I don't think anyone wants any type of industrial plant in a residential neighborhood, but there's also a point where people have to be reasonable. Right now all over the country you have many people moving out to the country, and then they gripe -- and in some cases even file lawsuits -- about smelling manure from farm fields and livestock operations. People move near airports and then they want the airport shut down because they hear airplanes. It's ridiculous. You're right, the EPA is the least of the problems. They have specific regulations, and anyone who wants to build something can look up the relevant rules and decide whether it is or isn't possible to meet them. But the lawsuits filed by people to hamstring almost every proposed project are a much bigger problem. Even in places such as Indiana which are economically depressed and literally crying for more economic activity, as soon as anyone proposes anything, there are two or three pressure groups quickly organized to fight it. People do not even take time to gather information and make an informed decision; they read a newspaper article saying this or that is proposed, and instantly they're opposed to it. Personally, I'd rather live next to a factory or a power plant than to people who are closed minded and opposed to everything.

If you offered a jewelry making class could you come up with several projects that could be made, and figure out just how much time it would take to make each thing. You would have to expand the time a bit for those who were slower. Then you could offer a 9 or 10 week course. Definately don't offer classes on a come and pay basis. It just doesn't work. People sign up and decide for some trivial reason they don't want to come and you end up with one or two people that it just doesn't pay you to be there for. If they are signed up for a 10 week course they will come unless there is a good reason because they have already paid. This is not to say that if you have an unfinished project at the end of the course you couldn't add an extra week, but have the paid course first. Do you want to supply all the supplies? That would be an extra chore for you ordering them all. You could sell some as a kit for some projects or things that are not readily available or things that you can get cheaper somewhere, but I wouldn't have it as part of the cost. I would think if it was jewelry that people would like to pick out their own colors and things. As for price--there must be others in your area offering classes. Check out what they charge, and what they offer. Have you thought of just selling your jewelry. I have a cousin who makes and sells jewelry. She does it at craft shows and whereever she can set up a table. She also has a small room in her home where she sells and crafts 3 nights a week.(check out the municipality for business code--you don't want to run into law issues) She has some kind of stiff plastic that she has holes in for earrings. She lined the front with a velvet like material in dark blue, burgandy and green, and tied 2 together with ribbon so they stand. She has some of the same without holes for broaches and a stand or 2 for necklaces. These are easily portable when she goes to a show. When you've decided what you are going to do advertize well. Print up fliers with all the details and make it interesting. Then look around and see how else you can advertise.

Hi Mary, We still have 3 more years left on a 5-year ARM at 5.25 percent. Our friend (a financial planner) is urging us to refinance now, because rates are going up and he feels this long term of loose money is reaching the end. He warns that in 3 years we could be looking at 7 or 8 percent or even worse. I'm actually a little suspicious about the financial planner... he's not doing his math very well, it appears, in addition to not being very historically aware of how interest rates react in the markets over the long haul. Long term rates have bumped up a bit in the last week, but short term rates actually have significant downward economic pressures. The only reason the Fed hasn't dropped the Prime (yet) is because they were awaiting (with crossed fingers) for the long bonds (long term interest rates) to climb back into their higher relative band. Its true that nobody can guarantee exact predictions, however relative forecasts can be quite reliable. FURTHER, the savings you would continue to accumulate over the next 3 years in your existing fixed term at 5.25 is likely to surpass the costs of an earlier refinance, even considering a point bump in rate, if that was where you refinanced now. Our mortgage lender (it's a local company who keeps the loans) says we should wait (but of course it's in his interest -- no pun intended -- to have us sit for 3 years and be forced to refi at a higher rate, right?). The rate as of Friday was 6.25 with 1 point. Even if the local bank is holding the servicing (who you pay each month,) they LONG ago sold the underlying loan note to Wall Street for securitization. They would certainly stand to make MORE money if you refinanced today with them at the higher yield, rather than your suspicion that they'd be losing money. The loan officer's advice is actually NON-self-serving... sounds to me he/she's being sincere in proposing to your best interests. I hesitate to shop too much because I got blasted by a lender (whose daughter went to school with our son) because I didn't go with him after talking to him a long time when we bought this house; his bank didn't have the same package that another bank did -- but he said he would have met the price. (I thought, "if you think we're compatriates because of our kids, why didn't you give me the best deal in the first place?") Anyway, it made me hesitant to talk to lenders.... Instead of talking to retail lenders, I'd suggest you shop a good personal financial broker... someone who operates on a "transparent disclosure" basis (retail lenders can legally hide some, or even ALL of their revenues,) and who you can trust to shop & structure the best overall financing for you, matched to your long term family savings & investment goals, and including the equity forecast for your specific area. Also, realize that there is no "best deal in the first place." Financing isn't like a toaster oven where there is a pre-set, knowable solid price/rate. Different sources may have different "appetites" for certain niches of loans at any point in time. NON-SOLICITING EXAMPLE DISCLAIMER One of my firms affiliate Wall Street banks just sent us an email asking specifically for up to $2MM of additional Jumbo loans this month in order for their bank to complete a securitization issuance (a recycling of money into bonds for their banking clients to then buy.) For all the loans we can generate for this particular bank, they will "sweeten the pot" by 1% to our borrowers. That wasn't available this morning, and it's GONE when the additional $2M bucket is full. In addition, SOME of our bank affiliates will honor our "absolute best rate/fee guarantee" when our client commits to a binding exclusive representation agreement (which is not something we normally require... but which can work very nicely in our client's favor competitively sometimes!!!) THUS... while your fellow PTA member may be a little "too close to home" to choose as a personal financial advisor (not to mention that they are constrained to only the funding their own bank offers...) it can absolutely work to your advantage to carefully find a high quality mortgage broker who operates from a financial advisory perspective. Good luck as you proceed! Dave Donhoff Strategic Equity & Mortgage Planner

I do agree that it's not fun to turn on the one-handled faucet and burn yourself because the hot water was just used. This NEVER happens to me. But I often burned myself when I had a double-handle faucet. In fact, I got a single-handle because the water in my apartment comes out at something like 150 degrees (and I can't turn it down; it's an apt. bldg). AND because the cold water comes out at 40 degree--very unpleasant. W/ the double handle, it was hard to tell by looking at it, how far you'd turned it on--was the hot all the way, or only a little? Of course, the design of the handle made that worse. But even on the lever handle, where it was easier to tell how far I'd turned it, I also had to use two hands to get comfortable water for rinsing dishes. And since I'd wash a couple of things, then rinse, then turn the water off, then repeat, this was a major pain. It was always two or three steps to get to the perfect water temperature--and being "off perfect" was dangerous if not tremendously unpleasant. I always lift the handle in the middle when I'm just washing my hands; I never turn on only the hot (which used to happen w/ two handles, because I'd be holding a plate in one hand) unless I deliberately do so. And I have memorized where to lift the handle to get "hot but not scalding" when I am washing things by hand (which I do for a few things)--that's about 10 o'clock. I find it SO much easier to get exactly the temperature I want from the very beginning. I would never go back to a double handle. I don't care what they look like.