New rate-hike requests show insurance special session was a flat-out failure.  As soon as the legislature's January special session on insurance was over, it became increasingly obvious it was a sham.Since then, despite promises from Gov, Charlie Crist that rates would drop by 25%, they've been rising, not falling.When insurers claimed costs were soaring because  reinsurance cost so much, lawmakers in the session added $12 billion in Floridians' money to a fund for cheap reinsurance.So what happened?  After doubling and tripling rates, at least 13 insurers so far have told the Office of Insurance Regulation they want increases so big they easily negate the average 12% cuts made earlier.If approved, Auto-Owners Insurance, for example, would get a 35% increase, and Sentry Insurance and as... 06/29/2007

With the onset of our hot summer season, most of us will be replacing our air conditioner filters monthly.  Today I stumbled upon an air filter that is made from 100% recycled soda bottles.  The manufacturer sayse it is twice as effective as an ordinary filter at catching dirt, but is at least twice as efficient energy-wise than other "high-performance" filters. These filters have an ASHRAE rating of MERV 7, almost as good as the expensive white pleated filters most of us are used to buying.  I found these filters on sale, apparently discontinued, at Walmart for the low price of $1.50 each.If you don't change your filters monthly here's the result, higih airflow resistance due to build up of dirt, pet hair, etc, translates directly into higher electric bills.  "A 50% reduction in airflo... 06/21/2007

It seems that "interior decorating" is no longer the method of choice for decorating model homes.  A recent article in our local newspaper, highlighted Mercedes Homes and their newly renovated models.  The article stated several times that the homes were "staged" to appeal to buyers.  Woo hoo!  We have finally made it.  Realtors and sellers will read the word "staged" and finally connect the dots.  They will see the beautiful pictures and realize that their homes can look like that too, thanks to "staging".  They all will, at long last, understand what it is we do, when we tell them "we stage homes for sale".  05/26/2007

Here's to everyone having a safe and happy Memorial Day.  And if you are prop shopping, Rooms to Go has a sweet, no payments, no interest deal going.  I purchased a sofa there today for $350, nice by the way, and took advantage of the offer.  I won't have to make a payment till sometime in 2009.  Now, you can't beat the price and you can't beat the deal!  You just gotta love it when those sweet deals come our way.Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT! 05/25/2007

For the remainder of my life nothing will seem more like home to me than my grandmother's (Yaya) kitchen.  To be more accurate, my Yaya's pantry.  To walk by her pantry made you feel comforted, but to open it up and release a lifetime of secret spices would overwhelm me with a deep sense that all in the world was well.  I now have a pantry of my own and Lord willing when I have grandkids my pantry will have a life of its own also; to inspire the next generation.  I keep some spices in there, cereals, and lots of other edibles to season the wood well.There so many other smells that turn a house into a home.  My wife makes a wonderful banana spice bread, I can smell it before I open the door when I come home.  Cookies have to be a universally accepted smell, I have never heard anyone ever... 05/22/2007

Can any business have too many advertising signs? I for one think not. We need to take advantage of all advertising venues, especially ones that garner large amounts of exposure. Recently on AR we have discussed the pro's and con's of vehicle advertising. Everyone else does it, why shouldn't we? I currently have three vehicle signs, both sides and the back. Someone on AR suggested the use of a yard sign as well. Because some of us often use rented vans and trucks to transport our staging supplies, which do not visually promote our businesses while we are staging a home. I recently went to my sign people and had this one done for under $20. Now when I'm staging and my vehicle is at home, I have a way of letting passersby know that home staging is underway and by whom.  I chose the one wi... 05/17/2007

The following is taken from the latest Terra Pass e-newsletter.All CFLs, all the time: the "wife test," the temperature issue, and the end of incandescentsby Adam A grab bag of compact-fluorescent related items this week.First up, the "wife test": it seems women are at least partly to blame for the dismal adoption rate of CFLs in the U.S., despite the fact that women are more likely than men to express a strong willingness to make behavioral changes to fight climate change. Women just don't like CFLs, or so reports the Washington Post (via carbon neutral journal). Though this sounds like a glib observation, the Post backs it up with a fair number of data points. One energy efficiency expert says that, like so many other things, the issue boils down to communication:"The guy typically br... 05/10/2007

Every year here in the deep south we have to contend with the onslaught of the dreaded Love Bugs.  They arrive enmasse in May and continue through the Fall, but dwindle in numbers during the summer.  This is my 11th year in Florida and I've never seen Love Bugs as thick as they are this year.  They are clinging to the house, flying up our noses, stuck by the thousands on our cars, and generally making our idyllic lives in Florida difficult.  As I was driving home today, Love Bugs obstructing my view out the windshield, I wondered if the very real threat of climate change is having an effect on the Love Bug population.  In addition we have our first "named" tropical storm off the coast of SC. I also wonder if this first storm and the Love Bug onslaught is a harbinger of what we can expec... 05/09/2007

If you're trying to figure out how you can decorate AND be environmentally friendly at the same time, this may be the answer.Old-fashioned Milk Paint is a re-creation of the ancient Milk Paint formula used for centuries before the sale of commercially made paints.  It comes in rich colors that are durable and do not fade, is made from elements that pre-date the use of petrochemicals and other toxic bases and solvents, and is biodegradable, non-toxic, and odor-free when dry.  It is anti-bacterial, non-flammable, non-combustible,  cleans up with soap and water, and drys to the touch in 30 minutes.  Ingredients are, lime, milk protein, clays and earth pigments.  There is no lead, no chemical preservatives, no hydrocarbons or other petroleum derivatives.  All ingredients are food grade or p... 05/07/2007

Many of you may be familiar with Working Assets, a socially and environmentally conscious provider of wireless and long distance phone service.  In addition Working Assets offers low interest rate credit cards.  They are now in the cell phone recycling business.  All you have to do is go to www.commongood.com, fill out the form and print a shipping label, and mail in your old phones.  They are either reconditioned or scavanged for useable parts.  This is a two part benefit, you have a place to dispose of your phones, AND its totally free!  Check it out!  I already printed out my mailing label and will be sending them three phones on Monday. 04/20/2007

I think you will all be as shocked as I was, when you read the verdict!  Whether you live in Florida, Colorado, or places inbetween, you need to read this.  Please excuse the messy text, I copy/pasted this from an email I received yesterday.March 7, 2007Prius Outdoes Hummer in Environmental DamageBy Chris Demorro , Staff WriterThe Toyota Prius has become the flagship car for those in our society soenvironmentally conscious that they are willing to spend a premium to showthe world how much they care. Unfortunately for them, their ultimate ‘greencarâ€TM is the source of some of the worst pollution in North America; ittakes more combined energy per Prius to produce than a Hummer.   Before wedelve into the seedy underworld of hybrids, you must first understand how ahybrid works. For this,... 04/19/2007

This is one of the links on Yahoo's Earthday site.  What a great idea.  To join or for more information go to www.freecycle.org.The Freecycle NetworkTM is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by clicking on the region on the left. You may then go directly to your local group by clicking on "Go To" or you may immediately joining by clicking on "Join." It will generate an automatic e-mail which, when sent, will sign you up for the local group and send you a response with instructions on how it works. Can't find a group near you? Yo... 04/18/2007

Below is a blog I found on Yahoo news this morning.  If they can do it so can we!  We can offset our carbon footpring by purchasing Terra Passes www.terrapass.com. Check out the website to see how you can help our planet.Yahoo! goes carbon neutralby Tom Breaking news: The folks that brought you your first email account are going carbon neutral in time for Earth Day 2007.The impact is pretty large, about 125,000 tons of carbon, or about 25,000 Out of Towner TerraPasses. Remarkably, Yahoo's reduction is about the same CO2 reduction TerraPass members have accomplished in our short two year journey together. Full disclosure, the reductions are not sourced from TerraPass (we're focused on individuals) . Yahoo! founder David Filo's blog announcement lays out the details and the case. For othe... 04/18/2007