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Springfield, IL Real Estate News

By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
For your enjoyment as we transition to a holiday state o' mind, a palate cleanser that's destined to go mega-viral. Three possible explanations: (1) there's some heavy drug use going on these days at the Muppets Studio; (2) this is actually a clip of Queen's video and I'm seeing it as Muppets because my takeout order tonight was laced with something; (3) I can't think of a third. Bottom line, someone's tripping balls here. I hope it's not me! As always, Animal is the star of the show. Just wait for it.
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
 By Jeff Schnaufer    Tired of the same old bird for the holidays? Give your turkey an extreme makeover by taking the cooking - and the party - outside. "A turkey smoke-roasted on the grill tastes better, thanks to the smoke flavor," says Steve Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible and How to Grill and host of the PBS series "Primal Grill." "It frees up your oven for other dishes. It gives you an excuse to spend the afternoon outdoors, gathered around the grill drinking beer or wine with your buddies."And get ready for the "oohs" and "aaahs" when you present a turkey smoked to perfection: "a gorgeous, plump, mahogany colored bird - the skin crackling crisp, the meat tender and juicy, the whole shebang perfumed with wood smoke," says Raichlen. "Guests are totally amazed because...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
By James Delingpole Politics Last updated: November 20th, 2009 480 Comments Comment on this article If you own any shares in alternative energy companies I should start dumping them NOW. The conspiracy behind the Anthropogenic Global Warming myth (aka AGW; aka ManBearPig) has been suddenly, brutally and quite deliciously exposed after a hacker broke into the computers at the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit (aka Hadley CRU) and released 61 megabites of confidential files onto the internet. (Hat tip: Watts Up With That) When you read some of those files - including 1079 emails and 72 documents - you realise just why the boffins at Hadley CRU might have preferred to keep them confidential. As Andrew Bolt puts it, this scandal could well be "the greatest in modern science"...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
It happened at Wal-Mart (Super center Store #1279, 10411 N Freeway 45, Houston, TX 77037 a month ago. I bought a bunch of stuff, over $150, & I glanced at my receipt as the cashier was handing me the bags. I saw a cash-back of $40. I told her I didn't request a cash back & to delete it. She said I'd have to take the $40 because she couldn't delete it. I told her to call a supervisor.  Supervisor came & said I'd have to take it. I said NO! Taking the $40 would be a cash advance against my Discover & I wasn't paying interest on a cash advance!!!!! If they couldn't delete it then they would have to delete the whole order. So the supervisor had the cashier delete the whole order & re-scan everything! The second time I looked at the electronic pad before I signed & a cash-back of $20 popped ...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
 Convinces the Brain to Stop Over-Eating   A California Company has recently launched an interesting new product which may signal a major breakthrough in weight loss. The company, Sensa, www.Sensa.com, came up with an innovative way to convince the brain to stop overeating. First the theory behind the product. The obvious fact is that we eat too much.  But why?  It turns out that's the way our brains are programmed.  Throughout our evolutionary history, food has been scarce, so in order to ensure survival, humans have been conditioned to eat as much as they can whenever food is available.  Unfortunately, when food is abundant and rich in calories, as it is today, the results can be ugly. Enter Dr. Alan Hirsch, an intrepid doctor and scientist, whose lifelong specialty has been understan...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
 Did you know that our Pilgrim forefathers tried communism when they first landed at Plymouth Rock? How's that for a dramatic beginning to a story? Years ago, when I used to give a lot of talks to high school classes, this was one of my favorites. It always got the students' attention. And I have to admit, I also enjoyed seeing some liberal teachers get so upset with me they almost lost their lunches. Here's the story I told those students in those long-ago presentations. The Pilgrims who arrived at Plymouth Rock in 1620 were incredibly brave and hardy souls. They were motivated by the noblest of virtues. They vowed, each and every one, to be as selfless as possible-to always put the needs of the group first. They agreed to own everything in common and to share everything equally. And t...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
Hey, remember that story last week about how she'd have to sell a whopping 400,000 copies for HarperCollins to break even? I think it'll be okay. There's a rule of thumb in the industry that publishers net about $10 per hardcover sold, after expenses, but before the cost of the advance. Once she's sold 700,000 copies, then, HarperCollins is in the black. And what of that 1.6 million printed? An ideal "sell-through" rate is about 75 percent, which means HarperCollins thinks it's going to sell about 1.2 million copies. At that level, Palin will have made $7 million and HarperCollins $5 million of its own. A HarperCollins insider told The Daily Beast that the book sold a staggering 300,000 copies on the first day alone, which was Tuesday. "Sales are phenomenal, and we are convinced that th...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
 Jerry W. Ginn Ginn Group, Inc. COO/EXEC VP (404)-669-9214 Work (404)-669-9215 Fax (770)-316-2187 Cell jwginn@ginngroup.com www.ginngroup.com 200 WestPark Drive Suite 100 Peachtree City, Georgia 30269  I know I needed this reminder since Sears isn't always my first choice. Amazing when you think of how long the war has lasted and they haven't withdrawn from their    commitment. Could we each buy at least one thing at Sears this year?  How does Sears treat its employees who are called up for military duty? By law, they are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up.Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bo...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
Help President and Mrs. Bush advance the principles of freedom, opportunity, responsibility and compassion. Become a Charter Member of the George W. Bush Presidential Center today! Dear Reader, I don't have to remind you how America was tested time and again-at home and abroad-during the eight defining years of the George W. Bush presidency. The difficult decisions President Bush made in the face of each challenge were rooted in the core principles he held throughout his years of public service-the fundamental values that have guided America since her founding: Freedom . . . Opportunity . . . Responsibility . . . Compassion. Now President and Mrs. Bush-with the support of many patriotic Americans like you-are taking on a new challenge. They are continuing their personal commitment to a...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
        By George Friedman U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has decided that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed will be tried in federal court in New York. Holder's decision was driven by the need for the U.S. government to decide how to dispose of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, a U.S. Naval base outside the boundaries of the United States selected as the camp in which to hold suspected al Qaeda members. We very carefully use the word "camp" rather than prison or prisoner of war camp. This is because of an ongoing and profound ambiguity not only in U.S. government perceptions of how to define those held there, but also due to uncertainties in international law, particularly with regard to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. Were the U.S. facility at Guantanamo a prison, then its residents would be crimi...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
Then & Now By Renee DeFranco  Today, many Americans are not as impulsive or careless with their purchases as they've been in the past. They're more willing to trade down in price, even if it means looking beyond their favorite brands, and they certainly think twice before splurging on anything in or near the realm of "luxury." To be sure, brand loyalty isn't out... but the stakes are much higher for those brands striving to keep their loyal following of suddenly-cash-strapped consumers. Below, we take a look at 10 of our favorite classic, nostalgic brands over the years. For many of us, these brands have helped define our favorite foods, games and pastimes. Some of these products have disappeared, and others have staged a welcome comeback. A few have remained strong and steady over the ...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
 By Dan Cook, Reuters  PORTLAND, Oregon - The United States' first marijuana cafe opened on Friday, posing an early test of the Obama administration's move to relax policing of medical use of the drug. The Cannabis Cafe in Portland, Oregon, is the first to give certified medical marijuana users a place to get hold of the drug and smoke it -- as long as they are out of public view -- despite a federal ban. "This club represents personal freedom, finally, for our members," said Madeline Martinez, Oregon's executive director of NORML, a group pushing for marijuana legalization. "Our plans go beyond serving food and marijuana," said Martinez. "We hope to have classes, seminars, even a Cannabis Community College, based here to help people learn about growing and other uses for cannabis." The...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
.....................for Wal-Mart, Target and More By Renee DeFranco  Earlier this week, we shared a list of the best Black Friday sites. These online hubs reveal the latest deals, discounts and even "unconfirmed" rumors of what "might possibly" be available. We suppose we were on to something... Today, one of the sites on our list actually leaked Target's Black Friday ad. To get in on the latest deals, check out GottaDeal.com.What kinds of enticing promotions await Target shoppers? Day-after-Thanksgiving deals include 32-inch LCD HDTVs for just $249, $3 toasters and coffeemakers (yes, you read that correctly) and 50 percent off select toys. The store is also offering a $10 gift card for every $100 spent between 5 a.m. and noon. Sounds like something you might want to know and plan for ...
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  Glenn Beck's "The Christmas Sweater-A Return to Redemption...LIVE" will be at Springfield's Showplace 12 Theaters on December 3rd.  NewsRadio WTAX will give you a chance to win tickets to the show, stay tuned.  Meanwhile, you can purchase tickets at fandango.com.
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
The NewsRadio WTAX First Book Gift of Reading is underway. Morning NewsWatch's Bob Murray kicked it off on November 9th at Fairview School, reading to Mrs. Kelly and Mrs. Fitzgerald's Kindergarten class.  This holiday season we have teamed up with Marine Bank  to collect new books for Pre-K through 2nd graders in the Springfield School District.  From now until December 11th, we will be collecting children's books at the WTAX Studios at 3501 East Sangamon Avenue or at the six Springfield Marine Bank locations:  3120 Robbins Road, 3050 Wabash Avenue, 1953 Sangamon Avenue, 3001 South Sixth Street, 1401 Dirksen Parkway, 525 North 4th Street, and 2136 Cook Street.  You can buy a book from our suggested reading list or choose one of your favorites to give to a needy child.  You can also giv...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
 Help A Cause. NewsRadio WTAX and the Jingle Bell Run/Walk have been working together for years to raise money for arthritis sufferers.  The Arthritis Foundation's Jingle Bell Run/Walk will be on Saturday, November 21st this year at Lincoln Land Community College.  Register now.  The 3.1 mile/5K race is at 9:45 on Saturday, November 21st.  
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
Campaign Underway. The Salvation Army's Tree of Lights Campaign is underway.  The Tree of Lights campaign funds a large portion of the Army's budget.  The Army provides food, shelter, clothing and more to those who find themselves out of work and out of a home.  It also provides Christmas baskets and toys to many families.  You can help by donating at a red kettle, where you'll certainly hear the bell ringers this holiday season.  Or you can donate online.The children who are helped by the Salvation Army get a chance to get a toy and some clothes this holiday season, thanks to the generosity of many.  You can pick up an Angel at the WTAX Studios from our Angel Tree, starting November 23rd.  The Angel tag will have a child's age and a desired toy or gift on it.  You buy that gift, leave...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
Before You Head Out For Thanksgiving. NewsRadio WTAX and the Central Illinois Community Blood Center want you to give the "Gift of Life" before you head out for Thanksgiving this year.  The Blood Center sees a decrease in donors this time of the year because of the holidays and vacations and then add the flu to the mix, and the need becomes even more great. It will take less than an hour of your time and won't cost you any money from your pocketbook.  Schedule in an hour to donate blood on Friday, November 20th and give the gift of life.  For  more information on giving, click here.  NewsRadio WTAX's Bob Murray will be at the Blood Center from 10am-Noon on Friday, November 20th.  The Blood Center is at 1134 South Seventh Street and is open 8am-4pm on Friday, November 20th. You can call...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
    A 36 year-old female had an accident several weeks ago and totaled her car.  A resident of Kilgore , Texas she was traveling between Gladewater & Kilgore.  It was raining, though not excessively, when her car suddenly began to hydro-plane and literally flew through the air.  She was not seriously injured but very stunned at the sudden occurrence!   When she explained to the highway patrolman what had happened he told her something that every driver should know - NEVER DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITH YOUR CRUISE CONTROL ON .  She thought she was being cautious by setting the cruise control and maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain.   But the highway patrolman told her that if the cruise control is on when your car begins to hydro-plane and your tires lose contact with the pavement, ...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
  by  Chuck Norris  Last Thursday, Nov. 5, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist and devout Muslim, fatally shot 13 American citizens (12 service members) and wounded an additional 29 people at the largest U.S. military base, Fort Hood, Texas.    For six months, authorities had been tracking the extremist thinking of Hasan. Internet postings like this one go back to May 20, 2009: "Scholars have paralleled (a U.S. soldier's falling on a grenade to save surrounding troops) to suicide bombers whose intention, by sacrificing their lives, is to help save Muslims by killing enemy soldiers."    Hasan vehemently opposed the U.S. missions in the Middle East, arguing with co-workers, senior officers and even patients. He quarreled with Col. Terry Lee, who testified that Hasan said, "Maybe ...
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