Attention home buyers and sellers!  I’ve just come up with the world’s latest idea in home improvements:  the Bathroom Bluetooth.

According to marketing agency 11mark’s new study “IT in the Toilet”, going to the ‘loo for some private time is over.  You see, according to the 1,000 Americans surveyed, 74 percent of men and 76 percent of women report they have used their cell phone in the bathroom.

It used to be that the only business being conducted in the baño was between you and the porcelain beneath your bottom.  In public, that may have expanded a bit when you realized in dismay that you needed to talk to your next-stall neighbor to request that they, ala Seinfeld, spare a square.  But those days are gone.  We’re texting, surfing the net, answering phone calls and even making them.  And 20 percent of men surveyed have indeed participated in work-related calls while “indisposed”, doing their duty while handling your business.

 Hands Free

Hence, the need for a hands-free device.  I mean, they have hands-free faucets, hands-free soap dispensers and hands-free paper towel holders.  Isn’t this the next logical step?

In some cities, including the one in which I live, holding a phone while driving is verboten.  That’s not about to stop us, however.  If our car is too old for a built-in device, we snap these handy-dandy devices to our visors that allow us to carry on our conversations uninterrupted as other distracted drivers blissfully carry on theirs.   So why can’t there be one for the bathroom?

With a handy shelf to hold your phone and installed above the toilet paper dispenser, the Bathroom Bluetooth would automatically adjust to work with any phone as soon as your derriere touches down.  Simple commands like “dial” and “hang up” would be further enhanced with Clapper technology, allowing you to wordlessly initiate a mute function when you sense something’s about to happen that you may not want to share with the person (or entire staff meeting) on the other end.

In my mind, the Bathroom Bluetooth would come in a wide variety of colors to seamlessly match any décor.  It would also include a hands-free anti-bacterial gel applicator that users would be required to use to clean their hands and their phones before they exit.  You see, the 11mark study also notes that while 92 percent of those surveyed wash their hands after a pause in the potty, only 14 percent wash their phones.

So I’m going to be trying to contacting the good folks at Bluetooth to see if they’re ready to take home improvements by storm.   But before I do, I think I need to lie down.  All of this excitement has me feeling a little…flushed.

11mark’s new study “IT in the Toilet”  http://www.11mark.com/IT-in-the-Toilet

Clapper technology   http://youtube/cfgN5tUgjb8

ala Seinfeld, spare a square  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77tN5_fhkH8

Bluetooth http://www.bluetooth.com/Pages/Bluetooth-Home.aspx

If you ask me, it is a little like putting a tiny band aid on an enormous gash that has already bled out. It is a little too late for millions of homeowners who have already lost their homes, their jobs, and their good credit. And of course, who will be paying for it all? Yes, you the tax payer. This new scheme will only be available for those without any late payments in the last six months or missed payments and you must have a credit score of 580 or above and depending on how far underwater your home mortgage is. At least the credit score part is nice.

Mr. Obama, said, ”This housing crisis struck right at the heart of what it means to be middle class in America: our homes….We need to do everything in our power to repair the damage and make responsible families whole.” I am sorry, but, where was this great need over the past several years of his Administration. He didn’t seem to worry about the fact that millions were losing their jobs which in turn caused them to already lose their homes.

Oh, wait, I forgot, it is an election year and he is scrambling now, to pretend like he cares about the middle class; by throwing everything, including the kitchen sink at us. Doesn’t he realize that we are not that stupid? But, then again, we are the bible reading, gun tot ‘in middle class. Of course we are not able to make our own decisions like he and his elite friends are; we need the government to guide us and run our lives. How could he possibly know what we think and feel?

If this sounds harsh, I am sorry, but I am tired of being lied to and sick of seeing my Country sold down the river by this man and his socialist, Marxist politics. The America I grew up in made people proud. We all wanted the American Dream. We wanted to be able to work hard and be successful without being ‘forced’ to give it to people who won’t work to help better themselves and their families. And we also wanted to save our money and buy a home that is our own, and once again be the country that helps our neighbors and others without government interference. America is a great country and it is time we all stand up and make her great again.

Back to the Plan

Many homeowners will be able to refinance now and take advantage of interest rates that are just below 4%. The President says it could save homeowners about $3,000 per year on their mortgage payments. He is asking that the lending institutions with over $50 billion in assets be taxed to pay for all the refinancing. These are the same banks that the Democrats forced to make bad loans to people who could not afford a home, which in turn caused this whole housing crisis in the first place. The President and the Democrats in Congress, once again, trying to deflect the real culprits here, themselves; by endlessly blaming everything on the banks. Not that the banks don’t deserve some blame, but, if we are to be just; we must remember who forced the issue, the Democrats in Congress. The government then forced us, the taxpayer to bail the banks out, to cover up all the mess they made. Where is the fairness in that?

Mr. Obama says that there will be no more red tape for those looking to refinance. I am sorry, but, when have there ever not, been rolls and rolls of red tape when the government is involved. He had announced earlier that the foreclosed homes of Fannie Mae (one of the government run mortgage companies) are to be auctioned off as rental properties. Beware of more red tape. To qualify to purchase these investment properties, you must purchase them, as investment rental properties and prove that you have had success in the investment rental business. And (this is a little disconcerting) keep certain information about the program a secret. Along with this program he announced HAMP (Home Affordable Modification Program) which would also help people get refinancing. This program would pay Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (government run mortgage companies) about $20 billion in unobligated TARP money. The American taxpayer once again gets the short end of the stick.

But, if you are in trouble with your mortgage and try these options, I truly hope that they work. I hope that these programs really can give your families some relief, hope for the future and that you can keep your homes It is about time the Obama administration paid attention to “his” country that is in big trouble.

Though the basic loan application items have remained the same, the requirements of most lenders have been modified.   If you expect to be approved when you apply for a home loan in the current lending environment, the following items are particularly important to the lender.

Assets

Lenders are looking for borrowers that have saved some money for a rainy day, or in their eyes, some money in reserve to make a few mortgage payments in the event that the borrowers income is interrupted by the loss of a job.   Because the promise of continued employment is much less secure than in the past, lenders simply won’t extend credit to someone living paycheck to paycheck.    It’s not worth it for the lender.   The chances of any person losing their job in our economic environment is so much higher than in the past that lenders must require cash reserves to limit their own exposure on each and every loan.

Save some money, build your savings account or other liquid asset account to show the lender that you have at least six months of reserves.   In other words, if you lost your job today, you could use your savings to make six months worth of house payments while you looked for new employment.   Having these reserves in place when you apply for home financing will greatly increase your chances of approval.

Down Payment

Down payment requirements have also become more restrictive.    Though there are programs still available that will lend close to 100% of your new homes value, these are primarily government sponsored loans.   Conventional home loans require a 20% down payment.   Piled on top of the six months asset reserve requirement detailed above, the new home borrower needs a pretty hefty bank account to meet the lenders requirements.

Credit Report

If your credit report is nasty looking, full of late payments, write offs and various other credit ‘hits’, chances are your lender is going to throw your application in file 13.   It just isn’t good enough these days to have a dirty credit history if you expect to be approved for a home loan.    There is always hope however, if you can be patient and are willing to work with the credit bureaus and creditors to remove unwanted credit history items from your report.   There are some agencies that help borrowers through this process and in many cases their services are well worth the money.

The best medicine for this dirty credit ailment is to pay your bills on time, and closely watch your credit report for negative items that either don’t belong or you can remove with some effort.   There is hope for loan applicants, but you must have your house in order to make it work.

I hate to even write or think about these disgusting law breakers and give anyone another chance to think about them. But, please, enough is enough! Local governments need to step up and enforce the laws of our country. Even the Obama Administration has touted all this destruction, filth and lawlessness as a good thing. It is time to have the guts and come out against this. Isn’t that what the President and all these government leaders promised to do; enforce the Constitution and the laws of their states and this country? I am not against people protesting, but, not at the expense of the rights of others. Businesses have been destroyed and owner’s ability to support their families has been taken away, once beautiful cities throughout the country have become garbage dumps and manure piles, the crime rates have risen, children have been abused and laws have been and continue to be broken. Who wants to come to these cities anymore?  Man up, you, Mayors, Governors and higher officials, you know who you are, and put an end to this embarrassing lawless mess.

DC Occupiers

After they turned against President Obama and the White House, we can see some signs of a backbone. These people are illegally living on Park land. Supposedly, they can have a tent to use to promote their protest, but not bedding or any other items showing that they are living there. Living on park land is against the law. The police have been ordering them off the land, but, obviously, do not have the complete support of the spineless city or federal officials. So their hands have been tied throughout this whole ridiculous ordeal. But, we appreciate their service.

Occupy This Occupy That

On January 20, 2012, it was announced that they will now be ‘Occupy the Courts’ and will be holding protests on the steps of the Supreme court as well as hundreds of Courthouses throughout the country. Luckily for the Justices and all Courthouse workers, the cement steps will make it hard for them to put up tents and take up residence on the steps of these courthouses. The ‘Occupiers’ in San Francisco and Oakland, California have become violent in their clashes with police. They have disrupted the Financial District, closing down several banks and institutions for the entire day. They shut down the Courthouse and were the cause of much destruction of property and vandalism. They shut down streets and blocked people from getting to work.

They even intend to have an ‘Occupy the Bay Day, where they will all throw themselves into San Francisco Bay to block boats, ships and barges. Do they have any idea how cold that water is? Only in San Francisco! Portland, Oregon Occupiers planted themselves outside City Hall for a ‘sleepover’ to be held tonight to protest for the human right to sleep. It is illegal to sleep on park land, which they have been doing for some time now. They are trying to change the law and allow them to take up residence anywhere they want. I am sorry, but, these ridiculous jobless (most at their own choosing) idiots need to be shipped to, maybe, Alcatraz, where they can plant themselves anywhere on the island, sleep, swim and protest anything they like without disrupting the rest of Americans who want and need to work to support our families. It is time to pull the curtain on this childish idiocy.

The government has over 200,000 home that have been foreclosed upon by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and HUD that they are planning to sell as rental properties. The idea is to get the housing market moving again. More and more people, especially those who have had their homes foreclosed upon are renting. They have no other choice. The plummeting downfall of the US housing market has left millions of homeowners with homes that are underwater (not worth what they paid for them). This disaster of the last 3-4 years has made it impossible for these homeowners to sell these homes and the added unemployment rate has forced these homeowners into foreclosure at an impossible rate.  And along with foreclosures come the plummet in credit scores and the rise in bankruptcy; forcing former homeowners that had great credit to rent. The government, banks and other mortgage companies are left with millions of homes. A problem the government created by forcing banks to lend money to thousands of people who could not afford to own a home. Thanks, Barney Frank and friends. So until this year, these institutions have not been in the rental business. But, desperate times call for desperate measures and opportunities to make money.

Private Equity Firms and Large Investment Companies

Private Equity Firms and large Investment Companies are poised to snatch up these properties for a song and turn them into rental properties. They intend to hold onto these ‘rental properties’ until the housing market recovers and then sell at a profit. These companies are busy restructuring to include Rental Property and Management Divisions to purchase, rent, maintain and eventually sell these properties. Not a bad idea for anyone that has the extra income and can get a loan. It is a great investment right now. The need for rental homes, apartments and condos is at an all-time high, due to the foreclosures, jobless rate and the ruination of personal credit. The younger generation is also deciding that homeownership may not be the way in this economy. They are staying renters by the thousands. It is the perfect time to be a rental property investor and not a bad plan for your retirement portfolio. If you have the time and skills you could manage the properties yourself, but it can turn into a full-time job. An Investment Property Management Company can take care of everything for you. They see to it that your property is rented; they deal with the renters directly and take care of the day to day problems as well as the legal issues of non-payment of rent, property destruction and eviction if necessary. They collect the rents and give you the money and a statement at the end of the month. It works great if you don’t have the time or expertise. The cost of rent has been on the rise the past few years because the demand is so much greater than the amount of rental properties. Perhaps as more options are available the price to rent will no longer be higher than a mortgage payment.

Do you ever wonder how many trees have lost their lives because of unwanted newspapers and junk mail? I do. Every day, I look out of my front door and see two or three newspapers that I don’t read, either because they are soaking wet or I am just not interested. I didn’t order them or pay for them and yet; they still appear strewn across my yard every day. What a waste of perfectly good trees.  I love trees; I would gladly forego all these papers for the delivery of a tree, even a small one. Someone in town must think this waste is a good idea; what that would be, I don’t know. And I am sure that some people are happy to get them, but where can I unsign up? We certainly don’t want to upset the EPA and have them put even more restrictions on our lives.

The Extra Work and Mess They Make

Yes, perhaps I am lazy, but again, I did not sign up for this. Every day I must gather up these soaking wet and muddy papers and take them around my house to dispose of them in the recycle bin. I can’t bring them through the house because it makes such a mess. I suppose it is great for recycling; but why lose the trees in the first place and then they wouldn’t have to be recycled. They would be living and a sight of beauty to nature lovers. And let’s not forget the oxygen they give off. And what about the poor guy who has to throw these papers in the wee hours of the morning just so I can be irritated every day? Let’s not forget him. And while we are talking about the deliverer; do you think they have a class to teach them to throw the papers in the mud?

Don’t get me Started on Junk Mail

This is a sore subject with me. Not only do I have to go through it all, I have to shred most of it. You know; identity theft and all that. I know that companies have to advertise to get business and it is appreciated by many people who may need their services. It just seems like I get the exact same ads from the very same people every week or so. The least they could do is send it to “the Household at” instead of using my full name; so I would have to shred 10 a day. I could just throw them into my recycle bin. I know this is their way of making it personal, but, really, I won’t be offended if you call me ‘resident or household’. In fact, it will endear you to me. Then again, I should stop complaining; at least they are not telemarketers.

Over the last several years our economy has tanked, let’s face it. The decisions that the Obama Administration has irresponsibly made have made life miserable for the whole country; and especially the Middle Class. So many of us; have lost our homes to foreclosure. We have lost our jobs, because employers had to down size just to stay in business. Or, our homes are underwater (what we owe on our homes is so much more than what our homes are now worth). And this President really hasn’t given our plight a second thought over the last three and a half years; except to make it worse.  Until maybe now, as he is trying to get re-elected. And only now has decided to throw a few ‘a little, too late’, bones our way. And his campaign strategy is to blame everything on a Congress (Republican) that has only been in office, one of those three and a half years. I mean, how transparent can you be, Mr. Obama?

Buying a Home

Buying a home is not that easy anymore. Many people have lost their good credit for the reasons stated above. The banks will not even look at them as a prospective home buyer. And many, even with good credit cannot get a loan without having to apply to every bank and lending company in business.  And those that can get the loans are very discouraged and wary about making such a large purchase in this economy. Luckily, for some with the credit and money, it is a buyer’s market. And there are some very good deals out there, but, still there is that nagging feeling of insecurity at this time unless you are buying rental properties.

Renting an Apartment or a Home

Buyers are snapping up rental properties as the need for rentals has grown. And all those people still trying not to lose their homes to foreclosure are trying to sell their homes. They have to sell for so much less than what their home is worth, some are deciding to rent out their homes now and wait for better times. So the bad news for renters is that the renter pool has turned into an ocean and we are all fighting for a place to rent. Which in turn, means; that owners can ask higher prices for apartments and homes. Thanks again, Mr. Obama and your moronic economic policies. So, for all you renters, be prepared to find higher rents. You may find some relief looking for the older homes, fixer-uppers, that you may be able to negotiate a lower rent in turn for using your handyman skills to fix the house up. Also, look at older apartments that may have lower prices. Use your negotiation skills and maybe bring down the rent a little and if not, all they can say is, No! No harm, no foul.  Good luck out there.

I am a Christian and adhere to Christian values. The values that this country was founded on seem to be getting lost in our society of today.  These values : like the value of human life, that children are a blessing, honesty, integrity, fidelity in marriage, and marriage itself, Religion, hard work, serving our fellow man and that anyone who works hard can have the American Dream, have become passé and even prudish today. We see Religious leaders ordering their followers to not vote for someone who belongs to a religion they don’t approve of. Aren’t people always throwing fits over a Christmas tree; using separation of religion and state and yet Religious leaders are making someone’s religious beliefs a matter of state. It is not just our housing market that is upside down and underwater, it is our whole society. And these are supposed Christian leaders doing this. Maybe it is time to ask themselves and their congregations WWJD? I don’t think He would be too happy with them.

Class Warfare

The Obama Administration has been promoting prejudice and class warfare the whole time he has been in office. For example, his grand tantrum about the police officer and his friend (white officer and black friend), which he later had to apologize for or his silence over the Black Panther’s intimidating voters in the recent elections, are just a few. He is always, bad mouthing “the rich” men and women who have worked hard to earn what they have and he demands that they give their money to the poor. I wonder if he gives all his money from his books to the poor. And as he is villianizing hard working people, he is inciting the poor, especially, the Black poor to rise up against the oppressing rich. Hence all these crazy Occupy people, most of whom have no idea what they are rising up against. They are made up of radicals, anarchists, and regular people who don’t work anyway. It is beneath the President, Governors and Mayors to approve and encourage such civil disobedience. Everyone has the right to free speech; but not when they break laws and they encroach on the rights of others; like the business owners and employees just trying to stay in business or collect a paycheck.

Obama and his Party “are the oppressors” to the poor. They keep them perpetually poor and unemployed or underemployed by throwing money at them through welfare, food stamps and Medicaid and expecting nothing in exchange. Why should they try to better themselves and lose all that government money? The President and his kind are doing it for the votes; not out of some philanthropic reason or care. They don’t care what happens to these families, over time the lack of self-respect, laziness or even the ability to try is gone and then they fill their minds up with ideas that the world and especially the government (the rich through their taxes) owe them and have the responsibility to provide for them their entire lives.

I read the” Saturday Essay” in the Wall Street Journal by Charles Murray. It was called “The New Divide a study of Americans 1960-2010”. It confirmed everything I believe about the down fall of our society and values. It is a wonderful article, you should all read it. He has a book being published this month called “Coming Apart: The State of White America 1960-2010”. I believe it fits all Americans no matter what their race. We have all lost a part of ourselves through the vanishing of our Value system; whether rich or poor or Black, White, Latin, Native American or Asian. Mr. Murray stated and I agree one hundred percent that we can only heal our country one family at a time. If we teach and act upon these values in our own families, we can be a force for good. We can lead by example and lift up those around us through service, honesty, integrity, fidelity, treating each other with the respect due our fellow beings. And pass these values onto our children and their children. It is time to wake up and self-evaluate our personal priorities. We can get our country and our self-respect back.

Have you ever come home after a long day at work and thought, “ah, I can finally relax” and then remember you have hungry people all around you and no idea what to make for dinner? I am an empty nester now, but about 4pm, I still get that sick feeling in my stomach—It is dinner time and I forgot to plan. Well, here are a couple of recipes you can put together the night before or in the morning and when you come home, the house will be smelling wonderful and there will be little left to do.

Delicious, Easy Meals

These recipes come from Southern Living.com. It is a wonderful site to get hundreds of yummy, healthy and quick dinner ideas. The first recipe is a southern favorite and it so easy to make. All you need is a slow cooker.

Pulled Pork and Coleslaw

Place 4 ½ lbs. of pork butt on the bone, 1 (14.5 oz.) can of chicken broth and 1 T of distilled vinegar into a slow cooker for 8 hours on low. Move pork to a plate and shred with two forks. Transfer to a large sauce pan. Strain juices in cooker and add 1 C juice to the meat, (saving the rest of the juice) and 1 C of your favorite barbeque sauce. Stir well. Add the rest of the hot juice to reheat the pork

Cole Slaw

Place in a large bowl, 1 (1lb) package of shredded cabbage, ½ C plain yogurt, ½ C light mayo, 1 T vinegar, and 1 tsp. of sugar and toss well. This is an easy meal for working Moms. You can throw the pork in before work and whip up the rest when you get home. Another quick meal that can be made ahead of time is:

Almond Stuffed Chicken

Combine 1/3 C light spreadable garlic and herb cheese, 3 T toasted and coarsely chopped slivered almonds and 2 T chopped parsley and set aside. Slit four skinless chicken breasts horizontally, starting at the thickest side and make a pocket. Stuff each chicken pockets with 1 ½ T of the cheese spread and use a toothpick to close it back up. This can be done the night before or in the morning and refrigerated. When you get home, Melt 1 ½ T butter in large skillet and add the chicken breasts. Cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes. Top the chicken with almonds and chopped parsley. Serve with rice, pasta or potatoes and vegetables.

Online sites like www.southernliving.com, www.sunset.com, and www.lightcooking.com can give not only the working woman ideas, but all the rest of us. These are great magazines to try out. I love them all. So, go for it and remember; preparation is the key and these great sources, of course.

The Master Bath is usually the biggest bathroom in the house. It usually has the most storage. My master bath is almost as big as my dining room. Everything; the sinks and cabinets, the Jacuzzi tub and shower cover the surrounding walls in a u-shape, using 3 walls. The toilet has its own room. It is the empty floor space, and the empty remaining wall that puzzles me. I have been searching for something to do with all that empty space. A bench helps, but it is all alone out there. So I have searched for more storage ideas. You can never have enough storage. Most of the remaining bathrooms in your home are on a much smaller scale and have very limited storage. I hope that some of these ideas may be as helpful to you as they are for me.

Under the Sink Storage

Replacing a pedestal sink with a vanity can give you more storage right off the bat. I know, I love the pedestal sink, too, but, it gives you no storage. Depending on your space you can purchase small vanities at the home stores. You can, also find old dressers on Craigslist, Ebay, IKEA or even garage sales for very little money and convert them into a vanity. If you select one with doors that open, you can have a little more space. If you like the looks of the drawers; depending on how much room your plumbing takes, you can have one or more drawers to use as storage. You can use a dark stain to make it look more formal or a coat of paint for a more cottage look. But, whichever you choose, make sure you put on a good coat of verathane to prevent water damage.

Nooks and Crannies

Sometimes, bathrooms have the oddest spaces left open. This is where IKEA is the place to go. They have all sorts of upright and skinny shelving that could fit right into that spot, giving you that extra storage for towels or bathroom items. They come with doors or without. If you only have room for the doorless kind; you can use cute baskets to put your items in, keeping a less cluttered look. Many bathrooms have half walls separating areas of the bathroom. You can open that wall and inset a small cabinet or shelving. In bathroom cabinets you can also use a lazy-susan to make items more accessible. You can use wall cabinets on the walls above the tub or toilet. But, be careful that they aren’t too deep; you don’t want to go into the bathroom and come out with a head wound. And for those small empty corner spaces you can find one of those ladder type shelving.

Need a Place to Put More Towels?

Use a wall mounted magazine rack. My daughter purchased a metal wall mounted magazine rack from IKEA for her magazines, but now has a very tiny bathroom with nowhere to put towels. She tucks the towels into the magazine slots and it works great. Magazine racks of all kinds could be used. Towel racks over the toilet or by the tub can add extra storage. You can even use heavy duty, yet decorative clothes hooks to hang towels or baskets on the floor with rolled towels in it can also be used as storage.

Shelving of All Sorts

Depending on the style of bathroom you have; there are shelving units for you. If you have a cottage style; you can use an old drawer and put an extra shelf in it. It is a really cute and eclectic look. Plain old shelving can be updated and given a bit more glamor by adding molding to the top and bottom. You can purchase plain old cubby hole shelving and decorate with molding or use fancy baskets to put in them. And you can add extra shelves to break up the cubby hole look. There are so many things you can do to give yourself a little more space that won’t cost you too much. Be creative, use old furniture and be sure to keep it to the scale of your bathroom. You will be surprised at what you can come up with.