Real Talk!

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.