A second wave of swine flu could hit this fall, and health experts recommend creating an emergency kit if the outbreak is severe. Of course, it's a good idea to keep a kit for any emergency.
At least three days' worth of nonperishable, ready-to-eat foods, such as canned goods, dry cereal, and peanut butter.
At times, it can appear that trying to unify the board of a homeowner association is very much like herding cats. Freedom of expression is what America is all about, right? Well, yes and no. While it’s true each citizen is allowed freedom of thought and expression, having a group of special interests fighting over the same turf is contrary to the interests of the community at large. It is up to the Board President to build a team, a coalition that can prioritize and get the job done.
Coalitions take the strengths of differing viewpoints to accomplish a unified result by focusing on a common objective. In the case of homeowner associations, the primary objective should usually be to sustain and protect owners’ property values. This primary object is the “filter” by which decisions are made.
So what does it take to build a coalition of cats? For this, we turn to the supreme artists of change, politicians. Here’s what successful politicians do: Don’t Wait for Crisis. Like the Boy Scouts, “Be Prepared” by getting to know your board members personally. Understand their motives for serving. There may be more to it than you imagine. This information could be very useful in the future.
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Your lender decides what you can borrow but you decide what you can afford.
Lenders are careful, but they make qualification decisions based on averages and formulas. They won’t understand the nuances of your lifestyle and spending patterns quite as well as you do. So, leave a little room for the unexpected – for all the new opportunities your home will give you to spend money, from furnishings, to landscaping, to repairs.
Your lender decides what you can borrow but you decide what you can afford.
Smoke Detector Mishap by a Somerfield Resident (permission granted to cross-post)
I had problems with the smoke detectors inexplicably going off. I assumed the reason was bad batteries. I changed the batteries and put new Duracell's in all the smoke detectors. A few days later, individual smoke detectors started beeping like the batteries were bad. Pulled the battery out and it was very warm, almost hot. I pulled the smoke detector down and called the 800 number on the back.
Are you still looking for that perfect gift for someone on your list but just don't know what to get? Did you forget about the office Holiday Party that is tomorrow and need a gift? Below are some gift ideas that don't take much time and can easily be tailored for the recipient.
Gift Baskets – Put together a gift basket or box full of items related to the recipients interest. For someone that likes to read, a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble, a sampling of specialty teas, some cookies or crackers and you have a wonderful gift that they are sure to enjoy. Or for a gardener, packs of a variety of seeds, gift certificate to their favorite nursery, a water bottle, a pair of gardening gloves and you have a gift that any gardener would appreciate. A gift basket full of snacks, munchies and sweets would be a good gift for the holiday party.
E-Gift Cards – These are basically gift certificates that can be emailed to the recipient. When giving any type of gift card make sure the store you choose is a store that the recipient visits or would enjoy a shopping spree. Remember giving gift cards is essentially giving money and can also show that not much thought was given to choosing the gift.
Sony's VAIO VGN-TZ100 series, VGN-TZ200 series, VGN-TZ300 series and VGN-TZ2000 series of notebooks are hot—literally. The electronics giant announced today with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that it is voluntarily recalling models in these four notebook lines due to potential burn hazards to the user.
1. Deep Clean Vases: Fill with warm water and drop in two of these baking soda-rich tablets. Let soak for an hour to remove the stains you can’t reach. 2. Speed-scrub the Toilet: Twice a week, drop two tables into the bowl; 15 minutes later, do a once around with the toilet brush. 3. Make an All-Purpose Cleaner: Drop three tablets into 8 oz. warm water. Once the fizzing stops, wipe down counters, tiles and tubs. 4. Safely Unclog Drain: Drop three tablets into the drain and run hot water for a few seconds (the hotter the water, the more fizzing) let sit for 15 minutes. 5.