Blogs, Blogs Everywhere!

Blogger Says You Need An Inventory: Mary E. Trimble says on her blog that "a home inventory can save you big money - and headaches - should tragedy strike." Here's more:The aftermath of a disaster is confusing and frustrating enough without trying to recall the particulars of your possessions. For items destroyed in fire or flood, a household inventory will help you remember what you had.

State Farm Goes Down Swinging

State Farm Moves to Eliminate Florida Discounts: State Farm Florida, which will soon stop writing new homeowners insurance in the state, is now asking the legislature's permission to remove all the discounts that its remaining policyholders receive, giving those people what amounts to a significant rate increase. Clients receive discounts for such things as having your car and home insured by

Another Round of Rate Increases . . .

You Know Who You Are: Residents in Texas, North Carolina, Louisiana, and Florida can expect to pay higher property insurance premiums in the coming months. OK you geography buffs out there, what do these states have in common? Obviously, there is a lot of debate in these states about the inland (poorer) homeowners having to pay higher premiums because of the coastal (richer) risk, and while I

I love a distressed wicker loveseat...

Image from Victoria Magazine hope you are planning a relaxing weekend!

The Basics of Home Inventory

It's been a while since I have spent any time reviewing the basic justification for a home inventory, and I know that we have a lot of new readers that haven't heard an explanation of what I do or what the home inventory industry is all about.Let me start off by saying that home inventory goes hand in glove with good homeowners insurance coverage. I'd go so far as to say that one is incomplete

The Abraham Lincoln Blog Takes A Break

The Abraham Lincoln Blog is taking a bit of a break over the next couple of weeks. I'm heading to the country of Turkey tomorrow morning so my wife and I can attend the celebration of her father's 90th birthday on Thursday. My wife is originally from that country and her parents still live there.

The image in the photo is taken on the beach where they live on the western coast of Turkey. Yes, it's every bit that beautiful. It will be my 10th trip to the country and I never tire of it, its people, and the amazing history everywhere you look. There are remnants of ancient Rome and Greece, the Hittites, the Byzantines, the Ottoman Empire, and other peoples mentioned in the Bible. It is a fascinating land.

Of course, this being a blog about Abraham Lincoln, I had to find an article about his administration's interaction with the Ottoman Empire, which is here. The U.S. and the Ottoman Empire had very cordial relationships in those days. Today, Turkey remains a staunch and important ally of the U.S. in the unstable Middle East.

The other snippet I know about Lincoln's interaction with the Ottomans is that he sent General Lew Wallace (author of the famous Ben-Hur) as ambassador to Constantinople (now Istanbul). He hoped that the ancient city would inspire Wallace to write another Biblical novel.

Thank you for your patience if I don't update the blog over the next couple of weeks. If major "Abe News" breaks, I'll blog about it as soon as possible. I return in early August after, it is to be hoped, a very relaxing vacation.

Fabric Possibilities For My Chairs...

I realize that all my posts have been 'help me decide' lately - but I have been making so many decisions and processing so many projects that looking at inspiration photos seems, well, uninspiring. I am looking for some fabric to make cushions for my Chinoiserie chairs and below is a collection of really lovely and fun fabric choices that are all available for under 20 dollars per yard (some are

Summer Brights and Whites

Liven up your summer by adding accessories in porcelain white and bright colors.
These accents can bring the lively, cheerful colors of summer into your favorite room. There are a variety of well-priced accent pieces that can add seasonal zip for summer. We decorate for the holiday season, why not for the summer season? Try a bright white bowl filled with colorful fruit like bright yellow lemons or green granny smiths.

Vases, photo frames, servicing trays are all great ways to bring bright accents into your space. Keep accent items small and in groupings or use one or two large bright pieces to add focal accents. White is a great “non-color” to work with as other colors can be added to it to suit the season and décor of your room.

All accent accessories shown here are from Two’s Company “Palm Springs” Collection available through William Miller Design in Palm Desert- providing interior design services for the communities of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, and La Quinta.

Local Spin On Deaccessioning Debate

In a recent blog post I discussed the debate over whether museums and public galleries should be able to liqidate a portion of their holdings to help pay the bills in troubled times like these. This controversial practice, known as deaccessioning, allows museums to keep the bulk of their work together and exercise their own judgement. Critics claim that this is a violation of a public trust,

Home insurance, coverage

Ensure our property is very important to preserve our heritage. However, hiring and paying insurance, not always guarantee that we will recover the value of our property in case any misfortune happen. Sometimes the property is not valued properly, for example because they have not considered the arrangements made or remodeling.It is important to note that the insurer shall determine the amount of

Vacation Homes, Under-Insurance, and Personal Accomplishments

Don't Forget The Lake House: Those of you who own vacation homes need to remember the contents you keep there when it comes to your home inventory protection. As a matter of fact, Matt MacMillan of the Hutchison (MN) Leader says you should keep a separate inventory for that residence. The article has some good insurance tips for owners of secondary residences.If your secondary home or vacation

Choose home insurance and save

During recent years, thanks to the vortex in the recruitment of many mortgage banks and savings banks that have taken advantage of customers by requiring the hiring of a home insurance or life with the entity.A change of this contract apply to a lower interest rate, or rather in the differential applied to the Euribor. However, the discount applied is only a few euros a month, that does not

The British Are Agreeing! The British Are Agreeing!

Support From Across The Pond: The Guardian newspaper has some tips for saving money on your insurance bills that extend to American audiences, and home inventory is a suggested method for determining your coverage need. Hear that steady drumbeat off in the distance? That's the third parties telling you that you need my service! Thump, thump, thump. Here's what the Guardian has to say about

Hurricanes, Bulls and Bears. What a Day!

Good Insurance News? No Way! Texas officials reviewing claims data from the two recent hurricanes says that a surprisingly small number of justifiable complaints were filed, less than one quarter of one percent! Way to go, Texas insurance industry! Claims Journal has the story."There will always be complaints arising from any storm damage. When you are dealing with a lot of money in a

Greenpeace At Mount Rushmore

By now it's fairly old news that the environmentalist group Greenpeace staged a protest yesterday about global warming at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota. Members of the organization used rappelling anchors (already in place for the National Park Service to use when cleaning the sculptures) and unfurled a banner which read "America Honors Leaders, Not Politicians. Stop Global Warming."

I have mixed emotions about the protest that Greenpeace staged yesterday. Certainly, the members of the group broke the law by trespassing on National Park Service (NPS) land. They could have damaged the carvings. Most seriously of all, they endangered their lives and the lives of the NPS rangers who escorted them back to safety. And of course since I blog about Abraham Lincoln, I was at first angry that Greenpeace protested next to Mr. Lincoln's "head."

On the other hand, I care deeply about the environment and I practice environmentalism on an personal basis. I currently own a 2009 Toyota Prius, which is the third Prius I've owned since 2001. My wife and I recycle virtually everything we use. I believe global warming is real, although the causes of it are debatable. Looking at Greenpeace's banner in another way, it could be taken to mean that this country is in desperate need of leadership, the kind which Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and yes, Abraham Lincoln provided to our nation. In fact, I rather think these four men, especially Roosevelt (who championed conservation), would take action to help combat the effects of global warming.

The New York Daily News had a laughable headline it its edition today, claiming that Greenpeace "defaced" the face of Lincoln at the mountain. Well, no. It unfurled a temporary banner. It did not deface Lincoln's carving or any of the others. And looking at it from the viewpoint of the Native Americans, this mountain (which is spiritual to them) was defaced when Gutzon Borglum, the carver, created these faces in the 1920s. The NPS website states that Mount Rushmore was created to honor American History. True from one point of view. But it does not honor Native American history.

In the end, the Greenpeace protesters were arrested yesterday and face heavy fines and possible jail sentences. That is as it should be, because they did break the law. At the same time, they brought attention to an important issue. Above all, they demanded leadership from our president and the rest of the politicians. And that is not a bad thing.

Blue or Red?

Image from House Beautifulimage via Shelterimage via UnknownImage from Elle DecorMy ChairsI have Chinoiserie Chippendale faux bamboo chairs that I bought at my favorite junk shop - and although they were originally green I am considering either a hot orange-y red or a royal blue, or maybe a light pink shell. Opinions? I am hoping to use oil paint (I find the finish more even and durable)- Does

Watch What You Say!

Insurance For Bloggers? The Chicago Tribune reports that bloggers need to purchase personal injury protection against charges of libel or slander. The coverage is not very expensive and could save you a fortune."Blogging has made everybody in the world a potential editor in chief. In the past, you might have had a day or two to cool down or ... to shoot that letter via snail mail to [the

Ford's Theater Museum Re-Opens on July 15, 2009

The museum at Ford's Theater is at long last scheduled to re-open to the public on July 15, 2009 after a $50 million renovation of it and the theater which took nearly two years. From accounts I've been reading in various sources, it sounds as if the long wait will be worth it.

In the July 3rd edition of The Washington Post, an article describes in detail about how carefully museum curators dressed a mannequin with the original clothes that Lincoln wore to the theater on April 14, 1865. Lincoln's dried blood is still on the trousers and oil still leaks from his boots even after 144 years. Curators were surprised to find that the fly in the trousers is missing a button and the remaining buttons are mismatched. Completing the mannequin and putting it into its glass display case were among the final preparations before the museum re-opens.

As I reported in January, the beautiful overcoat Lincoln wore that night has been deemed too fragile for permanent display, even in controlled lighting and climate conditions. It will be displayed on special occasions only.

The newly renovated museum will strive to tell more about the assassination and put that event into context of Lincoln's time in Washington. It will display the derringer used to kill Lincoln, the knife Booth used to slash Major Henry Rathbone (the Lincolns' companion that night, along with Clara Harris), a toy sword used by Tad Lincoln, opera glasses used by Mary Lincoln, and the actual door to the president's box from that night.

The "new" Ford's Theater and Museum will be a must-see attraction for people who wish to learn more about Abraham Lincoln and one of the greatest tragedies of American history.

It's A Buyer's Market For Collectibles

Care For Those Trees: The Toronto Globe and Mail says add tree care to your to-do list in order to prevent property damage and injuries. "Everyone who knows trees emphasizes the need for regular inspection and care. A tree may look as strong as the Rock of Gibraltar, but it may be suffering from disease or have been damaged and susceptible to disease. A rotted-out tree will be more vulnerable."

Lincoln Presidential Museum Achieves 2 Million Visitors

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois was visited on Independence Day by its 2 millionth visitor. The lucky person, pictured above being greeted by a Lincoln re-enactor, is Julie Domantay, who moved to Illinois from the Philippines just last year. Ms. Domantay confessed to not knowing much about Lincoln and wanted to visit the museum on Independence Day. Highly appropriate, considering the reverence that Lincoln held for the Founding Fathers and the Declaration of Independence.

According to the article in today's State Journal-Register (Springfield, Ill.) newspaper, the Lincoln Museum achieved this milestone faster than any other presidential library or museum. That's not surprising to me, considering Lincoln's continued popularity and the fascination he holds for so many, including this blogger.

If you've never visited the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, I urge you to do so. It is full of outstanding information about the man. I personally wish it wouldn't be so Disney-like, but today's crowds apparently need entertainment while they're learning. I suppose there's not much harm in that.

The Museum features both permanent and temporary exhibits, plus a very good museum store.

Mr. Lincoln The Big Cheese

Abraham Lincoln was the "Big Cheese" in the U.S. for the most tumultuous period of our history. Now Honest Abe literally became the big cheese a couple of days ago in Washington, D.C.

Pictured above is a life-sized "statue" of Lincoln created entirely from a 1,000 pound block of cheddar cheese. According to this report from Fox News, the Cheez-It Cracker company has commissioned sculptor Troy Landwehr to create cheese sculptures in Washington, D.C. over the 4th of July weekend for the past three years. This year it was an obvious choice to do Lincoln in honor of his 200th birthday. The link contains a video of the carving as well.

Mr. Landwehr took five days to complete the work. I hope people don't find it to be too tacky, or dare I say, "cheesy."

Adding Dimension with Panelmax

Looking for a way to add some depth and dimension to your walls? Why not begin a love affair with one of our favorite locally-made interior design products, Panelmax. William Miller Design has been using this product in residential interior design projects in Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, and Indian Wells for several years.

This paneling is a sculpted MDF and can be painted, stained, or a 3-D laminate can be applied. The patterns that Panelmax has available are endless, and look great in so many ways. William Miller Design's most recent interior design project at a residence in The Reserve in Indian Wells, California featured Panelmax on the dining room ceiling. The set of ABC's show "Castle" features Panelmax on the walls (photo courtesy of ABC) also features Panelmax as well as local retailer Trina Turk.

Panelmax is crafted from 100% pre-consumer recycled hardwood fiber product and is considered eco-friendly.