Good with Coffee...  February 24, 2010 ~ Next update March

Nice that you stopped in.  We all deserve a break in our day.  Our goal at Coffee Break is to make this page an interesting and entertaining pause in your day.  If you have anything you would like to contribute, please send it to me on the Contact Joanne form.  Missed some of our Coffee Breaks?  We've archived many of the past issues.  Scroll down the left hand column. I look forward to your comments, questions and suggestions.  Take care and stay in touch, Joanne Your San Francisco Bay Area Real Estate Broker... and coffee lover. California Department of Real Estate Brokers License Number: 00822285

You heard it here...

Update on the Home Buyer Rebate Programs... With escrows taking 60 days and longer, first time and repeat buyers need to act now. To be entitled to the First Time and Repeat buyer cash rebate programs, buyers need to be in contract by mid-April to be sure their escrow closes by the June 30th deadline. In most cases, first time buyers can receive 10% of the purchase price of a home up to $8,000 and repeat buyers can receive 10% up to $6,500.  For more info on the rebate program see our page: Buying Real Estate

All Fat Is Not Created Equal When it comes to fat in food, you get to make some choices. That means you’ll have to read the labels, because depending on which way you go, you could be hurting yourself, or alternatively maybe helping yourself. Even if you choose the right path – which is to stick with those fats that are known as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated – food isn’t entirely responsible for your cholesterol levels. Your body produces about 75 percent of the cholesterol all by itself, mostly in your liver and other cells. So that leaves 25 percent that comes from your food, which is to say you can control about a quarter of it depending on what you eat. All of this really matters to keep your heart and arterial system healthy. The worst culprits when it comes to fat are saturated fat, and trans fat.  Here’s the story with each of them: Saturated fat comes from animals and a few plants. Beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, and dairy products made from whole or 2 percent milk. You can also find it in coconut, coconut oil, palm oil and cocoa butter.   Some believe that as bad as saturated fat is, trans fat is worse. You see it in foods where hydrogen is added to vegetable oil, to make a product that is called hydrogenated. Manufacturers like adding it because food with it has a longer shelf life, and feels less greasy. Look for it in supermarket products like crackers, cookies and cake, not to mention doughnuts and French fries. The reason some believe trans fat to be the worst for you is that it raises your LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and lowers your HDL cholesterol (the good kind.) Bottom line for both fats: raising your LDL levels, and shrinking your HDL, can lead to heart disease. And that is the leading killer of both men and women.

Reminder:  The "MOVE OVER, SLOW DOWN" law expanded and became permanent January 1, 2010...  Sacramento – California has had a "Move Over, Slow Down" law for several years.  The law that took effect January 1, 2010 made it permanent and added Caltrans trucks to the list of vehicles you must make way for, which includes police cars, fire engines, ambulances and tow trucks.  If you see an emergency vehicle on the side of a highway with lights flashing, you must slow down and move into an adjacent lane if it is safe to do so.  The fine for violating this law is around $146, with one point on your driving record. View video clip: Move Over America

Fun Coffee Facts Coffee is the second-most-traded physical commodity in the world, ranking second only to petroleum. Americans buy more coffee than any other country, totaling nearly one-third of the world’s supply with consumption estimated at 110 billion cups each year. “Starbuck” was the name of the first mate in Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick. To prepare the perfect cup of coffee at home, never boil or reheat coffee, and never reuse the grounds. The coffea arabica tree from the remote highlands of Ethiopia yields the best-tasting coffee bean. To accommodate even the most finicky drinkers, Starbucks has 55,000 different drink combinations to choose from (when mixing and matching beverage types, temperature, size, sweetener, creamer, and flavor preferences). At least one web site tracks the coffee preferences of celebrities, such as Katie Holmes (half-caf grande soy latte) and Elijah Wood (quad espresso over ice). Starbucks uses its 2,500 employees at its company headquarters to serve as taste-testers for its newest drink recipes. In 1999, during the World Trade Organization riots in Seattle, Washington, a group of protesters threw a metal USA Today box through the front window of a Starbucks, marking the first official rebellion against the powerful corporation. From 2000 to 2005, Starbucks tripled its U.S. store count from 2,700 to 7,500. Not only coffee, tea, and chocolate contain caffeine (an addictive additive without any taste benefit), but Sunkist Orange Soda, Barq’s Root Beer, and many other soft drinks have caffeine added to their products. Most decaffeinated drinks still contain traces of caffeine as well. There is an annual World Barista Championship where entrants from coffeehouses around the globe compare their impressive coffee-making skills before a panel of judges. Coffee Facts from the book: Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture - Taylor Clark - Little, Brown, and Company/Hachette Book Group USA

Zicam ~ Thanks to Mr. Richard DeBiaso If you missed this warning this past June, please read it today. FDA Advises Consumers Not To Use Certain Zicam Cold Remedies Intranasal Zinc Product Linked to Loss of Sense of Smell The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today advised consumers to stop using three products marketed over-the-counter as cold remedies because they are associated with the loss of sense of smell (anosmia). Anosmia may be long-lasting or permanent. The products are:     --Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel     --Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs     --Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size (a discontinued product) Details on FDA warning about Zicam  http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/zicam.asp

Green Tips...

Power optimize your PC Power optimizing computer settings can save energy and money. From the start menu, click on "settings" and then "control panel."  To power optimize a PC, double click on "power management." Under "power schemes," choose "always on" from the drop-down list. Then, find two more drop-down lists, labeled "turn off monitor" and "turn off hard disks," and input the desired time for each.

A chuckle or two or even a gasp...

Entertainment Trivia... What famous entertainer arranged to have a single red rose sent to his wife every day after he passed away? Click here for the answer

New Approach to Lent ~ Thanks to Ms. Joyce Dobro Found this on the back of our church bulletin.  Since Lent began last week, here's an interesting approach... A SPECIAL LENTEN FAST Give up harsh words..... Use generous ones Give up unhappiness....... Take up gratitude Give up anger... Take up gentleness and patience Give up pessimism... Take up hope and optimism Give up worrying...... Take up trust in God Give up complaining....... Value what you have Give up stress..... Take up prayer Give up judging others.... Discover Jesus within them Give up sorrow and bitterness.... Fill your heart with joy Give up selfishness..... Take up compassion for others Give up being unforgiving....... Learn reconciliation Give up words..... Fill yourself with silence and listen to others.

Romancing the Road ~ Thanks to Mr. Jim Knudsen 89 year old woman drives her 45 yr old Comet car 540,000 miles with same engine. This video is cool.  You'll appreciate a few things this lady does and says. Romancing the Road

Airport Security Solution ~ Thanks to Ms. Claudia Norman The Perfect Solution... Here's a solution to all the controversy over full-body scanners at airports. Have a booth that you can step into that will not X-ray you, but will detonate any explosive device you may have on you. It would be a win-win for everyone.

The Very First Senior Moment ~ Thanks to Mr. Jim Ward

The gift ~ Thanks to Ms. Claudia Norman The gift to adapt to any situation or challenge is very amazing.  Think of this video the next time you can't catch any fish; or have to go to work; or can't go to work; or can't buy your toys; or someone bad mouths you; or in any other way you are on a pity pot and feeling sorry for yourself.  Be sure to watch the ending because it tells it like it is. The Gift

Worth a thousand words...

For Car Buffs ~ Thanks to Mr. Jim Knudsen ecession? What recession?  So, it seems that this "global recession" has not impacted negatively on everyone.  Check this out!  It's a Mercedes Benz owned by an Abu Dhabi oil billionaire (naturally).  This car features the newly developed V10 quad turbo with 1,600 horsepower and 2800nm of torque 0-100km/h in less than 2secs, running on biofuel.  That is NOT stainless steel, people, it is WHITE GOLD!  I'm sure you'll sleep better tonight, knowing that the exhorbitant dollars you're paying for gas these days are at least going to a good cause...

Before we say so long...

Before you go, remember your comments, suggestions, and contributions are welcome. When you come across something funny or informative and in good taste, please send it along.  I would love to include it with your name and our thanks.  Be sure to tell your friends about Coffee Break. And if you have time, explore the other sections of our web site.  I leave you to ponder these words a good friend shared with me:  "The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along their way." Carry that thought with you as you tackle the rest of your week.  For information on buying or selling in the bay area, please call me at 510-429-4800 or send me a note on the  form. ~ Joanne Joanne L. Gardiner, Broker, e-PRO Realtor Advantage Realty 3205 Whipple Road - Union City, California 94587 (510) 429-4800 San Francisco Bay Area  San Francisco East Bay Real Estate