I came across this in an e-mail sent to me today and thought I would share it.  By the way, I have no idea who this Birk guy is but I personally giv ehim an A+ for creativity.
 

"This idea sounds just crazy enough to possibly work, so naturally it won't be given serious consideration.  How great is our bureaucracy!!

Hi Pals,

I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.

Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.

To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up..

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billion that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free.

So let's assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes.

That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in thei r pocket.

A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved.

Repay college loans - what a great boost to new grads

Put away money for college - it'll be there

Save in a bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs.

Buy a new car - create jobs

Invest in the market - capital drives growth

Pay for your parent's medical insurance - health care improves

Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost the ir job s at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 ( 'vote buy' ) economic incentive that is being proposed
by one of our candidates for President.

If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG - liquidate it.

Sell off its parts.

Let American General go back to being American General.

Sell off the real estate.

Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.

Sure it's a crazy idea that can 'never work.'

But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!

How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion

We Deserve It Dividend more than I do t he geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC

And remember, The Birk plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

Ahhh...I feel so much better getting that off my chest.

Kindest personal regards,

Birk

T. J . Birkenmeier, A Creative Guy & Citizen of the Republic

PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as it's either good for a laugh or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 Billion!!"

Universal Studios Hollywood, the City of Los Angeles and the County of Los Angeles Public Works are proud to present a One-Day Mobile Collection Event.  For Residents of the City & County of Los Angeles

Residential Special Materials and Electronic Waste

NO Commercial drop-offs accepted and waste collection is suspended during rain

They will accept:  Paint and solvents; used motor oil and filters, anti-freeze, and other automotive fluids; cleaning products; pool and garden chemicals; aerosol cans; all medicine; auto batteries; household (alkaline) batteries; fluorescent tubes and bulbs, thermostats, and other mercury-containing mapls.

They will also accept:  Computers, monitors, printers, network equipment, cables, telephones, televisions, microwaves, video games, cell phones, radios, stereos, VCRs, and electronic toys.

They will NOT accept:  Business waste, ammunition, explosives, radioactive material, biological waste or tires, Bulky items:  Furniture, refrigerators, washers/dryers, conventional ovens, paper, computer software.

For your safety please remain in your vehicle at all times while visiting the collection event.

The transportation limit for chemical related items:  It is against the law to transport more than 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste to sollection sites.  Please pack your waste properly to prevent tipping or spilling of the waste during collection.

When:  Saturday April 26th, 2008

Time:  The collection time for this event is from 9am - 3pm

Where:  Universal Studios Hollywood Parking Lot, Universal City, Ca. 91608

Directions:

• FROM THE 101 North - Exit Universal Studios Blvd.  Continue North on Buddy Holly Dr.  Turn right on Universal Studios Blvd.  Follow signs to the parking lot
• FROM THE 101 South - Exit Lankershim Blvd.  Turn left on Cahuenga Blvd.  Turn left on Universal Studios Blvd.  Follow the signs to the parking lot.

For more information on this event you can call the city at 1-800-98-TOXIC or the County at 1-888-CLEAN-LA.

For many years the City of Burbank and its residents have been looking forward to meaningful nighttime noise relief at the Bob Hope Airport. Since 1977 there has been a semi-successful voluntary nighttime curfew from 10pm til 7am. Federal law has established a formal process which, among other things, provides a way to turn this voluntary curfew into a mandatory one - this is know as a Part 161 application. In the year 2000, the Airport Authority initiated a Part 161 study for this purpose and in recent months announced its determination that the cost/benefit analysis they performed may adequately meet Federal Requirements and justify the granting of a mandatory nighttime curfew.

In preparation to file this application with the FAA, the Airport Authority must first complete a number of procedural requirements, including implementing a public participation process. therefore, on March 31st, 2008 the Airport Authority commenced a 45-day public comment period (closing May 14th at 11:59pm) regarding its proposed application. During this period, members of the public and organizations are invited to provide comments and ask questions regarding the application.

The City of Burbank encourages residents to participate in this public outreach process by submitting comments and questions to the Airport Authority via the following opportunities:

1. the May 12th Airport Authority public hearing at the Marriott Hotel 6pm.
2. the June 16th Airport Authority regular meeting in the Burbank Airport Sky Room at 9am(at which time the Authority will formally consider the submittal of the Part 161 application to the FAA)
3. via either of the Authority's websites http://www.bobhopeairport.com/ or http://www.burbankairport.com/

Once the Airport Authority submits the Part 161 application to the FAA, there is no guarantee that the FAA will indeed grant the mandatory nighttime curfew. In order to have any chance of success, involvement from the public is going to be essential. Therefore, the City urges that you contact your Federal representatives and let them know your feelings on this landmark event. For your convenience the contact information is provided below:

Honorable Dianne Feistein, 331 Hart Senate Office Bldg, Washington DC 20510. www.feinstein.senate.gov/

Honorable Adam B. Schiff, 326 Cannon House Office Bldg. Washington DC 20515. www.schiff.house.gov/hor/ca29/

Honorable Barbara Boxer, 112 Hart Senate Office Bldg, Washington DC 20510. www.boxer.senate.gov/

Honorable Brad Sherman, 2242 Rayburn Office Bldg, Washington DC 20515. www.sherman.house.gov/

Should you have any questions on the process or the study please feel free to contact Mark Hardyment with the Airport Authority via e-mail at mhardyment@bur.org

As we all know by now, Short Sales are a way of doing business in the market these days.  We also know that this can be a long and painful experience for both the buyer and the Realtor alike.  At the same time it can be a relatively smooth transaction as well depending on the bank and the loss manager you are dealing with.

In January I opened escrow on a home for a buyer on a short sale that showed all the signs of being a relatively painless short sale.  I could not have been more mistaken.

Prior to writing the offer I ran comps on the home and found that the home was reasonably priced considering the condition, location and market.  The listing agent concurred and we started to move forward in the process with hopes of a smooth transaction.

After waiting the usual 60 days to hear back from the bank, the response we received floored both the listing agent, myself and both our clients.  What we got was a counter offer for $160,000 more than we were in escrow at.

The bank stated taht due to the BPO that was done on the subject property that they felt that it was in fact worth the price that they were asking.

Confused by this the listing agent and myself re-ran the comps on the home and came to the same conclusion.  Armed with this information we proceeded to forward our comps as well as copies of the Home Inspection, Termite Report & Septic inspection back to the bank with a letter outlining the cost of the amount of work that needed to be performed on the home.

One week later we received a call from the bank informing us that they wanted to send their own contractor out to the home to assess and report on the condition.  i gladly met the contractor their and went over the issues and concerns regarding the home.  After his evaluation of the home he concurred with our estimates and reported to the bank that we were in line with both the price and condition of the home.

We figured that that would be the end of that and expected that the bank would decide to go with our offer and finish the transaction.  We were wrong.

I received an e-mail from the listing agents office yesterday that after they received the report form the contractor they decided to send out specialists in each area to do a separate evaluation of the home.  So now on Friday I have to meet the General contractor, termite contractor, electrical contractor, foundation specialist and septic company so that they can all re-asses the condition of the home and submit individual estimates on it.

How much confirmation do the banks want these days, how far are they willing to drag out the process, how realistic are they being in trying to move these homes that people want and need to move out of?

To me this borders on the verge of ridiculous.  We have submitted everything they needed and more to validate our position.

The big issue is that we still do not know if we will get the home.  My buyers are willing to take it  As-Is and deal with the work that needs to be done.  Are the banks really that willing to let a solid buyer walk away by dragging them through this type of red tape?

Saturday, April 12, 2008 from 11:00am-3:00pm.

The Burbank Community YMCA is hosting Healthy Kids Day.

The event will take place in the YMCA parking lot located at the corner of Third Street and San Jose. There will be free health screenings, a rock wall, interactive boxing demo, a basketball shoot out contest and more. This event is free to the community.

The weather should be great this weekend so bring the family out for what should be a great event.

For more information call (818) 845-8551 ext. 236.

To celebrate the conclusion of World War II in 1945, the Burbank Junior Chamber of Commerce organized a city parade in association with their May Festival. The festival was a big affair, lasting a week and including a pageant, dances, baking contests, and a carnival. The extravaganza was so successful it became an annual tradition that continued for 12 years.

In 1981, a handful of Burbank citizens recalling great memories of the May Festival and its parade, decided they wanted to revive this grand event. A week long festival would be a huge undertaking, so they narrowed their focus on a city parade. One year later, with the help of many volunteers and aid from numerous organizations, Burbank on Parade, Inc. produced an event to remember, and the spectators came out in droves, comprised of Burbank's residents, as well as locals from nearby cities.

The inaugural revival of this event succeeded in once again, bringing together the community, and the residents, businesses and organizations that exist within it. The original founders of the revival succeeded in reestablishing a tradition that celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and the parade organizers take great pleasure in once again inviting you to join in the celebration.

We are a pround spnsor of Burbank on Parade 2008

For further information, check their website at http://www.burbankonparade.com/ 

I hope to see you there!!!

BURBANK, CA - America's Promise Alliance, the nation's largest alliance dedicated to children and youth, in partnership with Capital One, today announced that the City of Burbank has been named a winner of its 2008 100 Best Communities for Young People competition. Burbank is the only city in Los Angeles County to be named to the list.

The 100 Best competition recognizes the 100 outstanding communities across America - large and small, rural and urban - that are the best places for young people to live and grow up.  More than 300 communities in all 50 states applied for the honor this year.  The 100 winning communities span 37 states.

Burbank was selected as one of the 100 Best in large part because of the city's focus on increasing health and wellness programs for its youth.  The city's theme in 2007 was "A Healthy Community."  Community-wide collaborations involving the City of Burbank, Burbank Unified School District, local businesses, the local YMCA, and Boys and Girls Club have resulted in afterschool, nutrition, and exercise programs on school campuses and neighborhood achievement centers.  The Youth Task Force has been instrumental in the initiation of counseling programs on campuses, youth transportation, conflict resolution programs, video productions related to teen issues, and youth employment programs.  In addition to passing an ordinance that prohibited smoking in public places, the mayor invites families to join her weekly walks and talk about issues impacting their lives.

"This designation is really an incredible achievement that recognizes our entire community's commitment to our young people," said Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos, expressing excitement about the win. "The collaborative efforts of Burbank's community partners present extraordinary opportunities for our youth to achieve all their potential.  Our holistic approach addresses their needs from infancy through teens and into adulthood.  We are working to build a community of good health, hope and harmony." 

"Over the past few years I have witnessed the time and effort that this city dedicates to its youth first-hand," said 18-year-old Steven Ferguson, citing a specific example.  "The City took the results from a teen survey and decided to gather a group of teen whose job would be to create a one-day Youth Solution Summit where teens could come and provide solutions to their survey-identified problems. Those solutions are being implemented with new teen oriented programs throughout our City."

"The prosperity of every community and this country depends on how well we care for our children and youth," said Marguerite W. Kondracke, president and CEO, America's Promise Alliance, "Although no place is perfect, when we have communities that make young people a priority and are working to make sure they stay in school and have all the resources necessary to lead healthy, productive lives, we must recognize them and by extension inspire other cities and towns to follow their lead."

The 100 Best competition was first held in 2005.  This year's winners were selected by a distinguished panel that included some of the nation's most well-known civic, business and nonprofit leaders such as: Gayle Manchin, first lady of West Virginia; United Way President Brian Gallagher; Thomas Donohue, president and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Christine James-Brown, president and CEO, the Child Welfare League of America; and Dr. Suzanne Morse, executive director of the Pew Partnership for Civic Change.

"At Capital One, we are committed building stronger communities, one neighborhood at a time," said Carolyn Berkowitz, Vice President of Community Affairs for Capital One.

All communities that completed entries in the 100 Best competition were required to submit detailed information to the Alliance on existing community programs and initiatives that help deliver the Five Promises-resources identified by America's Promise as being critical to the development of healthy, successful children: caring adults; safe places; healthy start; effective education; and opportunities to help others; to their young people. Applicants were also asked to describe how different sectors of their community come together to deliver the Five Promises and specific efforts and programs developed to ensure that their young people graduate from high school prepared for college and/or the workforce.  Each of these communities, regardless of whether they were selected as a winner, will be eligible to apply for $300,000 in grants from the Alliance next month.

For more details about the 100 Best competition and to see a complete list of the 2008 winners, please visit http://www.americaspromise.org/.

For more information on The City of Burbank or if you are looking to buy or sell Real Estate in the City of Burbank please contact me.