Real Talk!

In 1981 the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 36/67 declaring an International Day of Peace. In 2001, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a new resolution 55/282 declaring September 21st of each year as the International Day of Peace.

That’s all very nice but in the immortal words of Dr. Phil, “How’s that working for you?”

For me, not so good.

And? At moments like this, my father would look me straight in the eye and say, “So, what are you going to do about it?”

The computer has a bit of a virus. There are a few bad apples. There’s a wrench in the works. A kink in the line. A clog in the drain.

My answer has always been to look at a much used, seldom heeded, Zen adage:

"Pain Is Inevitable. Suffering is Optional."

We are capable of so much magic. When focused, our positive energy is capable of miracles. Wounds and injuries heal.

I am declaring 2008 the first YEAR of peace. Celebrate peace, daily, all day.

Let it be a year in which we build positive connections between all cultures. Let it be a year in which all nations and all people recognize and cherish our role as stewards of our home and all that shares with us, this planet Earth. Let it be the year in which we discover how to sustain world peace.

It is something many have wished for, it’s time to insist. It’s time.

The messages are all around us… and it’s not anything new.

I think we have all felt the winds of change.

An ancient Hopi prophecy, dating back thousands of years, speaks of the forces of purification “Blood will flow. Our hair and our clothing will be scattered upon the earth. Nature will speak to us with its mighty breath of wind. There will be earthquakes and floods causing great disasters, changes in the seasons and in the weather, disappearance of wildlife, and famine in different forms. There will be gradual corruption and confusion among the leaders and the people all over the world, and wars will come about like powerful winds. All of this has been planned from the beginning of creation.”

Some time ago, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith wrote, “The winds of despair are, alas, blowing from every direction, and the strife that divides and afflicts the human race is daily increasing. The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing order appears to be lamentably defective."

Luke 21 – “And there will be signs in the sun and moon and the stars, and upon the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

The prophecies of Fatima warn, “The night will be bitterly cold, the wind will howl and roar, then will come lightning, thunderbolts, earthquakes, the stars and heavenly bodies will be disturbed and restless”

A prophecy in ancient Islamic tradition (usul) indicates a black wind (huayra yana) will rise up at the beginning of "The Day" [of judgment].

Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce and other prominent “seers” have foretold of the winds.

In October, a team led by Son Nghiem of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California announced that a rapid decline in winter perennial ice the past two years has been caused by unusual winds. Nghiem said, “The winds causing this trend in ice reduction were set up by an unusual pattern of atmospheric pressure that began at the beginning of this century."

David A. Salstein, an atmospheric scientist from Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc., of Lexington, Mass. recently stated, “Changes in the atmosphere, specifically atmospheric pressure around the world, and the motions of the winds that may be related to such climate signals as El Niño are strong enough that their effect is observed in the Earth’s rotation signal.”

Egyptologist, Lemesurier, who has conducted one of the most recent analyses of the Great Pyramid, describes how he has decoded a message about 'The Final Reckoning': "The crisis is essentially a material one. We should expect the basic structures that underlie our whole civilization to suffer severe damage. Our financial structures, our communications networks, our supplies of raw- materials and consequently our whole standard of living are at severe risk. For some decades we may be forced back into a much more primitive way of life characterized by self- sufficiency and closeness to the land. Especially during the change over, social unrest, conflict and disintegration may result."

I have read of some who believe that predictions and warnings of wind are symbolic, as wind is void, without nourishing qualities. Wind is rather magical, if you think about it. While invisible, it is capable of enormous strength, both destructive and constructive. The wind can humble us and the wind can empower us.

So what if we are forced back into a more “primitive” way of life? Is there anything wrong with self-sufficiency? The way I see it, some of “Our financial structures, our communications networks, our supplies of raw- materials and consequently our whole standard of living” have been out of whack for a while. & Sometimes, change really is for the better.

There is nothing productive about negative emotions. In fact, they are selfish and singular. Fear, rage, anger, worry… nothing nice going on there… and I believe it is a choice we can make…

I know some people who are already practically “fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world”. From my perspective, it isn’t helping anything. It just breathes life into “what if”… and what exactly is the “what if”? It’s fear and it can be paralyzing, even controlling.

Not how I want to live.

2008 is my answer.

Run virus scans and lock them in the virus vault. Bad apples go to the compost pile. Put the wrench back; on the workbench. Un-kink the line. Baking soda and vinegar will unclog the drain.

Say no to fear. Live gently and thoughtfully, love. Help one another.

As they say, I believe in traditional Lakota, tatohiyatakiya – we face the wind together.

With 10 days left in 2007, I went back to my blog of December
29th, 2006- entitled “Guess What….”

In that blog, I included many forecasts made by others and a few
predictions of my own… and while there is still time for some things
to happen, it's not all that likely...

Still, it’s interesting to look back and see how accurate last year's predictions were.

I won’t spoil it for you, if you want to skip through my blog archives, you can see for yourself.

I’m making no predictions this year. I’m making no resolutions.

I will make a solid stand for “peace on earth” and “an outpouring of love for mother earth”.

I will continue giving and doing my personal best.

I will take better care of those closest to me. This, of course, includes me and my family- the furry ones, too- [Stanley (my ancient cat) and Dennis (Stanley’s cat) and Miss Billie (my dog)] and my close friends and colleagues.

I will ponder and read more, write more and enjoy more. There is never enough fun and laughter!

Besides, in the immortal words of Groucho Marx, “"Outside of a dog, a book is probably man's best friend, and inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."

I realize that winter doesn’t officially begin for another week or so… but we’ve got snow!

There are so many activities to enjoy in the winter and it’s been a long time since we’ve had such beautiful, magical and bountiful snow. This area is perfect for both active winter vacations and relaxing winter vacations. Conditions are ideal!

The enthusiast will thrill over the thousands of kilometers of groomed snowmobile trails that wind their way through the region. There are a number of locations that groom for cross-country skiing and there are downhill slopes, too.

Ice-skating, dog sledding, natural luge, tobogganing and ice fishing are other easily accessible activities that are sure to please the go-getters. Naturalists will enjoy snow shoeing, following deer and moose tracks and hiking through some of the most spectacular landscape in the province.

Snow forts, snowball fights and campfires in the snow are easily enjoyed when the weather provides such a healthy serving of winter… while some of us are more than content, just cuddling up with a good book, a classic movie, a soft blanket and a roaring fire.

Cottage country is somehow quieter and more relaxing in the winter… and definitely it is meant to be enjoyed year-round. Less than 3 hours from Ottawa and Toronto, this is the right place to find your place in the country.

There is always media attention around the business of buying and selling real estate. Lately, there has been a lot of press surrounding what is being called “Phantom Offers”.

A recent article in the Toronto Star, cited some consumers who have complained that they made offers on properties that had been on the market for an extended period of time and then, suddenly, when their offer was registered, they were informed that another offer had just been registered as well.

Is there really another offer? There had better be. If there isn't, and it's just a big fat lie, it's a phantom offer and it is against the law.

Notice of more than one offer puts the Buyer in a position of competing on the purchase- which usually means they must tender offers with fewer conditions and their highest price, among other things. So the accusation is that a fake offer is announced by the unethical as a tactic to trap the unwary consumer into paying more and investigating less. Highly unethical!

In a Toronto Star article, dated September 15, 2007 stated that “while no statistics are kept specifically involving phantom bids, the Real Estate Council of Ontario documents – obtained after a request by the Star – show the council received 60 complaints about bidding processes in the year ending March 31, 2007”.

Hmmm, “the bidding processes”… not exactly phantom offers.

My recent copy of REM (Real Estate Marketing) quotes Maureen O’Neill (Toronto Real Estate Board President) as saying, “… this issue has been sensationalized…” and “… of the 186,000 property sales in Ontario last year, there was only one incident where a seller’s agent was fined by the Real Estate Council of Ontario for misrepresenting the existence of an offer to another agent.”

There are consumer protection laws in the Province and federal legislation like the Competition Act and the Criminal Code that prohibit fake offers and every Realtor ® knows that it would be unethical to pretend to have an offer on a property. Not to mention violations under the Real Estate and Business Brokers’ Act of Ontario.

Certainly, the Offer process that is presently used in the industry is not perfect. One has to abide by the regulations which prevent a Realtor ® from disclosing the particulars of any offer. Yet, a Realtor ® must disclose the presence of competing offers and as a courtesy, most of us will reveal that there is another offer in process and promise to confirm this, once the offer is received.

Personally, I have once had a Buyer doubt the presence of competing offers and I understand his frustration when I had to explain that I could not show him the other offer.

I have also been informed by other Realtors ® of the presence of competing offers and had my clients doubt that the information was true.

Just recently, one of my sales reps was emailed by a Realtor ® from another company who demanded that he black out the Buyer’s name and the amount and send a copy of a “competing” offer as proof of its existence. YIKES. My sales rep was completely incensed! He felt he had been called a liar. Not good, not good at all.

Perhaps this other Realtor ® had been reading the recent press reports that suggest the problem of phantom offers is rampant, particulary in Toronto.

I have to admit, I have heard of phantom offers… and I’ve had occasion to question the existence of competing offers, too…. Some Realtors ® say it’s one of the oldest tricks in the books… but would anyone in my office pretend to have an offer? NO WAY. And I have had to trust that other companies are also adhering to rules, regulations and legislations.

Over the years, the business of Real Estate has seen a lot of reform. Constant tweaking of regulation attempts to secure an ethical marketplace and consumer protection. So where does it end?

I believe that my word is my word. I believe the same of everyone in my office. Not a bad egg among them. Like I said, I have to believe that all other real estate sales people are adhering to all of the rules, regulations and legislations and that the governing body (the Real Estate Council of Ontario)is overseeing this.

As usual, it only takes a few bad apples to make things awkward for the rest of us.

I love what Maureen O’Neill had to say, again quoted from that Toronto Star article of September 15th “"Boot them out, we don't need them in the business," "I don't think these people should be allowed to sell real estate."

Amen.

I've been busy... and in between, in those precious quiet moments, I have been observing.

There is an awful lot going on in the world today and I've observed some patterns, themes- if you will. At times, I muse that life can be a lot like the movie "Groundhog Day". And I know that the human being is programmed, among other things- but pretty intensively, to identify patterns.

The television is full of science, parascience and history, military and mystery, with a smattering of things we can giggle about. As always, there are observable trends and themes.

Conspiracy Theories are somehow becoming mainstream... or at least there are all kinds of people speculating. Politics and religion seem to be being scrutinized. Just when you think that the U.S.A. is being called onto the carpet... you might think that the U.S.A. is making most of the calls...

Global warming, earth changes, economic collapse, brain washing, alien technology, healthcare, policing, goverment, legal wrangling of every description, war, the Mayan Calendar, prophesy, weather conditions.

And there's lotsa talk about the Bilderbergs, World Leaders and corrupt Corporate power... DNA, Knights Templar and Nazis...

I observe: fear is a very powerful energy... and I also observe: sometimes it is used.

I've also observed alliances of people in ardent pursuit of truth and taking personal responsibilty.

In my own life, I've always maintained that I can only do my best, think the best, have positive goals... you know, keep an open mind, be thoughful, make decisions based on my own observations and while the perspective may change as information is observed... my core truth does not change because I simply listen to my soul and it guides me toward being the best I can, doing the best I can and embracing the common "good". For me, this works- in every situation.

When people ask me what I would like (for my birthday, for Christmas, for lunch... whatever) I have always said (and I continue to say "I'll have World Peace, thank you")... because that IS what I will have, if you're asking what you can provide. The way I see it, most other stuff is encompassed in that paradigm or is inconsequential, comparitively.

I keep being told that "there is no such thing as a coincidence".

So how about this... a few weeks ago, while I was reading two very different books and observing their similarities...

(at least how I felt the resonation... while they came at it from wildly opposing sources)

... during that reading, in my mind, they both spoke very clearly to achieving the best possible world.)

and then, one afternoon, my daughter came home from school and she was doing a project on "Global Citizenship"... part of the required curriculum... and she had point form notes of charcateristics that defined a Global Citizen...

I don't think the specific Titles and Authors much matter here... but, I showed her the books and we talked a little about the more specific aspects of each book and then about how they each held messages about being a citizen of The World.

Together, we "surfed" and we talked. The way we always do. Seeking other sources of inspiration and other views and historical references on the topic of Citizenship and the Globe...

And as we chatted and researched, I "cut and pasted" notes into a software program, to keypoint and underline certain items of discussion... some things for us to have to refer to...

Then, I printed that stuff off and held on to it, until my daughter was satisfied that her project was complete- at which time, I disposed of the print out. I did not "save" the notes in my computer file...

Since then, every single time that I open that wordprocessing program, it opens up with those notes displayed... the ones that I didn't save! And regardless of my efforts, I have not been able to make it stop.

When I want to save or write something in that wordprocessing program, I have to delete all those notes about Global Citizenship, first... and if I want to "save" the file, I have to rename it, every time... otherwise the program tries to save it under the first line of those Global Citizenship notes... which is: "dedicated to the design of solutions"

I thought I'd share the notes here... I wish I could quote the sources... but I didn't save those. I hadn't meant to use them anywhere. I had kept them, to be used as inspiration, in those moments... and it's as though these words have decided to stay. The remainder of this blog are those words:

"

dedicated to the design of solutions to international problems based on the fundamental principles of equal human dignity, liberty, democracy, and constitutionally protected basic rights of all.

Citizenship is a series of duties and rights.

Citizenship is a series of duties and rights.

in one of its documents, World Citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable Development (no date, p. 2), the BIC defines world citizenship as acceptance of and respect for principles, values, attitudes, and behaviors such as: Accepting all human beings as members of the human family. Considering the earth our home. Feeling both patriotic and international. Accepting unity and diversity. Supporting social justice and economic justice. Supporting cooperative and consultative decision-making.

acceptance of and respect for principles, values, attitudes, and behaviors such as: Accepting all human beings as members of the human family. Considering the earth "our home." Feeling both patriotic and international. Accepting "unity" and "diversity." Supporting social justice and economic justice. Supporting cooperative and consultative decision-making

In one of its documents, World Citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable Development (no date, p. 2), the BIC defines "world citizenship" as acceptance of and respect for principles, values, attitudes, and behaviors such as:
1. Accepting all human beings as members of the human family.
2. Considering the earth "our home."
3. Feeling both patriotic and international.
4. Accepting "unity" and "diversity."
5. Supporting social justice and economic justice.
6. Supporting cooperative and consultative decision-making.
7. Achieving gender equality.
8. Striving for racial, ethnic, national, and religious harmony.
9. Working for the "common good."
10. Encouraging human honor and dignity, understanding, friendship, cooperation, trustworthiness, caring, respect, and volunteer service.

Having a good relationship with people all over the world, communicating and getting along with other people, and understanding cultures and societies across borders seems to reflect an "internationalization" and a knowledge/academic world view. The third type of answer, the view of most of the group, was that world citizenship meant cooperating, doing things for others, and volunteering, perhaps reflecting experiences connected with the Hanshin earthquake (Kobe, 1995) and the rise in social consciousness resulting from that disaster.
How a person might become a world citizen consisted of four general categories: volunteering, becoming multinational in outlook, world events, and studying. Being multinational in outlook was vague. It included developing a sense of multinationalism, thinking about the world, hoping for world peace, and having an awareness of the difficulties some people have with a world citizen concept because of religion, history, and tradition. About one-third of the group felt that volunteering and helping others was the way to become a world citizen, mentioning such things as: helping or doing something for another person; volunteering for community service; joining a peace movement or group; planning events for poor or handicapped people; taking part in exchange program activities with foreigners; and having kindness for everybody.

1. Humanity is one and indivisible; each member of the human race is a trust of the whole.
· Raising children to be world citizens.
· The basic concept: To know and respect others.
· Thoughtfulness resulting form fraternal love is useful to raise humanity.
2. A world community whose borders are those of the planet and whose members are all humankind.
· *UNICEF Activities
· Overcoming hypocrisy must be based on global ways of thinking.
· *TV Commercials and Refugees
· Putting ourselves in another person's place is very important; TV commercials have a great effect on various global problems.
· *Aren't Japanese Asians?
· The first step is to give up our prejudice that the Japanese are special.
· *Internationalization in Japan (Same as above)
3. A commitment to a global ethic of justice, equality, caring, altruistic service and responsibility for the well-being of all.
· *Mother Teresa
· A model of love and thoughtfulness for everyone.
4. The future, peace and prosperity of each person is inseparable from that of all humanity.
· *Recycling
· Paying attention to the future of the earth.
· *Jody Williams and ICBL
· All people in the world should spare no effort to solve landmine problems. It is our common problem.
· *Refugee Problems
· Thinking deeply to solve world problems must raise a strong sense of justice in our minds.
5. What unites us is greater and more powerful than what divides us.
· *NGO Activities
· Interest and courage have unbelievable possibilities. We can do anything if we believe we can work things out.
6. The diversity of humanity is a source of richness and beauty.
· *Women becoming world citizens
· Recognizing individual differences is related to respecting others. We can survive if we are considerate of each other.
· *Development and Education
· Helping poor countries and poor people creates a fundamental relationship.
7. The history of humanity as one people is now beginning.
· *Secondary School and Education
· Human beings live to think and speak. Education and knowledge must enrich our lives.
To be a citizen of the world means quite simply to be actively involved, ... "

In a recent blog, I expressed the opinion that it’s a good time buy property in this area…

And the statistics certainly agree.

I’ve been chatting with appraisers and Realtors ® and various folks with economic knowledge much superior to my own… and if you are waiting for prices to come crashing down… you’d better make yourself comfortable. It could be a long wait.

In October, the total # of sales was up 27%; while the dollar value of sales was up 23% over last year. Although year-to-date figures, so far, reflect a 12% decline in the number of sales and a modest 7% increase in dollar value, there are two more months of 2007 to be considered.

In September, the total # of sales was down 16% and the dollar value was up 6%. In August, figures were –17% and +4%, respectively and in July, -18% and about 0%.

The number of properties with “conditional” sales is up; these sales are not recorded in the tally- & the trend, in recent years, has been brisk for sales in November and December.

This market is moving, albeit, there has been an adjustment.

My sources suggest a myriad of factors that may have been responsible for recent market conditions.

Some finger the glut of Realtors ® in the business. Yes, just like the late 80s, the Real Estate market gets “hot” and everyone and their uncle tries hopping on the bandwagon. The Ontario Real Estate Association reports an ever-increasing demand for educational courses that lead to registration as a sales representative.

Some say that it’s these new real estate sales folks who often do well at first, through the support of family and friends and when there are substantial numbers of new recruits their inexperience and zeal can result in an artificial and temporary rise in asking prices.

It’s true, that new real estate representatives, seeking listings, have a level of excitement that may lead to a pie-in-the-sky sense of the marketplace. They may take listings at exorbitantly high prices, simply for the sake of having a listing and until the sales representative matures in their level of skill and understanding, there can be some startling anomalies in the marketplace.

Others suggest that it is the Sellers who inflate the market because the public has a one-sided view of the market and subjectively, most feel that their property is a superior property. In a busy market, Sellers feel that they can push the envelope. I’ve even heard it referred to as “greed”.

Whatever the reason, those close to the industry, especially those in nearby and similar “rural, recreational, retirement” markets, report stable, positive increases in sales and predict this will continue. They are of the opinion that spiking, rapid increases in prices have (for the most part) been adjusted and our market is seeing a more moderate, steady balance.

There are still those quick to point to global social/political & economic forecasts and feel that the strength of our market is attributable to the fact that non-urban environments are the most sought after. They believe there is considerable value in the element of safety and security provided by less crowded, rural areas where Mother Nature is evident and seems abundant.

Certainly, the Haliburton, Bancroft, Barry’s Bay, Combermere and surrounding areas have much to offer and the signs of growth and development are all around us.

Lately I've been reading and thinking, perhaps more than usual, perhaps not. I've been watching documentaries, reviewing global political/economic events and listening to arguments about the general state of affairs of our planet.

I believe we have some really serious issues affecting the planet and no matter how hard we human beings try- we can't replicate Mother Earth. We need to stop depleting the rain forests. We need to stop pouring chemicals into our soil and into our air and into our bodies. We need to stop killing each other.

We are all members of the world community... and as November 11th quickly approaches (the day for Canadians to pause in memory of those who gave of their lives in defending our country while at war), I have been thinking that it is time to re-establish our membership in one family, one community, one cause and to respect the cost in terms of life on this planet and re-define what we need to be protecting.

We need to pro-active. We need to implement change... real change... I don't want to spew again about Tesla, but let's not forget that we are killing hundreds and hundreds of people and polluting our planet over fossil fuel and there are real alternative sources of energy! And... I'm not sure I mean crop fuels... we need to reserve our use of the soil to grow food. We have starving people on the planet. This should stop,too.

I was told that the computer era would reduce our use of paper... and save trees. HUMBUG. We are still cutting our trees at an alarming rate. What about bamboo, hemp or other options- these are quickly growing, easily replenishable resources that can be made into paper...

We need to put an end to homelessness... put an end to torture... put an end to as much of the suffering as is humanly possible... we need to be responsible...

I am putting as much positive energy as I can muster into saving the earth and all of its inhabitants. I vote for love. That's it, make love not war....

Having said all of that... and still, knowing it is insufficient to describe my feelings (words have not been invented that encompass the stirrings in my soul)... I have decided to share some poetry, written by my daughter, Catherine.

The first, she wrote for a school project in 2004 (she was 12 years of age)

For the Unknown Soldier
by Katie Stewart

I don't know your name,
But you are the poppy I pin to my heart,
And with it, my deepest feelings do start.
With courage and strength
You were called away,
So I could live life to the fullest each day.

Facing hardness and danger,
Hunger and cold
You gave your young life,
So I could grow old.
You left behind families
Who gave up their best
In dugouts and trenches,
our futures did rest.

What was it like for you, so far from home?
Where artillery shells blasted
And grenades were thrown?
And you crouched beside
Your comrades who bled
And I now wear poppies
The same colour red.

You don't know my name, but I am
The medal you pinned near your heart.
We have grown up, in worlds so far apart,
But at night we look
at the same star-filled sky,
Saying prayers into heaven
where angels do fly.

Where a star shines for every one
hurt by a war.
And the bravest of soldiers
will suffer no more.
God bless their souls,
May they rest now in peace,
For our promise to remember
will never cease.

***
and this poem, written in 2005 (also as a school assignment, when she was 13 years old)

At the Cenotaph
by Katie Stewart

A bugle sounds the saddest notes
Its familiar wail called "The Last Post".
My heart is heavy, I have reddened eyes
As I think of those who gave their lives.

A tear runs down my chilly cheek.
The silence deafens, I cannot speak.
I think of nurses and soldiers who cried,
Their comrades, children, shipmates who died.

And here we gather to honour and remember
In the 11th hour, on the 11th of November.
The ordinary people, like you and I
Called far from home, they said goodbye.

Some gave their lives, some returned.
Some were injured and some were burned.
They protected our country with dignity
Defending the true north, strong and free.

The veterans' eyes are soft and misted.
They have seen the horror that existed.
Here I stand, in this monumental place
I can hardly imagine the hardships they faced.

They lived through nightmares, so I could have dreams.
They gave me the sunrise, the forest and streams.
And even though we've never met
These are the people I will never forget.

***

Things are happening in cottage country. Resorts, lodges, inns, hotels, motels, B&Bs and other leisure and tourism business appear to be gaining market. Advertising initiatives promoting fall in Ontario may be credited for some of the influx of activity.

Bill Duron, an experienced tourism leader and media executive, has been reappointed for a second term as Chair of the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC).

The McGuinty government has been very supportive of recreation programs and is expected to continue to develop partnerships within the industry. This same government has supported rural economic development and has promised to continue their investments in the rural Ontario infrastructure.

After the recent election, Mr. McGuinty announced plans to create an Eastern Ontario development fund and help restore historic downtown areas of rural towns. Further, in addition to having already uploaded health care costs and ½ the ambulance costs, the Liberals plan to upload the entire burden of the Ontario Disability Support Program and the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan.

The Liberals have already launched a Provincial-Municipal Fiscal and Source Delivery Review that they believe will set the tone for long- term solutions to the downloading issue.

Chris White, the chair of the Rural Ontario Municipal Association, is quoted as saying, “Cities may be the engines of growth, but rural communities provide much of what fuels that growth and development.”

White also indicates future government attention providing improved information and communications technology, transportation- as well as infrastructure and other issues critical to sustaining the growth of new opportunities and new business in rural areas.

Chris White says, “We need to ensure that policy cultivates strength across all municipalities, including rural communities in particular.”

This is all good news for the greater Bancroft, Haliburton and Barry’s Bay areas.

Ontario in-bound visits rose 1.4% in 2006 to 114.8 million visits. We expect inbound visit growth to continue in 2007 and 2008, up 2.3% and 1.8% respectively.

Intra-provincial travelers is expected to grow to 98.3 million in 2011, reflecting an average annual compound rate of 1.6% and travel from overseas origins is expected to be robust in the coming five years.

Development interest and new projects in the area are also more evident. Local Realtors ® report a notable increase in interest in commercial, industrial and development properties.

The word on the street is that this area is ready to bust wide open and boom.

This is not surprising. It has been coming for a long while. Saturation in markets west of us, like Muskoka and Collingwood, even Huntsville and Haliburton has driven the consumer east, in recent years. The increasing demand has contributed to consistent increases in prices.

And, overall, it isn’t slowing down.

Buyers should consult a local Realtor ® for representation. A local Realtor ® can and will provide valuable information with regard to the historic and current marketplace.

While nobody can predict with 100% accuracy – the leading experts all share the belief that our precious rural Ontario, cottage country property is going to continue to rise in value. Given the state of the world, does that really surprise anyone?

Properties for Sale listings have been declining in cottage country at an alarming rate. Local by-law officials seem to be more restrictive about severances- perhaps more clues that securing a rural retirement, recreational or residential property may be getting more and more difficult.

I'm happy to already be a Hastings County property owner.

Believe it or not… I’ve been asked many times, “when is the best time to buy?” It just might be now.

04/28/07 I wrote a blog enitled “OF DNA FOSSIL FUEL AND MEMORY” which made a segue into a somewhat philosophical spew about genetics and genetic memory… and inherited memories and…

anyway… a friend recently mentioned epigentics to me. And you know what that means… I have been researching it, furiously, in my spare time.

Essentially, epigentics is a branch of science that has, more intensely since the 80s, been working on a theory that there is some sort of “on-off switch” with a molecular basis through which heritable information other than DNA sequence influences gene function.

The commonly accepted notion is that through our DNA we are destined to have particular body shapes, personalities, and diseases and perhaps even a predetermined intelligence and predilection to certain social ills, including poverty, crime, and violence.

We know that certain biological ‘information’ is passed from parents to their offspring and that cells pass information on to each other, when they divide and it seems that it’s not just the genes that influence the traits and functions. of an organism but also ‘epigenetic’ or non-gene factors.

There are “epigenetic” factors within the cell that can be inherited when cells divide without changing the genes themselves. They do, however, modify the behaviour of genes.

Epigenetics researchers have recognized there are many molecular sequences and patterns that may determine which genes can be turned on and off. Studies indicate that the introduction of some vitamin, or brief exposure to a toxin, even an added dose of mothering can tweak the epigenome—altering the software of our genes, if you will—in ways that affect an individual's body and brain for life.

Perhaps even more unbelievable, epigenetic signals from the environment can be passed on from one generation to the next, sometimes for several generations, without changing a single gene sequence.

Okay, we’ve all been taught that environmental effects like radiation, can alter the genetic sequences in a sex cell's DNA and can leave a mark on subsequent generations. It's well documented that the environment in a mother's womb can alter the development of a fetus. What is really interesting it the growing evidence that the epigenetic changes brought on by diet, behaviour, or surroundings can work their way into the line up and resonate far into the future.

It seems that what we inherit from our parents are chromosomes, and chromosomes are only 50 percent DNA. The other 50 percent is made up of protein molecules, and it’s these proteins that carry epigenetic marks and information.

Over the years, researchers have argued on one side or the other, or a combination of both in the nature-versus-nurture divide. Recently, scientists have found solid proof that nurturing attention from the mother stimulates serotonin receptors in the hippocampus of her child. These receptors send proteins called transcription factors to turn on the gene that inhibits stress responses. This switch can alter gene expression permanently.

It is interesting to note that adults who reported in a questionnaire that they had a poor relationship with their mother were found to have hippocampi that were significantly smaller than average. Those adults who reported having had a close relationship with their mother, however, showed normal size hippocampi.

In November 2005, a clinical geneticist presented data drawn from two centuries of records on crop yields and food prices in an isolated town in northern Sweden. Swedish researchers have discovered that fluctuations in the towns' food supply may have health effects spanning at least two generations.

Grandfathers who lived their preteen years during times of plenty were more likely to have grandsons with diabetes—an ailment that doubled the grandsons' risk of early death. Equally notable was that the effects were sex specific. A grandfather's access to a plentiful food supply affected the mortality rates of his grandsons only, not those of his granddaughters, and a paternal grandmother's experience of feast affected the mortality rates of her granddaughters, not her grandsons.

It appears that timing is critical to the intergenerational impact. There was a direct corelation to the ages at which grandmothers and grandfathers experienced a food surplus and the affect on future generations. The granddaughters most affected were those whose grandmothers experienced times of plenty while in utero or as infants, precisely the time when the grandmothers' eggs were forming. The grandsons most affected were those whose grandfathers experienced plenitude during the so-called slow growth period, just before adolescence, which is a key stage for the development of sperm.

I guess it means that our environment and general health (emotional as well as physical) has an affect on the way our bodies manufacture the protein with which our cellular information is packaged. So it stands to reason that if it’s packed differently- even identical strands of information would be open to a slightly different interpretation.

The logic of all of this applies backward as well as forward: Some of the disease patterns prevalent today may have deep epigenetic roots. If you have a generation of poor people who suffer from bad nutrition, it may take two or three generations for that population to recover from that hardship and reach its full potential.

To put all of this into simple terms what you eat or smoke today could affect the health and behavior of your great-grandchildren and in more ways than you might suspect.

& apparently, our cells do have some pretty serious memory capacity.

I've been very lax again, lately. Blogging has taken a back seat to other activities.

I wouldn't say I'm absent minded... it's just that sometimes, I'm absent from things, because I'm focusing my thinking on something else...

Family Tree Research:
most recently, I've discovered that I am the 6th cousin 5 times removed of Humphrey Bogart

Writing:
I've done a couple of articles at the request of one of the local papers, I've had to write up a number of ads (particularly for long weekends) and I have actually completed a new series of poems

Children:
among other things- I'm still coping with "the boyfriend" being away at college (and arranging transportation to get him home on weekends) and "the daughter" being more available

Business:
there's a flurry of activity in the market place, again. Typical for this time of year, really... lately, nothing seems simple... a lot of complicated lives of, in and around the biz... I get called on, quite often, to help people sort stuff out... and I often get referred customers & clients with unusual circumstances, too

Friends:
unlike Spring fever, when you live in a small rural town, it seems like the autumn brings out some strange emotions... many people look for a better solution... a good place to hunker down for the winter... and they often look to friends for advice that they probably won't take anyway

Family:
seems like the lot of us have been ill... coughing, hacking and some have actually had the nerve to go as far as pneumonia- rats and phooey...

the other day, I finally caught up on the old green bus blog (one of my bro's websites)

I'm cooking a turkey today... my neice spent last Thanksgiving in Korea and was desperate to celebrate a traditional holiday- but it turns out that she has to work this weekend

Motorcycle:
the last two Sundays, we've been able to get out for a nice long ride... the leaves are weird this year... some trees area already bare, some haven't turned at all... and some are ablaze... we've added more chrome... and wheels of fire (lights in the spokes)... sometimes I find myself humming "Rhinestone Cowboy"... but we've ordered more chrome yet...

House:
Fabian finally chopped down the jungle that had grown up at the end of our very long driveway... people couldn't see the 911 #

Bell Canada:
OH MY... well... it seems like we've been on the phone with Bell about 10 or 12 times in the last couple of weeks... when we moved, we couldn't put a phone line in for the teenagers because the phone line comes in at the hydro line and the trees had overgrown the lines... it took us a year to get that sorted out and hydro finally came in and cleaned up the line... then Bell came to put the second line in and it seems that our accounts went upside down... they changed the address on our service and... well... Fabian nearly blew a gasket... we pay a lot of money for phone service... with between 6 and 10 cell phones... satellite tv... and various land lines... and we've never been late to pay... but... we couldn't seem to get anyone to send us actual statements... the post office doesn't like the 911 address and insists on the p.o. box number... and we couldn't get anyone at Bell to understand.... sigh

Recently, there was a meeting in Bancroft about "Big Box Stores". We couldn't make it... but there was a piece in the paper saying we'd better brace ourselves... they're coming.

I am getting sick of watching Tracey manipulate Charlie (Coronation Street)... and also, I'm wondering when the CBC is going to catch us up to the BBC... the street just celebrated New Year 2007!

I did the mandatory RECO update for Real Estate practitioners, last week... 6 classroom hours mostly talking about mistakes that people have made... it's a little depressing. Fortunately, there are more of us that do things right- I think. It's just that it is an industry that constantly evolves and it encompasses theoretical things like the law... which constantly changes... I figure, if you keep up on things, they won't pile on you...

Has anyone else noticed how many t.v. shows about "the paranormal" and "ufos" there have been the last few months? Speaking of which...
ex-husbands keep making their way into my life... and people keep bringing them into conversation... it's not that I mind... it's just that I really don't have anything to say about them... it's kind of old news.

Katie is counting the days until she gets the braces off her teeth. I have to say that she is smiling a lot more... which makes it all worth while... not that her teeth were THAT out of whack... they just bothered her... you know, it makes me wonder, how many sullen teenagers are just hiding behind teeth that make them feel embarrassed...

A lot of local talk this time of year about: how bad of a winter to expect... about moose hunting... moose sightings... about deer hunting... about deer sightings... and how fast the summer went.

The Phil Spector trial turned out exactly how I expected... the jury had a hard time with defining "beyond a reasonable doubt".

Anyway... it's time for me to "baste" again and after all, it's probably just a sign of maturity when nothing much surprises you any more.

Today’s blog is brought to you by the letter. B seems to be (pardon the pun) in the news a lot today. I was going to write all about how beautiful the leaves are, having really started to change, but I was distracted by all the Bs. (grins)

Bees- got loose in Montana yesterday. Police warned local residents in the small town of Billings to close windows and doors because a truck carrying 465 active behives (and some 13.7 million bees) had lost the cargo into a ditch and an estimated 2000 bees had left the scene, likely in a huff.

Bees- a construction worker, outside of Austin Texas, was attacked by a swarm of bees, causing him to hit a button as he jumped from his tractor that set in motion and auger that took out a communication line, interrupting service for more than 7 hours on Wednesday.

Bush- made an embarrassing gaff, yesterday; at a press conference- he stated that Suddam Hussein had killed Nelson Mandela. The much revered, Nobel Prize winning Mr. Mandela is very much alive at 89 years of age.

Bin Laden- has, apparently, declared war on Pakistan.

Bounty- $25 million dollars on the head of Bin Laden.

B.C.- will be paying for girls to be vaccinated against HPV, the virus that has been linked to uterine cancer.

Black Market- Winnepeg has uncovered a black market for junk food in a high school that has cut sugar from the cafeteria menu.

Blindness- 48% of global blindness is caused by cataracts and most can be cured, if found early.

Barbie- The Beijing arm of Mattel, the famous maker of Barbie (and other toys), has apologized for the recall of 21 million toys in the past 5 weeks, due to high levels of lead paint.

Britney- Ms. Spears has been ordered to undergo random drug testing twice weekly, by the judge overseeing the custody battle for her 2 children.

Brad Pitt- his new film about the life of Jesse James opens today.

Bavaria- Gabriele Pauli, sexy, beautiful, biker cum politician has shocked Germany by suggesting that marriage contracts should expire after 7 years.

Brothel District- about 1/3 of lights in the 700-year-old Amsterdam red-light district will be going out, for good. The largest brothel owner has sold out to real estate developers. The city’s tourist authorities are concerned because the area is as popular to tourists as the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum.

Bungling Burglar in Brisbane- Just now in court, some drugged out freak broke into his neighbour’s home way back in ’04 and tossed around porno magazines and fashioned some kind of, ummm… device, out of a vacuum cleaner, wood, detergent bottle and a rubber glove. His DNA has been matched to samples collected at the scene.

Bear- A brown bear, in Bucarest broke into a resort in the Carpathian Mountains looking for food. After having his head freed from being stuck in a garbage bin, he ran back into the forest.

Birth Rate- Recently released statistics from 2005 show that mothers in their thirties account for the highest proportion of births.

Bail- OJ Simpson has posted $125,000 bail and was released from detention pending a trial in connection with a recent armed robbery of sports memorabilia in Las Vegas.

Blackberry- The new blackberry model 8820 has been released.

Buck- seems the U.S. and Canadian dollar are simmering right around par, last evening the Canadian dollar had edged slightly higher, the first time in 31 years.

Bats- 200 students have been forced from their Huston Texas dorm due to a massive infestation of bats.

Baby- a New Hampshire judge has ordered a family finally lay to rest the mummified remains of a baby that has been passed down through the family for generations.

Best Ball- our 3rd annual charity golf tournament takes place tomorrow at the Bancroft Golf Course. We will be donating all funds raised to a local charity for the anti-bullying program.

Better quit now.

I’ve been reading lots about Hubert’s Peak and the oil crisis. I feel a bit like I am revisiting my schooldays. After all, that’s when I first started hearing about pollution, global environmental concerns, energy crisis, ecological stress and lots more! I have lots of friends who are counting the days now, until the end.

Recently, we were told that after two decades of warnings, the western black rhino has apparently met its final end. Its cousin, the northern white rhino may be down to as few as four remaining.

This morning, a friend sent me a website link to a recently published list of threatened wildlife, that article said that one in four of the world's mammals, one in eight birds, one third of all amphibians and 70 per cent of the world's assessed plants are in jeopardy.

The baiji (China’s delicate, grey-white, long nosed, near blind, dolphin) is functionally extinct. It is the first large aquatic mammal to have gone extinct since hunting and overfishing killed off the Caribbean monk seal in the 1950s. This marks the world's first cetacean -the order of whales, dolphins and porpoises -to be made extinct by man. The extinction is blamed on a degraded habitat in the Yangtze waters of eastern China and on uncontrolled and unselective local fisheries, which use rolling hook long lines, nets and electro-fishing.

The Spectacled cormorant (Phalacrocorax perspicillatus), a large, nearly flightless seabird lived on a few remote islands at the western end of the Aleutian chain. First identified in 1741 by the naturalist George Steller, who traveled with Vitus Bering on his exploration of Alaska. Steller was the only naturalist to see the spectacled cormorant alive. The population of spectacled cormorants declined quickly as whalers, fur traders and Aleut Natives (brought to Bering Island by the Russian-American Company) killed the birds for food and feathers. By 1850, fewer than 100 years after Steller first saw these seabirds, the spectacled cormorant became extinct.

Also extinct, is the little known "long horse". It was strong, handsome and could carry up to four people at one time. Often overworked, the horses did not live long and eventually there were none left to breed. See:
http://www.digital-art.org/D/Portraits/Burmeier/BurmeierFrames.html

A crow found in Hawaii and nowhere else in the world is believed to be extinct in the wild. Known locally as the 'alala, the Hawaiian crow, Corvus hawaiiensis, was once widespread on the island of Hawaii, but now survives only in captivity.

A quick search revealed the following:

Threatened:
African elephant
American White Pelican
Atlantic salmon
Atlantic loggerhead turtle
giant anteater
piping plover
pygmy hippo
sea otter

Endangered:
African wild ass
African wild dogs
American alligator
Asian (Indian) elephant
Asian lion
Black lemur
Black footed ferret
blue whale
bowhead whale
the cheetah
Chimpanzee
common green turtle
Crested Ibis
Eastern Cougar
Eskimo curlew
Fin Whale
Gaur: Wild cattle
Gavial Crocodile
giant armadillo
giant panda
gorilla
Grey Whale
Grizzly Bear
Humpback Whale
Imperial Amazon
Indian rhinoceros
Jaguar
Kagu
Kakapo
ridley turtle
Komodo dragon
Leatherback turtle
Leopard
Mediterranean Monk Seal
Mountain Gorilla
Orangutan
Philippine Eagle
Pronghorn
Przewalski’s Horse
Sei Whale
Shortnose Sturgeon
snow leopard
Takahe
Tapirs
Tiger

Extinct:
Abingdon Island Tortoise
Black Soft-Shell Turtle
Carolina parakeet
Cachorrito de Charco Palmal
Cachorrito Enano de Potosi
Dodo
Egyptian Barbary Sheep
Great Auk
Goodeid
Moas (15 species of flightless birds)
Mongolian Wild Horse
Moorean Viviparous Tree Snail
Oahu Deceptor Bush Cricket
passenger pigeon
Perrito de Potosi
Red-tailed Shark
Saudi Gazelle
Socorro Isopod
Sutural Partula
Tammar Wallaby
Vancouver Island Marmot
West Indian Manatee
White Rhino
Whooping Crane
Wyoming Toad
Yak

Vulnerable:
Coelacanth

Rare:
Flightless Cormorant
Monitored:
Trumpeter Swans

How much more is there that we don’t even know about?

I want to read Alan Greenspan’s memoirs.

I keep thinking, this is not a dress rehearsal.

There are a variety of views as to what constitutes truth; how to define and identify truth; upon the roles that revealed or acquired information have in truth; and whether truth is subjective, relative, objective, or absolute. In fact, my personal research has uncovered at least a half dozen “theories” of truth.

Now, then, the theories come from many different angles, as well. Some attempt to quantify truth mathematically and others are more philosophical in nature. Existentialists suggest that people create the meanings of their own lives. Rationalists seek “reason” through deduction and intellect to interpret things. Empiricism relies on the observed and recorded results of carefully engineered experiments. Idealism suggests that the existence of anything depends upon the mind of those who perceive them, or don’t perceive and that reality is composed of minds and states of mind.

Egad!

Wikipedia lists the following theories of truth:

·Consensus theory of truth ·Correspondence theory of truth
·Deflationary theory of truth · Epistemic theories of truth
·Indefinability theory of truth ·Pragmatic theory of truth
·Redundancy theory of truth ·Semantic theory of truth

Sheesh how many versions of the truth are there?

From my own experience; I do know that pretty well everyone has a different way of interpreting and differentiating between truth and a falsehood… and we all have our own way of defining truth, too.

It’s easy to understand why we might sometimes disagree about what is true and what isn’t. I mean, if we are all speaking different languages when it comes to what constitutes “truth” then, how likely are we to agree?

A lot of definitions of truth seem to revolve around the word “reality”. Then, the problem is that the definition of reality often encompasses the word true or truth. Hmmmm.

I’ve come to accept that each of us has their own sense of reality and it’s our personal life experience that affects how things appear to us.

In my high school law class one day, the teacher had two people come, unexpectedly, running and screaming through the door, around the room a little and then back out. We were instructed to immediately stop and write down exactly what had just happened.

Well, I have to tell you that not one student described the “actors” the same way and nobody had the same story, not even that close. It was a very telling exercise.

It can be unnerving how sure you are that something is true and only later, discover that you were way off target. The truth sometimes changes, with additional knowledge. So really, isn’t truth a just “feeling” that you have, based on the information available and past experience- throw in a healthy dash of personal interpretation based on your intuition of the occurrence?

Amazing how changes in your life will always be proportionate to your knowledge. The same could be said about how we interpret the truth.

I do believe that there is a huge difference between truth and honesty. Thank heavens!

Oh, and wait a minute.

I recently read: “Life is whatever you choose to remember”.

I think that sounds more like it.

Okay, I’m about to admit something. Since the 1993 televised trial of the brothers Menendez, I have been known to tune into Court TV. Yes, I watched a lot of the Simpson trial, the Peterson trial and most recently, the Spector trial.

I’ve watched bits and pieces of a lot of trials, of non-celebrity people, too. It isn’t a voyeuristic thing- I enjoy the posturing, the science and the politics, the language and the attempts to manipulate- I’m looking past the celebrity and blood & guts.

Here is the confession part: In my brain, the term “beyond a reasonable doubt” has been a source of aggravation, of and on, for at least the past 14 years. It’s a term used in the instructions given to juries, in both Canada and the United States, and probably other countries, too. It’s been used since the 1500s!

I’ve tried breaking it down… dissecting the words and trying to fit it with my own vocabulary- and also, researching dictionary for the words and their meanings, what they vaguely suggest and how the phrase is supposed to be interpreted.

Beyond: extending past a point
Reasonable: making common sense, logical and rational
Doubt: uncertain, to have misgivings

Still, I can’t seem to make that term “beyond a reasonable doubt” makes sense. Past the point of a logical doubt? Argh. There are lucid moments, in which I am comforted that the meaning is intended… but there are times when I believe the phrase is practically an oxymoron.

I did a bunch of googling and random polls of the usual suspects. I have to admit that I was relieved to discover that I am not the only one with a problem connecting the dots. Even various courts have added a word, here or there, in attempt to clarify the intention of the phrase. Some courts have ordered that it is meant to be nebulous and therefore must remained unchanged.

In 1850, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court defined reasonable doubt as a mental state in which jurors “cannot say they feel an abiding conviction, to a moral certainty, of the truth of the charge.”

Most interpretations seem to have something to do with “a high level of probability”… or that reasonable doubt doesn’t mean a “possible doubt” it means a substantial doubt- however, it does not mean an absolute certainty, either.

Clear as mud.

Since the 1850 Massachusetts decision, a number of judges added the words “to a moral certainty” to their instructions. This standard of proof doesn’t require that the evidence is so conclusive that all reasonable doubts are removed from the mind of the ordinary person. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg noted, “Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is proof that leaves you firmly convinced of the defendant’s guilt”.

Around 1994, the United States Supreme Court warned that a common definition of reasonable doubt that refers to jurors’ “moral certainty” of guilt was outdated and potentially confusing.

Ya think?

Several Federal appellate circuits have dealt with the problem of defining reasonable doubt by instructing trial judges NOT to provide any definition at all.

A 1970s article in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Vol. 6, No. 2 by Rita James Simon stated that:

“Reasonable doubt is one a reasonable person has after carefully weighing all the testimony and is one a reasonable person would act or decline to act upon. It is not a capricious doubt or a fanciful doubt or a doubt arising in anyone's mind because of any sympathy for the defendant. It is in essence what the words obviously mean-a reasonable doubt. A reasonable doubt may arise not only from the evidence produced but also from a lack of evidence. “

“From anecdotal evidence, it seems that most juries translate the phrase "beyond a reasonable doubt" into "almost certain," "practically sure," "with only the slightest doubt"; or, if we were to restate the instruction in terms of a percentage or a probability, over a 90 per cent likelihood that the defendant committed the act for which he was charged.”

There have been juries that have had some very 'different' interpretations of "reasonable doubt" and they have brought forward verdicts (based on their interpretation) that may have had completely opposite results, had there been clarification.

On Court TV, there has recently been a lot banter about how rich celebrities can afford to hire doubt instigators. Throw enough “doubt” into the mix and you have the jury stymied.

I've read several reports in which lawyers believe that the U.S. civil instruction that requires a verdict through “a preponderance of the evidence” is easier to understand. In other countries, it is known as a balance of the probabilities.

Good thing I don’t have any plans to have my life decided by anyone trying to sort out their responsibility based on language that dates back to the 1500s- but where does it stop?

Do you suppose that some day, we’ll be giving jury instructions using today’s urban street language?

They tell me that “Snap! That dude has the street cred for wicked rad-bad.” now means “Wow, this guy is credible and well respected for doing things that are good, even if they aren’t considered the current trend.”

And “He’s nasty” means “He is ridiculously good at what he’s doing”.

Do you think that we might need a translator?

Words can be both powerful and powerfully misunderstood. That much I know, beyond a reasonable doubt.

Six years ago, this morning, Robert Grant Norton and his wife, Jacqueline, boarded a plane at Logan International Airport in Boston. They were traveling to California for their son’s wedding.

85 year-old Norton, of Lubec, Maine, was a retired engineer. For 44 years, he had served as a deacon in the Lubec Congregational Christian Church. It was a beautiful, sunny, Tuesday morning when the couple boarded American Airlines Flight 11.

That same morning, 2 year-old Christine Lee Hanson was boarding a United Airlines plane at Logan Airport. Little Christine was traveling with her mother, 35 year-old Kim Hanson and her father, 32 year-old Peter Hanson.

Peter Hanson and his family lived in Boston. Peter was the vice president of a software company, his wife a promising medical student. Christine was on her way to a Disneyland vacation in California.

The Norton’s plane crashed into the North Tower of World Trade Center in New York at about 8:46 that morning. The Hanson’s plane crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York at about 9:03 a.m. that day.

Somewhere, there are people who planned this mass execution. I can’t begin to express what I think of them.

I choose to think that there were more heroes than villains that day, although there were more victims than survivors. A series of events on September 11, 2001 took thousands of lives and scarred millions- some in ways we have yet to discover.

I know that out there, it’s far more personal that this. In some 90 countries, there are those who loved and cherished a life now lost. I do not know any of them as individuals and yet, I want to honour them. I want to tell the world that I know these lives and their passings had significance. I want to comfort the families, friends and colleagues.

Oh, how I share in this collosal, collective ache that torments and resonates with each syllable connected...

Nine eleven, Nine eleven, Nine Eleven.

Rest in peace.

http://www.september11victims.com/september11victims/victims_list.htm

http://www.scribd.com/doc/275969/911-A-Statisticians-Lament

In 29 days, voters in Ontario will have a choice to make with regard to a recommendation made by a panel of average citizens, selected at random (known as the Citizens Assembly). These folks studied our current system of selecting government and then voted 92% in favour of implementing Mixed Member Proportional voting system.

On Election Day, October 10th, 2007 each voter in Ontario will be given the opportunity to vote yes or no to MMP. If MMP passes, it will bring significant change to Ontario politics. MMP would reduce the number of ridings from the current 107 to 90, with MPPS using the systems that we’ve always used. Then, another 39 MMP seats will be added, expanding the Legislature to 129 MPPs.

The Coalition feels that this system would reduce the likelihood of majority governments and give small parties a realistic shot at seats in the House.

This is important stuff. How often do we have our government ASK US?

After deciding to introduce this “referendum”, Elections Canada hired Grey Canada (an ad agency) to educate Ontario voters about MMP. Rick Kemp, the executive creative director at Grey Canada has said, “Electoral reform is really important. But engaging people and getting them to embrace it is another matter."

Uh huh.

Come On! SERIOUSLY, this is the first provincial referendum since the 1924 vote that extended prohibition another three years.

Now, we have to try to get past the “jargon” the MMP, MPPs and such…

Our current system is called “Single Member Plurality”- or First-Past-The-Post (FPTP). One of the problems with this system is that a party may win more seats than overall votes and still be called a “majority” government. Such governments will claim a “mandate from the people” (sort of a winner-take-all situation) and then have the power to enact laws that are not supported by the majority of the citizens.

Those in favour of MMP point to the most recent Provincial election, in which the current government won 70% of the seats while receiving only 46% of the popular vote. In Toronto (largest city in Ontario and in Canada) there is no elected Progressive Conservative MPP- although they won 225,000 votes in the city. In the Federal election the PC party received 400,000+ votes in Toronto but no elected MP representing Toronto. In other words, the PC caucus does not have a singe voice representing Toronto.

Supporters believe this is an unfair geographic representation and could be part of the reason that some 40% of eligible Ontarians do not bother to cast a vote.

Under the proposed model (a form of MMP), the Ontario legislature will consist of 129 seats. In each electoral district, local constituency races will provide voters with one vote would be used to elect a 'Local Member' using a First-Past-the-Post system. The candidate with the most votes in an electoral district wins. This accounts for 90 seats. (This is much like our current system.)

A difference is, that the remaining 39 seats will be proportional or list seats and will be used to top up parties' seat totals so that the proportion of seats that each party gets corresponds to the proportion of votes that each party gets in the party vote. Each party would provide “list MPs” assigned to represent the party. These MPS would be elected via the “party votes”. These “list members” would fill the “top up seats” and be accountable to the people who elected them.

Please note: The identity of the list candidates and the way they were created; would be available to the public throughout an election campaign.

In order to facilitate this option, at election time, the eligible citizen voter would be given two votes-

One for a local member (as we have always done)
and
One for the party of our choice.

It is believed that the flexibility created by allowing these two votes will provide the electorate with strong local representation and produce fairer election results.

Votes for parties will be used to determine the number of 'List Members' each party gets. If a political party is entitled to more seats than it won locally, 'List Members' are elected to make up the difference. 'List Members' can only be elected from a political party that received more than 3% of these votes. This is where the “proportional representation” part comes in, because, in the end a political party’s overall share of seats will be roughly equal to its share of the total votes for parties in the province.

It is expected that each party will be making an effort to create a well-balanced list and this creates a new route into politics for under-represented groups, including women. It's generally held that the presence of more women and minorities in the legislature will create a positive feedback loop where the more women, for instance, who are in politics, the more attractive politics will become for women.

The member vote allows the voter to choose the individual they would like to have representing their district- regardless of the party they represent. A voter will not have to vote for a candidate they dislike in order to elect the party of their choice, and vice versa. Liberals and Tories are split on their decision about MMP, but supposedly smaller parties are supporting the system- it would provide them a better chance at winning seats in the Legislature if they do not win a riding outright.

The political party with the largest number of seats in the legislature, including ‘Local Members’ and ‘List Members’, is asked to form a government.

Supporters of MMP suggest that this will result in a legislature that more closely reflects the diversity of the province and more accurately reflects the decision of the electorate. They also view it as a system that will instigate a more cooperative, coalition style of government AND re-ignite the interest of the electorate.
The Citizens Coalition cited MMP as a system that would see that each Ontarian is still served by a local representative who knows and likely lives in their riding.

Additionally, MMP has been credited with reducing partisanship and promoting cooperation between political parties. This is because MMP reduces the likelihood of strong majority governments and in turn, this creates an incentive for politicians to 'get along' because they are more likely to need each other's support to pass legislation. Here, you would see a political environment in which parties must enter into coalitions if they are to command the confidence of the House and form a government.

Countries like New Zealand (using MMP since 1996) and Germany (using MMP since 1949) have a much higher turnout of eligible voters for their elections. Scottish and Welsh assemblies have also used a Mixed Member Proportional system, since 1999.

Critics of MMP say that in order to achieve the single goal of proportionality, the proposed MMP system shifts power from the local voter in ridings across Ontario to the power brokers at Queens Park. They feel that the introduction of a list system could concentrate power in the hands of the party leader. In such a case, politicians might compete with each other for a favourable slot on their party's list.

Really? That doesn’t happen now?

And… remember how the supporters of MMP talked about how our current system results in unfair geographic representation?

The Critics point out that Ontario is a huge geographic area with a very unevenly distributed population. Of Ontario's total population of about 12 million people, over 5 million live in the GTA. If you include all of the major urban centres of Ontario outside of the GTA into that, you have about 60-70% of Ontario's population living in urban areas which geographically encompass, say, 25% of the province. This means that some 30% of the population inhabits the remaining, oh, about 75% of the province.

This smaller number of people who inhabit the majority of geography in the province have much different concerns than those who live in the major urban centres. Critics of MMP agree that even under FPTP, rural voters struggle for a voice, however under MMP with 39 seats that will be determined by the entire province- the rural and northern voters will have a smaller possibility of having regional representation.

WOWZER, it gets better all the time.

I guess the only solution is to really do some homework. There are some super videos online and sites, reflecting both sides of the argument. Try: www.nommp.ca. or www.voteformmp.ca or www.yourbigdecision.ca or just “google” it!

The MMP proposal must be approved by a "super majority" referendum YES of 60 per cent of the votes cast across Ontario and by at least 50 per cent of the voters in 64 of the 107 ridings.

Okay, I’m no Ademar, Romulus Anglicus, Babrius, Phaedrus, Avianus, Nilantis, Walter of England or Odo of Cheriton.

Who they heck are they?

Apparently, these were the early collectors of animal based fables that have come to be attributed to a Greek slave, named Aesop.William Caxton was the first to print some of these fables, in books, in English, in 1484. Then, around 1692 a fellow by the name of Sir Roger L'Estrange brought those versions up-to-date, and since then, we have become familiar with stories like the City Mouse and the Country Mouse.

Now, essentially, the fable is about a Country Mouse who is visited by the City Mouse, who convinces the Country Mouse that life in the city is more bountiful and pleasurable.

The Country Mouse goes back to the city with the City Mouse only to be introduced to fear and danger, brought on by such villains as the people, their bottles and their dogs. The Country Mouse returns to her modest, quiet, secure hole the countryside.

Like I said, I didn’t write it. And frankly, this blog isn’t about mice or Aesop or the Greek. It isn’t about Roger L’Estrange or William Caxton, Nilantis or any of those other guys.

It’s about Real Estate. “Quel surprise”

My blog story begins with a City Dweller who wants to have a get-away in the Country. A City Dweller who knows about the villains, danger and fear of the city and would like to find a quiet, modest, secure, “getaway from it” hole in the countryside.

This City Dweller is known as a “Cottage Country Real Estate Buyer”.

The City Dweller/Cottage Country Real Estate Buyer wants to make sure they get a “good deal” in the Country. So, what do they do about it?

Okay, Okay, Okay…. I’m all around the mulberry bush here… and ya, there’s a monkey and there’s a weasel.

I need to rant a little.

When you want to learn how to ride a subway train in Toronto, would you ask a “tube” operator from England?

We have undergone a spate (basic definition: sudden rush) of Buyers who think it in their best interest to view property with a Realtor ® in cottage country and go back to the City and have their neighbourhood Realtor ® write up the Offer.

& There are some things that need to be talked about in this scenario.

I’m not disparaging (basic definition: being uncomplimentary) about my competitors or colleagues here (that’s against the Code of Ethics). Realtors ® registered with the Real Estate Council of Ontario may practice anywhere in Ontario, provided they feel they are competent to do so.

Now let’s analyze this word “competent”. From the Latin “competens”- “to be suitable”, the word is currently used to encompass:

· Properly or sufficiently qualified; capable
· Adequate for the purpose, a competent performance
· Law: legally qualified or fit to perform the act

The problem is, as with anything, there’s a certain amount of interpretation to be had, isn’t there?

I mean, every Realtor ® in Ontario has to have had the same amount of regulated education. Well, sort of. You see, the Real Estate Council will license someone to sell Real Estate if they have achieved a mark of 75% or better on a series of exams, one for each of three modules. After that, you could be their first client.

In most cases, the sales representative will go out into the field and “list” and “sell” property while they complete a few more, mandatory (required) courses. So, you may be dealing with a sales representative who has had learned the first three courses and one or two of the next bunch. The representative has about 2 years to finish all the required courses. Sometimes, a Realtor ® chooses not to do any fieldwork until they’re done all the courses, so you could be their first client, too.

If the representative wants to be a Broker, they need to do additional courses.

And the funny thing is, this is all provincial. There is absolutely NO difference in the educational requirements for Country Mice or City Mice…. Errrr… I mean Real Estate Practitioners. So, the only difference between one mouse and the other, would have to be in their background and experience.

Is this why some people use a city Realtor ® to do business in the country?

Maybe.

It’s not those ones that I’m worried about. Over the years, I’ve asked people, “Why?”, probably more than any other question that you could ask. I think that’s because I really don’t believe in ONE Absolute Right or ONE Absolute Wrong way… I think there’s a few of each and I’m always interested in understanding someone’s rationale, or lack of one, for making a specific choice.

I usually keep my opinions on their answers to myself. However, I’ve warned you, this is a rant.

I’ve had “Country Real Estate Buyers” tell me that it’s easier to deal with someone close to home. Maybe ease is their priority. Maybe they don’t know that deals can be done over the Internet or by way of fax machine. Maybe they don’t realize that some of us will drive to them, in the city.

I’ve had “Country Real Estate Buyers” tell me that they think that their “City Mouse” knows more about Real Estate…. And I’ve been dumfounded… how could they tell that without knowing anything about me? How do they measure “more”?

Most self-respecting professionals that I know, will not step outside their area of expertise…. But I’ve come to see that they are few and far between…. And I’m mad as #&^@ and I’m not going to take it any more.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I ALWAYS talk to people about Agency Representation, it’s not just the law, it’s something that I feel morally aligned to.

Sometimes, the people look at me, like they think it’s some sort of trick. I tell them it’s the law and I show them the papers and I refer them to the authorities and the websites etc.

Sometimes, people just want to look at the property, without signing anything. I can always get them to sign the “acknowledgment” that we have (at least) had the talk.

Good thing, too- it’s the law and I’m required to have them sign it.

& for the record… let me say, I have NO problem having ANY sales rep. show my listing and get an offer… but I’m offended when people think they’re getting better service from a rep. who has never set foot on the property and has no knowledge of the area and in some cases, has never sold a property of that type.

The thing is… (Here comes the dreaded “thing”)… I have been fooling myself.

I have been thinking myself honourable by not saying anything about bad form or bad choices.

Flash to a recently reviewed spate (see above) of very poorly drafted Offers….some submitted by City Mice who obviously aren’t protecting their clients very well. Omitting or overlooking or simply unaware of appropriate warranties, inspections, environmental issues and other significant facets of a sale, these Offers are enough to make a Malevolent (read Evil) Mouse salivate…

and they leave an Upright Mouse to all kinds of weird feelings, like rejection, compassion and frustration.

I realize it’s nearly impossible to have ALL the information before you make EVERY decision… and you can’t sweat the small stuff… but every one will tell you that Real Estate is one of the most significant transactions that any person will make- financially and often, emotionally. Why aren’t people more consciously selecting the people they hire to do the work???

Do they think it’s a no-brainer? Do they take it that lightly? No wonder they complain about the cost of real estate people. Good Heavens, they don’t understand what they need to be paying for!

I also know it’s difficult to trust someone, right off… however, some basic investigation and some very basic questions can help you to make sure that you have representation that truly is “competent” and protecting your interest and not just greedy or available.

For example, if we’re talking Real Estate deals, I have had plenty of experience with houses and cottages and resorts and businesses and timeshares and vacant land and fractional situations and pretty well any other type of real estate transaction- enough so, that I’ve had lots of other Realtors ® ask me for advice- however, I must confess that
I have the least amount of experience in the area of condominiums.

I have been trained, according the basic regulations, in how to deal with Condominiums. I have been involved in some sales of condominiums. I have personal experience with some condominium stuff, from a number of different angles. Fortunately, I have close colleagues who would help me with a condominium deal and I know how to research and obtain more information- still… I would be very wary of working on a condo deal- in fact, I’d refer it to someone with more specific experience.

It’s the honourable thing to do. Not only that, it’s what makes me competent.

Besides, I know that it puts everybody on the same page and ensures that nobody is getting the shaft. And then, it’s more likely that the deal with proceed, the way everyone expects it to.

Simple? Not really.

Not really, because, there are too many people that are getting sucked into the vortex of Any Mouse will do. When is a Mouse not a Mouse? Well, it’s always a Mouse, but not all mice are created equally.

Does your mouse know about shoreline road allowances? Does your mouse know about septic system operation? Can your mouse explain the basic differences in wells? Is your city mouse prepared to use a 4 wheeler or snowmobile or boat? Is your city mouse comfortable walking through 1000 acres, mostly bush? What about timber rights? Mineral Rights? Set backs? I could go on.

Now, IF YOU INSIST:

If you know that are going to have a city Realtor ® draft the offer and to negotiate your country Real Estate transactions, at least start there in the beginning. Please call THEM to do business.

Ask them if they are “competent” with rural property. Always get them to make any calls to the listing Agents. Get them to make the appointments, to show you the property and do the legwork. They’re sure to be paid darned good money for the transaction AND you deserve to have them earn it.

This is a more respectful way to treat the Country Mice, too. It isn’t nice to waste someone’s time doing a job when you know that someone else is going to be paid for doing it. How do you think that feels? Sometimes, people will call and say, “I have a Realtor, but I just can’t wait to get the information from them.” YIKES. If you don’t feel you can rely on someone, how do you trust that person to competently represent you?

It’s one of the biggest “glitches” in the system. I believe it is “fear” based. & I know that one little country mouse can’t change the world, but she can ask for a little respect. It isn’t nice to deceive or mislead anyone, even a Realtor ®.

& Remember, things are not always as they seem.

You know, some country Realtors ® have handled more “business” than the city ones… some have more formal education or a better background, too. And what about ethics? … hmmm… are ethics a geographical thing? Do City Mice have better morals than Country Mice?

Some Realtors ® have been “disciplined” for a breach of ethics and a few really bad ones have lost their license, other Realtors ® have been disciplined and fined, but remain legally licensed to practice in Real Estate. Then, there are the Realtors ® that have never been charged with a breach.

It’s not where the Realtor ® is from, it’s about how they handle things, isn’t it?

So, here it is September. The leaves have a bit of colour (other than green) and the tourists have pretty well gone home. The children are back at school.

Locally, this is the time for Church Suppers and Studio Tours. Soon will be the colour tours.

I've been trying to find something interesting to write about. Not easy. I've been busy putting out fires, wrestling with alligators and trying to work with interesting offers and interesting people.

Most of my colleagues in the industry are grumbling, but they're grumbling about each other. They're grumbling about ethics and they're miserable about how competitive the business is. And it is.
I just "try not to get any on me". I try to focus on doing my job properly and fulfilling my obligations to Buyers and Sellers.

I heard a good Real Estate joke the other day... it kind of sums up the "competitive" part of the Real Estate World... it goes like this:

How many Real Estate Representatives does it take to screw in a light bulb? The answer is 4. One to screw in the bulb and 3 others to kick the ladder out from under him.

Achem.

I started to write a blog last Monday and I was all over the map, so I never posted it. I've decided to cut and paste it here, right now... maybe it will shed some light on where my brain has been at lately...(I mean, other than getting kids to college and high school and running an office and listing and selling real estate and writing ads and making catalogues and planning our 3rd annual golf tournament for Sept 22nd and taking care of my pets and the household and and and....) *smiles* it's all good.....

Climate:

As temperatures warm further, extreme heat, extreme storms, elevated ozone levels, and possible increases in risk from insect- and waterborne diseases will affect beachgoers and boaters and may involve some restrictions as well as require behavioral adjustments by tourists and local outdoor enthusiasts.

China has surpassed the U.S. as the global greenhouse gas emissions leader, environmentalists absolve China of responsibility for global warming, and instead blame western demand for Chinese goods for Chinese emissions.

Hmm, there are people who believe that Global Warming is simply the core belief of a new eco-theology closely related to other modern belief systems, such as political correctness, chemophobia and various other forms of scaremongering.

Real Estate:

Toronto home sales were reportedly up 17% for August 2006 as compared to August 2007.

In Ontario, this June the average Ontario price was $304,000 and the average price for Canada was $315,000.

Snowboarding and Bird Watching are almost as popular as boating.

Ontario currently has the world’s largest fleet of industrial snow mobile trail groomers.

The Pembina Institute, an environmental and energy think-tank, says Sarnia is the most livable city in Ontario on the basis of the availability of affordable housing, community centres and parks and recreational areas and relatively low crime and vehicle accident rates. The average house price is $170,000. While Toronto scored the highest on the community sustainability index, it was rated 24th as far as livability. Peterborough ranked 15th out of 27 cities

Other Interesting Stats from the study:

41.1 per cent of Peterborough's population reported getting little or no physical activity.

Death or injuries from vehicle collisions were the highest in the sample at 13.94 people out of every 1,000 residents.

Of Peterborough's tenant households, 51.65 per cent spent more than 30 per cent of their income on housing (highest in the sample).

A company in Quebec was caught using gunpowder as the agent to activate its rebuilt airbags rather than a safer agent used by auto manufacturers.

On our roads:

There were 13 fatal collisions in the province this past weekend. Aggressive driving, not wearing seatbelts, speeding and drinking are blamed. Last year's Labour Day weekend death toll was four. The most recent years with a similar number of traffic deaths were 2002, when there were 11 and 2000, when there were 14.

More than 300 people have been killed on Ontario's highways this year

Politics:

18 years ago, Parliament voted unanimously to eradicate child poverty by the year 2000. Today, the percentage of children in Canada and in Ontario living in poverty is higher than it was back in 1989. As well, the percentage of all Canadians in poverty is as high as ever.

Che Guevara was a friend of Cuban President Fidel Castro. Now, a former CIA operative and Cuban exile plans to auction what he claims is a lock of Che’s hair, snipped before the Argentinean revolutionary was buried in 1967, a map used to track down Guevara in Bolivia, photos of Guevara's body, intercepted messages between Guevara and his rebels and a set of Guevara's fingerprints taken before his burial.

Peace officers (mayors, sheriffs, wardens and jail guards, officers under the Customs Act, Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and Fisheries Act, as well as pilots in command of an aircraft and other “special constables”) carry weapons based on need. Conservation officers carry guns. Peace officers enforce laws that pertain to their job.

Toronto Humane Society investigators can use bit sticks, batons and handcuffs, but bouncers typically can't. Conservation peace officers can pull a gun on you, but campus police don't even carry pepper spray.

The U of T police and TTC officers carry batons and handcuffs; transit constables also pack pepper spray.

Guards and private investigators are allowed to have firearms only if licensed under the Canadian Firearms Centre. Security officials have no special arresting powers. Even if they strongly suspect a criminal act has been committed, they can arrest you only if they see it happening. This is called a "citizen's arrest" and anyone can do it.

FORECASTING:

In the United States, a Safe Harbor Statement is a cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements that is designed to protect investors and warn that forecasts of trading results may take a completely different course.

Sunday:

During an afternoon ride on our new GoldWing, I almost felt as though we were flying.

Almost every cottager has heard the warnings about Purple Loosestrife and Zebra Mussels but there are more and more invasive species affecting the natural habitat of our beloved cottage country.

Boaters and Anglers should know these four simple rules:

·Inspect your boat, motor, trailer, and boating equipment (anchor, centreboards, rollers, axles) and remove any zebra mussels and other animals and plants that are visible before leaving any waterbody;

·Drain water from the motor, livewell, bilge and transom wells while on land before leaving the waterbody

·Wash/dry your boat, tackle, downriggers, trailer, and other boating equipment to kill harmful species that were not visible at the boat launch. Some aquatic nuisance species can survive more than 2 weeks out of water so it is important to:
rinse your boat and equipment that normally gets wet with hot tap water (greater than 40 ºC); or spray your boat and trailer with high pressure water (250 psi); or dry your boat and equipment for at least 5 days before transporting to another water body.

·Empty your bait bucket on land before leaving any waterbody. Never release live bait into a waterbody, or release aquatic animals from one waterbody into another.

Remember: It is illegal to release crayfish, and other baitfish, except into the body of water from which they were taken. Many people release unwanted aquarium pets into natural waters. Not only is this activity illegal, it can harm the environment.

Several exotic species of plants and animals have been introduced to our lakes through this practice. If you have an unwanted aquarium pet or plant, do not set it free in the wild!

There are several lesser known invaders that are creeping into our forests and waterways. These include: Dog-Strangling Vine (Swallow-Wort), Garlic Mustard, Common Buckthorn, Asiatic Bittersweet, Glossy Buckthorn and Canada Thistle.

Dog Strangling Vine:

This is an extremely aggressive plant species from the milkweed family. It is plant should be treated cautiously, as it was included in early books on poisonous plants.

Highly invasive, this vine will thrive in shade; sun and all soil conditions, spread rapidly, reduce or eliminate other plants, and are extremely difficult to control.

You can identify this vine by its flowers which are purple-brown to dark purple, small, in small umbel-like clusters at tips of stems and upper branches; seedpods slender, 4-6cm (1½ -2¼in.) long, broadest near the base and long-tapered to a slender tip, opening along one side and releasing many, small, flat, brownish seeds with long, white, silky parachutes. All parts of the plants may contain small quantities of white, milky juice. The plant will flower from late June until autumn. If you see this plant, remove it immediately!

Mustard Garlic:

This biennial herbaceous plant has weak single stems, about 12 - 36" high in its second and flowering year. It is the only plant of this height blooming white in wooded environments in May. Its leaves are round, scallop-edged, dark green; first year, rosettes of 3 or 4 leaves; second year plants have alternate stem leaves. Leaves and stems smell like onion or garlic when crushed.

A Mustard Garlic plant has lots of small white flowers, with four separate petals. Each plant has one or two flowering stems on second year plants.

Garlic mustard spreads into high quality woodlands upland and floodplain forests, not just into disturbed areas. Invaded sites will see a rapid decline of native cover within 10 years.

Garlic mustard alters habitat suitability for native insects and thereby birds and mammals. It is a plant that easily takes over the forest floor and out-competing all native non-woody plants. In just a few years, acreage can become a monoculture of garlic mustard. Each plant can produce thousands of seeds. They fall to the ground or are carried to new locations by people and wildlife. The seeds can remain viable for in the soil for five years and even longer.

Asiatic Bittersweet:

A woody vine that climbs by means of twisting itself around some kind of support (like a tree), the Asiatic Bittersweet has branches that are round, hairless and light to dark brown. The plants have predominant bumps on the surface and roots are bright orange. The leaves are arranged alternately on the stems and vary in shape. They are typically oval with a pointed tip and range from one to five inches in length.

The flowers are small, greenish-yellow, and grow in clusters from the joints between the leaves and the stems. The plant bears yellow fruits that split to reveal showy bright red seeds. It is also commonly referred to as Oriental bittersweet.

This vine is a serious threat to other species and to whole habitats due to its aggressive habit of growing over other vegetation. This plant has a fast reproductive rate, long-range dispersal, and the ability to root-sucker. The vines can strangle tree and shrub stems, growing as high as 60 feet. All types of plants, even entire plant communities, can be over-topped and shaded out by the vine’s rapid growth.

Buckthorn:

There are two species of buckthorn that are a risk. The Common Buckthorn is a small tree or shrub that leafs out early in the spring and doesn't drop all of its leaves until very late in the fall. Their dense shade throughout the growing season will not allow native plants to survive.

Both common and glossy buckthorns are tall shrubs or small trees- sometimes reaching 20-25 feet in height and 10 inches in diameter. Most often they grow in a large shrub growth form, having a few to several stems from the base. The shrubs have spreading, loosely branched crowns. Their bark is gray to brown with prominent, often elongate, lighter-colored lenticels.

Both types of buckthorns share a very distinctive winter appearance having naked, hairy terminal buds and gracefully curving, or arched, twigs with closely spaced, prominent leaf scars that give the twigs a warty or bumpy silhouette. Cutting a branch of either species exposes yellow sapwood and a pinkish to orange heartwood.

Mature buckthorn will produce branches filled with seeds that fall to the ground or are spread by birds, taking new buckthorn everywhere. Buckthorn reduces the growth and survival of saplings of all species. The glossy species is more often found in wetlands or open moist areas.

Canada Thistle:

The Canada Thistle can be seen along the roadsides and in open areas, even in the woods. This plant needs sun to thrive, but thinning woodlands and the non-wooded areas offer places for it to become established. It is taking advantage of every site where it is left to spread. As well as spreading by seed, Canada thistle has deep roots that spread underground, quickly creating thick stands that are difficult to remove. Introduction to new areas occurs mostly by wind carrying the seeds and water runoff. Small sections of broken roots are capable of producing new plants.

Canada thistle is a 2 to 5 foot perennial with slender, grooved stems that branch only at the top. Stems are slightly hairy when young and more hairy as the plant matures. The leaves are smooth, oblong, tapering, somewhat lobed, and have crinkly edges with spines along the margins. Numerous and fragrant purple flowers grow to 3/4 inch in size from July to September. The small, light-brown seeds are slightly tapered, and have a tuft of tan hair loosely attached to the tip to help catch the wind.

NOTE: It is always a good idea to Put the seeds of noxious plants into paper bags, allowing them to dry out, then burning them in a fireplace or fire pit. But don't forget the roots

ALSO: We should all learn how to identify exotic species. If you suspect a new infestation report it to the Ministry of Natural Resources or the Invading Species Hotline (1-800-563-7711) - this hotline is a partnership between the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

Starting June 4th, a significant number of fish (mostly carp) began floating belly-up in Lake Scugog, the Scugog River, Sturgeon Lake, Cameron Lake, Pigeon Lake, Chemong Lake and Buckhorn Lake.

Residents were warned to wear rubber gloves, sterilize all tools used to retrieve the bodies and double bag the dead fish, for disposal.

The MNR claims there have been no spills or known acts of pollution in these lakes and there have been no known sewage leaks.

On the 23rd of July, Osprey Media reported they had interviewed a number of residents who complained of smell from tonnes of dead fish- mostly carp but some bass, on their waterfront. The cause of death is being investigated by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans lab in Nanaimo, B.C. and also by the University of Guelph’s fish health lab.

On July 28th, a waste removal company reported that they had removed 8,000 pounds of dead fish from 94 homes, located primarily on Chemong Lake. They also noted that the number of calls for pick up was increasing. MNR estimates some 4,000 to 10,000 carp have turned up dead thus far.

An MNR spokesman stated that the responsibility for collecting fish remains rests with the landowner. The Ministry has no plans to collect the dozens of dead carp that are tangled in the weeds offshore. JJ Beechie, explained that it the problem appears to be a natural infection of some type and that until the test results are known and prove otherwise, it is possible that this is a natural cycle.

Preliminary test results from the Guelph lab have found some evidence of “columnaris bacteria” in the Sturgeon Lake fish. Usually the columnaris bacteria is responsible for secondary infection- in fact, it often takes advantage of fish that are “stressed out”. Some reasons cited for the stress are spawning and warm water conditions and biologists are adamant that the bacteria are most likely not the root cause of death.

Back in 1960, after the spring thaw, thousands of fish floated dead in the Scugog Lake waters. One MNR conservation officer recorded 92,000 dead fish in a 7.8km square area on the lake. The thousands of lively catfish, still active in the lake and capable of surviving in low oxygen environments, bolstered the MNR theory that the muskie, carp, small mouth bass and perch had been suffocated under the extremely thick layer of ice that year. Usually one would see cracks in the ice, but in 1960, there were none.

I’ve heard whispers that this year there was a seeding of some type in the affected lakes. They speak of some kind of white pebbly substance and suggest that the fish have eaten it and it was probably some sort of pesticide… but that is likely small town gossip.

Apparently the water is all being re-tested.

Whatever it is, Jim Adams, a lake resident feels that he is watching a lake die. He is quoted as saying, “There's something seriously wrong here. Normally the lake is covered with thousands of geese and seagulls. Where are they all? They know something we don't."

Lately, I’ve had a number of people squirm over “Multiple Representation”… I think it’s just the fact that it’s jargon and obviously has some legal ramifications…

but it’s something really important that every Buyer and Seller needs to know.

It is your Realtor’s ® duty to speak to you, at the earliest possible convenience, about Agency Representation.

As a Seller, when you list your home, Agency should be clearly explained... read the Agreement you sign, ask questions... feel comfortable!

As a Buyer, you are wise to have a Realtor ® representing you in the acquisition of property.

As a Buyer, you will likely be shown a pamphlet entitled “Working with a Realtor ®” and asked to sign a simple “acknowledgment”, verifying that Agency Representation has been discussed. Most Buyers will be asked to sign a contract, called a Buyer Representation Agreement.

The Buyer Representation Agreement details the responsibilities of the Realtor ® and provides information about what is required from the Buyer- and, as with any contract, this Agreement has a specific time limit.

This is nothing new-

however, while this practice has been around for close to 7 years, it isn’t everyday that someone buys or sells property and for the average person it seems to be a very confusing thing. It’s a shame, to see how often people are frightened when a Realtor ® starts talking about Agency.

The regulations are clear, this is a MUST and it is in the interest of protecting the consumer, yet it is still met with suspicion.

I know, it’s human nature, to fear the unknown… but it is upsetting to us professional Realtors ® to think that the consumer meets our diligence with doubt. You see, in our minds, it’s the Realtors ® who don’t talk about Agency that are the ones you need to be concerned about.

A Realtor ® who starts talking to you about Agency, rather than the nice railing on the front porch of the house you pointed at in the window, is doing their job according to the law. We try to be polite and courteous and friendly, but we really need to follow the law. And, don’t you think that is something you would expect, at the very minimum from your Realtor ®?

The really spooky part, for most folks, seems to be when a Realtor talks about how they might be in Single Representation, but it could change to Multiple Representation…. Huh???

As with all other laws, you almost have to be a Philadelphia Lawyer* to really understand it… but let me try…

Once in a while, a Realtor ® has a contract with a Seller (by way of a listing agreement) and a contract with a Buyer (by way of Buyer Representation Agreement). If a Realtor’s® Buyer Client wishes to see or to make an Offer on any property listed with the company their Realtor ® works for (known as the Brokerage), this means that the Realtor ® is working in a Multiple Representation relationship.

In the past, this type of representation has been called “Dual Agency” and some other terms, but the Real Estate Council of Ontario has been diligently working at making all of the words and terms easier to understand.

With each “Offer” (actually called an “Agreement of Purchase and Sale”), Realtors ® are required to prepare a “Confirmation of Co-Operation and Representation”. This form will clarify which Brokerage (Real Estate Company) is working for the Buyer and which is for working for the Seller and also, who is paying the commission.

In the event that the same Brokerage (Real Estate Company) has a Listing agreement and a Buyer Representation Agreement with parties interested in the same property, the Confirmation of Co-Operation and Representation” will say:

“The Listing Brokerage has entered into a Buyer Representation Agreement with the Buyer and represents the interest s of the Seller and the Buyer with their consent, for this transaction. This Listing Broker has a duty of full disclosure to both the Seller and the Buyer, including their requirement to disclose all factual information about the property known to the Listing Brokerage.

However, the Listing Brokerage shall not disclose:

- That the Seller may or will accept less than the listed price, unless otherwise instructed in writing by the Seller
- That the Buyer may or will pay more than the offered price, unless otherwise instructed in wiring by the Buyer
- The motivation of or personal information about the Seller or Buyer unless otherwise instructed in writing by the party to which the information applies, or unless failure to disclose would constitute fraudulent, unlawful or unethical practice
- The price the Buyer should offer or the price the Seller should accept
- And, the Listing Brokerage shall not disclose to the Buyer the terms of any other offer.

However, it is understood that factual market information about comparable properties and information known to the Listing Brokerage concerning potential uses for the property will be disclosed to both Seller and Buyer to assist them to come to their own conclusions.”

How much better can it get? In Multiple Representation, the Realtor ® has the same fiduciary responsibility to both parties. In Multiple Representation, both parties are given factual information that they may use to make an informed decision.

I don’t believe it really happens any other way. A Seller usually knows what price they will or will not accept and a Buyer usually knows how much they will or will not pay.

If everyone is being honest about the state of the property and its components (like the furnace or the well) and if the offer is negotiated properly, each party is given sufficient comfort to proceed.

You gotta like it.

·note: Philadelphia Lawyer is an expression that dates back to the 1700s due to the outstanding reputation of the Philadelphia bar during colonial times. It was generally meant as a compliment to the legal expertise and competence of a lawyer. In recent years the meaning has changed slightly. According to “answers.com” it means: A shrewd attorney adept at the discovery and manipulation of legal technicalities.

Cottage values in Quebec are falling as warnings have been issued on some 80 waterways in the Province that are infested with green-blue algae called Cyanobacteria. Releasing toxins that may cause serious headache, sore throat, abdominal pain, itchy eyes, skin rash, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, Cyanobacteria can adversely affect the liver and central nervous system.

High levels of phosphates and other nutrients are being blamed for the infestation. Poor farming practices, out-dated sewage systems, certain soaps, hot temperatures and deforestation have also contributed to the outbreak.

Cyanobacteria are actually a “prokaryotes”, a division of bacteria that obtain energy via photosynthesis- not really algae. Fossil traces of this critter have been discovered from almost 4 billion years back. A substantial biomass of Cyanobacteria is called a bloom and when the massive bloom can be seen floating at the surface, we call it surface-scum or pond-scum.

A single-celled species, Cyanobacteria form in colonies. Colonies may survive in almost any habitat, from lakes to rock or soil. They may appear as hollow balls, filaments or sheets and parts of the biomass can break away and travel to form new colonies. Just because you can’t see Cyanobacteria, it doesn’t mean it isn’t present in the water.

Some researchers suggest that between 30% and 50% of blooms are harmless and some are concerned that the Quebec frenzy is unnecessary. However, officials with Quebec’s Environment Dept say that the spread of blue-green algae is at crisis proportion.

In a press release, dated September of 2006, the Quebec S.O.S. Water Coalition- Eau Secours! said that two out of three watersheds in the Saint-Laurence Valley had “higher than normal levels of phosphates” and in some cases, “up to five times higher”.

In October of 2006, Andre Bouthillier (of the Coalition) told CBC news that “the Government has known the problem for the last thirty years and has been paying for studies on the issue”. Bouthillier called for a Government plan of action and predicted the outbreak would worsen and attempts to manage it would prove more difficult over time.

In 2000, the Environment Canada conducted a study of three southwestern Quebec watersheds to detect the presence of blue-green algae and their toxins. Water samples were taken at four main sites, from July through September of that year. Their results revealed that the concentration of toxins did not pose a “significant risk”. The report, available online (Primarily in French) does mention that results could “vary from year to year depending on climatic and environmental conditions”.

Unfortunately, without laboratory analysis, you cannot differentiate which blooms are toxic and which are not. You cannot detect the presence of toxins by way of colour or odour or taste and boiling contaminated water will not remove the toxins. In some areas of Quebec, there has been an urgent demand for bottled water.

Early in 2007, the Quebec Government announced a $12 million dollar plan to fight blue-green algae while a University of Honolulu professor believes we may be able to convert the algae into ethanol, an alternative source of power. Blue-green algae has been studied in Scotland, Germany, Israel, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, the United States, Sweden and many, many other countries- as well as the World Health Organization.

From August 5 to 10th, 2007, the 7th Annual International Conference on Toxic Cyanobacteria will be held in Brazil.

Freshwater aquarium enthusiasts use erythromycin to treat Cyanobacteria slime…

Hey… wait a minute…this is beginning to sound an awful lot like the description we were given at a recent informational seminar with speakers from the MNR, Ocean and Fisheries and others, all about “water frontage”… they spoke of a virulent and invasive plant that was choking waterways and mentioned that it was suspected that it may have originated in aquarium contents being tossed into the water.

Unfortunately, the world didn’t come with instructions. What we may think is appropriate at one point, seems silly and ridiculous at another. And then what? Some of us want the government to fix it all… that’s us… we’re the government. People have choices to make, governments have choices to make and… hopefully, as we learn, we make the best decision available… and tweak it as new information emerges.

You can’t erase the past. We must learn to live with the legacy of decisions made by parents, grandparents and their grandparents… Sure, there are things we may question but ultimately, we have little alternative. We must forgive past errors and make our own best choices to manage the results or those decisions… heaven knows that we’ll be passing along a few goof-ups, ourselves.

Sure… nobody wants to swim in pond-scum… but this has become more of a make lemonade kind of rant.

I never finished blogging about our motorcycle trip. Suffice it to say, that I was too busy getting from here to there... and then trying to rest my weary bones... and yes, it was interesting but WET.

I must say, I was quite a trooper and didn’t complain about it to anyone- after all, what good would that have been? When we got back we traded Fabian’s bad-boy Yamaha for a civilized Honda Gold Wing… we get it the end of this week… and I’m looking forward to that! 2000 kms and 900 of them pouring rain, but I’m hooked.

Meantime, this week has already proven crazy and cottage sales are brisk! The phones have been ringing like mad! Properties are being shown… and the weather has gotten steaming hot, again.

I love to watch the cottagers. I have such amazing memories of my own cottage days and I can tell which cottagers are at the beginning of their vacations and which are nearing the end. It’s lovely to see people relax… unwind… and have fun with their friends and families.

There is nothing finer than sitting by a campfire, feeling a hint of the earlier sun on your shoulders and cheeks. Listening to the natural sound of evening… watching the lake go still and the way the stars and other lights reflect in it…

There’s never enough cottage time.

Things were a little sombre last night, as we regrouped in the hotel lobby, looking for word on yesterday's accident. Of course, the story had gotten even more confusing... we weren't sure if there had been one or two accidents... and we felt very ill thinking that anyone might've been hurt...

Several people wanted to turn back to Burlington Vermont but we knew that there were at least three people with the person who had been admitted to the hospital there. It was with mixed feelings that we came to the realization that most adults do... we would only be in the way... we had to push on- as safely as possible.

This morning, the fog obscured the views of the mountains in New Hampshire... it was very disappointing, but seeing as it wasn't yet raining... Brian Walker (the OREA prez) and his wife Cassaundra had decided to join us on the leg again... and were kind enough to take our luggage in their van... so we were much lighter and more comfortable when we took off about 8 a.m.

We stopped at a very homey cafe for a delicious breakfast and watch the fog give way to patches of blue sky. We tried to remain optimistic but in spite of our most wishful thinking, the sky began to darken and at our first gas-stop, the skies opened.

We waited out the worst downpour... and we donned our rain gear... it was harder rain than yesterday, but more intermittent... not nice.

Fabian and I are the slow ones. He is very cautious, which I fully support. I always figure that the driver has to be comfortable. I'm sure it annoys some of the more experienced bikers... but a very nice couple (Lisa and Scott) kept us company again today, ensuring that we didn't get lost.

We passed some very strange things along the way... and I snapped more pictures. The open mines were pretty amazing... but no stopping because the temperature had dropped 10 degrees in about 1/2 hour... it got pretty cold and the rain refused to let up... we were done.

Driving down Rene Levesque Blvd a van pulled up and we were greeted by the Walker's smiling faces! It was very nice to see a familiar face!

We were really happy to see the big HILTON sign in the sky. The comforting thought of a hot shower and a comfy bed... Stephanie at the "tourist information" booth promised us that there was only 10% chance of rain tomorrow....

We've started to think that we have been following the storm or that the storm has been following us...

I got a big hug from Bob Kinnear in the hotel lobby... he said he'd felt so bad for me, being rained on so much during my first bike ride... he is a dear man... and his son Ian is a delight... Ian's wife is home with their son... and they're expecting another baby in a couple of months... he showed me photos the first night, in Lake Placid... he is a very happy, proud father and husband... it is nice to see.

Actually, we have a great group of folk on the trip. Really good people.

Tomorrow Lisa and Scott head off to Gaspe... we're scheduled with most of the group to go on to Cornwall... Ron Abraham's home town... that will put us within a comfortable distance of home sweet home.

In a crazy way, I'm looking forward to Cornwall... when I was very very young, my father spent a lot of time on the road for business reasons... and he used to meet up with his pals in Cornwall... I didn't know that at the time... I just remember that when he was away, he frequently seemed to call from Cornwall... I used to think... if that's where my dad is, it must be a fabulous place.

Tomorrow at this time, we will be that much closer to home... We miss our children and pets... family and friendly co-workers.

Had a rough night last night... probably over tired... and woke up before the alarm at about 6:30 a.m. Lake Placid was completely fogged in... by the 8 o'clock rendezvous time, one group had already left and the sun was trying to make an appearance... looked promising.

We drove around the lake and then stopped at a diner for breakfast... the coffee was great, breakfast was good and we set off to catch the ferry at Port Kent New York... we were about 40 minutes into the ride when we got stopped by flashing red light and a fireman... shortly followed by sirens and more emergency vehicles... we had to turn back... and take an alternate route...

It was extremely upsetting when the fireman mentioned that there had been a very bad accident between a motorcycle and a car... all we could do is push on... praying that it wasn't anyone from our "group" who had been hurt....

We were a solemn group when we reached the ferry... kind of quiet...

Watching them load up the ferry was pretty neat... a loaded log truck and a big truck with a honking big hook swinging in the breeze... several motorhomes and probably 15 or 20 motorcycles and a whack of cars... and a few pedestrians to boot... it started to spit rain so most of the gang put on their rain gear... Fabian and I grabbed jackets....

By the time we landed in Burlington Vermont, it was raining much harder and the ferry crew suggested that the three gals who were passengers (Lisa, Avi and I) should walk down the ramp... as it would be very slippery.... no problem....

After that, the day becomes a blurr of cold, wet, survival instinct. It was nasty... and made what might have been a short day much longer... it wasn't until 5 that we limped into White Plains New Hampshire- aching for something warm and dry....

Scott and his wife Lisa were wonderful, hanging back and going a speed we were comfortable with... and Bob Kinnear and his son, Ian, came catching up to us close to the end of the journey... most of the others had stopped for lunch... we didn't have time... too busy trying to watch the roads... through a wind-screen and pelting rain...

the mountains here are fogged in, too... but there is a hint of clearing... could all be another cruel hoax so that I won't throw in the towel! No kidding, although it was quite a stressful day for Fabian, trying to see and trying to maintain control on the greasy pavement... I was not afraid...

I admit that I have been looking longinly at the BMW that Lisa and Scott are driving and thinking of the Harleys that Lynn and Harry had yesterday... and I can see a little more comfort... much cushier passenger seats and foot paddles, not teeny pegs... and you know, even Fabian has mentioned, a few times... that he had bought his motorcycle for "looks" and "sound" and he's thinking that if I like riding and if we want to do any more trips, it is probably time to trade for something more of a family bike....
less flash, more comfort...

Well, the blackberry doesn't have reception here... and the laptop is a little slow... so, I've emailed my daughter... and now we're ready to put our feet up... we're a little hungry... we've had a hot shower and we're finally dry....

kind of out in the middle of nowhere... this resort has been here since the 20s... it's very charming... mind you, we likely won't see much of it... going to crash early, no doubt... and probably going to have to take off at 8 a.m. tomorrow... we bought maps today... and will try to get a handle on where it is we're going... it's been somewhat uneasy trying to keep up with the speed racers... and feeling like a burden to those nice people who try to stay back and give us direction....

We'll be back in Canada, tomorrow... which is great... while everyone has been very nice... we chatted to a fella from Texas on the ferry and another real American last night, at the hotel... and most of the people in most gas stations have been super nice, too...

but you know... I was looking down an awfully long, flat, wet bit of highway today... and I was thinking "there's no place like home".

We arrived at the Ontario Real Estate Association Offices at 7:15 this morning to find a large area of the parking lot roped off... for motorcycles. We were the first to arrive.

Shortly after, a blue enduro style bike pulled in... it was Bill Sheppard from OREA. He was due for a 7:30 meeting and then planned to ride with us to Kingston and then head back to OREA. He mentioned that he was taking his usual holidays in Combermere this year, at the Opeongo Trail resort.

We swapped tornado stories for a while and then he zipped into the office for his meeting.

The boss... Ron Abraham had gone ahead last night to Kingston and had quite a head start. So we knew we wouldn't be seeing him in the OREA parking lot. All tolled there were 9 bikes and 10 riders, as I was the only passenger. It was a little tricky for Fabian what with a 40 pound gym bag strapped to his headlights and me on the back... and it was a near crisis when my i-pod decided to freeze up.

After the formalities and a brief speech from Ed Barissa the CEO, we were ready to ride. Brian Walker, the President of OREA apologized that he was far too stressed to actually ride his crotch rocket all the way to Lake Placid and he admitted that he was going to hop in the van with his wife, Cassaundra... and meet us there.

Lynn and Harry, veteran HOG riders were a god-send. Lynn led the parade and Harry stayed at the back to "sweep"... I'm sure it was difficult on them, they are accustomed to riding with people who respond to their hand signals and who plan their fill ups... we seemed to have people filling up hit and miss and we were stopping an awful lot.

We stopped at Port Hope and hooked up with Richard Hawkins (the NorthEastern Area director for OREA) and a couple of other fellas... nice guys... I'm so horrible with names, that I might have them figured out by tomorrow... except that there will be a whole whack of new people to sort out!

The border crossing was a breeze, after the first couple of riders had told the story of the organized charity ride, we pretty well got asked if we had any alcohol or tabacco and were told to have a great ride. Police, state troopers etc, waved at us many times along the route.

I have to say that whoever said it was going to be a long day of 563 kms was a great big fat liar... it was way more like 750kms... mind you, we did have a bit of a detour due to someone missing a turn... but nobody gets left behind.

We were a sorry lot arriving at the Crown Plaza, Lake Placid. I felt like the tin-man in the Wizard of Oz... my knees needed oiling... and my hoofies were sore... but it's amazing how one revives in the shower.

We had a nice dinner, the whole group... we took up two separate rooms in the Adirondak Steak House.... we were entertained by Jamie Edwards and Brian Walker who decided to switch shirts to see if anyone would notice... and Bob Kinnear explained that he constantly swerves his bike because he figures it evens out the wear on the tires.

While we walked down the hill to the restaurant, we did not have the steam to walk back up... and managed to hail a cab, just before the skies opened up. We are having a bit of a thunder storm, an interesting lightning show over the mountains.... it can rain all it wants at night, in my opinion.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Well... we had an office meeting at 8 this morning... Timmy's coffee was bitter and the muffins were crushed into a bag... certainly not how we provide service! The bike was packed but we left it at home, until we had taken care of business.

As always, we are in the midst of a number of deals but thanks to technology (the trusty blackberry and laptop with wireless)... we can can look after things with confidence. It sure helps having an excellent group back at the office... people we trust, people who share our vision and have pride in providing the very best possible service.

After a brief interview with Barry Hendry, the star reporter from the Bancroft Times, we were south bound. We made brief stops- first for a gas up, then at Wayne's World (the Polaris dealer and our fave local bike shop), then at the Trent Canal and at Peterborough- so we could get a better holder for the Blackberry, another quick stop for gas and we were ready for a nap. Hello Toronto, hello Prince Hotel... you have our reservation.

It was the longest trip that I have ever made on a motorcycle. About 250ish kms... and relatively comfortable... although, I have to admit that the posterior was getting a little sore and I was ready to stop by the time we reached our destination in Toronto. Fabian is a competent driver and I wasn't nervous for a moment. He was a little stressed by the traffic on the 401, but as a passenger, I was able to put that out of my mind and concentrate on the super tunes that my daughter and her boyfriend had programmed into my i-pod and also, to enjoy the scenery.

Although I have made the trip on countless occasions, it is somehow different from the perspective of the open air. I'm sure that it will be even more interesting to travel unfamiliar roads and visit unfamiliar places.

You know, I could actually get into this.... but I think I would rather be a passenger than the driver.

We have already had several business calls, an unexpected offer to present and a call from home- something about the sink being plugged up.... nothing that couldn't be handled.

My 27-year-old niece (Elizabeth)is tending to the children, pets and newly planted gardens... grandma, grandpa and my in-laws are handy... and the folks in the office are always ready to lend a hand!

Now, that's team work!

To bed early, tonight... we have to re-pack the bike and be at the OREA offices tomorrow at 8 to meet the others... apparently 37 riders in all. I bet it will be even more fun, being with the group.

Fabian and I are registered participants in a motorcycle “ride for charity”. We will be leaving July 17th for Toronto and meeting with a group of Realtors ® at 8 am on the 18th. From there, we proceed to the Adirondack Mountains and on to New Hampshire and then Quebec. The total ride is some 1400 kms with riders from the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA).

Proceeds are raised by way of sponsorship and all proceeds go to the OREA: REALTORS CARE Foundation. Riders pay their own personal expenses (gas, hotel, food, refreshments etc).

As always, preparing to take time away from the office is difficult and we’re tangled in a flurry of activity & although we have an amazing support group in the office, we will carry a laptop and the beloved Blackberry. We’re never that far away from our customers and clients!

This is bound to be interesting. I have never been on a motorcycle for more than about a half hour! Reactions seem to vary from questioning my sanity- to remarking about how wonderful motorcycle trips can be… apparently; there is no better way to enjoy the scenery. Thank goodness, we seem to have gotten a break from the down pours…

As always, I’m trying to keep an open mind.

Ask anyone to describe why they like or what they like about their favourite colour; their favourite dessert or their “ideal cottage” and you will find that most of us have a very clear perspective of what we consider the best.

Often, when asked these questions, adults will connect with their fondest memories and then, imagining their favourite colour they might think of a shirt they wore in kindergarten… and a favourite dessert might conjure strong attachments to the sumptuous aroma that used to emanate from the kitchen at Auntie Jane’s farm.

The same can be said when asked to describe their “dream cottage”… the question stimulates certain attachments from within the person, as they search for an answer. & these emotional reflections are extremely hard to describe verbally. They are often very personal and private.

In one instance, I once met a guy who had searched and searched and searched and just couldn’t find the right place. He came to me, frustrated and ready to give up all hope of finding "it".

After some prodding and some serious soul searching, it turned out that he had a very specific “cottage” memory cue... which in this case was tied directly with the smell of those horrible old deodorant blocks that some people used to put in their outhouses...

We were able to move forward once we had determined that it was actually the pine needle lined pathway to the outhouse at his grandfather's cottage that this guy was pining for (pardon the pun). After that, it was easy to find the right spot.

By far, the most difficult aspect of a cottage search is trying to tap into those old files so that you can find something that fits the Buyer, emotionally… & with couples that often means coming to the right blend of two very different types of “cottage” memories and therefore cottage desires.

Also, a good Realtor ® needs to determine if the Buyers will be comfortable maintaining a specific property and if there will be children or elderly visitors with comfort & safety requirements… and other practical elements like that.

A good Realtor ® will advise the client if the purchase will likely be a good investment… and a good Realtor ® will respect those times when it is purely an emotional purchase- and understand that it is the Buyer’s right to make that choice.

Still, even when a Realtor ® “gets” what the client is after, it can be difficult to find the perfect, ready-made package... the right sort of cottage, on the right sort of property,at the right price. & with the price of building having escalated, it is less cost effective to start fresh. Not to mention the fact that there isn’t much available in the way of vacant waterfront these days and what’s out there is more expensive now, too.

So what to do?

The best advice is not new advice… it’s location, location, location. You can always alter a building, in fact, most of us like to put our personal touch into our surroundings… but you can’t do much, if anything, to change the distance from home, the shoreline, the view, topography, exposure, accessibility, neighbours, the size of the lake or river… and water qualities, nearby amenities, trees…stuff like that.

The important elements of cottaging are “fixed”, permanent and pretty well unchangeable & simply put, it’s all about the lot and the water. Yes, it’s the natural surroundings that matter most; when you really consider how you plan to make use of the property and amenities.

Put your money into the cake… the icing can come later… you can even choose your favourite flavours & colours… besides, what good is fancy icing if you don’t have a delicious cake?

I just had another last minute phone call from a prospective Buyer wanting to see a property, right away… and another Seller just hollered at me. I know, most people think that if you list your property for sale, you should be prepared to show it- but it isn’t really that easy.

How many of us really enjoy having unexpected company “drop in”? Would it be better if it were unexpected strangers? Hardly.

Many residents here are aged, disabled or work from home. Many cottage owners like to entertain guest, at least now and then- and particularly on “long weekends”. I believe we need to respect the fact that a property owner, even one contemplating a sale, should have some right to a little privacy.

It comes down to manners. It’s polite to make an appointment. It’s proper!

I know that it’s exciting to be searching for your dream house or cottage and when a Buyer has made the effort to come to town, they are anxious to get to see a cottage! Most Realtors® have had the unpleasant experience of having to disappoint a prospective Buyer, when the Seller says it’s not convenient…

& most Realtors® have had prospective Buyers make appointments, only to be “no shows”… no phone call, no nothing… and often, no apology.

Generally, Buyers understand that Realtors have busy schedules and that Sellers have lives… their children sometimes get sick, they have birthdays and birthday parties and sometimes, they just need some quiet time! Serious Buyers make appointments and do their best to keep them.

It’s just common sense; you don’t want to upset the Seller, just in case you are going to be negotiating with them! & really, in most cases, a Seller will try to accommodate a showing, if they can.

I just took at peek at the “June Sales Report by office” on the Bancroft District Real Estate Board. The two offices with the highest sales per salesperson are one small independent and Prudential Lorimer Realty, Ltd.

It’s really not something I look at… but my sales team has been eager to have some sort of yardstick by which they can measure their performance. They’d asked me last month about the stats and when I checked, discovered that we led the pack on the May report for sales per capita.

In my opinion, the Prudential Lorimer Realty, brokerage team is exceptional. It’s extraordinary to work in place where we all trust, respect and enjoy each other. We all strive for high ideals. We all help each other to do the very best possible work. We ARE a happy lot & I sincerely believe that this is something to be proud of.

Real Estate is a very stressful industry and competition within an office can be like poison. Difficult inter-office relationships are common in the business. Realtors® are known to have strong personalities, which can be abrasive under high-pressure circumstances- especially where there is weak or limited vision and office policy.

In the past, I have worked for companies that have suffered the negative affects of fostering an overly competitive environment. In these, like most offices, sales are posted to instigate a challenge- and sales representatives are given a round of applause for obtaining a listing. Frankly, this practice never sat well with me.

I feel that it reduces the business to something mechanical.

I can’t help but feel that my job is somehow more important than racking up statistics and I also feel that my performance is something personal, not a cheerleading tool. I honestly feel rewarded when I accomplish the job and satisfy my obligation to the satisfaction of my client (s). While some deals are easier than others, they all take work.

All I’ve ever wanted, was to earn an honest living, in a comfortable environment. I get paid when I fulfill my commitment and do a good job for my client (s). I tell the team that they shouldn’t worry about the “stats”… I say, “Just take care of the details for your clients… & the business will come”. & it obviously does…

I suppose that showing them the hard evidence, every now and then, won’t spoil a good thing.

The number one selling tool for your property is your MLS ® listing, if it is going to be displayed on www.mls.ca. There are some things that Sellers need to be aware of, in order to get the most out of the opportunity provided by the Canadian Real Estate Association’s website.

It isn’t mandatory for all local real estate boards to participate with www.mls.ca. Most boards, yes, all boards, no. The Internet is currently THE place to advertise your property for sale. Statistics range from the high 70s to the low 80 percentages as to how many sales originate from the Internet. It gets higher, every year.

www.mls.ca works and your Realtor ® ought to be displaying your property on that site for you. Ask if your Realtor® belongs to a board that participates on www.mls.ca.

There are a multitude of “fields” for data on the MLS ® system. Some boards are quite lax about the data; others are very stringent in their guidelines. In the not-so-olden days, the theory of many Realtors ® was to use the “listing” as a teaser- meaning, you want to entice a Buyer to have to contact you- therefore, they assumed that by leaving some information out of the listing, prospects would call for the information, directly.

Or, is it simply that (a) the Realtors® didn’t trust the internet or (b) the Realtors® were hopeful that they would personally achieve the sale (and make more money) & therefore wanted first dibs on an interested party or (c) some other silly reason… because frankly, missing data causes a lot of frustration and I think it can lose the interest of a prospective Buyer.

The more, the better. Today’s Buyers want lots of information and lots of pictures available to them, before they view. This means that the Seller’s agent should be diligent about getting every bit of information when they list the property. Things like “exposure” (meaning the direction of the view), property taxes, building age and square footage of buildings, rental equipment (like hot water tanks) are commonly missed items on a listing and often details that Buyers will ask about. There are a surprising number of listings that go without any kind of photo… and they say one picture is worth a thousand words. What are they hiding?

The listing agent should have copies of all documentation, such as survey/sketches, TSSA approval for oil tanks, WETT certificates for wood burning devices and septic use permits, etc. etc. This can also be noted on the listing at www.mls.ca and should be, as it will be of huge comfort to a prospective Buyer.

The remarks section of a listing on www.mls.ca is critical. This is the ideal opportunity to express the essence of your property and to provide sufficient detail to assist prospective Buyers in assessing if it is a match to their criteria. The remarks should be thoughtfully developed and well presented.

The items that are included and the items that are excluded with the purchase are very important and unless your list is ridiculously long, there is room for it on the MLS® listing. Too many just say LBO (meaning, contact the listing brokerage). A Buyer client, under an agency contract with another Realtor® should not be calling another brokerage… so why would anyone put such notes on a listing?

Directions to the property should be clear and concise. This is a real pet peeve of mine. The rumour is that some Realtors® intentionally put poor or wrong directions on a listing, again… so that newer Realtors® will have difficulty finding the property and the prospective Buyers will seek out the listing agent for assistance. I’d like to think this rumour isn’t true…. However….

Our code of ethics prevents me from making disparaging remarks about any of my colleagues.

Just last evening, Fabian and I took another preview tour. One listing said: “From Bancroft take Hwy XX to XX Rd” (so far so good) “to XX Rd” (road name incorrect but similar- we had to guess) “to X Rd” (it’s actually X Trail) and it doesn’t tell you which way to turn. When you are off in the wilds, on winding and hilly gravel roads, this seems to be quite the adventure.

Over the years, I have seen directions that say, “turn left at the pig” or “turn right at the field of cows”… what if the cows are inside??

Back to last evening’s tour… the same listing with poor directions suggests you contact LBO to learn what is included or excluded and it’s blank for square footage, rental equipment and building age. It also claims “year round road access” which is a little suspect. Hmmmm.

Sellers, I suggest you ask your Realtor® to provide you with a “print out” of your listing. Sometimes there are separate views for “Realtors®” and “Clients”. You might like to review them both. Remember, your listing on www.mls.ca is quite likely the source of your Buyer.

I’ve been trying to make sense of cottage prices. There’s no doubt that prices have come up… I did some number crunching a ways back and waterfront has climbed at a higher rate than non-waterfront property.

Now, it’s important to remember that the definition of fair market value is the highest price, in terms of money, that the property will bring to a willing seller if exposed for sale on the open market while allowing a reasonable time to find a willing purchaser, buying with knowledge of the market and all the uses and values applicable to the property, and with neither party acting under necessity, compulsion or peculiar and special circumstances.

& Cottages have been selling. They really have been.

You see, an awful lot of people come here from city wanting to escape the pollution, traffic, crime, the noise, the lack of privacy, the hustle/bustle, the congestion and so on.

Many of them have homes in the city, somewhere, worth quite a bit of money.

However,by their own account, their city homes are lacking some of the most desireable qualities imagineable… like:

Peace and quiet. The sound of birds. Wildlife. Clean air and water. Space. Friendly neighbours. Big trees. Views. A relaxed pace….

Yes, there is no doubt about it… I live in an area that most people simply dream of….

Okay, we are a couple or few hours away from big cities… hmmm… is that a pro or a con?

We ARE located just about an hour away from a number of fair-sized cities… and I remember living in the city and it quite common for people to spend an hour commuting to and from work… so what’s an hour?

Given this information, it seems fair to say that the average person does attach more value to the property in this area- and I have to tell you, the cost of building is at least the same here as it is anywhere else…. Ipso facto… property here should be worth more than property in a city… location, location, location….

Seriously, if I was to go to the city and plop down a 1500 square foot Viceroy, with custom cabinetry and gleaming hardwood floors, unobstructed sunset views (never you mind that it's across a lake), 2.5 acres with mature trees and neighbours tucked politely out of sight… etc…. what would it be worth? Okay, I will have to discount it a bit, given that people seem to want to get away from the city… so, a city location would be a bit of a detriment… still, we're talking some pretty big bucks.

Hmmmm…from this point of view… cottages prices are a bargain.

Bear with me… this is going to be a bit of a rant! Fabian and I went for a drive, early last evening, to preview properties for some Buyers. It was a delightful evening, sunny, a gentle breeze, and not much traffic.

I had printed out a number of listings and we poured over them, selecting a half dozen to visit. It’s always interesting, trying to plan a tour for viewing. We cover such a huge area, that no matter how you try, you are going to be traveling every which way and there’s always going to be backtracking. (Fabian says he only back tracks in hunting season… it’s his attempt at humour).

These particular Buyers are quite specific with their wish list (and they should be, with the kind of money they will be spending). They want to be in the close proximity of Bancroft, or just south of Bancroft. They want western exposure (sunset views), a fairly new cottage (with no real repairs needed), cathedral ceilings, a fireplace, year round use, a gently sloping lot with 3 or 4 stairs (at most) to the water’s edge. They’d like at least two bedrooms. They want to water-ski, so the lake will have to be large enough and have regulations that can accommodate. During their last visit, they’d seen one that was perfect… but it had eastern exposure- so it was a definite NO.

I had tried to contact the various listing agents about the properties, to ask if they would meet the “wish list” requirements but it is a busy time of year and phone tag often culminates without progress. This was the case with many of the listings. It’s too bad, our data system allows all of these characteristics to be entered and included on the listing, it’s just that sometimes it’s overlooked.

I’m not pointing fingers, I’m sure I’ve neglected things… however, we really work hard on MLS® listing data- we figure it’s our first opportunity to alert a prospective Buyer that the property may fit his/her/their criteria, so we don’t want to miss out on anything that will help them to determine if it is right for them. We’re all busy… even the Buyers and Sellers are busy people and there’s no need to be wasting anyone’s time!

Armed with copies of the listings (which include directions) and a planned route, we set off on our adventure. The directions to the first cottage were basic, but the route is simple and we know the area, so it was a breeze to locate. Unfortunately, there was nothing about the exposure on the listing… when we got there, we found that it had SW exposure and a rather steep driveway (in rough shape) and the lot required more like 30 or 40 steps to the water’s edge. There were neighbours quite close. The listing did say, “varied” under land features.

So… on to the next. Again, the directions were adequate to get us to the property. It didn’t advise us that we were going to be on a wilderness trail for the final 300 yards, but the verbiage begins “Privacy Plus!” so, I suppose that should have been the tip-off. The listing said the lot was elevated… and it was… extremely. There was nothing on listing in the spot for lot size or exposure. The cottage had sunset views. Fortunately, the owner was outside- trimming weeds- he mentioned that it was a no-motor boat lake.

Thank you!

We drove to the next place. And drove and drove and drove and drove. Note: We had no idea about the “exposure” of the property and we were suspect that it might be another small, no-motor lake. Unfortunately, the directions were so crappy that we couldn’t find the place. That was a waste of an hour. We’ll have to keep calling the listing agent, if we wish to pursue this one.

Same thing happened when we tried to find the next listing. We drove every direction on the highway and could not find a correctly labeled road- and we know the lake quite well! It wasn’t like it was typo on the listing or anything… maybe someone stole the street sign. At this point, we didn’t even care… the listing mentions the shoreline is across a quiet road… and we don’t think the Buyers will want to compromise on that. We’ll have to keep calling the listing agent, if we wish to pursue this one.

Man, if I was the people trying to sell these, I’d be annoyed that the instructions were so poor that seasoned Realtors® couldn’t locate them!

Next we went to one that was really easy to find- it’s right on the highway and we just wanted to verify that we were thinking of the right one… one that I had been through it some years back… it was… and being on the highway isn’t a big problem… it means easy year round access and it’s got an embankment for a buffer. Fabulous lake… a definite maybe to tell the prospects about!

Finally, we visited one that we were sure would match the list, except that we know the lake and the some of the shoreline and most of the lake bottom is kind of gooshy… and I don’t think you can water-ski on it (because of dead head trees)… but there is access to a bigger lake, about 30 seconds away…. We were right.

The thing is… when we write up an MLS® listing, we want to sell the property. There is a term in the industry called “fluffing”- it’s like exaggerating or focusing on an outstanding quality and embellishing it, without mentioning the detrimental aspects.
For instance, if a cottage is divided into tiny little rooms, most Realtors® wouldn’t say “suitable as a rabbit warren”… they’d probably say cozy… I’d probably say efficiency cabin…

Fabian and I try to express the true quality of a place… and if anything, we understate. We think it’s better to let people be happily surprised (or at least, not let down) when they get to a property…. And we are careful with “directions” because we DO want them to get to a property!

Ah well, I’m not really ranting; it’s part of the job. It’s why a Buyer should hire a Realtor®, better we should enjoy a nice four hour country drive… most of our Buyers would need at least that much time, just to get here and back… and it would be horrible for them to have to put in eight or ten hours viewing 6 properties, 2 of which would not be found… three of which that would be definite no’s… and one bare maybe. When that happens, Buyers head home feeling disappointed and deflated. Sometimes, they don’t want to come back.

We try to explain this to Buyers ahead of time. It takes a long time to travel between properties here. It’s not like the city where you are often seeing properties in a specific neighbourhood… and it takes five or ten minutes from one to the next. Here, you need time for rest stops and stretches. Here, you need to enjoy bumpy, winding, dusty gravel roads for what seems an endless eternity between stops! At least that’s how it seems, to people who have driven two or three hours and are champing at the bit… anxious to see their dream cottage!

We're happy to do the scouting!

Here is a list of the 8 blogs that I have tagged. I read all kinds of blogs. These are a sampling of some that I find particularly interesting... in no particular order....

http://theglitteringeye.com

The Grassy Knoll Conspiracy: http://lotgk.blogspot.com

http://rivierawriter.blogspot.com/

http://thestarsky.blogspot.com/

http://ovedya.blogspot.com/

http://www.thelifeofaneuroticmom.blogspot.com/

http://corp-alien.blogspot.com/

http://greenhaddock2.blogspot.com/ : thought about this one, long and hard... he's just been "tagged"... but I loved his responses... and I WANT MORE!

Okay, if you read my blog for yesterday you will know that I got blog-tagged by my brother and therefore, I have to write 8 random things about myself that you may not already know.

I wrote a lengthy blather about it, yesterday... and included what I thought should be the list. In retrospect, it was stuff that is pretty well already known about me... and boring stuff, too.

I decided to write a better list today. Hopefully I won't get tagged again.

HERE GOES:

Da Rules I Gotta Post... One: Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves. Two: People who are tagged need to write their own blog entry about their eight things and post these rules. Three: at the end of your entry, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names/pseudonyms/blogs. Four: Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Eight Random Things About Me That You Many Not Already Know

#8
I have green eyes and I still have my tonsils and all of my teeth.

#7
I always paint my toenails red.

#6
I currently have three pets. My 2-year-old dog weighs 3 ½ pounds, her name is Billie. My 17-year-old cat is Stanley. My 3-year-old cat is Dennis.

#5
I have always been interested in the “supernatural” or “paranormal”, the unusual and the absurd.

#4
I don’t have a “favourite” colour. I used to like purple, green and black the best. I like pretty well every colour.

#3
I am not all that photogenic, although I have somewhat of a photographic memory.

#2
When I had my ears pierced, at age 27, I got two holes in my right ear, one in my left.

#1
I like watching documentaries.

So, I got this email tonight:

From: Matthew matthew@xxxxxxxxxxx
See: http://doubledeckerbuses.org/blog
wrote:

Blog: RealTalk ( http://blog.getrealinontario.com/index.php )
Post: Who is “NUMBER ONE”? ( http://blog.getrealinontario.com/index.php/2007/06/08/p91 )
Author: Matthew (admin)
Comment: http://blog.getrealinontario.com/index.php/2007/06/08/p91#c24
The term #1 can also mean so much in anything...

After all, I'm the #1 Nuclear Physicist in the world... if you're counting those who know nothing about the true workings of the study and have two pet dogs named Max and Kipling... then I'm #1 in a field on ONE!

Anyway, you been tagged sis...

and I wrote the 8 random things, attached to the email in which I replied:

Bro...my gawd, this is weird... as usual, I was uncomfortable about doing it... but I did it... and I think it's boring and too long... but then, that's me... an egomaniac with self-esteem problems... hmmm... maybe I'm balanced, after all... that balances, doesn't it? I don't think I'm unbalanced. I know people joke about it... but they aren't serious... are they?

*giggles* Now, I post this on my own blog. Then I go to 8 other blog sites and tag the bloggers? Is that how this works?

Biggus Sissus

Fact is, I've been trying to write a blog for days. I've got full manuscripts written in these past weeks and days... they just haven't been deemed relevant enough to post here. So, this tag gives me something to post.

*clearing throat*

Although, I am not sure it is relevant. It is revealing, so that should count.

*clearing throat*

Eight Random Things About Me (Jody)

Da Rules I Gotta Post... One: Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves. Two: People who are tagged need to write their own blog entry about their eight things and post these rules. Three: at the end of your entry, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names/pseudonyms/blogs. Four: Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

#8
I am addicted to information. I measure somewhere between “Obsessive Compulsive” and “Possessed”, on the Richter Scale. I read, I google, therefore I am. I know a little bit about a lot of stuff and lot about a little stuff. I maintain a high i.q. despite diagnosed, traumatic brain injury. Should that be #7? Nope, I’m not counting it. I’m not sure how important “i.q.” is… it’s just a measurement, quoted here, for statistical reference. Sometimes, I embarrass myself… thinking I sound boastful… I hate that. Is that #7? Nope…. Not that important.

#7
I have a unique system of measurement. I don’t believe I have to explain it. I see things in a quirky way, but it’s my life, so I feel it’s my privilege and I’m not hurting anyone.
I also have my own language. I invent words. I feel that invented words are often more adequate. I find words to be limiting. I am a member of an online organization devoted to words & improving vocabulary. I still have a reasonable vocabulary, but it has suffered as a result of my brain injury. I don’t care what people think about my made up words, usually they are descriptive and the message gets across. I get accused of using big words and writing with formality... I don't think I do... and I don't usually notice other people's words... just the messages. Although, I was raised to correct grammar. (Another story)

#6
I believe in many levels of “reality”. I believe in what’s outside the box. I believe that most people choose not to pass “go”. I pass “go”. I follow rules… but I pass “go”. I am inventive and resourceful. I get things done. When I was younger, I was more direct… and, as I’ve matured, I’ve learned to be gentler in my quest to push the envelope.

#5
I love animals. Animals like me. I’ve had close encounters, in the wild- wonderful experiences, with wildlife… but I don’t like to interact with animals in the wild… because I worry about having them come to trust humans… because there are a lot of sick people out there, who hurt animals. I’m a lot more emotional, since my brain injury. Now, just thinking about it can make me tearful. I used to practice more self-control… or is it that I used to hide?

#4
I can do laundry, I can fold laundry. I am not good at matching socks and I hate putting laundry away in drawers. Hate it. It didn’t get any better or any worse, after the whack on the head.

#3
I think metaphorically. I think in layers. I think of plan a, b, c, d and sometimes more, simultaneously. I am analytical. I am an amateur anthropologist. I usually have a good grasp on the big picture… and it does come in pictures, which become metaphors. I’m a poet because I was a lousy painter. Sometimes, I think I say too much… or type too much.

#2
I am a survivor. Lots of bad stuff… like… abuse, I guess some would call it… sexual, mental (3 divorces), physical problems (illness undiagnosed until dangerous, accidents, injuries, near death experiences)…. Okay, I’m not going to list ‘em all… because I’ve never been one to dwell in negativity… and it just opens up a lot of pain and I don’t want to feel bad any more. On the other hand, I have immense quantities of empathy. My limits are generous. Personally, I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and I really advocate that policy… but I respect that others have different perspectives. I love home design and decorating. I like making my surroundings as comfortable as possible, for me and for other people that I love.

#1
I waffle for long periods of time. In my desire to be fair and open-minded, I can see things from different angles and I believe that my opinion is very specific to the moment. New information… personal growth… I never say never… kind of makes it hard to be convinced you have the answer… and if you don’t have the answer, how can you have an opinion? and if you don’t even know how something has been interpreted by the person who may ask you for your opinion, so you may not know the context in which the question is being asked, how can you form a concise opinion? However, I make do decisions and I am always ready to explain why I have made a decision… and I love a good debate. I know opinions can be changed… so what good are opinions, anyway.

Keep It Simple Stupid.
Don’t get caught up in minutia.
Make Love Not War.
So, Now What Are You Going To Do About It?

I have emailed this to my brother, Matthew. Then, I re-read the rules... which I have posted, herewith, according to the rules. I shall select 8 bloggers, to be tagged.

Stay tuned.

My mother recently told me that some of her friends were really excited that “so-and-so” had been accepted at ReMax. She asked me if that was some kind of a big deal. She didn’t think so. I think she was right.

I find it difficult to deal with the term “accepted”, for most real estate companies, as recruiting new sales representatives is one of the main activities in most franchise operations. Most companies are happy to have a licensed body come “aboard”. The more the merrier...

I won't tell you which offices some refer to as "Rack 'Em, Stack 'Em Realty"... because the owner(s) completely load the building with sales representatives- because every rep pays the owner(s) a significant monthly rental for their desk and the real business the company is successful with- is supplying office space.

The “Executive Officer” (who shall go unnamed) of one real estate board, has often told newly licensed Realtors ® that they are a “commodity” and that they should interview brokerages and look for the best contract deal.

You see, as a Realtor ®, in most cases, you are an “Independent Contractor”… basically self-employed- although bound by rules, regulations, laws and legislations. The company you work for, the brokerage, provides you with a contract that outlines what it will cost THE SALES REP. to work there.

While there are different variations of the breakdown, essentially, the brokerage will charge an average of around $20,000 per year, plus a small percentage of the sales representative’s gross commission. In some of the companies, there is a large portion of the corporate advertising costs that are shared by the sales representatives, as well.

Looking at the BIG Corporate picture, gives us a different perspective of each organization. All of the companies have main corporate websites that give a history and brag about their systems and numbers.

Here's what I found online:

Since 1875, Prudential Financial has helped people achieve financial security and peace of mind. With a long history of social responsibility, strong leadership, sound investments, and innovative products and services- the company entered the residential real estate brokerage business in 1987. Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. reports a network of about 68,000 sales professionals in some 2,100 franchise offices in all 50 states, nine Canadian provinces and Mexico.

Royal LePage started off in 1913 when Eddie LePage opened AE LePage and made a full-time business of selling homes. In 1984, the company merged with the real estate arm of Royal Trust to form Royal LePage. Today. 90 years later, Royal LePage states they have over 8000 sales representatives and staff in more than 550 offices from coast-to-coast.

Bowes and Cocks marks its beginnings in 1956. Over the past 40 years, BOWES & COCKS LIMITED has grown from one office in downtown Peterborough, to eighteen offices across Ontario and about 103 sales representatives.

In 1972, Century 21 formed and their website states that they are now in 45 countries with some 8,000 offices and 147,000 representatives.
In 1973, a real estate salesman from Denver, Colorado created RE/MAX - an acronym for "real estate maximums". The Re/Max system was, at the time, a unique concept created to benefit company OWNERS. It was designed for company owners to control overhead costs in that the Re/Max associates (sales reps) would share in the monthly overhead and operating expenses of the office. When operating costs escalate or new equipment is needed, the burden of the expense is to be carried by the “sales associates”, not the broker/owner. In addition, Re/Max offers training programs to educate broker/owners “how to run a profitable business”. In other words, Re/Max is a system of operating a profitable real estate OFFICE. Statistics on the ReMax corporate website indicate they now have about 48000 Sales Associates in 2900 offices.

Wow, huh?

Don't get me wrong. I have a number of professional colleagues who I respect that are working with companies other than Prudential.

In this area, the larger offices are Bowes and Cocks, Century21, Prudential and Royal LePage. It would be hard to say which is number one, although many sales representatives would like to say that their office is the number one office.

Is the number one office the one with the most Realtors ®?

As of today, on the Bancroft District Real Estate Board, the local Century 21 has 10 sales reps on their roster. The local ReMax has about 18 sales reps. The local Bowes and Cocks office has 14 sales reps. Our Prudential office has 4 sales reps and the local Royal LePage office has 2. There are also a couple of independent offices, operated by a sole broker.

Is #1 the office with the highest number of sales?

Well, that statistic would obviously be skewed by the number of sales representatives working under the umbrella of a particular brokerage, so I don’t think so!

Perhaps, if we looked at the average gross sales per Realtor ® in each office?

The numbers might surprise you! The Bancroft District Real Estate Association report of Sales by agency (as of this morning) reports the following gross sales, per capita:

Bowes & Cocks Limited, brokerage: $638,837
Century 21 All Seasons Realty Ltd., brokerage: $588,835
Prudential Lorimer Realty, brokerage: $864,375
ReMax Country Classics Ltd, brokerage:
Main office Bancroft- $639,380
Coe Hill office- $667,450
Royal LePage Frank Real Estate, brokerage: $378,725

I have my own reasons for being affiliated with Prudential. I am confident that it is an international company known for stability and stamina. Rock Solid, as they say.

I believe that the corporate identity is more important to the Realtor ® than it may be to the consumer. As I have said, many times, it is important that Buyers and Sellers interview a number of Realtors ® and select a representative with whom they feel a good working connection and is knowledgeable and professional in the business of Real Estate.

Some of us really don’t worry about being #1. Some of us simply want to do a good job and make an honest living. And, to tell you the truth, when I think about the meaning of #1, it conjures images of potty training and I don’t want to be associated in that way, myself.

In 1956, the Dominion Tar and Chemical Company of Montreal (Domtar) merged with the Howard Smith paper company of Trenton, owner of 40,000 acres in North Hastings county, including parts of Marmora, Madoc, Tudor, Lake, Limerick and Wollaston townships, around the original village of Gilmour. This merger had in its control, a block of land, consisting of about 65,000 acres on the Canadian Shield, that became known as the Gilmour Freehold.

It all began in the 1830s, when the Gilmour Brothers logging company of Trenton, Ont., was granted a mass of acreage in Eastern Ontario, reaching into Algonquin Park. For the following 50 years, the company took all of the pine (& other valuable timber) north of today's Highway 7 and floated them to back to Trenton- marking the beginning of the Trent Canal System.

By 1888, the Gilmour company employed 600 loggers working year-round. Up to 800 were employed in the mill, producing lumber, doors, windows, shutters, cheese boxes, nail kegs, baskets, lath and pickets. Before the wood ran out, they were annually exporting 19 000 hardwood and pine doors to the U.S. and Europe, as well as 75 million board feet of lumber.

By the turn of the century, the woods of Eastern Ontario were littered with slash and debris from the logging operations. This became fuel for the major forest fires that ravaged the land in 1891, 1905 and 1912.

In the early 1850s, the government tried to promote settlement in this desolate area by building the Hastings settlement road from Belleville to Bancroft. The road took many years and dollars to navigate the ridges and small lakes and streams in the region- not to mention the rocks and swamps.

The Loyalist settlers found that the 50-acre Crown grants contained little fertile land, barely enough to sustain feed for their cattle. No more than fifty years later, there was little sign that any settlement had ever taken place. Abandoned homesteads dotted the landscape and would succumb to the fires or become overtaken by the forest or flooding.

Come 1900, the International Nickel Company took over the land, for the mineral leases. They gave the above-ground rights to small sawmill operators who made packing crates and ammunition boxes for World War I. The minerals were not as abundant as first thought and the mines were destined to an early closing. The Central Ontario Railway, from Picton to Bancroft, (built to service the mines)also disappeared.

Domtar has been rehabilitating the property for a number of years and the land is productive again, today.

Man… has it been hot and sticky for the past several days. The Weather Network has been telling us to watch out for “extreme weather”.

No kidding, it’s so hot that the birds have to use tongs to pull worms out of the ground, we’ve discovered that asphalt has a LIQUID state, we’re feedin’ our chickens ice chips so they don’t lay hard boiled eggs and the trees are whistling for dogs!

REMEMBER: Exposure to full sunshine can increase the heat index by 15 degrees F.

Heat can kill, pushing the human body beyond its limits. Usually, the body's natural thermostat causes perspiration that cools the body as it evaporates. In extreme heat and high humidity, evaporation is slower, causing the body to work extra hard to simply maintain a normal temperature.

Elderly people, young children, and those who are ill or overweight are more likely to be badly affected by extreme heat. Men perspire more than women, so they are more susceptible to heat illness as sweating causes them to dehydrate.

Studies indicate that a significant rise in heat-related illnesses occurs when the excessive heat lasts more than two days. Taking a break and spending at least two hours per day in air conditioning helps to prevent heat-related illnesses.

Watch for Signs:

·Heat exhaustion (Occurs when someone is exercising or physically working in hot, humid conditions. This causes excessive sweating and blood rushes into the skin making it flush very pink. Blood flow is cut off from the major organs and can cause shock.) Demonstrated by cool, moist, pale, or flushed skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature may be normal, but is likely rising.

·Heat stroke (Also known as sunstroke.): LIFE THREATENING. You will notice hot, red skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high -sometimes as high as 105 degrees F. If the person was sweating from heavy work or exercise, skin may be wet; otherwise, it will feel dry- this could mean that the temperature control system, which produces sweat to cool the body, has stopped working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly.

How to Handle a Heat Emergency:

·Heat stroke: This is a serious, life-threatening situation. Help is needed AND fast. Call 9-1-1. Move the person to a cool place. Quickly cool the body- if possible, immerse victim in a cool bath or wrap wet sheets around the person’s body and fan it. Watch for breathing difficulties. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the victim refuses water, is vomiting, or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not force anything to eat or drink.

·Heat cramps (muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion): Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. Lightly stretch the affected muscle and replenish fluids. Give a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not give liquids with alcohol or caffeine in them, as they can cause further dehydration, worsening the situation.

·Heat exhaustion: Get the person out of the heat and into a cooler place. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet towels or sheets. If the person is conscious, give cool water to drink. Make sure the person drinks slowly. Give a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Let the victim rest in a comfortable position, and watch carefully for any changes in condition.

What to Do During Extremely Hot Weather:

·Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity including outdoor games and activities. Reduce, eliminate or reschedule strenuous activities. High-risk individuals should stay in cool places. Get plenty of rest to allow your natural "cooling system" to work. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.

·Avoid too much sunshine. Sunburn slows the skin's ability to cool itself. The sun will also heat the inner core of your body, resulting in dehydration. Use a sunscreen lotion with a high sun protection factor (SPF) rating.

·Avoid extreme temperature changes. Don’t soak in cool or cold water- a cool shower immediately after coming in from hot temperatures can actually cause in hypothermia, especially for the under 7s or over 70s.

·Stay indoors as much as possible. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor, out of the sunshine. Even in the warmest weather, staying indoors, out of sunshine, is safer than long periods of exposure to the sun.

·Keep heat outside and cool air inside. Close up and cover anything that may allow heat inside. Install temporary reflectors, such as aluminum foil covered cardboard, in windows and skylights to reflect heat back outside.

·Conserve electricity not needed to keep you cool. During periods of extreme heat, people tend to use a lot more power for air conditioning. Conserve electricity not used to keep you cool so power can remain available and reduce the possibilities of grid outages.

·Vacuum air conditioner filters weekly during periods of high use. Air conditioner filters get clogged with dust and dirt, making them less efficient. Keeping them clean will allow your air conditioner to provide more cool air.

·If your home does not have air conditioning, go to a public building with air conditioning each day for several hours. Air conditioned locations are the safest places during extreme heat because electric fans do not cool the air. Fans do help sweat evaporate, which gives a cooling effect.

·Dress appropriately:

Loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing of
natural fibre that covers as much skin as possible is the
best.

Protect your face and head by wearing a wide-brimmed hat.
A hat will keep direct sunlight off your head and face.
Sunlight can burn and warm the inner core of your body.

·Drink plenty of fluids even if you do not feel thirsty. Injury and death can occur from dehydration, which can happen quickly without you even noticing.

·Take frequent breaks if you must work outdoors. Frequent breaks, especially in a cool area or to drink fluids, can help you tolerate heat better.

·Use the buddy system when working in extreme heat. Partners can keep an eye on each other and can assist each other when needed. Sometimes exposure to heat can cloud judgment. Chances are if you work alone, you may not notice the warning signs.

·Drink plenty of water regularly and often. Your body needs water to keep cool. Water is the safest liquid to drink during heat emergencies.

·Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them. They can make you feel good briefly, but make the heat's effects on your body worse. This is especially true about beer, which actually dehydrates the body.

·Eat small meals and eat more often. Large, heavy meals are more difficult to digest and cause your body to increase internal heat to aid digestion, worsening overall conditions. Avoid high protein foods, such as meats and nuts, which increase metabolic heat.

·Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician. Salt causes the body to retain fluids, resulting in swelling. Salt affects areas of your body that help you sweat, which would keep you cool.

AND PLEASE....

NEVER leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles. Temperatures inside a closed vehicle can reach over 140 degrees F within minutes-+ high temperatures can kill in minutes.

Try to imagine that your Realtor® is bringing Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt… or Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles to view your property, today… & remember, the possibility exists that even if Uncle George’s bowling trophy is as important to you as the Stanley Cup might be to the Sen’s… not everyone would have it on display in the bathroom.

DON’T:

·hang around during showings… and if you must, don’t offer to demonstrate your Aunt Martha’s potato peeler
·let shoes pile up in the entry way- unless you’re hosting an open house for centipedes
·leave dirty dishes in sight- especially when you are struggling with ant infestation
·leave the vacuum cleaner, broom or any other “work” related items in sight-you want to let lookers imagine that your house is self-cleaning
·offer to baby sit Aunt Martha’s fourteen cats
·eaves drop on comments made during showings- and don’t feel the need to defend what you hear, if you do!
·listen to neighbours & relatives who think they’re experts on Real Estate sales
·underestimate your bark-a-saurus, best not to have Spot around during showings

DO:

·de-clutter inside and out- if the 1979 Ford doesn’t crank anymore, send it to the wreckers!
·pack away family photographs, hairbrushes, combs, nail clippings, etc!!
·think of how generic a Hotel Room is… that’s what people are conditioned to see
·use a laundry hamper
·ask for honest suggestions on how to spruce the place up
·refresh any peeling paint, gaping drywall, torn wallpaper
·wait, after showings, for feedback from your own sales rep
·keep the lawn cut and windows clean
·invest in discreet air fresheners, especially in pet areas
·rearrange rooms, so they make sense- even if it is a little inconvenient- take your bed out of the dining room and your desk out of the pantry!
·make sure you tell everyone to FLUSH

Oh… hmmm… that just reminded me of a Real Estate Joke that I once heard….

(Q) Did you hear about Robin Hood's house?
(A) It has a little John.

+ a couple of my other favourites:

Sign in Real Estate Office- We have "lots" to be thankful for.

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She is 97 now & we don't know where the heck she is.

There are folks who will argue that Paudash and Baptiste Lakes are the two “premier” lakes in the Bancroft Area… I can think of a number of other quite fabulous lakes, but those two lakes are very typically mentioned as THE lakes- So, I thought I’d share some “info” on these two lakes. This information is available to Realtors ® through MLS ® statistics on the Bancroft Real Estate Board data base.

Both lakes are reportedly favoured by celebrities… and I’m not going to name the names of the rich and famous musicians, movie stars, authors, artists and other celebrated folk who have property or visit property on either lake… because that is one of the “good things” about the area… some of us can keep a secret!!!

According to searches on the MLS ® data base for Bancroft District, I have determined the average selling prices for 2006 and so far, for 2007- for both lakes- the statistics were taken as of 9 a.m. the 31st of May, 2007. It was an interesting exercise and I thought I’d share the results.

Paudash Lake: (Pronounced locally as PAW-DASH) Rated (4) for acid sensitivity, this lake is located in mostly in Cardiff Township. About 755 hectares in surface area with a maximum depth of about 46 meters. There is 15% crown land surrounding the lake and fish species include Lake Trout, bass and Walleye.

In 2006, 12 properties on Paudash Lake SOLD. The average selling price was 95.6% of the asking price or $216,833. The lowest priced sale was a tidy, little 2 bedroom cottage on a smaller lot that went for $119,000 and the highest priced sale (according to the MLS data base) was $330,000 for a grand spot on Joe Bay with 2 bedrooms up and 2 bedrooms down.

In 2007, so far, there have been 3 sales on Paudash. A 2 bedroom sold for $236,000, a 3 bedroom at $389,000 and a 4 bedroom at $375,000- so, the average selling price was about 97.4% of the asking price or $333,333.

There are currently 9 MLS ® listings on Paudash Lake. There are 3 vacant lots, all under an acre, with an average asking price of $60,000. Clearly, these are not in the best location, but will provide access to this well-loved lake.

There is one property that is essentially an upgraded modular with nice shoreline for $199,900, a 3 bedroom with only boat access for $214,900 and two 2 bedroom cottages (one at $239,900 and one at $349,900) and a 3 bedroom for $269,000, a 4 bedroom for $479,000. I calculated about $292,000 as the average asking price of current listings on Paudash.

Baptiste Lake: (Pronounced locally as BAP-TEEST) Offers good fishing and hours of boating on a very scenic 3-lake system reaching the southern tip of Algonquin Park. Baptiste Lake, rated 4 for acid sensitivity, is located in Herschel ward of Hastings Highlands Township. It is about 2226 hectares in size and part of a chain with Benoir and Elephant Lakes. It offers some 36 miles of boating. The maximum depth is about 32 meters. Fish species include Lake Trout, Muskellunge, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass and Walleye.

In 2006, 25 properties on Baptiste Lake were SOLD through the Bancroft District Real Estate Board. One was a 1.64 acre lot that went for $125,000 and one was an upscale B&B/Restaurant in log that went for $570,000. Tossing out the more “commercial” property at $570,000 (so as not to skew the results), I came to an average sale price of about $214,568 –representing about 90.5% of asking prices.

So far, in 2007, 8 properties have sold on Baptiste, through the Bancroft Board. A small lot that sold for $137,000 represents the lower end and a 4 bedroom Viceroy on an acre and a quarter, represents the high end at $355,000. The average sale price was about $214,000 (hmmm, same as last year) and represented 93.7% of the asking price.

Right now, there are 17 MLS ® listings on Baptiste, of which 5 are vacant land with lake frontage. The smallest, a .68 of an acre lot is listed for $198,500 and the highest is a 44 acre parcel (at the “ripples” leading into Elephant Lake) that is listed for $399,000. Discarding the 44 acres (which would skew things too much)- the average price for a vacant property listed right now on Baptiste is $94,375.

There are 12 cottage properties currently MLS ® listed on Baptiste. The lowest priced cottage is a 3 bedroom for $264,900 and the highest priced is a lovely year round 3+1 bedroom, on 23 acres for $890,000. The average asking price for a cottage or home listed on Baptiste Lake is about $600,500.

Things like access, privacy, amount and quality of shoreline, quality of construction and current condition of buildings (among other items) will affect the asking price of waterfront property, regardless of the lake- however, the reputation of a lake can also influence property value! Remember, market values are decided by well-informed Buyers, who purchase property from Sellers who have knowledge of the market and are not under any pressure to sell.

OKAY… so yesterday, I explained that No one really ‘sells’ real estate.

So What does a Realtor® do for you?

As A Seller:

1. Properly prices your property. This is perhaps the most important skill of all for the real estate professional, using our intimate knowledge of the marketplace, using special tools that we pay for, using our experience and abilities to accurately and properly analyze your property comparatively.

Many people fear that a Realtor® will under-price their property (looking for a fast, easy sale), when in fact the most common trap people fall for is overpricing it. Some Realtors® flatter the Seller in order to get the listing, then work toward getting price reductions- spending the next several weeks gradually ‘conditioning’ (this is real estate jargon) the owner to accept the fact that the market will not pay him this high price.

TRUE STORY:

The beauty of the overpricing scheme is, the Realtor® doesn’t have to take the heat- the Realtor® can say: ‘Hey, it’s not me that’s telling you this, it’s the market.’ Now, factually, that part IS true- it is the market that sets prices. The problem is that certain Realtors ® routinely employ overpricing as a tactic to 'get your business'. & Truth be told, all this maneuvering, apart from being unethical (although pretty common- some of the ‘big name’ agencies do it, routinely) actually reduces the chances of a quick, efficient sale. People who see your price coming down will wonder why your property is not selling and they may assume that there is something wrong with it.

2.Advise you on how to prepare your property for sale. What to fix, how to “stage” your property, so it is attractive to Buyers.

3.Select the appropriate advertising wording and targeting.

4.List your property on the top Internet site “mls.ca” (and on the MLS ® system, the most powerful tool, available to Realtors ®).

5.Show buyers through your property in a professional manner, with the least amount of hassle. This includes not wasting your time with obvious ‘tire-kickers’. Weeding out the “lamers” and qualifying potential buyers.

6.Utilize existing contacts/buyer databases.

7.Apply negotiating skills in bringing the contract together. It helps enormously here to be dealing with a very experienced professional, one who is interested and knowledgeable in putting together a sound contract that will not likely "fall apart" later.

8.Helps you right up to Completion of the Agreement, "closing".

As A Buyer:

1.Properly assesses your wants/needs/preferences. Listens!

2.Advises you of the local market conditions and trends.

3.Selects appropriate properties for your consideration and gives you all relevant information for the area and the specific property.

4.Shows you appropriate properties in a professional manner, with the least amount of hassle.

5.Drafts a sound contract and applies diligent negotiating skills in bringing the deal together.

6.Helps you right up until completion of the Agreement, or "closing".

No one really ‘sells’ real estate. No sales rep. can ‘twist a buyer’s arm’ to buy a property that they don’t want to buy. Think: you might be persuaded to buy a chocolate bar that you don’t really want or need, but a house? Come on!

And an AD can’t sell real estate, either!

The reality is that someone has to put a sale together. Getting a client to say, "Yes" can be one of the most difficult things to do and a seasoned Realtor® knows that “selling” is a process.

FACT:

THE BUSY MARKET has brought with it, a whack of new Realtors® who are anxious to make sales. They are busy trying to promote themselves and their business and sadly, only a fraction will be in the business for any length of time. In their desperation, some new sales reps will offer enticements for business- be wary of offers that are too good to be true, in some cases, newbie representatives aren’t conscious that they are breaking rules and violating regulations!

TRUE:

Most companies don’t have any real criteria for hiring sales representatives. Some companies love to hire new Realtors® because they think it looks good to have a lot of faces in their newspaper ads and besides, it doesn’t cost them anything.

It is no secret that Realtors® don’t earn a salary and they don’t have any benefits. In fact, in most cases, Realtors® pay a desk fee to the company. That is: they pay a monthly rental fee for affiliation with the company and then expenses for things like stationery, business cards, telephone, fax, signs, mandatory ongoing education, license fees, insurance and local advertising (and many other items) are expenses on top of desk fees.

Some other real estate ‘myths’

* Realtors® have no access to any magic recipes for attracting buyers that are not obvious to everyone- there is no professional secret thing that happens mysteriously behind the scenes AND they have no way of knowing what might be coming up “listed” for sale.

*Listings in the window do not really generate sales (they are another tool to promote the agency); this is why, for example, we don’t feel a need to have a ‘prominent shop front’. We work from home bases and ‘on the road’, in clients’ homes, etc. our office is for “duty” time- meaning, a licensed person is available in the event you do stop in, or call. If you are serious, it’s always best to make an appointment with a Realtor®.

* Sold signs advertise the company and the Realtor® to potential Sellers.

*The number of “For Sale” signs does not equal the best company or sales rep. Some reps will purposely list property with high visibility JUST for sign placement… some reps don’t count on signs… and some Sellers don’t want for sale signs!

What really brings a sale?

*Statistically, a for sale sign on the property does help
*An mls.ca and MLS ® listing is considered the number one source
*Newspaper advertising can stimulate inquiries
*An experienced & skilled Realtor® who is diligent in service and knowledgeable in the market

And… what does a Realtor® do for you? Ah… LOTS! A good Realtor® knows that selling is a process of marketing that requires experience, skill and attention… And that is something we will investigate in another blog, another day!

Following up on yesterday’s number crunching, I had to get the stats on sales of vacant land.

I know that I’ve mentioned it before, because it’s a true story… many years ago, I worked with a gentleman who was crazy for statistics. At one sales meeting, he said
“Stop listing vacant land. We have enough listings to last over sixty years.” Boy, did he overlook the “changing” part of trends.

In the past five or six years, vacant land (acreage, especially) has been bought up!

Land, particularly acreages and anything with mature trees, a pond or river or stream, is hard to come by these days. When a listing comes up, Realtors ® scramble to call their contacts and a good listing is sold, pronto.

According to the Bancroft District Real Estate Board database, in 2006 (between January 1st and May 24th) there were 66 vacant land properties sold- with an average sale price of $21,615.51. In that same period, this year, there have been 46 vacant land property sales with an average sale price of $22,417.74. A small increase- about 2 ½ percent.

In 2006, the lowest priced sale of vacant land was the York River lot for $4,900 (I mentioned it, yesterday, in the blog about waterfront prices). In 2007, the lowest priced sale for vacant land was $9,500 for a building lot, in an outlying area.

Listings for this type of property are fewer and farther between. Following waterfront properties, acreages are high on the wish list of many prospective Buyers. It is no secret that a well-forested acreage is a great investment and the potential for a very private retirement home is excellent, too.

If all of the economic predictions are correct, we are going to experience an increase in prices in the vacant land sector. And why not? People who crave privacy, peace & quiet, who are also water enthusiasts can dock a boat at the marinas on larger lakes; for a nominal fee (compared to taxes on waterfront property) and enjoy the best of boating/swimming and fishing- without the crowding, environmental concerns and noise!

Timing is everything, though… and with the reduced number of properties coming available on the market, a smart Buyer will have a good Realtor ® working for them and will be ready to make a quick decision!

Over the past half dozen years, the price of waterfront property, in the traditional Ontario cottage areas, has escalated dramatically. Limited inventory (listings) are reported in more than ½ the markets and demand is higher than ever.

As you know, the laws of supply and demand state: when demand is higher than supply, prices will rise until they reach that point where the quantity of product on supply (listings) equals the demand for the product (Prospective Buyers).

Baby boomers are still being credited with the increase in prices for cottage/recreational property. Baby boomers are investing in their future, both from a lifestyle perspective (recreation & retirement) and for economic purposes (equity). With 1/3 of our population (the Boomers) being in control of just under half the economic wealth of the country, it is no wonder that they are “in the driver’s seat”.

Foreign investors, also, maintain a continued interest in acquiring land and recreational properties in Ontario. Here, land is available in quantities and at prices out of reach for most people in Europe PLUS our air and water quality are unsurpassed- we all know that the Bancroft &Barry’s Bay areas have been a well-kept secret until recent years!

Experts say the boom in seasonal getaway markets is bound to continue for the next five or ten years- particularly in the luxury markets as Boomers appear to be more interested in the upscale, turn-key, year-round properties. Large waterways (like the 90 kilometer Madawaska River system that runs from Whitney, through Kamaniskeg Lake and down to Arnprior) which offer extensive boating & superior fishing are high on most lists.

Major renovations and new, custom-builds are all the rage- with many older, smaller cottages being demolished and replaced with luxurious homes, considered necessary for family comfort and entertaining. The lakeside cottage remains the favourite weekend and vacation destination, as most Buyers have a preference for properties that have private water frontage and beaches.

Despite the trends, Buyers remain grounded and affordability is a serious consideration. While some Sellers are accused of being greedy, others are simply confused about how to price their property in the current market. Realtors ® are finding the market unpredictable, as well, however they are aware that very few Buyers are going to spend more than the fair market value.

Many recreational property owners are holding on to their property. Some are waiting for the opportune time to “cash in” their ever-climbing equity and others are planning to retire to the cottage built by Grandma & Grandpa.

Out of curiosity, I did some number crunching this morning. I did a search of “sold” waterfront property from January 1st, 2006 to May 20th, 2006 and from January 1st, 2007 to May 20th, 2007- to compare. My study concluded waterfront properties have shown a staggering increase of about 27% in the year.

In ’06 in that period, the Bancroft Real Estate Board showed 93 sales of waterfront property with an average price of about $182,000. The lowest priced property that sold, in that period, was $4900 for a river lot and the highest price about $655,000 for a waterfront 3 bedroom with 1000’ of lake frontage.

That same period, this year, showed 57 sales of waterfront property with an average price of about $232,000. The lowest priced property sold in that period, was $12,200 for a 1 acre back lot (water access down the road) and the highest price property sold was a waterfront acreage with 9000’ of shoreline and a 3 bedroom home that sold for $526,000.

Don’t despair; there are still opportunities for Buyers with a tighter budget to get into the recreational market. The key is to become a Buyer Client with a good Realtor ® and be prepared to act fast when the right opportunity presents itself.

According to the popular definition, it is the second Full Moon to occur in a single calendar month. Yes, Kids… this is what I’m talking about… it’s the Blue Moon that you do things once in.

They say, on average, there will be 41 months that have two Full Moons in every century, so they could say that once in a Blue Moon actually means once every two-and-a-half years.

The other (older tradition) blue moon event was said to happen when there are four full moons in a season, this last happened in August 2005. Since this type of blue moon was calculated according to the seasons, it could only occur in February, May, August, or November, about a month before the equinox (or the solstice).

Apparently, the average interval between Full Moons is about 29.5 days, while 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, although it does happen.

The four Full Moons in May, June and July 2007 are: May 2 & May 31 and June 30 & July 29. Which means, you get a chance to do something once, again, next month.

Supposedly, the rare occurrence of two blue moons in the same year happens approximately once every 19 years but then, 1999 was the year in which a blue moon appeared twice, it was in January and March. That wasn’t so long ago!

I’m told that there will be no blue moon, of any kind, in the years 2011, 2014, and 2017- unless, of course, we experience another explosion of Mount Krakatoa. This happened in 1883 and is said to have made the world’s loudest noise, ever! Scientists suggest it would be much like the blast of a 100-megaton bomb. The sound was heard (like a cannon blast) 600 kilometers away. Anyway…

The plumes of ash rose so high and the particles were so thick that they messed up the red rays of the spectrum and for years after, the moon had a blue cast… some nights the moon was a little more green than blue…

At the same time, the sun went a lavender shade and the sunsets were so vivid that on a number of occasions observers called for the fire brigade!

Climatologists with Environment Canada have announced that we are in for scorching temperatures this summer. They suggest that we need to keep a watch out for severe storms and violent weather. All I can think about are the devastating tornadoes that went through Combermere, last summer.

Combermere is Fabian's home town. His brother and family, as well as his parents still live in the town. Last year, we heard about the tornado, as it was happening and we jumped in the car and drove into the storm!

That's a whole story in itself!

With scorching temperatures you can expect smog alerts, fire bans, hail storms, high winds, drought and sunburns! Sun damage to your skin is nothing to laugh at. You need to prepare yourself for the sun.

*Wear sunglasses that provide UVA protection. UVA exposure can cause cataracts.
*Wear sun-protective clothing if you are particularly fair.
*Apply sun block at least 15 to 30 minutes before venturing out into the sun and re-apply at least every two hours especially if you have been swimming
*Take frequent breaks from the sun by going indoors or moving into the shade.
*Drinking lots of water, avoid alcohol & caffeine and drink up and don't wait until you're thirsty - drink before you feel thirsty!
*Wear a wide-brimmed hat Stay out of the sun during the peak hours of 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Sunburns are caused by UV radiation rather than heat (we can get sunburns on snowy days). Douglas Brash, PhD, Yale professor of therapeutic radiology, genetics and dermatology, recently completed a study that suggests the type of pigment an animal has, in addition to skin transparency, plays a large role in who burns. Dr. Brash found that the type of melanin that causes blonde and red hair actually increases the risk for cell death such as seen in sunburn.

Sunburn should be treated for the healing of current sunburn pain, skin damage and potential skin cancer as well as to prevent further sunburn. Sunburns destroy skin, which controls the amount of heat our bodies retain or release, holds in fluids, and protects us from infection. There are the several ways we may do this.

If you do get a sunburn, here’s what you can do:

1. Get out of the sun. Staying in the sun after the burn is present will make it worse.
2. Look for blisters. Blistering means the skin is completely damaged and complications are likely. If the area with blisters is bigger than one entire arm or the whole abdomen, seek medical attention by calling 911 or visiting the emergency department.
3. Take a cool shower or bath to soothe the pain.
4. Apply aloe or witch hazel lotion (a good aloe alternative) another cooling agent. Whatever you use - DO NOT APPLY BUTTER OR OIL TO ANY BURN!
5. Unless you have abrasions on the burned skin, try vinegar. Mix 50-50 with cool water, put it in a spray bottle or soak tea towels and make a cold compresses.
6. Wear loose-fitting natural clothing (like silks or light cottons) that will not irritate the affected areas. Other materials, especially man-made ones like polyester, can rub harshly against the skin and make a burn feel much worse. If you are able to stay at home, do so and wear as little clothing as possible to keep it from hurting your skin. But put a soft cotton blanket over the couch or bed to keep your skin from rubbing against upholstery.
7. Keep it cool; not too much clothing and an ice pack can be great on a burn. Bathe with cool water and avoid soap, which can cause irritation. Set up a fan.
8. Over the counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be used for the pain of sunburn. If stronger pain relief is needed, contact a physician or go to the emergency department. Aspirin dissolved in water in small doses may be directly applied to affected areas.
9.Vitamin E, one of the antioxidants, can be taken regularly as part of a daily vitamin and mineral supplement or spread as in an ointment on sunburn. Vitamin C is another antioxidant that will help prevent severe damage from sunburn and shorten its effects. Selenium is a mineral that will help fight sunburn
10.To protect the eyes and the area around the eyes, try placing thin slices of fresh cucumber over closed eyelids when out in the sun. Cucumber will absorb all the ultraviolet light and keep the eyes safe and cool.

Further Tips:

Watch for Dehydration!
Symptoms may include:
thirst
less-frequent urination
dry skin
fatigue
light-headedness
dizziness
confusion
dry mouth and mucous membranes
increased heart rate and breathing
In children, additional symptoms may include:
dry mouth and tongue
no tears when crying
no wet diapers for more than 3 hours
sunken abdomen, eyes or cheeks
high fever
listlessness
irritability
skin that does not flatten when pinched and released
Cases of serious dehydration should be treated as a medical emergency, and hospitalization, along with intravenous fluids, is necessary. Immediate action should be taken.

Watch for signs of Heat Exhaustion:

Burns cause Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, people with high blood pressure, and people working or exercising in a hot environment.

Warning signs of heat exhaustion include:
heavy sweating
paleness
muscle cramps
tiredness
weakness
dizziness
headache
nausea or vomiting
fainting

The skin may be cool and moist. The victim's pulse rate will be fast and weak, and breathing will be fast and shallow. If heat exhaustion is untreated, it may progress to heat stroke. Seek medical attention immediately if the symptoms are severe, or the victim has heart problems or high blood pressure. Otherwise, help the victim to cool off, and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 hour.

Watch for Heat Stroke:

The common symptoms and signs of heat stroke include:
high body temperature
the absence of sweating, with hot red or flushed dry skin
rapid pulse
difficulty breathing
strange behavior
hallucinations
confusion
agitation
disorientation
seizure
coma

How do you treat a heat stroke victim?
Victims of heat stroke must receive immediate treatment to avoid permanent organ damage. First and foremost, cool the victim. Get the victim to a shady area, remove clothing, apply cool or tepid water to the skin, fan the victim to promote sweating and evaporation, place ice packs under armpits and groins. Monitor body temperature with a thermometer and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102 degrees. Always notify emergency services (911) immediately. If their arrival is delayed, they can give you further instructions for treatment of the victim.

Other tips:
Sunburn can cause swelling. Burns of the face and neck can sometimes swell enough to cause difficulty breathing. If that happens, call 911 immediately. It is possible, though rare, to have third-degree burns from the sun. If you suspect this might have happened, see a doctor immediately. Burns that completely circle the hands or feet may cause such severe swelling that blood flow is restricted. If swollen or tight hands and feet become numb and tingly, blue, cold, or "fall asleep," then call 911 immediately.

Do not peel or pick at dead skin. Picking at dead skin can lead to infection, bleeding and scars.

Even the Environment Canada senior climatologist said that while we are definetly in for a hot summer, there's no real certainty that we will see an increase in severe weather activity. I wonder if you can count sunburn as a result of severe weather?

There are over 1800 known species of black flies (of which 11 are extinct) and about 100 of those species live in Canada. Related to mosquitoes, adult female black flies feed by painlessly ripping open your skin and sucking up pools of blood- the itchy, bloody and sore after-effect is most uncomfortable. The males nosh primarily on nectar- male black flies are credited with pollinating blue berries.

Black flies are small (1-5mm) and usually black or gray with a humped thorax, short legs and antennae. They have a delighful habit of travelling in swarms and are particularly fierce in this area, from about Mid-May until June- then they tone down some.

Since the Canadian Shield has such an abundance of lakes and fast-flowing streams, it provides perfect conditions for the reproductive, egg-laying practice of these little biters, who sometimes make it impossible to enjoy outdoor activities. (That is why I highly recommend screened porches or gazebos).

The total eradication of black flies really isn’t feasible but you can greatly reduce the harassment by cutting back on toiletries and cosmetics, shampoos and soaps that are perfumed. Similarly, it would appear that light coloured clothing is less attractive to black flies. Opt for looser-fitting clothes, with tight sleeves, zippered closures and tuck your pant legs into your socks or boots- a bandana around your neck will help to keep them out of your shirt.

Specialized bug-jackets etc. are available and they work, but they can be warm. Deet repellents can be of some relief, as are citronella candles and oil (be sure to read all of the instructions for the safe use of these products).

Black flies congregate in wooded areas and still air. They can cause havoc with animals, too. They seem to prefer the early morning, late afternoon-early evening or when storm clouds roll in and they aren’t as virilant in the blazing sun. It seems that black flies are afraid of the dark and they go home, shortly after the streelights come on.

Throughout the summer, the population of black flies declines. It seems that a few, really hot days in a row will wipe most of them out. I’ve been told to watch and when their little legs start to turn white, you can bet that you’ll be black fly free in short order.

Many an experienced local will place a couple of oscillating fans out on their porch- to keep the nuisances at bay. Some install bat houses and bird houses- bats, dragonflies and some birds are the natural predators of black flies.

The good news is: there is only one generation of black flies per year and a lively black fly population is proof of unpolluted water! Something to think about, as you sit out on your screened deck and enjoy a dish of freshly picked blueberries.

It’s not unusual for a Realtor ® to be asked the question “when is the best time to buy?”

Many times, the person asking has some convoluted theory about market prices. Some people believe that they will get a better price on a seasonal cottage late in the autumn- the theory being that the owner won’t want the worry or expense of carrying it, over the winter. Others believe that the “right” time to buy a seasonal cottage is very early in the spring, when the owner won’t want the worry or expense of “opening” the cottage for the season.

And there are other “theories”. They don’t necessarily make sense to me, either, but then, I’ve done the number crunching. With access to the MLS statistics (which are fairly accurate), I have been able to track the busy months and the average price per month, for a number of years. Truth be known, the busiest months (meaning, greatest number of properties sold) used to be April and October. In recent years, that trend has gone out the window and there is no obvious pattern in the number of sales.

The same can be said for “Listings”… there is no longer any particular time of year that correlates to the number of listings signed up for any particular type of property. Still, some Buyers opt to wait and see what else will come up for sale. I have a database full of prospective Buyers who have been waiting for a long time. Prices have gone up- but then, their expectations had obviously exceeded what has been available. So I never push.
Why would I? I just said that there is no pattern or program for when someone would/should/could buy!

There are so many factors that influence the real estate market that it is nearly impossible to categorically define the “right time to buy”. If, as a Buyer, you define “the right time” as being an opportunity to pick up a “real deal” monetarily, then you should look at issues of economy, such as employment rates, interest rates and business shutdowns will have an effect on the local market- just remember, it is no secret that most Realtors ® will use statistics and comparable property sales in order to determine their opinion of the “Market Value” for a home and along with the current state of repair, matters of the economy have also usually been taken into account when determining a listing price. Weather or season related market fluctuations might occur, but with the number of year-round activities available in this area, that is seldom a concern.

The rationale for the Seller selling and the rationale for the Buyer buying are more often significant factors, in my opinion, that dictate when it’s the “right time” to buy or sell. Almost always, the purchase or sale of a property has emotional roots. A Seller may have to sell, due to job relocation or a financial or lifestyle decision. Sometimes, there has been a significant change in the family, a birth or death, divorce, separation or marriage. In some cases, Sellers may opt to price their property below estimated Market Value, in order to secure a quick sale.

Personally, I have found that while most Buyers say they want “a good deal”- this usually boils down to a/ Getting a property they really love and b/ Securing an agreement for sale at a price they are comfortable with and can afford. No matter how inexpensive a property may appear it may not be desirable in the eyes of Buyers- so it can’t just be about the money. Generally speaking, there is a market for everything and everyone- but, regardless of the “deal”- some Buyers just want a lush lawn and others, to have natural forest.

Okay… so, I’ll stop beating around the bush here (pardon the pun) and put it in the simplest terms that I am able. If you ask me, the right time or “best time” to buy, is when you find something that you love and it happens to be for sale. Then, with the help of a competent Realtor®, you hammer out an Agreement with terms that satisfy both you and the Seller AND you’ve agreed upon a price that makes everyone feel kind of friendly and comfortable. Then, I’d have to say- you really have made a “good deal”.

When it comes to cottage life, there are those of us who have extensive cottage experience and those who do not. Everyone’s cottage has nuances that make it different from the next. If you are inviting people to your cottage, there are a few important rules or tips that you should know… and if you are invited to a cottage, there is stuff you should find out, in order to enjoy your stay.

A good host/hostess will be very clear about when and for how long guests have been invited to stay… and about pets and discuss any rules that may apply. A good host/hostess will let you know where to park and how to get their attention, upon arrival.

A good host/hostess will inform guests about the quirks of their cottage. Some cottage owners post rules- something easily accomplished with neat index card sized notes pinned in the appropriate areas. They know that other people have different habits in their own homes, particularly when on urban water and sewage services.

Areas of particular importance are bathrooms (plumbing or alternative bathroom procedures are common in cottage country). Things like “how to operate” the toilet, tap water is or isn’t drinkable, hot water is limited, warnings about any items that might plug up the works: such as triple ply decorator toilet paper, sanitary hygiene products, cigarette butts or diapers. A good host/hostess will make sure guests know the appropriate “water etiquette” – things like, if there is a separate supply for drinking and if there are limits to the length or timing of showers.

A good host/hostess will tell you about the various forms of wildlife that are in the area, as they realize that an unexpected sighting of a bear, snapping turtle, large beaver or snake can be traumatic to the uninitiated. Even long weeds in the water can be frightening to some… so guests may be given parameters for the “swimming area”.

Care and storage of equipment like paddles, life jackets and beach toys will be discussed up front, as will “where to hang wet bathing suits and towels”. A good host/hostess knows that it will be a far more enjoyable visit, if everyone has a general idea of how things are done and can do their part.

If you’ve been invited to a cottage, there are important questions you should ask.

1/ Clarify arrival date and departure date and don’t overstay.
1a/ Clarify that children &/or pets are welcome.
2/ Clarify where to park- for unloading & for the stay (it may be two different locations).
3/ Ask about grocery items or refreshments that you can contribute to the menu and if you will need a cooler for those items.
4/ Ask about sleeping arrangements, do you need to bring sleeping bags, pillows, linens or any other items? How about towels, lifejackets, fishing tackle or rods?

A good guest will be prepared with sunscreen, sunglasses and a good book or magazines. A good guest knows that cottages are supposed to be about relaxing and unwinding and will want to make it as stress-free as possible, for everyone concerned. This means, a good guest will come on time, accompanied only by other expected guests and expected pets. A good guest will never complain about being bored.

A good guest will keep the cottage as clean and tidy as possible. Lending a hand with dishwashing, sweeping, table setting, cooking, wood chopping, taking garbage out and any other daily chores. A good guest will lend a hand fixing the dock or any other project that is on the go.

A good guest picks up after themselves, children and animals. Bare feet are common in cottage country and there is nothing worse than stepping in Rover’s business or finding a soggy towel in a heap on the floor. A good guest will poop and scoop- similarly, a good guest will bring extra plastic bags for dealing with soiled diapers and will pick up after any kid (even their own).

A good guest keeps their space tidy and won’t hog other people’s space with their gear. A good guest will ask for directions as to the best place to stash bulky stuff. A good guest is pretty self-sufficient and won’t sulk if nobody else wants to do a ten-mile hike.

A good guest will respect campfire rules. A good guest brings their own "beverages" and won’t get too drunk or too obnoxious.

A good guest understands that mosquitoes, other types of flies, bugs and spiders are part of the charm of cottage life. A good guest will bait their own hooks and be careful not to cast a snag into their host… a good guest won’t squeal out loud or rock the boat, when someone catches a fish.

A good guest won’t complain if there is no TV. A good guest will enjoy rainy day and evening festivities- including board games. A good guest understands that just because they’re at a cottage, there should still be civilized behaviour, which brings up another good point- if a good guest must have sex at the cottage, they will practice silent sex, because cottage walls are almost always thin!

Good guests wash their own “snack” dishes and won’t take glass of any kind anywhere near the beach. A good guest doesn’t leave out food or empty cups, bottles, cans or wrappers that could prove to be an invitation for unwanted visitors of many sizes and description.

A good guest will bring something that says thank-you. They’ll bring some homemade cookies, a bottle of wine for a dinner or some other small token. They’ll pack up quietly and efficiently and tidy behind themselves.

Good guests get invited back.

Romantics have done it for eons, but somehow, gazing at the night sky never gets old. You don’t have to worry about identifying the objects you are viewing, just relax and enjoy the splendor of the night sky.

People have been looking up there- for as long as there have been people! Stars and planets can be used to ascertain direction and the time… once you have moved past the sheer entertainment of it all and have researched enough that you can identify some specific stars and/or constellations.

In the northern hemisphere, the remainder of May and early June are the best time (at least this year) for spotting Mercury in the night sky. In the weeks ahead, Mercury stays out a bit longer after sunset, but this world also dims day by day.

Tonight, use the moon to spot Mercury, the solar system’s innermost planet. It will appear next to the whispy-thin crescent waxing moon. It really is exciting, when you realize what is visible to the unaided eye.

If you have some, grab binoculars around dusk(hot chocolate and a flashlight are optional) and look toward the west (the direction of sunset)- usually the first star you can see at night is actually the planet Venus. Venus is the second planet out from the sun and next to the sun and moon, it is the most brilliant celestial object to light up the heavens.

Locate now, the moon. If you draw an imaginary line from Venus and just to the left of the moon you will be able to locate Mercury quite close to the horizon. Even though Mercury shines more than pretty well any star, the planet’s glow is reduced substantially by the glare at twilight.

Start looking for Mercury about 30 to 45 minutes after the sun sets… Mercury itself sets about 1.5 hours after sundown (in this part of the world).

May 18, 2007
The crescent Moon and the evening star put on a beautiful show this weekend. They will pop into view in the west shortly after sunset. Tonight, the evening star -- really the planet Venus -- is well to the upper left of the Moon. But tomorrow evening, they will be so close together that they will almost appear to touch.

May 19, 2007
One of the most beautiful sky watching events of the year takes place this evening, as the crescent Moon sneaks by the planet Venus, the “evening star.” They are well up in the west at sunset, and will not set until around midnight. At their closest, they will be separated by about the width of the Moon itself.

May 20, 2007
The crescent Moon lines up with the twins of Gemini this evening, while a planet dangles below them. Gemini’s leading stars are Pollux and Castor, the “heads” of the twins. Pollux is to the right of the Moon, with Castor to the right of Pollux. Venus, the “evening star,” shines brilliantly to the lower right of the Moon.

"A clique of U.S. industrialists is hell-bent to bring a fascist state to supplant our democratic government and is working closely
with the fascist regime in Germany and Italy. I have had plenty of
opportunity in my post in Berlin to witness how close some of
our American ruling families are to the Nazi regime. . . Certain
American industrialists had a great deal to do with bringing
fascist regimes into being in both Germany and Italy. They
extended aid to help Fascism occupy the seat of power, and they
are helping to keep it there."-William E. Dodd, U.S. Ambassador
to Germany, 1937

How to Impeach a President:

1. The House Judiciary Committee deliberates over whether to initiate an impeachment inquiry.
2. The Judiciary Committee adopts a resolution seeking authority from the entire House of Representatives to conduct an inquiry. Before voting, the House debates and considers the resolution. Approval requires a majority vote.
3. The Judiciary Committee conducts an impeachment inquiry, possibly through public hearings. At the conclusion of the inquiry, articles of impeachment are prepared. They must be approved by a majority of the Committee.
4. The House of Representatives considers and debates the articles of impeachment. A majority vote of the entire House is required to pass each article. Once an article is approved, the President is, technically speaking, "impeached" -- that is subject to trial in the Senate.
5. The Senate holds trial on the articles of impeachment approved by the House. The Senate sits as a jury while the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the trial.
6. At the conclusion of the trial, the Senate votes on whether to remove the President from office. A two-thirds vote by the Members present in the Senate is required for removal.
7. If the President is removed, the Vice-President assumes the Presidency under a chain of succession.

Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the U.S. faced impeachment in 1868 by attempting to oust Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. His actions were considered a violation of the Tenure of Office Act (1867), which prohibited the president from dismissing office holders without the Senate's approval. The Senate was one vote short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict, and therefore, Johnson was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, but acquitted by the Senate on May 26, 1868.

In 1926 the Supreme Court ruled all Tenure of Office Acts unconstitutional.

In 1974, President Richard Milhous Nixon (the 37th President of the U.S.) faced impeachment after some men hired, by Nixon's reelection committee were caught burglarizing Democratic party headquarters at the Watergate Complex on June 17, 1972. The House Judiciary Committee issued three articles of impeachment on July 30, 1974. With impeachment appearing inevitable, Nixon resigned on Aug. 9, 1974.

In 1994, U.S. President Bill Clinton faced impeachment over some suspect real estate dealings in which Clinton was involved prior to his presidency. The investigation failed to turn up any implicating evidence for anything, except for a number of allegations relating to marital infidelity and sexual misconduct. By January of 1998, pretrial depositions were underway and a firestorm of media speculation regarding Clinton and
White House intern, Monica Lewinsky swept the airwaves and the Internet.

By September 1998, investigator Ken Starr delivered his 453-page report and 36 boxes of evidence to the House of Representatives, citing 11 impeachable offenses allegedly committed by the President.

The House of Representatives had been scheduled to convene on Thursday, December 17, to begin considering the four articles of impeachment. However, on Wednesday, President Clinton ordered a series of military air strikes against Iraq, following the failure of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to comply with U.N. weapons inspectors.

On Friday, December 18, 1998, the full House of Representatives gathered for the first time in 130 years to consider the impeachment of a President.

Article 1: Perjury before Independent Counsel Ken Starr's grand jury.
(Approved 21-16 by the House Judiciary Committee on Friday, December 11, 1998)
(Passed 228-206 in the House of Representatives at 1:25 p.m. on Saturday, December 19, 1998)

Article 2: Perjury in the Paula Jones civil case.
(Approved 20-17 by the House Judiciary Committee on Friday, December 11, 1998)
(Failed 229-205 in the House of Representatives at 1:42 p.m. on Saturday, December 19, 1998)

Article 3: Obstruction of Justice related to the Jones case
(Approved 21-16 by the House Judiciary Committee on Friday, December 11, 1998)
(Passed 221-212 in the House of Representatives at 1:59 p.m. on Saturday, December 19, 1998)

Article 4: Abuse of Power by making perjurious statements to Congress in his answers to the 81 questions posed by the Judiciary Committee.
(Approved 21-16 by the House Judiciary Committee on Saturday, December 12, 1998)
(Failed 285-148 in the House of Representatives at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, December 19, 1998)

Particularly titillating to the media and public were stories that during their affair, the President and Ms. Lewinsky had ten sexual encounters in the Oval Office suite. The public was shocked to learn that during one encounter, the President, while engaged in sex, spoke to a Republican member of Congress on the telephone regarding sending U.S. troops to Bosnia.

There were months of headlines and political satire, surrounding Miss Lewinsky’s semen-stained blue dress that proved to be the “smoking gun based on DNA evidence that could prove the relationship despite Clinton's official denials. Clinton later stated that he believed the agreed-upon definition of sexual relations excluded his receiving oral sex.

The Impeachment Trial (proceeding with articles one and three) in the Senate commenced on January 7, 1999. The Senate voted on the Articles of Impeachment on February 12, with a two-thirds majority, or 67 Senators, required to convict. The President was found not guilty with 45 Senators voting for the President's removal from office and 55 against. President Clinton was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, but acquitted by the Senate- of all charges. He remained in office, and his only penalty was the censure of the House of Representatives, serving the remainder of his term of office through to January 20, 2001.

Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, but acquitted by the Senate. Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached.

On January 20, 2001, George Walker Bush (The oldest son of former United States President George H. W. Bush and now the 43rd President of the United States) made his inaugural address. You can read it, in its glorious entirety at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/inaugural-address.html

After the alleged “terrorist attacks” of September 11, 2001- Bush declared a global War on Terrorism and ordered an invasion of Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban, destroy Al-Qaeda and to capture Osama bin Laden in October 2001.

A frustrated, Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chrétien, warned that the country was in for some very tough years dealing with George Bush. Chrétien vowed he would play hardball with the new U.S. president on trade issues.

In March 2003, Bush ordered an invasion of Iraq, asserting that Iraq was in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1441

Bush won re-election in 2004 after a heated general election campaign against Senator John Kerry, in which Bush's prosecution of the Iraq War and his handling of the economy became central issues.

With the January 2006 federal election in Canada, Steven Harper (of the Conservative Party) became the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada and leader of a minority government. Steve, as Mr. Bush calls him, soon showed himself to be the ideological soul mate of George Bush Jr. (or shrub as he is sometimes affectionately known).

Steve is the guy that in 2003(as leader of the opposition) was all for Canada joining the Bush and Blair administrations in the invasion of Iraq. Steve is the same guy who went at Prime Minister Jean Chrétien for his decision to stand by the UN’s recommendations, keeping Canada out of this illegal war.

Steve is the same guy that suggested that by not joining in the fun, Canada’s trade with the US would suffer. He told us that we were abandoning our American friends in their hour of need.
Make no mistake, if Steve had been Prime Minister in 2003 we would have joined in the invasion of Iraq.

There are unconfirmed reports of as many as 600,000 Iraqi civilians wounded or dead. Some surveys state that 55 percent of casualties have been women and children under the age of 12.

The US reports 34000 injured military personnel. Fatalities of over 3400 US soldiers, 148 UK soldiers, 126 “Other” soldiers killed, Iraqi streets once again made dangerous for women (hell, they’re dangerous for everybody), the growth of huge, well armed terrorist networks operating in a relatively lawless country with a whole new bunch of reasons for hating the West, literally billions and billions of dollars diverted from the public coffers in the US to the military campaign, etc., etc., etc.

Thousands of civilians have been made homeless and thousands upon thousands have been permanently maimed and disfigured.

http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2007/05/04/02
http://lite.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L09493088.htm
www.iraqbodycount.net
http://icasualties.org/oif/

This war has been brought to you by a number of innocent people… including but not limited to:

Journalists killed in the conflict:

( Note: This may not be a complete list.)

05/09/07 4 Unknown

05/06/07 Dmitry Chebotayev

04/12/07 Iman Youssef Abdullah

04/05/07 Khamail Muhsin

03/07/07 Youssef Sabri

03/03/07 Mohan al-Zaher

03/03/07 Jamal al-Zubaidi

02/20/07 Abdel Razeq Hashim al-Khaqani

01/12/07 Khudr Younis al-Obaidi

01/06/07 Ahmed Hadi Naji

12/12/06 Aswan Ahmed Lutfallah

12/03/06 Nabil al Dulaimi

11/15/06 Fadia Mohammed Ali

11/13/06 Mohammed al-Ban

11/03/06 Ahmed Rasheed

11/03/06 Abdul Majeed Ismael Khalil

10/14/06 Raed Qais al-Shammari

10/10/06 Azad Mohammed Hassan

09/18/06 Ahmed Riyadh al-Karbouli

09/12/06 Safaa Ismail Inad

09/12/06 Hadi Anawi al-Joubouri

08/29/06 Iyad Nassif al-Mousawai

08/07/06 Mohammed Abbas Hamad

08/07/06 Ismail Amin Ali

07/31/06 Riyad Muhammad Ali

07/31/06 Abdul Wahab Abdul Razeq Ahmad Al Qaisie

07/05/06 Alaa Hassan

05/29/06 Paul Douglas

05/29/06 James Brolan

05/11/06 Muzahim al-Hadithi

05/08/06 Muazaz Ahmed

05/08/06 Laith al-Dulaimi

03/14/06 Mohsen Khudair

03/11/06 Amjad Hamee

03/07/06 Munsuf Abdallah al-Khaldi

02/23/06 Khalid Mahmoud

02/23/06 Atwar Bahjat

02/23/06 Adnan Khairullah

01/26/06 Mahmoud Zaal

11/28/05 Muqdad Muhsin

11/28/05 Aqeel Abdul Ridha

11/07/05 Ahmed Hussein Al-Maliki

10/19/05 Mohammad Harun Hassan

09/21/05 Bassem al-Fadli

09/21/05 Ahlam Youssef

09/20/05 Firas Maadidi

09/19/05 Fakher Haider

08/28/05 Waleed Khaled

08/27/05 Rafed Mahmoud Said al-Anbagy

08/10/05 Unknown Iraqi journalist

08/02/05 Steven Vincent

07/23/05 Adnan al-Bayati

07/17/05 Hind Ismail

07/01/05 Khalid al-Attar

06/30/05 Yasser Salihee

06/28/05 Ahmed Wael Bakri

06/26/05 Maha Ibrahim

06/22/05 Jassim Al Qais

05/31/05 Jerges Mohammed Sultan

05/15/05 Najem Abd Khudair

05/15/05 Ali Jassem Al Rumi

05/15/05 Ahmad Adam

04/23/05 Saleh Ibrahim

04/15/05 Shamal Abd Allah Assad

04/15/05 Ahmed al-Rubai'i

04/14/05 Fadhil Hazem Fadhil

04/14/05 Ali Ibrahim Issa

03/14/05 Hussam Sarsam

03/10/05 Laik Ibrahim

02/25/05 Raeda Wazzan

02/09/05 Abdul-Hussein Khazal

11/01/04 Wadallah Sarhan

11/01/04 Dhia Najim

10/30/04 Nasrallah al-Dawoodi

10/27/04 Liqaa Abdul-Razzaq

10/14/04 Karam Hussein

10/14/04 Dina Mohammed Hassan

09/12/04 Mazen Tomeizi

08/26/04 Enzo Baldoni

08/15/04 Mahmoud Hamid Abbas

06/03/04 Sahar Saad Eddin Nuami

05/27/04 Shinsuke Hashida

05/27/04 Kotaro Ogawa

05/21/04 Rashid Hamid Wali

05/07/04 Waldemar Milewicz

05/07/04 Mounir Abdallach Bouamrane

04/19/04 Assad Kadhim

03/26/04 Burhan Mohamed Mazhour

03/19/04 Ali al-Khatib

03/18/04 Nadia Nasrat

03/18/04 Ali Abdel Aziz

02/01/04 Semko Karim Mohyideen

02/01/04 Safir Nader

02/01/04 Haymin Mohamed Salih

02/01/04 Gharib Mohamed Salih

02/01/04 Ayoub Mohamed

02/01/04 Abdel Sattar Abdel Karim

01/27/04 Duraid Isa Mohammed

10/28/03 Ahmed Shawkat

08/25/03 Ahmad Kareem

08/17/03 Mazen Dana

08/17/03 Jeremy Little

07/05/03 Richard Wild

05/08/03 Elizabeth Neuffer

04/14/03 Mario Podesta

04/08/03 Veronica Cabrera

04/08/03 Tareq Ayyoub

04/08/03 Taras Protsyuk

04/08/03 Jose Couso

04/07/03 Julio Anguita Parrado

04/07/03 Christian Liebig

04/06/03 Kamaran Abdurazaq Muhamed

04/06/03 David Bloom

04/03/03 Michael Kelly

04/02/03 Kaveh Golestan

03/30/03 Gaby Rado

03/22/03 Terry Lloyd

03/22/03 Paul Moran

03/20/03 Frederic Nerac

Missing or Captured:
(note: this might not be a complete list)

US Staff Sergeant Keith M. Maupin 23-Apr-2004
US Ahmed Qusai al-Taei: Status - missing-captured 23-Oct-2006
US Sgt. Anthony J. Schober - DUSTWUN 12-May-2007
US Spc. Alex R. Jimenez: Status - DUSTWUN 12-May-2007
US Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr: Status - DUSTWUN 12-May-2007
US Pvt. Byron W. Fouty: Status - DUSTWUN 12-May-2007

As of May 3rd:
Deaths: Self-Inflicted (note: this may not be a complete list)
Self Inflicted Army Navy Marines Air Force Total
Died of Self-Inflicted wounds 91 3 19 0 107

According to:
http://www.unknownnews.net/casualties.html

At least 799,896 people have been killed, and
1,529,439 seriously injured in Afghanistan and Iraq
(note: I don't think there are complete lists for any statistics related to this conflict)... although....

I’m pretty sure that there’s a lot more DNA evidence out there for this than you could get on any one dark blue dress.

Born in 1856 in Austria-Hungary, Nicola Tesla is known for his inventive work in electricity and magnetism. His creative contributions to alternating current, the induction motor, rotating magnetic field and wireless technology, were the basis for what is called the “Second Industrial Revolution”.

Tesla died in New York, in 1943- the same year in which the Supreme Court of the United States gave him credit for inventing the radio.

In 1884, Tesla arrived in New York and went to work for Thomas Edison. While there is much conjecture about a rivalry between Edison and Tesla, I happened upon an interesting quote in Tesla’s own words- this quote, I feel sums up the relationship: “… I designed twenty-four different types of standard machines with short cores and of uniform pattern, which replaced the old ones. The Manager had promised me fifty thousand dollars on the completion of this task but it turned out to be a practical joke. This gave me a painful shock and I resigned my position.”

Oh, the things we do to one another.

I also read a report written by Tesla in January of 1905 in which he discusses “Universal Peace”- something that Tesla felt was realizable, in the fullest sense. He did also state, that it “might not require eons for its accomplishment, however probable this may appear, judging from the imperceptibly slow growth of all great reformatory ideas of the past…“ and “while a result of cumulative effort through centuries past, might come into existence quickly, not unlike a crystal suddenly forms…” he had grave concerns that we were too reliant on government and/or the state to create a pact between nations, creating peace through some sort of parliamentary decision.

Tesla urged us to recognize that international meetings are merely formal procedures; pomp and circumstance meant as an expression to demonstrate through pageantry a “common desire”.

Further, Tesla spoke of how “…the bacteria of the “Weltschmerz” was affecting humanity. (Weltschmerz meaning something like the feeling of world-pain or world-sadness. Something akin to recognition of a world weary of pain and cruelty.)
However, he believed that most conflict (large or small) was the result of misunderstanding, aggravated by the predominant sense of combativeness that is predominant to humanity.

The cure for this, Tesla felt, was the systematic spread of general knowledge and a consistent exchange of thought and dialogue. He identified NEWSPAPERS as being the most effective method of disseminating general information and creating an environment conducive to harmony. He stated that newspapers were “… undoubtedly more effective than institutions of learning, libraries, museums and individual correspondence, all combined. The knowledge they convey is, on the whole, superficial and sometimes defective, but it is poured out in a mighty stream that reaches far and wide.”

One universal tongue (language), acknowledgment of the power of photography and art, reaching beyond our immediate senses and reducing the distances between nations were also identified by Tesla as being significant factors that would contribute to realizing PEACE.

In 1937, Tesla was quoted as saying, “… it seems that I have always been ahead of my time. I had to wait nineteen years before Niagara was harnessed by my system, fifteen years before the basic inventions for WIRELESS, which I gave to the world in 1892, were applied universally. I announced the cosmic ray and my theory of radio activity in 1896. One of my most important discoveries- terrestrial resonance- which is the foundation of wireless power transmission and which I announced in 1899 is NOT, UNDERSTOOD EVEN TODAY.”

In that same article, Tesla went on to make some predictions, which he said were made “…not without assurance…” about what life was likely to be in the 21st century.

· The general laws governing movement in the realm of mechanics are applicable to humanity
· The universe is a great machine which never came into being and will never end
· Buddhism and Christianity are the greatest religions both in number of disciples and importance, the essence of both will be the religion of the human race
· Marriage must be made more difficult and no undesirable parent should be permitted to produce progeny
· Hygiene and physical culture will be recognized branches of education and government
· Peace could be attained through breaking down barriers and annihilating distance-
Note: His theories had a ring of the “global village” concept. (Wyndham Lewis, 1948 & McLuhan, 1962)
· Pollution of beaches will be unthinkable and our water supply will be far more carefully supervised “… only a lunatic will drink unsterilized water.”
· More people will grow sick and or die from polluted water than from coffee, tea, tobacco and other stimulants
· Alcohol will still be used, not as a stimulant, but as an elixir of life
· It will no longer fashionable to poison the system with harmful ingredients
· There will be enough wheat and wheat products to feed the entire world
· The earth will be bountiful and where the bounty fails, there is enough nitrogen to draw from the air to refertilize (Tesla designed a system for the process in 1900)
· Long before the next century dawns, systematic reforestation and the scientific management of natural resources will make an end of all droughts, forest fires and floods
· Universal utilization of water power and its long-distance transmission will supply every household with cheap power- dispensing with the need of burning fuel
· There will be a reversal of values, where today (1937) most civilized countries spend more of their income on war than on education, there will be more glory in fighting ignorance than on dying in the battlefield
· There will be a discovery of new scientific truths that will be more important than any squabbles of diplomats
· All devices that could be used for aggression shall be utilized for peaceful purposes
· Newspapers will print headlines proclaiming new scientific hypothesis and crimes and political controversies in the back pages
· 3 ways by which the energy which determines human progress can be increased: a) by increasing the mass, improving living conditions, health, eugenics etc.
b) By reducing frictional forces like ignorance, insanity and religious fanaticism that impeded progress
c) By multiplying the energy of the human mass by enchaining the forces of the universe (the sun, the ocean, winds and tides)

It is also interesting to note that Tesla had invented what he called a “Wall of Power”. This invention was a device meant to be used for defense purposes. Tesla had a means of harnessing enough power through a stream “thinner than a hair” so strong that it could destroy anything that came within 200 miles of it.

Tesla was convinced that within a century, every nation would be able to make itself completely immune from attack. He felt that peace would be assured through the mastery of machinery- used for protection against war- rather than for aggressive, destructive purposes.

I have to include this quote from the 1937 piece, “… unless mankind’s attention is too violently diverted by external wars and internal revolutions, there is no reason why the electric millennium should not begin in a few decades.” UH OH… I guess we were distracted!

Interestingly, a few decades later, McLuhan’s writings (from the early 1960’s) theorized the qualities of a medium have much the same effect as the actual information it is meant to transmit. (For example, reading a description of a scene in a newspaper has a very different effect on someone than hearing about it, or seeing a picture of it, or watching a cartoon illustration, rather than real life rendition, seeing a black and white video versus watching colour video- etc. Imagine a silent films with and then without music. What would those television sit-coms have been, without canned laughter?)

Under the influence of the electronic-age media, McLuhan suggested that the mode of delivery of information would so change society, that humankind could move from fragmented individualism (which he felt was created by the print-era of information delivery) toward a more tribal-like collective- a unified society.

As inexperienced and unprepared as we were for this sort of society, there would no doubt be potential pitfalls. With this in mind, McLuhan extrapolated on current trends in technology and the effect it had on human communication. He was relatively optimistic about the outcome- his reservations lay in the potential for sophisticated manipulation of the mass media. His book, “The Medium is the Massage” resonates this message.

McLuhan called our era a ''transitional era of profound pain and tragic identity quest.'' ''But,'' he added, ''the agony of our age is the labor pain of rebirth.''

Weltschmerz?

I happen to believe that it is the internet (among other things) that is leading some of us to liberation. It is taking the power of information away from the monopoly of government and corporations and putting it in the hands of the individual, morally thinking, personally responsible citizen of Earth… and I don’t want to be manipulated by some corporate identity…and I don’t need to have personal government enforcement… although, I can give you a list of people that might need to be legislated into ethical morality.

On the other hand, as someone who has always preferred quiet solitude and then, having had to cope through brain injury- I can tell you that world moves too quickly and we are assaulted, everywhere, by too many signals, too many messages and too much stimulation… and the worst of all offending places, aside from amusement parks, are the mega-sized supermarkets!

I wonder if an atrocity could happen if nobody agrees to participate? If nobody follows, who would lead? What if we all did our homework and then just figured out the right answer? Who would anyone have to believe?

Want to have some fun? Do a google search like: “Build your own wind turbine” or “Make your own solar panel” or “Your own alternative energy”. You can actually DIY energy systems. I’m not sure that you would have the support of your local building authorities or your insurance company or mortgage lender, for that matter… but it can be done!

In this area, we have a surprising number of homes that have systems operated by water, wind and light. My internet and television signals come into my home by way of satellite and then wirelessly network throughout the house.

Sometimes, I’ve wondered what it would be like, if you could actually see all of the “stuff” that rolls past your window. Once, I thought I saw the sound of a tree falling.

In the year 2007, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in
Canada, and said,

"Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated,and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark and save 2 of every living thing along with a few good humans."

He gave Noah the blueprints, saying, "You have 6 months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights."

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his
yard- but no Ark.

"Noah!" He roared , "I'm about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?"

"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah, "but things have changed. I needed a
building permit. I've been arguing with the inspector about the need
for a sprinkler system. My neighbors claim that I've violated the
neighborhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard and exceeding the height limitations. We had to go to the Development Appeal Board for a decision.

Then Hydro One demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of
moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the Ark's move to the sea.

I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear
nothing of it.

Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban on cutting local
trees in order to save the spotted owl. I tried to convince the
environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls - but no go!
When I started gathering the animals, an animal rights group sued me.
They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They
argued the accommodation was too restrictive , and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.

Then the Ministry of the Environment ruled that I couldn't build the
Ark until they'd conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed
flood.

I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights
Commission on how many minorities I'm supposed to hire for my building crew.

Immigration and Naturalization are checking the Visa status of most of the people who want to work.

The trades unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire
only Union workers with Ark-building experience.

To make matters worse, Revenue Canada seized all my assets,
claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.

So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10
years for me to finish this Ark."

Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine,
and a rainbow stretched across the sky. Noah looked up in wonder and
asked,"You mean you're not going to destroy the world?"

"No," said the Lord. "The government beat me to it."

This region of Ontario is famous for its pristine waterways. Thanks to the chemistry provided by many of the minerals in the area, we were spared the wrath of zebra mussels and most lakes have been resistant to “acid rain”. We have been spoiled, boating and swimming in clear, shimmering water.

Throughout the world, environmental studies have built a significant body of research on the movement, distribution and quality of water. Water is one of our most precious resources and it is essential that we all take steps to save, protect and rehabilitate our water systems. It might surprise you to learn that some of the simplest changes you make to the natural landscape can seriously impact nearby lakes, streams, rivers and the life they support. Mother Nature works hard to correct the imbalance, but this takes years and years and years to accomplish. In the past, we weren’t as aware of environmental issues and we are running out of time.

If you are thinking of doing any work in, on or even near your waterfront, you need to think responsibly. There are many rules & regulations and there are almost as many different agencies and offices to consult. Even if you believe that you are doing something to improve the natural biology of waterfront property, you must have the permission of the proper authorities. If you fail to get the appropriate authorization, you may be subject to penalties of heavy fines &/or imprisonment.

Check with your local municipality for by-laws, rules and regulations. Follow up with a call to inquire with any local Conservation Authorities. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Lands and Water section www.mnr.gov.on.ca should be consulted, as should the Ministry of the Environment, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and your cottage association. You may find that you are also directed to other agencies and departments that have some jurisdiction in your particular area.

Don’t build a dock, don’t rake your shoreline, don’t divert a stream, don’t pull sand out of the water to make a beach! Don’t put exotic water plants in your lake or introduce new species of aquatic life to the river outside your door. Don’t put anything in the water, don’t take anything out of the water… in other words, don’t do anything, until you consult the authorities. The experts can give you guidelines, you may even get permission to complete your project- but they will ensure that you do it in the least intrusive way!

A friend sent me a link the other day... that link took me to this posting. I had to reprint it on my blog.

Welcome to Justice For None
Thursday, May 10 2007 @ 06:02 AM PDT

Holocaust Survivor Leaving US
Monday, May 02 2005 @ 03:02 PM PDT
Contributed by: Joey Picador

One of our neighbors is moving. I've been in this neighborhood for about six years now, but didn't really know them very well at all - just waves and nods, mostly.

So I heard the moving van pull up this morning. When I got home this evening I happened to spy my neighbor (he's like 85 years old - I don't know exactly, but he's old, talks and moves very slowly) standing on the sidewalk next to the van. I walked over and shook his hand, and we started talking. I asked him where he was moving, and he said, "Back to Germany."

I had been stationed in Germany for two years while in the military, so I lit up, and commented about how beautiful the country was, and inquired if he was going back because he missed it.

"No," he answered me. "I'm going back because I've seen this before." He then commenced to explain that when he was a kid, he watched with his family in fear as Hitler's government committed atrocity after atrocity, and no one was willing to say anything. He said the news refused to question the government, and the ones who did were not in the newspaper business much longer. He said good neighbors, people he had known all his life, turned against his family and other Jews, grabbing on to the hate and superiority "as if they were starved for it" (his words).

He said he was too old to see it happen right in front of his eyes again, and too old to do anything about it, so he was taking his family back to Europe on Thursday where they would be safe from George W. Bush and his neocons. He seemed resolute, but troubled, nonetheless, as if being too young on one end and too old on the other to fight what he saw happening was wearing on him.

I gotta tell you - it was chilling. I let him talk, and the whole time, my gut was churning, like I had mutated butterflies in my stomach. When he was finished, he shook my hand, gripping it really hard, until his knuckles turned white and he was shaking. He looked me in the eyes, hard, and said, "I will pray for your family and your country." He let go of my hand and hobbled away.

I have related this event to you in the hopes it will serve as a cautionary anecdote about the state of our Union, and to illustrate the path we Americans are being led down by a group of fanatics bent on global economic and military dominion. When a man who survived the fruits of fascism decides its time to leave THIS country because he's seeing the same patterns that led to the holocaust and other Nazi horrors beginning to form here, it is time for us to recognize the underlying evil inherent in the actions of those who claim they work for all Americans, and for all mankind. And it is incumbent upon all Americans, Red and Blue, Republican and Democrat, to stop them.

I was reviewing the CREA (Canadian Real Estate Association) Code of Ethics for Realtors® and I was particularly moved by the “preamble” which reads:

“Under all is land. Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend on the survival and growth of free institutions and our civilization. Through the Realtor®, the land resource of the nation reaches its highest use and private land ownership its widest distribution. The Realtor® is instrumental in moulding the form of his or her community and the living and working conditions of its people.

Such functions impose grave social responsibilities which Realtors® can meet only by diligent preparation, and considering it a civic duty to dedicate themselves to the fulfillment of Realtor ® ‘s obligations to society.

The Realtor® Code of Ethics and The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is universally recognized by Real Estate professionals and consumers alike as a measure of professionalism in real estate. The Realtor® Code is intended to define the high of peak performance the public has a right to expect from those licensed to display the Realtor® trademark.

In the same manner that the real estate marketplace is a dynamic, demanding environment, so the Realtor® Code is, has been, and will continue to be a demanding document; a plan for professionalism in real estate, capable of including and accommodating every change, challenge and controversy which arises.

Since 1913, when the first Code of Ethics was approved by the National Association of Real Estate Boards, it has served as the ten commandments of the real estate fraternity; binding Realtors® together in a common, continuing quest for professionalism through ethical obligations based on honesty, integrity, fairness, accountability and professionally competent service. …”

The CREA Code of Ethics has seen many revisions, with amendments for new regulations, updated technology and the changing views and values of our society. The same can be said for the Ontario provincial codes- constantly refined as this industry matures.

From the CREA perspective, the Standards of Business Practice reflect that age-honoured tradition of “do unto others…” is the principal guiding theory.

A Realtor®, under the CREA Code of Ethics, is bound to provide professional, competent service, absolute honesty and integrity in business dealings, co-operation and fairness to all and personal accountability through compliance with CREA’s Standards of Business Practice.

The CREA Standards of Business Practice amount to about 27 Articles which are very specific, including "interpretations", with regard to the expected conduct of a Realtor®. It's all a little dry and pretty basic stuff, really- it’s what I would expect from a professional...
and it clearly defines the way I conduct myself in business... it's formal, serious, precise and written in a regulative format....

on the other hand,the structure of the preamble (which really encapsulates it all) was well written, profound and inspiring stuff- at least, I thought so... this morning... as I once again revisited the regulations of the real estate world- this time stopping to read the preliminary portion which was obviously given as much contemplation as the remainder of the document.

Strange isn't it? Each time we revisit something, we find something new and take something more from it.

I should probably read my car manual, again.

I started out, wondering if crude oil contained DNA. I was thinking of how many things we use that have an oil base and how much DNA that could mean. Of course, I thought a little about “Jurassic Park” and Dinosaur DNA and so, I GOOGLED.

I got involved with thermophilic bacterium strain C2, which has the ability to transform crude oils…and how DNA extraction from crude oil was performed by the method using zirconia beads and a stool kit. and still, I didn’t really have an answer. Obviously, there is DNA in the oil… but it would appear to be bacteria DNA.

So, I read this big long scientific study about oil and how it really isn’t dead dinosaurs. I read about how Neanderthal DNA is being extracted from fossilized bones. So far, only 1 million of the 3 billion DNA letters of the genome have been sequenced and the authors of one report are saying that it proves the complete sequence is attainable.

Then I went on a cruise of cellular memory. It seems that the molecular and cellular basis of long-term T cell memory against viral antigens remains undefined. Studies also indicate that following transfer, in the absence of antigen, memory B-cell populations are lost from the adoptive host after 10–12 weeks.

Alloreactive memory T cells participate in transplant rejection is driving new lines of research focusing on understanding the immunobiology of alloreactive memory T cells and on designing novel therapies to specifically target memory T cells.

When I got to :

"Immune responses to EBV in immunosuppressed (IS) solid organ transplant (SOTx) recipients have not been well characterized. Here we evaluate the phenotype and function of EBV-specific CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood isolated from "stable" IS SOTx recipients. The EBV-specific CD8+ T cell memory subset distribution in the peripheral blood of patients was examined by flow cytometric analysis using HLA-A2 tetramers incorporating BMLF1 (lytic), and LMP2 and EBNA3A (latent)-derived peptides, in conjunction with mAbs against the CD45RO, CD45RA, and CD62L markers. The ability of CD8+ T cells to produce IFN-gamma in response to the same EBV-derived peptides was measured by ELISPOT assay. Patients and healthy normal donors exhibited similar anti-EBV CD8+ T cell frequencies and specificities against the EBV epitopes evaluated. When compared to healthy normal donors, an overall significant expansion of the CD8+ T cell "effector memory" (CD45RO+/CD62L-) pool, including that of EBV "latent" (LMP2 and EBNA3A)-specific CD8+ T cells was detected in IS SOTx patients. However, the patients' EBV-specific CD8+ T cells showed decreased IFN-gamma production to the EBV-peptide stimulation."

I had to quit! What in the heck was I reading this stuff for?

It was interesting to read the stories of various people who had been the recipient of donor organs and who claimed, postoperative acquisition of some characteristics of the donor person.

Medical opinion is skeptical and varied when it comes to saying that organ recipients might gain more than just a lifeline from their transplants... but there was some wild stuff about a professor of medicine, neurology, psychiatry and surgery from the University of Arizona, who says his research team has found definite links of what they call 'cellular memory' and he has documented some 70 cases where he believes transplant recipients have inherited the traits of their donors.

Prof Schwartz said: "When the organ is placed in the recipient, the information and energy stored in the organ is passed on to the recipient. The theory applies to any organ that has cells that are interconnected. They could be kidneys, liver and even muscles.

"The stories we have uncovered are very compelling and are completely consistent."

His studies have found that heart transplant patients are the most likely to experience personality changes.

So, I started thinking about the shelf life of a cell. How long does each type of cell live?

I found the following statistics:

Skin cells: from 1 to 34 days
Stomach lining cells: 2 days
Red blood cells: 120 days
Liver cells: 500 days
Bone cells: 25 to 30 years
Brain cells: may live as long as you live.

Was it possible that feelings of "deja vu" were something attached to genetics? Was it possible that all of this stuff about "past lives" and reincarnation was attributable to inherited genes? I read one study that concluded that fetuses had a short-term memory of at least ten minutes and a long-term memory of at least twenty-four hours.

Then, there was the study of colour genetics in Icelandic Sheep!

There are all kinds of Family Tree DNA studies and forums. They focus on either the Patrilineal, shown by the Y chromosome which is passed whole and intact (except for rare mutations) from father to son, down through thousands of generations, from Noah to us or the Matrilineal, shown by the mitochondrial DNA which is passed whole and intact (except for rare mutations) from mother to children, down through even more thousands of generations, from Eve to us.

I think the creepiest thing that I came across was a comparison of genomes and what percentage of genes we share with other organisms.

Human to yeast about 30%
Human to worm about 40%
Human to banana about 50%
Human to fruit fly about 60%
Human to mouse about 90%
Human to chimp about 98.4%
Human to human about 99.9% (except for twins, whose genes are 100% identical)

I stopped completely after I read a report dated last April, in which paleontologists working in northern Canada announced that they had found a skeleton that may be the bridge between fish and four-legged land animals. The 375-million-year-old creature had a head like a crocodile, a body built for swimming and front legs that were some sort of cross between fins and feet.

It sounded a little too much like a guy I knew, in high school.

Earth Week… and the words Kyoto, green house gas, emissions, energy (and others like them) seem to drift through the government, schools, media, businesses and households, much like spring pollen of budding trees and plants.

Somewhere, I read that cell phones are killing the bee population. Whatever the cause, around the world bee-people have recognized a sharp decline in bee numbers and there are concerns it could sting the fruit growers (and eaters, I can imagine).

Have you seen “An Inconvenient Truth” yet?

Recently, John Baird has been grilled in the press for inciting fear over Canada’s requirement, under the Kyoto Accord, requiring that we cut greenhouse emissions.

Pessimists say the economy will shrink, hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost, electricity costs will jump 50%, gasoline costs will rise by 60% and home heating oil costs will double.

Optimists cite job creation in the new energy efficiency sectors and point to European countries having already instituted many of the changes without suffering any apparent economic hardship as a result. They also believe that there is an awful lot of fear-mongering taking place.

I just keep wondering, how many wars are going on… right now… globally? The United Nations classifies a major war, as being one in which there are 1,000 battlefield deaths per year. It appears that in 1965 there were approximately 10 clashes… in 2006 there were more than twice as many serious conflicts.

Drawn as I am, to surf and to sift through the information (which takes some deliberation). I looked for fuel consumption statistics on things like tanks, ships, airplanes, helicopters and other such vehicles. I noticed that consumption was quoted in gallons per hour, feet per gallon, litres per kilometer, pounds of fuel per thrust, per unit time and other mysterious measures.

Here are some interesting stats that I uncovered:

TANKS:
The average tank takes 6-8 litres of fuel for ignition. They use anywhere from 8-16 litres of fuel per kilometer of travel.

SHIPS:
The Queen Mary requires a gallon of fuel for every 13 feet of travel.
U.S. Naval combat support ships (carrying mostly fuel) burn 9,527 gallons of fuel per hour when all boilers are going at 100%. Ferry Boats use about 5 ¼ gallons of fuel per hour at 80% throttle. Aircraft Carriers average about 100,000 gallons of jet fuel a day.
Acceleration in combat operations increases fuel consumption by a factor of 5.

AIRPLANES:

Average consumption is somewhere around 5 gallons per hour to 17 litres per hour. Long haul aircraft use 7.5 tons of fuel per hour.

SPACE SHUTTLE:

The shuttle requires 2.3 million pounds of solid propellant on launch. It also uses 2 million pounds of liquid fuel on a trip.

HELICOPTERS

A small helicopter uses between 8 and 22 gallons of fuel per hour. A large helicopter uses some 190 litres of fuel per hour.

Interesting stuff.

I also found statistics about jet fuel consumption. In 1974 the United States was quoted as using 32 million gallons per day. In 1999 the United States was quoted as using 70 million gallons per day. In 1998 the entire world used about 178 million gallons per day, with the U.S. using about 38% of that total.

I didn’t find any statistics on emissions from firearms, assault weapons or bombs.

I didn’t find any statistics on the numbers of ships that travel the waterways per day, just for pleasure or shipping. In the United States, there are approximately 28537 commercial air flights per day-on an average day.

I did see a particularly creepy graphic image of global air flight patterns and it wasn’t surprising that it was particularly heavy over the northern sections of the United States, across the Atlantic, to Europe. Hmmm… I seem to remember something, years back, about a hole in the ozone layer.

British scientists began their measurements of Antarctic ozone in 1957. By 1984 fingers were pointing. This phenomenon it was decided, was the result of emissions, mainly in the northern hemisphere, of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons-gases that were in widespread use in refrigeration, industrial solvents and fire control.

How many refrigerators does it take to move a ship 13 feet?

Okay, I’m happy to use energy efficient appliances and light bulbs. I think before I drive and I wait and take one trip for my multitude of errands. I recycle. I have seen “An Inconvenient Truth” (more than once). My fifteen-year-old daughter was read earth and eco friendly books from infancy. I will continue to do my bit.

Are war machine and weapon emissions counted in the expected reductions? What industry is the number one polluter? Should we broaden the definition of war criminals?

Oh… I should mention that I’ve realized that I made a mistake in my record keeping and Abigail Nims was actually my 6th gr-grandmother and Josiah Rising my 6th gr-grandfather. I've done more active research on the politics of the era and related cultures- and I can understand why they decided to maintain their adopted native idenities.

Again, it has been a long time since I posted something here, to my blog.

It’s been a wild time in “Jody’s” world. Business is busy, flu bugs have been rampant and amongst the office, we’ve recently lost too many family members and friends… and found ourselves embroiled in the chaos that seems to be engulfing the planet… but that’s life and we’re a tight group… and we still find time to share a laugh or two.

I also find that things seem easier to handle, if you take a very long walk and have some time to clear your head.

And there have been good things happen, too.

In my quest for family information, I’ve started to unravel some of my father’s family history… and I’m absolutely fascinated.

There are many things that we studied in the Ontario school system, about the history of this nation- but somehow, learning more personal stories about the people connected and knowing that I descend from them, well… let’s say it makes the history far more understandable… and rather than the strategic elements you begin to see the political/social manipulations.

I have just learned about my 7th gr-grandmother- ancestors of my father’s father’s mother. It’s a mouthful, isn’t it? Little Abigail Nims was taken captive during the Deerfield massacre- a 1704 raid in which French soldiers and Christian Iroquois attacked an English Fort in Deerfield, Maine. She was 3 or 4 years old and the youngest hostage to survive the snowy February walk over the Green Mountains and into Montreal.

Abigail was adopted, learned the Iroquois language, was raised by the native peoples with the native traditions of this country and chose to maintain her native name “T'atog'ach”.

I know that this isn’t an isolated story and it isn’t all that uncommon. It’s just that when I read accounts about events such as these, it’s horrifying to think of the conditions that existed in this country, at that time- from so many different perspectives, it was a strange and difficult time.

Hmmm, perhaps the chaos that is engulfing our planet is not all that new.

Yes, I admit that I colour my hair. I couldn’t possibly deny it. Having met me, you can never be quite sure what colour it will be the next time. I’m having a bad hair life. I am so glad that my daughter has not inherited the bad hair gene.

This blog isn’t about hair, though. It’s about my family tree research. I’m having such a good time with it…. However, I’m stalled on a couple of branches, primarily my father’s side.

I would love to hear from anyone who has Didier information. - (My father’s paternal family) - Dad was John Marcel Richard (Lawrence) Didier. He was in the insurance biz. His father, Joseph Achille Adolphe Marcel Didier (known as Marcel or Mar) was a chef and son of Adolphe and Ernestine. Dad’s mother, Velma Marie (nee Hynes) was the daughter of (Margaret) Bridget Sheehan (1880-1950) and Richard Hynes (1876-1958). Grandpa Dick actually died on my birthday.

This is all I can find of Richard’s family:

Richard HYNES M Male 50 Ireland Lamplighter
Margret HYNES M Female 40 O Ontario
Annie HYNES Female 15 O Ontario Confectioner
John HYNES Male 8 O Ontario
Margret HYNES Female 6 O Ontario
Richard HYNES Male 5 O Ontario
Joseph HYNES Male 3 O Ontario
William HYNES Male 1 Born: Oct; 6/12 O Ontario
Paterick HYNES Male 1 Born: Oct; 6/12 O Ontario
Source Information: Census Place St David's Ward, Toronto, York, Ontario 1881

So far, through Internet research, I have found a "2nd cousin once removed" from my mother’s paternal family. He is living in Wales. I also have discovered a "5th cousin twice removed" from my mother’s maternal family. He lives in Oshawa, Ontario. Mom’s maternal side kept such tidy records, I’ve managed to get back well into the 1600s for many branches. Her Great-Grandmother was the daughter of Janet Carlyle (sister of Thomas), so information on that line goes back quite a bit further.

You may wonder how I can calculate the "removed" etc... I have a wonderful genealogy program that does all kinds of neat stuff. So far, I have entered 780 families and nearly 2200 names.

My mother’s father’s side isn’t as tidy, but through my 2nd cousin once removed, I was able to sort a few things out! It’s frustrating that the Didier, Hynes, Sheehan families are so illusive.

So, this is my blog today… somewhat of a plea for assistance. If you can help me with any information on these folks, I’d love to hear from you!

Okay, it’s time that I admitted it. I’m in the midst of a mess! Anyone who has experienced it will tell you, there’s nothing more horrid than renovating.

It’s not that I’m doing anything THAT major. I’ve ripped out a lighted dropped ceiling in the kitchen, a dreadful 70’s wrought iron railing and we’re re-facing the cupboards… peeling off old wallpaper and painting.

We also tore out a wall and coat closet in the living room and we’re painting the master bedroom and ensuite.

This week, we got lucky and managed to book our trusty painter for a few days and he’s going to do the trim- plus he’s promised to fix the mess we’ve made cutting colour in at the ceilings. It is extraordinary what a painter can do with a paintbrush. He makes it all look so easy! He claims that much of it has to do with the brushes and rollers that you use. I think its years of experience.

He’s partly right, though. It irks me, especially. I should have known better. For several years, I was in the business of selling paint and wallpaper and I know that you need to use good tools. Some paintbrushes cost more than the paint!

It’s all coming together. Slowly but surely, it’s starting to look a little like a house again. A messy house, but a house.

I’ve resolved to get rid of a lot of the chatchkas and gee-gaws. I’m a sentimentalist, so it’s really hard to do. One time, when I moved, my sister forced me to burn several boxes of stuff- mostly paper with a scribble on it… I almost cried, until I realized it was scribbles, I had held onto the stuff for years and looked upon it as my daughter’s first art!

I have “stuff” that was my grandmother’s, stuff that was her grandmother’s… stuff that isn’t particularly pretty or expensive… some stuff that’s broken, some badly repaired but these are things that someone else held onto for a long time and I’m just the current guardian.

Okay, I’ve been saying it’s time to streamline for a long time… but this time I really mean it! I can’t wait to have the furniture back in the right rooms and stuff semi-organized again. We’re planning some work outside, to the house. There are other things I want to do inside, but I just can’t bear to think about that right now.

I wonder how long it will take before I get the itch to decorate again. I know where I’m headed… the planning has been done… we’ll see how long it takes me to forget the horror of living like this.

Wherever you go and whatever you do,
May the luck of the Irish be there with you.

St. Patrick is believed to have driven the snakes from Ireland and used a shamrock to convert the heathens. The modern holiday, March 17th, is based on the original Christian saint's feast day, which is also thought to be the date of his death in the fifth century.

In 1737, Irish immigrants in the United States began observing the holiday in Boston. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in the United States- when Irish soldiers, serving the military marched through New York City in 1762. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for thousands of years.

My grandmother said St. Patrick's Day was a day for pinching folks that were not wearing green.

On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage, sometimes with potatoes.

Up until the mid-nineteenth century, most Irish immigrants in America were members of the Protestant middle class. The Great Potato Famine of 1845 brought nearly a million starving, poor, uneducated, Catholic Irish to America. The Protestant majority made fun of the immigrants, who were frowned upon for their religious beliefs and funny accents. These new Irish Americans had trouble finding even menial jobs.

Newspapers painted them as drunken disorderlies and ran cartoons depicting the Irish as chimps.

It didn’t take long before the Irish recognized that by virtue of their great numbers, they could wield significant political power. The annual St. Patrick's Day parades became a show of strength for Irish Americans and were suddenly an important event for political candidates.

The 2003 U.S. census counted 34 Million Americans with Irish ancestry, which is almost 9 times the population of the Emerald Isle itself.

Regardless of your personal opinion, the fact remains that in the 90s the Supreme Court of New York ruled that there is such a thing as a haunted house. (the Nyack Case decision.)

Haunted Houses fall into a category known in the business as “stigmatized” properties- one in which the physical condition is good but there is some psychological element that makes the house difficult to sell.

I’ve done quite a bit of research on this type of property and the number of Realtors who don’t believe it necessary to disclose "psychologically impacted" houses surprises me.

Studies indicate that properties with stigmas like murders, suicides, lengthy illness or reports of paranormal activity can take 50% longer to sell and will sell for about 3% below usual market price.

In some cases, particularly well-publicized or gruesome murders can cut selling prices by up to 35%. This is more of a serious problem in small towns where turnover can be slower and the community has a more intimate knowledge of the property.

Over the years, I’ve represented Buyers and Sellers of homes that have been the site of murders, suicides and property where supernatural “happenings” are supposed to have taken place. It is my practice, if a property has any kind of “reputation”, I will disclose it.

Not everyone believes in ghosts or things supernatural. In some cases, people are actually excited by the idea of sharing space with spectral beings.

My daughter was born on a Friday the 13th. Other Friday the 13th babies include: Margaret Thatcher, Fidel Castro, Steve Buscemi, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

A British Medical Journal study has shown that there is a significant increase in traffic related accidents on Friday the 13ths.

My daughter was born on the 13th of March, 1992. It was a very important day in my life and in hers. It changed my entire world.

For the rest of the world, that day, there was other significant news too. In eastern Turkey, an earthquake registered 6.8 on the Richter scale and killed over 500. Martina Navratilova and Judy Nelson announced that they had settled their galamony suit. Bob Hope appeared on the Johnny Carson Show.

The Commonwealth of Independent States agreed on repayment of the former Soviet Union's foreign debt. In Physics news, it was announced that the conductance of a cross-wired tunnel junction can be reversibly changed by a factor of 15 through the magnetic interaction between a tunneling current and what may be a single electron trapped in the junction. My Cousin Vinny was released theatrically in the USA.

1992 was a little hazy for me, busy adjusting to motherhood, I saw little else but my darling bundle of joy- but I also felt somewhat concerned about the planet and the world that I had introduced her to.

That year, Silence of the Lambs won best picture. The Disney animated classic Aladdin was released, so was Wayne’s World, Basic Instinct, Sister Act, A Few Good Men, The Bodyguard, Unforgiven and Reservoir Dogs. The record of the year was “Unforgettable” by Natalie Cole. We listened to a lot of Eric Clapton, Bon Jovi, U2, REM, Peter Gabriel , Metallica and Michael Jackson.

Popular TV shows were Law and Order, Home Improvement, Married With Children, Star Trek the Next Generation and for some, Jerry Springer, Rugrats and the Ren and Stimpy Show.

That summer, 26 people died as a direct result of Hurricane Andrew while indirect loss of life raised the death toll to 65 and left 250,000 people homeless. MS-DOS users were quaking in their boots over reports that the Michelangelo computer virus had infected their computers and was going to wipe out all their data on the birthday of the Renaissance genius. It didn’t.

In Chicago, the strangest of accidents, a piling was driven into the Chicago River bottom that caused a leak in an underground freight tunnel. The resulting inrush of water spread throughout much of the system's 50 miles of tunnels, flooding subbasements and disrupting utility service throughout the Loop.

The Toronto Blue Jays won the American League Championship.

Some 1,700 of the world's leading scientists, including the majority of Nobel laureates in the sciences, issued an appeal that said:

"Human beings and the natural world are on a collision course. Human activities inflict harsh and often irreversible damage on the environment and on critical resources. If not checked, many of our current practices put at serious risk the future that we wish for human society and the plant and animal kingdoms, and may so alter the living world that it will be unable to sustain life in the manner that we know. Fundamental changes are urgent if we are to avoid the collision our present course will bring about."

There was a Fischer - Spassky Rematch.

Dr. Roberta Bondar became the first Canadian woman in space.

Boxer Mike Tyson was convicted of raping a Miss Black American contestant

A court in Milwaukee, Wisconsin sentenced Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer to life in prison.

Microsoft shipped Windows 3.1

Mafia boss John Gotti was convicted of murder and racketeering and is later sentenced to life in prison.

Police officers that were accused of excessive force in there severe beating of Rodney King, were found "not guilty". The verdict resulted in several days of riots in L.A. and smaller riots around the country. Reginald Denny, a white truck driver stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of Florence and South Normandie Avenues, was dragged from his vehicle and severely beaten by an angry mob of young black men as news helicopters hovered above, recording every blow, including a concrete fragment connecting with Denny's temple and a cinder block thrown at his head as he lay unconscious in the street. He remains the best-known victim of the riots.

Amy Fisher, the so-called "Long Island Lolita," was arrested for shooting Mary Jo Buttafuoco on the front porch of her Massapequa, New York home.

Former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega was sentenced to 40 years in prison for drug and racketeering violations.

Iraq refused a U.N. inspection team access to the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture. UNSCOM claimed that it had reliable information that the site contained archives related to illegal weapons activities.

The Follies Bergere music hall in Paris, France closes.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Depo Provera for use as a contraceptive in the United States.

Bill Clinton defeated George H. W. Bush and H. Ross Perot in the U.S. presidential election

The Church of England voted to allow women to become priests.

TWA Declared Bankrupcy

AT & T release video telephone for $1,499

The first Nicotine patch was introduced to help stop smoking
Space Shuttle Endeavour had a successful maiden voyage
DNA Fingerprinting was introduced in UK.

A fire broke out in the Private Chapel room of Windsor Castle

US President George H. W. Bush ordered 28,000 American troops to Somalia.

The largest shopping mall in the US, Minnesota's Mall of America was constructed spanning 78 acres.

After a seven year run the last episode of The Cosby Show aired.

Clinton played the saxophone with the live band on the Arsenio Hall Show.

After 30 years on the air, Johnny Carson announced his retirement. David Letterman, who had been promised The Tonight Show upon Carson's retirement years earlier left NBC for CBS when the network gave the show to frequent guest host Jay Leno.

Barney & Friends, a children's educational television show starring a giant purple dinosaur, premiered.

Newspapers in America celebrated 300 years of publishing.

In England, the Conservatives won their fourth successive general election.

Yitzhak Rabin came to power in Israel promising to pursue peace talks with PLO.

US and UN intervention in Somalia aimed to end famine and civil war.

In Turkey, an earthquake registering 6.8 on the Richter scale killed over 500.

Fuel leaked into the sewer and exploded in Guadalajara, Mexico - 215 dead, 1500 injured.

McDonalds opened the first McDonalds in Beijing China.

Euro Disney opened in France.

That year we lost:
· January 26 - José Ferrer, actor
· January 31 - Willie Dixon, blues musician
· February 2 - Bert Parks, game show host, Miss America host
· February 10 - Alex Haley, author
· February 20 - Dick York, actor
· March 2 - Sandy Dennis, actress
· March 9 - Menachem Begin, Prime Minister of Israel
· April 6 - Isaac Asimov, author
· April 18 - Benny Hill, comedian, actor
· May 6 - Marlene Dietrich, actress
· May 12 - Robert Reed, actor
· May 17 - Lawrence Welk, musician
· December 18 - Mark Goodson, game show producer
· December - Pierre Culliford, a.k.a. "Peyo". Belgian Creator of Smurfs

I know where I was on March 13, 1992… do you?

On March 13th, my little girl will be 15. I remember being 15. Fifteen is an interesting number!

As the product of two sacred numbers (3 X 5), 15 naturally has religious significance. In ancient Nineveh 15 priests served the goddess Ishtar, and the city had 15 gates.

Fifteen is a triangular number and a hexagonal number, a pentatope number, and the 4th Bell number. Fifteen is the double factorial of 5. It is a composite number; its proper divisors being 1, 3 and 5. With only two exceptions, all prime quadruplets enclose a multiple of 15, with 15 itself being enclosed by the quadruplet (11, 13, 17, 19). 15 is also the number of super singular primes.

The 3 X 3 magic square has 15 as its magic constant, and in Babylon this square was associated with Ishtar. Fifteen is the magic constant of the unique order-3 normal magic square. 15 is the smallest number that can be factorized using Shor's quantum algorithm.

There are 15 solutions to Znám's problem of length 7. 15 is a repdigit in binary (1111). In hexadecimal, as well as all higher bases, fifteen is represented as F.

Messier object M15 is a magnitude 7.5 globular cluster in the constellation Pegasus.

There were 15 steps between the Ezrat Nashim and the Courtyard of the Temple in Jerusalem, on which the Levites stood and sang during the offering of sacrifices. Fifteen Psalms (Chapters 120-134), collectively known as the "Songs of Ascent", correspond to the 15 steps on which the Levites stood.

The 15th day of any Hebrew month is not written with the letters that represent "10" and "5" (י-ה, yodh and heh), because those are the first two letters of the four-letter name of God. Instead, the date is written with the letters representing "9" and "6" (ט-ו, teth and vav).Passover begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan.

Sukkot begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Tu Bishvat is a Jewish holiday occurring on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat. Shushan Purim (the day on which Purim is celebrated in Jerusalem and a few other cities in Israel) occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Adar. Tu B'Av is a minor Jewish holiday occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av.

Fifteen is the number of days in each of the 24 cycles of the Chinese calendar. The number of guns in a gun salute to Army, Air Force and Marine Corps Lieutenant Generals, and Navy and Coast Guard Vice Admirals.
Fifteen is the number of letters in the words "uncopyrightable" and "dermatoglyphics", which are the longest words there are without repeating a letter.

The number of The Devil in the major arcana of Tarot cards is 15. The number of minutes in 1/4 of an hour, 15 min past or before an o'clock is often known as 'Quarter Past' and 'Quarter To' respectively. The M15, in New York City is the busiest bus route in the United States.

The Quinceañera or Quince Años (sometimes represented XV Años, meaning "fifteen years") is, in some Spanish-speaking regions of the Americas, a young woman's celebration of her fifteenth birthday. This celebration marks the transition from the childhood to womanhood. It serves as a way to acknowledge that a young woman has reached maturity.

Some other traditions observed in the celebration include the giving and throwing of a quince doll, signifying the girl’s last doll. The doll is thrown by the young lady to the other female children in attendance much as a bouquet is thrown at a wedding.

Another tradition is that at the beginning of the party, the birthday girl wears flat shoes but after the first dance, her father helps her change into high heels to signify she has become a young lady. Long ago, the party would announce that the girl is ready to be married, but in today's culture it means that she is ready to date.

Hmmmm. I wonder if my daughter’s boyfriend knows about all of this.

March 13th is my daughter’s birthday. She was born on a Friday. Up until the Middle Ages when pagans celebrated symbolic days, Friday the 13th was thought to be especially lucky because it combined the goddess’s sacred day with her sacred number (drawn from the 13 months of the lunar year). As a result, Friday the 13th was a celebration and festival day for many Pagans.

When most people hear or talk about the 13th, they usually think of either the movies of the same name or they know that they should be scared for some reason. It has been estimated that the American economy loses roughly $700 million to $800 million on Friday the 13th due to people not leaving the house to go to work and others not wanting to fly in planes.

The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia.
According to medieval lore, there are 12 witches in a coven and the 13th member is the devil. Spooky. In Norse mythology, 12 dinner guests were invited into Valhalla (heaven) and a 13th (uninvited) guest, Loki, attended and had the god of joy and gladness murdered through deceit.

Hindus prefer not to gather in a group of 13. Christians point out that there were exactly 13 people at the last supper, one of whom betrays Christ — who happened to be crucified on a Friday. King Philip IV of France tortured and executed members of the Knight’s Templar on Friday the 13th.

Anyway, this will be my daughter’s fifteenth birthday... for me, a celebration of joy and motherhood... plus another reminder that life is a blurrrrrrrrrrrr.

Yesterday, after writing about cherished cottage memories, I started thinking about my own. In 1968, my folks purchased a small island on a chain of lakes. Thereafter, my mother, brother, sister and I spent every summer and all of it, at the island. Dad spent three full weeks, plus weekends, with us. The rest of his holidays were spent on vacations away and hunting.

I always felt most a peace on that island. In my adult years, I used to spend a minimum of 3 days alone there, every year. Now that is what I call “having some personal time & space”. It was extraordinary.

Mom and Dad were both very clever people. Early on, in our cottage days, they began stashing a big cardboard box in the rafters. Purposely put where any attempts to retrieve it would be within sight of all but out of reach of us kids and affectionately known as the “rainy day box”, it was well-stocked with things like water paints, pastels, construction paper, colouring books, glue, coloured pencils, child-safe scissors and other “crafty” items.

The rainy day box somehow made a rainy day exciting. These were also most likely the days when we would pull out the stops and make fresh bread, from scratch. Rainy days were actually a treat!

· the sound of loons
· wind whispering through leaves
· the way sunlight shimmers across the water
· the droning of bullfrogs
· dragonflies in the air
· enjoying the rain from a screened porch
· children laughing and splashing
· sand shovels and pails
· quiet canoe rides
· water skiing on glassy bays
· sea-dooing around islands
· snorkeling in crystal water
· fishing at sunrise
· sailing gentle breezes
· sun-kissed skin
· sun-bleached hair
· skinny dipping
· berry picking hikes
· watching herons in the reeds
· waterfalls
· diving off rock cuts and country bridges
· visiting historic churchyards
· feeding ducks
· campfires by the beach
· toasting marshmallows and hot dogs on the fire
· sipping cool drinks on a shady deck
· bird sounds in the mornings
· living barefoot
· waving at passers-by
· leisurely rowing a boat
· bocce ball or croquet
· card games and puzzles on balmy evenings
· general stores
· collecting wildflowers
· counting clouds or minnows

There are many perfect days at the cottage. For so many of us, the stuff of cherished family memories.

I find that many of our clients look for a special place that recaptures something they’ve experienced of cottage life… and once in a while, clients come along who have never experienced the luxury of “roughing it”.

I will never forget one particular family. Mom and Dad and a station wagon with three small children- a boy too small to walk yet and two sisters, under eight. We arrived to view what would become their cottage. I expected them to like it… I knew the property well and it was a beautiful place on Steenburg Lake, south of Bancroft, towards Belleville. A stunning lake, really. About 284 hectares in size and close to 20 meters at its deepest part.

The cottage had wonderful features. Nice bathroom, good-sized bedrooms, a fantastic screened porch, with loft bedroom. Open concept living space with good windows and super views. A cozy fireplace. Perfect deck. Great dock and floating raft. Lovely level lot and clean, sandy, child-friendly beach. Good privacy. Easy access. The right asking price.

What struck me at first, was that the girls waited in the car, reluctant to step outside without their parents approval. They actually asked if it was safe. They asked if their parents needed to check for glass or syringes before they walked the lot. They were obviously delighted when Mom and Dad gave them the go ahead and I suggested that we walk down to the beach.

They were awestruck by a frog. They couldn’t believe that they could slip off their sandals and wade into golden sand. They shrieked with excitement at minnows! These kids were from downtown Toronto and had absolutely no idea that places like Steenburg Lake were real!

Recently, I had a call from a colleague of mine- asking for an opinion. He was involved in a bit of a kafuffle over photographs that are being used online to market a property.

Apparently, another Realtor with whom the property had been previously listed for sale had taken the photographs that were under debate. The photographing Realtor had emailed, politely requested that my colleague remove “his” photographs from the database.

I couldn’t think of anything in our regulations or by-laws that might prevent the use of photographs previously posted to our data base and indeed, all that I could find was a rule that says that we can use the database to help market a property… seemed to me that was exactly what we were dealing with.

Well… of course, wanting more knowledge, I “googled” to review the current theories for information online, I also mentioned that I knew of other Realtors who “borrowed” photographs without asking and I also suggested that my colleague obtain legal advice and/or contact the office of the Registrar (The Real Estate Council of Ontario).

A short while later, my friend called back. A local lawyer had offered an opinion that the pictures being online were free for the taking. Evidently, my friend had so notified the photographing Realtor by email and had received a reply that the photographing Realtor was emphatic that the pictures were HIS property.

I suggested that the Seller should have proprietary rights to images of their property. Indeed, the Seller had instructed my friend to use the pictures that had been taken by the other Realtor… and further, really didn’t understand the quandary…

I don’t really understand it, either and it already has taken up too much of my time.

The Chinese year 4705 begins on Feb. 18, 2007. The Chinese calendar is based strictly on astronomical observations, the Chinese New Year is the second New Moon after the winter solstice.

This year is the Year of the Pig. Pig years are when family matters should take highest precedence. As an extension, concerns for society should also be stressed. Governments will be more concerned with internal affairs. Unfinished tasks should be completed rather than starting new endeavors.

Known, as a 12-year cycle, Chinese New Year Zodiac Signs represent a cyclical concept of time that is based on the cycle of the moon. Chinese New Year Zodiac Signs serve a useful function of knowing someone's age, as it's just because of it one has no need to ask the age, one can directly ask a person's animal sign and get to know his age. Fabian is a ram. I am a dog. My daughter is a monkey and her father was/is a pig. (giggle).

The story goes that the Jade Emperor or Buddha asked all animals to come and meet him on the Chinese New Year and only twelve came. In some versions, they held a race… in most versions, Buddha named a year after each animal and announced that a person born in the particular animal's year will inherit some of the qualities of that animal.

A Basic Interpretation of the Chinese New Year Zodiac Signs:
Rat (1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984 and 1996)
Ox (1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985 and 1997)
Tiger (1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986 and 1998)
Rabbit (1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987 and 1999)
Dragon (1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988 and 2000)
Snake (1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989 and 2001)
Horse (1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990 and 2002)
Ram (1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991 and 2003)
Monkey (1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992 and 2004)
Rooster (1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993 and 2005)
Dog (1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994 and 2006)
Pig (1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995 and 2007)

Rat
Corresponding Western sign is Sagittarius.
Rats are noted for their charm. Attractive to the opposite sex, they are very social and have many friends. Rat people are hardworking and consequently often financially wealthy. Frequently perfectionists, Rat people have quick tempers and big ambitions. Generally successful, the Rat is generous to others. The family is important; a Rat is loyal to his family and will fight for it if needed. Rats have a tendency to listen to gossip.

Ox
Corresponding Western sign is Capricorn.
The quiet Ox seldom speaks but when he does, he is very eloquent. Extremely alert, both mentally and physically, Ox people are very patient. They are hardworking and inspire great confidence in others. Watch out for the bad temper of the Ox. These people have an eccentric bent and may be bigoted.

Tiger
Corresponding Western sign is Aquarius
Tigers are considered sensitive, strong and courageous. They are given to deep thinking and capable of great sympathy. While most other people have great respect for tigers, there can be conflict with older people or those in authority. Poor decision makers, tigers sometimes make poor, hasty decisions or sound decisions, arrived at too late. They are suspicious of others.

Rabbit
Corresponding Western sign is Pisces.
People born in the Year of the Rabbit are homebodies. They are peaceful, sociable and have great taste. Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky. Tactful and generally kind, Rabbit people seldom lose their temper. Clever in business and being conscientious, they never back out of a contract. They are sociable, peaceable, articulate and somewhat reserved. Although generally wise, a Rabbit may have trouble keeping a secret.

Dragon
Corresponding Western sign is Aries.
Dragons do not care for routine, love their freedom, have strong personality, they are short- tempered, excitable, energetic and healthy. Known to be honest, Dragons are brave, sensitive and don't borrow money. Dragon people are the most eccentric of any in the eastern zodiac. They don’t make flowery speeches and do not care to be right in the spotlight. Dragons tend to be softhearted which sometimes gives others an advantage over them

Snake
Corresponding Western sign is Taurus.
Snake people have great sensitivity, they possess great wisdom have tremendous sense of sympathy for others. They never have to worry about money; they are financially very lucky. Snake people tend to overdo, since they have doubts about other people's judgment they prefer to rely on themselves. They are determined in whatever they do and hate to fail. Although calm on the surface, they are intense and passionate but also, vain, selfish and stingy. Snake people may have difficult marriages.

Horse
Corresponding Western sign is Gemini.
Admirable, ambitious, perceptive, cheerful, skilful with money, the horse is wise but may have a weakness for members of the opposite sex. Horses are talented people, usually good with their hands. These people will enjoy large crowds and entertainment. They are also very impatient and sometimes talk too much. Horses are considered hot-blooded about everything except their daily work.

Ram
Corresponding Western sign is Cancer.
Gentle, caring, kind, shy and usually deeply religious, passionate about what they do and what they believe in. They never have to worry about having the best in life- their abilities make money for them, and they are able to enjoy the creature comforts that they like. Sheep are elegant and highly accomplished in the arts. They seem to be, at first glance, better off than those born in the zodiac's other years- but Sheep people are often shy and say the wrong thing. They tend to be timid, pessimistic, and puzzled about life.

Monkey
Corresponding Western sign is Leo.
Clever, skillful, and flexible, Monkey people are charmers. These people are fun loving, cheeky and remarkably inventive. Having common sense, Monkey people have a deep desire for knowledge and have excellent memories. A Monkey can solve even the most difficult problems with ease. There are few fields in which Monkey people wouldn't be successful. Horribly impatient, Monkey people want to do things now and if they cannot get started immediately, they become discouraged and sometimes leave their projects. Although good decision makers, they tend to look down on others. Monkey people are strong willed but their anger cools quickly- in fact, they have a disconcerting habit of being too agreeable.

Rooster
Corresponding Western sign is Virgo.
Deep thinkers, capable, and talented a Rooster likes to be busy. People born in the Rooster Year are often a bit eccentric but they are always interesting and can be extremely brave. Roosters often have difficult relationships with others. They always think they are right. They frequently are loners and although they give the outward impression of being adventurous, they are timid. Rooster people's emotions like their fortunes, swing very high to very low. They can be selfish and too outspoken. Roosters are devoted beyond their own capabilities and are deeply disappointed if they fail.

Dog
Corresponding Western sign is Libra.
Dog people possess the best traits of human nature. They have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest, and inspire other people's confidence because they know how to keep secrets. Dog people make good leaders. They possess a strong sense of caring and a fearless streak. Very eccentric, Dogs care little for wealth, yet somehow always seem to have money. The Dog can be cold emotionally and sometimes distant at parties. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues. The young Dog, especially, can be selfish and terribly stubborn.

Pig
Western sign is Scorpio.
Chivalrous and gallant, whatever a Boar does- it does with all his strength. They have tremendous fortitude and great honesty. They are kind to their loved ones. They don't make many friends but they make them for life, and anyone having a Boar Year friend is fortunate for they are extremely loyal. No matter how bad a problem, Pig people will try to work them out, fairly. They don't talk much but have a great thirst for knowledge. Pigs generally study a great deal and are well informed. Boar people are quick tempered even though they hate arguments and quarreling. Sometimes the Pig is a bit too impulsive and may be secretive, even sneaky.

Happy New Year.