Ralph Gorgoglione

My partner Richard and I have a series of ongoing video discussions with Nancy Everett of Home Services Lending.

This last one was a discussion about requiring buyers to double-app with the listing agents preferred lender.

We discussed the issues from both the buyer and seller sides and some pretty interesting points came up.

Give it a glance when you have a chance (it's about 13 minutes):

Requiring buyers to double-app: views from both buyer and seller side from Ralph Gorgoglione on Vimeo.

I just got through speaking to someone who works for a health care insurance provider.

One of the biggest problems is the whole denial of coverage after a claim has been submitted.

The issue is that when an application for insurance is submitted to a provider, they pretty much put the application through and start the policy.

Then, should you become ill, IT'S AT THAT POINT THAT THEY REVIEW YOUR APPLICATIONS AND HISTORY FORMS SUBMITTED TO PHYSICIANS.

So in other words, THEY DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS AT THE TIME YOU SIGN UP TO PAY YOUR MONTHLY POLICY. Because that would prohibit them from taking your money!!!

What this means is they want to take your money, then if and when you submit a claim, then they'll review your file.

THIS IS WRONG AND PART OF THE REASON WE NEED HEALTH CARE REFORM NOW.

Someone deserves the right to know if their application for insurance is being denied at the time they apply for it. At least this way, the applicant can go to provider "B" to try and get insurance, or if there is something they forgot to disclose, they will have the opportunity to do so with provider "B".

Now that we as a people are studying the situation, it's stuff like this and more that is shedding light on just how unethical and borderline criminal the health care providers are.

THEY MAKE MONEY ON KEEPING YOU SICK, NOT ON MAKING YOU BETTER!!

WellPoint, the nation's largest insurance company made over 2.5 Billion in profits last year. Now, WellPoint's affiliate, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, is suing the state of Maine for refusing to guarantee it a profit margin.

Taking people's premium money, and then denying them insurance claims for medical treatment.

A health insurance policy is a purchase. In any business, changing the terms after the purchase agreement is deemed as breach of contract.

Please tell me how ANYONE can be worth paying $9.8 million dollars per year as a CEO of ANYTHING?!!

The older I get, the more I seem to understand the way things work in this world.

Fear is an issue that is, when you get right down to the psychological core, what causes most of the problems in our world.

Fear of another group of people who are of another ethnicity, social status, religion or sexual orientation is what causes most of the grief we experience.

The important thing to remember is WHAT YOU BELIEVE FOR YOURSELF TO BE TRUE, RIGHT AND APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR THE DEFINITION OF YOUR LIFE is not the same for the next person, and the next, and the next, etc.

And even more important, by others having different beliefs, IT DOES NOT DIMINISH YOUR BELIEF SYSTEM BY ANY MEANS.

It should not threaten your belief system in any way, because as you know, what you believe is stead-fast in your life, it is your right, and no one can take that from you.

PLEASE BEWARE of those around you who want to instill fear into you by making you believe that your belief system, spirituality or political viewpoint is threatened by those who feel differently. Those people have their own hidden agendas and most of the time will use this fear base to hijack your support for their own individual causes.

But at the same time, NEVER FORGET THAT WE LIVE IN A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY. Meaning that we are a melting pot and everyone in the pot has an equal right to the pursuit of happiness in their life.

The next time you go to vote on something, think about whether or not what your voting for means isolating any group or denying any group basic human rights.

So the next time you see someone of a different religion, don't feel fear or hate. Just smile and know that you're all good with your beliefs and nothing will change that.

The next time you see someone of a different ethnicity, don't feel fear or hate. Just smile and know that you're all good with your beliefs and nothing will change that.

The next time you see someone of a different sexual orientation, don't feel fear or hate. Just smile and know that you're all good with your beliefs and nothing will change that.

The next time you see someone of a different financial or social status, don't feel fear or hate. Just smile and know that you're all good with your beliefs and nothing will change that.

Be confident. Be tolerant. Be transparent with your beliefs.

It's a very sexy thing and you'll probably wear it well.

Peace......

I've actually learned so much as a homeowner myself about home landscaping and gardening. I'm out there just about every day trimming, watering, and making sure everything is "happy".

If you're prepping your home for sale, one of the things you really want to focus on that may really separate you from the competition is making sure a good percentage of your landscaping are the type of foliage that will thrive in the fall and winter.

A large percentage of plants and shrubbery that thrive in the spring and summer will lose their leaves and/or become dormant during the fall and winter months.

This really can make your home look unnattractive (and even spooky in some cases).

The key is to replace them with evergreen bushes and trees, and if they are blooming types, then make sure they are either those that will bloom in the fall and winter, or are perennial bloomers.

For example, pansies will bloom in the fall and spring. Their delicate flowers and fun colors are quite deceiving because they are a very hearty plant.

Also shrubbery such as Carolina cherrys or Carolina compacts are evergreen trees and bushes that look stunning all year long.

Now is also the best time to re-seed your lawn as you will get some rains and the severe cold will come when the new grass has matured and started to root.

Also remember to set your sprinkler systems back a little as less water is typically needed in the fall and winter months due to less evaporation by strong sun.

Depending on the region where you live, most local nurseries will give you the info you need as far as which plants grow best and that are more native to your region.

If you pay attention to your landscaping, your house will really pop in the face of many other listings that look half-dead!!