Bill Borden, Albert W. Niemi Jr. and Roger Tutterow Predictions 2015

Metro Atlanta

January 16th, 2015

by Bill Borden

On Jan. 12, the Atlanta Business Chronicle spoke to Albert W. Niemi Jr., dean of the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University and former dean of the Terry College of Business at The University of Georgia, to get his outlook on Georgia's economy in 2015. Niemi was scheduled to present his forecast at the 2015 Economic Forecast at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Jan. 14 and the Atlanta Athletic Club Jan. 15. Q: Where do you see real GDP in 2015? My forecast for 2015 for the U.S. is real GDP growth of 3.1 percent. And to put that in perspective, in 2012, 2013, and 2014 the average rate of growth has been about 2 percent. 2014 was 2.2, 2013 was 1.7, so we've had an economy growing at about half speed because during a normal recovery the economy grows at about 4 percent. That's why people talk about how do we get this economy back to 4 percent real growth because that's kind of the target in a recovery phase, which we've been in since July 2009. Three-point-one percent is a significant increase in the pace of growth compared to what we've seen in the recovery. My forecast for Georgia is 3.2 percent, so I have Georgia and the U.S. economy both having a significantly better year in 2015 than 2014.

 

 

On Thursday of this week Roger Tutterrow, professor of economics at Kennesaw State spoke to my Kiwanis and he agrees things are looking up on the housing front as Atlanta maintains steady growth.  Tutterrow believes that we are ready for an interest rate increase and in fact this will be healthily for the market.  New home starts are up but only back to about 20% of the pre bust numbers. 

I feel that as we build the developed low cost lots that were absorbed during the bust.  We will need new A & D projects that will be at a higher cost.  The final lot price will be higher forcing new home prices higher. This price increase will trickle down to resale homes as well.  If you are planning on moving or down sizing within the next 3 years, please call me today at High Caliber Realty.

Obamacare Website Finally Fixed...

 

The United States Government has finally completed repairs on the Obamacare website.  If you need to sign up, or would just like to check it out, you can do that by first clicking here ­ and once you're at the website ­ simply click on the "Apply Now" button to get started.

Even if you do not need insurance you should visit the website just to see how well the site is working now that the government has fixed it.

TRY it the Obamacare website by clicking here.

AND Remember.... buying a home with the help of High Caliber Realty is easier than applying for healthcare! 

Give High Caliber Realty a call.  

 

a special thanks to Capt'n Bob for the info in this post.

Goverment's Attack on S'mores!!

Have you noticed a difference in new home fireplaces lately?

 

The Government is putting an end to romantic evenings in front of the fireplace as well as family nights with popcorn and s'mores on the hearth.

 

 

The 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) has now been adopted by over 30 states across the country, including Georgia. It aims to increase building energy efficiency through more stringent building codes. One of the provisions in the code is to prohibit the installation of open wood-burning fireplaces in family homes. While the code doesn’t prohibit the installation of wood-burning fireplaces, it does require that they not be open.

 

The provision appears in the code as follows:

 

     402.4     Air Leakage (Mandatory)

    

     402.4.3  Fireplaces. New wood-burning fireplaces
                   shall have gasketed doors and    

                   outdoor combustion air.

 

In Georgia, some builders have incurred additional costs as the open fireplace provision is being enforced. The code was implemented due to the net heat loss that open fireplaces cause when they pull conditioned air from the home.

 

This air leakage does not meet with IECC standards which is why the ban on open fireplaces appears in the air leakage section. Having a wood-burning fireplace with gasketed doors will help to prevent air leakage.

 

The most concern centers around the sealed doors and not s'mores. While the intent of the code is that the fireplace be sealed

New Sealed Door Fireplace

when not in use is clear to the industry, it may not be clear to the homeowner. Our fear is that the fireplace will be operated with the doors closed. Independent test have shown that the heat generated in that condition could cause failure of some manufactured units and untimely deterioration of masonry units. The question now is how do we seal the fireplace when not in use? Several code officials have suggested a variety of items from large fireplace covers that would be removed to use the unit, red decals on the doors that tell the homeowner to leave the doors open during a fire and better designed dampers and flue systems.

 

If you want a home where you can sit on the hearth with your kids and cook s’more over your open fire to your heart’s contentment or spend a romantic winter night on the bear rug in front of an open crackling fire with a nice glass of wine, give me a call, Bill Borden Real Estate Broker and protector of the s’mores and romance for over 35 years! Click Here 

2012 Migration Patterns by Atlas Van Lines

Did You Know the President is Taking Over All TV and Radio Broadcasts on Nov. 9?

If you have ever wondered about the government’s ability to control the civilian airwaves, you will have your answer on November 9th. On that day, federal authorities are going to shut off all television and radio communications simultaneously at 2:00PM EST to complete the first ever test of the national Emergency Alert System (EAS).

This isn’t a wild conspiracy theory. The upcoming test is posted on the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau website. Only the President has the authority to activate EAS at the national level, and he has delegated that authority to the Director of FEMA. The test will be conducted jointly by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through FEMA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS).

In essence, the authority to seize control of all television and civilian communication has been asserted by the executive branch and handed to a government agency. The EAS has been around since 1994. Its precursor, the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS), started back in 1963. Television and radio broadcasters, satellite radio and satellite television providers, cable television and wireline video providers are all involved in the system. So this begs the question: is the first ever national EAS test really a big deal? Probably not. At least, not yet.
But there are some troubling factors all coming together right now that could conceivably trigger a real usage of the EAS system in the not too distant future. A European financial collapse could bring down U.S. markets. What is now the “Occupy” movement could lead to widespread civil unrest. And there are ominous signs that radical groups such as Anonymous will attempt something major on November 5th- Guy Fawke’s day.

Now we know in the event of a major crisis, the American people will be told with one voice, at the same time, about an emergency.

All thats left to determine is who will have control of the EAS when that day comes, and what their message will be.

This is not good

http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/emergency-alert-system-nationwide-test

Lakeside hosts Iditarod veteran

Lakeside hosts Iditarod veteran


By: Anastasia Scarborough
Published: October 17, 2011

Bill Borden is pictured with his dog team and his son, Jordan, during the Iditarod opening ceremonies. Borden and his 16 dogs competed in the 2002 Iditarod Race.

Imagine traveling from Orlando, Fla. to New York City in 20 below temperatures. All you have is a sled and 16 dogs. No one can touch your dogs and no one can help you.

That was the scenario Bill Borden described to Lakeside students last week. Borden, the first and only Georgian to complete Alaska’s famous Iditarod Sled Dog Race, visited the Lakeside School to show students the sled that took him over the 1,151 miles of the Iditarod trail from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. He also shared with them his incredible story of endurance, trust and faith.

Borden, a resident of Kennesaw, Ga. and a Kentucky native, competed in the Iditarod in 2002, becoming the 540th person to complete the trek. He told Lakeside students that the annual competition, which started in 1967, marks the United States’ 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia. The race takes competitors and their dogs over frozen tundra, lakes and rivers.

Borden’s 16 Alaskan huskies, led by lead dog Fisher King, were his sole companions during the trek and he told students that he literally trusted the dogs with his life.

“I pick my dogs in the way people should pick their friends,” he said. “The AKC (American Kennel Club) judges a dog based on its outward appearance. Mushers judge their dogs based on what’s inside.”

Loyalty and endurance were traits Borden considered when choosing his 16 teammates. He showed students his steel sled brake, bent by the power of his dogs.

“These dogs love to run. They aren’t working – they’re just having a good time. We simply harness their energy.”

The dogs proved to be as smart and loyal as they were strong on the journey, said Borden, describing how one of his wheel dogs, Lookout, stopped the team from toppling over a cliff near Mt. McKinley. And when Borden fell in freezing water near Ruby, Alaska, his dogs pulled him out.

Despite his stalwart dog team, Borden suffered a wrenched out back, a broken rib and a chipped kneecap during the race. He also endured little sleep, moose attacks and freezing temperatures, but finished the race in 14 days, 4 hours, 10 minutes and 14 seconds. He told students that finishing the race took more than resolve and a brave dog team – Borden says there were times that he knew God kept him and his team safe.

“There were times when I was alone, hurt, in the middle of nowhere. I was frustrated and I wanted to give up, but I kept putting one foot in front of the other,” he said.

Following Borden’s finish, he and his wife, Brenda, adopted out many of their dogs and returned to Georgia. Only two dogs that ran the race remain – Sidney, who lives in Alaska, and Tonto, 14, who lives with the Bordens.

To learn more about Borden and his story, visit www.cooldreams.net.

Bill Awards the 2010 VBA Busness of the Year

http://brightsidecobb.com/sv0111.pdf

Snow Allows Mushers To Use Sleds - News Story - WCYB Tri Cities

Snow Allows Mushers To Use Sleds - News Story - WCYB Tri Cities

4 X 4 Mackey Wins the 2010 Iditarod

Lance Wins

Thank You KTUU-TV for Iditarod 2010 Race Coverage

Dog race barks through the Boro

BY
SCOTT BRODEN
February 14, 2010


You don't have to shiver in Alaska to enjoy Iditarod sled dog racing.

A few dozen folks and their four-legged friends braved chilly but not freezing weather in Murfreesboro Saturday to experience the Music City Dryland Sled Dog Challenge.

To make the event work without snow, the dog teams were harnessed to various chariot-like carts on wheels. Local couple Rodney and Vicki Whaley organized the event at the city's Gateway Trail off College Street near Medical Center Parkway. "This is our first Music City Dryland race," said Vicki, who along with her husband resides in the Rockvale community southwest of Murfreesboro. "We plan for it to be an annual event."

Sled dog teams traveled to Murfreesboro from other Southern states. "We have three teams from Louisiana," Rodney said. "We have a musher from North Carolina. One from Bristol, Va. One from Chattanooga. One from Brentwood. Two from Mayfield, Ky." Rodney is a committed sled dog racer himself, having competed in the Iditarod in 2008. He and Vicki have four dogs: sisters, Chelan and Chinook; and rescued males Muktuk and Koyuk. The team visit local schools, including Cedar Grove Elementary in west Smyrna last Wednesday. The dogs and Rodney also showed off their talents during Saturday's event.

Fellow sled dog racer Bill Borden traveled here with his wife, Brenda, from the Atlanta area and is impressed with how Rodney has promoted the sport .

"You are looking at the infancy of a sport in this area," Bill said. "The snow mushers are thrilled the dryland mushers are pushing the sport. It's fantastic." He noted how dryland racing is a bit more dangerous than competing on snow. "I'd rather fall on snow than on pavement," said Bill, who wore a coat that boasts about finishing the Iditarod in 2002. He's one of 672 to complete the 1,151-mile Alaskan course that takes 14-plus days to reach. Bill hopes many sled dog fans will travel to Kennesaw, Ga., March 27 to see another dryland mushing event and the dedication of the Fisherking Iditarod Lead Dog Memorial Trail. Fisherking lived to be 18 and led Bill's Iditarod team. "Over 5,000 people are expected," Bill said.

Folks new to the sport also came to the Murfreesboro event. Luke and Molly Nemeth came with 6-year-old daughter, Lillian, and 4-year-old son, Lucas, as well as their mixed-breed shepherd, Matuka. "We've been trying to teach (Matuka) to pull," said Luke, who lives in the Barfield Road area of Murfreesboro. "He's not ready yet." The Nemeths, who own Dream Homes, Inc., got to know Rodney and Vicki Whaley and the couple's dogs by building them a log home. The family appreciates how Rodney will soon bring his sled dog team to MTSU's Child Development Center where Lucas attends preschool. The dog sled history amazes the Nemeth family. W never knew someone in Tennessee ran the Iditarod," said Luke, noting how they realized what a commitment it takes to train, compete and promote the sled-dog sport.

To learn more about sled dog racing in Tennessee visit the Web site: http://www.tnsleddogs.com/