Crouchmans Universe

Scott Crouch and Spring Training Baseball in Az with Marcus 01/26 by Scott Crouch | Blog Talk Radio

2012-01-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

Scott Crouch and Spring Training Baseball in Az with Marcus 01/26 by Scott Crouch | Blog Talk Radio

Scott Crouch of Keller Williams and Ahwatukee Little League speaking with Former MLB Pitcher Marcus Macbeth on youth sports and spring training in Phoenix Az.

With home's for sale in Phoenix AZ on the rise I'm sure fans will be packing the stadiums. Enjoy and a big thank you to Marcus for sharing and giving back to the community.

1997: Wodruff High School--Threw a perfect game; 6 innings, 0 hits, 0 walks, 18 strikeouts.
1998-2001: Starting CF @ The University of South Carolina under head coach Ray Tanner (winner of back-to-back College World Series (2010-2011))/place-kicker under coach Lou Holtz for the Gamecock Football Team 1999-2000: Second Team All-SEC
2000-2001: Team ranked #1 in the country; USA Today College All-America Team; First-Team All-SEC; Ranked #1 Defensive CF in the SEC by Baseball America (18 hr, 1 Error); Drafted in the 4th round of the MLB Amateur Draft by the Oakland Athletics
2002: Signed with the Oakland A's (11HR)
2003: Named #1 outfield prospect in the Oakland A's organization by Baseball America
2004: Member of the California League Champion Modesto A's
2005: Converted from outfielder to pitcher near season's end; closing pitcher for the Arizona Fall League Champion Phoenix Desert Dogs;
2006: Pitched at every level of the minor leagues (70 IP, 86 KO); Closing pitcher for the AZ Fall League Champion Phoenix Desert Dogs; AZFL All-Star
2007: Made MLB Debut with the Cincinnati Reds vs. St Louis Cardinals
2008: Traded to Boston Redsox
2009: Member of the Boston Redsox bullpen
2010: Retired with the Oakland Athletics

Scott Crouch on adoption and unconditional LOVE 06/29 by Scott Crouch | Blog Talk Radio

2012-01-25T17:23:00.000-08:00

Scott Crouch on adoption and unconditional LOVE 06/29 by Scott Crouch | Blog Talk Radio

Scott Crouch and Coaching

2012-01-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

Wow Rich and his team double there income in Phoenix Homes sales in less than a year in Maricopa county. With no REO!!! Rich also sees short sales in AZ on the rise in 2012 and is thrilled that Keller Williams has lots of short sale training. Way to go Rich. You can contact Scott Crouch at crouch@kw.com to learn how to join Keller Williams and double your business or just get it kick started.

Phoenix-area housing may be on the mend

2012-01-09T10:50:00.000-08:00

Phoenix-area housing may be on the mend

Looking GOOD!!! Some good positve press..crouchman

Keller Williams Realty Coaching

2011-12-29T16:25:00.000-08:00

Thanks Scott Crouch and Keller Williams hears to a great 2012....Who's your coach?

Social Media Revolution 2011

2011-12-14T16:51:00.000-08:00

Social Media Revolution 2 (Refresh).wmv

2011-12-14T16:47:00.000-08:00

Scott Crouch Youth Sports

2011-12-14T16:25:00.000-08:00

Crouch's Padres 2011 from Scott Crouch on Vimeo.

The things you do for FRIENDS........mp4

2011-12-01T20:09:00.000-08:00

Justin Walters Travel Party

2011-12-01T19:55:00.000-08:00

Crouchman's First Duck

2011-12-01T19:39:00.000-08:00

Incredible! New George S Patton speech: Iraq & modern world

2011-11-11T10:33:00.000-08:00

Oliver North, US Troops Speech

2011-11-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

Veterans Day: Its History and Meaning

2011-11-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

Veterans Day 2011: Why It's Today, How It's Changed, More

2011-11-11T08:39:00.000-08:00

Veterans Day 2011: Why It's Today, How It's Changed, More

Justin Walters Travel Party

2011-11-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

Scott Crouch -Red Meat Prep

2011-10-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

In My Seat

2011-09-15T19:56:00.000-07:00

This Month in Real Estate (US) September 2011

2011-09-07T17:45:00.000-07:00

NEXT FRIDAY DGM Dads Night OUT!!

2011-09-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

Come Join Us Next Friday Night

Real Estate Sales Systems - Keller Williams 33 Touch

2011-09-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

Inspiring: How Bad Do You Want It? (Success)

2011-09-01T07:29:00.000-07:00

DGM Dads Night Out Aug 2011

2011-08-29T23:17:00.000-07:00

Air car that runs 200 miles on compressed air.

2011-08-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

Dark Mission 2 & 3 - NASA Moon Hoax - Environmental Dangers & The Troubl...

2011-08-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

Dark Mission 1 - NASA Moon Hoax - Analysis of the Lunar Photography

2011-08-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

Tyler Crouch 11u Scrimiage

2011-08-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

Desert Garden Montessori - Imagine - 10 Year Anniversary Video

2011-08-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

Desert Garden Montessori Promotional Video, VTS_01_1.VOB

2011-08-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

Desert Garden Montessori School

2011-08-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

Esoteric Agenda - FULL LENGTH MOVIE - WELCOME TO YOUR AWAKENING!

2011-08-25T20:08:00.000-07:00

OMG!!!!!! YOU'VE GOT TO SEE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-08-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

NEVER EVER GIVE UP IN LIFE !! ..Derek Redmond

2011-08-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

Thoughts Become Things!

2011-08-25T16:25:00.000-07:00

Keller Williams MC 574 is Moving-Scott Crouch

2011-08-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

Coffee with the Director W2

2011-08-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

My Bonus Mom

2011-08-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

I am Second® - Tony Dungy

2011-08-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

Scott Crouch at Desert Garden Montessori Coffee

2011-08-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

Scott Crouch at Desert Garden Montessori Coffee

2011-08-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

This Month In Real Estate (Canada) August 2011

2011-08-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

This Month In Real Estate (US) August 2011

2011-08-04T13:48:00.000-07:00

An Announcement from Mark Willis, CEO Keller Williams Realty

2011-08-04T13:46:00.000-07:00

Inman Award-Keller Williams

2011-08-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

Ancient Alien interesting Stuff

2011-07-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

Imagination is one of the most powerful tools in humanity’s evolutionary struggle for survival. As a race, we are hardwired to consider important concepts, such as the creation of life on Earth and the history of people on this planet. At some point, we are all presented with various explanations and theories regarding the expansion of human life on Earth. In the long history of mankind, the majority of these concepts have followed religious teachings, and the power of a spiritual God or Gods. In modern times, many people have come to challenge these claims.

The idea of evolution has been used to describe the gradual change of traits that living organisms undergo over time, which is related to the environment, but it doesn’t explain how the biological cells of human’s first ancestor were spawned. Because of the fact that everyone is interested in the creation of life on Earth, and concurrently we have been taught to believe in the power of religion and the impossibility of alien life, the idea that this article will be examining is controversial. It will be based around some concepts that have been labeled absurd by the scientific community, but let your imagination go, and have some fun with the list.

Ancient Aliens

The idea surrounding ancient aliens is a basic one. It states that the human population was influenced by a group of extraterrestrials that visited Earth in the past. The aliens were directly involved in the evolution of primates, including humans. It has been suggested that this was accomplished by way of genetic engineering, cross-breeding, or a combination of both, ultimately helping in the development of human cultures, technologies and religion. The idea first gained widespread exposure with the 1968 publication of Chariots of the Gods by Erich von Däniken, but the concept has been around since the middle of the 19th century. A common variant of the idea includes proposals that deities from most, if not all, religions, including angels and demons, are actually extraterrestrials whose advanced technologies were taken by people as evidence of a divine status.

This concept is related to the religious practice of a cargo cult, which can be seen in modern day pre-industrial tribal societies. Especially during World War II, when indigenous people were contacted by soldiers with advanced equipment, such as guns and tanks. The cults subsequently attempted to obtain wealth through magic and religious rituals and practices. The ancient alien theory states that extraterrestrials purposely tricked the human population into believing they were Gods, creating religion to help people evolve more efficiently. The Fermi paradox is the apparent contradiction between high estimates of the probability of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations and the lack of evidence for, or contact with, such civilizations.

It has been proposed that, with the current age of the universe and its vast number of stars, if the Earth was typical, extraterrestrial life should be common. In response to this paradox, the zoo hypothesis has been suggested. It states that aliens generally avoid making their presence known to humanity, or avoid exerting an influence on development, somewhat akin to zookeepers observing animals in a zoo, or experimental scientists observing a study of life. Adherents of the hypothesis feel that the Earth and humans are being secretly surveyed using equipment located on Earth, or elsewhere in the Solar System. Charles Fort’s unpublished 1915 manuscript, novel X, describes how Martian beings or Martian events control life on Earth. Fort ultimately burnt the manuscript, but one surviving quote from it is “The Earth is a farm. We are someone else’s property.”

Angels and Demons

The idea of ancient astronauts has spawned a UFO religion named Raëlism. The Raelian Movement teaches that life on Earth was scientifically created by a species of extraterrestrials, which they call the Elohim. Members of the Elohim appeared human and were mistaken for angels, cherubim or gods. The Bible is full of accounts of angels and demons. The text mentions millions of angels and their experiences on Earth and in the heavens. In Christian tradition, demons are similar to angels. They are spiritual, immutable and immortal. The individual demon owns a specific knowledge, sometimes on only one subject. The apocryphal Book of Enoch recounts that a group of 200 rebellious angels, or Watchers, left heaven and came down to Earth to marry human women and have children with them.
The Quran depicts a story of angels that are given minds of their own, found in verse [2:34]. One of the angels was Iblis (Satan/Lucifer), who rebelled and was therefore banished on earth to create mischief amongst mankind. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, angels were all created as good beings, but some decided to become evil. It was written that angels do not need faith as they already have the knowledge of celestial things, which means that their action constitutes unforgivable sin. The idea of alien intervention on Earth can be found in the modern religious philosophy of Thelema. Thelema was developed by the early 20th century British writer, Aleister Crowley.

Crowley’s system of Thelema begins with The Book of the Law, which he claims was a direct dictation from an entity named Aiwass. Crowley later identified Aiwass as his own Holy Guardian Angel. The religion is founded upon the idea that the 20th century marked the beginning of the Aeon of Horus, in which a new ethical code would be followed; “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.” The famed American rocket propulsion researcher, Jack Parsons, was one of the first Americans to take a keen interest in the writings of Aleister Crowley. Parsons research into rocket propulsion was some of the earliest in United States history. His pioneering work in the development of solid fuel, and the invention of Jet-fuel Assisted Take Off units for aircraft was of great importance to the start of humanity’s space age. The work of Parsons and his peers helped people usher in the age of space travel. Jack Parsons was largely self-educated.

Men in Black

The extraterrestrial hypothesis is the theory that some unidentified flying objects (UFOs) are best explained as being extraterrestrial life or non-human aliens from other planets. The idea sounds simple to modern day humans, but it a relatively new concept that originated out of the saucer sightings and close encounters of the 1940s-1960s. Thousands of UFO sightings have been reported in the last 50 years, and one of the emerging themes in these events is the Men in Black. The Men in Black are men, or aliens, dressed in black suits who have been reported to harass or threaten UFO witnesses to keep them quiet about what they have seen. In most cases, the men claim to be government agents, but it is often suggested that they may be aliens themselves.

People who have reported an encounter with the Men in Black often describe them as men of short stature with a deeply tanned and dark complexion. According to the accounts, Men in Black always seem to have detailed information on the person they contact, as if the individual had been under surveillance for a long period of time. They have been described as seeming confused by the nature of everyday items such as pens, eating utensils or food, as well as using outdated slang. Those who have encountered them say they produce identification, but when verification is later sought, the people described do not exist or have been dead for some time. Another defining characteristic of the Men in Black is wide grins and disconcerting giggles.

The phenomenon has been frequently reported since the 1950s and 1960s, but some researchers, including John Keel and others, have suggested similarities between the Men in Black reports and earlier demonic accounts. Keel suggests that the beings are a modern-day manifestation of the same phenomena that was earlier interpreted as the devil, or encounters with fairies. The term “the black man” has been used for centuries in reference to the Devil. In history, the Black Man was often reported as meeting with the accused and having sexual intercourse with them. Old Scratch or Mr. Scratch is another folk name for The Devil that is used in the local legends of New England and pre-Civil War America.

During the Middle Ages, the black man was not a person with African features, but rather a man colored black and dressed in black. In modern times, another phenomenon known as the Grinning Man has become associated with the Men in Black, and various reports of paranormal activity. These creatures are larger and characterized by a wide grinning face. In most cases, people describe a strange sensation of not being able to focus in on the Grinning Man. It has been suggested that the smile is an attempt by the aliens to conform to society and keep humans feeling safe, but in all reports the figure is described as extremely creepy. In the Half-Life series of first-person shooter video games, there is a mysterious character named G-Man that parallels some of the Men in Black descriptions.

Modern Technical Advancement

During WWII, the term foo fighter was used by Allied aircraft pilots to describe the various UFOs and mysterious aerial phenomena seen in the skies over both the European and Pacific Theater of Operations. In the wake of the war, the world entered an era of substantial achievement and technical advancement. One such example is the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, which is a United States aircraft that was developed in the early 1960s. The SR-71 Blackbird is a strategic reconnaissance aircraft that currently holds the air speed record. In 1903, Wilbur Wright set the aircraft speed record going 6.82 mph (10.98 km/h). In 1976, the SR-71 Blackbird went 2,193.2 mph (3,529.6 km/h). The craft was manned by Eldon W. Joersz during the record flight, but is highly capable of taking off and landing unassisted.

In modern times, organizations have been developed, such as the Disclosure Project, which have alleged the existence of a world government cover-up of information relating to unidentified flying objects and alien encounters. People argue that the technical advancements humans have experienced since WWII have been achieved with the help of extraterrestrial life and equipment. Proponents of the ancient alien theory have suggested that the development of nuclear weapons sparked an increased interest in humanity’s evolutionary path, ultimately leading to an era of mass abductions and close encounters. Some others point to the current global climate disruption and apocalypse predictions, identifying them as a precursor for the secret extraterrestrial involvement and intervention on Earth, ensuring the survival of life.

Angel Hair

Angel hair is a substance that is said to be dispersed from UFOs as they fly overhead. It has been described as being like a cobweb or a jelly. Angel hair has been reported at sightings of the Virgin Mary. This fact has intrigued ancient alien believers, and has been used as a possible indication of extraterrestrial influence at reported sightings of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. Historical reports of angel hair show that the substance disintegrates, or evaporates, within a short time of forming. One publicized theory of UFO believers is that the substance is “ionized air sleeting off an electromagnetic field” that surrounds a craft. The most reported incident of angel hair occurred in Oloron, France, in 1952. The event was characterized by a large amount of unexplained aircraft sightings.

On November 2, 1959, in the Portuguese city of Évora, angel hair was collected and analyzed by armed forces technicians and scientists of the University of Lisbon. Conclusions stated that the substance was so advanced that it could be a single-celled organism of some kind, a vegetable product, not animal. People have connected references in the Bible to the phenomenon of angel hair. Pixie dust is said to be related. Beginning in the 14th century, humans began to mention a gelatinous substance named star jelly. Star jelly is described as a translucent or grayish white gelatin, which tends to evaporate shortly after falling. In the past, the substance was connected with meteor showers. Angel grass is a related phenomenon that occurs when short metallic threads fall to the ground in intertwined loosed masses. However, angel grass is an explained occurrence and comes from certain military aircraft. It is a type of Chaff, used as a radar counter-measure.

Greys

Greys are a proposed alien species that is most widely associated with the alien abduction phenomenon. It has been alleged that Greys are intelligent extraterrestrials who visit Earth and secretly perform medical experiments on humans. Paranormal claims surrounding the Greys are different in many ways, including their nature, moral dispositions, intentions and physical appearances, some having a different skin color. A composite description derived from overlap claims would have Greys as small bodied, sexless beings with smooth grey skin, an enlarged head and large eyes. They are described as humanoid beings that possess reduced forms of, or a completely lack of, external human organs such as noses, ears or sex organs.

Their bodies are usually depicted as being elongated, having a small chest, and lacking in muscular definition. According to a 1995 study among reports of alien encounters, Greys make up approximately 50% in Australia, 43% in the United States, 90% in Canada, 67% in Brazil, 20% in Continental Europe, and around 12% in Great Britain. It has been proposed that the home planet of these beings is located in the Zeta Reticuli star system. Greys are therefore sometimes known as Zeta Reticulans. People have reported two distinct groups of Greys, with one being much taller. This had led to the suggestion that the smaller Greys are not biologically alive, but instead an artificially constructed robot or cyborg servant.

People have described the Greys as staring into their eyes when conducting mental procedures. This staring, which is performed directly in your face, is claimed to induce hallucinogenic states or directly provoke different emotions. According to English reproductive biologist Jack Cohen, the typical image of a Grey, given that it would have evolved on a world with different environmental and ecological conditions from Earth, is too physiologically similar to a human to be credible as an alien species. This brings us to the theory that these extraterrestrial beings had some influence on the evolution of life on Earth in the distant past, or that they are an ancient race of humans that was forced to abandon Earth, but still watches over the planet.

Animal Mutilation

Cattle mutilation is a term that has been adopted to describe the apparent killing, and then mutilation, of cattle under unusual or anomalous circumstances. Sheep and horses have also been mutilated, and the phenomenon is not specific to cattle. A hallmark of these incidents is the surgical nature of the mutilation. The creatures are often found completely drained of blood, with missing internal organs. There is no obvious point of entry, and the surgically precise removal of the animal’s reproductive organs and anal coring is consistent. Another strange occurrence surrounding the mutilations is that the animal’s bodies are found dumped in an area where there are no marks or tracks leading to or from the carcass, even when the body is found in soft ground or mud. The surgical-type wounds observed appear to be made by intense heat and a very sharp/precise instrument.

Often flesh will be removed to the bone in an exact manner and location, such as around the jaw exposing the mandible. The first largely reported case of mutilation occurred near Alamosa, Colorado, in 1967. The event involved a horse named Lady, who was discovered with her head and neck skinned. The cuts on the horse were very precise and no blood was found. According to Lady’s owner, there was a strong medicinal odor in the air that surrounded the corpse. At the scene, fifteen tapering, circular exhaust marks were punched into the ground. This evidence was discovered over an area of some 5000 square yards. Similar to other cases of animal mutilation, the area surrounding Lady showed an increase in radiation levels. By the mid 1970s, mutilated cattle were reported in 15 US states and in many other areas all over the world.

Many of the accounts include unexplained lights, sounds and UFOs. It has been noted that mutilated cattle are avoided by large scavengers, such as coyotes, wolves, foxes, dogs, skunks, badgers and bobcats for several days after death. Similarly, domestic animals are reported to be visibly agitated and fearful of the carcass. According to Dr. Howard Burgess, nearly 90% of mutilated cattle are between four and five years old. Laboratory reports carried out on some of these animals have shown unusually high or low levels of vitamins or minerals in tissue samples, and the presence of chemicals not normally found in animals.

In one case involving a 1978 mutilated cow in New Mexico, samples from the animal’s liver were found to be completely devoid of copper and to contain four times the normal level of zinc, potassium and phosphorus. As you would suspect, a government cover-up has been offered as an explanation for the deaths. This is often fueled by the reported presence of black helicopters near mutilation sites. Various hypotheses have been written, suggesting that cattle mutilations have been committed by aliens who are gathering genetic material for unknown purposes. Proponents of the ancient alien theory suggest that, as cows make up a significant part of the global human diet, a study is being carried out on this element of the human food chain.

Spaceship Moon Theory

Over the years, it has been scientifically observed that the Earth’s Moon holds some strange characteristics. The Moon is the 5th largest natural satellite in the Solar System. It is believed to have been created by a giant impact between the young Earth and a Mars-sized body. After examination, it has been noted that the Moon is apparently in the wrong orbit for its size, according to its current assumed density. Astronomy data indicates that the internal regions of the Moon are less dense than the outer, giving rise to the inevitable speculation that it could be hollow. Some of these claims come from the fact that when meteors strike the Moon, it rings like a bell. More specifically, when the Apollo crew, on November 20, 1969, released the lunar module, after returning to the orbiter, the module impact with the Moon caused their seismic equipment to register a continuous reverberation like a bell for more than an hour.

In July of 1970, members of the then Soviet Academy of Sciences, Michael Vasin and Alexander Shcherbakov, proposed the Spaceship Moon Theory. The pseudoscientific theory claims that the Earth’s moon may actually be an alien spacecraft. Vasin and Shcherbakov’s thesis was that the Moon is a hollowed-out planetoid created by unknown beings with technology far superior to any on Earth. Huge machines would have been used to melt rock and form large cavities within the Moon. The Moon would, therefore, consist of a hull-like inner shell and an outer shell made from metallic rocky slag. The “Spaceship Moon” was then placed into orbit around the Earth. Proponents of this theory point to the increased reports and pictures of UFOs taken by NASA on their missions to the moon. It has been found that asteroids and meteors not only create shallow craters on the Moon’s surface, but produce a convex floor to the crater instead of concave as expected, supporting the idea of a rigid shell.

The moon is far older than previously expected, maybe even older than the Earth or the Sun. The oldest age for the Earth is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old, while Moon rocks were dated at 5.3 billion years. The chemical composition of the dust upon which the rocks sit is remarkably different from the rocks themselves. This indicates that the lunar surface may have been moved from somewhere else and placed on the Moon. Some of the Moon’s craters originated internally, yet there is no indication that the Moon was ever hot enough to produce volcanic eruptions. Hundreds of moonquakes are recorded each year that cannot be attributed to meteor strikes. Some of the quakes seem to follow a specific schedule.

The moon’s crust is much harder than originally presumed. When NASA was recorded drilling down a few inches into the Moon’s surface, it appeared that metal shavings were visible. Earth’s moon is the only natural satellite in the Solar System that has a stationary, near-perfect circular orbit. How does one explain the coincidence that the moon is just the right distance, coupled with just the right diameter, to completely cover the sun during an eclipse? Professional astronomers have been gradually discouraged from investigating a phenomenon that has been reported on the Moon for 1,000 years. It is short-lived light, color, or other changes in the appearance of the lunar surface, referred to as Transient Lunar Phenomena.

Miracle of the Sun

Starting in May of 1917, something happened to three shepherd children in the town of Fátima, Portugal. The events have become known as Our Lady of Fátima. Starting on May 1, 1917, the children began to describe seeing a woman “brighter than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal ball, pierced by the burning rays of the sun.” The being was reported to have appeared to the children on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13. According to ten year old Lúcia Santo, in the course of her encounters, the woman confided to the children three secrets, now known as the Three Secrets of Fátima. Thousands of people flocked to Fátima and Aljustrel in the ensuing months, drawn by reports of visions and miracles. On three separate occasions before the Miracle of the Sun, the children reported that the Lady had promised to them that she would, on October 13, 1917, reveal her identity and provide a miracle “so that all may believe.”

On October 13, 1917, the Miracle of the Sun was witnessed and reported by 50,000 to 100,000 people in the Cova da Iria fields near Fátima, Portugal. The people in attendance had assembled to observe the publicized event. According to many statements, after a downfall of rain, the dark clouds broke and the sun appeared as an opaque, spinning disc in the sky. It was said to be significantly duller than normal, and to cast multicolored lights across the Earth, the people and the surrounding clouds. The sun was then reported to have careened towards the earth in a zigzag pattern. It was said that the people’s previously wet clothes became “suddenly and completely dry,” as well as the wet and muddy ground that had been previously soaked because of the rain. According to the reports, the event lasted approximately ten minutes.

The Miracle of the Sun was marked by a large amount of angel hair over the land. On July 13, 1917, the lady is said to have entrusted the children with three secrets. These secrets have been highly controversial in the Catholic Church, and have been revealed to the public at different time periods, with the final one coming out in 2000. The First Secret was allegedly a vision of Hell. The Second Secret was a statement that World War I would end and goes on to predict World War II. The second half of the secret includes information about Russia and requests that it become consecrated to the Immaculate Heart. It should be noted that the Second Secret wasn’t revealed until 1941, after World War II had already began.

The majority of the controversy is with the Third Secret. It was revealed in 2000 and includes information about the persecution of Christians in the 20th century that culminated in the failed assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II. However, historical references to the Third Secret indicate something else entirely, with information regarding Apocalypse, a great apostasy, and satanic infiltration of the Catholic Church. If you are unfamiliar, apostasy is the formal disaffiliation from, or abandonment of, a religion by a person, basically, criticism of a person’s former religion. In 1980, John Paul II was quoted on the Third Secret. “It should be sufficient for all Christians to know this much. If there is a message, it is said that the oceans will flood entire sections of the Earth and from one moment to the other, millions of people will perish.”

Solway Firth Spaceman

Val Camonica, Italy, is one of the largest valleys of the central Alps, in eastern Lombardy. It is the location of a set of ancient paintings that are believed to depict forgotten deities. The pictures resemble modern day astronauts, despite being painted around 10,000 BC. I can see the resemblance to a space suit, but I am more impressed with the modern day photographic evidence that was captured by the Solway Firth Spaceman photograph. On May 23, 1964, Jim Templeton, a firefighter from Carlisle, Cumberland, took three pictures of his five-year-old daughter while on a day trip to Burgh Marsh, situated near Burgh by Sands and overlooking the Solway Firth in Cumbria, England.

The only other people reported on the marshes that day were a couple of old ladies, and although cows and sheep would have normally been plentiful, they were huddled together at the far end of the marsh. In the second image captured by Templeton, a white figure can be seen in what looks like a space suit. Templeton insists that he did not see the figure until after his photographs were developed, and analysts at Kodak confirmed that the photograph was genuine. To this day, the picture remains unexplained and a source of international fascination. When the picture was taken, in 1964, human space suits were in their extreme infancy. It has been suggested by some people that the figure is merely someone with their back to the camera, perhaps wearing a hat or helmet.

Upon the national release of the photograph, Jim Templeton claimed that he was visited by two men who, he says, came from Her Majesty’s Government. The men tried to make Templeton admit that he had photographed a person, but he refused. In the same time frame that the picture was taken, a Blue Streak missile launch at the Woomera Test Range, using Cumbrian-built weaponry, was aborted because of two large men who were witnessed on the firing range. The technicians reported that the figures resembled the Solway Firth Spaceman. Ufologists have used the photograph as evidence that extraterrestrial life has influenced the modern day space program, including space suits.

Things to make you think

Scott Crouch Mc280 Leadership Retreat

2011-07-31T18:00:00.000-07:00

BBQ, smoking grilling 101pro tips

2011-07-23T19:30:00.000-07:00

love this guy....crouchman

Golf Time in the Mountains

2011-07-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

http://torreon.com/tower-course

Tower Course

INSPIRED BY THE LAND.

“It’s beautiful, rolling country with Ponderosa Pine you wouldn’t believe,” Von Hagge said. “We have some spectacular open meadows and marshlands, so we have all the natural elements we need to create a premier, world-class facility.”

Since 1999, Torreon owners and guests have enjoyed this spectacular championship course. Every hole is distinctive as well as memorable. Throughout, the design adapts to the natural environment. Seven different lakes were created along the route of the course, and each green has its own personality. The Tower Course is distinguished by many forced carries for approach shots to the greens. The ninth hole ends at the Clubhouse for snacks and beverages at the turn. It is just as exciting for the low-handicap golfer as it is to those just falling in love with the game.

Torreon golf courses are open for play April through November each year and closed for the months of December through March.

Tower Course Featured Holes

Hole 8 – Par 5 (593 yards)
The longest of the par fives, this double dogleg can be shortened slightly by attempting to carry the first bunker complex on the right. From here the hole plays downhill and to the left and again requires a shot over a series of pot bunkers to cheat the hole of its length.

Hole 15 – Par 3 (181 yards)
Even though this is a short par three, there is no margin for error on this hole. The putting surface is a medium size target but is protected by a small pond in front and three sand bunkers surrounding the left side of the green. The less courageous should play to the right side of this hole.

Cabin Course

FRESH OPPORTUNITIES TO FINE TUNE YOUR GAME.

The 18-hole Cabin Course opened in 2007. The trio of architects, Von Hagge, Smelek and Baril created a unique golf experience to compliment the sister course. As beautiful and exciting as the Tower, the Cabin Course presents fresh opportunities to fine tune your game. Featuring more elevation changes, this is a classic nine holes out and nine holes back to the Clubhouse course. The “Cabin” restaurant and snack shop is located after the ninth hole for a quick bite at the turn and a casual lunch or dinner with friends.

Torreon owners and guests have 36-holes of breathtaking mountain golf to test their mettle.

Torreon golf courses are open for play April through November each year and closed for the months of December through March.

Cabin Course Featured Holes

Hole 9 – Par 3 (237 yards)

The ninth hole on the Cabin Course is a par 3 measuring 237 yards from the back tee. The hole features a penalizing wash that runs from the front of the tee box down the left side of the hole. The perfect shot is a high draw that avoids the sand bunker and the wash.

Hole 12 – Par 3 (162 yards)

The twelfth hole on the Cabin Course is a deceptive par 3 that measures only 162 yards. The green is framed by water and fronted by a small pot bunker. Take one less club on this downhill par 3 to avoid the water behind the green.

Why Keller Willliams Realty Now

2011-07-20T22:15:00.000-07:00

Scott Crouch and Barry Kramer discuss why keller williams is the right choice for real estate agents

Phoenix Real Estate

2011-07-20T21:48:00.000-07:00

When will the Phoenix real estate markets return to normal? Either 2013 or 2014, according to several residential and commercial real estate experts who presented their opinions at Real Estate Forward, a forum sponsored by the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service in conjunction with the Phoenix Business Journal.

The event drew a crowd of more than 170 participants and was held Wednesday at the Camelback Inn .

ARMLS CEO Bob Bemis said he wanted to combine the expertise of both the commercial and residential communities so that everyone could get a better picture of what truly is going on across the real estate spectrum.

“The residential and commercial people don’t talk as much as they should,” Bemis said.

Michael Orr, creator of the Cromford Report that includes in-depth local residential research, said he’s not sure the market will return to normal as we know it. He’s only willing to place a few bets on the next three or four months, which look modestly positive for home sales except when it comes to prices.

“They’re definitely not going up, but they’re not going down either,” Orr said.

Don’t get too excited, he said. Prices are not going to turn around quickly, but they could next year.

Foreclosures are dropping rapidly and are at the lowest level since September 2007. Short sales, he said, will be the largest part of the sales market for the time being.

“We’ve already been through the worst,” he said.

Scott Golba, who owns a property management firm and is an expert on residential rentals, was practically jubilant.

“This is not the time to go out and buy one home. It’s time to buy two or three homes,” Golba said.

Thank You Phoenix Business Journal

Jan Buchholz
Reporter
Email: jbuchholz@bizjournals.com

Great story

Crouchman

1% Tax on Bank Deposits??

2011-07-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

1% tax on all bank transactions

Watch for this AFTER November elections; remember this BEFORE you VOTE ... in case you think Obama's looking out for your best interest.

1% tax on all bank transactions HR 4646

This government just cannot think of enough ways to hurt the American people!This Bill must die FORWARD THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!

1% tax on all bank transactions HR 4646 - ANOTHER NEW OBAMA TAX SLIPPED IN WHILE WE WERE ASLEEP.

Checked this on snopes, it's true! Check out HR 4646. (see below copied from Snopes)

President Obama's finance team is recommending a one percent (1%) transaction fee (TAX). Obama's plan is to sneak it in after the November elections to keep it under the radar.

This is a 1% tax on all transactions at any financial institution - banks, credit unions, savings and loans, etc. Any deposit you make, or even a transfer within your account, will have a 1% tax charged.

~If your paycheck or your social security or whatever is direct deposit, it will get a 1% tax charged for the transaction.

~If your paycheck is $1000, then you will pay Obama $10 just for the privilege of depositing your paycheck in your bank.

Even if you hand carry your paycheck or any check into your bank for a deposit, 1% tax will be charged.

~You receive a $5,000 stock dividend from your broker, Obama takes $50 just to allow you to deposit that check in the bank.

~If you take $1,000 cash to deposit at your bank, 1% tax will be charged.

Mind you, this is from the man who promised that, if you make under $250,000 per year, you will not see one penny of new tax. Keep your eyes and ears open, you will be amazed at what you learn about this guy's under-the-table moves to increase the
number of ways you are taxed.

~Oh, and by the way, you receive a refund from the IRS next year and you have it direct deposited or you walk in to deposit that check, you guessed it. You will pay a 1% charge of that money just for putting it in your bank. Remember, any money, cash, check or whatever, no matter where it came from, you will pay a 1% fee if you put it in the bank.

Some will say, oh well, it's just 1%. Are you kidding me? It's a 1% tax increase across the board. Remember, once the tax is there, they can also raise it at will. And if anyone protests, they will just say, "oh,that's not really a tax, it's a user fee"! Think this is no
big deal? Go back and look at the transactions you made from last year's banking statements. Then add the total of all those transactions and deduct 1%.

Still think it's no big deal???

1. snopes.com: Debt Free America Act
Is the U.S. government proposing a 1% tax on debit card usage and/or banking transactions?

....moved beyond proposing studies and submitted the Debt Free
America Act (H.R. 4646) , a bill calling for the implementation of
a scheme to pay down the...

...[2010] by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.). His "Debt Free America
Act" (H.R. 4646) would impose a 1 percent "transaction tax" on
every financial transaction...

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:26:37 GMT
http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/debtfree.asp

Scott Crouch & Barry Kramer Why Keller Williams and Why Now

2011-07-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

Shad Prock MC99 Profit Share Works

2011-06-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

2011-06-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

June 2011 Market Update

The U.S. housing market continues its gradual and uneven progress, despite the expiration of the home buyer tax credit. The remarkable rebound in housing activities from the initial drop following the end of the home buyer tax credit this past July adds to the belief that the risk of a double-dip downturn in housing may be disappearing.

As the housing market continues to work through the excess supply overhang, a result from the glut of foreclosed properties which is keeping home prices below their long-term trend growth, economists anticipate mortgage rates at or above 6% by the end of 2012 and expect buying activity to continue its upward momentum.

Supporting this view is the rising concern about inflationary pressures sparked by political unrest in the Middle East. While surging gas and food prices could prove transitory and pose no major threats, these price increases may weigh down consumer spending, which accounts for two thirds of the economy. While, the Federal Reserve is committed to making necessary policy changes to address such risks. Meanwhile, core price gains, excluding food and fuel, were modest in April, offering some relief to consumers.

As the economy improves, stimulus efforts by the government and the Fed is expected to gradually wind down, which typically spurs rising interest rates to keep inflation in check. Meanwhile, buyers continue to benefit from historically favorable buying conditions and sellers are encouraged by increased market stability.

Home Sales

in millions

The number of homes home sales in April were down 12.9% compared to the same time last year when the impact of the tax credit was at its peak. Sales were relatively stable compared to the previous month: less than a 1% decline. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun states that “given great affordability conditions and job creation, home sales should be stronger” and cites unnecessarily tight credit for limiting sales. Gradual but uneven improvement is expected to continue. In fact, home sales have increased six of the past nine months.

Home Price

in thousands

Home prices rebounded 2.4% in April with median home prices rising to $163,700. This is 5% below the year-ago level and continues to keep the median price close to 2002 levels. Three out of eight homes sold during April, or 37% of sales, were distressed properties, which typically sell at a 10%–20% discount. This is down 3% from March. Investors represented 20% of sales, and all-cash buyers were 31% of sales in April, down from a record high of 35% in March. Prices and mortgage rates remain favorable for buyers for the spring selling season.

Inventory- Month's Supply

in months

The supply of homes measured in months on the market, if sales continue at their current pace, inched up during April compared to March. Inventory levels remained 26% below the peak of 12.5 months in July and only 11% above April of 2010 when the tax credit was in full swing.

Source: National Association of Realtors

Interest Rates

Rates have reached a new record low after steadily declining throughout May, primarily due to uncertainty in the global and domestic economies. Rates are still expected to follow an upward trend as the year progresses. As overall economic activity gets back on track, rates will likely rise to keep inflation in check. This window of opportunity for buyers to lock in these historically low interest rates may not remain open much longer.

This Month's Video

Topics For Home Owners, Buyers & Sellers

Following in the footsteps of its counterpart Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac is offering a summer sales promotion for buyers who purchase a home from its inventory of foreclosures or HomeSteps properties. Since banks typically sell foreclosures “as-is” without incentives, warranties, or repairs, this incentive could help buyers view a HomePath property more like a traditional sale, and less like a distressed property, during their search process.

For offers received by July 31 that close by September 30, Freddie Mac is offering:

3.5% in closing costs to buyers
$1,200 bonus to buyer agents

This is on top of the incentives already being offered:

A two year HomeProtect Home Warranty
Up to 30% savings on new appliances

Note that this program comes with a few eligibility requirements, which includes the home must be a single-family, owner-occupied, financed dwelling used solely for residential purposes.

2011-06-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

As a stakeholder in our company...

are you getting your piece of the pie?

In May, Keller Williams Realty in the Roseville Market Center alone shared $53,957 with their associates! If we believe that our associates are our business partners, then shouldn't they share in our success? That is why we profit share!

Year To Date Profit Share:

Keller Williams Roseville

$190,088

Keller Williams Realty International

$12,870,735

Total Profit Share paid to associates since 1997

$316,390,635

Watch your bank accounts on the 21st of June to see how much of the GIFT of Profit Share was deposited into your account!

Help me grow your Profit Share Tree! Let me know who I should be contacting on your behalf that you feel would be a great addition to our office.

To learn more about how profit share works visit:

www.TruthAboutProfitShare.com

Sincerely,

Patrick Woods
Keller Williams Realty

Way to Go Patrick

Scott Crouch

A Message to Garcia-Crouch

2011-06-08T18:09:00.000-07:00

A Message to Garcia Will You Deliver It?

"THERE'S A FEllOW BY THE NAME OF ROWAN ... "

It was 1899. President William McKinley needed to deliver an urgent message to General Calixto Garcia, the leader of the insurgents in America's war against Spain. But Garcia was lost somewhere deep inside the mountain vastness of Cuba.

"There's a fellow by the name of Rowan who will find Garcia if anyone can," someone told the president. So McKinley summoned Colonel Andrew Rowan.

Do you long to hear yourname calledwhen time is short and the stakes arehigh?

Rowan took McKinley's letter, "sealed it in an oil-skin pouch, strapped it over his heart, in four days landed by night off the coast of Cuba from an open boat, disappeared into the jungle and in three weeks came out on the other side of the island, having traversed

a hostile country on foot, and delivered his letter to Garcia."

Notice that Rowan didn't equivocate. He didn't ask McKinley for detailed instruc tions. He didn't hire a consultant or assemble a task force. He simply took the letter and delivered it to Garcia.

Do you long to hear your name called when time is short and the stakes are high? Do you want to lead people who can be trusted with important tasks on an impor tant mission that just might change the world?

If so, heed the words below, learn to "get the job done" like Rowan, and extraordinary opportunities almost surely will come your way. Use these assignments to hone your natural talents, mastering a discipline in

If so, heed the words below ...

a way that brings you great joy and serves the needs of others, and you'll be well on your way to discovering a "calling" in life and embarking on a Hero's Journey.

THE RAREST SKill OF All: THE ABILITY TO EXECUTE

People like Rowan-who accomplish missions quickly and efficiently, with minimum oversight-are as rare today as they were 100 years ago when publisher Elbert Hubbard wrote "A Message to Garcia."

If you doubt this, read Hubbard's words below to someone who is charged with leading an organization:

"My heart goes out to the man who does his work when the 'boss' is away, as well as when he is at home. And the man who, when given a letter for Garcia, quietly takes the missive, without asking any idiotic questions, and with no in tention of chucking it into the nearest sewer, or of doing aughr else but deliver ir, never gets 'laid off,' nor has to go on strike for higher wages. Civilizarion is one long anxious search for JUSt such individuals. Anything such a man asks shall be granted; his kind is so rare that no employer can afford to let him go. He is wanted in every city, town and village-in every office, shop, store and factory. The world cries our for such: he is needed and needed badly, the man who can carry a message to Garcia."

The ability to execute is morevaluable than education or talent, because it is far rarer.

The leader will be nodding in agreement before you finish the first sentence. By the end of the paragraph, he or she will likely say, "So true. So true. If only I had a few more people like that. Each is worth his or her weight in gold."

The ability to execute is more valuable than education

or talent, because it is far rarer. As Hubbard notes in the next section, this means most people are trapped in dysfunctional organizations,

imprisoned by the curse of low expectations,

A WORLD OF UNDERACHIEVERS

THE CURSE OF THE AVERAGE ORGANIZATION

Ifyou have ever managed or been trapped in a dys functional organization, you understand Hubbard's lament ofthe "imbecilityofthe average man-the inability or unwillingness to concentrate on a thing and do it."

If you have ever managed orbeen trapped in a dysfunc tional organization. you understand Hubbard'slament...

"You, reader, put this matter to a test: You are sitting in your office-six clerks within call.

Summon anyone and make this request: 'Please look in the encyclopedia and make a brief memorandum for me concerning the life of Correggio.'

Will the clerk quietly say, 'Yes sir' and go do the task?

On your life, he will not. He will look at you out of a fishy eye and ask one or more of the following questions:

Who was he? Which encyclopedia? Where is the encyclopedia?

Was I hired for that? Don't you mean Bismarck? What's the matter with Charlie doing it? Is he dead? Is there any hurry?

Shan't I bring you the book and let you look it up yourself?

What do you want to know for?

And I will lay you ten to one that after you have answered the questions, and explained how to hnd the information, and why you want it, the clerk will go off and get one of the other clerks to help him try to hnd Garcia and then come back and tell you that there is no such man."

'Tll DO ITMYSELF"

Anyone who has tried to delegate to the average person knows the truth ofwhat Hubbard describes next:

Tempting as this may be, it is impossible to build an effective organization without delegating important tasks to talented and capable people. It's the only way to make a grand vision a reality.

That means the only way to build such an organiza tion is to attract, challenge and retain as many people like Colonel Rowan as possible.

HAVII\lG THE COURAGE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Woody Allen said that 90% of life is "just showing up." If so, the most important 10% of life is execution. Far too few people do either consistently. But if the ability to execute is so valuable, why is it so rare? Why aren't more people self-starters who

Now if you are wise, you will not bother to explain to your 'assistant' that Correggio is indexed under the C's, not in the K's, but you will smile sweetly and say, 'Never mind,' and go look it up yourself

:.. it is impossible to build an effective organization without delegating important tasks to talented and capable people. It's the only way to make a grand vision a reality.

... if the ability to execute is so valuable, why is it so rare?

can stay on task until the job is finished?

Some would say that this generation ofyouth is unwilling to work. Others that our public schools have failed to instill the right character or habits. Still others that television or video games or other elements of popular culture are to blame.

Perhaps, but Hubbard wrote his essay long before public schools, television or video games. This suggests that the problem is more deeply rooted in human nature. People want to make a difference. Be as cynical as you like, but deep inside every seemingly lazy and distracted person is an individual with rare gifts who longs to be called to an important mission. It's just that somewhere in life, through overbearing or overindulgent parents or disinterested teachers, tyrannical coaches or uncaring bosses, the passion for a job well done has been extinguished.

People in their late teens and early twenties often have a misconception about life. They believe that their greatest challenges will come from unforeseen events and external circumstances. This turns out to be untrue. The greatest challenges always come from within.

Unforeseen setbacks do occur, often at the worst times. You'll come across a few saints and wise men and women who have mastered external and internal challenges. But far more often you'll come across people who are lost, not living up to their potential or just plain evil. That's the real world.

You have a choice ... you can choose to start developing the attitudes, habits and instincts so your name will be called when success hangs in the balance.

Nevertheless, later in life, as you look back, you will realize that your most forbidding obstacles were quiet voices, voices whispering destructive thoughts that held you back: "Nothing matters. It's all for naught." Or "You aren't good enough." Or "You're a loser.I "

Make no mistake about it. You have a choice. You can blame your paren rs, teachers, coaches or bosses. Or you can choose to stan developing the attitudes, habits and instincts so your name will be called when success hangs in the balance.

DEVELOPING THE RIGHT ATTITUDES, HABITS AND INSTINCTS

The secret to developing the right attitudes, habits and instincts for crisp execution is cultivating a bias toward action. Practice the following steps until they become deeply imbedded habits:

1. Accept the mission andget started.

If offered an assignment where the objective is clear, accept it without asking for further instructions. Then take the first step.

2. Be curious.

Most times you won't have all the answers. Don't see this as a sign of weakness. Instead, unleash your natural curiosity. Focus on asking the right questions first. Then seek answers.

3. Immediately sketch out a plan.

Quickly draft a provisional plan with goals, milestones and deadlines. If yOll don't

1 Many thanks to Ted Beasley. Teaching Pastor ofG:He'wa)' Church. in Ausun. Texav. for (his Idea.

know enough to craft such a plan, decide how to gather the information you need. But in all cases, begin to move forward immediately.

If the objective seems overwhelming or you are unsure of where to start, break it down using the Vision, Strategies, Projects, Tactics (VSPT) framework:

Vision: This is your objective - delivering the letter to Garcia.

Strategies: What are the ways you could achieve this objective? Sometimes there will be many strategies to choose from, other times only one. For Rowan, there was only one strategy: hand-deliver it. Today, other options might be to deliver the message by phone or bye-mail.

Projects: What big things need to get done to accomplish the objective? Create a series of major milestones. For example: Sail to Cuba, trek through the forest, find Garcia, plot a course back home.

Tactics: What do I need to do today to make progress on a project? Make a checklist: Hire a boat crew, find a guide for the trek, arrange for provisions, buy mosquito netting. Quickly start on these tasks, and before you know it, you will be executing.

4. Ifyou need resources, don't be afraid to ask. A critical job for any leader is to allocate resources-money, people, his own time even-among competing projects. If you ask clearly for what you need and explain concisely why it is necessary to achieve the objective, a leader will give you the ad ditional resources you need.

5. Enlist help when needed.

Don't hesitate to ask for help from peers, but remember that the responsibility for accomplishing the task is yours alone. (And remember that the best way to get others to help you is to have helped them first.)

6. Report back and show your work.

Frequently report your progress with objective measures. Whenever possible, provide samples of your work. Instead of asking how to accomplish a task, show what you have done so far. If you are off course, you'll get immediate feedback to put you back on the right path.

7. Underpromise and overdeliver.

Make it a point to set reasonable goals and always exceed them. If you want leaders to trust you with critical tasks, develop a reputation for getting the job done better, sooner and at a lower cost than you promised.

8. Expect to make (small) mistakes.

Accept mistakes as the price you pay to learn. Include an honest assessment of missteps in your progress reports. Embrace them as minor setbacks and correct them quickly, Jot down the lessons for reflection later, after the task has been accomplished.

9. Put results before schmoozing.

You want to spend time with those higher up in the organization so they'll get to know you and appreciate your work. First focus on contributing something of value, and you'll be surprised by how much attention you receive.

10. Replace the voices in your head with positive action.

Courage isn't the absence of fear but rather the ability to act inthefaceofit.

Turn away from the temptation to dwell on negative thoughts. Dwelling on fears only gives them more power. The best way to rid yourself of a fear is to take positive action. Courage isn't the absence of fear but rather the ability to act in the face of it.

SEEKING A HERO'S JOURNEY: PERSPECTIVE AND INSPIRATIOI\I FOR THE LONG HAUL

Developing action-oriented habits will make you indispensable to any organization. But how do you find the inspiration you need for particularly difficult tasks? How

... how do you find the inspiration you need for particularly difficult tasks?

do you choose which assignments to pursue and pri oritize between urgent and important tasks?

Practice the steps below to hone your talents and develop a sense of "calling," and you will find the inspiration, discernment and perspective you need to take on increasingly important missions.

1. Begin to seeyour life as a "calling" toward a Hero'sJourney.

Your life is too valuable to waste. Embrace the idea ofa "calling"-a reason that you were put on this earth. Envision your life as a quest, a series of daily struggles and larger challenges worth overcoming for a worthy rnission.i

2. Develop yourgifts andtalents into a discipline. Become world-classatsomething.

Everyone has special God-given gifts. Discover yours and accept challenges that allow you to practice and perfect these skills. Develop a reputation for mastering a discipline and extraordinary opportunities will seek you out.

3. Find a "deep burning need"you care about.

Your lifelong mission will be more fulfilling ifit serves the needs ofothers. Look for opportunities or injustices that speak to your heart. Find where your gifts, tasks you enjoy and a "deep burning need" intersect and you will have found your calling.

4. Surroundyourselfwith goodpeople and worthy role models.

Find role models who inspire you. Look to people who are further along in life's journey for the right questions to ask. Surround yourself with good people who care about you.

2 A good inrroduction to understanding a Hero's Journey i~another Acton Note ill this series. Sran 6 SrrpptngsrOllf·;. Somr Cboire. Oil!)' Comr Around Oncr. available at acronfoundarion.org. A step-by-step guide IO discerning your caJJinf, (all be Found ;H Aeron-Life-of... Meaning.org.

MOVING fROM INDIVIDUAL ACTION TO BUILDING A WORLD-CLASS ORGANIZATION

Once you develop a reputation as someone who can be trusted with important tasks, you will begin to attract others like you. Combine this with a sense of mission, and you can begin to build a highly effective organization.

Take the following steps if you want to attract the right people and harness all your energy toward a world-changing mission.

1. Make the mission clear and meaningful

You want people to sign on for the right reasons. Make it clear how your company intends to change the world for the better.

2. Set unreasonably high standards.

You want to attract the right people. Even more importantly, you want the wrong people to self-select out. Set high standards and clear ethical guardrails and stick to them. People like Rowan attract more people like Rowan.

3. Align incentives with the few key tasks-the Key Success Factors-for the mission.

Set clear, measurable objectives for success. Pay people to accomplish them. You'll be surprised at how quickly the quality of applicants will improve.

4. Make all employment conditional.

Hire everyone for a probationary period. Assign difficult tasks and see who performs. Be ruthless in your initial evaluations to save later heartaches. Underachievers may change over time, but only if they make the decision to change themselves. Your as signment is to get the job done, not run a counseling service for underachievers.

5. Hire leaders who know how to get the job done too.

Leading is different from executing. It requires the ability to delegate and inspire. But insist that all leaders first know how to execute, and have little patience for those who don't.

6. Put the monkey on their back.

Never allow a subordinate to bring you problems, even though this may play to your desire for action. Leaders execute in their assignments because the people led by them are inspired to execute on theirs. If you have attracted a team that is dependent on you for detailed directions, then you are the problem.

7. Take time to coach those who haveproved they can execute.

Developing talent is a leader's number one priority. Once someone has proved that he or she can execute, take a personal interest so you can inspire him or her to even greater accomplishments.

THE WORLD NEEDS YOU

The world is overpopulated with planners, procras tinators and political schemers - parasites who prey on a market economy. People who will accept a task and execute it promptly are as rare today as they were when Elbert Hubbard wrote of Colonel Rowan's mission.

The world is overpopu lated with planners, procrastinators and political schemers parasites who prey on a marketeconomy.

The secret to such success lies not within the IQ that you were born with but with having the character and courage to accept a worthy mission and get the job done. If you want to live a life full of interesting challenges, focus on the action-oriented steps above until they become habits. Master a discipline that brings you great joy and you will never want for opportunity.

Even better, once you have learned to get the job done, pick a worthy mission and surround yourself with like people and then you will change the world.

Perhaps then someday, when a truly important mission hangs in the balance, you'll hear your name called as someone "who will find Garcia if anyone can."

OTHER ACTON NOTES IN THIS SERIES II\1ClUDE:

Everyone Needs a Little RLC Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness: A Cautionary Tale

Naive Networking: The Call Entrepreneurs, CEOs & Community Leaders Dread

So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur?

Stars & Steppingstones: Some Choices Only Come Around Once

Copyright © 2008 by the Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence. No part of this publication may be reproduced. stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form without [he written permission of [he Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence.

Austin. Texas. USA • actonfoundation.org

eACTON FOUNDATION u

for Entrepreneurial Excellence

If you are a leader, role model, coach, mentor, advisor or someone who recognizes the gifts in another person and inspires them to greatness, at Acton we believe you are a teacher.

Ifyou are someone who longs to change the world in a profound way, someone who has the courage to find your most precious gifts and the dedication to master a disci pline, at Acton we believe you are an aspiring entrepreneur.

The Acton Foundation serves both teachers and aspiring entrepreneurs. We attract, train and inspire master teachers, equipping them with the courses and learning tools they need to help aspiring entrepreneurs.

We offer "teachers" ways to be more intentional and effective in assisting those looking for career advice and searching for their calling.

We offer "aspiring entrepreneurs" a path to discover their calling and to live a life of meaning.

Our case-based entrepreneurship curriculum allows both teachers and aspiring entre preneurs to step into the shoes of real entrepreneurs and learn how to make the tough calls required for success. The curriculum is taught in its entirety at the Acton School ofBusiness, an intensive one-year MBA program in Austin, Texas, taught exclusively by practicing entrepreneurs. The Princeton Review ranks Acton as one of the "Best MBA Classroom Experiences" in the country and, for the fourth year in a row, ranks Acton's teachers among the top five business faculties in the nation. To learn more please visit ActonMBA.org.

Additional tools and resources for advising, mentoring, teaching and finding a career and life of meaning are available at ActonFoundation.org.

NO MATrER WHERE YOU ARE ON THE ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY, ACTON'S RESOURCES ARE THERE FOR YOU.

ARE YOU INUNDATED WITH"NETWORKING" REOUESTS?

Stop wasting your time and theirs by using Acton's simple tools for CEOs to quickly and effectively respond to networking requests-and learn how to change the life of an aspiring entrepreneur in thirty minutes. ActonGuides.org

WHAT WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY?

No amount of riches, fame, or power can match the fulfillment that comes from pursuing your calling. Don't know what your calling is? Discover what you truly want-and how to achieve it. Acton-Life-of-Meaning.org

YOU'VE BUILT A BUSINESS, BUT WHAT ABOUT A LEGACY?

There's not a better gift you can give to strengthen America's free society than becoming a Socratic Guide and passing the torch to the next generation of principled entrepreneurs. ActonFoundation.org

WHYAMI MAKING A PROFIT, BUT RUNNING OUT OF CASH? You can learn about cash flow, operations bottlenecks and sales funnels the hard way, by commitringcosdy mistakes in your own business. or you can test your mettle first with Acton's interactive simulation games. ActonSims.org

WHO'S YOUR HERO?

Is there a successful entrepreneur who inspires you or who changed your life that you would like to honor? There are few better ways to say thank you than to share their story and nominate them as an entrepreneur hero. ActonHero.org

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO CHANGE THE WORLD?

Taught entirely by successful entrepreneurs, the Acton School of Business

makes three promises to its students: You will learn how to learn. You will learn how to make money. And you will learn how to live a Life of Meaning. ActonMBA.org

Steve Jobs explains the rules for success

2011-06-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

You need a lot of passion for what you're doing because its so hard. Without passion, any rational person would give up.

So if youre not having fun doing it, if you dont absolutely love it, youre going to give up. And thats what happens to most people, actually.

If you look at the ones that ended up being successful in the eyes of society, often times its the ones who love what they do, so they could persevere when it got really tough. And the ones that didnt love it, quit. Because theyre sane, right?
Who would put up with this stuff if you dont love it?

So its a lot of hard work and its a lot of worrying constantly.
If you dont love it, youre going to fail.

By the Numbers: Arizona Wildfire

2011-06-08T16:19:00.000-07:00

A raging forest fire in eastern Arizona has scorched an area larger than the size of Phoenix, threatening thousands of residents and emptying towns as the flames raced toward New Mexico on Wednesday

Financial News Icons Say Now Is the Time to BUY!

2011-06-07T22:39:00.000-07:00

Financial News Icons Say Now Is the Time to BUY!

by THE KCM CREW on JUNE 7, 2011 · 5 COMMENTS

in FOR BUYERS,PRICING

We received some tough news on housing last week. Prices are still softening. There was a lot of negativity surrounding these reports. The news caused more consumers to be concerned. However, the real question is what this means to you and your family. This could actually be great news if you are buying (either as a move-up buyer or a first-time buyer).

We don’t want you to take our word for this. Instead, here are excerpts from articles published last week by two of the country’s iconic financial publications: The Wall Street Journal and Forbes Magazine.

The Wall Street Journal: Why It’s Time to Buy

“Despite all the gloom, there are growing indications that it is a good time to buy… The long-term benefits of homeownership remain very much intact. For now, at least, you can deduct the mortgage interest on your taxes—a big perk for people in higher tax brackets. You get to paint your walls any color you wish, without having to clear it with a landlord. And assuming you can buy a home for about the same price as you can rent one, buying will give you the ability one day to live rent-free. Come retirement time, a paid-off mortgage means your monthly expenses are significantly reduced, and you have a chunk of equity to play with.”

Forbes Magazine: 9 Reasons to Buy a House Now

“If you’re planning to buy a house right now, the next few months may be the best time to buy… With a convergence of the factors (mentioned in the article) all of which are favorable to the prospective home buyer, there may not be a better time to buy than right now. It’s a buyer’s market, but like everything else in life, the bargain deals won’t last.”

Bottom Line

When the Wall Street Journal and Forbes have articles saying now is the time to buy, maybe it’s time to buy

Financial News Icons Say Now Is the Time to BUY!

2011-06-07T22:37:00.000-07:00

Financial News Icons Say Now Is the Time to BUY!

Ancient Mysteries - Puma Punku in Tiahuanaco

2011-05-29T12:11:00.000-07:00

Ancient Mysteries - Puma Punku in Tiahuanaco

Brian Pio Dance Show

2011-05-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day

2011-05-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM A FRIEND Thanks Scott Agnew for sharing this with me.

Hope all are planning a happy and safe Memorial Weekend. Monday is a holiday
and I do hope we all observe this with remembrance to all those that have
sacrificed on behalf of our country.

Recently I spent 10 days in the Philippines researching the Battle of Bataan
wherein our soldiers along with the Filipino soldiers battled the Imperial
Japanese Army to a standstill, that is until they were diseased, without
medicine, starving, without bullets, and no escape from the sea or the Japanese.
Most know little of our crusade to rid fascism from the Pacific as Roosevelt's
strategy was always Europe first.

Over a battlefield of 100+ miles our men fought - and fought some more -
for 5 solid months! Finally the Imperial Army had to withdraw an entire
Army to Bataan. Discovering original letters from my father to his bride
describing chaos and ferocity of battle - and the realities reported in the
Philippines was so much more that his missives. The real story is so incredible
it makes fiction worthless. And because of Bataan we were able to hold New
Guinea and Australia allowing our Navy to enter the Battle of the Coral Sea
and later the Battle of Midway thereby stopping expansion of the Nippon Empire
- at that time the largest empire in the history of the world. And all this
happened within 6 - yes six - months of December 7th 1941.

"Washington: A Life" by Chernow illustrates over nearly a thousand pages
the fragility of this experiment we call freedom. Every time we hear, watch,
read, and even drive a car we are reminded that liberty is such a rare commodity
in the world! How valuable a commodity one might ask? Washington's continental
army was volunteered from the states - and they did not have to stand and
fight - many just left for home once their enlistment expired. Yet the father
of our country kept this rag-tag army together during freezing winters, forced
marches, and overwhelming odds.

Yes, Memorial Day is a time to take stock of the present, reflect on our
past, and renew our commitment to the future of our great America. We honor
those brave Americans who died in the service to our country. Today a group
of Veteran's dedicated our 25th Memorial to a soldier fallen in the Republic
of Vietnam, a young citizen of 19 who volunteered during those tumultuous
times of the Civil Right's Movement, the assassinations of Jack Kennedy,
Rivers, Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, the fiasco at the Bay of Pigs,
the near encounter with nuclear war over missiles in Cuba, the riots in Chicago
at the Democratic Convention, and so much more. This now forever young private
whose family shed lasting tears for what was and what might have been celebrate
his life and our constitution.

As a tribute to their sacrifice let us renew our resolve to remain steadfast
against aggression, moral wrong doings, and let us protect our freedom with
thoughtful, deliberate, and careful debate so we might shine a light of freedom
and peace throughout the world. And let's take the time to thank our citizen
soldier's, those men and women who serve our nation whether she be right
or wrong. My, it is just overwhelming to see these young men and women
without limbs and with full heart. It is just remarkable - and if you don't
believe me come go to the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta Georgia where
many are treated for grievous injuries. As one you lady replied when I ask
her goal: "someday soon I will be able to stand from this wheelchair and
dress myself"

Thank you for all you do for our company, our economic engine, and most of
all our great America!

With my best regards,

Michael Fleming

2011-05-20T22:48:00.001-07:00

Keller Williams Profit Share

2011-05-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

Wow! Congrats to our KWAZ associate, Cara Breese-Lonsdale! If you have not fully engaged in understanding the profit sharing system and it’s benefit to you, please let me know!

This is what passive income looks like with Keller Williams

Dear Friends,

Today, I am excited to share with you that this month marks a very special milestone in my profit share history with Keller Williams.

As of the 21st of this month (technically April since profit share is paid in arrears), I have achieved over $100K in lifetime profit share earnings with Keller Williams!

According to my profit share report on KW.com, I am 1 of only 432 agents within the entire KW system to achieve this. The report also lists that I am 1 of only 2 agents that have achieved this in my marketcenter.

As a new agent back in 1997, there were so many choices out there, and Keller Williams was relatively unheard of. I am so thankful to John Dyer, my first team leader at the KW office at 64th street and Bell Rd, for showing me the profit share model and introducing me to a revolutionary business model that would grow beyond my wildest dreams. I am also grateful to Denny McComb and Tom Draney for their support, encouragement and advice through those early years. They provided consistancy and stability for me as a new agent.

It wasn't big money to start, and it took several years for me to truly grasp the concept and importance of bulding my profit share tree. However, by 2004, my profit share had blasted off.

Now, nearing 400 agents in my tree (even a team leader or two!) I am reminded just how blessed I am to have become part of such a rewarding family.

I just wanted to take a moment, and give thanks to each one of you for your contribution toward my success. I look forward to working toward the next milestone of $500K! :)

Thanks,

Cara (Breese) Lonsdale, PLLC
Vested Agent Partner, eAgent, CNE
Keller Williams Arizona Realty
480.634.4400
cara@caralonsdale.com

Thank you Cara for sharing your story and inspiring others as well.

Scott Crouch