The shopping season is now in full swing. And whether you bought electronics or clothes or toys this weekend...or just stayed home and enjoyed football and leftovers...retailers everywhere enjoyed a long day of consumer spending on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year. And did you know the actual celebration date of Thanksgiving has some shopping trivia in its history? Here's an interesting tidbit to bring to your next holiday gathering.Abraham Lincoln gave his Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863, and stated that the last Thursday in November would be the national day of Thanksgiving - but then in 1939, during the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt switched Lincoln's chosen date of the last Thursday of November to the second-to-last Thursday of November, p... 12/04/2006

It appears the only ones who love the holiday season more than children are criminals.You may be familiar with the term Phishing - where scammers send you emails in an attempt to acquire sensitive information like credit card details and passwords by masquerading as a trustworthy person or business.And much like Phishing, Vishing is the latest identity-theft ploy. Beware - this one is extra tricky.Instead of using email, scammers use voice over internet protocol (VoIP), which allows people to make calls using an Internet connection instead of a regular phone line. The con calls their target with an automated phone message, which informs them that their account has had fraudulent charges placed on it. The account owner is then lured into dialing a fake 800 number in order to resolve the ... 12/04/2006

The other night I was invited out for a night with "the boys". I told my wife that I would be home by midnight ..promise!Well, the hours passed and the beer was going down way too easy. At around 2:30 a.m., drunk as a skunk, I headed for home. Just as I got in the door, the cuckoo clock in the hall started up and cuckooed 3 times.Quickly, I realized she'd probably wake up, so I cuckooed another 9 times. I was really proud of myself, having a quick-witted solution, even when smashed, to escape a possible conflict.The next morning my wife asked me what time I got in, and I told her twelve o'clock. She didn't seem disturbed at all. Whew! Got away with that one!She then told me that we needed a new cuckoo clock. When I asked her why, she said, "Well, last night our clock cuckooed three time... 12/03/2006

The following short quiz consists of 4 questions and will tell you whether you are qualified to be a professional.Scroll down for each answer. The questions are NOT that difficult.But don't scroll down UNTIL you have answered the question!# 1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?>> > > >> > > >> > > The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way. > # 2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator? >> > >>> > > >> > > Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the refrigerator? Wrong Answer. Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think throug... 12/03/2006

Location - Local Community, Town or CityBefore you can actually pick out a house, you need to choose what cities or communities you would like to live in. There are many factors you should pay attention to, not only for yourself, but because you intend to eventually sell the home to someone else. Carefully choosing your community is the first step in "location, location, location" and can help maximize your future potential resale value.Economic StabilityWhen choosing a community for your purchase, it makes the most sense to buy in a city with a viable and stable economy. Five, ten, or even fifteen years from now - when you want to sell your home - you can have a reasonable expectation that your community will still be a desirable place to live.In addition to residential neighborhoods, ... 12/01/2006

 VIDEO CONSOLESNintendo WIIMicroseft X Box 360 HDSony Playstation 3TOYSElmo TMXLego Mindstorms NXTV tech V. Smile Learning CenterElectronicsPortable GPSDigital CamerasPlasma/BIG Screen TVsIPOD Video/Shuffle/NanoNew Music Phones/Devices 12/01/2006

In December 2005, the village of Oswego commissioned BCA to provide architectural design services to a new village hall in Oswego, Illinois. The building program includes the following departments: administration, finance, community development, building and zoning, village clerk and public works administration. The four acre site includes the development of a a village green. 12/01/2006

How Many Homes Will You See?Studies show that the your memory dramatically improves after consumption of carbs and slows upon consuming sugar. So, layoff the soft drinks and have a hearty meal of carbs before venturing out to tour homes. The average number of homes that I show to a buyer in one day is seven. Any more than that, and the brain is on overload. Therefore, don't expect to see 20 or 30 homes; although it's physically possible to do so, you probably will not remember specific details about any of them. The "Red Shoes" ExperienceWomen will relate to this. Say, you need a new pair of red shoes. You go to the mall. At the first shoe store, you find a fabulous pair of red shoes. You try them on. They fit perfectly. They are glamorous. Priced right, too. Do you buy them? Of course ... 11/30/2006

1. Move MoreMake it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha.... Then do it!2. Cut FatAvoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich ... 11/30/2006

APRILSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT    MAYSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT   JUNESUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT    JULYSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT     AUGUSTSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT  SEPTEMBERSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT MWL PLAYOFFSSEPTEMBER 4 - 15 11/29/2006

"Your attitude, almost always determines your altitude in life." 11/29/2006

1. Don't buy if you can't stay put. If you can't commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, then owning is probably not for you, at least not yet. With the transaction costs of buying and selling a home, you may end up losing money if you sell any sooner. 2. Start by shoring up your credit. Since you most likely will need to get a mortgage to buy a house, you must make sure your credit history is as clean as possible. A few months before you start house hunting, get copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you discover. 3. Aim for a home you can really afford. The rule of thumb is that you can buy housing that runs about two-and-one-half times your annual salary. But you'll do better to use one of many calculators available onli... 11/29/2006

By Matthew Heimer From The Wall Street Journal Online After hurtling along for years, the nationwide real-estate boom has come to a screeching halt. In 2005, home prices in the U.S. rose more than 12%; this year, the National Association of Realtors expects appreciation to reach just 1.9% -- the lowest gain since 1992.Rising mortgage rates and selloffs by skittish real-estate investors have helped depress housing prices in many metropolitan areas. But there's another factor that many observers miss: the relationship between home prices and incomes.When the cost of housing in a given area grows far faster than local wages and salaries, the pool of potential buyers shrinks, and prices are much more likely to sink. For the past five years, SmartMoney magazine has worked with Ingo Winzer, p... 11/28/2006

PCs are an integral part of our lives. We use them extensively at work and usually end up logging on in the evening as well, to read email and catch up on the day's events.Since we spend so much of our time in front of the computer, it makes sense to find ways to improve our efficiency. This is where shortcuts come in. By using combinations of keystrokes, you can quickly access several tools without ever having to use your mouse. Most Windows shortcuts may be used for any Microsoft program (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) as well as selected products from other manufacturers. If you would like to incorporate these shortcuts into your repertoire, try keeping a copy of this list at home and at work. Refer to it daily until the keystrokes become second nature. You'll be surprised at how much t... 11/28/2006

Over the past 17 years, the record rates on the average 30-year fixed mortgage are:High 10.37% (1990)Low 5.1% (2003)Source : mbaa.org 11/21/2006

WASHINGTON - Rates on 30-year mortgages fell sharply last week to the lowest level in eight months, reflecting easing inflation concerns.Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages dipped to 6.24 percent, down from 6.33 percent the previous week. The decline pushed rates to the lowest level since March 2, when they also stood at 6.24 percent.Analysts attributed last week's drop to further good news on inflation as both consumer and wholesale prices registered big drops."Both long and short-term mortgage rates fell last week on early signs the threat of inflation may be waning," said Frank Nothaft, chief economist at Freddie Mac.He said that the falling mortgage rates should help cushion the downturn in housing.Sales have fallen sharply this year after... 11/20/2006

  Summary  2006 Closed Volume is 27.05% less then 2005  Closed Listings average days on market increased 77 days in 2005 to 101 days in 2006  Average Sales price to list price ratio 100% in 2006 vs.  104.35% in 2005  Average Sales Price increased in 2006 by 7.47%  2006 SOLD LISTINGSCLSD Price Range # Listings Avg Days on Mkt $200,000 - $249,999 6 66 $250,000 - $299,999 4 115 $300,000 - $349,999 13 84 $350,000 - $399,999 2 33 $400,000 - $449,999 2 112 $450,000 - $499,999 1 24 $800,000 - $899,999 1 660  TOTAL LISTINGS AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET MEDIAN PRICE AVERAGE PRICE HIGHEST PRICE LOWEST PRICETOTAL DOLLAR VOLUME29101$327,000$336,641$898,000$208,900$9,762,590 OFF MARKET LISTINGSProp Type # of Bedrooms # of SOLD % SOLD Avg LP of SOLD Avg SP of SOLD SP:LP Ratio Avg MT of SOLD Avg LP UN-SOLD ... 11/17/2006

Summary  2006 Closed Volume is 27.05% less then 2005  Closed Listings average days on market increased 77 days in 2005 to 101 days in 2006  Average Sales price to list price ratio 100% in 2006 vs.  104.35% in 2005  Average Sales Price increased in 2006 by 7.47%  2006 SOLD LISTINGSCLSD Price Range # Listings Avg Days on Mkt $200,000 - $249,999 6 66 $250,000 - $299,999 4 115 $300,000 - $349,999 13 84 $350,000 - $399,999 2 33 $400,000 - $449,999 2 112 $450,000 - $499,999 1 24 $800,000 - $899,999 1 660  TOTAL LISTINGS AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET MEDIAN PRICE AVERAGE PRICE HIGHEST PRICE LOWEST PRICETOTAL DOLLAR VOLUME29101$327,000$336,641$898,000$208,900$9,762,590 OFF MARKET LISTINGSProp Type # of Bedrooms # of SOLD % SOLD Avg LP of SOLD Avg SP of SOLD SP:LP Ratio Avg MT of SOLD Avg LP UN-SOLD % ... 11/17/2006

One of the country's top housing economists has come out with a new forecast and timeline for the market over the coming months - and it's got some great insights for anybody interested in real estate.Dr. David Seiders, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, says that housing starts are now down by about 20 percent from levels a year ago - but that should be no surprise.After all, he says, after years of record housing production, the market had to cool off, "We are in the midst of an inevitable adjustment following boom years when housing market activity soared to unsustainable levels. The market that emerges from the current correction will display good balance between supply and demand, and move to a sustainable trend based on solid underlying fundamentals."Ho... 11/07/2006