Rules in Life (for the Kids) RULE 1.
Life is not fair; get used to it.
RULE 2.
The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you
to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
RULE 3.
You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school OR
college. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone, until you earn
both.
RULE 4.
If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss. He
doesn't have tenure.
RULE 5.
Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a
different word for burger flipping; they called it opportunity.
RULE 6.
If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your
mistakes, learn from them.
RULE 7.
Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now.
They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and
listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the
rain forest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try
"delousing" the closet in your own room.
RULE 8.
Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has
not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they'll give
you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
RULE 9.
Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very
few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on
your own time.
RULE 10.
Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave
the coffee shop and go to jobs.
RULE 11.
Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.
Excerpt from Charles Sykes
1. Signs of growth appearing There are definite signs of growth appearing in Australia's property market, with investors making a return and first home buyers remaining active, according to the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA). REIA President David Airey pointed out that data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics this month shows a 1.2 per cent increase in the number of established home purchases, in comparison to a 0.9 per cent increase in the number of new home purchases. There are definite signs of growth appearing in Australia's property market, with investors making a return and first home buyers remaining active, according to the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA). REIA President David Airey pointed out that data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics this month shows a 1.2 per cent increase in the number of established home purchases, in comparison to a 0.9 per cent increase in the number of new home purchases. "This is a really positive sign for the property market and shows that investors are starting to re-gain their confidence whilst the main drivers for first home buyers are low interest rates and the availability of the First Home Owner's Grant Boost (FHOG Boost)", Mr Airey said. "While the proportion of first home buyers decreased to 27.1 per cent in June, from 28.5 per cent in May, of total owner occupier housing finance commitments, the average loan size decreased by $11,600, reflecting the tightening of bank lending practices in the current economy", he added. 2. Bankruptcy threshold to be raised Homeowners who are having difficulties with debt have been handed a lifeline this week, with the announcement of a draft law to raise the bankruptcy threshold. If the law is passed, the threshold at which banks and other financial institutions can file for bankruptcy against individuals will jump from 2,000 to $10,000. Homeowners who are having difficulties with debt have been handed a lifeline this week, with the announcement of a draft law to raise the bankruptcy threshold. If the law is passed, the threshold at which banks and other financial institutions can file for bankruptcy against individuals will jump from 2,000 to $10,000. Speaking with the ABC, Attorney-General Robert McClelland said that personal bankruptcies for the last financial year were up 11 per cent on the previous year. "Increasingly, bankruptcies tend to involve people who have simply fallen on hard times rather than unscrupulous debtors trying to avoid paying their debts," Mr McClelland said. The Bankruptcy Legislation Amendment Bill 2009 seeks to give those in financial distress a more realistic opportunity to consider their options, reorganise their affairs and where possible, avoid bankruptcy, by: - increasing the minimum debt for which a creditor can petition for bankruptcy from $2,000 to $10,000;
- increasing the stay period from when a declaration of intent to file a debtor's petition is filed to when a creditor may commence action to recover debts from seven to 28 days; and
- increasing the income, asset and debt thresholds to allow more people in financial distress to enter into voluntary debt agreements.
The reforms aim to ensure those in financial difficulty have the opportunity and the ability to obtain advice and information about their options and possible alternative solutions before entering bankruptcy. Amendments will be made in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, so the draft Bill will be open for public comment until Monday, 14 September 2009. 3. New records broken The average new mortgage lodged in Australia rose to $354,000 in July - the highest figure on record, according to mortgage broker AFG. AFG's Mortgage Index shows that average mortgage sizes have been on the rise since May this year, after falling to a low of $339,000 in January. The average new mortgage lodged in Australia rose to $354,000 in July - the highest figure on record, according to mortgage broker AFG. AFG's Mortgage Index shows that average mortgage sizes have been on the rise since May this year, after falling to a low of $339,000 in January. As other institutions report rising house prices, the AFG data shows that borrowers in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria are especially willing to take on more debt. Queensland's average mortgage size hit a new record of just over $339,000. The average mortgage sizes for New South Wales ($407,000) and Victoria ($321,000), though lower than some of the peaks recorded in late 2008, are the highest for 2009, well up on figures for earlier this year. The AFG Mortgage Index also shows a dramatic decline in the popularity of fixed rate mortgages, which fell from 8.3 per cent of all mortgages lodged in June, to only 5.0 per cent in July - a fall of almost 40 per cent. Given that fixed rate mortgages now factor in future interest rate rises, the decline in consumer interest suggests that many buyers feel they may have missed the boat in locking in low rates earlier this year. Mark Hewitt, General Manager Sales and Operations says that recent reports of house price increases are stimulating the market as a whole, and encouraging investors in particular. "That said, because interest rates remain at forty year lows, we'd encourage buyers to take into account the fact that their mortgages will almost certainly cost more to service as the overall economy picks up", Hewitt added. AFG's data confirmed the trend of investors returning to market, with 30 per cent of all mortgages arranged for investors - up from a low of 24.5 per cent in March. The investment trend was particularly high in New South Wales and Queensland, where 34 per cent and 33 per cent respectively of all loans arranged were for investors. The share of first home buyers remained steady at 19 per cent of the mortgage market. 4. More work from home Reduced work hours could translate into an increase of home offices as people look for ways to boost their incomes in the current economic downturn, building advisory service Archicentre said this week. Archicentre's General Manager David Hallett said that Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures published earlier this month, which showed Australian workers on average were being offered half a day less work a week, would add impetus to an already growing home office market in Australia. Reduced work hours could translate into an increase of home offices as people look for ways to boost their incomes in the current economic downturn, building advisory service Archicentre said this week. Archicentre's General Manager David Hallett said that Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures published earlier this month, which showed Australian workers on average were being offered half a day less work a week, would add impetus to an already growing home office market in Australia. "The attraction of the home office is that it can be set up quickly with limited funds and can also have some tax deductions attached to its operation", Hallett said. Fifteen years ago renovations incorporating a home office accounted for approximately 5 per cent of Archicentre design concepts. Today seven in ten Archicentre Design Reports incorporate a home office/study area, with people taking advantage of internet access and changed employment patterns to work as consultants or outreach workers. Mr Hallett said that corporate restructuring in both the private and government sectors is fueling the trend for home offices. This restructuring has led to an increased number of unemployed professional people at around 45 to 50 years of age looking for employment. Often the only way these people can become employed is to start their own business. "Young professionals, especially women involved in starting a family, are also part of the emerging home office trend", Hallett added. People buying a home with the intention of setting up an office need to consider a number of factors which could influence the success of the operation of the office, including: - Can there be a separate entry to the office area for client access? This is an extremely important point as you and your family may wish to maintain your privacy rather than have clients entering through your home.
- Can you separate the business operations from home life? Using the home for business can have its drawbacks if the competing needs of the family use of facilities are not managed carefully; this can also damage your business if clients feel uncomfortable.
- Is location and visibility from the street important for your business?
- Is the chosen area of adequate size for the type of work you will carry out? Home office areas in an L or U-shape tend to be the most productive as you can have all your important items within reach.
When planning the office consider the storage needs of the business, not just for the clients' files and reference material but also equipment such as computers, fax, photocopier, printer, scanner etc. Consider the space and facilities also in terms of any support staff you may require. - Is there adequate light and ventilation?
- Have you chosen the quietest area to work? When choosing an area in the home or on the property, it is important to consider reducing noise levels - domestic and exterior (such as birds singing when you are making phone calls).
- Have you checked with the local council regarding planning laws in relation to your future business activities? Is there adequate parking for the people who may visit your home office? Will your business activity disturb neighbours?
Lastly, have a talk with your accountant about any tax implications associated with running an office from home and ensure that you have appropriate insurance to cover both business equipment and clients visiting your premises. 5. $6.7 million to sleep with Marilyn We noticed this week that the US woman auctioning off her husband's burial plot has finalised the sale at a whopping NZ$6.7 million (when we reported the story last week the eBay auction had hit $3million). It seems that Elsie Poncher, whose husband died over 20 years ago aged 81, has decided his threats to come back and haunt her are not worth foregoing the sale. She's reported to have told the Los Angeles Times that when her husband bought the space from Monroe's ex-husband Joe DiMaggio, he told her that if she didn't put him upside down over Marilyn, he'd haunt her for the rest of her life. 6. Spell it out; it's a matter of time Have you ever checked the time, only to find yourself looking again moments later because the numbers didn't stay in your awareness? In our frequently busy lives it can be a lot easier to grasp things the first time if they're spelt out for us - and that's exactly what QlockTwo does. The handmade clock from Germany has no numbers or hands, but instead has a typographic format that literally tells you the time in words. A quadratic matrix of letters lights up, displaying the time in five minute intervals, and it has illuminating dots in each of the square's four corners to give a more precise minute reading. | |
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