April 2019

Dear Friend,

Gosh, this year is going by fast— no April Foolin’!  This month’s newsletter pulls together some interesting facts, including:

• April Fool’s Day traditions from around the world.

• How long dinosaur eggs take to hatch.

• Smart ways to ensure a productive meeting.

Also, spring cleaning abounds at this time of year, and as you dig into your closets you might be rethinking how your home is set up and if it still works for you. If the time is right to think about more space— or any other items on your wish list— please give me a call so we can help you find a new home.

Thanks, stay warm, and give me a call! Talk with you soon.

Your friend in the real estate business,

Cliff

Cliff Keith

650-346-7366 Cell/Text

Cliff@SFBayHomes.com

The View from the Back of the Room

A world-famous scientist was being driven to a university where he was scheduled to give a lecture. During the drive he confided to his chauffer: “I’m not sure how interesting I can make this talk. I’m getting a little bored with giving the same lecture at every campus we visit.”

“I have an idea,” said the driver. “I’ve been listening from the back of the room each time you’ve given this lecture and I know the material pretty well by now. Why don’t we trade places? I’ll take your notes and give your speech, and you can sit in the back of the room and relax— besides, it might be fun for you to watch everyone.”

 “I’ll take you up on that offer,” replied the scientist. Before they arrived at their destination, the pair stopped at a coffee shop and traded clothes. The scientist then drove while the chauffer reviewed the lecture notes from the backseat.

The driver was able to pull off the lecture with no problem, but several minutes into the Q&A portion of the presentation, a student asked a rather complicated question.

The driver, standing confidently at the podium, maintained his composure as he said, “The answer to that question is so simple that I’m going to let my driver, seated in the back of the room, answer that for you.”

Upon having the students all turn to him for the correct answer, the scientist realized how grateful he was for his position. Sometimes a change of perspective is all we need to see our life through others’ eyes.

~Cliff

Climate Change

We’ve all sat in meetings which could have been a tad bit more productive. Possibly, the person conducting the meeting failed to create the best environment for a productive discussion. For the next meeting you lead, follow this advice.

• Insist on an atmosphere of confidentiality.

You’re probably not discussing national security or high-level business information, but the principle should remain the same: whatever people say in the room should remain in the room. People can speak openly when they don’t have to worry about their words coming back to haunt them later. Share results, not talk.

• Agree on a united front.

Whatever disagreements arise during the meeting, make sure everyone is committed to standing together once the meeting is over. You should encourage people with different points of view to express their opinions, but impress on everyone the need to support your final decision and not undercut it later.

• Don’t let silence reign.

Too often meetings end in apparent agreement because no one spoke up to ask a question or offer a different idea. As a leader, make a point of asking the quiet people what they think— and remind folks that voicing their thoughts is a fundamental responsibility.

• Discourage interruptions.

When discussion grows animated, aggressive speakers can easily drown out others in the room. You should play referee when this happens— make certain that everyone gets a chance to speak. Employees who get shortchanged in one meeting may contribute little to the next meeting.

“The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser – in case you thought optimism was dead.”~Robert Brault

On This Date…

April 23, 1564/1616- Shakespeare’s date of birth/death.

April 30, 1789- George Washington became the first U.S. President of the United States.

April 4 1887- Susanna M. Salter became the first female mayor in the United States (Argonia, Kansas).

April 1, 1924- The Royal Canadian Air Force was established.

April 6, 1946 – Cliff Keith III born in Bloomington, IL

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April Fish!

Across the world, there are several variations of playing an April Fool’s joke on a good-natured friend, co-worker, or family member.

Although the exact history of where the tradition originated is unknown, the most likely answer appears to date back to when the Julian Calendar was updated to the Gregorian Calendar. When the start of the New Year switched from March to January, April “fools” could be tricked into believing it was a new year.

Whether or not that story is true, the fun of playing a practical joke is enjoyed in countries all over the world on April 1. Here are just a few variances on the tradition:

• In France, you are an “April Fish” if you are young enough to fall for a trick.
• Similarly, sticking a paper fish to someone isn’t uncommon in Italy.
• In England and Ireland, tricks are only played in the morning; to play a trick on someone after noon is considered bad form.
• Newspapers in Norway and Sweden often publish a hoax story among the rea l news to have fun by fooling the general public.
• The Portuguese sprinkle a little flour on each other’s backs so foolish tricks wont “stick” to anyone as they go about their day on April 1.
• In Scotland, April is begun with a “Gowk” being given a letter or note to drop off with a friend. The contents of the letter instruct the recipient to deliver it to someone else, and so on, throughout the day, rather like a human chain letter.

Eat Your Veggies

Even the ripest apple or the leafiest lettuce can carry dirt and unsafe bacteria that needs to be thoroughly washed off before it’s safe to eat. Follow these tips for making sure your produce is safe to eat:

• Start with a clean slate. Wipe down your kitchen counter, scrub your knives and cutting boards, and wash your hands before cleaning your food.

• Water is best. Use cool water (no soap!) and wash for 30 to 60 seconds in most cases.

• Wash peeled food, too. Dirt and microbes can hide in the outer crevices of such fruits like oranges and bananas. Even though you don’t eat the skin, washing it prevents the spread of harmful bacteria through con- tact with your fingers.

• Don’t wash and store. Wait until you’re ready to eat the item in question. If you wash it and then stick it in the refrigerator, it will retain moisture and spoil faster.

• Use a brush. For firmer fruits and vegetables such as apples and potatoes, a stiff vegetable brush can do a good job of removing dirt and particles you don’t want to eat.

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Big Eggs

How long did dinosaur eggs take to hatch? Paleontologists know very little about dinosaur embryology, so it isn’t easy to tell, but with CT scanners and high-resolution microscopy, they’re finding out more.

Recent findings show that non-avian dinosaurs likely took longer to hatch than their feathered counterparts, not unlike how modern reptiles hatch at a later age than today’s birds. Scientists looked at the fossilized remains of two dinosaur embryos, focusing on the formation of their teeth. Analyzing growth lines, they were able to determine that one dinosaur had died at three months and the other at six months.

The difference in hatching times may have had an impact on the large dinosaurs’ eventual demise. Because they require more food and other resources to live to adult size, larger reptiles were likely more vulnerable than smaller animals (amphibians, birds, and other mammals) to an extinction event.

“The pine stays green in winter… wisdom in hardship.” ~Norman Douglas

The Truth Really Was Out There

A series of UFO sightings in the 1950s that sparked interest in flying saucers may have an explanation: the CIA. The agency released a document describing top-secret tests of the high-flying U2 spy plane during that time, and in this case, fact is more normal than fiction.

Because the U2 flew at higher altitudes than any other known airplanes, pilots and others who spotted the test flights may have believed that they were seeing machines from another world. The CIA estimates that half of all UFO reports during the 1950s and 1960s were actually sightings of the U2 in flight.

Once In a Pink Moon

Long ago, ancient cultures referred to the months of the year by their moon. Each of the moons had unique characteristics related to the seasons. A few of those sensible names are still heard today. For example, many people refer to the full moon in October as a Harvest moon.

April was beautifully named the Pink Moon by Native Americans, in reference to the wild Phlox flowers that bloomed across the ground in waves of bright pink.

However, April also had other names that indicate the return of spring, including Sprouting Grass moon and Egg moon.

Basic Math

“If I give you two cats, then two more, then another two, how many cats would you have?” the tutor asked.

“Seven,” Tyler replied.

“Hmm,” the tutor sighed. “If I give you two apples, then two more, then two more, how many apples do you have?”

“Six,” Tyler replied.

“Very good,” said the tutor. “So, if I give you two cats, then two more, then two more.

How many cats do you have?” “Seven,” Tyler replied.

“What?! How are you coming up with a different answer for cats than apples?!” the confused tutor asked.

“Because I already have a cat,” Tyler replied.

Recycling Milestones

Recycling isn’t a new idea. Here are a few milestones in humanity’s effort to cut back on waste:

1690— The Rittenhouse family of Philadelphia opens a mill for paper recycling.

1897— New York City provides the first recycling center in the United States.

1904— Recycling centers for aluminum open in Chicago and Cleveland.

1921— Great Britain begins paper recycling.

1968— U.S. aluminum industry begins recycling discarded aluminum cans.

1970— College student Gary Anderson designs what became the common symbol of recycling, three arrows revolving around each other in a continuous loop.

1971— Canada establishes the Department of Environment, commonly referred to as Environment Canada.

1986— San Francisco meets its goal of recycling 25% of commercial and residential waste.

1995— “Single-stream” recycling is introduced in California.

2007—  Staples Canada collections top 564,000 kgs of single-use batteries and 110,000 kgs of rechargeable batteries to date.=

Clever Jokes To Share

Q. What do you get when you cross a fish with an elephant?

A. Swimming trunks.

Q Why aren’t dogs good dancers?

A. Because they have two left feet.

Q. What has hundreds of ears, but can’t hear a thing?

A. A cornfield.

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Cliff’s Notes on real estate…

Cliff Keith

1250 San Carlos Ave #101

San Carlos, CA 94070

Q: What kind of ears does a train have?

A: Engineers

This newsletter is intended for entertainment purposes only.  Credit is given to the authors of various articles that are reprinted when the original author is known.  Any omission of credit to an author is purely unintentional and should not be construed as plagiarism or literary theft. 

Copyright 2019 Cliff Keith dba SF Bay Homes with Today | Sotheby’s International Realty.  This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical, legal, financial or tax advice.  Any and all decisions and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a qualified physician, attorney, financial advisor

Newsletter April 2019