This morning as I was scanning the list of those who voted against the Health Care bill that was passed by the House yesterday, I saw that Dennis Kucinich voted against passage, I really wondered what the full story was behind his vote.

I am also very upset that the conservative bishops of the Catholic church chose to try and impose their religious beliefs upon the country by pressuring a group of conservative Democrats to vote against a woman's right to control her own body, and her own future... by inserting a major provision in the bill that was in a major way "Anti-Choice" for women.

This is just another example of insecure men wanting to continue controlling women, and another step by our country towards an American Taliban Theocracy.  It appears that Conservative Americans, and conservative Iranians DO have quite a bit in common.

I do not fear any so-called "socialist agenda"... but I DO fear a country ruled and governed by the religious beliefs of one group of people.  That is what Iran is, and that is what Saudi Arabia is.  I do not want that for America.  Conservative Americans... believe what you want... just don't force it on me !

I have seen quite a few posts this week... more and more of then as we get close to the weekend... about "turning our clocks back" this coming Sunday.

You know... the old "Spring Forward, Fall Back" routine.  I have also seen that although some folks get excited about having an extra hour to accomplish "this or that..." most folks usually talk about if they turn back the clock one hour... they can get an extra hour of sleep.

So... here is my question.  If... instead of turning my clocks back ONE hour... I turn them back TWENTY-FIVE hours... could I possibly get away with an entire extra DAY of sleep ? 

I am tired... and I need to make this work... LOL.  Any suggestions ?

I have seen many articles written... both on Active Rain, and in the public media... about whether or not to renew the $8,000 tax credit that expires on November 30, 2009.

Here are two reasons... and in my opinion... the best two reasons for renewing the tax credit.

First... it does what other programs cannot do.  It takes a buyer who may not be able to buy... and turns them into a buyer to can buy.

With the mortgage financing qualifying guideline changes that we have seen over the last eighteen months, and the disappearance of various programs that have helped first time buyers... this segment needs to remain as active as possible, to help stimulate the overall market. 

The $8,000 can make a huge difference in the monetary lives of the typical first-time buyer.  With the zero-down financing all but gone... many first time buyers have good income... more than enough to qualify for the payments... but without the zero-down financing... the great majority of them do not have the required down payment and closing costs to bring to closing to enable them to buy.

While a seller can be asked to pay the buyer's closing costs (in lieu of a buyer asking them to cut their price in an offer)... there usually isn't a way for them to come up with the down payment if they cannot get a gift letter from a family member.

The current tax credit program allows the buyer to pull all of their resources (if they have them) together for the down payment... but it then allows them to re-coup that money... via the $8,000 tax credit from Uncle Sam and Aunt Samantha... and use it to build up their savings again.

Reason number two for extending the tax credit... is that if first time buyers can buy... then the sellers they buy from... can "move up" to their next home.

The move-up market in many areas of the country is quite stagnant.  One of the reasons is that those folks who own a home... cannot sell it.  If they could, they would "move up"... which would allow the next teir of sellers to become buyers... which would "domino" into stimulating each succeeding "move up" seller... and turn THEM into a buyer.

I do realize that there is a heavy cost in providing the $8,000 tax credit... a cost to the government... which is, of course, a cost to you and me.  For that reason... I would NOT take away the "first time buyer" or the "haven't bought in three years" rule... which currently exists in the tax rebate program.

I know those folks who are buying more expensive homes... or second and third homes... could use the $8,000 too... but... I think they would benefit even more by being able to sell their home to a move-up buyer provided by the scenario I mentioned above.

One more thing.  I would NOT... absolutely NOT... announce any renewal of the tax credit program until at the very earliest... December 1, 2009.  I would also make it crystal clear... that because of the cost... that this would be the ONLY extension this program would receive.  I would probably extend it until November 30, 2010... period !

It appears that there won't be any problems between two of the biggest egos in the NBA getting along with each other this year.  At a recent scrimmage... LeBron and Shaq ended up clowning around... like they had been teammates for years.

There have been those who have wondered if there would be enough room on the Cav's team for the two mega-stars to co-exist... but that problem... at least for right now... appears non-existent.

The Cavaliers held an intra-team scrimmage in Akron... with Shaq's Gold team beating LBJ's Wine team 54 to 38.  The big guy played well, sinking 6 of his 8 shots... four of which were short jumpers rather than his patented Shaq-O-Matic slam dunk shots.  That was good to see.

Shaq appears to be in fantastic shape... getting up and down the floor with ease... playing tough defense, and looked very good running the Cav's low post offense.  James was James... looking great, but missing five of seven free throws.  He needs to fix that.

This is the second most important year in recent memory for the Cavs... with Shaq being in town for two major reasons.  The first... is obviously to win a championship.  The second, of course, is just another of the many efforts the Cav's ownership has put forth to show LeBron that they will do whatever they need to to get Lebron his Championship Ring... and, of course, to keep him in Cleveland.

Earlier today another Rainer wrote a post critiquing an article she read... which said agents should "avoid using 'real estate' as a way to connect with others."

Since my criticism is not of the writer, but of her idea... I will choose not to use her name.  But... I wanted to share my response.

I had not read the article she was referring to, but from what she had to say about it... I had a pretty good guess at what it might be.  I also just wanted to add my "two cents" to the concept, too.

Building an extremely wide group of "friends" you really don't know... other than labeling them as so-called "friends"... how deep do those relationships go ?  Sounds pretty superficial.

Whereas...building simple friendships that actually ARE relationships... sounds like a much more lasting "connection" to make.  Not everyone is interested in real estate.  At least not at the moment.  So... using real estate as a central point in making friends"... well, to me it just doesn't do much.  Imagining myself just as a normal... whatever that means... a normal person outside real estate... why would I be "drawn" to someone in real estate ?  I don't know if I would be.

But either being drawn to someone with whom I had a common interest... or drawn to someone because I had come to know what a great person they were... which means someone I could actually BE a friend with and to... well... THAT, at least for me, would be a better ultimate source of business... if that's what I was looking for.

I would much rather have thirty, or even ten, or five good folks that I knew... who really "knew" me... and called me a friend... than a thousand folks on some online entity who superficially called me "friend."  But... to each her own.

But... bottom line... if it works for you... or for whomever... and has proven itself to, that is what you should focus on.

For all of you renters out there... if you're thinking about still trying to sneak in under the wire for the $8,000 tax credit that Uncle Sam and Aunt Samantha are just "itching" to give you... you need to see one of the hottest townhouse communities in south Carrollton, Texas.

It's a new kind of townhouse... made just for Texas.  One of the drawbacks for many Texans as far as townhouses have been concerned... is that just about everyone who is interested in a townhouse... wants an end unit.

Usually, townhomes are built with anywhere from six to eight units in each building... which obviously means that out of an eight dwelling building, only two townhouses can be "end units."

Well... that has all changed !  There is a major new neighborhood that has recently opened in the wonderful, close-in city of Carrollton, Texas.  It is an entirely townhouse neighborhood... but with one major exception not normally found in a townhouse community.

Each building... instead of having six to eight dwellings per building... when means six interior homes, and only two corner-units... this new neighborhood features a maximun of THREE units total per building... two of which, obviously, are "end units."

This is a major "happening" in Carrollton.  Only open a few months... sales are brisk... and not many homes are left that will finish in time to qualify for the November 30th deadline needed to qualify for the $8,000 tax credit.

Sooo... if you are ready to go from "Just Looking" to "Let's Get Serious..." give Karen Anne Stone a call at the New Homes Hotline at (972) 951-4350 or (817) 929-3400.  Call Karen today !

I bet most of the buyers that either you or I work with love a good surprise.  Not bad ones, but good ones.  The next ninety days offers the "last chance" for buyers to give themselves their very own Christmas Present.

That present comes in the form of the Homestead Exemption here in the State of Texas.

Texas is very big on home ownership.  The higher the rate of home ownership, the more interested those folks are in creating beautiful yards and neighborhoods to live in.

The Homestead Exemption... the Cliff Notes version... works like this.

There are many "entities" that line up to tax each residential home.  Cities, counties, schools, libraries, water districts, local community colleges... and so forth.  Sometimes the list may seem to be endless.

Each of these entities... for the most part... sees a portion of the value of the home in question... become "not taxable" or "tax exempt"... when the owners of that home qualify for, apply for... and then receive... their very own "Homestead Exemption."

When putting all of these "forgiven parts" of the value of each home together... a pretty good chunk of the assessed valuation of the home can end up "not taxable"... or "tax exempt.

An average estimate of the prcentage of tax savings... and remember... this is just an "estimate"... usually comes in at around twelve percent.  So... if the yearly real estate taxes on a home in Texas happens to be about $300 a month.. or $3,600 a year... if the Homestead Exemption hits in at around 12 percent... the total savings for the year could be approximately $36 dollars a month... or close to $400 a year.

In order for a home to qualify for a Homestead Exemption in the State of Texas... it must be "owned" by the owner as of January 1, 2010... and it ust be his or her primary residence.  If the owner takes title any later than that... the home does not qualify for Homestead Exempt status until January 1, 2011.

If you are in the market for a new home, and are ready to go from "Just Looking" to "Let's Get Serious"... call the DFW New Home Hotline at (817) 929-3400 today !

It is kind of funny how one thing can lead to another on Active Rain... and how just reading the blog posts of others... can end up stimulating an idea that I end up making in a comment to one of those posts... which then leads to my using the idea from that comment... as the basis for a post, itself.

Like this one...

First... I read a post tonight written by Steve Shatsky... about how "It's a Sign of The Times" that so many people are living paycheck to paycheck.  In my comment to Steve, I shared how important it is that all of us help to provide just a bit of whatever safety net we can... to help those in need.

Then... I read a post by Alice Linahan... titled "Help Someone If You Can."  It, too, was along the lines of how absolutely important it is that we... need to help those in need... whenever possible.  What a great thought !

My comment to Alice told a story that I want to share.  Here it is...

Alice... I would like to share with you, if I may, something I saw some time ago on a Dr Wayne Dyer PBS show.  It was also about helping people.  Aside from any moral, spiritual good that helping someone does... Dr Dyer shared how helping someone... performing an act of kindness... actually has "healing effects" on the mind and body.  But... there is more to it.

First... and Dr Dyer said that this was scientifically studied and measured... first... the person who receives the help... is overcome by such a warm and cared-for feeling, that certain enzymes are released into the blood... endorphins and other stuff... that actually produce a healing effect on the person helped.

But secondly, that feeling is ALSO experienced by the person performing the caring deed.  They, too, experience the same degree of healing effects in their mind/body... from helping someone.

But... here is the surprise.  Thirdly... if there is someone who actually sees... actually watches the caregiver tend to the cared-for person... that third person, too, experiences the same degree of mind/body healing effects... just from seeing someone help someone else.  I thought that was just incredible, and when I think about it, it just makes so much sense.

By the way... special thanks to both Steve Shatsky and Alice Linahan for inspiring me.  Active Rain strikes again.  :)

Earlier this evening I wrote a post about one of the semi-final matches in the US Open Women's Tennis Championship taking place this weekend in Flushing, New York.

One commentor asked me a question about whether or not I played tennis.  I answered that earlier in my life... I just loved playing tennis, but right now... my ankles are too weak, and getting around the court would be a problem.  Then I started going into a story about my teaching career... which lasted nine years... and immediately preceded my becoming a Realtor.  Here's the story.

It seemed like hundreds of years ago... but there I was... just beginning teaching.  I was still IN college... but was asked by a local Catholic School if I would teach in their parish seventh grade... using a "provisional" teaching certificate.  I had not even considered teaching as a career... but was really "taken" by the idea... and after much thought... I accepted.

The degree I was pursuing in college... was Psychology.  I was minoring in Philosophy, and also had a second minor in French.  I was having fun... and learning lots of things in fields I really enjoyed.  Then... all of a sudden... there I was... teaching seventh and eighth grade.

I knew I had always possessed a talent... a gift for teaching.  It just came naturally to me.  And... in taking the required "teaching methods" courses to qualify for the provisional certificate... I had my start.

After our first curriculum meetings with the rest of the staff... our strengths as far as knowledge were discussed... and then the subjects for the "junior high" division... seventh and eighth grades... were handed out.  I was always absolutely excellent at math... and after testing out of it in college... I was chosen to teach it to the seventh and eighth graders.  Four classes of math, two of history, one homeroom... and then... came the following discussion... or challenge... whichever you prefer to call it.

It seemed there was enough money in the school budget for the boys to have a certified phys ed teacher... but for the girls... no.  And... way back then... it wasn't even thought necessary that the girls even NEEDED to have phys ed.  After all... they... were girls !

So... as the principal looked around the room... she came to the last two teachers... myself, and an eighty-three year old nun with really bad arthritis.  One look at poor Sister Mary Holywater... and the decision was obvious.  I... was chosen... as the new girls phys ed teacher for all of the eighth grade girls.  I loved it.  It was great. 

I must admit... I had to spend a lot of my own money on equipment... although many of the girls had their own things they could bring.  But... we did it.  Ran track, did calisthentics, played soccer... and played softball... and played it with enough enthusiasm that we actually challenged the boys to a game... and BEAT them. 

And that... is how teaching phys ed... became part of my teaching resume.  I had forgotten all about that... until the question earlier today about whether or not I played tennis.  What a nice memory to have run past my mind's eye again.  :)

Today was not a good day for Serena Williams.  Not a good day at all.

After waiting and waiting... through several long rain delays... her US Open Tennis Championship match with Kim Clijsters was finally set to start.

As the match wore on... Williams played below her usual game, and ended up losing the first set, 6-4.  Serena was fuming... angry at herself for losing the first set.  She was so upset, she slammed her racquet into the ground, bending the frame and earning a warning from the referee.

The second set was equally rough.  Both players played their hearts out.  And then it came.  Serena was serving... behind 5-6... and needing a victory in the game to take it to a 6-6 tie... which would then result in a tie-break.  The score was 15-30... with Williams behind.  Serena faulted on her first serve, and on her second serve... the line judge called a foot fault... making it a double-fault.  That made the score 15-40.

Serena went wild.  She started yelling at the line judge, shaking her finger at her... and then motioning with the tennis ball in her hand.  Some later reports said that Serena threatened to shove the ball down the line judges throat... although that has yet to be verified.  Williams then went over and said something else to the line judge, who reported it to the chair umpire.  That led to the chair umpire ruling unsportsmanlike conduct... awarding a point to Clijsters.

The problem was... with Serena behind in games 5-6... and down in points in the game that could tie it for her... 15-40... that when the umpire awarded Kim Clijsters a point because of Serena's actions... that pushed the 15-40 score to a win for Clijsters.  That meant that instead of Williams tying the set at 6-6... the score was now 5-7... in Clijsters favor... which meant... Clisters had won the match.

It was a crazy ending to a wild second set.  Both women played full tilt... and even Ms Clijsters was sad to see the match end that way.

But... the final result was that Kim Clijsters had won... beating Serena Williams by the score of 6-4, 7-5.  Even with the final controversial ending, Ms Clijsters had clearly outplayed Ms Williams... and deserved the win.  Clijsters will now play in the final against Caroline Wozniacki... hopefully if the rain will allow... on Sunday.