Monday, May 31, 2010

MOVING TO MEXICO

Dear President Obama:

I'm planning to move my family and extended family to Mexico for my health, and want your assistance.

We're planning to simply walk across the border from the U.S. Into Mexico, and we'll need your help to make arrangements.

We plan to skip all the legal stuff like visas, passports, immigration quotas and laws.

I'm sure they handle those things the same way you do here. So, would you mind telling your buddy, President Calderon, I'm coming?

Please let him know I'll expect the following:

1. Free medical care for my entire family.

2. English-speaking government bureaucrats for all services I might need,
whether I use them or not.

3. Please print all Mexican government forms in English.

4. I want my grandkids taught Spanish by English-speaking (bi-lingual)
teachers.

5. Tell their schools to include classes on American culture and history.

6. I want my grandkids to see the American flag on one of the flag poles
at their school.

7. Please plan to feed my grand kids at school breakfast and lunch.

8. I will need a local Mexican driver's license so I can get easy access
to government services.

9. I plan to get a car and drive in Mexico, but, I don't plan to buy car insurance, and I probably won't make any special effort to learn local traffic laws.

10. In case a Mexican police officer does not get the memo from their president to leave me alone, please be sure every patrol car has at least one English-speaking officer.

11. I plan to fly the U.S. Flag from my house top, put U S. Flag decals on my car, and have a gigantic celebration on July 4th. I do not want any complaints or negative comments from the locals.

12. I would also like to have a nice job without paying any taxes, or have any labor or tax laws enforced on any business I may start.

13. Please have the president tell Mexicans to be extremely nice and never say critical things about me or my family, or the strain we might place on their economy.

14. I want free food stamps.

15. Naturally, I'll expect free rent subsidies.

16. I'll need Income tax credits although I don't pay Mexican Taxes,
I'll receive money from the government.

17. Please arrange it so the Mexican Gov't pays $4,500 to help me buy a new car.

18. Oh yes, I almost forgot, please enroll me free into the Mexican Social Security program so that I'll get a monthly income in retirement.

I know this is an easy request because you already do all these things for all his people who walk over to the U.S. From Mexico. I'm sure President Calderon won't mind returning the favor if you ask nicely.

Thank you so much for your kind help. You're the man!!!

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Veterans

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the VETERAN, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.
It is the VETERAN who salutes the Flag,
It is the VETERAN who serves under the Flag,

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
I'd be EXTREMELY proud if this email reached as many as possible. We can be very
proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.

God Bless them all!!!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Abbott and Costello: updated for new Millennium

Abbott & Costello: updated for new Millennium

A: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
C: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den, & thinking about buying a computer.
A: Mac?
C: No, the name's Lou.
A: Your computer?
C: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
A: Mac?
C: I told you, my name's Lou.
A: What about Windows?
C: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
A: Do you want a computer with windows?
C: I don't know. What will I see when I look in the windows?
A: Wallpaper.
C: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
A: Software for windows?
C: No. On the computer! I write proposals, track expenses & run my business.
What do u got?
A: Office.
C: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
A: I just did.
C: You just did what?
A: Recommend something.
C: You recommended something?
A: Yes.
C: For my office?
A: Yes.
C: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
A: Office.
C: Yes, for my office!
A: I recommend office with windows.
C: I already have an office with windows! OK, lets say, I'm sitting at my computer & wanna type
a proposal. What do I need?
A: Word.
C: What word?
A: Word in Office.
C: The only word in office is office.
A: The Word in Office for Windows.
C: Which word in office for windows?
A: The Word you get when you click the blue "W."
C: I'm gonna click your blue "w" if you don't start with some straight answers.
OK, forget that. Can I watch movies on the Internet?
A: Yes, you want Real One.
C: Maybe a real one, maybe a cartoon. What I watch is none of your business. Just tell me what I need!
A: Real One.
C: If it’s a long movie I also want to see reel 2, 3 & 4. Can I watch them?
A: Of course.
C: Great, with what?
A: Real One.
C: OK, I'm at my computer and I want to watch a movie. What do I do?
A: You click the blue "1."
C: I click the blue one what?
A: The blue "1."
C: Is that different from the blue w?
A: The blue 1 is Real One and the blue W is Word.
C: What word?
A: The Word in Office for Windows.
C: But there's three words in "office for windows"!
A: No, just one. But, it’s the most popular Word in the world.
C: It is?
A: Yes, but to be fair, there aren't many other Words left. It pretty much wiped out the others.
C: And that word is real one?
A: Real One has nothing to do with Word. Real One isn't even Part of Office.
C: Stop! Don't start that again. What about financial bookkeeping? Have anything to track $?
A: Money.
C: That's right. What do you have?
A: Money.
C: I need money to track my money?
A: It comes bundled with your computer.
C: What's bundled to my computer?
A: Money.
C: Money comes with my computer?
A: Yes. No extra charge.
C: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
A: One copy.
C: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
A: Microsoft gave us a license to copy money.
C: They can give you a license to copy money?
A: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(LATER)
C: How do I turn my computer off?
A: Click on "START"..........

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

"Ground Zero and the Mosques"

Most of us have already learned that Moslems intend to build a huge mosque / community center in lower Manhattan, just steps away from the former site of the Twin Towers (“Ground Zero”). This, where Islamic terrorists murdered 2,751 innocent civilians on September 11, 2001 in the name of Allah; and just steps away from the Museum of Jewish Heritage, which honors the victims of the Holocaust.

According to the news reports: the “grand opening” of the above $150 million mosque is slated to take place on September 11, 2011 – ten (10) years to the day after the above murders were committed by Islamic Jihadists. If so, this speaks for itself.

To make this above insult and degradation more palatable to/for the American people to swallow – while furthering and advancing the Muslim/Islamic agenda of expansion and conquest - we are being told among other things: that the mosque/community center will be like a “Jewish Community Center”; that the project is intended to “foster better relations between the West and Moslems.”

Off the top of my head, I can think of many less insulting ways for Moslems to
“foster better relations” with the West. For starters: 1) STOP killing and/or trying to kill Americans; 2) STOP trying to rally the Moslem world behind the elimination of Israel and the U.S.; and 3) loudly CONDEMN Jihad, as well as each and every act of terrorism, but the silence is deafening, isn’t it?

It is worth noting, that this above Islamic project was unanimously approved and WELCOMED by the local 12-member Community Board of Manhattan – who deserve a special place in America’s “Hall of Shame” for insensitivity, if for nothing else!

From what I understand at this time, the above Islamic project will be 13-14 stories high. However, no one has informed us how many minarets will be erected at this site??

Briefly, a minaret is taller than the actual mosque. The minimum is one – and there are Islamic sites which have as many as six (6).

In short, a minaret is generally a tall spire(s)/tower-like structure(s) which can be seen from a great distance – a symbolic marker of the Islamic faith. It may be attached to the mosque or be free-standing, and is also used to call the Muslims to prayer five times (5) a day.

From what I understand: the call to prayer in modern mosques is transmitted from a microphone located in the prayer hall to a speaker system in the minaret. Thus, the minaret(s) will not only been seen from far away but will be heard by all in the area, five (5) times a day!

I wonder if the insensitive Community Board of Manhattan took the minaret(s) into account??? Perhaps the 12 Board members can tell us how many minarets will be visible against the New York skyline, and how tall they will be, particularly since this structure will be 13-14 stories high?? Also: are they O.K. with the call to prayer which will emanate there from and be heard five (5) times a day – especially in an environment where even Church bells are being silenced because some find them “annoying”??

I cannot help but bristle at these events – which exhibit a lack of understanding, perhaps under the guise of “religious tolerance.” However, not all Americans are naïve and/or hiding behind “political correctness” in order to live in some kind of “Never Never Land.”

I am also not ignorant of history – the greatest teacher of all!

LET US BRIEFLY SEE WHAT HISTORY TELLS US:

1) Briefly: the Muslims conquered Jerusalem in 638 A.D.

Thus, approximately six years after the death of Mohammed (who established the Islamic religion), the conquering Muslims immediately decided to build the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the site known as the Temple Mount – the holiest site of Judaism (where the first and Second Temples had stood).

From what I understand, the above Al-Aqsa Mosque has four (4) minarets – which symbolized the power of Islam as a religion as well as that of the expanding Arab empire.

As if the above were not enough to show their dominance over Judaism, the Moslems then also constructed the Dome of the Rock nearby – encompassing and taking as their own, the very rock which the Jewish people believed to be holy, part of the altar built by Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac.

Since the construction of the Dome of the Rock after the above conquest of Jerusalem: we have been told that it is the third holy site for the Muslims (after Mecca & Medina) because Mohammed either prayed from this rock or ascended into heaven there from. In this way, Mohammed clearly gained supremacy over Abraham through occupation – and due to the newly founded religion of Islam!

Interestingly enough, and at that time, the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulcher (which commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ), was the most imposing structure in Jerusalem – and so, the Dome of the Rock was made taller and a more imposing copy of the Church.

The Dome of the Rock now dominates the skyline of Jerusalem - as the Moslems intended it to do, and can be seen from a great distance.

In passing: it is said that the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulcher (called “wondrous” by some historians), housed the True Cross and was built over the tomb of Christ – one of Christianity’s holy sites, if not its holiest. It is where pilgrims flocked in droves every year to celebrate Easter.

The above Church was destroyed completely (even its foundation was taken apart) on October 18, 1009 - on the orders of the ruling Muslim caliph. It is said the he gave the order of complete and total destruction because he was extremely upset by the large scale of the pilgrimage to the Church by Christians each year!

So much for Islam’s “religious tolerance”! The Church was not rebuilt until 1048 – and only after “a deal” had been worked out with the Moslems.

These above are some of the symbols of historic and intentional show of triumph/dominance over Judaism and Christianity by the Moslems in conquered Jerusalem.

2) Byzantium – in short:

While the western Roman Empire succumbed to the various Germanic invaders, the Emperor Constantine the Great established the Greek speaking Eastern Roman Empire in approx. 310 A.D – namely the Byzantine Empire - which stood for 1,000 years as a citadel against the threat of expansion by the Muslims.

To make a long story short: the Emperor Constantine stopped the persecution of Christians. His mother, St Helen made pilgrimages throughout the Holy Land to gather relics and preserve/mark the history of Christianity, while building churches to commemorate the life of Jesus.

Thus, many beautiful domed Churches were built throughout the Byzantine Empire - among them, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem which was to be later destroyed by the caliph because he was unhappy with the annual yearly pilgrimage as briefly explained above.

The city of Constantinople (named after the Emperor Constantine), with its many Churches, was known as the “City of God.”

The city is now known as Istanbul, Turkey.

In relevant part, the magnificent Church of Hagia Sophia (“Holy Wisdom”) was first dedicated in Constantinople in 360 A.D. – and was finally rebuilt by the Emperor Justinian in 527-565 A.D. – changing the history of architecture forever. It was the focal point of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the largest Cathedral in the world for 1,000 years.

In 1453 A.D. – while the world stood by – Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks (Moslems). For three days thereafter, the Sultan Mehmet permitted his soldiers to kill, mutilate, rape, pillage, and burn as their “reward” for the long siege. He then ordered that the Church of Hagia Sophia (“the Jewel of Christianity”) be converted into a mosque – which mosque would later serve as a model for many other Ottoman mosques. He also converted the other Byzantine Churches into mosques as well – those which were not destroyed/desecrated.

According to history – and after conquering Constantinople in 1453, the Ottomans immediately erected a minaret at one of the corners of the Church of Hagia Sophia – taller than the Church itself. This was another visual reminder that the Byzantine Church had been conquered and converted into a mosque, while calling Moslems to prayer – Islam’s triumph and dominance over Christianity!

The former Byzantine Church now has six such tall and slender minarets surrounding it – visible from far away and dominating the Istanbul skyline.

History repeatedly shows us: this is what Muslims “do” in the name of Allah – to show their dominance and superiority over other religions.

3) Cyprus, 1974 – in short:

In 1974, the beautiful and fruitful island nation of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea (near Turkey) was composed of 80% Greeks and 20% Turks. Long story short: it was suddenly invaded by the Turks (Moslems) under the pretext that they were seeking to protect the Turkish minority.

During the unjustified Turkish invasion: the Turks not only killed civilians, nuns and monks in the most horrific ways, but according to the reports of the time, many Turkish soldiers sent the ears of their Greek victims back home to Turkey as trophies! The world closed their eyes to the Turkish atrocities as well as the horrific videos which clearly showed the savagery!

This above occurred in 1974, not so long ago – and plainly shows that nothing has changed in the Moslem world.

In any event, and as the world watched in 1974: the Turks occupied the northern half of the island and expelled the Greek Cypriots from their homes – the ones who were lucky enough to survive the carnage. The Turks then imported more Turks into Cyprus – to repopulate the island in their image.

The first thing the invading Turks did? They gleefully desecrated many of the Greek Orthodox Churches while converting others into mosques.

This is what the Moslems DO to show the dominance of Islam – get it???

Don’t worry though; the Turkish invasion was and has been condemned by ineffectual UN Security Council Resolutions! The Turks are still there though – occupying the northern half of the island! In fact, talks are once again under way, thanks now to President Obama, to divide the island of Cyprus.

This comes as no surprise to Turkey – which had long ago unilaterally declared the independence of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus!!!

Today, the Cypriot Greek Orthodox Churches which were not converted into mosques on the occupied part of the island are in ruins (with the Turks even scraping off the mosaics when they could, in order to sell them as “antiquities”) – another symbol of Moslem dominance over Christianity as seen from the story below:

The “Lost Heritage” of Cyprus – 35 years of desecration
• Author: Toby
• Filed under: Europe, World politics
Wednesday - Nov 18, 2009

I spent some time tonight at the Cyprus High Commission viewing a very powerful exhibition of photographs showing how a huge number of churches and places of worship have been desecrated in those parts of Cyprus that were invaded and occupied by Turkish forces in 1974.

The photographs were taken by Doros Partasides who settled in London with his family after the 1974 invasion (he also photographed the invasion itself and its aftermath). In the last few years, it has been possible for him to return and, as he puts it, that it was “with great trepidation” he finally visited his father’s village in the occupied area for the first time in over thirty years.

He writes: “It was if time had stopped there in 1974. It was immeasurably moving for me. I decided then to record these tragic images and so this long photographic journey began.

The first church I photographed was in the village of Gerolakos. … The doors were shut. Inside, a hut had been erected next to the altar labeled ‘KEBAB’.

From then on, wherever I went, the message of devastation was the same. I encountered abandoned churches to the point of collapse, interiors desecrated with animal and human waste, precious frescoes defaced, altars and icon stands damaged beyond recognition; churches transformed into mosques, places of entertainment, military headquarters and watchtowers; cemeteries strewn with broken headstones, the graves themselves dug up.

My camera became my weapon. The anger and horror I experienced served only to give me the strength to continue recording this terrible destruction of my religious heritage.”

3) More recently – and another example of Islam’s purported “religious tolerance”: Afghanistan, March 2001:

In March of 2001, the Taliban (Moslems) in Afghanistan painstakingly blew up the world’s 2 largest standing Buddhas with dynamite in the name of Allah – which statues of Buddha had been standing for 1,700 years.

The above occurred after an edict by the Taliban leader in February which called for the destruction of all non-Islamic statues! They also destroyed more than a dozen smaller Buddhist statues exhibited in the KABUL MUSEUM!!!

At a meeting subsequently held between the then U.N. leader and the Afghani Foreign Minister – emphasis mine:

“...Mullah Wakil insisted that the edict was an internal matter for Afghanistan and had been "excessively exagerrated in the outside world and the media". He said the Taliban had no intention to disrespect any other religion. "We do admit the relics were the cultural heritage of Afghanistan, but the part that contradicts our Islamic beliefs we would not like to have them any more."

Mullah Wakil said the edict had been under discussion by the Taliban authorities for more than a year and did not permit the removal of the statues to other countries - which Japan, India and New York's Metropolitan Museum had offered to do. He said the Taliban would rebuild the Kabul Museum to show off the remaining historical objects, which do not represent living things, which are forbidden according to the Taliban's harsh interpretation of Islam.

Consequently, and since the Taliban (who are followers of Islam) couldn’t convert the Buddha statues into mosques or build minarets around them, they simply blew them up!!
Sounds familiar??
4) Iraq - even more recently and briefly (2006 and on):

As many of us know from the news reports over recent years: there are different religious factions within the Islamic religion. They appear to be “at war” with one another for supremacy.

Consequently – and among the atrocities recently committed by Moslems toward one another in the name of Allah: one Islamic faction thinks nothing of maiming and slaughtering the members of another Islamic faction (even while on pilgrimage) - while blowing up each other’s mosques!

So much for the “religion of peace” that Islam touts itself to be! Americans were already “blown up” on 9/11 – and the attempts continue.

5) New York, 2010:

Now – and near Ground Zero – permission has been given to Moslems to build a mosque/community center!!! The mosque and its taller minaret(s) will be built before the first brick has been laid at “Ground Zero” – which mosque will clearly & triumphantly dominate the New York skyline for a LONG LONG time!!!

Part of an article relating to the mosque:

“...The Imam of the Ground Zero Insult, Faisal Abdul Rauf, is not the nice guy he likes to hold himself out to be. At his Friday afternoon khutbah services and in his book What's Right With Islam Rauf states that he wants the mosque to be a place where inter-faith understanding is fostered. His sonorous voice is smooth and almost hypnotic. His writing style appears to be rational and unthreatening.

However, this does not jibe with the aspects of him that are downright hostile and frightening.

During a recent Friday sermon, this writer did due diligence as a mosque monitor and heard Rauf deny that Muslims perpetrated 9/11. In an interview with CNN shortly after 9/11, Rauf said, "U.S. policies were an accessory to the crime that happened. We [the U.S.] have been an accessory to a lot of innocent lives dying in the world. Osama bin Laden was made in the USA." Elsewhere, Rauf has stated that terrorism will end only when the West acknowledges the harm it has done to Muslims. And that it was Christians who started mass attacks on civilians.

Rauf has numerous ties to CAIR, an unindicted co-conspirator in the Department of Justice funding case brought against Hamas, an openly terrorist organization. CAIR is also the initiator of numerous cases designed to intimidate non-Muslims from criticizing aggressive Muslim behavior, and to use our own legal and democratic processes to undermine and dominate America, forcing it to become Islamic.

Rauf calls himself a Sufi, evoking among non-Muslims a "peace and love" image. But that's not the whole picture. Sufism has many sides to it, including the Koranic injunction to spread Islam one way or another, and it has a rich history of waging war, too. Could it be that one of the frequently used tools of war, lying to the enemy, explains the contradiction between Rauf's image as reconciler of religions and his sympathies and associations with terrorists?

A previous Rauf project, Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow, clearly shows on its website that it is headed and funded by individuals from Saudi Arabia, the country that spawned fifteen of the nineteen jihad jockeys who rode the 9/11 planes of destruction. The funding for the mosque at Ground Zero is much murkier so far. All that has been publicly disclosed is that the support comes from unidentified sources in Saudi Arabia and Muslim-ruled Malaysia. Rauf reportedly says he paid $4.85 million for the property -- in cash. Where exactly did this money come from? Was it Wahhabist-supporting Saudi sources, which have already funded many other mosques in New York City?

The mosque is called Cordoba House. Muslims like to refer to Spain and especially the city of Cordoba as a place where their rule reached a glorious peak. Contrary to the myth of a Golden Age of equality during the Muslim occupation of Spain (and in particular in Cordoba), Spain and Cordoba were places where Christians and Jews suffered as social inferiors under Islamic oppression. Equal civil rights never existed for non-Muslims under Sharia, or Islamic law. Rauf even admits as much when he writes, "Jews and Christians living under Muslim rule simply had to pay a tax to finance their protection by their Muslim overlords." This is not equality! Americans do not demand a special tax to protect Muslims from ourselves. That would be extortion, not "protection."
****************************************
As if the above were not bad enough and according to more recent news:
A SECOND mosque is now to be built at some yet undisclosed site in lower Manhattan near “Ground Zero” as well!!

I’m guessing of course, but this above project will have to be approved by the same insensitive 12 member Community Board of Manhattan – if they haven’t already!

According to the news: the SECOND mosque will be smaller, approximately five stories high - not counting the minaret(s), I guess! We are told that the Masjid Mosque has raised $8.5 million and is seeking an additional $2.5 million to begin.

"From what I have read: the above website is seeking donations because it plans
“...to build the “House of Allah” next to the World Trade Center. Help us raise the flag of “LA ILLAH ILLA ALLAH” in downtown Manhattan.”

Does this above have a familiar historic “ring” to it??

Thus – and while Christian Churches, schools and Synagogues are closing throughout the US at an alarming rate as the result of a lack of attendance and money:grandiose mosques are being built throughout the US at an alarming pace-funded in essence and in fact, with OUR money no less!

This above is not to mention (but I will in passing), the concerted and successful leftist agenda of the separation of Church and State – a lie foisted on the American people in the name of “globalism” by those who have carefully and intentionally changed American history!

So, I ask: can we continue to intentionally ignore history – even recent history??? Has “political correctness” and/or the idea of globalism dulled our senses??

As history has also shown us, as can be briefly seen from the occupation of Greece by the Turks (Moslems) for 300 years and the previous Islamic occupation of Byzantium: convert to Islam or die! Many Greeks did so in order to save themselves and their families – at least on the surface!

In fact, and during the 300 year occupation of Greece until the 1850’s and thereafter (not to mention the slaughter, disemboweling, rape and mutilation): the Greek priests kept Christianity alive by teaching religion in caves in fear of their lives and the deadly consequences which would ensue for all, if caught. These schools were aptly named “The Secret Schools.”

For those who are ignorant of history or continue to deny it (both the old and more recent history): the idea behind Islam is to subjugate non-Moslems one way or the other – get it??

Can Americans expect any less – especially now that we are naively permitting those who OPENLY seek to exterminate us and Israel to build TWO mosques near “Ground Zero,” and a few steps from the Jewish Holocaust museum??

This above, BEFORE the first brick will be laid at “Ground Zero”!!

Thus, it would appear that there are now two (2) types of attempted dominance and conquest of non-Muslims by Islam: 1) the “blow-up” kind; and/or 2) the “religious” kind (where “radical” Moslems preach from the mosques being built across our nation and Europe).

It is now also known that there are a number of Americans who have converted to Islam – some of which have thereafter attempted to commit acts of terrorism here in the U.S.A. in the name of Allah. These are called “home-grown” terrorists!

In any event: can you imagine looking at the New York skyline – where the Twin Towers once stood – and seeing not one, but TWO mosques and their taller minarets dominating the skyline, while hearing the Islamic call to prayer five (5) times a day?? What better TRIUMPH for Islam especially after 9/11!!!!

WAKE UP AMERICA: WE ARE AT WAR

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Benifits of Exercise

17 Ways Exercise Sends Health Soaring Besides losing weight, being active makes you healthier, happier, and sharper
..
More from Prevention
6 Workout Mistakes That Slow Down Results
10 Ways to Ignite Calorie Burn
6 Eating Rules for Faster Weight Loss
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By the Editors of Prevention.com
When most of us launch into a new fitness routine, it is for one common reason: to shed fat. But it turns out focusing on your weight loss goal alone can slash your odds of success by over half, say researchers. A better inspiration: The amazing health rewards you get by being active. Finding the right motivation can make you 70% more likely to keep it up for the long haul, reports the American College of Sports Medicine.

Next time you're too busy, tired, or achy to lace up your sneakers, remember these health-transforming benefits of exercise.

1. Be Happier at Work
Increase productivity...and maybe get a raise

An active lifestyle may help you check off extra items on your to-do list, says a study from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. On days staffers participated in on-site fitness activities, they reported thinking more clearly, getting more done, and interacting more effectively with colleagues. You'll be less likely to miss work due to illness, too. Research shows that people who participate in vigorous leisure-time physical activity (such as jogging or bicycling) just once or twice a week take about half the sick time of those who are more sedentary.

Do this: Sign up for workplace fitness classes. None on-site? Recruit coworkers to go for a lunch hour power walk. Or ask HR to designate a room for a noontime stretching or workout session, using DVD instruction.

2. Improve Your Vocabulary
Brush up on your Scrabble skills

A single treadmill session can make you brainier. Exercisers who ran just two 3-minute sprints, with a 2-minute break in between, learned new words 20% faster than those who rested, in a University of Muenster in Germany study. Getting your heart pumping increases blood flow, delivering more oxygen to your noggin. It also spurs new growth in the areas of the brain that control multitasking, planning, and memory.

Do this: Add a bout of exercise, like running up and down the stairs, before trying to memorize anything--say, Spanish phrases for your trip to Mexico.

3. Get Natural Pain Relief
Keep moving to ease stiff, achy joints

It may seem counterintuitive, but rest isn't necessarily best for reducing pain and stiffness in the knees, shoulders, back, or neck. Healthy adults who did aerobic activity consistently had 25% less musculoskeletal pain than their couch-bound peers, says Stanford senior research scientist Bonnie Bruce, DrPH, MPH, RD.

Exercise releases endorphins, the body's natural pain reliever, and may make you less vulnerable to tiny tears in muscles and tendons. Staying active can also provide relief for chronic conditions such as arthritis: In a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study, arthritis sufferers experienced 25% less pain and 16% less stiffness after 6 months of low-impact exercise like balance and strengthening moves. Most people start to feel improvement within a few weeks, says study author Leigh Callahan, PhD, an associate professor of medicine at UNC.

Do this: Practice yoga or tai chi twice a week; both increase flexibility and range of motion and reduce pain.

4. Feel Sexy at Any Size
Flaunt a figure you can be proud of

A good workout practically ensures a better body image. The simple act of exercising-regardless of your weight or fitness level-can make you feel positive about how you look, possibly due to the release of feel-good hormones, finds a review of 57 studies on exercise and body image.

Working out can also boost your libido by increasing blood flow to the genitals. University of Washington research found that just one 20-minute cycling workout enhanced sexual arousal up to 169% in women. And the benefits stand the test of time: A Harvard study of swimmers found that those over age 60 were as satisfied sexually as those decades younger.

Do this: Try 20 minutes of aerobics before a romantic evening. To feel good naked anytime, walk or do yoga daily.

5. Lower Dental Bills
A health-boost worth smiling about

Flossing and brushing, it turns out, are not the only keys to a healthy smile, says Mohammad Al-Zahrani, DDS, PhD, a former associate professor at Case Western Reserve University. Exercise plays an important role, too. In his recent study, Al-Zahrani discovered that adults who did 30 minutes of moderate activity 5 or more times a week were 42% less likely to suffer from periodontitis, a gum disease that's more common as you get older. Working out may thwart periodontitis the same way it does heart disease--by lowering levels of inflammation-causing C-reactive protein in the blood.

Do this: In addition to staying active, get a twice-yearly dental cleaning (or more often if your dentist says you are at high risk for gum disease).

6. Unlock Hidden Energy
Rouse your body out of a slump

If you're among the 50% of adults who report feeling tired at least 1 day a week, skip the java and go for a walk. University of Georgia researchers who analyzed 70 different studies concluded that moving your body increases energy and reduces fatigue. Regular exercise boosts certain fatigue-fighting brain chemicals such as norepinephrine and dopamine, which pep you up, and serotonin, a mood enhancer.

Do this: Take a 20-minute stroll for a quick pick-me-up, or aim for 40 minutes of activity daily for a sustained lift.

7. Shrink Stress Fat
Combat anxiety-related weight gain

Just two 40-minute workouts a week is enough to stop dangerous belly fat in its tracks, according to University of Alabama at Birmingham research. The waistline of those who worked out less expanded an average of 3 inches. Exercise may lower levels of hormones such as cortisol that promotes belly fat.

8. Slash Cold Risk 33%
Build up your body's defenses

Moderate exercise doesn't just rev your metabolism--it boosts your immune system, too, helping your body fight off cold bugs and other germs. Women ages 50 to 75 who did 45 minutes of cardio, 5 days a week, had a third as many colds as those who did once-weekly stretching sessions, a University of Washington study found.

Do this: Add more cardio to your routine by turning your walk into a run.

9. Improve Vision
Carrots are great, but exercise might be better

What's good for your heart is good for your eyes. An active lifestyle can cut your risk of age-related macular degeneration by up to 70%, according to a British Journal of Ophthalmology study of 4,000 adults. This incurable disease makes reading, driving, and seeing fine details difficult, and it's the most common cause of blindness after age 60.

Do this: Protect your eyes during all outdoor activities (if you're a walker, shoot for a mile a day). Be sure to wear UVA/UVB-blocking sunglasses all year long.

10. Reach the Deep-Sleep Zone
Decent shut-eye is not a far off dream

Say good night to poor sleep. Women age 60 and older who walked or danced for at least an hour, four times a week, woke up half as often and slept an average 48 minutes more a night than sedentary women, according to a study in the journal Sleep Medicine. That is good news for the many women who toss and turn more as they get older. As you age, sleep patterns start shifting, so you spend more of the night in lighter sleep phases, says Shawn Youngstedt, PhD, an assistant professor of exercise science at the University of South Carolina.

Do this: Aim to exercise for at least half an hour, even if it's after a long day. Evidence suggests that for most people, light to moderate activity in the evening won't disturb sleep, though trial and error will tell you what works for you.

11. Never Get Diabetes
Walk to keep your blood sugar in check

Walking 2 miles 5 times a week may be more effective at preventing diabetes than running nearly twice as much, report Duke University researchers. Because fat is the primary fuel for moderate exercise, walking may better improve the body's ability to release insulin and control blood sugar.

Do this: Start a walking program

12. Eliminate Belly Bloat
Shrink the muffin top

The next time you feel puffy around the middle, resist the urge to stay put. A study from Spain's Autonomous University of Barcelona suggests that mild physical activity clears gas and alleviates bloating. That's because increasing your heart rate and breathing stimulates the natural contractions of the intestinal muscles, helping to prevent constipation and gas buildup by expediting digestion.

Do this: Walk or pedal lightly on a bike until you feel better.

13. Clear Out Brain Fog
Build your mental muscle

Exercise is linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease among older people; now, new research shows it can prevent brain fog at a much younger age too. Japanese researchers assigned sedentary young adults to two groups; one took aerobic exercise classes, and the other did not. After 4 months, MRIs revealed that the nonexercising group experienced shrinkage of gray matter in some areas of the brain, while the active participants had no change.

Do this: Try a new fitness routine, or sign up for a new class at the gym. Besides the obvious benefit of getting a workout, trying something fresh can help stimulate the growth of brain cells.

14. Save Your Heart
Reduce dangerous inflammation

Sedentary, obese women age 50 and older who began exercising lowered their levels of C-reactive protein-an inflammatory blood marker linked to heart disease—by 10% after 1 year, found research recently published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

15. Add Years to Your Life
Stay healthy and active for years to come

Being physically fit can actually change how your body works. Vigorous exercisers have longer telomeres-cellular biomarkers that shorten as we age-compared with healthy adults who rarely work out.

16. Ease Your Ailments
Heal your body with yoga

Yoga has a well-earned reputation as a surefire stress reducer (particularly when combined with meditation), and new studies show the simple stretching regimen can also help treat and prevent a number of other ailments, from back pain to diabetes. Other research reveals regular yoga practice can put an end to mindless eating by creating an outlet for emotions that can lead to binging. Unfortunately, less than 15% of women over age 35 say they do yoga frequently, according to the National Sporting Goods Association.

17. Survive Breast Cancer
Increase your defenses against the disease

Exercise not only reduces breast cancer risk, it can also save your life if you're diagnosed. Overweight women who were exercising more than 3 hours a week before they were diagnosed were 47% less likely to die than those who exercised less than a half hour per week.

Do this: Sneak in mini bouts of exercise. Take a quick walk when you get the morning paper, hit the stairs before lunch, or knock out a few pushups and crunches while watching TV. Just two to three 10-minute workouts a day is enough to fill your quota for the week.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Four myths about eggs

Four myths about eggs
By Lori Bongiorno

Related topics: Health, Food and Drink, Tips, Organic More from The Conscious Consumer blog.


Choosing eggs is not nearly as simple as it should be. After all, the average egg weighs about 2 ounces. How many decisions can you possibly have to make for something so small and seemingly simple? Well, let’s see: Brown or white? Large or small? Organic or not?

And those decisions are just the tip of the iceberg. Egg cartons can be stamped with any number of labels, some meaningful, others not so much.

It's not always easy to separate fact from fiction when it comes to eggs. Below are some of the most common misperceptions.

Myth: Brown eggs are different than white.

Fact: The only difference between a brown and white egg is the color of the shell, which is merely a reflection of the breed of the hen. In general, but not always, hens with white feathers and earlobes lay white eggs and those with dark feathers and red earlobes lay brown eggs.

One isn’t healthier, more “natural,” or more eco-friendly than the other. There aren’t any differences in nutritional quality, flavor, or cooking characteristics.


Myth: Free-range eggs come from hens that roam freely outdoors.

Fact: The claims are not regulated for eggs, according to Consumer Reports. So there is no guarantee that the hen that laid the eggs ever saw the light of day. Of course, it may have spent time outdoors, but the “free range” label doesn’t mean anything. The following labels are also meaningless when it comes to eggs: “free roaming,” “hormone free,” and “raised without antibiotics.”


Myth: Organic eggs are healthier.

Fact: They certainly can be, but it all depends on the chicken’s diet. Organic eggs come from hens that are fed a 100-percent organic diet. However, what really matters when it comes to nutrition is whether the hens were raised on pasture. Studies, such as those conducted at Penn State University and by Mother Earth News, found that eggs from chickens that ate grass and insects contained higher levels of omega-3 fat, and vitamins E, A, and in some cases D.

If you want eggs from hens that are raised on pasture or spend a lot of time outdoors, then you’ll have to find a farmer you trust at your local farmers’ market.



Myth: Egg substitutes are simply eggs (or egg whites) without the shells.

Fact: Most products have added stabilizers, thickeners, vitamins, carotenes, and, sometimes, spices, according to Marion Nestle, author of What to Eat. She also points out that they cost about twice as much as real eggs. (A pound of egg substitutes weighs slightly less than a dozen small eggs.)

Of course, if you can’t eat egg yolks for health reasons or have no use for them, egg substitutes are a good option, and most products only have a tiny percentage of additives. Just read the labels before buying.

Monday, May 10, 2010

25 ways to clean with vinegar

25 ways to clean with vinegar
by Emily Hsieh

The cleaning aisle at just about any grocery store is stocked with a dizzying array of options—and when it comes down to it, there are a lot of expensive, toxic, superfluous products crowding the market. Chances are, you already have one of the best, all-purpose cleaning agents in your pantry: white vinegar. As noted earlier, vinegar actually works as a great laundry booster, stripping away the chemical build-up that detergent leaves behind (and gets rid of clingy odors in the process). And beyond that, there are tons of other applications for the stuff around your home. Here, from vinegartips.com and frugalfun.com, 25 ideas for making the most of vinegar:

1. Deodorize the sink: Pour 1 cup baking soda, followed by 1 cup hot vinegar, down the drain. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, then rinse with hot water.

2. Deodorize the garbage disposal: Make ice cubes out of vinegar. Run the disposal with a few vinegar ice cubes and cold water.

3. Clean countertops: Wipe down surfaces with a rag dipped in vinegar.

4. Clean the fridge: Use a mixture of half water, half vinegar to wipe down the interior shelves and walls.

5. Remove soap build-up and odors from the dishwasher: Once a month, pour 1 cup of vinegar into an empty dishwasher and run the machine through its entire cycle.

6. Bust oven grease: If you’ve got grease spots on the oven door, pour some vinegar directly on the stains, let it sit for 15 minutes, and wipe away with a sponge.

7. To make old glassware sparkle: To get rid of the cloudy effect, wrap a vinegar-soaked towel around the glass and let it sit. Remove and rinse with hot water.

8. Get rid of lime deposits on your tea kettle: Fill the kettle with vinegar and let it boil. Allow it to cool, and rinse with water.

9. Remove stains in coffee cups: Create a paste using of equal parts vinegar and salt (or in lieu of salt, baking soda) and scrub gently before rinsing.

10. Treat Tupperware stains (and stinkiness): Wipe the containers with a vinegar-saturated cloth.

11. Remove stains on aluminum pots: Boil 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup water.

12. Deter ant infestations: Spray outside doorways and windowsills, and anywhere you see a trail of critters.

13. Clean can openers: Scrub the wheel of your can opener with vinegar using an old toothbrush.

14. Remove stickers or labels: Cover the sticker with a vinegar-soaked cloth. Let it sit overnight—it should slide right off by morning.

15. Shine porcelain sinks: A bit of vinegar and a good scrub should leave them sparkling.

16. Clean grout: Pour on some vinegar, let it hang out for a few minutes, and buff with an old toothbrush.

17. Clean the shower door: Spray them down with vinegar pre-shower, or post (after you’ve squeegeed the glass) to remove hard water deposits.

18. Clean a grimy showerhead: To get rid of scum, fill a Ziploc with ½ a cup of baking soda and 1 cup vinegar and tie it around the showerhead. Let it sit for an hour, until the bubbling has stopped. Remove the bag and run the shower.

19. Make a toilet sparkle: Pour in a cup or two of vinegar and let it sit there overnight before scrubbing with a toilet brush.

20. Polish linoleum floors: Add 1 cup of vinegar for every gallon of water you use to wash the floor.

21. Clean paintbrushes: Soak paintbrushes for an hour before simmering them on the stove to remove hardened paint. Drain and rinse.

22. Clean grills: Spray vinegar on a ball of tin foil, then use it to give the grate a firm scrub.

23. Disinfect wood cutting boards: Wipe down wood boards with a wash of vinegar.

24. Clean the microwave: Fill a microwave-safe bowl with 2 cups water and ½ cup vinegar. Heat it on full power for 3-4 minutes until it comes to a boil. Keep the door closed for a few minutes longer to let the steam fill the microwave, loosening the grime. Remove the bowl (carefully!) and wipe down interior walls with a sponge.

25. Polish patent leather accessories: Give them a rub with a vinegar-soaked cloth. Buff with a dry cloth.

Related: vinegar, non-toxic cleaners, natural cleaning solutions, green cleaning, eco-friendly.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Three Jewish Mothers Compare Sons

Three Jewish mothers are sitting on a bench talking about how much their sons love them.

Sadie says, "You know the Chagall painting hanging in my living room? My son, Arnold, bought that for me for my 75th birthday. What a good boy he is; he loves his mother."

Minnie says,"You call that love? You know the Mercedes I just got for Mother's Day? That's from my son, Bernie. What a doll."

Shirley says "That's nothing. You know my son Stanley? He's in analysis with a psychoanalyst five session a week. And what does he talk about? Me."

Thursday, May 6, 2010

10 New Rules for Today's Job Hunt

10 New Rules for Today's Job Hunt

Karen Burns, On Wednesday May 5, 2010, 11:45 am EDT

If you are mid-career, out of work and looking, you've probably already figured this one out: The tried-and-true job-hunting techniques that served you so well in the past no longer fill the bill.

[See 15 essentials to getting hired.]

While you were faithfully toiling away for the same employer, maybe for decades, a lot changed. Today it's a brave new world of social media and digital resumes and Google-ability. What's more, many extremely qualified people are willing to take positions clearly "beneath" them. Some will even work for free.

What's an experienced, qualified, truly valuable potential employee who needs a job that pays actual money like you to do? You really have only one choice: Get to know this brave new world, and conquer it.

Here are the 10 biggest differences between then and now:
[See 40 things you can't discuss at work.]

1. You can no longer depend on a resume to get an interview. Simply mailing out resumes and then sitting back and waiting for responses was never that effective, and today it just doesn't cut it. It's a waste of time, paper, postage, and psychic energy. (It can't hurt. Just don't count on it).

2. Your experience matters less than it used to. This is unfair, even counter-intuitive, but people don't want to hear about everything you did way back when. They want to hear about everything you can do, specifically, to help them today. And tomorrow.

3. You shouldn't expect to hear back. Unfortunately, this little courtesy has gone the way of the vinyl record. Keep on networking, interviewing, and researching right up until the moment you have a firm job offer in your hot little hands. Maybe even a little after.
[See 25 tips for acing the lunch interview.]

4. A resume is no longer a comprehensive summary of your work and education history. Don't bother to list jobs more than 15 years old. Emphasize recent accomplishments, certifications, and training.

5. More about resumes: You need a digital-friendly one that is easily uploadable, downloadable, and scannable (i.e., no bullets, boxes, boldface, unusual fonts, indenting). It should be rich in the "keywords" that employers in your field are looking for.

6. In fact, overall computer literacy is a must. Get comfortable with applying for jobs online and learn how to research on the Internet. If all this is new to you, your public library is a good place to start. Oh, and have a professional-sounding E-mail address.

7. A good idea is to go one step further and establish a lively Internet presence. Explore LinkedIn (get some stellar endorsements), Twitter, and Facebook. Become active in your field's social media sites. Consider building your own Web site (with a career-oriented blog, professional photo, and resume).

8. One of the first things a potential employer will do is Google you. That means you need to find out if there's anything negative about you online. If there is something bad, try to get it removed. Your best bet may be to "bury" it with more recent, more favorable, links (see No. 7).

9. More than ever it's about who you know, and who knows you. This is important: Finding employment nowadays is less a matter of applying for existing open positions and more about identifying needs potential employers have and demonstrating to them that you can fill these needs. Fortunately, there are more networking venues (real life and virtual) than ever before.

10. Many interviewers/hiring managers/recruiters may be younger than you. Get used to it. (We live in a youth obcessed society, unfortunately). Treat them with respect and learn how to speak their language. Do not say "You remind me of my son/daughter," or "When I was your age... !"
You can do this. So go forth. And conquer!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Five Must-Ask Interview Questions

Five Must-Ask Interview Questions
by Willa Plank
Friday, April 30, 2010

As the economy picks up, companies are starting to hire more. But managers often only get funds for a few key hires, so they have to select new employees wisely. That makes conducting a smart interview critical.


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Reporter Willa Plank checked in with Ben Dattner, founding principal of organizational consulting and research firm Dattner Consulting, to get his interview advice.

Here are his five must-ask interview questions:

1. In what ways will this role help you stretch your professional capabilities?

This is a reversal of the common question, "What are some of your greatest weaknesses?" Normally candidates dress up their weaknesses, or talk about "positive weaknesses" such as a tendency to work too hard.

Phrased Dr. Dattner's way, this question may better prompt the candidate to describe skills she wants to improve and goals she'd like to achieve. Watch out for candidates who say the prospective job would simply incrementally add to what they already know.

2. What have been your greatest areas of improvement in your career?

This is another question that gets at weaknesses, but in a new way. It also allows interviewees to tell their career histories and ambitions. A red flag answer: "I've always been a natural. I don't need to make any improvements."


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3. What's the toughest feedback you've ever received and how did you learn from it?

This shows a candidate's ability to learn from mistakes. A good answer would involve the candidate recalling specific feedback and detailing how she learned from it and changed. Sometimes candidates say they can't remember tough feedback. That can be a red flag. It may indicate the interviewee hasn't worked in a high-risk or creative environment, that she has never solicited advice, or that her co-workers viewed her as too fragile for feedback.

4. What are people likely to misunderstand about you?

This question reveals social intelligence, or the ability to understand others. A candidate might say he asks a lot of questions, and that some people have misinterpreted this inquisitiveness as aggression or criticism. If the candidate says he once found himself in this situation and changed his managerial style, that would indicate he can sense other people's perceptions and adapt.

5. If you were giving your new staff a "user's manual" to you, to accelerate their "getting to know you" process, what would you include in it?

This lets the candidate reveal her work style. A straight answer should indicate the interviewee is self-aware. For example, a candidate might reveal that she prefers to hold conversations in person rather than over the phone, that she likes to be kept in the loop or that she dislikes surprises. Those answers can help a hiring manager determine whether the candidate's style fits with the office culture. A bad answer, Dr. Dattner says, would be: "Just do your job and there won't be any problem," or " They'll figure it out soon enough."

Write to Willa Plank at willa.plank@dowjones.com

How To Tell When It's Time for a New Car

How To Tell When It's Time for a New Car
Buzz Up!0 votes
By Jamie Page Deaton

If you're one of those people who feels like your car is an old friend, deciding when it's time to let go can be agonizing. Even if you feel like your car is more your enemy than your friend, thanks to expensive and inconvenient repairs, deciding to pull the plug and get a new car can be tough.

Faced with an expensive repair bill, how do you know if you should go ahead and get the car fixed, or cut your losses and buy something new?

The Math Myth

At some point, almost every car owner will be faced with repair bills. And as the bills start to add up to a large proportion of a car's value, many owners start to figure that their car has officially kicked the bucket. But thinking that way is actually a costly mistake.

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This way of thinking confuses a car's potential monetary value with its actual value. At a basic level, a car's value -- any car's value -- is its ability to provide transportation. An older car and new car can both do that. The question drivers whose cars are on life support should be asking is: How can I get the transportation a car provides at the lowest cost? Once you take a car's potential monetary value out of the equation, the math becomes clear.

For instance let's say you have a 2000 Honda Civic DX in fair condition with 100,000 miles on it. According to Kelley Blue Book, it has a trade-in value of about $2,000. Then let's say you need to have the head gaskets replaced. According to repair estimates from Repair Pal, in the DC Metropolitan area, that can cost you anywhere from $861 to $1,135 -- about half the value of the car.

Faced with this, most people would opt to get a new car. After all, $1,000 worth of work is a lot to spend on a car that's worth only $2,000. But, you shouldn't act so quickly, because while it would take about $1,000 to keep that old Civic on the road, buying yourself a new Honda Civic costs about $16,000. Now the math isn't so clear, is it?

The Real Math
Here's the math any car owner should do when deciding if their older car has shuffled off the mortal coil: Compare the cost of the old car over a year to the cost of a new car over the same timeframe. Chances are, if your car is more than five years old, you're looking at some hefty repair bills. You're also probably looking at owning the car free and clear -- which means no more monthly loan payments.

Look again at the Civic situation. If you spend $1,000 a year on the old Civic, plus $1,571 a year on gas (that's what the EPA says it would cost to drive a 2000 Honda Civic 15,000 miles per year), that adds up to a total yearly cost of $2,571, plus insurance.

Now, let's take a look at the cost of a new Civic. Assume you can get one for $16,000 (which is about the average price buyers are paying for the car nationally, according to TrueCar, a company that collects new car pricing data), taxes, tags and title included. If you get $2,000 for trading in your old Civic, you're going to have $14,000 left to pay.

According to Bankrate, if you get a four-year loan for that $14,000 at four percent interest, you're looking at a monthly payment of $323. Over a year, those payments add up to $3,869 -- plus gas, which the EPA says will run you $1,465 if you drive the new Civic 15,000 miles this year. Even before you factor in insurance costs, which tend to be higher for new cars, keeping the old Civic makes more financial sense. In fact, keeping it could save you $2,763 over the year.

Other Factors to Consider
Of course, there are other things you should think about. If your older car is consistently unreliable and causes you to miss work show up late, or repeatedly leaves you stranded along dark highways, it might be time for a new one. Also, there are some problems that are incredibly difficult and expensive to fix, pushing the cost of the old car above the cost of a new one. If your car has had a number of major issues, and your mechanic sees more coming down the pike, it might be time to start thinking about a new ride.

There are also some people who like getting a new car, and don't mind that they are spending more to do so. There's even the argument that getting older cars off the road in favor of newer, more fuel-efficient and less polluting models benefits all of us.

Still, when deciding if your car is finally dead, the one factor you shouldn't be looking at is the ratio between repair costs and the car's sale value. Instead, do a hard comparison of your old car's cost and what a new car would cost you over a year before you decide it's time to pull the plug.

6 biggest mistakes homebuyers make

6 biggest mistakes homebuyers make
CNNMoney.com
Apr 20th, 2010


Buying a home is the biggest purchase most people will ever make, yet many go into it blind. Here are the 6 most common -- and costly -- mistakes homebuyers make.

1. Not knowing your credit score

If you're even toying with the idea of buying a home, you must find out exactly what your FICO score is. If you find it is less than ideal, wage a systematic campaign to raise it. Too many borrowers ignore this step and get surprised when they get interest rate quotes.


Once you've pored over your credit history and corrected any errors, your next step is to pay down revolving debt balances to no more than 30% usage. That will help raise your score significantly.

Why does it matter?

The lower your score, the higher your costs of borrowing. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, for example, charge higher up-front fees to borrowers with credit scores below 740.

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For a buyer with a credit score between 680 and 700, the fee comes to 1.5% of the mortgage principal. On a $200,000 mortgage, that adds up to $3,000. Someone with a 740 score pays nothing.

Lower-score borrowers also get saddled with higher interest rates, about 0.4 percentage point more for the below 700 borrower. That costs an extra $62 a month -- $744 a year -- on a $200,000, 30-year, fixed rate loan.

2. Buying a car before a house

Anytime consumers open new credit accounts -- credit card, auto loan, etc. -- their FICO score could drop, according to Craig Watts, a spokesman for Fair Isaac, the creator of FICO scores.

"Hence the admonition to not open other new accounts while your mortgage application is in process," he said.

A big purchase would use up a considerable proportion of a borrower's total credit limit, which results in a drop in the score. Lenders often continue to check credit scores in the weeks before closing.

"The lender will likely slam on the brakes if the applicant's credit scores have suddenly dropped below the minimum required for the requested loan rate," Watts said.

3. Skimping on home inspection

Buying a pig in a poke can cost buyers big bucks -- just when they can least afford it. So It's vital to find all the costly flaws before you buy.

Many homes on the market today are distressed properties -- foreclosures and short sales -- and that only increases the importance of good inspections, according to David Tamny, president of the American Society of Home Inspectors.

"The owners usually didn't have the money to keep up these homes," he said. "There's a lot of deferred maintenance."

A home inspection can find problems with the foundation, electrical, plumbing, roof, attic insulation, and heating and air conditioning. In some states, separate licensed inspectors offer mold or termite inspections.

Often homebuyers, who may be strapped for cash, stint on inspections and look for the cheapest way to go. That can lead to disaster.

"The cost of repairs far exceeds the cost of inspection," said Tamny.

4. No lawyer

Nearly everyone involved in a real estate transaction -- the seller, the buyer's real estate agent, the seller's agent and the mortgage broker -- has a vested interest in getting the deal done because they only get paid when the house is sold. So they may push a deal even if it's not in the best interest of the buyer.

One of the best defenses against making am expensive purchase you'll regret is to hire a real estate attorney -- even in cities where it's not standard practice. These professionals charge flat fees and their advice is objective.

It's nice to have someone on your side.

5. No contingencies

When signing a sales contract, buyers usually have to put up 1% to 3% in "earnest money," which they don't get back if they pull out of the deal except under certain conditions spelled out in the contract.

Sellers try to limit the grounds for canceling, and inexperienced buyers may sign contracts that don't include common exceptions, such as uncovering major problems during the home inspection, failing to obtain financing and failure of the house to appraise.

Failure to obtain financing is common these days because lenders have become very picky; underwriting is very strict.

Even if your mortgage company is still willing to finance your purchase, the house itself may be worth less than you've contracted to pay for it, and the lender will pull its approval.

With residential real estate markets still slow, sellers usually accept contingency clauses, but if they resist, it may be better to rethink the deal. Losing a deposit of $2,000 to $6,000 on a $200,000 home hurts.

6. Not budgeting for insurance
Don't underestimate insurance costs and fail to budget for them.

Many homebuyers don't understand just what is -- and what is not -- covered. Standard policies pay for theft and wind, fire, lightning, hail and explosion damage. Not covered is flooding, earthquake damage or problems caused by neglect of routine maintenance, according to Jeanne Salvatore, spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, an industry-sponsored educational group.

"The most important thing is before you buy a home, find out what it will cost to insure it," she said. "Insurance needs to be calculated into the cost of owning a home. Unlike a mortgage, which you can pay off, you'll be responsible for the insurance costs forever."

For flood insurance, most buyers use the National Flood Insurance Program. Earthquake coverage may be available through a state authority or some private companies.

Depending on location, flood insurance can run into a lot of money. The cost of $250,000 worth of government flood coverage on the building and $100,000 of its contents can go as high as $5,714 in high-risk, coastal areas.