As Simple As 1-2-3

LogoTournament is one of the coolest online services I’ve seen in a long while.  It essentially allows you to create a contest for money (minimum prize is $250) to see who can create the logo that best fits the design, look and feel you want to capture.  And it couldn’t be easier as there are only three steps:

1. Fill out a logo questionnaire and set the prize amount – this is where you briefly describe your company and the style of logo you want by moving 12 different style sliders to help you describe precisely the look and feel of your company or service branding;
2. Designers submit their logo ideas – almost immediately, talented designers from around the world will start submitting finished logo ideas.  You can also provide additional feedback to further tweak the ones you feel are the closest to what you are looking for;
3. Select a winner and download your logo file – payment is made via Paypal or credit card.

LogoTournament is a form of “crowdsourcing” at its highest level.  As I’ve said for over 15 years, there is an incredible (and growing) pool of talent available to all of us for very reasonable prices and the Internet is our gateway to those resources.

View this 7 minute video which explains the connection between interest rates & mortgage backed securities. For those who monitor interest rates - this video highlights why one cannot rely on the media! It also describes how the Federal Reserve works - and what they are doing to keep interest rates low.

Ultimately anyone "interest rate shopping" or looking for home financing must work with a Mortgage Professional who understands the importance of not just watching mortgage backed securities, but gives great guidance.

Solid Second Half Sends Bears to 73-63 Win at Saint Louis

The win gave Missouri State a 10-0 record for the first time since 1996-97 and just the second time in its Division I era.

Mallett's point output was a career best as the Bears improved their overall lead in the series against SLU to 16-7.

After holding a narrow 31-28 lead at the half, the Bears stormed out of the locker room with a 10-2 run to start the second half and quickly gain an 11-point advantage less than four minutes into the second period.

The Bears improved their lead to 13 with 10:12 to play on a three-pointer by Adam Leonard, his second of the game, to pull ahead 51-38. However, the Billikens (7-4) used a flurry of three-pointers that began at the 9:47 mark to pull within 53-49 at the 7:09 mark on Christian Salecich's second three of the half.

The Bears retaliated with a pair of jumpers by Adam Leonard and one by Caleb Patterson and regained a double-figure lead, 59-49 with 5:44 to play. Clutch free throw shooting down the stretch secured the win, Missouri State's ninth by a double-figure margin.

Cuonzo Martin's team made 26-of-30 (.867) free throws in the game and fired at a 52.2-percent clip in the second half to finish 22-for-50 (.440).

Weems added 11 for the Bears to extend his double-figure scoring streak to 11 straight games, while Will Creekmore scored 10, including 4-of-4 from the line.

Saint Louis was led by Willie Reed's 19 points, while Salecich and Justin Jordan contributed 15 apiece. The Billikens were 20-for-51 (.392) from the field and 18-of-23 (.783) at the line.

Missouri State closes out its non-conference schedule Tuesday at Arkansas (6-5) for a 7:05 p.m. start.

In the first half, the Bears were able to convert 9-of-11 free throws to help overcome a poor shooting performance, making just 10-of-27 (.370) from the field and just 2-of-11 (.182) from three-point range.

The Bears fought off a brief Billikens' 12-11 lead at the 12:12 mark with a 12-4 run that included buckets by Weems, Mallett and Leonard and eventually led 31-28 at the break.

Missouri State's best-ever season starts:

• 1948-49 - 21-0
• 1957-58 - 19-0
• 1950-51 - 13-0
• 1947-48 - 12-0
• 1958-59 - 12-0
• 1949-50 - 10-0
• 1996-97 - 10-0

Now that we’re closing in on the end of 2009 — and most people will be glad to bid good riddance to an economically brutal year — many experts are making their predictions for 2010.

Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, recently released his predictions for next year’s real estate market. Of course, many consumers roll their collective eyes at this, since he's an expert on the payroll of an organization that has a vested interest in keeping information upbeat. And Yun is often broiled in comments from real estate bears.

Yun, however, is a respected economist, and while one may want to take his predictions in context, he’s had a pretty decent track record. One problem with economics is that the average person thinks it’s an exact science because it appears to be all about numbers. You add, you subtract, you divide, you multiply…how hard can it be?

In fact, economics is a very divisive field because it can be much more subjective than objective. When it comes to economics, numbers are a matter of interpretation.

So, before looking at Yun’s predictions for 2010, let’s see how he did in 2009. In his forecast released in October 2008, Yun wasn’t perfect, but it would be difficult to find an economist who was.

For 2009, Yun predicted existing home sales would rise and hit 5.4 million and new homes sales would fall under 500,000. On these counts, Yun was on target. In September, existing home sales were at an annual rate of 5.54 million. That spiked to an annual rate of 6.10 million in October, which Yun is crediting to the first-time home buyer tax credit. New home sales were on an annual pace of 430,000 units in October.

On the downside, Yun saw unemployment peaking at 6.7 percent mid-year and “steadily heading down” after that. Of course, we now know that unemployment peaked at 10.2 percent in October.

A look ahead

Now on to 2010 a synopsis of what Yun predicts:

• He sees the extended home buyers tax credit creating more demand and predicts a 20 percent increase in sales over the first half of the year as compared to the first half of 2009.

• Yun says this will result in a drop in inventory of homes for sale and that we will see an increase in home values by mid-year. He predicts that the median sales price will increase 2 to 4 percent for the year and that pent-up demand for new homes will lead to a 50 percent spike in sales from historically low levels.

• As any good economist would, Yun is hedging his bets on a couple of key factors. He says sales and price increases are contingent on interest rates staying between 5 and 5.5 percent. Currently, rates are under 5 percent. He also says that the Gross Domestic Product must climb 3 percent for the year for enough jobs to be added to the economy. He says we should see positive job growth in the spring.

Overall, Yun’s predictions are for a year any would take after coming through the dark tunnel that was 2009. Whether he proves correct…well, we’ll have to wait a year to find that out.

Do You Qualify?

You may qualify for a tax credit if:

• You make an eligible energy upgrade in 2009.
• The project meets IRS energy-efficiency standards.
• Your credits won't exceed your total tax liability.

Uncle Sam is offering taxpayers generous incentives to make their residences more energy efficient. Many of the eligible home improvements, such as adding insulation, can earn a tax credit of up to $1,500. More ambitious upgrades, such as installing solar panels, can net a credit worth 30% of the total cost of the project.

Improvements must meet IRS energy-efficiency standards to qualify. Don’t assume an Energy Star label is enough. Sometimes it isn’t. Save receipts and manufacturers’ statements certifying the tax credit-worthiness of the products. The IRS could ask for them. Consult a tax adviser.

Tax credit capped at $1,500

Replace aging windows, HVAC systems, and non-solar water heaters, install efficient biomass stoves, add insulation, or fix a worn roof, and you might collect a tidy credit come tax time. To encourage greater energy efficiency, homeowners can recoup 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, for making any of these qualifying upgrades during 2009 or 2010. Claim the credit for the year in which you complete the project.

The improvements must be made to your existing primary residence to be eligible. You can include the labor costs for HVAC, stove, and water heater installations; only the cost of materials counts for insulation, roofs, and windows (as well as exterior doors and skylights). Ask your contractor for a receipt that itemizes materials and labor. The IRS refers to the tax relief you can get for these projects collectively as the Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit.

Keep in mind that the $1,500 cap applies to all of the projects combined for both years. You can’t claim a $1,500 credit for new windows in 2009 and a separate $1,500 credit for a new furnace in 2010. A $5,000 project would max out the credit.

Uncapped energy tax credit

There’s no cap on tax credits for a handful of residential projects that involve alternative energy sources including solar, geothermal, and wind. That’s good news considering costs can run into five figures for photovoltaic systems (for electricity), solar water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, and small wind turbines. Fuel cells qualify too, though they’re subject to slightly different criteria.

This tax incentive is called the Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit by the IRS. Homeowners can earn it anytime between 2009 and 2016 for the tax year that one of these systems is placed into service. The tax credit, equal to 30% of the project cost, applies to second homes as well as primary residences. New homes are eligible too. A rental property generally is excluded unless it’s a second home that’s only rented out part of the year.

You can use the uncapped tax credit even if you’re using the capped tax credit. In fact, you can claim separate uncapped credits for a wind turbine, a geothermal heat pump, and a solar water heater. Use IRS Form 5695, which has separate pages for capped and uncapped tax credits.

How tax credits work

A tax credit is usually more valuable than a tax deduction because the credit lowers your tax bill—or increases your refund—dollar for dollar. Think of it this way: A $1,500 deduction will save $363 on taxes owed for a married couple filing jointly with an adjusted gross income of $100,000. That same couple would save the full $1,500 with a $1,500 tax credit. Married filing separately taxpayers may be able to take separate $1,500 tax credits.

Residential energy tax credits do have limits. The IRS considers the credits “non-refundable,” which means you can’t claim more in credits than you paid out in federal income taxes. You may be able to carry forward some of your surplus uncapped tax credits to future years.

While Form 5695 shouldn’t take more than an hour or two to complete, it’s a good idea to consult a tax adviser. Credits are gold, so you don’t want to risk missing one. H&R Block’s average fee to prepare a tax return is $187, but cost varies considerably depending on complexity.

This article provides general information about tax laws and consequences, but is not intended to be relied upon by readers as tax or legal advice applicable to particular transactions or circumstances. Readers should consult a tax professional for such advice, and are reminded that tax laws may vary by jurisdiction.

Downloadable Version 2009-10 Basketball Guide

Jermanine Mallet's Thunderous Dunk (watch here)

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Adam Leonard's 14 points paced Missouri State to a 73-62 home win over Auburn here Monday night in the season opener for the Bears. The junior transfer from Eastern Kentucky was 4-for-7 from three-point range and also added five rebounds and five assists.

After leading 36-31 at the half, the Bears stormed out of the gate in the second period with a 12-5 run.  A dunk by Caleb Patterson at the 13:41 mark gave the Bears a 48-36 advantage and electrified the home crowd of 7,213 at JQH Arena.

Lucas Hargrove, who had a game-high 24 points, kept the Tigers in the game in the second half. His three-pointer with 10:29 to play cut his team's deficit to 51-43, before a free throw by Ty Armstrong a few seconds later made it a seven-point game.

However, the Bears stormed back behind Isaiah Rhine's second dunk of the night and a key three-pointer by Leonard at the 8:41 mark that extended MSU's lead to double-figures again, 56-44. Auburn would get no closer than 10 the rest of the way, and Leonard would add a pair of three-pointers in the final six minutes to seal the win.

Jermaine Mallet, whose highlight-reel dunk tied the game in the first four minutes, scored 12 points and had game-highs with eight rebounds and six assists. Kyle Weems added 13 for the Bears to go with seven rebounds.

Auburn (1-1) was helped by DeWayne Reed's 12 points. The Tigers shot 40.7-percent from the field (22-for-54) and were just 7-for-16 at the free throw line in the second half. AU also committed 25 turnovers.

Missouri State snapped a three-game losing streak that dated back to last season and won their home opener for the 27th time in 28 years as a Division I program.

In the first half, Missouri State has overcome an 18-11 deficit to lead Auburn, 36-31, at the intermission. Hargrove's three with 9:12 to play in the opening stanza gave the Tigers their biggest lead of the contest. 

However, Missouri State stormed back with a 21-6 run over the next five minutes to turn the tides. Reserves Rhine, Cardell McFarland and Ryan Jehle led the charge to pull MSU within six, 22-16, at the 7:17 mark. Then a three-pointer by Leonard and a dunk by Rhine started a 10-0 run for the Bears that included a trey by Kyle Weems at the 5:30 mark to give MSU a 26-22 advantage.

Missouri State continues a five-game home stand Friday with an 8:05 p.m. game against Maryland-Eastern Shore in the opening round of the Hispanic College Fund Challenge. The Bears will also entertain The Citadel on Saturday at 8:05 p.m. and Eastern Michigan on Sunday (8:05 p.m.) in the four-team event.

1. Pressure wash siding, decks, and walkways.

2. Clean windows and gutters, and check downspouts.

3. Check the growth of trees and bushes–ensure they don’t block light from any window.

4. Kill any mold or mildew around the property.

5. Mow the lawn, eliminate weeds, and rake and dispose of leaves, especially if it’s a wooded lot.

6. Paint the front door. Color choice has a big impact–so you might want to get a professional’s advice.

7. Make the front entry sing “welcome”. The degree of what can be achieved depends on the size of entry and, of course, your budget. However, even minimal improvements will make a huge difference: Consider flowers, a new mailbox, hardware, lights, and house numbers.

8. Don’t forget the rear yard–buyers may attempt to see the back yard during a drive by, even from another street.

9. Outdoor lighting is a huge plus as 50 percent of viewings take place at night. Today we are fortunate to have access to inexpensive but tasteful low-voltage lighting. Consider placing lighting along the sidewalks, driveway, or attractive landscaping elements. Take extra care to ensure your front door and numbers are clearly visible from the street.

10. If the inside of the home is visible at night, be sure the interior lighting also enhances what is seen from the outside.

Remember: You never get a second chance to make a great first impression!

First-Time Homebuyers (FTHBs): First-time homebuyers (that is, people who have not owned a home within the last three years) may be eligible for the tax credit. The credit for FTHBs is 10% of the purchase price of the home, with a maximum available credit of $8,000.

Single taxpayers and married couples filing a joint return may qualify for the full tax credit amount.

Current Owners: The tax credit program now gives those who already own a residence some additional reasons to move to a new home. This incentive comes in the form of a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified purchasers who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years.

Single taxpayers and married couples filing a joint return may qualify for the full tax credit amount.

What are the New Deadlines?

In order to qualify for the credit, all contracts need to be in effect no later than April 30, 2010 and close no later than June 30, 2010.

Tax Credit Versus Tax Deduction

It’s important to remember that the tax credit is just that… a tax credit. The benefit of a tax credit is that it’s a dollar-for-dollar tax reduction, rather than a reduction in a tax liability that would only save you $1,000 to $1,500 when all was said and done. So, if a first-time homebuyer were to owe $8,000 in income taxes and would qualify for a tax credit of $8,000, she would owe nothing.

Better still, the tax credit is refundable, which means the homebuyer can receive a check for the credit if he or she has little income tax liability. For example, if a first-time homebuyer is eligible for a tax credit of $8,000 but is liable for $4,000 in income tax, she can still receive a check for the remaining $4,000!

Higher Income Caps

The amount of income someone can earn and qualify for the full amount of the credit has been increased.

Single tax filers who earn up to $125,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, single filers who earn $145,000 and above are ineligible

Joint filers who earn up to  $225,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, joint filers who earn $245,000 and above are ineligible.

Maximum Purchase Price

Qualifying buyers may purchase a property with a maximum sale price of $800,000.

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Tax Incentives to Spur Energy Savings and Green Jobs

This provision is designed to help promote energy-efficient investments in homes by extending and expanding tax credits through 2010 for purchases such as new furnaces, energy-efficient windows and doors, or insulation.

Landmark Energy Savings

This provision provides $5 Billion for energy efficient improvements for more than one million modest-income homes through weatherization. According to some estimates, this can help modest-income families save an average of $350 a year on heating and air conditioning bills.

Repairing Public Housing and Making Key Energy Efficiency Retrofits To HUD-Assisted Housing

This provision provides a total of $6.3 Billion for increasing energy efficiency in federally supported housing programs. Specifically, it establishes a new program to upgrade HUD-sponsored low-income housing (for elderly, disabled, and Section 8) to increase energy efficiency, including new insulation, windows, and frames.

Make a list. Check it twice.

Touring homes is exciting, exhausting and – after enough of them – often confusing. By the end of the day, your memory may become fuzzy so you won't be able to remember if the house with the fabulous kitchen had three bedrooms or four, or which house had the spot for the garden you've always dreamed of.

That's why we've developed the Team Thomas Tour Checklist. Print extras so you can complete one for each home you tour and use it to track important details such as square footage, condition and age of the roof, and noise level of the neighborhood.

And while you're looking at the features you want in a new home, be sure to step back and consider the bigger picture – the permanent attributes – of the house. Remember that while you can change superficial elements like wallpaper, paint color and window treatments, you shouldn't discount them completely. Keep in mind that even minor remodeling can cost both time and money. Conversely, don't let outward appearances alone keep you from a house that would otherwise be a perfect fit.

If you've taken good notes, your Team Thomas Home Tour Checklists will be a great tool moving forward in the home-buying process. Keep them handy, refer to them often and be sure to share them with your Team Thomas Realtor so s/he can continually refine the types of homes s/he's researching for you.

Congress on Thursday completed work on the $24 billion economic package that seeks to help out the millions who have lost jobs and have been unable to rejoin the workforce. The White House announced Obama's intention to sign the bill shortly after Congress finished the legislation.

Under the measure, an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers would be extended for seven months and expanded with a $6,500 credit for some prospective homebuyers who already own homes.  

The House passed the bill on a 403-12 vote Thursday, a day after the Senate ended a monthlong stalemate with a 98-0 vote. With some 7,000 people exhausting unemployment benefits every day and the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers set to expire at the end of November, President Barack Obama is expected to quickly sign it into law.

The $24 billion package also contains tax credits aimed at struggling businesses.

The IRS says some 1.4 million people applied for the homebuyers credit through August, helping enliven the moribund housing market. The legislation would extend the program through June of next year, as long as the buyer signs a contract by the end of April. It also offers a $6,500 tax credit to those who have lived in their current residence at least five years.

The measure doubles the income ceiling for eligible individuals to $125,000. Homes must cost less than $800,000 to qualify.

The nearly 2 million who have exhausted their unemployment benefits or face termination of benefits, usually about $300 a week, before the end of the year would receive 14 weeks of additional benefits under the bill. The unemployed in those states where the jobless rate tops 8.5 percent would get six weeks on top of that.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the bill would also help the economy because the unemployed quickly spend their checks on living necessities. "We help people in very bad straits and we help our economy and help us all."

The extension would be the fourth since June of last year and the first since the $787 billion stimulus package was enacted last February. The unemployed in the hardest-hit states could, once the bill becomes law, receive a maximum of 99 weeks of benefits, well above the previous record of 65 weeks in the 1970s.

Lawmakers said aggressive measures are needed because the unemployment rate, now at 9.8 percent, is expected to hover around 10 percent into next year and more than one-third of the 15 million unemployed have been looking for work for at least six months, a record.

The nation has lost 8 million jobs since the "great recession" began at the end of 2007, said Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., a chief sponsor of the legislation. Even with the recession winding down, "we know it will take considerable time to restore those lost jobs."

"A stunning 600,000 workers ran out of jobless benefits in the past two months alone, and thousands more are projected to by the end of the year," said Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project. "Workers need this extension, the economy needs this extension."

The bill only applies to those running out of benefits before the end of the year, and McDermott reminded his colleagues that Congress may have to revisit the issue before it adjourns for the year.

The bill would also allow businesses that have incurred losses in 2008 and 2009 to seek refunds for taxes paid on profits over the past five years. 

The two tax credits, each costing more than $10 billion over 10 years, are paid for by delaying enactment of a law giving international companies more leeway in how they allocate interest expenses between U.S. and foreign sources in determining tax liabilities.

The $2.4 billion cost of extending unemployment benefits is offset by extending through June 2011 the federal unemployment tax that employers pay for each employee.

The three measures would add $43 billion to the 2010 deficit and then be repaid over time.

  The Bears will host the University of Missouri-St. Louis on November 2, and Henderson State on November 10 in its two exhibition games. The team then opens the regular season schedule with five straight home games at its 11,000-seat home facility, JQH Arena.

  The 2009-10 season opener will be on Monday, November 16 against Auburn, followed by three additional home games in the Hispanic College Fund Challenge, November 20-22, and a home date with Tulsa on November 28. The home tourney features Maryland-Eastern Shore, The Citadel and Eastern Michigan in a three-day, round-robin format.

  Following the five home games to start the season, the Bears travel to Arkansas-Little Rock on December 2, and then return to JQH Arena on December 5 to play Air Force in the inaugural Missouri Valley / Mountain West Challenge Series. The Bears continue the home stand on December 9 when they host UT Martin in the return game from last season's ESPNU BracketBusters.

  The team's longest road swing of the season takes place in the middle of December as second-year head coach Cuonzo Martin takes his troops to Arkansas State on December 12, before renewing the school's rivalry with St. Louis University on December 19 and closing out the three-game tilt at Arkansas on December 22.

  "It's a great schedule, and we certainly look forward to playing some excellent competition," said Martin whose 2009-10 squad features three returning starters and six newcomers. "As a player, this is the type of schedule you want to play: with teams like Auburn and Arkansas from the SEC, a tough home tournament that will push us for three straight days, some quality home games for our fans, and some good tests on the road. This is the type of schedule, with postseason-caliber opponents, to get a team ready for the conference season, and we're very happy with it."

  Including Missouri Valley Conference foes, the Bears' 2009-10 slate features 11 teams that appeared in one of the four postseason basketball events last season. Northern Iowa is the only NCAA tournament team on the slate, while five opponents played in the National Invitation Tournament, including quarterfinalist Auburn, second-round advancers Tulsa and Creighton, as well as UT Martin and Illinois State. Making the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament were Evansville, Drake, Citadel and Bradley, while Wichita State played in the College Basketball Invitational.

  The MVC schedule is expected to be released within the next two weeks and will include a home-and-home series with the other nine league foes. The Bears' final non-conference contest will be on Saturday, February 20 with a home game in the annual ESPNU BracketBusters series. The 2009-10 State Farm MVC Tournament will take place at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, March 4-7.

2009-10 Missouri State Non-Conference Schedule

  2009-10 Bears season tickets are available now by calling (417) 836-7678 or (888) 476-7849. When available, individual game tickets can be purchased on-line at www.MissouriStateTix.com, while team news, stats, updates, and ticket specials are available at www.MissouriStateBears.com, the official web site of Missouri State athletics.

After the hectic chaos of moving to a new home, it is becomes time for you, your family, and your pet to adjust. For dogs, moving can be particularly stressful because they do not understand what has happened to the family. Their world has been turned upside-down, and now they are living in a place that looks, smells and feels foreign and unfamiliar to their senses.

Because adjusting can sometimes be a hard thing for your pet to do, here are a few tips that may help the transition process be a little easier for Fido.

First, once you move into your new home, you will want to make sure you get your dog new tags. Sometimes pets can become worried and run away or they may become curious about their new surroundings and want to explore. Whatever the reason, getting your pup new tags is a precaution that you will not regret doing.

Next, make sure your pet has their toys, bones, doggie bed and blanket in an easily accessible spot. These are familiar items that are precious to your pet, and having them around will help give your dog a sense of security and belonging.

Make an effort to familiarize your pet with your new home and neighborhood. Let Fido roam freely around the house and explore the family’s new territory. Take your dog on walks around the neighborhood regularly so they can become familiar with the area and learn that this is their new home and neighborhood.

One of the best things you can do for your dog after moving into a new home is to pay them attention and assure them often that everything is all right. Spending time with your pet and taking the time to play with them shows them that you care and that they can have fun in their new home, though it is unfamiliar and frightening.

Unpacking all the boxes can take time, but the sooner you get it done, the sooner life can return to normal. This will also help your pet adjust to being in their new home when all of the furniture and common household items are settled into their new place. Once their bed and food and water dishes are placed in their permanent new spots, a small bit of your doggie’s normalcy will return.

Also encourage your kids to sit on the couch next to Fido and watch TV with them, take him on walks, and play with him. When interacting with the kids, your dog will imitate the confidence and security that emanates from your children as they play with the family pup.

Moving can be a hectic and stressful time for the whole family. Make sure that you don’t forget your dog in the full swing up settling down and getting family life back to normal. Pay attention to your dog and set them at ease. If your dog is upset and worried because of the move and new surroundings, it can rub off on the family as well. By unpacking as quickly as possible and setting your dog at ease, you will be able to settle in quickly and enjoy your home as a family.