.

If these Tolleson AZ real estate properties and the community services are not enough to lure and entice more people to come here, the government should take this as a challenge. The local politicians should start making initial plans on promoting the city and luring in more visitors and more people to migrate in. After all, having a big population means more revenues for the territory.

Getting a real estate property in Gainey Ranch Scottsdale AZ is not an everyday issue that typical people encounter. Since we all know that a house is not a commodity that can be sold everyday because its available. That’s why its more important to choose a house wisely; it cannot be replaced nor refunded. Once you have it, its yours. If it has some defects, then its your problem to solve it. You may have a lapse of judgment when you talked to a realtor or you probably didn’t inspect the house thoroughly.

This is a lesson to those who are buying any of those Gainey Ranch Scottsdale AZ houses for sale. They should be very meticulous even in the first stage, such as hiring a realtor. They should be aware that there are some scammers that pose as realtors just to fool them into paying up front for a house. More importantly, buyers should see first-hand the home and not rely on photos and hearsay.

Whether it is the iconic Royal Oak Offshore, or one of the elegant Jules Audemars Grande Complication models, no true connoisseur’s collection of Swiss watches would be complete without an Audemars Piguet wristwatch. But just what are the origins of this exceptional Swiss watch brand and how has it managed to remain in the hands of its founding families?

In 1875 two young men brought together their individual disciplines gained in the watchmakers craft. These men were Jules Audemars and Edward Piguet. Although both were in their early twenties they became the founders of one of the greatest Swiss watch houses – Audemars Piguet, prestigious manufacture of initially pocket watches then men’s and ladies wristwatches. Each man brought different strengths to the partnership Audemars, the production and technical side and Piaget focused on sales.

Of course success did not come immediately, the company Audemars Piguet was not trademark registered until 1882. However the reputation of the manufacture as being innovative was strengthened by the unveiling of the world’s first minute repeater in a wristwatch in 1892.

Clients in the following years included the luxury goods brands Cartier and Tiffany who purchased ‘unsigned’ models to inscribe and package as their own creations such was the quality and workmanship to be found at the Audemars Piguet workshops in Le Brassus.

The war years were lean ones in term of all luxury goods sales, Swiss watches included and before peaceful times had returned sadly both partner had died, Audemars in 1918 and Piguet in 1919.

Fortunately family involvement continued at the highest level of the business because each partner had a son ready to continue the creative development and future growth of Audemars Piguet.

Paul-Louis Audemars and Paul-Edward Piguet were now in place to drive the business forward and previous to the Wall Street crash of 1929 they unveiled some exquisite ladies wristwatches with the art deco theme so popular at that time, including the fabulous ‘Grande Dame’.

Many of the great Swiss watch houses suffered during the depression which continued into the 1930’s. At Audemars Piguet a change in direction was required to reach new markets. Development of more simple complications allowed the brand to become more affordable to some and thus stimulated sales during a critical time for the watch business.

Once more war brought recovery to a halt throughout Europe and some years would pass before the Audemars Piguet brand would re-surface from these hard times.

Determination and the dedication to innovation that had originally made the Audemars Piguet brand famous continued in the 1950’s and 1960’s and the company secured its position once again.

Perhaps the most revolutionary and innovative timepiece to come from the Audemars Piguet workshops was launched in 1972 – the instantly recognizable Royal Oak model. This was the first high-end sports watch to be crafted from stainless steel. The unique octagonal bezel with eight hexagonal screws has surely become the premiere definition of a prestigious sports watch.

More than three decades old at the time of writing, the Royal Oak is still synonymous with the Audemars Piguet brand. Continued sponsorship within Yachting and Motorsport events ensure that this piece remains a commercial success.

The collaboration of the two young men at the roots of this Swiss watch brand surely could not have imagined that their family names would still be recognized as one of the world’s most important within the Swiss watch industry.

Today this family owned business continues to create and handcraft some of the finest timepieces available. These two men must be realize as true forefathers of the Swiss watchmaking tradition.

Having lived in condominium units my whole life, I have always wondered how people live in houses and the spaces in their houses.

Image from Madhava.com.

Market Perception Today

I had a recent email from a client, noting how she was unsure where the market was now or where it was heading. She commented that prices seem to be going up, and contemplated whether she should she hold off buying until the First Home Owner’s Grant (FHOG) reduces further and/or see if there is an impact of expected interest rate hikes?

I can only make comment of what I have seen in my patch of the woods, the East side of Brisbane. So let’s look at her first query – have Sellers increased their asking prices? Well, yes and no.

Up front it should be said if a property is priced to meet the market, it will sell. I have seen, even as of today, new properties listed at an attractive (or sensible) price, which I know will be snapped up quick.

I feel the problem with some new listings, is some Sellers have started to get a little greedy. That’s fine, I too would want to sell my house for as much as I could get, but if I wish to sell my house, I still have to meet the market. This principle will always remain no matter what the state of the market.

There has been recent press saying how the housing sector has bounced back extraordinarily well from the doldrums created by the GFC. I listed an article dated October 20 on this blog noting this very thing. Unsurprisingly, when a Seller sees this type of press, their eyes light up.

But first we need to look at where the press obtain their figures of growth? If it is via Government Departments (this is where database s such as PDS Live, RP Data gain much of their information) there will be a lag time. If a house sells in August, with processing time, the information may not reach a database until September to October. Keep this lag time in mind for the moment.

Personally I believe the turning point in the market was around July/August this year. Homes valued below $430,000 started to get picked up, and momentum increased. As properties in these lower brackets began depleting and confidence grew, Buyers started looking a little further up the price range and a ‘trickle up’ effect could be seen. However I haven’t seen this trickle up effect go much past the $550,000 bracket just yet.

Hence if the market was heating up in August, we hear about it in October (due to the lag time). Sellers start thinking it’s a Seller’s market and start upping listing prices.

Another interesting point I have noticed, is during this initial surge, the majority of interest was from Investors, not particularly first home buyers. They were certainly present, but the Investors seem to be the most active.

There will always be people who need to buy and sell property no matter what the market, due to external factors (say moving interstate for work) but Investors have the luxury of picking their mark. When they feel the market has bottomed out, they jump, as they of course wish to purchase at the lowest point to maximise their growth.

But have Investors interested in purchasing property already done so by now, and left the market, thereby reducing the Buyer pool for the Sellers just as they thought things were kicking along? I don’t think so.  I still have quite a number of Buyers on my Database looking for investment properties, but they are specific and know what the right price should be. If you are a Seller and list too high, you may get good numbers enquiring as there is still much interest out there, but there will be no offers, and your property will sit.

There is also the theory by some the FHOG has artificially increased the costs of lower price bracket property. Having had few come across my path, I can’t see Sellers asking that much more because of a perceived flood of easy cash in the system. It’s just not happening.

If there are several interest rate hikes, the market may slow, possibly for a short period, but I feel most people are sensible enough to acknowledge interest rates are incredibly low, and there will be expected movement up. This is of course assuming the RBA and Lenders don’t get silly.

I was speaking with the local Loan Market Mortgage Broker, Simon Winters, who said his market felt the likelihood of interest rate increase in December was 50%, where everyone was saying 75% just a few weeks earlier.

Sellers pricing sensibly are selling quick as there is still much interest in the market. But list high and you will struggle for an offer. There are still plenty of keen Buyers out there, Investors and some new home buyers getting in before the FHOG reduces. Interest rates don’t appear to be making any dent. Similarly for Buyers, there are still many properties correctly priced in a market which appears to have recovered from the GFC. I don’t see a return to the 2007 times (which is a good thing) so all in all, at present, it is probably a reasonably equitable market.

Please feel free to leave a comment. Perception, by its nature, is an individual thing, so I am always interested in other people’s thoughts.

Victorian houses have always been a fixation of mine.  They have a confusion of tiny rooms and hallways, as though they were designed to be haunted.  The moldings, cornices, and other lush architectural details lend themselves perfectly to decadence and decrepitude.  I frequently dream of being lost inside vast, complicated Victorian mansions in various states of disrepair.

Getting accommodation at Cyprus

That Cyprus is a paradise on Earth is known to all. Surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus is a very popular tourist spot where people visit from various parts of the world. It is also of a historical significance, being the home land of Aphrodite, who is the goddess of beauty and love.

For accommodation in Cyprus, go for the villa houses, where traditional and modern features are seamlessly integrated. Being the ideal place to spend your vacation, many of the villas at Cyprus have privatized pools and luxurious residence houses. Also, these beautiful houses have all the modern facilities like being centrally air-conditioned and a central heater, patio, pool and a modern kind of a kitchen, all at a very competitive price.

On a silver scale, what Cyprus offers is the lazy life of waking at whatever time you feel like and doing whatever you want to. With privatized pools, villas in Cyprus are ultimate in terms of luxurious treatment. It is said that just a single visit to Cyprus won’t satisfy you, and you will come here all over again to experience its beauty and charm and find leisure at this place.

It’s a big advantage that all these facilities can be availed at a very cheap rate which won’t be too harsh on your pocket. In fact, a few villas have around four to five houses will well-furnished rooms in them. As already mentioned, the private pools and the ambience is an ultimate pleasure for any visitor who rents a villa at his stay in Cyprus, however short or long it may be.

A barbeque ambience only adds to the fun that you will experience at this place. You can just sit lazily and watch the sunset by the side of the pool and set the tone for a perfect evening. In fact, the private pool helps you create a lot of memories whether it is the time that you spend with family or with that special someone. Even otherwise, you can invite guests and throw a party for full enjoyment, not only yourself but also for the guests.

There are many price ranges for villas and so there are quite a few options where you can make a choice from. On one hand, there is the luxury villa just exposed to the sea, whereas on the other hand, there are plush ones which offer a private bedroom as also a private pool. A few of these villas with pool are conveniently placed right near the airport and other places of tourist interest. Apart from that, there are the Coral villas which lie quite near the beaches and give you a sunbath as also a pool bath which counts for a memorable experience. The Kato Paphos as also the Pervolia villas are the ones which have an in-built space for swimming purposes.

Given the various facilities available at Cyprus, the island can easily be considered as a home away from home. The whole island is up there for you to explore or you can simply enjoy yourself with a drink at the swimming pool. Young people, and also those with families will find this place a heaven as children love such kinds of holiday spots. Thus, villas that have pools are a great source of recreation and immense pleasure.
The kitchens also allow you to cook food at home so that you can have your traditional dish. Hospitality is a second name

On November 6, President Obama signed the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 into law, extending and expanding the important home buyer tax credit, and thereby providing many Americans with just the break they need to buy a first home or move up to a new home.

One of the requirements for becoming a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network® is to provide my community with critical real estate information so you can make the best possible decision when buying or selling a home.

To that end, I wanted to pass along some key facts about the extended and expanded tax credit that are critical for you to understand in order to take advantage of this opportunity: 1. Eligibility: The tax credit is now available for first-time home buyers and eligible current homeowners. A first-time home buyer is an individual who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase. This law applies for both parties in a married couple; if you haven’t owned a home for three years, but your husband has, then neither one of you can qualify for the tax credit. A qualified current homeowner who wished to move to a different home, must have owned and resided in their residence for five consecutive years out of the last eight. 2. Salary requirements: Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with a joint income up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit. Single taxpayers who earn between $125,000 and $145,000, and married couples who earn between $225,000 and $245,000 are eligible to receive a partial credit. 3. Amount of credit: The maximum credit amount for first-time home buyers is $8,000; the maximum credit amount for current homeowners is $6,500. The federal tax credit amounts to 10% of the cost of the home, up to a maximum credit of $8,000 for first-time home buyers and $6,500 for current homeowners. Under the new legislation, a tax credit may only be issued for homes purchased for $800,000 or less.

 The tax credit is a true credit—it does not have to be repaid unless the homeowner sells or stops using the home as their principal residence within three years after the purchase. 4. It’s refundable: The tax credit is fully refundable, meaning the credit will be paid out to eligible taxpayers, even if you owe no tax or the credit is more than the tax owed. The credit is claimed using Form 5405, which you file with your original or amended tax return. 5. Timeline: The credit is available for homes purchased on or after November 7, 2009 and before May 1, 2010.

 The federal income credit can be claimed on one’s individual or joint tax return for the purchase of any single-family home (newly-constructed or resale, single-family detached, townhomes or condominiums) between the dates of November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010. Home purchases subject to a binding sales contract signed before May 1, 2010 will also qualify for the tax credit as long as closing occurs by June 30, 2010. For more information on the home buyer tax credit, e-mail me or visit www.irs.gov.

Please forward this email to friends and family who may also be able to take advantage of this unique opportunity to purchase the home they’ve always wanted.

Sincerely, Blayne

 Blayne Pacelli

 Rodeo Realty

 Top 5 in Real Estate Member

BlayneSellsHomes@sbcglobal.net

 www.BlaynePacelli.com

When we were kids, my parents pretended that they liked camping. I say “pretending” because the Summers of that particular activity were no fun. The only fun my parents at least had, was that they kept some money in their pockets. For us kids it meant 2 weeks of misery.

You see, my parents liked traveling, but then on a budget. So they just did the same things they did at home, but then in a tent. The only thing that changed was that the view was different and the neighbors were often foreigners.

The first sign that the time of camping had once again arrived was that the tent had to come down from the attic and stuffed in the booth of the car. This had a certain element of entertainment in it; because I don’t think it ever fitted in the booth. So the tent always needed re-packing in the middle of the street to great amusement of the neighbors.

Next came “The supplies”. Food to last us for at least 6 months, consisting of mainly potatoes. These spuds were to go on top of the folded tent. This extra weight caused the car to almost sag onto the pavement. Our clothes went on top of our tiny car, packed in plastic bags. This ensured us a trip of  a rather alarming “Flap, flap, flap” noise and other drivers pointing at our car roof as they overtook our slow moving, overloaded vehicle on the highway, scraping the asphalt from our house to wherever we were going.

We kids had to sit on the backseat on top of the sleeping bags, so our heads touched the roof.  Dad had his cigar, Mother her purse and we had to hold on to each other because at every bend we were slip sliding from left to right because the sleeping bags were made of nylon. After 10 minutes of hilarious laughter we inevitably got seasick which lasted the rest of the trip.

And so we set off, only to stop a couple of yards away because one of them thought they forgot to turn the gas/electricity/something else off or forgot to lock the house. But eventually our Summer vacation could start and we crawled in our severely overloaded car towards the highway.

Dad never thought it necessary to book ahead “Of course we don’t need booking; they’ll find us a place to put up our tent, no worries”. So when we arrived at the camping ground of his choice (his choice from a booklet since January or thereabouts) there usually was a sign at the firmly closed gates: “FULL”. My dad never fell for that. Opening the car window (and finally letting the cigar smoke escape) he talked to the owner of the camping ground, pointing to his (by now severely seasick from hours of the combination of the stench of smoke and being tossed from left to right on nylon with their heads nearly going through the roof) bedraggled family. And the owner always found a place for us to set up our tent.

Usually this was under a big pine tree . So when it rained the poor leaky tent became an indoor swimming pool. But Dad never blamed the tree, nor did he give in, pack up and go home. Instead we had to dig trenches around the tent. And dig we did. The result was that we were the only ones there with a whole moat around our tent. Dad was proud of his offspring. We were just wet and wanted to go home.

Most of these camping grounds had everything Dad wanted and nothing we wanted. Dad wanted quiet and nature, we wanted a swimming pool. Dad wanted long walks in the woods, we still wanted that swimming pool. Dad wanted to stay for at least 2 weeks, we wanted to go home to the local swimming pool. Dad wanted Mother to cook, Mother wanted a camping ground with a restaurant. Dad wanted to eat  home-cooked meals in the tent,we wanted to eat out.Dad wanted to play Monopoly, we wanted TV, a swimming pool and a restaurant.

And so it went, for 2 weeks, every Summer during my youth.

I remember the sheer relief when we turned the corner of our street again, after 2 weeks of trudging through the pouring rain in places that resembled swamps instead of camping grounds. And the moment Dad turned the key of the front door, we rushed past him towards the TV. Drying out. Until the next year of course. Then it would start all over again.

These days I either stay at home or go to a Hotel. Preferably one with a roof, a swimming pool and a restaurant.

If Wheaton or Glen Ellyn residents doubt their respective municipal officials faith in their high school football teams, this should put it to rest.

Wheaton Mayor Mike Gresk and Glen Ellyn Village President Mark Pfefferman have made a friendly wager on Saturday’s Class 7A state football championship game between Glenbard West and Wheaton Warrenville South.

The loser will fly the other town’s flag – along with the winning school’s flag – outside his municipal offices for a week.

“I wanted to see the Glen Ellyn flag flying in Wheaton. This was a good way to get it in there,” Pfefferman said with a smile.

The game renews a long and sometimes heated rivalry between the schools that was discontinued after the 2006 season.

“It’s a classic, hometown, small-town rivalry,” Gresk said. “It’s neighboring communities growing up at the same time.”

The two schools – which sit about eight miles apart – must travel about 150 miles to Champaign for the game.

Gresk said he had hoped to do something after Glenbard West scored a last-minute touchdown to beat Lake Zurich 21-17 on Saturday. The win followed Wheaton Warrenville South’s 34-15 victory over East St. Louis in the afternoon.

When Pfefferman contacted Gresk about the flag wager, the Wheaton mayor jumped on it.

“It’s a wonderful concept,” Gresk said. “It’s good-natured and it symbolizes the spirit of the rivalry we both have.”

While Wheaton Warrenville might have the advantage of appearing in its third state championship game in four years – including a state 8A championship in 2006 – Glenbard West enters the game as the only remaining undefeated 7A team at 13-0.

“It’s great for the community,” Pfefferman said. “We were trying to think of a cost-neutral idea so we could do something that would be visible and fun and easy to do.” (continue reading at the Daily Herald)

These days in Ireland is like living in an aquarium, water dripping, flowing and moving everywhere causing devastation to peoples homes and livelihoods. With lakes, rivers, streams & bogs bursting their banks almost engulfing all in their path.  Puddles dotted everywhere filled with water. With the noise of the constant rain beating on the windows and wind howling around the house, one thinks of those less off who have been affected by this flooding. On the other hand across the miles others are dying daily from a lack of water, the dry drought of the desert lands. Oh how life is dynamic and diverse!  As Rollo May says Courage is not the absence of despair; it is rather, the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair. Spare a thought for those less well off than you today!

The cost of homeownership in Canada became more expensive in the third quarter, according to a report by RBC Economics Research.

The bank says this hasn’t happened since the spring of 2008 and was due to a slight rise in mortgage rates and higher property values. The RBC index measures the proportion of pre-tax household income needed to service the costs of owning a home.

During the third quarter, the benchmark detached bungalow moved up by one per cent to 40.2 per cent and the standard townhouse rose by 0.7 per cent to 32.3 per cent.

The standard condo climbed by 0.5 per cent up to 27.6 per cent and a standard two-storey home increased 1.2 per cent to 45.8 per cent.

RBC says housing demand has outgrown supply, leading to a more competitive market and widespread increases in home values.

“With such strong momentum in the housing market and the cyclical low in mortgage rates behind us, it seems unlikely that affordability will improve in the near future,” said RBC senior economist Robert Hogue.

“The housing market still faces obstacles, as mortgages have become more difficult to handle for many Canadians amid challenging labour conditions. This is likely to persist until the economic recovery is well established and job creation is sustained next year.”

Your Home Sold Guaranteed! CLICK HERE to find out more.

Whether it is the iconic Royal Oak Offshore, or one of the elegant Jules Audemars Grande Complication models, no true connoisseur’s collection of Swiss watches would be complete without an Audemars Piguet wristwatch. But just what are the origins of this exceptional Swiss watch brand and how has it managed to remain in the hands of its founding families?

In 1875 two young men brought together their individual disciplines gained in the watchmakers craft. These men were Jules Audemars and Edward Piguet. Although both were in their early twenties they became the founders of one of the greatest Swiss watch houses – Audemars Piguet, prestigious manufacture of initially pocket watches then men’s and ladies wristwatches. Each man brought different strengths to the partnership Audemars, the production and technical side and Piaget focused on sales.

Of course success did not come immediately, the company Audemars Piguet was not trademark registered until 1882. However the reputation of the manufacture as being innovative was strengthened by the unveiling of the world’s first minute repeater in a wristwatch in 1892.

Clients in the following years included the luxury goods brands Cartier and Tiffany who purchased ‘unsigned’ models to inscribe and package as their own creations such was the quality and workmanship to be found at the Audemars Piguet workshops in Le Brassus.

The war years were lean ones in term of all luxury goods sales, Swiss watches included and before peaceful times had returned sadly both partner had died, Audemars in 1918 and Piguet in 1919.

Fortunately family involvement continued at the highest level of the business because each partner had a son ready to continue the creative development and future growth of Audemars Piguet.

Paul-Louis Audemars and Paul-Edward Piguet were now in place to drive the business forward and previous to the Wall Street crash of 1929 they unveiled some exquisite ladies wristwatches with the art deco theme so popular at that time, including the fabulous ‘Grande Dame’.

Many of the great Swiss watch houses suffered during the depression which continued into the 1930’s. At Audemars Piguet a change in direction was required to reach new markets. Development of more simple complications allowed the brand to become more affordable to some and thus stimulated sales during a critical time for the watch business.

Once more war brought recovery to a halt throughout Europe and some years would pass before the Audemars Piguet brand would re-surface from these hard times.

Determination and the dedication to innovation that had originally made the Audemars Piguet brand famous continued in the 1950’s and 1960’s and the company secured its position once again.

Perhaps the most revolutionary and innovative timepiece to come from the Audemars Piguet workshops was launched in 1972 – the instantly recognizable Royal Oak model. This was the first high-end sports watch to be crafted from stainless steel. The unique octagonal bezel with eight hexagonal screws has surely become the premiere definition of a prestigious sports watch.

More than three decades old at the time of writing, the Royal Oak is still synonymous with the Audemars Piguet brand. Continued sponsorship within Yachting and Motorsport events ensure that this piece remains a commercial success.

The collaboration of the two young men at the roots of this Swiss watch brand surely could not have imagined that their family names would still be recognized as one of the world’s most important within the Swiss watch industry.

Today this family owned business continues to create and handcraft some of the finest timepieces available. These two men must be realize as true forefathers of the Swiss watchmaking tradition.

I’ve been looking for a new house because our lease is up soon and the landlady wants to sell the property.  What I did not expect is how hard the hunt would be!

Here are some examples of ridiculous things that have happened to me during the house hunt:

• Calling a number listed in the paper and finding the house description agreeable.  Arranging a time to see the house, but having the owner of the house refuse to give out the address of the house listed for rent unless we called back tomorrow.
• Finding a house that is wonderful but a bit pricey.  Let’s call this House A.  Getting told to explore further options.  In the same paper where we found the listing for House A, calling a different ad with a different number, and finding it to be House A.  Calling different people for a different ad in still the same paper, and agreeing to meet on a street corner, where I was then escorted to House A.
• Calling a number regarding an ad, to be told that they don’t have that house nor did they other, it was an example of the kinds of houses they might have, and would I like to see some others? (Such as House A)
• Arranging a meeting for 5:00 at house #241.  Go to the address at 5:00 to find that there is no house #241, but there is a #231 and a #245, neither of which are renting.  Calling the lady to find out that both of her numbers are turned off for the day because it’s after 5.  Calling back the next day to be informed that it was really house number #261.  Going to house #261 to find no answer at the door.  Calling the lady and being informed that it was really house #281.
• Visiting a house advertised as 6 bedrooms to find that it is really an office building with no kitchen.
• Asking a friend for help, who tells me of a 6 bedroom house in Barranco for, shall we say, very cheap.  I ask her for more information and she forwards an ad for a house in Barranco for 8 times the price, including a sauna, pool, and wine cellar.  When asking for something less expensive, she directs me to House A.

Something you hear a lot of in my line of work is that humans are not evolutionarily equipped to deal with a life-long dangers like climate change.  We are geared towards immediate emergencies, like attacking lions and tigers and bears.  If you read enough articles about the state of our planet, you’ll eventually come across this sentiment.  The Age of Stupid even uses it at one point. 

It makes sense, right?  People tend to act according to short-term needs; this I do not dispute.  But I want you to forget about the nonsense about humans being evolutionarily unequipped to do certain things.  I say so on several grounds.

First, we’re NOT unequipped to deal with long-term dangers and other such issues.  Our entire existence as human beings is built upon agriculture–why did people develop agriculture?  So that they and their families wouldn’t be in danger of starving next year.  Why do people buy houses?  It makes no sense to me.  You have to fork over tens of thousands of dollars and are bound to the bank for the next ten or twenty years–but people do it as a long-term investment, so that they will not have to live with the constant worry of paying rent, and can instead achieve equity and prosper.  Why did Dubai go way out on a limb, spend billions on skyscrapers, and trash the local culture?  Because they dreamed of a better future for themselves.  It doesn’t matter in any of these scenarios that there are short-term challenges, hard work, and disadvantages–the future is more important.  So don’t tell me humans aren’t equipped to avoid long-term dangers and achieve long-term dreams, because I don’t believe you.

I also don’t like the thought of experts telling other people what they are and are not likely to be capable of.  “You’re not biologically equipped to deal with this situation, ma’am,” an evolutionary psychologist tells me.  With tears in my eyes, I give up and go sit down in the corner to waste away.  Way to set folks up for failure–tell them what they’re not good at.

I believe, in fact, that such ideas are a misuse of science.  I have no problem with studying human beings in light of evolution, but too often, it seems to justify our cultural perceptions of ourselves.  “Men are biologically designed to cheat” and “women are evolutionarily equipped to be over-emotional and can’t do math or science”–it doesn’t sound very nice to hear humanity being reduced to this, does it?  Soon you start attributing everyone’s every move to evolution.  Besides, this is only the American cultural perspective that identifies gender in these ways–these are not key masculine and feminine traits in everyone’s culture.  Indeed, other cultures might be appalled that science had proven humanity to be this way.

To me, using evolutionary concepts in this way looks an awful lot like Victorian justifications for colonizing and enslaving whole continents and ethnic groups:  These people were inferior, because they had not evolved to the point that white Europeans and Americans had.  They couldn’t even be taught to be civilized, because they were simply biologically undeveloped.  And because these races were unfit to look after themselves, imperial takeover was justified.  SURVIVAL OF THE EVOLUTIONARILY FITTEST!

Now, saying that humans have trouble dealing with long-term dangers is not the same as saying Polynesians and Africans are genetically inferior to Europeans, and it is different again from saying men and women have biological differences.  But nonetheless, it is using evolution to justify what the species can and cannot feasibly do.  If anything, evolution should teach us that there are myriad ways to adapt to changes, and that we have the potential to reinvent ourselves as much as we need.  That might also be a misuse of science (science is intended to discover the objective truth about our universe) but at least it doesn’t make me want to give up before I even try to solve my problems. 

Perish the thought!  Put it far, far out of your mind!  We ARE equipped to deal with climate change, and that is exactly what we will do!

it’s not like magic, it’s like

all big real things

compressed into tiny discs

shut in lockets

around necks that

play songs from

skin-wrapped breastbones,

tones shake marrow, echo

off vessel walls and drive

animals to the hills.

humans hear and burn

their houses, feed their

daughters to coyotes,

bash their sons’ heads

in with bricks and scatter

bone-chunked fistfuls

all over the backyard

like carrion Easter

for vulture children.

• Location: Aspen, Colorado, USA
• Current Price: US $ 135 million
• Living Area: 56,000 square feet

Naming after the Arabic word “Ahalan” (means “welcome”), the Hala ranch (or Starwood Ranch, as it is also known as), is the biggest house in the western US and the 2nd largest in the total world. Its name is basically Arabic because it is the house of Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the former Saudi Arabian ambassador in the US. Nevertheless it is now on auction because the prince has accepted his new position as National Security Councilor in his home country, Saudi Arabia.

The wonderful heart example boarded of this structure is actually superior to the fair house itself! This structure has 15 bedrooms, each with its own veranda, and there are 16 bathrooms in all. There is an interior elevator that’ll take you around the colossal house, whose decorations are mainly of mahogany covert and sculpture hardware, with marked glass for the windows. The guest rooms in this building open commonly onto a court with a swimming pool and a waterfalls.

And of course, safety is a priority in every building, so there’s a sophisticated safety scheme in the building that keeps it safe, while you have the marvels of the second most costly house structure in the world.

Uptown and the Garden District are probably the two ritziest neighborhoods in Orleans Parish. When biking around, you can absolutely tell when you’ve crossed from Uptown in to Central City. There aren’t nearly as many trees, whole blocks are blighted, some streets feel empty. And the Garden District? Hell, Sandra Bullock lives here! But the thing is, Uptown and the Garden District are neighborhoods in New Orleans, where decay is just a fact of life. I took this picture of two houses as I rode my bike home after a long day of work. The house on the left is all spruced up and painted a lovely green. The light fixtures are new, but have that olde tyme look that fits well with the neighborhood. The place is thoughtful and matches other houses in the area. The house on the right is nowhere near that condition. You can still make out “Cat Not Found” spray painted on the front. I wonder where the cat went. This neighborhood didn’t flood, so the cat met a fate other than drowning. The two houses don’t match at all. and the run down house doesn’t fit in Sandra Bullock’s neighborhood. But this is New Orleans.

Everybody who finds a home is going through the same phase: the hardships, the difficulties, and the challenges that they go through just to own a perfect house for their family. Those who buy a house sacrifice a lot of their time, energy, and even money to spend on things that are very necessary and essential for them. So its very important to meticulously and continuously search for a nice house from those homes for sale in Gold Canyon AZ to fulfill their dreams.

When problem arises while looking for a Gold Canyon AZ homes for sale, there’s nothing to be worried about. The realtors will help you solve a problem in regards to the home that you are trying to buy. And even if that particular house is being sold off already, there are still other options left by choosing among the MLS listings. With that, buyers shouldn’t be concerned whether there are no available homes because there is always one waiting for them.

23 November 2009 Mexico

In the morning Miguel and his boss, Antonio, (who spoke no English), took us by taxi to look at a few homes which he had for sale. The first, a 3 bedroom one, we could not look at as it was under rental and some babies were sleeping! The next, just up the road from the first, was a pretty little two bedroom home with wrought iron fence and gates, as is the norm everywhere with a small front grassed area. It had a decent sized lounge directly inside the front door, a small but adequate kitchen with two stoves, two good sized bedrooms with built-in wardrobes (each room had just a hammock strung up for a bed) and two nicely tiled bathrooms. There was a huge sour orange tree in the small paved back yard area and a storage room there as well. All in all, it was a nice little home which he told us was the equivalent of $Aus.60,000 and being in a good area with smart homes.

Just around another corner from this house we were introduced to Antonio’s son and his wife, who were happy to show us their 5 bedroom home, which they were also happy to sell if we liked it! Although having 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms it was fairly dark inside with good quality dark furniture and didn’t really appeal, but at about $A73,000 it was a very good deal. Too big for us in any case. Another three bedroom house also nearby looked a likely proposition but Antonio couldn’t locate his other son for the key! At this point, we dropped Antonio back at his restaurant and continued by taxi to a gated estate over half an hour out of Merida. The house we were shown here was brand new, with a double carport, 3 very

big bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, great kitchen, huge lounge and had its own swimming pool at the rear. The exterior of the house was a plaster finish but in the shape of weather boards and they looked the real thing from a distance. At  2.25 million pesos ($Aus.180,000) this was great value. Another son, who lived next door to this home, showed us through his own home. An animal lover, he had three dogs, (2 boxer pups and their mum), several big aviaries with very talkative parrots as well as other smaller birds and also a large fenced, grassed area with three deer, a very small, young deer and two bigger ones. The tiny deer’s mother had been shot and the baby brought in to this young man to look after. After seeing these three homes we were able to begin to make some comparisons.

Back in town, we caught a local bus out to the port town of Progreso, on the coast. This direct ride of 50 minutes costs just 25 pesos for the return trip per person ($2)! How good is that? It was very comfortable too with slightly laid back seats. Lunch in a cafe right on the edge of the beach proved just the ticket, Jim enjoying his chimichungas and me with my fish quesadillas. A beer or two (Coronas for $1) finished it off. They sure know how to produce great food in Mexico!  Had a great time watching the large numbers of brown pelicans just offshore, swooping into the sea to return with a prize fish. The local industry here is fishing and Progreso has some 900 fishing boats. Most fish caught in this area is exported to the US, Japan and Europe. Took a nice long walk up the shelly beach, which is safe and tranquil with no currents

or tides, due to the fact that Progreso sits on a limestone shelf that very gradually goes out to sea. Cruise ships visit Progreso at least three times a week and because of the limestone shelf the pier is about 6 kms long!

Even then, the water at the end of the pier is just 30 metres deep! Comfortable, cooling breezes blow in off the Gulf of Mexico and an occasional shower creates spectacular sunsets, we were told. One last cup of coffee in a small bar and we made our way back to the bus station. On our return to Merida,  a monsoon rain shower was upon us and we were quite wet by the time we reached our hotel.

Sat in the dining room using our computer to book our flights to Veracruz via the Orbitz website, one of the many we have used successfully. Done! Bedtime!

As economic times worsen, unscrupulous individuals think of new ways to take advantage of unsuspecting persons and steal their hard earned money. You may have heard in the news about renters that suddenly had to leave the rental property because they were notified that the house they were living in was rented to them illegally. Not only do they find themselves needing to find a new home, but they are also out of the deposit money and the first month’s rent they paid to the scammer. Here are some tips on how to avoid home rental scams.
First make sure to check out the property itself using www.Landlordivestigators.com.

Then watch out for these warning signs:

• The landlord says they need to rent the place in a hurry.
• The landlord makes references to God to earn trust.
• Do a search on the landlord’s phone number.
• Beware of money orders and/or checks written for more than the total of the deposit and first and/or last month’s rent.
• Avoid dealing with third parties.
• Beware of email responses that use poor grammar.