VIDEO: Frank Sinatra Blue Moon "Happy New Year"
Blue Moon on New Year's EveFor the first time in over a decade, New Year's Eve revelry, from early- evening snowshoe hikes to midnight fireworks, will take place by the light of a blue moon.Savor the moment, astronomers say, because the phenomenon in which two full moons occur in the same month won't happen again in December until 2028."I encourage people to look up, enjoy the sight and think about all the interesting things that have happened" over the past decade, said Robert Stencel, professor of astronomy at the University of Denver, where public astronomy events are often held at the Chamberlin Observatory. "And be happy that we're still here to observe it."I've heard the expression "once in a blue moon" all my life, and knew it was referring to "a long time", but I never thought about the term's origin. Today, my 90 year old father-in-law asked me if I knew what made a moon a "blue moon". I didn't know, and since we start the new year off in a "blue moon", I did some research. Interesting...very interesting.According to the popular definition, it is the second Full Moon to occur in a single calendar month.The average interval between Full Moons is about 29.5 days, whilst the length of an average month is roughly 30.5 days. This makes it very unlikely that any given month will contain two Full Moons, though it does sometimes happen.On average, there will be 41 months that have two Full Moons in every century, so you could say that once in a Blue Moon actually means once every two-and-a-half years.Blue Moon on New Year's EveFor the first time in almost twenty years, there's going to be a Blue Moon on New Year's Eve.Most months have only one full Moon. The 29.5-day cadence of the lunar cycle matches up almost perfectly with the 28- to 31-day length of calendar months. Indeed, the word "month" comes from "Moon." Occasionally, however, the one-to-one correspondence breaks down when two full Moons squeeze into a single month. Dec. 2009 is such a month. The first full Moon appeared on Dec. 2nd; the second, a "Blue Moon," will come on Dec. 31st.This definition of Blue Moon is relatively new.If you told a person in Shakespeare's day that something happens "once in a Blue Moon" they would attach no astronomical meaning to the statement. Blue moon simply meant rare or absurd, like making a date for the Twelfth of Never. "But meaning is a slippery substance," says Hiscock. "The phrase 'Blue Moon' has been around for more than 400 years, and during that time its meaning has shifted."The modern definition sprang up in the 1940s. In those days, the Farmer's Almanac of Maine offered a definition of Blue Moon so convoluted that even professional astronomers struggled to understand it. It involved factors such as the ecclesiastical dates of Easter and Lent, and the timing of seasons according to the dynamical mean sun. Aiming to explain blue moons to the layman, Sky & Telescope published an article in 1946 entitled "Once in a Blue Moon." The author James Hugh Pruett cited the 1937 Maine almanac and opined that the "second [full moon] in a month, so I interpret it, is called Blue Moon."That was not correct, but at least it could be understood. And thus the modern Blue Moon was born.
VIDEO: Ricky Nelson Remembered 2010 Tour Schedule
Ricky Nelson Remembered 2010 Tour ScheduleTheir songs transcend time. Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, revered for unforgettable past hits, explore fresh creative territory in the present. Magically melodic songwriting and soaring sibling harmonies ensure that this pair will be a vital part of the music scene’s future.Their famed blond locks have been shortened, but their appeal is proving greater than ever. The twin sons of rock ‘n’ roll icon Rick Nelson had spent the past six years honing their sound in Nashville, woodshedding with some of Music City USA’s best lyricists, and adding what they’ve learned to their own mastery of contemporary pop melody.The resultant material is mature, yet youthfully exuberant. It meshes the power pop that launched them to multi-platinum status, the country rock their father pioneered, and a boldly modern touch that has always been at the forefront of popular music’s appeal. It’s majestic arena groove-rock for the 21st century.Due to unending requests, they’ve worked some Rick Nelson classics into their set. They perform them with respect and enthusiasm. “We figured it’s up to us to help keep his music alive,” Gunnar says. “Not only is it a true pleasure to play these great songs that people love, but it makes us feel profoundly closer to our best friend -- our father.”All Dates Subject to ChangeDate Details Coming Soon!Saturday, 12/26/2009 Lake Tahoe, NVHarrah's Lake TahoeRicky Nelson RememberedSun - Tues, 01/10/10 - 01/12/10 Green Bay, WIOneida CasinoRicky Nelson RememberedFriday, 01/29/10 Coachella, CASpotlight29 CasinoNELSON Rock BandThursday, 02/25/10 Redondo Beach, CABrixton South BayRicky Nelson RememberedFriday, 02/26/10 San Juan Capistrano, CAThe Coach HouseRicky Nelson RememberedSaturday, 02/27/10 Agoura Hills, CAThe Canyon ClubRicky Nelson RememberedWednesday, 04/07/10 Bozeman, MTvenue to be announcedRicky Nelson RememberedFri. - Sun. 04/16/10 - 04/18/10 Orlando, FLEpcot Flower Power Concert SeriesRicky Nelson RememberedFri. - Sat. 04/29/10 - 04/30/10 Manistee, MILittle River CasinoRicky Nelson RememberedThurs. 07/08/10 Sawyer, NDThunder Mountain RockfestNELSON Rock BandMon. 08/02/10 Ocean City, NJStockton PACRicky Nelson RememberedSat. 09/11/10 Roscommon, MIKirtland PACRicky Nelson RememberedFri. 09/24/10 Henderson, NVvenue to be announcedRicky Nelson RememberedSat. 09/25/10 Durango, COFt Lewis College PACRicky Nelson RememberedFri. 11/05/10 Red Cloud, NERed Cloud Opera HouseRicky Nelson RememberedSat. 11/06/10 McPherson, KSMcPherson Opera HouseRicky Nelson RememberedSun. 11/07/10 Witchita, KSBuell TheaterRicky Nelson Remembered
Christmas True Meaning and TraditionsChristmas has had a long and varied history. It has been celebrated for centuries by different people, at different times, in different places, and in many different ways. Here you will find links to information about the different ways that the holiday we know as Christmas has been celebrated, or not celebrated, over the years.»Watch video about the history and origins of ChristmasAn Ancient HolidaySome of our modern Christmas traditions have much older roots, going back to pagan European traditions.»See how people celebrated the winter solsticeSaturnaliaSaturnalia was a Roman celebration in honor of the god Saturn.»Discover what the Ancient Romans celebrated on December 25thAn Outlaw ChristmasThe Puritans didn't believe in the jovial Christmas holiday, so they banned it.»Find out the penalty for celebrating ChristmasChristmas ReinventedAmericans embraced Christmas in the 19th Century, even inventing some of their own Christmas traditions.»See how Americans created their own vision of ChristmasA Christmas CarolCharles Dickens' classic tale reflected and influenced changing ideas about the nature of Christmas.»Learn how Scrooge and Tiny Tim changed ChristmasEnjoy Christmas with Santa Claus at the North pole, an award-winning Christmas web site. Send a letter to Santa Clause or a Christmas card to a friend.»Santa Claus and Christmas at the NorthpoleThe True Meaning of Christmas
Stephen King Under The Dome
Under the DomeBy Stephen King
Stephen King Writes a Spellbinding Supernatural Novel "UNDER THE DOME"On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when -- or if -- it will go away.Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens -- town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing -- even murder -- to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.Stephen King’s Under The DomeBook trailers are an interesting recent development in marketing. The very concept doesn’t make a whole lot of sense at first, seeing as books don’t actually have visual scenes to make a trailer out of, but done properly, they can be pretty effective tools for creating buzz around a new novel. And sometimes, they can be pretty cool. The trailer for Stephen King’s new book, Under The Dome, falls squarely into the “cool” category. The novel follows the inhabitants of a small town that is trapped in a huge, clear dome by unknown forces.Some say King’s best years are behind him; I disagree. That’s not to say I enjoy every last one of his books – hell, the man’s written so many, there’s no way they could all be great. But when he’s on, he’s one of the best writers in modern horror (and sometimes science fiction). To me, it seems that he’s at his best when he gives himself room to breathe, page-wise. The Stand is brilliant; so is It. Both are over 1000 pages. The Dark Tower series, his masterpiece, unfolds over the course of seven increasingly long books. Under The Dome will be 1088 pages long; hopefully, that means we can expect the epic storytelling and surprisingly personal character development the author, at his best, is capable of.Check out the trailer below; it’s short, but it got me kinda pumped for this book.
UNDER THE DOME BY STEPHEN KING
VISIONS OF 2012 DOOMSDAYDear Friend,Are you tired?Tired of all the misinformation out there about 2012?If you've done even one Google search on the topic you know what I'm talking about... SURVIVE 2012Where well-meaning “experts” went wrong... and why all the governments of the world ultimately decided not to tell you the truth.What is really going to happen in December of 2012... and exactly how millions will be devastated, and your world will be turned upside down... forever.How you can safeguard your life... and the lives of your family members. Because you really can survive... and spiritually thrive in the wake of this life-changing event.VISIONS OF 2012 DOOMSDAY - (1)VISIONS OF 2012 DOOMSDAY - (2)VISIONS OF 2012 DOOMSDAY - (3)VISIONS OF 2012 DOOMSDAY - (4)VISIONS OF 2012 DOOMSDAY - (5)The Underground Kingdom of Light - 1Journey Into The Resistance Movement - 2Galatic Wars - 3Liberation of the Planet Earth - 4Vision 2012 - 5It will begin suddenly, without warning. Many scandals that will disclose true backgound about how the System works will shake human masses. Disclosures about how international energetic megacompanies earn billions selling oil, preventing at the same time inventions of free energy to come to public. Disclosures about pharmaceutical trusts that earn money with "healing" diseases that are spread with viruses created in hidden laboratories. Disclosures about efficient cures for AIDS, cancer and other diseases that are known for quite some time, unkonwn to human masses. And about world media and censorship there, which is a logical consequence of a fact that few individuals own most worldly known newspaper, media and telecommunication companies. And finally disclosures about a secret world government that has most prominent politicians as its puppets and which creates profit out of wars and human suffering for millenia, a small group of beings that you work for in your jobs and voluntarily give them a significant amount of your monthly salary.When lists with names, supported with facts will be known, human masses will arise. When facts will be known about what is happening in the stock market and where the money really goes, this will create a world stock market crash and fall of the current monetary system. Riots will begin as a consequence of released emotional energy which was suppressed for so long. In the chaos of those days members of the Resistance movement will reveal themselves to humanity and give guidance and support. They will penetrate to the surface from their undergound realms and bring along technology that will help humanity to get over those critical moments. They will cure most of currently known diseases with their medicaments. With their free energy sources they will end world energy crisis and stop environmental pollution. They will bring information that will open the eyes of people. Finally people will realize that they have lived in quarantine for millenia. Money will disappear and will be replaced with exchange of goods based upon vibrational economy. The Resistance movement will assist in establishing new world government which will be chosen by humanity with its free will and that will lead humanity based on the principles of the Galactic codex. At that point the energy field of the planet will be cleared significantly. Memories of Atlantis will be returning to people and they will begin to create a New Atlantis, a new civillization of light. Buildings will be constructed in a combination of Atlantean and modern architecture which will be in harmony with nature. Many will be in a pyramidal or half spherical shape. Spiritually developed individuals will begin to gather in New age communities, so called islands of light. Everybody there will follow his vision aligned with the divine plan in deep connection with the universe. When people will release the past, everybody will experience clarity of mind, emotional aliveness and physical health. The basic cell of society in islands of light will not be a family of personalities (father, mother and children) but a family of souls (twin souls, soulmates and other members of a soul family). People will connect there energetically and telepathically with angels, guides and extraterestrials. Through islands of light a physical connection between the surface of the planet and extraterrestrial civillizations will be established. There will be teleportation chambers in islands of light through which it will be possible to travel into the Resistance movement, for some people into the Atlantean network and also towards the Pleiadian motherships. When the network of light will be strong and stable enough this will enable mass landings of Pleiadian starships. The Pleiadians will assist humanity during its transition towards the New age and with the process of acceptance of this planet into the Galactic confederation. They will anchor energy columns that will guide planet Earth throuh its transformation during its entry into the inner section of the tachyon belt.When the critical mass of consciousness will be achieved the first wave of Ascension will occur. Motherships of the Galactic confederation will hover as brilliant white clouds above the islands of light, where teleportation beams will descend and lift the volunteers into the motherships. Those volunteers will reappear on Earth shortly in Ascended state in their rainbow bodies of light. Soon afterwards another critical mass will be achieved and the second wave of Ascension will happen. Masses of Ascended masters that will return to Earth will prepare humanity for the third wave of Ascension and for the Evacuation. Great planetary cataclisms will begin then as a cleansing of the physical matter of the planet. At the moment of most intensive cataclisms a polar shift will happen and that will trigger the third wave of Ascension with final Evacuation. Linear time as we know it will end and Earth will enter a new, higher dimension. This is a moment when the Mayan calendar ends, a moment in 2012.
A HELOC differs from a conventional home equity loan in that the borrower is not advanced the entire sum up front, but uses a line of credit to borrow sums that total no more than the credit limit, similar to a credit card. HELOC funds can be borrowed during the "draw period" (typically 5 to 25 years). Repayment is of the amount drawn plus interest. A HELOC may have a minimum monthly payment requirement (often "interest only"); however, the debtor may make a repayment of any amount so long as it is greater than the minimum payment (but less than the total outstanding). The full principal amount is due at the end of the draw period, either as a lump-sum balloon payment or according to a loan amortization schedule.Another important difference from a conventional loan is that the interest rate on a HELOC is variable. The interest rate is generally based on an index, such as the prime rate. This means that the interest rate can change over time. Homeowners shopping for a HELOC must be aware that not all lenders calculate the margin the same way. The margin is the difference between the prime rate and the interest rate the borrower will actually pay.HELOC loans became very popular in the United States in the early and mid 2000s, in part because interest paid was (and is) typically (depending on specific circumstances) deductible under federal and many state income tax laws.[citation needed] This effectively reduced the cost of borrowing funds and offered an attractive tax incentive over traditional methods of borrowing (such as credit card debt). Another reason for the popularity of HELOCs is their flexibility, both in terms of borrowing and repaying on a schedule determined by the borrower. Furthermore, HELOC loans' popularity growth may also stem from their having a better image than a "second mortgage," a term which can more directly imply an undesirable level of debt. Of course, within the lending industry itself, a HELOC is categorized as a second mortgage.Because the underlying collateral of a home equity line of credit is the home, failure to repay the loan or meet loan requirements may result in foreclosure. As a result, lenders generally require that the borrower maintain a certain level of equity in the home as a condition of providing a home equity line.
Tom
I keep seeing people posting to this forum begging Obama to “force banks to give credit.” Things like “I can’t get a 30 year loan to buy a house.” Or “My credit card company keeps reducing my credit.” When I hear these complaints I am reminded of a crack addict’s pleas that they use the drug “responsibly”. They all feel that if they could just get a little more they would be fine.
The reality is that use of a credit card has a much more profound and expansive impact on those around you then using crack does. Use crack, live 10 blocks over, and I will probably never know or feel the result. However, if you use credit to buy your groceries that you otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford, you have increased the market value of groceries.
Basic economics most people have at least heard of tells us that “a market price is set by the highest value at which people are ‘willing AND able’ to buy the product. Credit cards have allowed people who normally wouldn’t have the resources to compete in the market against me to have access to those resources.
Let us say you are browsing the fine objects available for sale at an auction. You spy a great cigar store Indian in the middle of all the other stuff that you feel you must have. When the auctioneer get around to tapping his cane on the Indian you feel that little jilt of excitement that you are about to become the owner of that which you desire. Much to your delight he starts the bidding off at just $10. You raise your hand high. But just like that you notice another bidder raise the hand. Back and forth you go. 15 becomes 20. 20 50, at about $75 you wish the other party would run out of money. Now on it goes until you bid $150. You are starting to feel the excitement of the win when you hear the other bidder’s friend say “OK” to the request to loan out $50. You are not to be outdone, so eventually you win the bid at $210. You think to yourself, “I wish that yutz hadn’t offered her that extra 50 bucks or I would have only paid $150 for this treasure.” Well that is how I feel when I walk into a grocery store or an electronics store to buy a product with cash. I wish credit card companies hadn’t offered so many yahoos credit to buy these products. They would be priced more realistically. That is the way I feel when I look at the going rate for college when trying to save up for my children’s future. I think, “I wish somebody would make it illegal to offer loans for college educations. Schools would have to charge a more realistic price if they actually wanted students to show up. Now you might think, “but they have to charge enough to pay for their teachers”. But can you imagine how much less a teacher would have to ask for as a salary if they could get a big screen TV band new for $200. It is a classic “chicken or the egg” scenario. Do people need paid more because credit has allowed market prices to be bid up or is it the fact that market prices are so high, that people need credit to pay for them and thus need paid more. For some reason bread only used to be 10 cents.
What happened in the housing market is that banks started offering longer and longer terms in order to get more people the ability to afford to “buy” them. A win/ win/ win for financing organizations. They get more buyer, buying at hire sale prices (which they are getting a percentage of), and earning more in interest over the long term. Interest that they charge you up front. The same thing happens with everyday stuff as banks offer credit cards into the market. Credit companies get paid form the vendors and the consumers. (The funniest thing I have ever seen was an annual fee. I have to pay you money for the honor of paying you money? This is worse economics then a strip club.)
So it is the people who are going through “credit withdraws” and are trying to convince the world that “then need it to survive” that are threatening to unravel any chance we have at a wholesome economic recover. So stop it. Your credit card reduced your limit? Good, you will thank them when you loose your job. A mortgage company won’t let you finance a 30 year loan on a $150,000 house that ends up costing you $350,000 with interest? Write them a thank you letter for not letting you make a mistake that will not only damage you but the entire economy for the rest of us who were also promised our government would give us the opportunity to be alive, free, and happy. None of these thing can you be if you are in debt and working 60 hours a week just to make the minimums. And I can’t be if I have to compete in a market were you are capable of doing that.
Here is a better way to address the failing housing market. The government opens up a new hosing department. One that is understood to have a hopefully temporary life span. This new agency will negotiate a new value for the home. The new housing authority will then buy the house from the bank for whatever “payoff” is. They get their money back. If they had planned on that interest coming in, they are no different then the home buyer who though he would be employed and healthy for 30 yrs. “You guessed wrong. Here is your consolation prize, your money back.”
People who sign onto these programs are relinquishing the ownership of the house. The difference between the payoff value and the newly negotiated market price becomes a debt to the participant. Strict limits would be placed on their ability to hold credit. The ex-homeowner has proven by their situation that they do not grasp the risk of credit. A 5% increase in their taxes will be asses in order to pay off the remaining balance.
We have a saying that I am sure most of you know that starts out, “if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.” It is a cliché used to point out the most preposterous assumptions by the most naïve people. It usually gets rolled out when only the slightest amount of thought renders an ideal illogical.
So when the pimply faced ex-pizza delivery guy (because I am sure you checked out the credentials of this perfect stranger that all of the sudden had your best interest in his heart.) who turned into a loan agent told you this did you have him explain how? Did he explain that over the next 30 years, at your 7% rate, on a $100,000 loan you would pay $250,000 plus property tax, insurance, and maintenance costs? This was supposed to be an “investment”? How many times your net (bring home) yearly salary is that? When you finally paid it off, it might be worth $200,000, although historically it would be more like $150,000 and that wouldn’t even take into the rise in cost of living over the past 30 years. So how was this a “responsible decision”? Boy, wait till you get a grasp of how a credit card works.
An investment people should A) never cost more then the purchase price you paid for it. B) Should never be worth less then the price you paid for it. C) Should have the ability to cash out (with maybe some minor penalties) and get your “initial investment” back plus whatever you have earned off of it. And D) If you loose your job, it should be a source of last resort to provide food shelter or clothing for you and your family. You should not be in jeopardy of loosing it because you lost your income. The only thing way a house might be considered an “investment” is if you are planning on leaving the paid off asset to one or all of your kids.
I suppose that you believed him when he said, “borrow to the max now, everybody’s income eventually grows” as well? So you bought shares of a bridge, and now I have to pay for it. Exactly how is the free, fair and just? The biggest problem facing this country is not its economic woes. It is that a large enough portion of our community are not able to make rational responsible decision and are not able to accept blame. I hate GWB and believe he may have doomed this country to a bitter end. But I could never bring myself to believe he was responsible for a hurricane. Now, Cheney? He may have had that kind of influence, being the Anti-Christ and all.
On CNN as earlier today I heard the statement that I have heard commonly since the bankruptcy and mortgage default trend has been deemed a “crisis”. It goes something like this, “I am not asking the for a hand out. I am not asking for the government to bail me out. I am asking for the government to make the banks responsible for what they have done to me.”
There are so many ways that “renegotiating loans” hurts the entire population. Here is the thing, the homeowner has promised to pay back “the bank”. The bank is made up of stockholders. In many cases the government also has a direct interest these banks. If you do not pay back the money you signed and agreed to, then the stocks drop. Many people retirement savings are tied up in stocks. T-bills are investments sold to people so the government can offer liquid cash to the banks to be used for making these loans. IF you do not pay the bank back the amount you agreed upon, they can not pay back the money they owe to the government. The government either has to default on the Treasury Bills or print paper. The later actually cause the value of the dollar to drop and affects every single member of the economy.
Asking the government to do anything besides taking your house and/ or requiring that you pay your debt is asking for a “handout”. You are asking people who did not make the ignorant and naïve mistakes that the foreclosing homeowner.
One more thing. I live in kind of a crumby neighborhood anyway. Not despicable, but certainly not posh McMansion filled resort city living. The school district sticks, the parks are all nasty. I have a really decent house and for the area a pretty OK neighborhood street. This what the price I paid for refusing to pay way too much for a house I couldn't afford. Houses that really were not worth the price they were going for. However, the market was driven up by people financing 30 years of their future to get them. The point is this, I do not care if my property value drops. Great I will pay less taxes. My property value is of no concern to me until I go to sell my house. When I do I will again make a wise decision about the affects on my future. In a few years I should be able to get one of your 1/4 million dollar houses for the $75,000 I paid for mine.
This post cold easily be title “just how screwed we are.” But know that I have a suggestion that would get us out of this mess. IT will have to come in a latter post, but if I can figure it out, the people on the hill are much smarter then me will. Right?
One of my favorite and most quoted cliché’s is, "common sense is often common, but rarely makes sense." This is true when listening to people make wild thoughtless suggestions on how to fix the economy. The phrases that send off my B.S. detectors are things like, "It's economics 101" or "it's about supply and demand" or "you are over complicating". First there are very few "or's" in economics and accounting. Capital generally follows the laws of conservation. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Two prevailing suggestions I have seen posted in the last week or so to "help the ailing housing market" and help out home owners are about the same. One is to lower everybody who needs it to 4% mortgage rate. The second one it to extend the mortgage out to 40 years? Neither of these things make economical sense, and/ or follows the free capital everybody is treated equally spirit of the country.
When you are sinking in quicksand the natural reaction is to kick your feet and struggle. The problem is that kicking only causes you to sink faster. I know this is going to come as a blow to those who are trying to say, “The government should help us because we can’t pay for our house”, but you are mistaken. I am sorry. The only thing that this home rescue plan is going to do is cause the rest of us to go down with you. Not to mention your attempted salvation will result in the prices remaining artificially high.
"Many people took out loans they were never going to be able to afford,never! That means somebody knew from day one they were never going tobe able to pay back the loans." The bankers approved these loans and used the money to pay themselves bonuses and payed our government representatives to look the other way…that’s where we are…any suggestions for getting us out of the mess are welcome…but if you just want to play the blame game…where does that get us?
Read what was spammed on the comments section of my blog:
The people that bend the rules GET PAID!
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Buy a home, car or get a huge irs tax refund just for being you! Do what you have to do to get yours! EVERYONE ELSE DID!!
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Print out Fake Employment and Fake Income, Wages, 1099, w2, w-2, using your home computer printer!
Oy vey!!
I am going to piss off a lot of people, but I don’t care. It is kind of the same response you get when you tell an addict that they have made bad choices. “but everybody around me were making the same choice.” If you are in a mortgage you can’t afford, it is because you were irresponsible. That is not a disputable fact. However, everybody wants to make “responsibility” a relative figure. It is not. If I should go belly up and be unable to afford my mortgage, well then in the end I was irresponsible. In nature they call that “dead”. In the US we call them “victims”
The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.
Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.
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Alternative EnergySource: David Apperson
url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy
Now more than ever manufacturers, builders and homeowners are migrating towards energy efficiency and green building practices. Currently green homes incorporate environmental considerations and resource efficiency into every step of the building and development process to minimize environmental impact. The design, construction, and operation of a home must focus on energy and water efficiency, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental quality, and must take the home's overall impact on the environment into account.
Preferred Building Systems (PBS) is a leader in the Responsible Housing market, employing the latest technologies and systems to produce an energy efficient and green Responsible Home component. PBS is a subsidiary of the LaValley Building Supply family of businesses and focuses on prefabricated modular and panelized homes for their builder customers. LaValley has been in the prefabricated component business for over 45 years manufacturing wall panels and roof trusses. In 2007 LaValley completed construction on a factory that builds energy efficient Responsible Homes.
Each one of our standard home components that we build is shipped Energy Star compliant from the PBS factory.
While many manufacturers advertise and promote green building - yet struggle to deliver on the promise, PBS can actually deliver a NAHB or LEEDS Silver or Gold Green Built home right from the factory. Builders and their homeowners can then complete the home, with instruction from the factory, to achieve the highest rating available for their particular project.
Modern technologies in the Responsible Home industry make it possible to create a superior product using better performing components than you could achieve in the field. Homes that are built under the factory roof never experience moisture, the root cause of mold and mildew. Factory built homes also produce less material waste because we maximize the usage of all raw materials through our design and production planning, leaving very little scrap. The PBS factory is organized in a horseshoe style and we use low-pressure air-pad system to hovercraft or move our modules through the manufacturing process. This system allows us to adjust to current conditions within the factory flow for alterations in the production schedule. Our factory is equipped with high output energy efficient lighting and the air compressor system used for production and module movement is the most efficient of it's kind. Efficient building practices also extend into durability and lifespan because Responsible Homes are constructed stronger than stick built because they must survive the assembly process, delivery and crane ride into their final resting place.
High performance lighting systems are a standard in each Responsible Home because nearly 20% of household electricity is used for lighting, and our Energy Star qualified fixtures use one third less energy than traditional lighting. PBS designers are available to assist our builders and their homebuyers in integrating many aftermarket components that the homeowner may need, including: Active and passive solar energy, solar water heating systems and other technologies. We can design and manufacture your home with the necessary "up fit" for the builder to quickly install the additional components.
Insulation in the home is one of the most important components of energy efficiency. PBS uses Nuwool, a blown-in cellulose dense-pack insulation. Nuwool is an engineered energy-saving insulation that is composed of 85% post consumer recycled newspapers and it offers superior thermal and air infiltration properties. Cellulose dense-pack insulation provides up to 40% savings on the homeowners heating bill compared to conventional insulating materials like fiberglass. Nuwool cellulose insulation has been treated with a fungicide that makes it resistant to mold growth and a fire retardant that makes it resistant to fire. In addition to using the dense-pack insulation PBS practices infiltration air-sealing in each module. This step helps create a tight home and eliminates air leakage and promotes a better whole house envelope. Door and window headers are insulated and solid foam blocks are used to insulate the floor rims. All homes must pass an in plant Thermal Bypass Inspection and modules are randomly scanned with an infrared camera.
PBS also offers several high performance wall systems that result in less thermal bridging by reducing wall studding and/or offering an exterior insulated skin. PBS measures wall performance beyond the rating system that is listed on a bag of fiberglass insulation. This is known as Whole Wall Thermal Performance and reflects how all the design and all the components in a wall work to give a total R-value. A typical 2x6 wall may have a batt insulation of R-19 and the performance rating may only be R-12. Our performance rating system allows us to build walls with a performance rating of up to R-32 in a sidewall, and this level of efficiency is unheard of in the Responsible Home manufacturing industry.
Fixtures and appliances such as low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets, and ENERGY STAR dishwashers and washing machines all conserve water and many of these items can be installed at PBS to satisfy the builder's customer. PBS uses PEX tubing and can provide a "home run" manifold system to reduce hot water loss. All domestic hot water lines are insulated. Low flow and dual flush toilets and low flow faucets are also available options. PBS can also provide engineering and partial piping for grey water recycled systems.
Resource efficient features are important to the homeowner and typically are managed by the builder. Things like home size, orientation on the lot, and floor plan layout-are made in the design of your home and development of the lot. The house orientation and design should take advantage of natural daylight to reduce lighting needs, and should use strategies to reduce heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter. Working with builders, architects and their homeowner we can produce a high quality component that works well with the building lot, while maximizing the natural resources you have available. A green home should contain renewable materials, including rapidly renewable wood species such as bamboo, and recycled-content materials in carpets, and tiles that are available through our factory. PBS offers many different home styles that when carefully planned can offer you a lifetime of comfort and enjoyment and still maintain that level of environmental conscious that a homeowner desires.
Preferred Building Systems uses an all-wood open web floor truss system that is finger jointed and glued with a low VOC glue that eliminates the metal plates. The engineered strength of triangulation uses solid sawn lumber to its maximum capacity and creates natural voids for electrical and plumbing components. These natural voids speed the production process and the use of trusses reduces the need for milling of old growth lumber typically used for solid wood floor joists. PBS uses the Advantech floor-sheathing product that is produced with sustainable fast growing tree species and "GreenGuard" adhesives. PBS uses engineered finger jointed studs that are straighter than traditional studs and the process of attaching the sheetrock delivers a straighter and better quality wall system. This eliminates the waste typically associated with warped and twisted studs that must be discarded. The finishing touch on our Responsible Home components typically consist of moldings and trims that are produced using medium density fiberboard or finger-joint wood products that are environmentally conscious.
Indoor Air Quality Features
PBS uses high efficiency Panasonic bath fans with programmable timers and vented kitchen range hoods to ensure proper exhausting of stale, moisture-laden air from your home. All paints are low-VOC compliant. All of our adhesives are low-VOC and most meet "GreenGuard certification for Children and Schools" Heat recovery ventilation systems are optional. Optional whole house vacuum systems also contribute to the air quality in your home Low-VOC flooring and recycled/recyclable, renewable flooring is also an option to have shipped with your home.
Preferred Building Systems is committed to Responsible Modular Housing and understands the need to actually produce a high performance Responsible Home that is healthy to live in and uses natural resources wisely. We are constantly researching and developing new and better ways to conserve energy and produce a superior product to what the industry is building. Finally, high performance stick-built homes have a competitor, with the next generation of Responsible Homes from Preferred Building Systems
Today, here in small-town, north-central Kansas, I feel very outnumbered by Republicans. I wore my Obama button to my polling place, and the registrar told me that, if I didn't take it off, I couldn't vote! How about that! She said it's a state law. I was not going to walk out of there without voting, so I took off my button, and immediately put it back on when I left the voting booth. I point-blank asked her, "Are people in Kansas afraid that Obama supporters are going to try to intimidate them? That's always been the Republicans' forte. You all might be surprised tonight if Kansas shows up in the blue column, but I won't be. I'll wear this button to my grave." A strong south wind is blowing today, and it's the wind of change.
For an instant, when I was publicly scolded about the "no button" rule, I had a very brief insight into the strength, tenacity and moral courage of the men and women who stood up and fought the system, year after year, decade upon decade, until their rights, our rights, were finally recognized by law. Would I have been so brave?
For too long now, so-called "leaders" of this country have told us that they hold the reins, that they have the true answers, that they are the "true Americans," that they know what's truly right and just. In the process, they have ignored the Constitution, waged pre-emptive wars that have cost hundreds of thousands of lives, and weakened our standing in the world. Well, millions upon millions of people will prove them wrong today. We stand today in voting lines all across the country on behalf of all of those true patriots who came before us, those people who fought and sometimes died so that this day would come.
At Senator Obama's campaign rally last night in Virginia, he ended his speech with one of my favorite quotes: "One person can change a room; one room can change a city; one city can change a state; one state can change a country; and one country can change the world." Barack Obama's dauntless determination, and the hard work of so many people, have brought us to this beautiful day in November. The trees are lit up bright yellow and crimson here in Kansas, where Senator Obama's mother and grandparents were born. He said last night that his grandmother had finally "gone home." Well, Senator Obama, you have led the way to bring us all "home," as a country, back to the true meaning of what it is to be an American; and we love you for it.
We're down to the last two weeks before Nov. 4, and the nastiness continues. But, I think it's time to reflect on "Country First." Over the last 8 years, we have been told that in order to be patriotic and protect the country, we had to spend money here at home and fight in 2 wars, sacrificing thousands of lives, and billions of dollars a month. Somehow, the Republican party of family values seems to forget the families altogether. Divorce rates are at an all time high, and the answer is to ban same-sex marriage? Ban abortion? Lip service...
I am pledging to all out there to fight the last 2 weeks... saying "My Country Begins at Home." Much like everyone else, I am willing to protect the country at I love. But, that starts with protecting the people closest to me, my family. This means providing a home, food, heat in the winter, and an education. Putting country first isn't about fighting wars and national security... It's about being responsible and defending the people closest to us.
Unfortunately, after listening to Rep. Bachmann from Minnesota, I actually realized that there are anti-American elements amongst us. Sadly, it's not the terrorists...
Let me tell you what is Anti-American...
It is Anti-American to tax healthcare benefits
It is Anti-American to charge Americans a 30% interest rate on credit cards
It is Anti-American to defraud borrowers in the hope that they can foreclose on their homes
It is Anti-American to prevent a child from receiving healthcare
It is Anti-American to stop a qualified citizen from attending college
It is Anti-American to protect the richest 1% at the expense of everyone else
It is Anti-American to take away social security for seniors
It is Anti-American to leave the defenseless unprotected
Here's my pledge from here on out... "My Country Begins at Home" and yes, I put my Country First.
The full text, two pages, is at http://forteplan.com/obama/foreclosure_solutions.pdf (or .doc)
The basics here:
In the worst case, of an actual foreclosure and title revision/transfer back to the lender, the people stay - the occupants stay - and they become tenants with first option to rebuy in a reasonable contract.
Show me a vacant, run-down, becoming-delapidated house and yard that is selling well !
Show me a neighborhood full of such homes that is working out well for the lender-foreclosure-owners !
Read the outline, and consider that this saves everyone money and stress - AND - it increases and fuels the economy in other ways, for jobs and for businesses that sell things that homeowners, or home occupants and tenants, do buy, but that rats and cockroaches never seem to buy!
Go figure.
(Why are bankers seeming more and more to be so stupid when it comes to financial management and planning?)
