13 Household Products You Should Never Mix

More accidents happen at home than anywhere else. Many of these can be avoided by just knowing what not to do. If you avoid these 13 combinations, you’ll save yourself time and money, and maybe even a trip to the hospital.

1. Different battery brands Mixing batteries from different brands can lead to them leaking battery acid. The reason is that manufacturers use different chemical compositions for their batteries, which produce different levels of current. When one runs out of juice, the other can still keep running, but that causes it to leak, which can damage electronic devices. 2. Rubbing alcohol & bleach Rubbing alcohol contains ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, which, when mixed with household bleach that contains sodium hypochlorite, will create chloroform and hydrochloric acid, as well as chloroacetone or dichloroacetone. These compounds can cause damage to the nervous system, lungs, kidneys, liver, eyes and skin. Also, high levels of chloroform can lead to dizziness, nausea, loss of consciousness and even death. 3. Ammonia & bleach This combination is also very dangerous, producing vapors that can cause severe damage to your respiratory system. And that’s not the worst thing that can happen – if there are large amounts of ammonia, you might create a substance called liquid hydrazine. Liquid hydrazine is highly toxic and potentially explosive. 4. Vinegar & bleach If you add a weak acid to bleach, it creates vapors of toxic chloramine and chlorine. These vapors can cause serious chemical burns to your eyes and lungs. 5. Vinegar & baking soda Vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base – those two cancel each other out, rendering the resulting solution useless. 6. Vinegar & hydrogen peroxide Combining these two products in the same container will create a corrosive peracetic acid. In high enough concentrations, peracetic acid can irritate and even damage your skin, eyes, throat, nose and lungs. 7. Grapefruit & certain medicines Compounds in the grapefruit interfere with enzymes in the stomach, which are in-charge of metabolizing certain types of medicine. This ends up increasing the level of certain chemicals in the blood and can lead to a deadly overdose. 8. Alcohol & ibuprofen Taking ibuprofen on an empty stomach can damage the stomach-lining. Adding alcohol into the mix stimulates this process and can worsen the effect. Damage to the lining can lead to internal bleeding, ulcers and other stomach problems. 9. Alcohol & acetaminophen Chronic consumption of alcohol causes the body to produce certain enzymes that adverselyinteract with acetaminophen. The reaction can damage the liver and even be lethal. In the U.S. alone, over 200 people die every year due to this deadly combination. 10. Dairy & antibiotics Dairy is rich in calcium, and while it may be good for your bones, its interaction with antibiotics is anything but. Calcium prevents the antibiotics from being absorbed into your body, reducing their effectiveness. Antibiotics that are most affected by dairy are: Ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and tetracycline. 11. Milk & energy drinks The acid in energy drinks mixes with proteins in the milk, causing the milk to curdle very quickly. The result is usually the same – projectile vomiting… 12. Retinol & glycolic acid or alpha hydroxyl acid Both of these skin-care products may help you look younger, but mixing them together is a bad idea. Glycolic acid has a different level of pH than retinol, so when both are used, the glycolic acid becomes dominant, reducing the effectiveness of retinol considerably. It can also cause some skin irritation. 13. Retinol & sunlight Recent evidence shows that retinol can become toxic when exposed to direct sunlight, and increase your chances of getting a sunburn. It is recommended that you only use it at night, or if you choose to use it during the day – use sunscreen and avoid direct sunlight as much as possible.

A World of Languages...

This wonderful map not only makes it easy to understand which are the world's most spoken languages, and how many people speak them, but will also show you which countries take up most of that population. So in a quick review, we gain enormous insight into what our "world of languages" looks like. Click Here or on the image to see the graph in its full size!

What to do BEFORE You Buy a House

• Save for a down payment. The minimum down payment for an FHA loan is 3.5% of the property’s purchase price. This might be a pretty good chunk of money for many home buyers, but don’t worry! If you’re not quite there, you can work on the rest of these steps while you save.

• Review your credit history. The better your credit history (and the bigger your down payment) the more desirable your loan terms and interest rate will be.

• Improve your credit. Pay your bills and pay them on time! If you tend to be forgetful or too busy when the first of the month rolls around, set up automatic monthly payments.

• Do not purchase any big-ticket items on credit. This includes vehicles, furniture, or even a vacation. These personal loans increase your debt-to-income ratio which in turn will decrease your borrowing power.

• Shop around for a home loan now, before you begin to shop for a home. Many home buyers neglect this primary step toward purchasing a home. Shop around for the best loan offer. Comparing loan offers will expose big differences in loan terms and costs.

• Get a written pre-approval. A pre-approval letter sets you above other buyers in a competitive market. It tells sellers you mean business, and you have the money to back up your offer.

• Find a real estate agent you are comfortable with. Buying a home is a huge deal. Selection is about when, where and what price, and includes a big financial commitment. 

You need an  expert at your side to guide you through the process and help you make intelligent decisions. For more information about buying a home in today’s market call me! Together we’ll find the home that’s the right fit.

Consumerism, American Style

Facts about America's Favorite Pastime

America likes to shop, and we spend a lot of time doing it. Every year Americans spend trillions of dollars on clothing, electronics, homes and  household items, cars and a billion other products. It’s hard to believe the staggering amounts being spent. Here are some other mind blowing facts about the USA’s consumer habits. But don't think Americans are alone in this, as they are just an example of how we've all become consumers instead of citizens.

1. In 1930, the average American woman owned 9 outfits. Nowadays the average American woman owns 30. 2. 25% of people who have two-car garages don't have space to park their cars. 4. Since the early 2000's the home organization industry has doubled in size. It now sees an annual earning of $8 billion. 3. In the last 50 years, the average American home size has tripled.

Source

5. One in ten Americans rents a storage unit outside of their home. 6. There are over 300,000 items in an average American home. 7. Each year the average American throws away 65 pounds (29 kg) of clothing.

8. An average child will accumulate 238 toys by the time they are 10 years old. They will only play with about 12 of them. 9. Annually Americans spend more on shoes, jewelry and watches ($100 billion) than they do on higher education. 10. Researchers have found that present day Americans purchase twice as many material goods as they did 50 years ago. 11. 60% of private consumption worldwide is done by 12% of the world, who live in North America and Western Europe.

12. In the US, there are more malls than high schools. 13. The average person will spend 3,680 hours (153 days, or 5 months) of their lives looking for misplaced items. The most frequent items are phones, keys, sunglasses, and paperwork. 14. Throughout her lifetime, the average American woman will spend more than 8 years shopping. 15. Almost half of American households are not saving, nor do they have a savings account. 16. Most households have more television sets than they do people.

Bathroom Update Tips

Investing in bathroom upgrades gives you excellent return on your money when you sell. If you’re thinking of a bathroom renovation, here are some tips to consider.

• Upgrade the lighting. If you have the space and budget, move the above-the-mirror lighting to eye-level,

flanking the mirror. This gives you more flattering and useful lighting for putting on makeup or shaving.

• Replace the toilet. Go with a toilet with a dual flush feature. Also keep in mind: more exotic features mean

it will be harder or more expensive to find replacement parts when you need them. Are there tiny crevices

on the bottom of the toilet? Those add cleaning time.

• Skip the spa tub. Most spa tub owners do not use them nearly enough to justify the investment. They are also

notoriously time-consuming to clean.

• Resurface the tub. Have chips in your porcelain tub, or want to change out that pink tub in your master bath? Save money by having it resurfaced. Resurfacing a porcelain tub costs as little as 10% of the price of replacing it.

• Upgrade the vanity. Replace the vanity with an upgraded model altogether. Or, to save some money, consider updating the hardware, adding a new countertop and upgrading the fixtures on your existing vanity.

• Low-flow shower fixtures. One great water-saving feature to look for is a temperature gauge. The gauge automatically slows the water flow to a trickle once the water reaches a set temperature, so you don’t waste water. Normal flow is engaged with a switch.

• Glass. Transparent glass doors are all the rage right now. Replacing a shower curtain or railed shower doors with a glass panel is pricey, but offers attractive, clean lines (and no need to clean grimy rails)! 

 Looking to sell now? Call me for a free consultation! We can discuss quick updates you can make to stage your home for a quick sale!

Why Americans are getting new credit cards

NEW YORK — A big change is happening inside your wallet.
U.S. banks, tired of spending billions each year to pay back fleeced consumers, are in the process of replacing tens of millions of old magnetic strip credit and debit cards with new cards that are equipped with computer chips that store account data more securely.

By autumn, millions of Americans will have made the switch from the old magnetic strip cards. That 50-year-old technology, replaced in most of world, lingers on the back of U.S. cards and is easily copied by thieves, leaving people vulnerable to fraud. Roughly half of all credit card fraud happens in the U.S. even though the country only makes up roughly 25 percent of all credit card transactions, according to a report by Barclays put out last week.

This entire switch is a massive undertaking. Roughly half of all U.S. credit and debit cards will be replaced by the end of the year. Tens of thousands of individual merchants need to upgrade their equipment to allow for "chip-and-sign" transactions instead of "swipe-and-sign" ones. If the stores aren't ready, they could be on the hook to cover the cost of fraud.

Here's how the new cards work and how the switch could affect you at the checkout counter:

WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THESE CARDS?

The biggest difference between your old card and your new one is the metal chip embedded on the front, which means your personal data is much safer. The chip assigns a unique code for every transaction made on your card. Even if a thief acquired that code, it couldn't be used to make another purchase.

Chip cards are also harder to duplicate, although it's not unheard of. Overall, the chip cards are more secure than magnetic cards, which are vulnerable because once thieves get a copy of your credit card information, it can be quickly copied onto counterfeit cards.

Chip cards have been common in Europe for more than decade, and they've been standard in other parts of the world for some time.

"The chip technology is designed to prevent copying of the card," says Ellen Richey, vice chairman of risk and public policy at Visa.
In the U.S, chips-embedded cards have seen limited use until now. Laundromats, for instance, are one place chip-reading cards are being used.

WHEN WILL I GET ONE?

At this point, the majority of magnetic-stripe credit cards have been replaced with chip cards. Banks are in the middle of issuing chip-based debit cards, with Bank of America starting late last year and 

Chase and Citi starting this summer. Regional and smaller banks are also rolling out these cards to their customers, most of them starting later this year.

All chip cards also come with a magnetic strip in case chip readers aren't available. However, if a merchant does accept chip cards for purchases, you should use that option every time because it's more 
secure.

WHO'S BEHIND THE CHANGE?

The change is mostly coming from banks and payment processing companies — Visa, MasterCard and American Express — which have generally been on the hook for any fraud that happens on their cards and networks. Originally the payment networks were relying on their own software to catch fraud at the point of sale in the U.S., but it became clear something more was needed, Richey said. 

Banks, particularly small banks, would often pay out of pocket to cover any fraud that happened on their customers' payment cards. The American Bankers Association estimated that bank account fraud cost the industry $1.74 billion in 2012, the most year the data is available.

The payment networks have set a soft deadline of October 1, 2015 for the switchover to be made. After that date, most merchants who continue to accept magnetic strip cards and have not upgraded their equipment could have to pay for any credit or debit card fraud that happens in their stores. The "liability shift," as it's called, presents a looming deadline for the banks, payment companies and merchants.

HOW DO I USE THE CHIP CARD?

Instead of swiping your card at the checkout, you'll insert it into a machine with a slot like those on ATMs. Your card will stay in the slot until the machine tells you to remove it. Unlike magnetic strip cards, chip cards need to be left in the machine for a few seconds to work.

WHERE AND WHEN CAN I USE MY NEW CHIP CARD?

You can use it now. The problem is that merchants need the right equipment to accept the cards embedded with chips. Many stores have been slow to upgrade their equipment, despite the October deadline, because it could be a significant expense to replace equipment and retrain employees. Payment processing companies like Visa, and bank who issue the cards, are pushing stores to accept the chips cards. Visa expects roughly half of all merchants to have chip card readers by the end of the year.

ANYTHING ELSE CHANGING?

The new cards won't work quite the same way they do in Europe, but they're a step closer. The type of card being rolled out in the U.S. is being called "chip and sign," meaning you still would need to sign when you pay for something. Eventually what will be used in the U.S. is what's used in the rest of the world, known as "chip and PIN." It would work similar to your ATM card now. You would insert your card and enter a four-digit password to approve the transaction. Security experts believe this is a very safe way to pay for things. Signing for a credit card purchase provide near-zero security since signatures vary and are rarely checked.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG IN OCTOBER?

From a consumer perspective, there is little to worry about. The biggest issue is for the merchants, who are way behind replacing their equipment in time for the deadline

Borrowers rush to buy homes as rates spike

The interest rate sharp jump to the highest level this year caused a sudden surge in mortgage applications. While that may seem counter-intuitive, there's a reason: fear that rates will move even higher. 

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3. Is it too late to refinance your home?CNBC
4. Banks Feel the Pinch of Fewer Mortgage Applications in Mid-May Market Realist
5. Mortgage rates: 'Definitely in panic mode'CNBC

Total mortgage application volume jumped 8.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis last week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The previous week included an adjustment for the Memorial Day holiday.

"Mortgage application volume rebounded strongly ... indicating that the holiday had a larger impact on business activity than originally assumed," said Mike Fratantoni, the association's chief economist.

Refinance volume increased 7 percent on the week, and applications to purchase a home jumped 10 percent, both seasonally adjusted. Purchase volume is now 15 percent higher than the same week one year ago, but refinance volume is off nearly 5 percent. The weekly move higher in refinances was likely due to the holiday skewing the trend. Refinances are still lower than they were two weeks ago. This all comes as rates continue to climb.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($417,000 or less) increased to 4.17 percent, its highest level since November, from 4.02 percent, with points increasing to 0.38 from 0.33 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio loans, according to the association.

Read More First crowdfunded real estate project paying off

While higher rates make home buying more expensive, sharp moves higher often have the immediate effect of getting potential buyers off the fence, before chilling the overall market in the longer term. That is especially true now, in light of rising bond yields and the Federal Reserve 's expected interest-rate hike.

"These increases really help the home-buying market. It really gets buyers to really understand that 'wait a minute, rates are at an all-time low, let's react now, let's react before they go higher,'" said Matt Weaver of Florida-based PMAC Lending.

Weaver said last week that he had a rush of clients calling in to lock-in rates. That was probably smart, as rates continued their move higher in yet another bond market sell-off. Both the spike in foreign bond yields as well as strong U.S. economic data point to an upward trajectory for interest rates, at least in the short term.

While the surge in purchase applications would seem to be welcome news, especially as the usually busy spring market draws to a close, some analysts warn the picture is not as rosy as it looks.

"We think the excitement is misplaced," analysts at Goldman Sachs said in a note to investors Tuesday. "This index [mortgage bankers' purchase application index] has been largely range-bound since 2010. Even after the recent increases, it is still at levels comparable to 1996 when the size of the population and housing stock were 15 percent smaller."

The Health Benefits of Tequila

Are you surprised to hear tequila has health benefits? In Mexico, where tequila was first developed,  it is considered a sophisticated drink and is best enjoyed by taking slow, measured sips. Tequila has a bad reputation because many brands of the drink are mixed with other sugar based alcohols. If you buy a bottle of tequila made from 100% agave - a plant unique to Mexico - the drink can actually carry some great benefits. Here are 7 ways having the occasional glass of tequila can help your health.  

1. It's Probiotic

An occasional glass of tequila can act as a probiotic. Probiotics are the healthy bacteria in your intestines. They help maintain a healthy immune system. Fructans in agave are rich in probiotics, from which tequila is made. However, moderation is key. If you drink too much alcohol, your natural reserve of healthy bacteria can become depleted.

2. It's also Prebiotic

Tequila is also a prebiotic, which is any food ingredients that promote the growth of good bacteria in the intestines. A study by researchers in Mexico has found that the prebiotics in tequila can improve the intestine environment, which allows for good bacteria to thrive.

3. Helps with appetite and digestion Tequila is a drink that can help your stomach out. Experts suggest a shot before a meal to strengthen your metabolism and appetite. Having a glass after dinner can soothe and assist digestion. It’s recommended that each shot be accompanied by a glass of water.   4. It can lower your chances of developing dementia A study looking at people over the age of 75 and their drinking habits found that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol, including tequila, lowered their chances of developing dementia. The study defined moderate amounts as 8 -14 drinks a week. However, you have to be careful because they also discovered that drinking any more than 14 per week, the chances of developing dementia went up.

5. Helps with insomnia Tequila might be better than counting sheep. The drink’s relaxing benefits can help calm nerves and induce sleep, according to research. This is not an answer if you have chronic insomnia, but it does help with episodic encounters. Tequila is best as something to help you unwind, and not to be relied on. 6. Directs medication to the colon If you have a disease that affects your digestive system, like IBS, colitis or Crohn’s, tequila might be a real help.  The fructans in tequila can help medication reach the colon without the stomach acid breaking the pills down. This is because the fructans contain natural chemical carriers which can protect the pills. Scientists are looking to adding these type of fructans to prescription medications. 7. It doesn’t leave you with a hangover You might associate tequila with strong hangovers, but real tequila doesn’t leave you with painful side effects the next day. It’s important to emphasize that this is only the case for the 100% agave variety. The cheaper brands with the added alcoholic sugars don’t offer this benefit. As with all alcoholic drinks, it’s important to take moderation into account.

Avoid these career-killing social media mistakes

"Don't be an idiot online," warns Jon Acuff, author of "Do Over: Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work, and Never Get Stuck." "The digital bridges you burn, you burn forever."

Seems like simple enough advice, doesn't it? But it's surprising how often it goes unheeded—particularly when it comes to posting personal photos and comments that could have professional implications.

There's the Taco Bell employee who took a photo of himself licking a stack of taco shells, then posted it on Facebook. Or the bank intern who emailed his boss saying he had to skip work because "something came up at home," then appeared in a Halloween party photo dressed as what looked like Tinkerbell. (His boss famously attached a copy of the photo in his response to the intern, adding "cool wand," and copied his colleagues.) Then there's the job seeker who took to Quora to ask for advice on whether to take a job with the ride-sharing company Uber or the automated human resources company Zenefits—both of which had made offers. When the asker listed as a "con" of Zenefits the fact that it "isn't a buzzword like Uber," the CEO of the start-up answered in the comments that he was rescinding the job offer.

The social media mistakes that most people make aren't as extreme, but the results can be just as disastrous. Before you hit "post" again, keep these tips in mind.

Remember what's public is public

It's called social media for a reason. Even if you have privacy settings in place, your posts are social and they can be shared. "Ultimately, your social media is your resume," said Acuff. So pay close attention to your tweets, photos and posted comments, particularly if you're job hunting. A recent survey by recruiting platform Jobvite found 93 percent of recruiterscheck out social media profiles of prospective hires before extending an offer.

When looking for a job, Andy Challenger, vice president at Challenger, Gray and Christmas, said the goal with social media boils down to one objective: "paving the way for a face-to-face introduction."

That's not to say that you can't post a picture of you having a drink with friends on Facebook, but ask yourself whether it might reflect badly on you if a recruiter were to see it. A photo of you toasting a friend's promotion might be fine, but one in which you've clearly had a few drinks might lead a recruiter to question your judgment.

Acuff also warns against being too outspoken about your views, whether you're sounding off on politics, religion or your former or current employer —something you definitely want to avoid. Acuff said he's seen multiple cases in which a misguided tweet or post hurts someone's job opportunities, and recalls a public speaker he knows who made fun of a commercial of a national brand and lost his job because of it.

Use your social networks to ... network

"Use LinkedIn as your Rolodex," said Challenger. "It is a great way to be the most networked person in your city."

He suggests interacting with connection's posts or congratulating them if they get a new job. Positive interaction, he said, "helps keep those contacts with a huge array of people."

Try personalizing your connection requests to build a stronger professional network on LinkedIn. "If you're requesting an introduction, write a note to your mutual connection and then a separate note to the person you want to meet. In both cases, draft a compelling subject line and a short introduction that explains why you hope to connect," said Challenger.

But don't go overboard. Challenger suggests posting or tweeting "no less than once a week and no more than three times a day." You want people to know who you are and remind them of your expertise, but you don't want to annoy them. 

He also recommends joining professional groups on LinkedIn and Facebook that reflect your real-life interests and experience. If you were a marketing major at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, say, you'd join your alumni group and a professional marketing group to get the most benefit of group participation.

Update your LinkedIn profile carefully

Don't lie about your work experience because that will get you fired.

Your main picture, especially on LinkedIn, should always be professional. Even if you just have "a friend take one with an iPhone up against a wall," said Challenger. "It shouldn't be a group shot or out at a bar and you cropped yourself out at a blurry angle."

If "your Facebook profile is amazing and you have an anemic LinkedIn," Acuff said, you should spend as much time making your online resume that much better.

Keep it positive

Tweeting under the influence is never a good idea. "I've seen mistakes that happen and you almost wish the phone had a Breathalyzer," Acuff said.

Remember what you put out on social media is your brand even if you disclose on your social media accounts that these are your opinions, not those of your company. "They aren't separate," Acuff said. "You are the brand of your company."

Ask yourself, would you want your tweet or Facebook post on your resume? Would you say the comment to a person's face if you were having coffee with them?

People love company cheerleaders on social media, not haters. "Management is always looking to promote people with team spirit and positivity about the company," Acuff said.

Is the snark really worth it? "Even if you have privacy settings, there are too many ways mistakes can get out there, and it's not worth your career for an extra 15 likes," Challenger said.

100 Years of Beauty / Fashion in 2 Minutes

100 Years of Beauty What is “beautiful”? The older you get, the more trends and definitions you encounter. Every few years, some new hairdo or a new kind of makeup becomes all rage, and everyone seems to run to their hairdresser to get in on the newest fad. It is interesting, however, to see just how much everything changed in the last 100 years. This collection of videos from seven different countries, showing how the definition of feminine beauty has changed throughout the last century.

Click Here to Watch	The United States of America (1) The first video in the series follows the last 100 years of White American women’s fashion. From the plain look of the 1910’s to the roaring 30’s and 40’s. The glamour of the 60’s, the big 80’s poofy hair, and culminating in today’s slightly wavy look.
Click Here to Watch	The United States of America (2) The second video in the series follows the last 100 years of African American women’s fashion. It is quite remarkable to see how the standard of beauty differed among people living in the same country.
Click Here to Watch	Iran This video follows the last 100 years of Iranian women’s fashion. Note how everything changed in the 1980’s, following the Islamic revolution of 1979. Finally, the green color in the 2000’s represents the discord many Iranians experiences under the oppressive theocratic regime.
Click Here to Watch	Korea The Korean video is fascinating – you can see the schism that followed Korea’s split into South and North, with and how the standard of beauty differed so much on both sides of the border.
Click Here to Watch	Mexico The last 100 years affected Mexican women’s fashion in much of how it affected the rest of the world. From the traditional hairstyle of the 1910’s to the modern hairdos of 80’s, 90’s, etc.
Click Here to Watch	Philippines In the Philippines, you can see that western influence only started changing the traditional look in the 1930’s.
Click Here to Watch	India The latest video in the series follows the beauty standards of Indian women. It is quite remarkable to see that while external influences are discernable, they still have a distinct ethnic feel to them, showing that tradition is still very strong in India.
Click Here to Watch	100 Years of Fashion Finally, an interesting look at how fashion changed throughout the last century.