Mountain goats can walk almost straight up a cliff due to a supple pad on each cloven hoof. These pads have extremely soft centers. When the animal puts its foot down, each pad works like a powerful suction cup, enabling the wild goat to appear to defy gravity.

If NASA sent birds into space (inside a space capsule, that is), they would soon die because they need gravity to swallow.

Pleae help me with American Cancer Society Relay For Life campaign. I need your help and JUST $5.00 can make a difference.
http://ow.ly/1Bwtl

The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as a substitute for blood plasma.

The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as a substitute for blood plasma.

Pleae help me with American Cancer Society Relay For Life campaign. I need your help and JUST $5.00 can make a difference.
http://ow.ly/1Bwtl

The Statue of Liberty is actually a statue of two different people. The face was that of Charlotte Bartholdi, the mother of the designer Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. The sculptor's girlfriend, Jeanne-Emilie, was the model for the statue's arms and body.

Pleae help me with American Cancer Society Relay For Life campaign. I need your help and JUST $5.00 can make a difference.
http://ow.ly/1Bwtl

Relay for life in Lexington SC Amercan Cancer Society

This year, I am helping save lives from cancer by taking part in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, and I’m hoping you will support me.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives people across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event, because cancer never sleeps.

Relay For Life helps raise much-needed funds and awareness to help the American Cancer Society save lives from cancer and create more birthdays.

Please support me in my efforts by visiting my personal web page to make a secure, tax-deductible online donation.



Every donation really does make a difference. I know that times are tighter than normal for many of us, but any amount you can give truly can help save lives.

You see, thanks to your support, the American Cancer Society can:

Help people stay well by helping them take steps to prevent cancer or detect it early, when it’s most treatable

Help people get well by being in their corner around the clock to guide them through every step of their cancer experience

Find cures by funding groundbreaking research that helps us understand cancer’s causes, determine how best to prevent it, and discover new ways to cure it

Fight back by working with lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and rally communities worldwide to join the fight

Each of us has our own reasons for caring about the fight against cancer … whatever your reasons, I hope you’ll choose to make a difference by making a donation online to support my efforts. I’m so grateful to have great people like you in my life who want to see an end to cancer in our lifetime. Together we can save lives.

Thank you, and I will keep you updated on my progress.
Edwin Gerace

Click here to support me

Spoke to kids at Trident Academy students about the value of Education and getting involved in school and community. http://ow.ly/1AvEf

Headed to Trident Academy to speak to students http://ow.ly/1AvCB

Vacant Homes are Not The easiest to sell

Vacant Homes are Not The easiest to sell

RISMEDIA, April 12, 2010—

A vacant house is like a vacant stare. Something is just not right.

Trying to sell a vacant house adds obstacles and depresses the sales price, says Showhomes, a nationally franchised home staging company. Showhomes uses live-in home stagers to lower the cost of staging and produce faster home sales. Take a look at their top five reasons why selling a vacant house is often a mistake in today’s market:

1. People don’t simply buy houses; they buy the next chapter of their lives.
This is an emotional experience and emotion influences what people buy and how much they will pay. Vacant houses are devoid of life, and the chance to make an emotional connection is lost.

2. Vacancy distracts buyers from looking at the house itself.
They wonder: "Is this a divorce? Why did they move out? Are they selling because they have money problems? Is this home hard to sell?" They’ll make a low-ball offer, thinking the owner is desperate. The buyer looks for issues instead of looking at the house. It is a distraction.

3. When a house is vacant, buyers focus on flaws.
They look at nail holes, carpet wear and gaps in the molding rather than how the space works. In a vacant house, floors, walls and ceilings are all the buyers see. This drives the price down. Buyers look for things that would cause them not to buy, not at the things that drew them to the house. This creates objections.

4. People can’t visualize how furniture fits.
An empty bedroom might appear awkward or a living room might seem cavernous. Some spaces might confuse buyers because a use is not obvious. Buyers are derailed and move on to the next house. When a home has furniture in it that is not to much, buyers can say " Our Couch is the smae size and would look the same there". They instead say, "Our Couch wont fit in that room"

5. Vacant houses don’t show as well as staged and occupied homes.
Without people, even the best home quickly looks and smells vacant. Dust settles, leaves scatter, and stale smell spreads. These cues often shorten the showing time, leading to fewer sales.
"Home owners don’t realize how much harder a vacant home is to sell. In today’s market, you have to win the beauty contest," says Thomas Scott, VP of Marketing at Showhomes. "Vacant houses simply underperform staged homes and the increased sales price provides an excellent return on what staging costs. Choosing to stage your home should be an easy decision in today’s market."

For more information, visit http://www.blogger.com/www.showhomes.com

DON"T WAIT, call NOW The Tax Credit is allmost over and it is not to late. Learn it all at the FREE HOME BUYER SEMINAR on Monday Nights at Lexington Library http://ow.ly/1yXi3

Forest Acres, SC Homes For sale http://ow.ly/1yYks

Summer Festival Season

Upcoming Events Section

Apr 17: Spring Bonanza - McCormick - local music, hot air tethered balloon rides, balloon sculptor, art & crafts, food

Apr 17: Touch-A-Truck - Columbia - kids will have fun exploring big rigs and

Apr 17-25: Striped Bass Festival - Manning - fireworks, dances, parade, children's rides,"Miss Striped Bass"

Apr 22: Thursday Night ReLeaf - Greenville - food, drinks, entertainment - a tree is planted in Greenville Co. for each ticket sold

Apr 22-24: Artista Vista - Columbia - 'crawl' the galleries of the Vista, many with refreshments and performing arts

April 22-24: Rholetter's Spring Bluegrass Festival - Long Creek in Oconee County - bluegrass bands, open jams - camping too!

Apr 22-24: South Carolina BBQ-Shag Festival - Hemingway - cook-offs, fireworks, rides, pageant

Apr 23: Wine Tasting at Riverbanks Botanical Garden - Columbia - plus food from local chefs and music

Apr 23-25: Colleton County Rice Festival - Walterboro - parade, crafts, 5K Rice Run, cooking contest, fireworks, street dance

Apr 24: Congaree Arts Festival - Columbia - State Museum displays artwork by South Carolina artists

Apr 24: Hilton Head Seafood Fest - Gourmet food, live music, "Iron Chef" competition, farmers' market, crab races, kid zone

Apr 24: Soft Shell Crab Festival - Port Royal - food, crafts, community booths

Apr 24: Sparkleberry Country Fair - Columbia - petting zoo, rides, food, crafts, tractors - proceeds benefit local schools

Apr 29 - May 1: Spring Festival on the Square - Abbeville - carnival rides, antique cars, talent show, Swingin' Medallions concert

Apr 29 - May 2: Black Cowboy Man or Myth African-American Festival - Rembert - concerts, horse show, period demonstrations

Apr 29 - May 2: Piedmont Plant and Flower Festival - Greenville State Farmers' Market - click, then scroll down

Apr 29 - May 2: SC Strawberry Festival - Fort Mill - "Strawberry Jam" music, rides, pageant, recipe & eating contests, fireworks

Apr 30 - May 1: Greer Family Fest - Live music, children's parade, KidsZone, Creation Station, arts & crafts, restaurant row

Apr 30 - May 1: Taste of Beaufort - Friday night is "Shag Night", dishes from local restaurants, 5K run

Apr 30 - May 2: Orangeburg Festival of Roses - Petting zoo, arts & crafts, airplane rides, Princess & Queen of Roses

Apr 30 - May 2: Spring Fling - Spartanburg - street festival - dozens of bands, art show, kids' carnival, food court

May 1: Charleston Dog Show - Demonstrations, exhibits, competition - proceeds benefit local animal rescue organizations
Learn more about how you can save an animal and help South Carolina's animal rescue organizations

May 1: Cinco De Mayo - Charleston - Mexican cuisine, salsa band, DJ, "Dancing with the Local Stars," professional dancers - benefit

May 1: Greer Family Fest - Live music, children's parade, KidsZone, Creation Station, arts & crafts, restaurant row

May 1: Heart & Sole Women's Five Miler - Columbia - run/walk 3 or 5 miles to raise heart disease awareness, post-race expo & celebration

May 1: Lowcountry Shrimp Festival & Blessing of the Fleet - McClellanville - entertainment, art, kids' corner, food

May 1: Miles of Hope - Rock Hill - 5K run or 1-mile fun run - benefits area hospice care patients

May 1: Peach Blossom Festival - Johnston - parade, rides and games, arts & crafts, food vendors, live entertainment

May 1: Rosewood Crawfish Festival - Columbia - kids' area, Creole & Cajun cuisine, live music, 'Crawdaddy Dash', pole vaulting - benefit

May 1: Spirit of South Carolina Adult Education Sail - PDF - Charleston - learn about marine science and maritime history

May 1: Spring Festival on the Square - Abbeville - amusement rides, antique car show, local performers, Swingin' Medallions concert

May 1: St. Francis Mud Run - Greenville - 4-person teams, kids' course - benefits Goodwill Foundation & Marine Toys for Tots Foundation

May 1: Taste of Beaufort - Features dishes from 15 local restaurants, live music, 5K race in the morning

May 1: Tour de Cure - Little Mountain - bicycling with choice of 4 routes, 5 miles to 100 miles - for American Diabetes Association

May 1-2: Battle for Columbia - Sandy Run - Civil War reenactment, period demonstrations, exhibits - don't forget your lawn chair

May 1-2: Black Cowboy Man or Myth African American Festival - Rembert - concerts, horse show, period demonstrations, and food

May 1-2: Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach Adoptathon - Reduced adoption rates - see some of the animals

May 1-2: Orangeburg Festival of Roses - Kids' area with inflatables, arts & crafts, car show, airplane rides, Princess & Queen of Roses

May 1-2: Piedmont Plant and Flower Festival - Greenville State Farmers' Market - click, then scroll down

May 1-2: South Carolina Strawberry Festival - Fort Mill - "Strawberry Jam" music, rides, pageant, recipe & eating contests, fireworks

May 1-2: Spring Fling - Spartanburg - street festival - dozens of bands, art show, kids' carnival, food court, Rock Band competition

May 1-8: North Charleston Arts Festival - Over 40 performances at various venues, art exhibits, kids' activities, fireworks

May 3: Government Finance Officers Association of SC Spring Conference - Columbia - seminars, networking

May 3 - Jun 5: Allendale Paleoamerican Expedition - Near Martin - help excavate the Topper Archaeological Site

May 6-8: South Carolina Poultry Festival - Batesburg-Leesville - parade, fireworks, chicken calling and Cook-Cluck-Win-A-Buck contests

May 7: Bid for a Cure - Columbia - wine tasting, silent auction - benefits South Carolina Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

May 7: Relay For Life of Clarendon County - Manning - benefits American Cancer Society

May 7-8: Allendale County Spring Cooter Fest - "Carolina Cooter" turtle races, carnival rides and games, live music, parade, fireworks

May 7-8: Walterboro Rodeo - Local riders welcome

May 7-9: Artisphere - Greenville - visual arts, live performances, opening night gala, 'Kidsphere' area, local restaurants

May 7-16: Myrtle Beach Bike Week and Spring Rally - Murrells Inlet - motorcycles - view City of Myrtle Beach's rules & ordinances

May 8: Bluegrass on the Waccamaw - Conway - live music festival, plus workshops, encouraging all to bring a lawn chair

May 8: Bluffton Village Festival - live music, children's activities, art vendors, ugly dog contest, Civil War reenactment, after hours party

May 8: Dragon Boat Charleston Festival - 250-meter paddling races celebrate cancer survivors

May 8: Lancaster Area Literacy Cooperative 5K Race for Literacy - Race location is USC-Lancaster - benefits increasing literacy efforts

May 8: Mayfest on Main - North Myrtle Beach - street festival with live music, car show, community stage, children's area, crafts, food

May 8: Ride for the Rack Breast Cancer Benefit - Spartanburg - poker run, auction, music, professional bull riding and barrel racing

May 9: Mother's Day - Sunday - Hooray Moms!

May 10: Confederate Memorial Day - Monday - observed state holiday

May 11-12: InnoVenture Southeast Conference - Greenville - information to assist small and medium enterprises grow

May 13-16: BMW Charity Pro-Am - Spartanburg - golf tournament benefits 99 charities - $7.3 million raised over the last 9 years!

May 13-16: Charleston Lindy Exchange - Lindy hop, balboa, blues dancing at various venues - DJs & live music

May 13-16: Greek Festival - Greenville - live music, folk dancing, children's rides, arts & crafts, tours, and lots of food!

May 14-15: Blue Ridge Fest - Pickens - music, food, car cruise-in, motorcycle ride - benefiting 13 local charities

May 15: Angel Walk - Mount Pleasant - 5K walk, pre-event expo, post-walk festival - for MUSC medulloblastoma research

May 15: Cateechee Fest - Ninety Six - honoring Native American heritage, performers, costume & tee-pee contests, plus Model A cars

May 15: HOGS Gone Wild Rally For The Rugrats - Myrtle Beach - motorcycles - benefits Toys For Tots & Freedom Alliance Scholarship

May 15: Strawberry Festival - Slater, Greenville County - pancake breakfast, music, food, arts & crafts

May 15: Tour de Midlands - Lexington - bicycling with choice of 4 routes, 15 miles to 102 miles - benefits Lexington Greenways Alliance

May 15-16: Blue Crab Festival - Little River - live music, arts & crafts, kids' area, food, community booths, car & motorcycle show

May 15-16: Carolina Children's Home BBQ Cook-Off Festival - Columbia - music, kids' activities, "Save the Pigs Party" - benefit
Learn more about barbeque in South Carolina

May 20-24: Greenwood Music Festival - "Vive La France!" - concerts, opera, movie - at various venues

May 21-22: Chesnee Festival - Midway rides, BBQ cookoff, live entertainment - benefits Kop's Kids Organization & Boys and Girls Club

May 28-30: Gullah Festival - Beaufort - entertainment, food, local tours, forums, plays

May 28-31: Freedom Weekend Aloft - Simpsonville - hot-air balloons, concerts, fun zone, disc dog nationals, amusement rides, car show

May 28 - Jun 13: Spoleto Festival USA - Charleston - international arts festival, performing and visual arts

May 29: Invitational Golf Tournament - Longs - four-man captain's choice - benefits Cedar Branch Community Empowerment Center

May 31: National Memorial Day - Monday - state and federal holidaySui

Tax Credit Tips

s part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation, Congress has passed new legislation that:

• Extends the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers until April 30, 2010.
• Expands the credit to grant up to $6,500 credit to current home owners purchasing a new or existing home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.

Here is more information about how the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit can help prospective home buyers become part of the American dream. If you have specific questions or need additional information, please contact a tax professional or the Internal Revenue Service at 800-829-1040.

Pending Home Sales Show some Spring in Gain

Pending Home Sales Show some Spring in Gain

Pending home sales rose in February 2010, potentially signaling a second surge of home sales in response to the home buyer tax credit, according to the National Association of Realtors. RISMEDIA, April 7, 2010

The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in February, rose 8.2% to 97.6 from a downwardly revised 90.2 in January, and remains 17.3% above February 2009 when it was 83.2. The data reflects contracts and not closings, which usually occur with a lag time of one or two months.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the improvement is another hopeful sign. "The rise in buyer contact activity may signal the early stages of a second surge of home sales this spring. The healthy gain hints home prices are continuing to flatten," he said. "We need a second surge to meaningfully draw down inventory and definitively stabilize home values."

The PHSI in the Northeast rose 9.0% to 77.7 in February and is 18.9% higher than February 2009. In the Midwest the index jumped 21.8% to 97.9 and is 18.7% above a year ago. Pending home sales in the South increased 9.2% to an index of 107.0, and the index is 17.5% higher than February 2009. In the West the index fell 4.8% to 98.0 but is 14.6% above a year ago.
"Anecdotally, we’re hearing about a rise of activity in recent weeks with ongoing reports of multiple offers in more markets, so the March data could demonstrate additional improvement from buyers responding to the tax credit," Yun said.

Great source of information can be found at RISMEDIA

Dont forget The Tax Credit is Expiring Soon.

Edwin Gerace

http://www.edwingerace.com/

803-609-sold

Mortgage Money Update

Wednesday's bond market has opened fairly flat as investors cautiously prepare for today's important auction. The stock markets are showing losses with the Dow down 66 points and the Nasdaq down 5 points. The bond market is currently down 2/32, but we will probably still see an improvement in this morning's mortgage rates of approximately .125 - .250 of a discount point due to strength late yesterday.There is no relevant economic data scheduled for release today. Yesterday's FOMC minutes did shed some light on the Fed's current thought process about rates and the economy. They indicated that despite recent signs of the economy gaining strength, they have concerns that it may not be able to continue on that pace. Any concerns about the economy being able to expand are considered to be good news for bonds and mortgage rates. However, the minutes also hinted that the Fed may be closer to raising key short-term interest rates than some had thought. The lan guage that the Fed had been using of ?an extended period? when referring to how long they expect those rates to remain this low was clarified to mean a change could come sooner than what was previously thought. Overall, the release didn't hurt the bond market or mortgage rates, but didn't do much to help them either.There are two events worth watching today. The first is the 10-year Treasury Note auction, which is the more likely candidate to affect mortgage rates in my opinion. Results of the sale will be posted at 1:00 PM ET. Expectations for the sale are not high. If the investor demand was indeed weak, we may see selling in bonds this afternoon that lead to upward changes in mortgage rates. However, if we are surprised by a decent interest, particularly from international buyers, there is a good possibility of seeing bonds rally and mortgage rates move lower this afternoon.The second event is a speech by Fed Chairman Bernanke at 1:30 PM ET. He is speaking in Dallas and is expected to touch on the economy. So, it does make our radar as something worth watching out for. If he gives an indication that the economy will have a difficult time recovering at its current pace, we may see bonds react favorably as a result. I suspect that he will not say much that is a surprise, so the likelihood of this event impacting mortgage rates is moderate.There is no relevant economic data being posted tomorrow except for weekly unemployment figures from the Labor Department. They are expected to report that 435,000 new claims for unemployment benefits were filed last week. This would be a small decline from the previous week, but unless there is a large variance from that total, this data will have minimal influence on mortgage pricing.There also is the 30-year Bond auction tomorrow. It will be the same pattern as today's 10-year Note sale with results being posted at 1:00 PM ET. This sale is somewh at relative to mortgage rates, but not nearly important as today's 10-year Note sale is. We usually see similar results, so if today's sale goes badly, there is little likelihood of tomorrow's going exceptionally well.If I were considering financing/refinancing a home, I would.... Lock if my closing was taking place within 7 days... Float if my closing was taking place between 8 and 20 days... Float if my closing was taking place between 21 and 60 days... Float if my closing was taking place over 60 days from now... This is only my opinion of what I would do if I were financing a home. It is only an opinion and cannot be guaranteed to be in the best interest of all/any other borrowers.

"I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

Flood Insurance NFIP

The United States Senate adjourned without approving H.R. 4851, which would have extended a number of programs including the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Authority for the NFIP expired at midnight on Sunday, March 28th, which will delay real estate transactions where a NEW flood policy is required but has not been issued before the expiration date. Efforts to reach bipartisan agreement between the House and Senate failed over how to pay for the broader bill. A procedural motion has been filed in the Senate setting up a vote the week of April 12th. NAR has stressed with Congress the vital importance of flood insurance to the real estate market.
We will continue to make every effort and advocate for legislation that extends the program for as long as possible. Please be advised that NAR has issued a Call for Action (CFA) that has been sent to all members to ask Congress to renew the National Flood Insurance Program and the Rural Housing 502 Program. Both programs expired at the end of March without Congressional reauthorization. Congress must reauthorize NFIP as soon as they return in April.

Stewardesses and reverberated are the two longest words (12 letters each) that can be typed using only the left hand. The longest word that can be typed using only the right hand is lollipop. Skepticisms is the longest word that alternates hands. (one letter at a time)

SC Senate to vote on Cigarette Tax

After considerable debate and a number of amendments, the Senate gave second reading to H.3584 , increasing the cigarette tax, late Wednesday. As amended, the legislation increases the current 7 cents tax to 57 cents per pack, generating a total of $136.1 million. The majority of funds go to the South Carolina Medicaid Reserve Fund. Funds also go to a smoking prevention and cessation program, the Hollings Cancer Center for lung cancer research, the Department of Agriculture to promote SC grown products, and the I-95 Corridor Authority for a grant program for infrastructure. The bill must receive a third and final reading before it is returned to the House to consider Senate amendments. H.3584 passed the House with a 30 cents per pack increase.
Numerous amendments to the bill were considered on Wednesday, including a failed amendment offered by Senator Bright that would have directed cigarette tax revenue towards commercial property relief. Other amendments offered would have directed the revenue to public schools, the court system and aviation incentives; they were either tabled, withdrawn or failed to receive approval.

Carolina Politics Online » Haley Legislation to Require Recorded Voting Passes State House

Carolina Politics Online » Haley Legislation to Require Recorded Voting Passes State House

On Thursday, South Carolina state government became a little more accountable to the people. State Representative Nikki Haley’s bill H.3047, the Spending Accountability Act, finally passed the House and with a unanimous vote by the body. The current bill was filed in January of 2009, but the fight began long before. Haley even lost a committee appointment for pushing for this transparency against the wishes of the State House Speaker Bobby Harrell who I imagine is scared to death of his constituents finding out exactly just how much of their money he wastes on his own greedy self interests. The gravy train might leave the station.