Mobile, AL

I just have to say that Home Staging Resource has far exceded my expectations. I considered many staging training companies and finally decided to go with HSR, because I felt like a 21 day training period would teach me more than a 3 day one. I did learn a great deal during that time, but now I am constantly amazed at how much information they still provide for their stagers. Every time I need a form, or have a question about something, I visit the HSR library and find it. There is a wealth of information there, so much so, that I still haven't read it all. And it is continually updated. Audra is very dedicated to the success of her students, and stays in contact with you. I feel like I have a safety net with HSR - if any situations arrive that I do not know how to handle, I feel like I will find the information I need there. I would encourage anyone considering staging training to check out this program, www.homestagingresource.com .

With the holidays behind us, we can look forward to a new year of health and prosperity (think positive!). Unfortunately, it is hard to be prosperous when you feel bad and are knocked off your feet by colds, flu or respiratory illnesses that are common this time of year. Here are a few tips to help you stay well:

1. Get enough rest. When your body is tired, it does not have enough reserve energy to fight off germs, viruses and bacteria that we come into contact with every day. American's love to burn the candle at both ends, and sometimes we feel like getting enough sleep is a luxury, but it is imperative to your health. You cannot function at your optimum, mentally or physically, when you are tired.

2. Eat the right foods. I know we all ate too many rich foods over the holidays, and the New Year's resolutions to eat right are almost cliche, but I can't stress the importance of having an abundance of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the greatest source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Make smoothies, eat fresh fruit salads and green salads, every day.

3. Move it! We are all so sedentary (especially when we're blogging on Active Rain:). Turn off the tv and computer and take a walk, jog, dance, play tennis, run around with your kids, or work in your garden (we can do that here in Mobile in the winter). Exercise doesn't have to be done in a gym, just do what you can, where you are.

I'll post more later on some natural remedies to help when you are feeling under the weather. Wishing health to you all in 2009!

A recent article by the City of Mobile Press Register reported that Mayor Sam Jones had given a directive to the telecommunications and technology departments to look into the plausibility of providing free wireless internet service in downtown Mobile. According to Mayor Jones "That's something we consider a priority. A lot of people are interested in having broadband access.... It would be a selling point for Mobile." Apparently the mayor realizes the potential benefit to business users, and the social impact for our young people.

Currently and for the last few years, Southern Light, a local fiber-optic company located on St. Anthony Street has been providing free wireless internet access in the downtown Cathedral Square area, but with disappointing results.

Perhaps Mobile can follow in the footsteps of Houston, Texas who began providing free WiFi earlier in 2008 as an extension of the technology used with their parking meters. They are getting about 200 unique users a day and believe that Houston is now more "hip" among its young people, and from a governmental standpoint, this service "connects" them with the youth more than any other service, according to Janis Benton, the deputy director for the city's Information Technology Department.

As a deep-port city, Mobile continues to attract to businesses into the area and the future looks bright indeed. This advancement, if implemented, will further define the city of Mobile as an up-and-coming place to work, play, and live.

The City of Mobile has released its master plan. Please visit the comprehensive website that outines the details - Mobile AL Master Plan website,

Before this plan, the last master plan was prepared in 1996. It is standard practice for a community to update its plan every 10 to 15 years to keep pace with new market, neighborhood and government conditions as well as advancements in technological, environmental, transportation and land-use planning.

The Master Plan is expected to be an extensive and forthright assessment of the potential and liabilities of Mobile's continued development for the next 10 to 15 years. The Master Plan For Mobile is the core philosophy that directs all development activities in the city. By its very name, the Mobile Master Plan will focus on both public realm enhancement of the Downtown core and neighborhoods while also serving as a marketing tool for attracting new private sector investment

Press Release

Release Date: December 16, 2008

For immediate release

The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to establish a target range for the federal funds rate of 0 to 1/4 percent.

Since the Committee's last meeting, labor market conditions have deteriorated, and the available data indicate that consumer spending, business investment, and industrial production have declined. Financial markets remain quite strained and credit conditions tight. Overall, the outlook for economic activity has weakened further.

Meanwhile, inflationary pressures have diminished appreciably. In light of the declines in the prices of energy and other commodities and the weaker prospects for economic activity, the Committee expects inflation to moderate further in coming quarters.

The Federal Reserve will employ all available tools to promote the resumption of sustainable economic growth and to preserve price stability. In particular, the Committee anticipates that weak economic conditions are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate for some time.

The focus of the Committee's policy going forward will be to support the functioning of financial markets and stimulate the economy through open market operations and other measures that sustain the size of the Federal Reserve's balance sheet at a high level. As previously announced, over the next few quarters the Federal Reserve will purchase large quantities of agency debt and mortgage-backed securities to provide support to the mortgage and housing markets, and it stands ready to expand its purchases of agency debt and mortgage-backed securities as conditions warrant. The Committee is also evaluating the potential benefits of purchasing longer-term Treasury securities. Early next year, the Federal Reserve will also implement the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility to facilitate the extension of credit to households and small businesses. The Federal Reserve will continue to consider ways of using its balance sheet to further support credit markets and economic activity.

Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; Christine M. Cumming; Elizabeth A. Duke; Richard W. Fisher; Donald L. Kohn; Randall S. Kroszner; Sandra Pianalto; Charles I. Plosser; Gary H. Stern; and Kevin M. Warsh.

In a related action, the Board of Governors unanimously approved a 75-basis-point decrease in the discount rate to 1/2 percent. In taking this action, the Board approved the requests submitted by the Boards of Directors of the Federal Reserve Banks of New York, Cleveland, Richmond, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and San Francisco. The Board also established interest rates on required and excess reserve balances of 1/4 percent.

2008 Monetary Policy Releases