News - Friday, July 1, 2011

Michael McSunas, Chambliss, Bahner and Stophel attorney, says he originally set up a Twitter account because he had a client who wanted to start using the site. McSunas figured that if his clients wanted to get on there, he needed to know all there is to know about Twitter. He found Twitter interesting and saw it as a good, free way to market himself. He thought if it didn’t work, it wouldn’t be a big loss since it was free, he could just stop doing it.

When David Patterson and his father-in-law Charles Cle-ments started Northgate Gallery, Inc. in 1968, neither could have imagined their small, local business would one day be catering to clients from all over the world. Northgate Gallery is one of the oldest auction and antique companies in Tennessee, as proof by their firm license of No. 16 out of currently 3,671 issued and Patterson’s state auctioneer license No. 101 out of currently 4,838 on record.

Saturday, July 1

Judge Frank Wilson was sworn in Saturday as U.S. District Judge in the Eastern District of Tennessee. Dis-trict Judge Robert L. Taylor administered the oath of office.

Monday, July 3

Mrs. Helen Perry, act-ive for many years in Parent-Teachers association work in Hamilton County, Monday was elected to the county board of education to fill the unexpired term of Roy A. Scruggs, who resigned last spring. Mrs. Perry will serve until July 1, 1965. Davis Eldridge, whose seven-year term expired June 30, was re-elected to the board.

As a fresh associate or a summer associate, getting assignments can seem as oppressive as a final exam in law school. While you are facing down an assignment from your new job, flashbacks to your Contracts final exam suddenly surface. Sitting before you lays the pressure to prove yourself in one final, cohesive effort. 

Over the last few weeks in Tennessee, unusual heat has been a major discussion topic around every country store, church meeting and over at the Coop.

And it hasn’t been any different out on Uncle Sid and Aunt Sadie’s farm either. You haven’t even been able to sit a spell out on the back porch and sip Aunt Sadie’s fresh homemade lemonade without a funeral home fan in your other hand to accompany your drink.

When I find myself frustrated with the things that come my way, there are always two places I go. First, the word of God. Second, to God’s gift to the world: comedy. God must have a sense of humor; just look at all the great things he gives us to laugh at.

“To play golf is the search for perfection.” – A.J. Dalconen

So you find yourself in a death-like match play tournament at your local club, against another member who you’ve never faced before and didn’t really know. It has been a struggle, with your opponent making you fight hard on every hole. Yet you come to 17 tee with a one shot lead. A half on this hole and the match is dormie. Even better, win 17 and the match is yours.

If memory serves, it was about this time of year in 2008 that I found myself face to face with my favorite Latin teacher at a party. She recommended “Imperium,” a 2006 historical novel by British author Robert Harris, for my summer reading. She did not require a book report, as it was uncertain when we would see each other again.

Crepes are not something easily found on every corner of America. These thin pancakes are seen as somewhat of a delicacy, and have developed an interesting artistic atmosphere around their creation and ingestion. Crepe-A-Delic has come to town and brought a whole lot of thin pancakes with them to expose us to the savory and the sweet side of this dish.

The excitement of June continued to unravel in the latter part of the month. We got through the birthday cake, iPad Anonymous meetings, our anniversary dinners/lunches and happy hours. Then Father’s Day a couple weekends ago, which was a nice, all day affair in Center Ridge. The only thing left to celebrate (remotely) this month is my mom and aunt’s birthday in Colorado.

Arkansas, the Natural State. Home of the Hogs, rice, and cotton. Maybe there are a few questions in the quiz below you might not know. Give it a try…

1. What Arkansas site saw the biggest Civil War battle west of the Mississippi? Blanchard Springs; Prairie Grove; Pea Ridge; Crowley’s Ridge.

Aliens have stolen your teenager. How else could you explain that your free-spirited, happy, formerly school-loving child has suddenly morphed into a mime with a dark mood? What other reason could there be for her Saturday nights home, his disinterest in friends, their dread of school days that are weeks away?

Pop quiz!

Question: What has three legs, nearly 1,500 moving parts, is over 25 years old, and is one of the best of its kind in the country? Answer: The Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon. Presented by the Chattanooga Track Club, Team Magic, and Outdoor Chattanooga, the annual event is scheduled to return to the Scenic City on July 10 at 7:30 a.m.

Kelly Martin has held many roles in the real estate circle of business as a builder, an investor, a buyer, a seller, and an agent. Now she adds to her role of Ooltewah office ReMax Realtor her certification as a distressed property expert. Martin says many people don’t realize that there is an alternative to foreclosure. Homeowners in trouble need an agent who knows what they are doing, where they can negotiate with a bank a sale on their house that may be less than what they owe the bank (a short sale), she says.

Next summer, the sunscreen aisle will look very different, as the FDA has established rules for sunscreen and guidelines to the claims and confusion that sun block bottles have been making. According to an article entitled, “New rules to cut confusion on sunscreen claims” by Tom Murphy, only bottles with SPF 15 or above and the label “broad spectrum” will be supported by the FDA as protecting people from an increased risk of cancer.

While experts may debate the value of holding an open house, your home may be a good candidate for this marketing tool. If your agent offers to show off your home on a Sunday afternoon, apply some elbow grease and take advantage of the opportunity.

During the summer months, most churches hold Vacation Bible School for the children and young people. Ours was last week, and it was really good. Busy, but good. I used to think Vacation Bible School was just a place to go and play with all of your friends during the morning, and to give you something to do other than sit at home with your brothers and sisters.

There’s a scene in “Midnight in Paris,” a new romantic comedy written and directed by Woody Allen, in which one woman tells another about having seen a movie the previous night. She says the film was vulgar and lacking in wit, but she’d laughed anyway, in spite of herself. Through the scene, Allen expresses his low opinion of modern comedies like “Hangover II” and “Bridesmaids,” as well as contemporary audiences, who have an appetite for movies more focused on pushing the boundaries of bad taste than delivering smart comedy.

A Champion Agent must show that, in terms of net dollars, the client will make more money. Being able to sell to the client’s inherent greed factor creates an advantage. The discount agents are selling to the greed factor through fee structure reduction. We have to engage in this game as well but by using truth in net dollars. The successful businessperson raises their value and enlarges the whole pie, so the piece they are requiring for their services is small.