Life Applied

Life Applied

Roger Smith  //  http://about.me/rogsmith

Archive for

January 2011

 
Jan 9 / 4:53am

Things to keep in mind when buying a house

by Roger Smith
Here are just a list of things I have compiled that I have learned I need to keep in mind when buying a house. These are in no order and are by no means complete. I will continue to add to them and hope you will help me:

  1. price per square foot
  2. gas heat or electric
  3. size of lot
  4. location
  5. cul-de-sac or not
  6. on a busy street or not
  7. speed limit on street in front of your house
  8. distance your house is from your neighbors
  9. how  your garage faces. Do you have to see your neighbor everytime you walk out your garage
  10. shrubs/trees between houses
  11. real wood floors or wood veneer
  12. number of stairs
  13. is there a heating/cooling unit per floor or does it use a damper system
  14. homeowners association cost
  15. city water or not
  16. septic system or not
  17. school districts
  18. noise from airplanes flying over
  19. how often do you get re-zoned for schools
  20. property taxes
  21. age of kids around, if you want kids the same age as yours
  22. types of jobs people have in the neighborhood
  23. proximity to shops
  24. proximity to parks
  25. wooded lot
  26. distance from work
  27. which way does the traffic flow when driving to and from work
  28. proximity to friends/family
  29.  Age of the building and components such as the roof and HVAC systems
  30. Distance to a fire hydrant (will affect insurance rate)
  31. The socioeconomic demographic of adjacent neighborhoods
  32. Planned future road expansion
  33. Crime rate.
 
Jan 4 / 6:11pm

If I were a football coach

by Roger Smith

Now I was a child of Australian immigrants so my knowledge of football is very limited, but I have a strategy that I would like to vette if I ever became a football coach. I was watching the Allstate Sugar Bowl and Arkansas was on the offensive. They had a first down at the 20 yard line so in order to obtain another first down they would have to reach the 10 yard line at which point it would be first and goal.  The Arkansas runner ran past the 10 yard line to about the 8 yard line which picked up the first down and resulted in a 1st and Goal. My question is would it be better in a situation like that where you don't NEED the first down to stop short of the 10 yard line. Maybe just fall down at the 11 yard line.  Then it would be 2nd and 1 at the 11 yard line. Then instead of having to score if it were a 1st and Goal you could take a shot or 2 for a touchdown and if you don't make it just pick up the 1 yard and have 3 or 4 more shots?  Does this seem like a legitimate strategy?

 
Jan 3 / 6:49pm

Things I've notice while being sick

by Roger Smith

I have been sick and stuck in bed for the past two days and as a result of have a lot of tv. Here are some things I have seen:

1) Dr. Oz is promoting a website called sharecare.com where people can track their fitness as well as track food intake with the idea of helping people to lose weight by exercising and eating better.  But then a little later I saw a commercial for an upcoming show which features Dr. Oz speaking with Deepak Chopra and promoting some new weight loss scheme from Mr. Chopra that doesn't require excercise or changing your eating habits. Seems like Dr. Oz's message is muddled here. Which is it dr? Exercise 30 mins a day, track your eating and exercise? Or hold out for this magic cure?

2) Have you seen those commercials for Farmers insurance with J.K. Simmons where they show the agents training in real-life scenarios?  The specific commercial I am referring to is when the pipes are leaking and the agent at the back asks why they don't just shutoff the main water line and Mr. Simmons responds by asking if he is aware this is just a training scenario.  My question is do you really want an insurance agent who doesn't know real-life from a class he is currently taking? I would like my insurance agent to be able to decipher between the two on his own.  That being said I suppose the commercial accomplished its task by getting me to think about it.