In today’s world where the economy is volatile and the business industry as a whole is unstable, business owners need to have all the tools at their disposal to ensure that an endeavor will turn out to be a resounding success. This is especially true for agents who are working in real estate, an industry which has taken the brunt of the recent economic downturn.

Now, if you are a real estate pro, how can you make sure that you are staying on top of your game? How does one stay abreast of the behavior of your clients when it comes to their real estate needs? And how would you go about property lead generation now that more and more clients are going surfing to get the estate info that they need? Read on to discover the solutions to these questions and the rest you need to know about the property industry.

Quick Facts about Online Users going surfing for their property Needs

To start right off, here is a quick list of the fact about how real estate buyers and sellers are turning more to the web to get the information and even the services that they need . According to the 2008 state association of Realtor s ( NAR ) Profile of home purchasers & Sellers :

- 87% of the home buyers go browsing to conduct some real estate research, as well as find the lists and possible suppliers of the services that they require.
- 77% of Internet home purchasers have driven by or essentially went out and viewed a home which they saw on the internet.
- 33% of homeowners found their home on an internet listing.
- 25% of FSBOs or For Sale By Owners exploited the Internet as a first tool for selling their homes.

With thousands of individuals and homes getting net access every day, it seems as if there is no stopping the fact that the worldwide web is starting to become a first ingredient in the way that the real estate industry is ran.

Why it can pay to converge with the ‘Outside World’ when Running Your real estate Business

As you can see from the above figures, more and more buyers and clients are turning to the Internet for help when it comes to their real estate needs? What exactly does this mean for real estate agents?

Basically, the rule of thumb that you need to keep in mind is that if you are running any type of business – you need to go where your customers or clients are. In this case, since more and more would-be and existing clients are relying on online listings for help, why wouldn’t you go where the listings are?

Instead of using the standard form of putting a house up on sale, as an example, you may use online real estate lead generation strategies instead. This way, you can go where the clients are and the techniques that you are going to be using for property lead generation would be on target.

The search for a home actually begins with an individual’s or a family’s interest in doing so. Let’s say that there’s a 30-year old married man who has one kid, and he is thinking about buying a new home. He would express his interest by looking up some home listings which has the number of bedrooms that he wants, and a location that is ideal for his family.

This is where property promoting online comes in. If you are a real estate agent, what you can do is put up an internet site so that it can be accessed like clients from the aforementioned example. When you have your own internet site, you can perform steps towards property selling and real estate lead generation so that the amount of clients that you have will increase.

What you want to know about property Lead Generation – Online!

Now that you have already got a basic idea about the advantages of going where your clients are – online – when it comes to property selling, how precisely will you go about performing property lead generation?

As you may already know, real estate lead generation refers to the creation of prospective customer interest or inquiry into the real estate services that you are offering. The more real estate leads you have, the better it is for your business.

In order to generate more leads and maximize the profit that you have for your business, here are a few handy tips that you need to keep in mind to reach real estate lead generation success :

1. Generate a response through online visibility. Again, it pays to stress that as a business owner, you need to go where your clients are. since more and more home buyers and sellers are flocking the Internet to get the real estate information that they need, this is where you should connect with them.

You can realize the fruits of your efforts for real estate lead generation by making your web presence known with the help of a website. For this, you can opt for techniques like optimizing your site for the search engines, or publishing and distributing articles and press releases online.

2. Offer real value for the real estate services that you are offering.
Another neat way to reap property lead generation success is by offering valuable info to your web visitors. For example, you can write a forceful, helpful article on how the property industry in your neighborhood is, and mix it with tips for house buying.

By offering your web readers such valuable information that they can use, you can go for real estate lead generation and even have them visiting your website for updated info – something which your internet site should have lots of.

3. Establishing yourself and your site as an industry expert. If there’s one thing that will lead to your real estate lead generation success, it is none other than the ‘trustworthiness’ of your site. Naturally, you would already have a reputation within your circle about how you are as a real estate agent. But once you have established this and made stronger your online presence – these should both lead towards your real estate lead generation success.

4. Use all of the tools at your disposal to achieve success in your real estate business. finally, since you are targeting online users, you need to have all of the tools that you need to enhance your lead generation system. This could come in the shape of a software or online tools that may help you mechanically create fresh leads, close more transactions, build a solid customer base and enhance your commission revenues.

To sum it all up, a property agent should manage the power of the web to achieve success in the sector. When you combine real estate marketing with the methodologies for property lead generation and the online tools that you can use, you may realize great profits and achieve achievement in your real estate business in total.

Agent Stealth offers market targeted real estate lead generation websites for the Real Estate Professional. With only one Lead System per area, you will have a noticeable advantage over your peers!

Technorati Tags: leads real estate, Real Estate, real estate buyer leads, real estate lead generation, real estate leads, real estate sales leads, realestate leads, Realtor leads, realtor marketing

OPTION STRATEGIES HAVE EVOLVED I have been trading options with insurance plays for many years now, but recently I discovered a way to trade with risk-free insurance. My individual option strategies have now become an options trading system.

RISK FREE INSURANCE I have recently developed a new trading system with options which my colleagues say is “really amazing.” In short, I have developed a way to trade options with the risk-free insurance. This means that I can invest more safely but still maintain a nice level of return on a monthly basis. My new trading system is something very unique that I have never heard of or seen before.

IRON CONDORS WITH Risk-Free INSURANCE One common way that I use this trading system is with the famous Iron Condor. Historically, the Iron Condor cannot handle a market that is moving in a whip-saw pattern. But now I can enjoy the slow-moving Iron Condor in a volatile market by simply using my new insurance plan. I have developed a way to insure the Iron Condor if the market moves up or down with an adjustment strategy that has been until now, virtually undiscovered.

TRADING FEEDBACK My trading results with this new strategy has been awesome. I am loving it. In all my years of studying options, I have never seen or heard of this technique. My colleagues claim that I invented this. They could be right, but all I know is that my new Risk-Free Insurance strategy is the best thing I have ever seen when it comes to trading options.

Before I leave I would just like to say that if you really want to learn how to trade options, then you should consider talking to me about my latest strategies. Visit my website, and I’ll send you a free video to get you started on the right path.

Learn Risk Free Insurance Option Trading System that will teach you how to trade options with Risk Free Insurance. This simply amazing strategy is only taught by the San Jose Options Mentoring Course

Technorati Tags: Business, finance, investments, option trading, Real Estate, stock market

The joy of moving into an apartment can be marred by the stress and frustration that can accompany the actual hunt itself. This article details the basic apartment hunting tips that will make it a straight forward process that reduces stress. The article covers the need to be professional, the homework that is needed, and being prepared for checking out apartments. Hopefully you will turn what is normally an annoying process into something that is easy and enjoyable.

Taking time to be professional and courteous can greatly enhance your experience and make the apartment search less of a grind. Make sure you are prepared. Have your route mapped out, have times set aside for each apartment, and be available to receive calls if you receive a machine. Begin the search early in the morning, most landlords are available early in the morning to field questions and set up appointments for you to see the apartment. If you do get an answering machine, leave a professional message detailing your name, number, and a good time to return your call.

Even as adults, we get homework, and finding an apartment gives you its own type of homework. The first thing to look up is your credit report, making sure there aren’t any errors or discrepancies on it will go a long way to ensuring your application gets approved. References are an important piece of the apartment application and making sure that they know they will be getting a phone call about you is just polite. Now assembling all the required information to fill out the application is important too and will help make things flow nicely and let you get around to all the apartments you want to see. Some apartments will have websites with an application you can download, so filling that out ahead of time is a good idea.

When visiting the apartment you want to make sure you act professionally and make a good first impression. Of course you need to first have figured out exactly what you want and what you don’t want. You can have a list of things you’d like to have or prefer not to have, but it is important to have a list of absolutes; the things that you simply cannot live without. Being prepared will make it a lot easier to decide if an apartment is for you or not.

If you prepare yourself well for your apartment search, then you will have a lot less stress when it comes to picking a new place. Hopefully this article has provided you with solid apartment hunting tips and will help you prepare for the task ahead of you. Finding an apartment is not something to take lightly and looking for exactly what you need is a must.

Find a list of great Madison Wisconsin apartments to rent at the MadisonClick.com website.

Technorati Tags: Apartment, Apartments, lease, leasing, madison, Real Estate, rent, renting

The longing to rescue the earth is not being limited to cars alone as a recent trend is rising and it is that of building green homes, in a bid to preserve the environment and assure better days in the future. Of course it is appealing, but the sad news is that not everybody is down for it. But then again, there is a part of real estate destined for every niche and this one occurs to be for the eco-friendly.

Green homes normally change some of the normal systems in the house for more environmentally friendly ones. The sun is normally abundant three-quarters of the month, and its radiation power can be harnessed to light up the home on a number of instances, and even do things such as heat up the water instead of relying on an electrical heater for that.

Solar panels are efficient at converting solar energy into electricity which can be used to run every electrical appliance inside the home.

Being green is not only about saving the earth but saving finances as well.

One would be blind not to notice how much environmentally powered systems reduce the monthly bills since whatever nature gives is for free. Managing bills nowadays is not regarded as an easy job, and advancements like these ought to be adopted to make the possibility complete.

If it comes to the marketing of green real estate property, the test is never thought of to be harder, but that all depends on the success of identifying with the market that is aimed for. Maximizing the fact that the homes are eco-friendly will help trim down to all the possible eco-friendly folk and from there everything else follows the default procedure of home selling. However from a usual examination, eco friendly houses are becoming the new things in town and the movement is significantly growing.

As the housing crisis bottoms we’ll have plenty of one in a lifetime real estate investing opportunities. You may also want to read our articles about home refinancing so you’ll have funds to invest!

Technorati Tags: broker, finance, foreclosure, grant, home, investing, mortgage, property, Real Estate, realty, refinance, Refinancing, repossession, uncategorized

The AP would love to cry wolf and say that because new home starts are down, that we are headed for another catastrophic downturn. I am not saying this is a certain untruth, but it is not necessarily accurate. Every fall the housing starts go down and as any real estate professional can tell you, from Halloween to New Years is almost a mandatory vacation.

The feds decided to extend last years first time home buyer credit to include this year, as well as expand it to allow real estate investors to take advantage of it in an attempt to stimulate the real estate market as much as possible. This did bring the national real estate market seven percent appreciation and is expected to further stabilize the real estate market by continuing this appreciation period.

Most do not understand, but the implication of that are that Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac have “re-categorized” most every market in the nation to an appreciating market, from a depreciating market. This allows for Primary Mortgage Insurance which will allow banks to loan up to 100% loan to value, again. This will stimulate more home buyers due to the fact that more home buyers can afford to buy with zero money down.

Many people wonder if it wasn’t the one hundred percent financing ideas that lead us into the mess we are in now, and they are right. The fact is that this exact type of financing is risky but it also does stimulate the real estate market by increasing the number of eligible buyers, which is what it was intended to do. The real estate market would be far more stable with people saving up the 20% down payment but the actions needed to stabilize the market in the short term required more drastic actions.

Without a return to responsible saving practices with the average citizen the national housing market will continue to suffer from these periods of volatility. With the last round of tax credits expect to see housing starts back up this spring and the possibility of another high single digit period of appreciation as the recovery is on the way, as slow as the journey may be.

As much as we need the construction jobs to return and a recovered housing market would bring them back, we really must be as careful as possible in how we fix the problems in the industry.

The author enjoys writing articles on boise real estate & boise homes for sale. For more information click on the links above!

Technorati Tags: boise, Business, education, finance, housing, idaho, investing, Real Estate, taxes

The credit crunch started almost two and a half years ago, and this has caused many people on Great Britain financial turmoil.

Redundancies have been the main reason for this economic chaos. Many firms have stream lined their work force to cut down on over heads in the hope of emerging from the recession with their doors still open.

Other individuals have not suffered quite as drastically, but have nevertheless had a cut in wages because their working week has been cut or paid over time has been done away with.

As everything else as regards finances constantly on the move every month, they felt that they owed it to themselves to have one aspect of their outgoings the same month after month.

This aspect of life over which they had control was their mortgage or remortgage.

More and more people opted for a fixed rate mortgage or remortgage whether they wanted to remortgage to move their existing mortgage from their current lender to another or whether they wanted additional funds via a remortgage.

With a fixed rate remortgage or mortgage the homeowner has the security of knowing exactly how much he will pay for his mortgage each month for a specific number of years which could be anything from one to ten years.

Homeowners were content to know that this one financial aspect of their life would stay the same.

There was always a difference in monthly repayments between a fixed rate and a variable rate remortgage, and this difference always varied between one lender and another.

Some mortgage lenders have reduced the interest rates of their variable remortgages and mortgages while at the same time keeping the fixed rates as before.

This has lead to a slump in the demand for fixed rate mortgages and remortgages, and in September and October about 70% of mortgage applications are now for variable rates as the fixed rates are now considered as too expensive.

Want to find out more about mortgages, then visit Champion Finance’s site on how to choose the best mortgage for your needs.

Technorati Tags: home improvements, home loans, mortgages, Real Estate, Refinancing, remortgages, secured loans

Ever since the dawn of remortgages and mortgages, the interest rates attached to remortgages and mortgages have varied enormously during any given period.

This variation in rates goes way way back and in the1980’s in the middle of that decade there was an time when interest rates for mortgages and remortgages rose so suddenly and so steeply that it appeared mortgage and remortgage repayments doubled almost as if it were over night.

This constantly changing of mortgage and remortgage interest rates is what makes it so imperative that when arranging a remortgage or a mortgage to make certain which mortgage or remortgage will be best in the long term.

As in actual fact there is most likely nobody who can look into the future with any degree of certainty it is virtually impossible to see what lies ahead for you as regards your own particular mortgage or remortgage.

Not only can mortgages and remortgages change but an individuals circumstances can change meaning that the best mortgage or remortgage for them now at this moment in time can also alter.

All that anyone can really do to obtain the best rate remortgage or mortgage is to seek the lowest at present and do their utmost to judge what will happen in the future difficult though it might seem.

A mortgage broker can give all the choices available currently but even he does not have a crystal ball to ascertain the future of your remortgage or mortgage.

A fixed rate at least gives you a feeling of security for a number of years and may be the best option.

Fixed rates are currently available at under 3% which is excellent and if someone opts for this on a two year fixed period at least in these uncertain times he will know exactly the mortgage payment for the next twenty four months which can be very comforting in this economic climate.

Fixed rates of up to sixty months are also available but the longer the rate is fixed the more expensive the payment monthly is.

Learn more about remortgages by visiting Champion Finance’s site to find the very best remortgage for you.

Technorati Tags: home improvements, home loans, mortgages, Real Estate, Refinancing, remortgages, secured loans

Insulation

The most important areas in your home to insulate are the floors, walls and attic. To do the job efficiently, here are a few things you should know:

* Does your home need added insulation material? As a general rule, if your home has less than three inches of insulation in the attic, you should probably add additional insulating material to achieve the proper levels. If you find that insulation has not been installed in the floors or walls, adding insulation is definitely recommended.

* First, you will have to determine whether you want to perform the insulation work yourself or to hire a professional instead. Don’t forget that some insulation work is quite a bit harder than other DIY projects.

* If you would prefer to have a contractor perform the work, make sure you get several bids. Only hire a bonded and properly licensed professional.

* If you tackle the job as a DIY project, follow installation instructions carefully and don’t forget to follow pertinent safety precautions.

* When buying insulating material, pay attention to the R-value. This indicates the efficiency of insulation. The higher the number the higher efficiency of the insulation.

* Determine the type of insulating material you should use. There are numerous insulating materials available including fiberglass, cellulose, mineral wool/rock wool, rigid insulation and sprayed foam. The type of material will ultimately depend on the section of the home to be insulated. You can ask a knowledgeable salesperson to help establish the best insulation R-value and type of insulation for your project.

Windows

Rating windows insulation value is measured by the U-value. This number indicates the window’s insulating ability. The lower the number, the better the window is at preventing the transmission of heat. The U-value of a window is determined by factors such as the number of glass layers, the thickness of air space between the panes or layers and the design of the window frame. A few tips include:

* Inspect windows for broken glass, broken frames and seals, decayed wood, missing putty, poorly fitting sashes, and air leakage.

* For a quick but short-term fix before cold weather hits, you can buy storm-window kits made of plastic sheeting that you apply to the interior of your windows. The kits can normally be purchased at most building supply stores for $5 to $10 per window. They generally last from two to four years.

* You can reduce heat transfer through windows by putting insulated curtains or draperies on the inside of the window. This should help keep heat in during the winter and reduce radiant heat during the dog days of summer.

* In the winter open the curtains during hours of sunlight to allow natural heating, and, during the summer keep the windows covered or attach an ultraviolet film to minimize the heating effect of the sun.

* During the summer, when possible, open two or more windows at night and in the early hours of the morning when there is a gentle breeze. Opening a window on opposing sides of your home will aid in the flow of air and provide improved cooling.

Caulking & Weather-stripping

In addition to ineffective insulation, air leaks are amongst the major sources of energy waste in homes.

* Inspect your home for hidden air leaks by using a damp hand or candle flame to locate air movement. Shut all doors, windows and fireplace flues and switch off all ventilating fans to simplify the location of any air leaks.

* Caulking is best used on gaps that are less than 1/4″ wide. When available, use caulking that will remain flexible over a long period of years. If it can be seen, pick a tinted caulk or one that will accept paint..

* If there are large cracks and missing pieces shielded from sunlight and water, use expanding foam sealers to fill them. However, please buy only materials labeled as ozone safe.

* Crack filler or backer rod, is a elastic foam material sold in long coils, with a number of different available diameters. It can be useful in sealing larger cracks. It also can be used as filler material in deep gaps that are to be finished with standard caulking.

* Place insulation behind electric outlets and wall switches – openings that are often unnoticed.

Jim Navary has been a freelance writer and researcher for over thirty years covering a broad range of subjects. He is also a licensed real estate agent in the Commonwealth of Virginia specializing in real estate in the Tri-Cities area of Virginia and, in particular, Fort Lee, Virginia, area properties for sale.

categories: home insulation,insulating a house,energy costs,saving energy,reducing energy waste,insulating windows,energy efficient windows,caulking,home improvement,homes,real estate

Technorati Tags: caulking, energy costs, energy efficient windows, home improvement, home insulation, homes, insulating a house, insulating windows, Real Estate, reducing energy waste, saving energy

The venue is always very important when it comes to arranging any event. In many cases, you have one specific venue in you mind where you want to host your event. However, it is quite possible that your favourite venue does not have the facilities required for your event, or it may not be available at all. Therefore, you must always keep other alternatives in mind.

You must always consider that the venue that you were looking forward to may not be the best option after all. The reason being that it depends on the type of function that which venue it should chose, it might be that you would find a much better venue to host your function.

For wedding ceremonies, the choice of venues is endless; therefore, you can easily switch from one to another. If, you were looking forward to book some hotel for the ceremony, but for some reasons it was not available, then you can easily switch to another hotel, as many hotels offer the same kind of facilities.

It is very important for the business meetings that you get the venue, which offer multimedia aids that are needed for the event. Many hotels have all these facilities for a business meeting, so there is no problem in finding an alternative hotel if you do not get place in your desired one.

The nature of the event decides which facilities you require. Based on these requirements, you must look for the appropriate venue. These facilities are of more importance than the event itself, so you must be careful to the needs of the guests, and the event while choosing a venue. You must always consider the fact that your desired venue may not have the resources to fulfil all your requirements.

The emerging trend these days is the viewing of private cinemas, not just at the corporate level, but also at many other events like birthday parties, and other private parties as well. So, even if you do not get the reservations at your desired place, do not lose heart. It would not be difficult to hire a cinema for private viewing, as it is becoming very common these days, so you can find a venue easily to entertain your guests, and yourself.

When it comes to your desired venue hire for a wedding ceremony, your options are endless, and you can easily find one that is according to the requirements of your event. Beach wedding venue hire is a nice option in this connection, as it can really fill your desired colours in your events. Therefore, you must consider this option too when your desired venue hire is not available.

Most of the venues are giving the same type of facilities, so it is not difficult to move from one to another in case your desired one is not available. Even if you are having problem in arranging, or deciding for the venue, then you can easily take help from the vent management companies, as they are always there to assist you.

Find out more about Venue Hire in London and how to book.

Technorati Tags: Business, conference venue, private cinema viewing, Real Estate, venue, venue hire

Scott County District Court report | Jordan Independent
David James Gile, 46, Fayette, Maine, DWI, a gross-misdemeanor. Two years’ probation, 90 days in jail, $1085 in fines. Andrew Hugh Groskreutz, 35, Chaska, DWI (refusal to test), a gross-misdemeanor. Two years’ probation, two days in jail, … Marc Andrew Haynes, 26, Prior Lake, fifth-degree possession of marijuana, a felony. Five years’ probation before conviction: 60 days under electronic home-monitoring, evaluation, abstain from alcohol, random tests, $300 in fines. …  read more…

Where's The Best Place For You To Stay In New England – A Hotel …
Lake Champlain in Vermont makes its way to the Hudson. And Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire is a prized vacation spot. Maine is loaded with gorgeous lakes and rivers, especially the Kennebec. Connecticut has wonderful shorelines and lakes. … Houses can also offer the best budget deals. In towns with a ski area, houses and condos start at about $150 per night depending on when you go-again, avoid holidays and weekends-and can charge as much as $500 a night depending upon …  read more…

Benefits for same-sex partners are expanding « gayboomers
And in Congress last week, a House committee approved legislation that would provide benefits, including health insurance, retirement and disability, to same-sex partners of federal employees. “The picture on benefits and domestic partnerships has … Much of the attention has focused on a stinging loss for gay rights advocates in Maine this month, when voters repealed a state law that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed. The vote made Maine the 31st state to block …  read more…

From Google Blog Search

Design Styles – Cottage Style
Defining a style is a tall order to fill. For each person a slightly different mental image may be conjured up. When talking of cottage style, one might picture a quaint little house on the coast of M…  read more…

Simple ways of Making Money.
Here are several ways of making money.

1. Use your car as a taxi. Meet some of the afternoon and evening trains and taxi passengers to hotels, homes, etc. You will be able to arrange with a few ste…  read more…

Beach-Front Vacation Homes: The Right Place At The Right Price
If you are one of the lucky few fortunate enough to own your own beachfront home, then you know what a luxury it is to look out your front door and see the sun setting over the ocean horizon. You also…  read more…

From GoArticles.com

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Resolved Question: Have you seen where your stimulus dollars are going?
The $787 billion stimulus bill was passed in February and was promised as a job saver and economy booster. Here is where some of the money went:

- $300,000 for a GPS-equipped helicopter to hunt for radioactive rabbit droppings at the Hanford nuclear reservation in Washington state.

- $30 million for a spring training baseball complex for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies.

- $11 million for Microsoft to build a bridge connecting its two headquarter campuses in Redmond, Wash., which are separated by a highway.

- $430,000 to repair a bridge in Iowa County, Wis., that carries 10 or fewer cars per day.

- $800,000 for the John Murtha Airport in Johnstown, Pa., serving about 20 passengers per day, to build a backup runway.

- $219,000 for Syracuse University to study the sex lives of freshmen women.

- $2.3 million for the U.S. Forest Service to rear large numbers of arthropods, including the Asian longhorned beetle, the nun moth and the woolly adelgid.

- $3.4 million for a 13-foot tunnel for turtles and other wildlife attempting to cross U.S. 27 in Lake Jackson, Fla.

- $1.15 million to install a guardrail for a persistently dry lake bed in Guymon, Okla.

- $9.38 million to renovate a century-old train depot in Lancaster County, Pa., that has not been used for three decades.

- $2.5 million in stimulus checks sent to the deceased.

- $6 million for a snow-making facility in Duluth, Minn.

- $173,834 to weatherize eight pickup trucks in Madison County, Ill.

- $20,000 for a fish sperm freezer at the Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery in South Dakota.

- $380,000 to spay and neuter pets in Wichita, Kan.

- $300 apiece for thousands of signs at road construction sites across the country announcing that the projects are funded by stimulus money.

- $1.5 million for a fence to block would-be jumpers from leaping off the All-American Bridge in Akron, Ohio.

- $1 million to study the health effects of environmentally friendly public housing on 300 people in Chicago.

- $356,000 for Indiana University to study childhood comprehension of foreign accents compared with native speech.

- $983,952 for street beautification in Ann Arbor, Mich., including decorative lighting, trees, benches and bike paths.

- $148,438 for Washington State University to analyze the use of marijuana in conjunction with medications like morphine.

- $462,000 to purchase 22 concrete toilets for use in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri

- $3.1 million to transform a canal barge into a floating museum that will travel the Erie Canal in New York state.

- $1.3 million on government arts jobs in Maine, including $30,000 for basket makers, $20,000 for storytelling and $12,500 for a music festival.

- $71,000 for a hybrid car to be used by student drivers in Colchester, Vt., as well as a plug-in hybrid for town workers decked out with a sign touting the vehicle’s energy efficiency.

- $1 million for Portland, Ore., to replace 100 aging bike lockers and build a garage that would house 250 bicycles.

How’s that ‘hope & change” working out for you?

  read more…

Resolved Question: The stimulus went to what!?
These people have no clue…unless all they wanted to do was spend money and reward their friends. How does any of this tie in with stimulating the economy? Everyone knows that heavy infrastructure work and legitimate new construction projects help the most…hell, even temporally stopping collecting taxes for the feds for a quarter would’ve been more productive than this crap.

The $787 billion stimulus bill was passed in February and was promised as a job saver and economy booster. Here is where some of the money went:

- $300,000 for a GPS-equipped helicopter to hunt for radioactive rabbit droppings at the Hanford nuclear reservation in Washington state.

- $30 million for a spring training baseball complex for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies.

- $11 million for Microsoft to build a bridge connecting its two headquarter campuses in Redmond, Wash., which are separated by a highway.

- $430,000 to repair a bridge in Iowa County, Wis., that carries 10 or fewer cars per day.

- $800,000 for the John Murtha Airport in Johnstown, Pa., serving about 20 passengers per day, to build a backup runway.

- $219,000 for Syracuse University to study the sex lives of freshmen women.

- $2.3 million for the U.S. Forest Service to rear large numbers of arthropods, including the Asian longhorned beetle, the nun moth and the woolly adelgid.

- $3.4 million for a 13-foot tunnel for turtles and other wildlife attempting to cross U.S. 27 in Lake Jackson, Fla.

- $1.15 million to install a guardrail for a persistently dry lake bed in Guymon, Okla.

- $9.38 million to renovate a century-old train depot in Lancaster County, Pa., that has not been used for three decades.

- $2.5 million in stimulus checks sent to the deceased.

- $6 million for a snow-making facility in Duluth, Minn.

- $173,834 to weatherize eight pickup trucks in Madison County, Ill.

- $20,000 for a fish sperm freezer at the Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery in South Dakota.

- $380,000 to spay and neuter pets in Wichita, Kan.

- $300 apiece for thousands of signs at road construction sites across the country announcing that the projects are funded by stimulus money.

- $1.5 million for a fence to block would-be jumpers from leaping off the All-American Bridge in Akron, Ohio.

- $1 million to study the health effects of environmentally friendly public housing on 300 people in Chicago.

- $356,000 for Indiana University to study childhood comprehension of foreign accents compared with native speech.

- $983,952 for street beautification in Ann Arbor, Mich., including decorative lighting, trees, benches and bike paths.

- $148,438 for Washington State University to analyze the use of marijuana in conjunction with medications like morphine.

- $462,000 to purchase 22 concrete toilets for use in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri

- $3.1 million to transform a canal barge into a floating museum that will travel the Erie Canal in New York state.

- $1.3 million on government arts jobs in Maine, including $30,000 for basket makers, $20,000 for storytelling and $12,500 for a music festival.

- $71,000 for a hybrid car to be used by student drivers in Colchester, Vt., as well as a plug-in hybrid for town workers decked out with a sign touting the vehicle’s energy efficiency.

- $1 million for Portland, Ore., to replace 100 aging bike lockers and build a garage that would house 250 bicycles.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/After-a-flurry-of-stimulus-spending_-questionable-projects-pile-up-8474249-68709732.html

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Resolved Question: Have you seen the stimulus bill hard at work?
After a flurry of stimulus spending, questionable projects pile up
By: Susan Ferrechio
Chief Congressional Correspondent
November 3, 2009

The $787 billion stimulus bill was passed in February and was promised as a job saver and economy booster. Here is where some of the money went:

- $300,000 for a GPS-equipped helicopter to hunt for radioactive rabbit droppings at the Hanford nuclear reservation in Washington state.

- $30 million for a spring training baseball complex for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies.

- $11 million for Microsoft to build a bridge connecting its two headquarter campuses in Redmond, Wash., which are separated by a highway.

- $430,000 to repair a bridge in Iowa County, Wis., that carries 10 or fewer cars per day.

- $800,000 for the John Murtha Airport in Johnstown, Pa., serving about 20 passengers per day, to build a backup runway.

- $219,000 for Syracuse University to study the sex lives of freshmen women.

- $2.3 million for the U.S. Forest Service to rear large numbers of arthropods, including the Asian longhorned beetle, the nun moth and the woolly adelgid.

- $3.4 million for a 13-foot tunnel for turtles and other wildlife attempting to cross U.S. 27 in Lake Jackson, Fla.

- $1.15 million to install a guardrail for a persistently dry lake bed in Guymon, Okla.

- $9.38 million to renovate a century-old train depot in Lancaster County, Pa., that has not been used for three decades.

- $2.5 million in stimulus checks sent to the deceased.

- $6 million for a snow-making facility in Duluth, Minn.

- $173,834 to weatherize eight pickup trucks in Madison County, Ill.

- $20,000 for a fish sperm freezer at the Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery in South Dakota.

- $380,000 to spay and neuter pets in Wichita, Kan.

- $300 apiece for thousands of signs at road construction sites across the country announcing that the projects are funded by stimulus money.

- $1.5 million for a fence to block would-be jumpers from leaping off the All-American Bridge in Akron, Ohio.

- $1 million to study the health effects of environmentally friendly public housing on 300 people in Chicago.

- $356,000 for Indiana University to study childhood comprehension of foreign accents compared with native speech.

- $983,952 for street beautification in Ann Arbor, Mich., including decorative lighting, trees, benches and bike paths.

- $148,438 for Washington State University to analyze the use of marijuana in conjunction with medications like morphine.

- $462,000 to purchase 22 concrete toilets for use in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri

- $3.1 million to transform a canal barge into a floating museum that will travel the Erie Canal in New York state.

- $1.3 million on government arts jobs in Maine, including $30,000 for basket makers, $20,000 for storytelling and $12,500 for a music festival.

- $71,000 for a hybrid car to be used by student drivers in Colchester, Vt., as well as a plug-in hybrid for town workers decked out with a sign touting the vehicle’s energy efficiency.

- $1 million for Portland, Ore., to replace 100 aging bike lockers and build a garage that would house 250 bicycles.

Real nice, eh?

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