Chatbug Karen

I received the following in my email box and thought I would share.Whether it be weight loss pills or health care initiatives, we, in the US, will be affected by change. Perhaps we need to speak out before things are put into effect instead of complaining afterwords.

I bought a bird feeder. I hung
it on my back porch and filled
it with seed. What a beauty of
a bird feeder it was, as I filled it
lovingly with seed. Within a
week we had hundreds of birds
taking advantage of the
continuous flow of free and
easily accessible food.

But then the birds started
building nests in the boards
of the patio, above the table,
and next to the barbecue.

Then came the poop. It was
everywhere: on the patio tile,
the chairs, the table ..
everywhere!

Then some of the birds
turned mean. They would
dive bomb me and try to
peck me even though I had
fed them out of my own
pocket.

And others birds were
boisterous and loud. They
sat on the feeder and
squawked and screamed at
all hours of the day and night
and demanded that I fill it
when it got low on food.

After a while, I couldn’t even
sit on my own back porch
anymore. So I took down the
bird feeder and in three days
the birds were gone. I cleaned
up their mess and took down
the many nests they had built
all over the patio.

Soon, the back yard was like
it used to be …. quiet, serene….
and no one demanding their
rights to a free meal.

Now let’s see.
Our government gives out
free food, subsidized housing,
free medical care and free
education, and allows anyone
born here to be an automatic
citizen.

Then the illegals came by the
tens of thousands. Suddenly
our taxes went up to pay for
free services; small apartments
are housing 5 families; you
have to wait 6 hours to be seen
by an emergency room doctor;
your child’s second grade class is
behind other schools because
over half the class doesn’t speak
English.

Corn Flakes now come in a
bilingual box; I have to
‘press one ‘ to hear my bank
talk to me in English, and
people waving flags other
than our flag are
squawking and screaming
in the streets, demanding
more rights and free liberties.

Just my opinion, but maybe
it’s time for the government
to take down the bird feeder.

I had an interesting afternoon. I had a nice surprise when a salesman, who called on us years ago, stopped by for a visit. Roy is from Lafayette, Louisiana and always has a story or two to tell. Roy has kids that are the same age as our kids, 24 and 29. Our families seem to have a lot in common. Besides being a floor covering salesman for a major distributor, Roy and his family opened a Cajun restaurant near Indianapolis. My husband and I had dinner there a few months ago and were filled to the gills with Cajun food. Mud Bugs is a wonderful place to eat if you are ever in the Indianapolis area.

Roy has seen a down turn in sales in his territory just as we have. While tech jobs seem to be plentiful, sales of floor covering are slow. We have been fortunate to have steady work but it is a lot more fun when we have more sales than we can deal with! I think things will pick up soon. Everyone seems to be hesitant to spend money when they are not sure they will have a job. I can understand their feelings. The key to our economic situation is optimism. I am optimistic that things will get back to normal. Have you noticed a difference in your field of work? Are you making any changes in your spending habits?

The one good thing about the economy here in the US is that it is forcing people to make changes. These changes can be good! For instance, many people who were stuck in a job they hated are now forced to look for other means of employment. This can be a good thing. They can take the experience they have gained through their old job, combine it with new education and go for a high paying, challenging job.

The project management curriculum at St. Joseph University prepares those wishing employment as a project manager in many fields. Learning the skills needed to manage and complete a project, as well as guide others towards the completion of a project will lead you to a fulfilling and rewarding career.

When I think of project managers, I think of the people we have dealt with in our industry. We sell floor covering and rely on construction project managers to guide us through a profitable project. St. Joseph University online Project Management certificates qualify students in many management fields. A study in the field of project management will prepare you for working as an engineering manager or construction manager. The curriculum also prepares those who seek employment in the fields of management analysis, computer and information and systems managers.

Now is the perfect time to qualify yourself for the job of which you have always dreamed. Let St. Joseph University help you reach that goal.

The media will not stop their ranting about the economy. We need to look to the bright side and know that there are great jobs available if you take the proper steps to plan your education. If you are anticipating a career change, the medical field is one of the best places to be for steady employment.

ST. Xavier’s MS Nursing program (Master of Science in Nursing) is available to persons holding a bachelor’s degree. Their courses offer online classes combined with one weekend of hands on campus experience. This makes a MS nursing degree attainable for those who may not be able to attend classes full time at a physical location.

Experienced instructors who are interested in your success are at ST. Xavier. No matter what field of work you are in now, the medical field is one you will find as a challenging and rewarding one. Get started on your new career by contacting ST. Xavier’s.

I don’t know enough about politics to be able to discuss the pros and cons of the stimulus bill. I am only listing it here to have a copy of it for history’s sake. I blog to keep a journal of what is happening in my world. After blogging since 1985, it is fun to look back at the things I have talked about. I have a picture of our puppy when she was 8 weeks old. I have talked about many subjects that range from travel insurance to making snickerdoodle cookies. You just never know what you will find at The Pond. Having said that, I am listing the stimulus bill so I have a record of which to look back on. You never know when you might need to know a part of this bill.

• High-speed and inner-city rail: Went from $300 million in House bill to $2.25 billion in Senate to $8 billion in final version. There also is a $6.9 billion provision for public transit.

• Amtrak: Picked up $500 million from both House and Senate versions to total $1.3 billion. The bill stipulates that no more than 60 percent can go to the Northeast Corridor.

• National Institutes of Health: Ends up with $10 billion in the final bill. The House proposed $3.5 billion and the Senate wanted $10 billion — $8.2 billion goes to the NIH director for his discretion.

• Government oversight: Board to oversee stimulus bill spending will get $84 million to do the job. House bill allocated $14 million while the Senate bill called for $7 million. There is also more than $100 million more for various inspectors general in different agencies.

• NASA: Banked just more than $2 billion, including $400,000 for science/global-warming research.

• Veterans: Nearly all items for Veterans Affairs were reduced and the $2 billion the Senate wanted for VA construction was wiped out altogether. The VA did get one thing: $1 billion for medical facilities renovation and retooling.

• Military construction: Cut and put into a general pot, a change from targeted money for each branch of the services. Army construction alone went from $600 million in the Senate and $900 million in the House to $180 million in the final bill. But negotiators compromised over a general military construction fund — the House wanted $3.75 billion while the Senate allocated $118 million and settled on $1.45 billion for all services.

• FBI: Senate had allocated $475 million but all was cut out of final bill.

• Pandemic flu research: Although senators agreed it wouldn’t produce jobs, it’s getting $50 million in the final bill, down from nearly $900 million

• Foreclosures: $2 billion is set for a neighborhood stabilization program that helps areas plagued with foreclosures by buying back properties and preventing blight.

• Homeless: $1.5 billion is directed to homelessness prevention.

• Passports: $90 million is going to the State Department to deal with domestic facilities that deal with passports and training.

• Social Security: $500 million goes to replace its 30-year-old computer system.

• Car buyers: Anyone who buys a new car in 2009 gets to deduct the sales tax. To qualify, buyer must make less than $125,000 individually or $250,000 jointly. Cost is $1.7 billion.

• Homebuyers: First-time homebuyers who purchase this calendar year get an $8,000 tax credit which does not have to be repaid like a similar measure last year. This phases out for people making more than $75,000 individually or $150,000 jointly. “First-time homebuyer” is defined as someone who has not owned a home for the past three years. Cost: $6.63 billion.

• Pell grants: will increase to a maximum of $5,350 per student in 2009-2010 year thanks to two provisions in the stimulus.

• Tax credits: Individuals making less than $80,000 or families making less than $160,000 can get up to $2,500 in tax credits for college tuition. 40 percent ($1,000) of the credit is refundable. Cost: $13.9 billion over 10 years.

• Tax credits: Anyone making $75,000 individually or $150,000 as a family will get refundable tax credit up to $400 per person or $800 per family

For me, tomorrow is officially the day our new year begins. It is the day when the kids in our area go back to school and the workers go back to their jobs. I am truly ready to begin a new year.

The past year was spent helping my husband’s brother as he was dealt the horrible disease ALS. ALS is not fun. My husband’s brother passed away on December 23rd. He is in a better place and we move on with our lives.

I am amazed that people take advantage of people that are going through hard times. I had read, years ago, about homes that had been robbed when the homeowners were attending a wedding or a funeral. Newspaper editors put the pending date out there for everyone to see. Both nice people and criminals know when you will be away for the day. That is why I love ADT home security. Being able to leave our home without worry was a godsend for us.

I recently read a blog where the author said her meat was stolen from her freezer. I am shocked that someone would steal food. Times are getting tough as more people lose their jobs. Maybe the freezer thief was starving. I hate to say it but it is only going to get worse. Get some security! ADT Security Systems are well worth the money for the peace of mind you will have.

The teams at ADT are so confident that their systems will offer you safe and reliable security for your home that they back their services with a guarantee. ADT uses the latest technological equipment to allow it’s monitoring centers to provide protection 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It only takes that one time break-in on that one day of the year to make you wish you had used their service. My recommendation: start this year off with an ADT security system.

How are you feeling about the way the election turned out? The word on everyone’s tongue was change. Now that Barack Obama is making his personnel picks for his White House and cabinet public, Americans are wondering if the same old boys are going to offer change. Watch the following video and tell me what you think. Better yet, leave a comment at the youtube site.

Embedded Video

Are things are so out of control that we might as well let the chips fall where they may? The video, Changes are Coming, is a satire that points out many of the mistakes our nation has made. Did you notice the reference to Clinton’s moral issues? Does debauchery describe the money grabbing attitude of our nation?

The word change means to transform or convert. Change the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone: to change one’s name; to change one’s opinion; to change the course of history. .

If we take what we have learned and don’t repeat the mistakes we will be better. However, the word change also means to substitute another. Are we ready for one mistake to replace another? Change is scary. Hold on! It is going to be an interesting ride as we experience Change.

I worry about anyone who relies on the mortgage and real estate industry as their means of income. Changes are going to have to be made before consumers are able to acquire loans at the capacity they once did. Real estate and mortgage professionals are looking at loan modification leads to get them through this crisis. As with every profession, change demands looking at different opportunities.

When a lender modifies a loan the borrower’s new mortgage payment, including insurance and taxes, eats up a lower percentage of their pre-tax income. This percentage, known as a debt to income ratio, topped 50% for some loans during the boom. Different strategies are used to achieve a lower payment for the consumer. Lower interest rates, extended loan life and principal deferral to the final years of the loan have made the loan modification business an attractive one.

The opportunity to change the way mortgages are repaid gives consumers and mortgage professionals hope for the future in the real estate and mortgage business. There is hope. We just have to look at different avenues and not be afraid to hold on.

I knew it was possible. Stocks rallied Monday afternoon, with the Dow up 976 points during the session, as investors bet that the worst of the credit crisis is over, following a series of global initiatives announced over the last few days.

It only proves that if we band together and don’t lose hope, things can change.

On another positive note, we are having an Indian summer here in Indiana. We have the most beautiful color in the trees around our house. We have beautiful reds and yellows in the leaves. We don’t need to drive out east or even to the southern part of our state for awesome foliage. Bring on the cider and donuts!

My husband was telling me that he heard on television that the sales of safes has risen in the past few weeks. I would guess so, with the economy in such bad shape, people are making changes to protect their hard earned money. We all hear people talk about putting their money under their mattress. I would guess that many are taking their money out of the bank and putting it in a safe in their home. I can’t say that I blame them.

It would be a good time to be in the safe manufacturing business. I had no idea there are so many manufacturers of safes. There are the Brown Safe Co., Adesco Safe Mfg. Co., Cincy Safe Co., Lockmasters, Inc. to name just a few. The only one I recognized on the list was the Diebold Safe Company. I went to their website to see if they had any news about sales of safes increasing. I didn’t see any articles but I noticed that their stock has dropped. I wonder if they keep their money in the bank.