FREEMAN-SPICER FINANCIAL SERVICES
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316 South Eddy Street South Bend, IN 46617 / 574.234.0069 (V) • 574.234.6414 (F) • surekey@aol.com
Vol. 28, No. 7 • July, 2010 / www.Freeman-Spicer.com
AARP’s Top 10 Signs That It’s Time . . . . . . . for an older driver to hand over the keys:
1. Frequent “close calls” (i.e. near accidents).
2. Dents, scrapes on the car or on fences, mailboxes, garage doors, curbs, etc.
3. Trouble judging gaps in traffic at intersections and on highway entrance/exit ramps.
4. Other drivers honking at you.
5. Getting lost.
6. Difficulty seeing the sides of the road when looking straight ahead.
7. Slower response time: trouble moving foot from gas to brake pedal or confusing the two.
8. Getting distracted easily or having trouble concentrating.
9. Difficulty turning your head to check over shoulder while backing up or changing lanes.
10. Traffic tickets or warnings from police in recent years. (As reported in the Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Work Zones . . . . . . . Illinois will begin using photo radar in freeway work zones in July. One mile per hour over the speed limit and the machine will get you a nice $375.00 ticket in the mail. Beginning July 1st, the State of Illinois will begin using the speed cameras in areas designated as “Work Zones” on major freeways. Anyone caught by these devices will be mailed a $375.00 ticket for the FIRST offense. The SECOND offense will cost $1,000.00 and comes with a 90-day suspension. Drivers will also receive demerit points against their license, which allows insurance companies to raise insurance rates. This is the harshest penalty structure ever set for a governmental unit involving PHOTO speed enforcement. The State already has two camera vans on line issuing tickets 24/7 in work zones with speed limits lowered to 45 MPH. Photos of both the driver’s face and license plate are taken. Pass this on to everyone you know who might be affected. (Snopes.com)
Sorry - Blonde Joke . . . . . . During a recent password audit, it was found that a blonde was using the following password: “MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofyHarrisburg”. When asked why she had such a long password, she answered that she had been told the password has to be at least 8 characters long and include at least one capital . . . . . . (Gallo)
Negotiating . . . . . . The next time you hear a buyer say, “Just give me a rough planning estimate. I won’t hold you to it,” Watch Out! Everything you say may be held against you. You could be in for a lot of price pinching later with the real negotiations:
• Recognize that a “planning purpose estimate” is more binding than it looks.
• Use the request as an excuse to better understand the work to be done.
• Get to know the decision makers before making an estimate.
• Don’t just deliver the estimate in person. Put it in writing and be sure to qualify it as much as possible. Don’t make it easy for the buyer to burn you.
• Generally, make your estimate on the high side. Lowering your price later is easier than raising it. (In Business As In Life)
Ten Best Caddie Replies . . . . . . .
#10 – Golfer: Think I’m going to drown myself in the lake.
Caddie: Think you can keep your head down that long?
#9 – Golfer: I’d move heaven and earth to break 100 on this course.
Caddie: Try heaven, you’ve already moved most of the earth.
#8 – Golfer: Do you think my game is improving?
Caddie: Yes sir, you miss the ball much closer now!
#7 – Golfer: Do you think I can get there with a 5 iron?
Caddie: Eventually.
#6 – Golfer: You’ve got to be the worst caddy in the world.
Caddie: I don’t think so sir. That would be too much of a coincidence.
#5 – Golfer: Please stop checking your watch all the time. It’s too much of a distraction.
Caddie: It’s not a watch - it’s a compass.
#4 – Golfer: How do you like my game?
Caddie: Very good sir, but personally, I prefer golf.
#3 – Golfer: Do you think it’s a sin to play on Sunday?
Caddie: The way you play, sir, it’s a sin on any day.
#2 – Golfer: This is the worst course I’ve ever played on.
Caddie: This isn’t the golf course, We left that an hour ago.
#1 – Golfer: Best Caddy Comment - Golfer: That can’t be my ball, it’s too old.
Caddie: It’s been a long time since we teed off, sir. (Foti)
Computing . . . . . . From PC Magazine: I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it: Don’t clink links in e-mail messages! Not ones that seem to come from your bank, or PayPal, or any financial Web site. Not the ones seemingly from Microsoft offering a patch for a new threat. But wait, you say, what if my bank account really needs attention? Go to the bank’s Web site - only not by clinking a supplied link. It’s always safer to go to Web sited directly. And if your buddy e-mails you a link to the latest screaming frog video? Okay, you can click on that. But it’s better to go directly to the site instead. Take the no-click pledge to discourage spammers and fraud. (** Even now that’s not true as stolen e-mail addresses have occurred lately and a link is supplied on what you think is from a friends e-mail. Just be careful!)
Life Before The Computer:
□ Memory was something that you lost with age.
□ An application was for employment.
□ A program was a TV show.
□ A cursor used profanity.
□ A keyboard was a piano.
□ A web was a spider’s home.
□ A virus was the flu.
□ A CD was a bank account.
□ A hard drive was a long trip on the road.
□ A mouse pad was where a mouse lived.
□ And if you had a 3 ½ inch floppy . . . you just hoped nobody found out. (Fournier)
Communications . . .. . . The face and head truly provide a window into your counterpart’s soul:
■ Someone who is trying to hide something will tend to avoid eye contact with you or break eye contact as he or she speaks untruthful words.
■ Someone who is bored may gaze past you or glance around the room.
■ Someone who is angry with you or who feels superior may maintain piercing eye contact.
■ Someone who is evaluating what you are saying may turn his head slightly to one side, as though to hear you better.
■ Someone who is uncertain about what is being said may tilt his head slightly.
■ Someone who is being honest and trustworthy maintains good eye contact and will smile.
(It’s Negotiable)
Fruit Fly Catcher . . . . . To manage pesky fruit flies, place a jar with some cider vinegar on the counter and add a few drops of dish soap. The flies are attracted to the vinegar but get stuck because of the soap. (Cuisine)
Advancing Personnel . . . . . . Good work is its own reward. OK, so you’d also like some extrinsic rewards. The leaders of your organization may be guessing right now which rewards will mean the most to you. Are they guessing right? Have you even thought about it? The range is broad: A pat on the back. Seeing an idea implemented. A bonus. A day off. A raise. Lunch with senior management. A cutting-edge project. Some schedule flexibility. A change in title. A seminar. Gift Certificates. A bigger/better office. A computer upgrade. Bosses can save some guessing by simply asking. But employees can help by chiming in. (Love It, Don’t Leave It)
Life’s Truths for Mature Adults . . . .
• I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
• Nothing sucks more than the moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.
• I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.
• Bad decisions make good stories.
• I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay. (Fournier)
Questions That Need To Be Answered . . . . . . . Why do we press harder on the remote control when we know the batteries are flat? Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars but check when you say the paint is wet? If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from? Did you know that the Alphabet song and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star have the same tune??? (B. Levy)
Why Do People Wear Wedding Rings On Their Third Finger? . . It was once believed that a vein of blood ran directly from the third finger on the
left hand to the heart. The vein was called Vena Amoris, or the vein of love. Early writings on matrimonial procedure ordained that one should wear the
wedding ring on this special finger. (Uncommon Goods)
Sincerely,
Edward C. Levy
President