GO BEARS!!!

February 4, 2007

Submitted by dadl…

A man had box seat tickets for the Super Bowl.

As he sits down, a man comes down and asks if anyone is sitting in the seat next to him.

“No,” he says. “The seat is empty.”

“This is incredible,” said the man. “Who in their right mind would have a seat like this for the Super Bowl, the biggest sporting event in the world, and not use it?”

The first man says, ‘Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first Super Bowl we haven’t been to together since we got married.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. That’s terrible. But couldn’t you find someone else,

Like a friend or relative, or even a neighbor to take the seat?”

The man shakes his head. “No. They’re all at the funeral.”

Filed Under Sports

Superbowl

February 3, 2007

NFL allows Superbowl to be broadcast in bars but not church.

Filed Under Sports

O’Reilly’s thoughts on Hillary

February 2, 2007

Why They Dislike Hillary
By Bill O’Reilly for BillOReilly.com
Thursday, February 1, 2007

A few days ago on television, I asked why Senator Hillary Clinton would put herself through two years of personal attacks in her quest to be President. Is it ambition, a thirst for power, or a belief that she can help Americans in unique ways?

There is no question that Mrs. Clinton will be viciously attacked in every way imaginable. The stuff thrown at her will be malicious and unrelenting, designed to humiliate her and break her spirit. I said I felt sorry for the Senator, just as I feel sympathy for what President Bush is now going through.

Well, the mail poured in. Some of the letters vilified me for being “soft” on Hillary Clinton. There was more than a little hate contained in those missives, and I’m curious about it. What is it about Senator Clinton that causes so much animosity?

Statistically, about half the country doesn’t like Hillary Clinton. Both a Fox News poll and and ABC News/Washington Post poll say the same thing: 44% of Americans disapprove of Senator Clinton. That is a very strong negative for any politician, particularly one that wants to be President.

But, again, why? Why do so many folks despise this woman?

I put that question to my radio audience and the phone lines jammed up. From Alaska to Miami, the beefs rolled in. But in the end, they all fit into three separate categories.

First, many women don’t like Hillary because they believe she made a deal with her husband. That is, she’d stand by him and ignore his infidelities in return for his help in her political life. The ladies who called me did not like that alleged deal at all.

Second, many men objected to her leftist ideology. They see the Senator as a big government, limousine liberal who lives large herself, but wants to impose high taxation on those who are achieving in America.

And finally, some of the callers see Hillary as a cold, calculating woman with a sense of entitlement. There was anger that she rarely sits for tough interviews and speaks in generalities about important subjects like the war on terror.

On one level, I understand all of those opinions but they don’t rise, at least for me, to the hatred level. I reserve that territory for true villains like Saddam and Fidel Castro. But there is no question that hatred towards some American politicians like President Bush and Hillary Clinton is becoming an obsession for some people. An unhealthy obsession, in my opinion.

Much of this bitterness can be laid at the doorstep of an increasingly ideological and irresponsible mainstream media which reports rumor, propaganda, and outright slander on a regular basis. Talk radio also fuels resentments. So does the Internet and cable TV. Unfortunately, many people believe what they read and hear, especially if it fits their political disposition. Thus, it is easy to demonize people these days; it is easy to sell loathing.

This, of course, hurts America because many decent, brilliant people will not enter the brutal world of elective politics. For those who do, there will be pain. But to some, like Hillary Clinton, the sought-after gain is apparently worth it.

Source

Filed Under Politics

1 Comment

This guy is GINORMOUS!

February 2, 2007

Sun Ming Ming of China holds a basketball in this file photo, October 6, 2006. The Maryland Nighthawks signed the 7 ft 9 ins center on Wednesday, introducing the world’s tallest professional basketball player.

MAN HANDS!

Sun Ming Ming

Filed Under Sports

Home Value Q&A

February 1, 2007

Here’s the most common questions I’m asked about regarding home value.

Q: What is the difference between market value and appraised value?
A: Appraised value is a certified appraiser’s opinion of the worth of a home at a given point in time. Lenders require appraisals as part of the loan application process; fees range from $300 and up. Lenders often increase appraised home values during a refinance.

Market value is what price the house will bring at a given point in time. A comparative market analysis is an informal estimate of market value, based on sales of comparable properties, performed by a real estate agent or broker.

Q: What are the standard ways of finding out what a house is valued at?
A: A comparative market analysis and an appraisal are the standard ways consumers, lenders and realty agents determined what a home is worth.

I would be happy to provide a free comparative market analysis, an informal estimate of value based on comparable sales in the neighborhood. You also can research “the comps” yourself by checking on recent sales in public records. Be sure that you are researching properties that are similar in size, construction and location.

This information is not only available at your local recorder’s or assessor’s office but also through private companies and on the Internet.

An appraisal, which generally costs $300 to $400 to perform, is a certified appraiser’s opinion of the value of a home at any given time. Appraisers review numerous factors including recent comparable sales, location, square footage and construction quality.

Q: What is the difference between list price, sales price and appraised value?
A: The list price is a seller’s advertised price, a figure that usually is only a rough estimate of what the seller wants to get. Sellers can price high, low or close to what they hope to get. To judge whether the list price is a fair one, you or your agent should consult comparable sales prices in the area.

The sales price is the amount of money you as a buyer would pay for a property.

The appraisal value is a certified appraiser’s estimate of the worth of a property, and is based on comparable sales, the condition of the property and numerous other factors.

Q: Can I find out the value of my home through the Internet?
A: You can get some idea of your home’s value by searching the Internet. A number of Web sites and services crunch the numbers from historic public records of home sales to produce the statistics. It’s extremely important to make sure your internet source is updated in a timely fashion. It is my experience that the majority of real estate related websites are usually six plus months outdated. That could result in costly pricing errors.

Neither of these services produce official appraisals. They also don’t factor in market nuances or other issues a certified appraiser or real estate professional might in assessing the value of your home.

Filed Under Real Estate

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