APT Tennis Tour Event-LGT Tennis Challenger-Binghamton, NY

Levene Gouldin & Thompson Tennis Challenger

Recreation Park - corner of Beethoven & Seminary Avenue.

August 8, 2009 through August 16, 2009

www.tennischallenger.com

An ATP tour event which draws world class tennis players to the Greater Binghamton,NY area.

Greater Binghamton is located in the Southern Tier region of upstate New York. Strategically positioned at the intersection of three Interstate highways (I-81, I-88, and future I-86). Greater Binghamton is within a half-day drive of New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, Boston and many other major cities and is ideally situated for your business, workforce, and lifestyle.

In addition to our geographic location, our community has so much to offer including; a highly skilled workforce, affordable housing, a community rich in arts and music, safe neighborhoods, sophisticated health care and top educational facilities including Binghamton University and Broome Community College.

Greater Binghamton has the proud heritage as the Home to Innovation and the birthplace of prominent companies such as IBM, Universal Instruments, Maines Paper and Food, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Link Simulation and Endicott Johnson to name a few.

Broome County Industrial Development Agency

Broome County Industrial Development Agency: "We invite you to consider
Greater Binghamton:
We are home to BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Endicott Interconnect, Frito Lay, and a range of smaller firms.
We are located 3 hours from Midtown Manhattan and less than 5 hours from Boston, Philadelphia, Scranton, and Ottawa.
Our commute averages less than 20 minutes. Spend the day at work and be home in no time to see the kids perform in a show or play a sport.
We were named by the Milken Institute along with Cambridge, Austin, and San Jose, one of the top 15 high technology communities in the U.S.
We are a short drive from the Adirondacks, the Poconos, the Finger Lakes, and the Hudson Valley."

Record low mortgage interest rates boosted pending home sales for the third consecutive month-June 1, 2009

June 3, 2009—Record low mortgage interest rates boosted pending home sales for the third consecutive month, with some benefit now from the first-time buyer tax credit, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in April, rose 6.7% to 90.3 from a reading of 84.6 in March, and is 3.2% above April 2008 when it was 87.5.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said buyers are responding to very favorable market conditions. “Housing affordability conditions have been at historic highs, but now the $8,000 first-time buyer tax credit is beginning to impact the market,” he said. “Since first-time buyers must finalize their purchase by November 30 to get the credit, we expect greater activity in the months ahead, and that should spark more sales by repeat buyers.”

27th Million Dollar Sertoma Antique Show-Binghamton Univeristy

Here's another great reason that the Greater Binghamton region is a rather nice place to live. The 27th Annual Million Dollar Sertoma Antique Showheld at Binghamton University - see you there.

BINGHAMTON Tops Best Places to Retire

To find a few affordable retirement spots, we fired up our U.S. News best places to retire search tool. We sought out places with a low cost of living, giving considerable weight to affordable housing. But far from being out in the boonies, these places also offer access to arts and culture, sports, healthcare, and other amenities that retirees want and need in a retirement location. Every spot on our list has a median home price below $150,000, and many have important tax perks for retirees.

College towns also generally offer a great value for the money. "You will be able to see live plays, hear world-famous performers of music, and get all kinds of things that only big, expensive cities would normally support, and you can get them in a much less expensive place in a college town," says Andrew Schiller, founder and CEO of NeighborhoodScout.com.

State residents age 60 and older can even audit classes free at both the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Binghamton University in New York. "We have a performing arts center, and they put on operas, and we go to games at the university and to the theater department. They have a good symphony orchestra," says Cornelius Lorden, 77, a retired high school principal, about Binghamton, N.Y. He and his wife, Eleanor, 73, a retired nurse, have considered moving to pricey White Plains, N.Y., to be closer to their son and daughter-in-law, but the low cost of living, coupled with a great quality of life, is keeping them upstate.

Here are 10 great affordable places to retire.
1. Binghamton, NY
2. Chattanooga, Tenn.
3. Cocoa, Fla.
4. Eau Claire, Wis.
5. Montgomery, Ala.
6. Omaha, Neb.
7. Pittsburgh, Penn.
8. Roswell, NM
9. San Antonio, Tex.
10. South Bend, Ind.

Railroad Station - Old Phoebe Snow D& L-Binghamton NY

Some historical tidbits about Binghamton, New York region. Please add any historical notes that interest you.

• Binghamton was a focal point of the Clinton / Sullivan Campaign during the Revolution.
• It has one of the oldest zoos in the US.
• It was the birthplace of IBM.
• It was the birthplace of Link Flight Simulation. A link "Blue Box" trainer, the first flight trainer ever, is on display in the Smithsonian.
• It was the birthplace of Endicott Johnson shoes, which at one time was the largest in the US. Immigrants might not know the language yet, but could be heard to ask,"Which Way, EJ?"
• The Lackawanna stations in Binghamton and Scranton were used for the first ever radio transmission to a moving train. One of the 4 towers used in that experiment still stands beside the Binghamton Lackawanna Station.

D. L. W. Railroad Station, Binghamton, NY
Photo from an early 1900s postcard.

The Prisoner w/Patrick McGoohan-on AMC right now.

Fans still puzzle over this weird, enigmatic drama, a Kafkaesque allegory about the individual's struggle in the modern age."
"
They expected #1 to be a Bond man - it was about the most dangerous thing on earth = image of oneself, not a nifty James Bond character.

Part of McGoohan's popular legend is that he turned down the role of James Bond in Dr. No on moral grounds (the same grounds that would affect how he played John Drake).

You see, one of the t'ings that is frustrating about making a piece of entertainment is trying to make it appeal to everybody. I think this is fatal. I don't think you can do that. It's done a great deal, you know. We have our horror movies and we have our science-fiction things. The best works are those that say...somebody says, "We want to do something this way," and do it, not because they're aiming at a particular audience. They're doing it because it's a story they think is important, and is a statement that they want to make. And they do it and then whoever want to watch it, that's their privilege. I mean, the painting in an art gallery, you know, you have a choice whether you go and look at this one or that one or the other one. You have a choice not even to go

EPISODE #1 - ALL EPISODES ON AMC FOR A LIMITED TIME - VIEW THEM WHILE YOU CAN:
http://www.amctv.com/videos/the-prisoner-1960s-video/?bcpid=2517767001&bclid=6012619001&bctid=6081344001

8 Worst Fast-Fun Lunches

This is a good link to show you not only how calorie laden some fast-food lunches are but it then gives an alternative on those same fast-food lunch menus that aren't as bad...guess it's all relative.

CLINTON STREET REVIVAL-BINGHAMTON NY JULY 2008

Catch a glimpse of the home-grown movement to inspire community pride in our local downtown Binghamton neighborhoods.

One of the agents from our Century21-Sbarra/Wells office, Mike Rizzo, is the champion of the Binghamton revitalization frenzy. With his NYC enthusiasm and boundless energy, he has infused a renewed sense of pride in the waning neighborhoood, by his catchy ad, "We Believe in Binghamton."

His conserted work with the 1st Ward Assembly has brought increase traffic to the neighborhood known as "ANTIQUE ROW"where many Mom & Pop store, diners and shops are starting to thrive.

Keep checking back on more local Binghamton events.

Binghamton wins America East, punches first dance ticket!!

BU wins NCAA berth: 61-51 final

They're going dancing. The Binghamton University men's basketball team defeated the University of Maryland Baltimore County 61-51 Saturday to win the America East championship and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Name the dollar amount you're willing to pay. But most people in Binghamton University's event center parking lot before Saturday's game were not willing to part with their ticket.
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"This is one of the biggest sporting event in Broome County ever," said Nathan Turrell, 39, of Binghamton.
Binghamton University students camped out overnight to try to secure the best general admission ticket for the student section. Just to get a general admission ticket students earlier this week had to sleep over night, or, at the very least, wait for hours in line.
Steven Prinz, 18, of Long Island, said he arrived at the Event Center at 7 a.m. Wednesday to buy his general admission student ticket before they went on sale at noon Wednesday.
"I don't think I would sell it. It's too much of a thing," said Prinz, an engineering major who painted his body for the game.
Binghamton University student Steve Pahuskin, 22, of Brooklyn, said he will probably fail out of school because of his effort to get his tickets for the game. The accounting and pre-law major skipped two tests on Wednesday.
"I probably won't be here next year," said Pahuskin, "but it was totally worth it."

Vote-MSNBC POLL-Give Pres OBAMA a GRADE

Binghamton Broome County Real Estate: Civil War Era and Post CW State Buttons

Binghamton Broome County Real Estate: Civil War Era and Post CW State Buttons

Civil War Era and Post CW State Buttons

If you've never understood why a person might collect antique buttons,well, there is a lot of history surrounding this tiny treasures. Take for instance, the importance of holding together uniforms during a war and the jobs created by skilled craftsman to design state seals,etc.

I'm not a military button collector. However, a CW collector from ebay emailed me the following:"Number three is a civil war period Georgia, and number ten is a post civil war state of Ohio.

The following that you have pictured are civil war period: Number 1, 3, 4, 9, 12 and maybe 2".

I'd love see other examples if you care to share. Sorry for the squished look of the buttons but I tried to resize them for this blog and that's about the best I can create.
_______________________________________________

CSA-SUPERIOR QUALITY

CALVARY

?CONSTITUTION~VAN WART SON & CO.

INFANTRY

NORTH CAROLINA

NEW HAMPSHIRE VOL.MILITIA

MICHIGAN

MAINE

RIFLE~D.EVANS & CO.~ATTLEBORO,MASS

VIRGINIA~MADE IN ENGLAND

ARTILLARY~GOLD PLATE

PATRIOTIC JEWELRY EXAMPLES

Here are some examples of Patriotic Jewelry. The "Sweetheart Jewelry",of WWII was often hand-made by the soldier with any materials they could find, with the result of an endearing token of their affection - be it a sweetheart or the ever popular,"Mother" jewelry!

Would be interested to see whatever patriotic jewelry you might have.

PATRIOTIC JEWELS

AMERICAN CANINE BROOCH

NEW GUINEA 1945-MOTHER-SWEETHEART PIN BROOCH

911 RIBBION BROOCH

RS RED-WHITE-BLUE BROOCH

RS FLAG PIN

Know anyone in your office like this?OTHER VOWELS HATE Y:

Binghamton's Castle On The Hill

Photos & information are taken from this informative site:
http://www.nysasylum.com/biavt.htm


History:
"The New York State Inebriate Asylum, designed for the medical treatment and restraint of inebriates, is situated in Binghamton, New York. It was founded in 1858. The building is on a beautiful elevated site east of the town upon a farm of 250 acres; it is three hundred and sixty-five feet long, eighty-two feet broad, built of stone and brick, in the Tudor castellated style of architecture; and presents an imposing appearance. This institution owes its origin mainly to the energy of Dr. J. Edward Turner, and is the first of the kind ever established in the world. It is founded on the theory that inebriety, like insanity, is a disease, requiring like that, for its cure, medical and moral treatment... The petitioners to the legislature, for an appropriation for this institution, and the subscribers to its fund, represented more than fifty percent of all the property of this great and prosperous state."

• Designed by Issac Perry, architect of The Binghamton Afternoon club- aka Phelps Mansion, Oxford First National Bank, Albany State Capitol Building - look up Issac Perry to see his fabulous designs.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Welcome to my blog on real estate and anything else that might be on your mind or mine.

Since this is my first attempt at blogging, any suggestions, critiques, comments, are most appreciated.

Some items of interest are:

• Rail passenger service from Binghamton to NYC
  
• History of Binghamton - photos of the old Parlor City and interesting tidbits about the region.
  
• Staging your home of sale and even to live in. Sometimes, after potential sellers go through the effort of making their home "showroom" ready, they have second thoughts about selling their home since staging creates such a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere. I've often thought about pretending I was going to sell our house, just so I would be motivated to get it show-room ready and actually live like that for a few years.
  
• Antiques and Collectibles - especially those miniature works of art, known as the lowly button and that underated jewelry known as costume jewelry.
  
• Politics from both sides of the aisle.
  
• Tennis - especially RF fans