Bless you Bella and Maddie.
Archive for February, 2008
Who’s foolin’ who
February 27th, 2008 Categories: San Diego County Triathlon Race Reports, Triathlon Club of San Diego Race Reports
Finally after several months and a back surgery, I am now finally able to get back into training. Today was my first time back at a pool and while I had a great time I realized that the most overused training tool in existence has to be the pull buoy. I think everyone doing a freestyle was using one. I reflected back on how I would proudly tell you of my great swim workout, but realize now I was cheating myself out a solid workout. 3500 yards with one of these flotation devices is nowhere near the workout without.
I then recalled my recollection of the debate surrounding the introduction of wetsuits to triathlon. The swimmers of the day such as Dave Scott were not happy with the introduction of what was deemed(rightfully) a swim aid. Runners and cyclist knew this was a way they could limit the time a swimmer could put on them. The first races to allow wetsuits would make you put them on once the gun went off to try to defray the fight.
Well as we now know the wetsuit won out. It was hard not to acknowldege the safety aspect that the wetsuit provides from the elements and as a flotation device for struggling and undertrained triathletes. I would even say that the wetsuit could be credited as a tool in the growth of our sport.
Float on…….
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San Diego’s upside homeowners find money
February 23rd, 2008 Categories: Real Estate News, San Diego county Real Estate News
San Diego– Homeowners who purchased their homes during the height of 
the local real estate market, late 2004 to mid 2006, may be able to save money on their property tax bills. This is due to the passing on proposition 8 in 1978. The monthly savings would be approximately $50 a month per $50,000 in value reduction.
Proposition 8– In 1978, California voters passed Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that allows a temporary reduction in assessed value when a property suffers a “decline-in-value.” A decline-in-value occurs when the current market value of your property is less than the 
current assessed value as of January 1. The beauty of this temporary reassessment is that you can only be reassessed as high as the original assessed value, plus the annual CPI increases, as your property value increases.
What you need to do-In order to save money on your property tax bill, you need to fill out the appropriate form that includes comparable sold homes to support your proposed new value. The form is available here.There have recently been mailing from for profit companies willing to do the paperwork for you for a fee. 
If you, a family member or friend would like someone to help them do this I will gladly do it free of charge. All I ask, is that you come to my office where we will fill out the form and get the comparable properties. Give me a call at 760–415–3329 or email me at brianalong@msn.com.
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Didn’t get the memo?
February 19th, 2008 Categories: Real Estate News
If you are reading this, you obliviously did not receive the notice.
Seeking to find the most productive day of the week, RIS Media reported on this Accutemp survey of 150 senior executives from the nation’s 1,000 largest companies.Turns out that it is Tuesday. So while I am busy working on this blog and your coworkers are doing their thing, you are web surfing.
Can you guess which is the least productive work day? Hint; TGIF.
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January’s market report
February 15th, 2008 Categories: Real Estate News, San Diego county Real Estate News
Well January continued the trend of the past several months. Follow this link for the whole story.
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Why dogs are man’s best friend
February 14th, 2008 Categories: Real Estate News
I love my dog. His name is Dave. I was born with a dog, a dalmation named Casey and we have always had dogs. Before Dave, the dog I loved the most was Coffee, a german shorthair pointer that took me through my teen years.
In Winona Minnesota this week a rescued golden/collie mix and a golden puppy saved a family when during the night, the family home caught on fire.
This is Bella one of the heroes, and here is her story.
Bella and Maddie were best friends, and on Friday they became heroes.
Once rescued as an abused puppy, 3-year-old golden retriever/collie mix Bella, returned the favor to her owners at about 2 a.m. when she alerted them of a fire in the house. And little 6-month-old Maddie, a purebred golden retriever, was right behind her, as always.
Sue Feuling and her 9-year-old daughter Mckenzie made it out of the home at 412 E. Third St. unhurt. Their rescuers did not. Bella and Maddie died in the fire.
“Those dogs were without a doubt the heroes,” said Assistant Fire Chief Jim Multhaup.
Sue’s uncle and next-door neighbor, Bud Smith, agreed.
“They might not have gotten out without them,” he said.
Feuling said she was sound asleep when the usually well-behaved Bella did something she never does — jumped on the bed and started barking. Feuling eventually woke up and smelled smoke. She grabbed Mckenzie and rushed out of the house.
The dogs were right behind her but couldn’t be coaxed out of the small, white dwelling. Feuling said she tried to run back in and yell for the dogs, but they would not come out.
“Bella must have thought Mckenzie was still in the house,” Feuling said.
Firefighters arrived within minutes and one attempted to go in and save the dogs, but was unable to do so in time. He suffered some smoke inhalation as a result of his efforts but will be fine, Multhaup said. He said the Feulings were taken to Community Memorial Hospital for smoke inhalation monitoring, but were OK.
The fire gutted the home, causing extensive damage to the first floor and structural damage to the attic, Multhaup said. He said the fire was caused by an overloaded electrical outlet on the main floor.
Feuling’s husband, Bruce, who was at work at the time of the fire, said the family’s computer equipment was plugged into the outlet that started the fire.
Multhaup said this was the fourth fire in the last month to be caused by overloaded wiring and urged caution when plugging in space heaters or, in the summer, air conditioners, into outlets with older wiring.
The Red Cross is assisting the family, Bruce said. He is still uncertain about what will happen after a couple days in a motel. Bruce said they hope to rebuild their house, which they’ve lived in for about 25 years.
An assistance fund will be set up for the family Monday at Eastwood Bank, said Bruce’s mother, Betty.
Bella was like a human being because she seemed to understand what you were saying, Bruce said. When they got Maddie as a puppy, Bella was a little skeptical at first, but the two became fast friends. Maddie used to follow Bella around all the time, Sue said.
“Everything I lost is nothing compared to them,” she said.–
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