About Sangamon County, IL

Alaska More than half of the coastline of the entire United States is in Alaska ..


Amazon

The Amazon rainforest produces more than 20% the world's oxygen supply. The Amazon River pushes so much water into the Atlantic Ocean that, more than one hundred miles at sea off the mouth of the river, one can dip fresh water out of the ocean. The volume of water in the Amazon river is greater than the next eight largest rivers in the world combined and three times the flow of all rivers in the United States ...

Antarctica

Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country. Ninety percent of the world's ice covers Antarctica . This ice also represents seventy percent of all the fresh water in the world. As strange as it sounds, however, Antarctica is essentially a desert. The average yearly total precipitation is about two inches Although covered with ice (all but 0.4% of it, ice.), Antarctica is the driest place on the planet, with an absolute humidity lower than the Gobi desert.


Brazil

Brazil got its name from the nut, not the other way around.


Canada

Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined. Canada is an Indian word meaning ' Big Village ...'


Chicago Next to Warsaw , Chicago has the largest Polish population in the world.


Detroit

Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, carries the designation M-1, so named because it was the first paved road anywhere.


Damascus, Syria

Damascus, Syria, was flourishing a couple of thousand years before Rome was founded in 753 BC, making it the oldest continuously inhabited city in existence.


Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey, is the only city in the world located on two continents.


Los Angeles

Los Angele's full name is El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula -- and can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size: L.A.


New York City The term 'The Big Apple' was coined by touring jazz musicians of the 1930's who used the slang expression 'apple' for any town or city. Therefore, to play New York City is to play the big time - The Big Apple.

There are more Irish in New York City than in Dublin , Ireland ; more Italians in New York City than in Rome, Italy ; and more Jews in New York City than in Tel Aviv, Israel .


Ohio

There are no natural lakes in the state of Ohio , everyone is manmade.


Pitcairn Island

The smallest island with country status is Pitcairn in Polynesia , at just 1.75 sq. miles/4,53 sq. km.


Rome

The first city to reach a population of 1 million people was Rome , Italy in 133 B.C. There is a city called Rome on every continent.


Siberia

Siberia contains more than 25% of the world's forests.


S.M.O.M .

The actual smallest sovereign entity in the world is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (S.M.O.M). It is located in the city of Rome, Italy, has an area of two tennis courts, and as of 2001 has a population of 80, 20 less people than the Vatican. It is a sovereign entity under international law, just as the Vatican is.


Sahara Desert

In the Sahara Desert , there is a town named Tidikelt , Algeria , which did not receive a drop of rain for ten years. Technically though, the driest place on Earth is in the valleys of the Antarctic near Ross Island .. There has been no rainfall there for two million years.

Spain

Spain literally means 'the land of rabbits.'


St. Paul , Minnesota

St. Paul, Minnesota , was originally called Pig's Eye after a man named Pierre 'Pig's Eye' Parrant who set up the first business there.


Roads

Chances that a road is unpaved in the U.S.A : 1%, in Canada : 75%

Russia

The deepest hole ever drilled by man is the Kola Superdeep Borehole, in Russia . It reached a depth of 12,261 meters (about 40,226 feet or 7.62 miles). It was drilled for scientific research and gave up some unexpected discoveries, one of which was a huge deposit of hydrogen - so massive that the mud coming from the hole was “boiling� with it.

United States

The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one-mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies.


Waterfalls

The water of Angel Falls (the World's highest) in Venezuela drops 3,212 feet (979 meters). They are 15 times higher than Niagara Falls ..

I have always said , you should learn something new every day. Unfortunately, many of us are at that age where what we learn today, we forget tomorrow. But, give it a shot anyway.

News Release

The median single-family home sale price and unit sales both increased in the Capital Area during September 2009, according to the Capital Area Association of REALTORS® (CAAR) Multiple Information Service.

Home sales in the Capital Area during the month of September amounted to 364 units, reflecting an increase of 14.1 percent over September of 2008. Year-to-date home sales through September of 2009 revealed 2,770 unit sales, down 0.9 percent from year-to-date through September of 2008.

For the month of September 2009, the median home sale price (for all single-family homes and condominiums) was $109,000, reflecting an increase of 7.9 percent from the $101,000 September 2008 median price. The median sale price for year-to-date through September 2009 was $110,000, reflecting an increase of 4.8 percent over the same period in 2008. The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half sold for less.

According to CAAR president, Linda Nelson, GRI, GREEN, e-PRO, "The Capital Area housing market is very robust right now which is illustrated by the fact that home sales have increased year-over-year in the month of September for the fourth straight month. September home sales were the best since 2004 and the third best on record. Overall, prices have been holding up fairly well also with the median home sale price having increased in six of the last nine months." said Nelson.

The inventory of homes for sale at the end of September was 1,611, reflecting a 28.2 percent decrease from the 2,065 homes for sale during the same time last year. Current inventory levels stand at 1,563 homes, which continues at a four year low. The current inventory level reflects a 5.4 month supply at the average monthly sales pace for the past twelve months.

The number of sales pending at the end of September was 328, reflecting a 3.8 percent increase over the 316 sales pending at the same time in 2008. The average cumulative days on market in September of 2009 was 83 days reflecting a decrease of 13 days from the same month in 2008 and a decrease of 15 days from August of 2009. The average cumulative days on market for year-to-date through August of 2009 was 110 days, reflecting an increase of 4 days from the same period in 2008.

"During the month of September the $80,000-119,999 range was the fastest moving price range. In terms of the sheer number of units sold the $80,000-$159,999 price range was the most active. The $200,000 to $259,999 price range was very strong as well, said Nelson.

"Those first-time homebuyers that have recently entered into a contract to purchase are now racing against the clock to get their transaction closed by November 30, 2009 in order to take advantage of the first-time homebuyer tax credit. For those who haven't entered into a sales contract already it would be very difficult at this point to make the deadline," said Nelson.

"Unless we have turned the corner and are on our way toward a self-sustaining recovery in the housing market we'll likely see sales decline when the tax credit expires. As a result, REALTORS have been working hard to urge Congress to extend the tax credit beyond the fast-approaching deadline of December 1 to enable more people to take advantage of it and to help sustain the housing recovery," said Nelson.

The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. reported that the national average commitment rate for 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgages was 5.06 percent in September 2009, down from the 6.04 average rate during September of 2008.

Saw this video on the Bonnie Hunt Show and some of you may like too.............

http://www.bonniehunt.com/videos/player/rightrail/index.html?mediaKey=6f71d1d0-b612-4bf4-a698-7273eaa3ad29&isShareURL=true

By Anita Stienstra

Experience the glowing artistry of 2,000 hand-carved, illuminated jack-o-lanterns featuring the carving talents of area residents, artists and District 186 students. The hollow pumpkin lanterns decorate the carillon and botanical garden areas Friday and Saturday night, hosted by the Springfield Park District, Rees Carillon Society and Rees Memorial Carillon. Food vendors will be available. Free bus service offered from Sacred Heart Griffin.

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular
Friday and Saturday,
Oct. 16-17
6-10pm
Rees Memorial Carillon
Washington Park
753-6219
$3-$5