It is shocking to watch videos of the earthquake and subsequently the terrible tsunami that struck Japan.  Thousands of lives were lost.  Yet tens of thousands – perhaps hundreds of thousands – of lives were saved because of very strict building codes and top engineering.  From Kottke.org,

Over the years, Japan has spent billions of dollars developing the most advanced technology against earthquakes and tsunamis. The Japanese, who regularly experience smaller earthquakes and have lived through major ones, know how to react to quakes and tsunamis because of regular drills — unlike Southeast Asians, many of whom died in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami because they lingered near the coast despite clear warnings to flee.

Next time you want to give your local codes inspector grief or argue about the expense of a safety measure recommended by your architect or engineer, remember Japan.  We can definitely learn from them.

We are thankful that so many people were spared during this kind of horror.

Best actor ever … TOM HANKS.  He’s in an upcoming movie called Larry Crowne where his character loses his job, is underwater on his mortgage, so goes back to school.  Thought this sneak peek would be a fun way to kick off your weekend!

FUN video is the key word.  It’s pretty funny how agents can tell it like it is through sarcastic cartoons.

For this rainy (where I am, anyway) Friday afternoon, there’s nothing better to do than to stop for a minute and watch a video that might help you sell your house!

Happy weekend!

Say your parents have a lot of money. They hire housekeepers, gardeners, even a pool boy.  But suddenly they can’t pay the salaries, they can’t pay their bills, they can’t pay for your new clothes – all because they are living on credit and this credit can’t be paid back.

It’s kind of the same thing happening in Greece.  The dominoes are falling and they’re taking a lot of others down with them.  From Longing for Home, John Vaala helps explain it,

The European Union on Monday made public its $1 trillion bailout of Greece and other potential defaults in nations such as Portugal, Spain, and Ireland saving, for now, the value of the Euro from deflating and igniting yet another worldwide monetary crisis.

What’s better is his link to this youtube video.

While this video is from Japan, it rings so true even in the U.S.

Have a great weekend!

My husband loves these silly e*trade baby commercials.  Generally we don’t watch any commercials on TV (that’s what DVR, video tape, and remote control is for, right?), but now not only does my husband watch the babies, he also calls “Kathy! Watch!” forcing me to sit through them too.  But they are pretty funny.  Enjoy the weekend!

Even though I don’t use American Express, this commercial featuring Wes Anderson made me laugh.

Happy Friday!

The E*Trade baby strikes again, this time reminding us all that the lottery isn’t, in fact, a retirement plan.

Happy Friday!

Here’s a classic from Homestar Runner. I love Strong Bad, and loved this thing about garage sales.

Happy Friday!