VOTE!

Since the loooong national primary season has been so drawn out, there's a sense of that chapter having been closed and now all we have to do is show up at the polls again in November. However, here in SC that is not the case! I'm going to keep the blog short today, so that you can spend some time poking around into the links provided below, figure out who will appear on your ballot, make an informed decision about how to award your vote and get out there tomorrow and make it count!

Candidate Websites:
US Congressional offices
State House of Representatives
State Senate
State Solicitor offices
County, school board offices

SC Election Commission website to see who's running and where

How to Find Your SC Precinct, Polling Place:
Look up your precinct, polling location, voting districts
1. Do NOT enter your street number.
2. Do NOT enter an abbreviation such as Rd, St, or Ave.
3. Use slashes in birth date and 4-character year.
4. Click Get driving directions to the Precinct in upper right corner for directions, map.

SC State Songs

A certain sadly displaced South Carolinian I knew back in the late seventies used to sing the James Taylor song "Country Road" with the lyrics slightly altered: "Country road take me home, to the place I belong! Back to Charleston, South Carolina, oh country road take me home." Homesick Sandlpappers today can mournfully croon "South Carolina On My Mind." As a matter of fact you might want to practice along with the YouTube video a few times, so you have it all ready to go for just the right occasion!



"[I]n 1984 our State Legislature passed a resolution making South Carolina on My Mind our second state song, declaring that it had "penetrated the hearts of countless numbers of Americans and ... as a direct result of their exposure to the song, many of them now have 'South Carolina on Their Mind.'" Hank and Buzz then found themselves performing for the General Assembly.

For whatever reason, this important song has suffered relative anonymity for the past two decades. It's been pretty much impossible to find ... until now! SCIway is proud to be able to reintroduce South Carolina on My Mind to our readers, or listeners as the case may be!"
For the full SCIway Newsletter article: http://www.sciway.net/sn/56.html#3

Keeping Pets From Presenting a Selling Problem

I think the key in this situation, as in many with pets, is to remember that nobody loves your puss or pooch as much as you do!"Dale Stevens, an associate with Prudential Connecticut Realty in Enfield, Conn., has been bitten by dogs and assaulted by parakeets, but her worst experience came as a result of a cat sleeping in a chair: Her client, terrified of cats, took one look at the snoring feline and walked away from the deal. If your sellers have pets at the home, here are some suggestions from Stevens and other Connecticut practitioners for managing the potential problem.

Clear up allergy conflicts. Make it clear in the listing that a pet lives in the home to avoid any problem with potential buyers who have allergies.
Get rid of smells. Minimize odors by removing litter boxes and thoroughly vacuuming up dog and cat hair.
Move the dog out. Ask the sellers to relocate their pets during the selling process. Moving the animal to the home of a friend or relative is the best solution.
Next best: to the basement. If the pet can’t be moved, then suggest that they confine the animal to the basement or the garage.
No pets at showings. Insist the sellers take the pet with them during open houses and showings.
Offer to pay for cleaning. Tell sellers you'll give them a credit at closing to pay for having the house thoroughly cleaned by a professional to get rid of any lingering pet odors and hair.
Hide the evidence. Remove evidence of the pet, like pet toys, feeding dishes and photos, which can distract potential buyers who don't like the idea of animals living in the house."

For the Realtor magzine online article: http://www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2008052004?OpenDocument