Hi Dan, Interesting post, and I must say it is one of my pet peeves also. I've bought a lot on ebay (too much!) and the majority of sellers do not leave feedback, such as the following: 333behappy 5170scottw 99centpinshop african-plants allstardist annette8 bertramsblooms betshoff bmw_boi boughtcheap caldeal cowboyflowerman dmonlinesales evokes 81 exjensen foxproductions garyoverton gemma1535 green*sunshine halfbuiltstars hix406 imperial jammer 1109 jolf-greenham jr-stuff60 julia4537 kitcatgreen koolf34 mayberry_treasures mercury32 mishaguy mom*2*riley nm2nv oldstreet onlinesciencemall patric7024 potato-rock potz100 precious_pastimes prettylinens pudlenut rick34 rockdonkey rows1x rrrjjlamb serious coder spannyeyes sports_plus stardrifting stardrifting susieb6427 the_shoe_guy! twigpen wellspring100 westeng77 westowlwitch widenose-collectibles yesterdaysbeginnings I used to try and email every seller with something along the lines of 'received the xxx, I love it, it's great, thanks', but that didn't help get me any more feedback. Another thing about feedback- don't assume with 100% feedback everything is fine- that is usually a 'blackmail seller' that will only leave feedback after they received a positive. I never trust the 100% seller! You can also go to http://www.toolhaus.org/ to check out feedback- goes right to the negative or neutral feedback without you having to page through hundreds of other feedback. Today I received 3 small plants that had newspaper around their leaves to protect them. Unfortunately newspaper was taped to the stem. I mean the tape was ON the stem! Ouch! Poor widdle plant! Here is a link that might be useful: Toolhaus

The problem with explaining how refrigerators and freezers work is that an even barely sufficient explanation requires knowledge of rudimentary thermodynamics. An insufficient explanation might go like this: Electricity drives a motor that pumps a fluid through the refrigeration plumbing. This fluid, which typically is a gas at room temperature and pressure, has the property that when compressed it gets hot, and when expanded, it gets cold. (This is true of all gases per the Ideal Gas Law.) If the cold gas (now a liquid) is put into contact with a warm surface and allowed to expand to its gaseous form, it absorbs a lot of heat from the surface. When this gas is further pumped and compressed, and then subjected to a surface cooler than it is, it gives up its heat and condenses back to a liquid that is warmer than the exterior ambient. However, when later in the loop expended back to a gas, it gets colder than the interior air and can thus cool it. The expansion part occurs in an expander, and the condensation part occurs in a condenser. The condenser in your refrigerator, like the condenser in your car air conditioning, is a radiator that moves heat to the air. The expander in your refrigerator, like the expander in your car air conditioning (usually buried in ducting and less easy to see) is a radiator operating in reverse by absorbing heat from the air passing through it. The efficiency of this heat transfer loop is mainly determined by three processes: the efficiency of the thermodynamic cycle being used by the system, the motor electrical to work efficiency, and losses from friction moving the gas around. The thermodynamic process prohibits attempts to get something from nothing, or even break even (no perpetual motion machines; no free work). In principle, two separate systems, one for the refrigerator and one for the freezer can be sized and optimized for each such that the total power used in some standard environment is not greater than that used from a freezer only single system that controls the rate of cold air moved to a refrigerator. It could with careful tuning be more efficient. Analyzing such systems is fairly complex and specialized, and designing and building prototype optimal ones (for aerospace applications say) can cost millions of dollars. For residential units, some standardization is expected in selection of compressors, condensers, and expanders such that the last erg of energy savings is not going to be met. One expects for residential units that the efficiency will be as noted on the sticker for some environment, and the buyer has to determine whether differences in electricity cost, differences in purchase cost, and differences in other features make the purchase worthwhile. kas

heyharris1, If you look at your appraisal (towards the mid-section), you'll see where the appraiser has compared your home to 3 others that he/she views as comparable. In that section, the appraiser makes cost adjustments for various features that one property has & another may not. You'll see adjustments for such things as view, fireplace, square footage, basement, garage, workshop, in-ground swimming pool, in-law apartment, etc. By applying a set value to each of those factors one is able to reasonably compare dissimilar properties & arrive at a pretty good market value for the subject property. Your $50K shop will, in all liklihood, not return your full investment anymore than a complete kitchen renovation will. A kitchen renovation is widely considered to be the best investment into your home & yet the average return is 85%. Yes, you might eventually stumble across a potential purchaser who likes your shop & feels it has value above neighboring properties without that particular improvement but it's still unlikely someone will pay what you put into the improvement. Real estate just doesn't work like that. Now, in a downturn market the value of your improvement is even more difficult to ascertain because the overall market value of the entire property is declining. Unique properties are always more difficult to appraise but the open, free market place is extremely efficient. Buyers will tell YOU what the value of your shop is represented by their purchase offers. You do not decide what the market value of your property is...buyer(s) will make that decision. Another example of how appraisals work...you can't carry a property on your Balance Sheet for $250K if it only appraised for $200K even though you may have the higher amount invested. It's not about what you "think" it should be worth. It's all about what the "Market" is willing to pay. If you need to sell, you'll need to adjust your thinking regarding your cost basis. If you do not need to sell & are just wishing to sell...then list at whatever number you want, wait, & see what happens. But, if you choose the later, don't blame your realtor. Properly priced houses sell in both up & down markets. Wishing you fair winds & safe harbor. Tricia

We live in a very large Midwestern city school district. The school district budget is MILLIONS of dollars a year. But, by the time any $ trickels down to our local elementary school, it's pennies. The teachers ar our elementary school are so dedicated and work so hard! There are only 4 families active on the PTA, but most families take part in the fund raisers. Here are some of the things PTA pays for at the school: 1. The biggest item is "teacher wish list". Teachers can submit requests every month for items that the district will not cover. Some examples from last year - a new pencil sharpener for the third grade classroom, to replace the broken one that would not work and to keep the kids from having to go across the hall to the 2nd grade room to sharpen pencils. Yes, the district would not buy a new pencil sharpener - outrageous! New basketballs for the gym teacher, to replace the worn out, cracked ones that would not bounce right - the district would not buy new balls. A series of video tapes for the speech thrapist to use with her kids - the district would not buy. Paper for the laser printers in the office - the district severly rations paper and there is never enough. Special items for the occupational therpists - district won't cover anything beyond what they consider the minimum for any therapists. Extra diapers for a diaper-dependent disabled child who is in a wheelchair, whose parents couldn't afford to keep extra diapers at school, so the techer kept buying extra packs until she finally asked the PTA to buy a case to keep in the classroom. This list goes on and on. Every month, I am outraged at what the district won't purchase for the teachers - basics, not luxury items! Teacher already buy so much from their meager paychecks! 2. The ribbons & certificates for honor roll award - district won't buy them. 3. The school carnival. The PTA puts this on for the kids, it's not a money maker, and the kids LOVE it. 4. The school open house. The district won't cover refreshments at open house, so the PTA buys them. 5. PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. The district does not have a single dime budgeted for playground equipment. Every year before school starts, each elementary playground is inspected, and unsafe equipment is torn down, but is not replaced by the district. If the school has a playground, it has to be paid for by the PTA. This is the primary function of most PTAs in my areas, because playground equipment costs thousands of dollars! 6. Teacher appreciation breakfast the day before school starts, a mid-year teacher appreciation lunch, and an end of the year teacher appreciation breakfast. These teachers work so hard, it's the least we can do to have a meal brought in three times a year! 7. End-of-year field day and pizza party for the whole school, on the last day of school. The field day includes carnival rides and games, snocones, and pizza - all free of charge to the kids. Sorry this is so long, but I get irritated when parents complian about PTA selling stuff. If you'd like to know why your kindergartener is selling gift wrap, attend a PTA meeting and ask them just where the money goes. Hopefull it goes right back to the kids, through their teachers or directly!