401K & Retirement Accounts 2011 Mid-Year Reallocations Summary

We did some minor re-allocations to keep the allocation steady at 37-34-29 split among domestic, international, and bond funds respectively. During the year the allocation shifted to 36.6-33.7-29.7 due to the performance differences among the sectors. Following are the details of the exchange transactions:

1. Moved 0.3% of total portfolio value from Pimco Total Return Fund (PTTRX) to Fidelity Diversified International Fund (FDIVX).
2. Moved 0.4% of total portfolio value from Pimco Total Return Fund (PTTRX) to Fidelity Low Priced Stock Fund (FLPSX).

Below is our updated portfolio:

Symbol	% of Portfolio	Fund Fees	Fund Return YTD (After Fees)	Comments
ABF Small Cap Value (AVFIX)	4.95	0.82	1.86	A Small-cap value fund with about 1.2B of total assets under management.
Artisan Mid-cap Value (ARTMX)	2.19	1.21	7.62	A mid-cap value fund with about 3.7B of total assets under management.Top 10 holdings account for 30% of assets.
Dodge & Cox Stock Fund (DODGX)	6.70	0.52	2.96	A Large cap value fund with a history of outperforming the S&P500 index. Has very low turnover ratio. The fund is very big (~70B) and so outperformance may be harder to come by going forward.
Fidelity Diversified International Fund (FDIVX)	17.90	1.00	(0.60)	Diversified large-cap international growth fund. This fund is very big at over 58B. Turnover is at 58%. Has a history of outperforming its related index, the MSCI EAFE.
Fidelity Small Cap Stock Fund (FSLCX)	4.77	0.95	1.80	None.
Fidelity Low Priced Stock Fund (FLPSX)	3.93	0.83	5.91	None.
PIMCO Total Return Fund (PTTRX)	17.57	0.52	3.11	None.
Calomos Growth A (CVGRX)	4.31	1.22	0.77	A 12B large cap growth fund. The top 10 holdings represent about 27% of assets.
Schwab S&P500 Index (SWPIX)	3.47	0.36	2.96	An index fund that tracks the performance of the S&P500 index benchmark.
William Blair International Growth (WBIGX)	4.04	1.67	(1.33)	A 5B large cap international fund with between 10 and 25% exposure to emerging markets.
Vanguard Pacific Stock Index (VPACX)	3.69	0.27	(4.70)	An index fund that tracks the performance of the MSCI Pacific index benchmark.
Vanguard Inflation Protected Securities (VIPSX)	8.42	0.20	5.41	Invests in inflation indexed bonds (primarily US) with maturities between 7 and 20 years.
Vanguard Emerging Market ETF (VWO)	6.69	0.25	(2.15)	None.
Fidelity International Real Estate Stock Fund (FIREX)	0.79	0.96	(3.84)	None.
Fidelity Small Cap Growth Fund (FCPGX)	3.76	1.09	5.21	None.
Fidelity Select Technology (FSPTX)	1.39	0.88	(0.99)	A sector specific fund focused on large cap technology stocks with about 2B in assets under management. Top 10 holdings account for 45% of total assets.
Fidelity Select Health Care (FSPHX)	1.54	0.87	12.33	A sector specific fund focused on large cap healthcare stocks with about 2B in assets under management. Top 10 holdings account for 38% of total assets.
Vanguard Pacific ETF (VPL)	0.89	0.00	(4.30)
Cash and Money Market	0.27	0	0	None.
Pension Plan	2.73	0	3.70	Company Fully Vested Cash Balance Pension Plan.

For the rest of 2011, our strategy should remain the same - if the market rallies we will shift more into bonds and vice-versa.

401K & Retirement Accounts 2011 Mid-Year Performance Summary

The total year-to-date (YTD) return was a slight loss of 0.36% which is better than a loss of 4.77% we did the same time last year. The performance slightly lagged the domestic indexes which are up around 1%. It however beat the returns on the emerging market indexes, which are down around 3%, and other developed market indexes, which are down around 0.5%. We started the year with an allocation of 37-34-29 among Domestic, International, and Bond Funds respectively and the allocation has shifted to 36.6-33.7-29.7 due to the performance differences YTD among the three sectors.

Below is our current portfolio:

Symbol	% of Portfolio	Fund Fees	Fund Return YTD (After Fees)	Comments
ABF Small Cap Value (AVFIX)	4.95	0.82	1.86	A Small-cap value fund with about 1.2B of total assets under management.
Artisan Mid-cap Value (ARTMX)	2.19	1.21	7.62	A mid-cap value fund with about 3.7B of total assets under management.Top 10 holdings account for 30% of assets.
Dodge & Cox Stock Fund (DODGX)	6.70	0.52	2.96	A Large cap value fund with a history of outperforming the S&P500 index. Has very low turnover ratio. The fund is very big (~70B) and so outperformance may be harder to come by going forward.
Fidelity Diversified International Fund (FDIVX)	17.60	1.00	(0.60)	Diversified large-cap international growth fund. This fund is very big at over 58B. Turnover is at 58%. Has a history of outperforming its related index, the MSCI EAFE.
Fidelity Small Cap Stock Fund (FSLCX)	4.77	0.95	1.80	None.
Fidelity Low Priced Stock Fund (FLPSX)	3.52	0.83	5.91	None.
PIMCO Total Return Fund (PTTRX)	18.28	0.52	3.11	None.
Calomos Growth A (CVGRX)	4.31	1.22	0.77	A 12B large cap growth fund. The top 10 holdings represent about 27% of assets.
Schwab S&P500 Index (SWPIX)	3.47	0.36	2.96	An index fund that tracks the performance of the S&P500 index benchmark.
William Blair International Growth (WBIGX)	4.04	1.67	(1.33)	A 5B large cap international fund with between 10 and 25% exposure to emerging markets.
Vanguard Pacific Stock Index (VPACX)	3.69	0.27	(4.70)	An index fund that tracks the performance of the MSCI Pacific index benchmark.
Vanguard Inflation Protected Securities (VIPSX)	8.42	0.20	5.41	Invests in inflation indexed bonds (primarily US) with maturities between 7 and 20 years.
Vanguard Emerging Market ETF (VWO)	6.69	0.25	(2.15)	None.
Fidelity International Real Estate Stock Fund (FIREX)	0.79	0.96	(3.84)	None.
Fidelity Small Cap Growth Fund (FCPGX)	3.76	1.09	5.21	None.
Fidelity Select Technology (FSPTX)	1.39	0.88	(0.99)	A sector specific fund focused on large cap technology stocks with about 2B in assets under management. Top 10 holdings account for 45% of total assets.
Fidelity Select Health Care (FSPHX)	1.54	0.87	12.33	A sector specific fund focused on large cap healthcare stocks with about 2B in assets under management. Top 10 holdings account for 38% of total assets.
Vanguard Pacific ETF (VPL)	0.89	0.00	(4.30)
Cash and Money Market	0.27	0	0	None.
Pension Plan	2.73	0	3.70	Company Fully Vested Cash Balance Pension Plan.

For the rest of 2011, we expect to do a minor reallocation this month. An update will follow. If the market rallies as the year progresses, we will shift more into bonds and vice-versa.

Economy, Business, Credit, and Debit @ the Roundup #32

Welcome to the June 24, 2011 edition of the Roundup.




Gordan Smith presents 10 Online Sites for Paying Utility Bills posted at Internet Provider.


Tax Debt Help presents Standard Deduction VS. Itemized Deduction: Which is Best For You? posted at Tax Debt Help.



Pinyo presents How to Review and Update Your Homeowners Insurance posted at Moolanomy, saying, "Many people neglect to update their homeowners insurance policies as time goes on. Here are two insurance factors you must review periodically to avoid being underinsured when disaster strikes."



David Klein presents Grants For Single Mothers posted at Single Mom Financial Help, saying, "If you are a recently divorced and thinking of buying a home for your family, be sure to research options for a mortgage carefully. Funding is available for a home loan for single mothers. If you look hard enough, you may find that there are government single mom grants available for single mom homes."



debt kid presents The 5 Biggest Money Mistakes You Can Easily Avoid posted at Debt Kid.



BackTaxesHelp.com presents Unemployment Taxes: tax breaks and considerations for the unemployed posted at Back Taxes Help.


The 2nd Wind presents Investments VS. Mortgage Payments posted at The 2nd Wind.

All Others

Jason Price presents Ally Bank High Yield Savings Account Review posted at One Money Design, saying, "Ally Bank is another good high yield savings opportunity to consider for your savings needs."



Allen Loomis presents How to write your goals and achieve results posted at Success Demands Action.



My Journey presents Are You the Kind of Person that Bets to Win? Place? or Show? Personal Finance Meets Horse Racing posted at My Journey to Millions, saying, "Whether you are discussing asset allocation, starting a business or other random personal finance I tend to go for the safer gains. I do take some risk, but that risk is usually calculated and controlled."



Tommy John presents US Congress Urged By A Group Of Patriotic Millionaires To Increase Their Taxes to Reduce the National Debt | 2010 Taxes posted at 2010Taxes, saying, "Congress is encouraged to repeal the Bush Tax Cuts by a group of Patriotic millionaires."


Gratitude presents How To Manifest Your Ideal Reality posted at Gratitude's Personal Development Blog, saying, "This article is not about how to manifest your reality because you already do that every second of every day but it s rather about how you can attract your ideal reality...."



Megan Collins Quinlan presents megancollinsquinlan | writing and avoiding employment | Page 7 posted at megancollinsquinlan, saying, "You can gain financial independence by not relying on a job or a salary. In fact, being self-employed is probably the least risky way to improve your income and survive a recession."



Eirini H. presents More money will only make you more of what you already are posted at Ask your Dreams for Ideas.



NetBiz presents How To Prevent Identity Theft posted at Banks That Do Not Use Chexsystems, saying, "In the light of the several recent identity theft news stories, this is a roundup of what one should do to avoid falling prey to identity theft"


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Carnival of Road to Financial Independence #32

Welcome to the June 23, 2011 edition of road to financial independence.

Beating Inflation

Matthew Paulson presents Lending Club IRA: What You Need to Know | Peer to Peer Lending News posted at Peer to Peer Lending News.



Carlos Sera presents An Inflationary Tale | Financial Tales posted at Financial Tales, saying, "This tale will be particularly important to those that are no longer working and must live off of their capital for the rest of their lives."

Frugal Living

Jessica Bosari presents Five Tips to Manage Family and Personal Finance | billeater.com posted at Billeater, saying, "Once you've worked hard to put your finances in order, what do you do about family members who come asking for a bailout?"



Kevin presents 5 Ways to Make Frugality Fun Instead of Having Frugal Fatigue posted at Invest It Wisely, saying, "If you are experiencing frugal fatigue, you can follow these strategies to overcome it and follow your budget to manage your finances well."



Jennifer Martin presents 5 Tips to Negotiating to Buy a House posted at The Negotiation Board, saying, "Take advantage of this extreme home buyer's market and learn how to expertly negotiate the purchase of your next home with these five strategic tips."



Courtney Sperlazza presents When expensive is frugal: a stroller story posted at Well Wise Happy.



Tim Fraticelli presents Negotiating Anything posted at Faith and Finance, saying, "Negotiating doesn't have to be scary. These tips will help you in almost any negotiation - from salary, to car purchases and garage sales. Negotiation is a skill that can be improved IF you practice."



Steve presents Key Saver Secrets: Being a success at saving. posted at FastSwings, saying, "By living below your means, you will be able to join the elite group of savers in America."


Angela England presents Discount Patio Furniture Using Wine Barrels | Blissfully Domestic posted at Blissfully Domestic.


retirebyforty presents Save By Sharing One Car posted at retireby40.org, saying, "American and Canadian families spend a large portion of their paycheck on transportation. Usually, we spend most on housing, transportation, and food in that order. One of the best ways to reduce that big slice of the expenditure pie is to share one car."

Passive Income

Alexander presents The Dividend Growth Model posted at Dividend Stocks, saying, "This stock valuation model takes a look at divided growth and uses it to help you decide whether or not the investment is a good buy."



misst presents Passive Income With a Pinball Machine posted at Prairie Eco-Thrifter, saying, "Do you realize that with a small initial investment, you could start your own passive income stream as soon as tomorrow?"

Reducing Expenses

Katherine Tworsey presents 10 Biggest Consumers of Electricity in Your Home posted at Compare Electricity Rates.



David Leeman presents How to Control Impulsive Spending, Stop Impulse Shopping posted at Financial Freedom Advantage, Common Sense Money Management Advice, saying, "Impulsive spending can be one of the biggest barriers to achieving financial freedom. Fortunately, spending addiction can be suppressed by making some basic changes to thoughts and behaviors."



Jeff Weber presents 3 Reasons You Should Do a 0% Balance Transfer Now posted at Smart Balance Transfers, saying, "Credit card companies are offering some of the most generous 0% interest deals in history. This, as well as economic fatctors, make now as good a time as any for consumers to evaluate this expense reduction option."



Jonathan from Debt Loans presents Kicking the Habit: How to Put a Halt to Impulsive Buying | Wallet Watcher posted at Wallet Watcher, saying, "Before sinking further into the seemingly endless ocean of debt, consider the following tips in order to curtail your destructive buying habits."



Tim Chen presents Rental Car Insurance: Which Credit Cards Have You Covered posted at NerdWallet Blog - Credit Card Watch, saying, "Do you really need rental car insurance? Your credit card may be all the coverage you need."

Stock Investments

Mike presents 4 shock absorbers for your portfolio posted at Planned Freedom, saying, "Is the wild stock market ride too rough on your portfolio? If you do the following 4 things, you will likely cushion the ride!"



Hemant Beniwal presents Sector Fund – the complete guide posted at The Financial Literates, saying, "In this article I have covered what are sector fund, benefits & risk associated with them, and finally should one invest in sector fund."



Maxim Kazawy presents 5 Best Dividend Paying Mutual Funds with High Income posted at Best Dividend Mutual Funds, saying, "Dividends provide an instant cash flow return on your investment and also act as a downside protector in bear markets. Also, the US stock markets have lost 2% annualized over the last 10 years. If you were invested in dividend paying mutual funds during this time, you would probably have made 5% compounded annual gains. In this article, we will go over 10 best mutual funds that pay dividends."



John Border presents Choosing The Best Investments For 2011 and Beyond | Stock Market Basics posted at Stock Market Basics, saying, "Investing is not an easy thing and you need to balance long term needs with short term gains and this article suggests investments that should be considered for 2011 and beyond for long term investing."



Boomer presents Mutual Funds vs. ETF’s posted at Boomer & Echo, saying, "Both mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETF’s) are investments in which shareholders pool their money with the intent of investing in diversified portfolios of securities."



Investor Junkie presents Buying Silver Online posted at Investor Junkie, saying, "Silver is known as the poor man’s gold. Silver prices are at the highest levels that they have been at in over 30 years. The metal has been on a roll and is trading for more than $37.50 per ounce. There are several advantages to buying silver over gold right now."


Dan presents Pandora IPO Is Coming – RUN!!!! posted at ETF Base, saying, "The Pandora IPO bombed completely this past week. Here's what we can learn from these tech IPOs - there will be more."




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Younger Demographics, Economic Conditions Boost Payday Loans

CHICAGO (JUNE 13, 2011) – Payday loans continue their upward ascendancy, reflecting growth within younger demographics (18-49) that view online cash advances as a credit card alternative.

The web-based version of old payday loan stores has been ongoing since mid-2004. It has significantly boosted access because users can get loans worth between $100 and $1500 (as determined by state banking regulations and the borrower’s wage/salary rate) from a personal computer. This succeeds an industry where loan applications required a retail/office visit, with an obvious time-consumption disadvantage. Across seven years of growth and product innovation, payday cash advances have been adopted by many more working professionals, retail employees and manufacturing-sector workers.

The product is clearly a counter-cyclical; however it serves an emerging market trend as well. A larger market of the “no plastics” – individuals who do not have revolving credit cards – is making its presence felt in the financial services sector. Some portions of this market have voluntarily opted out of revolving credit, while others are shut out due to high debt-to-income ratios (much of it stemming from crushing college loans) or poor credit scores. Most have bank debit cards for transactions made online and for bricks-and-mortar retail transactions; payday loans are their source of “emergency” funds, money for medical or dental needs, automotive maintenance, and emergency travel or to avoid late fees and bank overdraft charges.

Payday loans are made on the basis of employment, and less-than-perfect credit is not a barrier to receiving such loans. The process is conducted entirely online, with no document faxing required (earlier versions did require some hard-copy paperwork and scanning).

Uses for cash advances are unrestricted; however financial counselors urge that they be used for essential, short-term needs. For the two-earner household where one member is working independently in Forex or other trading, the employed-elsewhere individual might be able to make up for temporarily poor returns with a payday loan to cover monthly bills, for example.

Stock Portfolio and Watch List Updates for June 2011

Following are the activity from the previous month:

1. Did a round-trip on LinkedIn (LNKD) for a slight gain – purchased at $86.80 on 05/19/2011 (IPO date) and sold at $94.30 on 05/25/2011.
2. Wrote cash-covered puts on Weyerhaeuser (WY) shares (Jan 2012 20 at $2) with roughly 2% of our portfolio on 06/15/2011.
3. Purchased National Presto Industries (NPK) at $97.85 with around 1.5% of our portfolio.
4. Purchased Wal-Mart (WMT) at $53.06 with slightly more than 1.5% of our portfolio on 06/17/2011.
5. Purchased Harleysville Group (HGIC) at $30.46 with around 1.8% of our portfolio on 06/17/2011.
6. Nutrisystem (NTRI) stock was assigned to us as the stock closed well below our strike price ($17) on our cash-covered put position on the day of expiry (06/18/2011). We currently have a paper-loss of around 25% on those shares currently.

The cash coverage requirements on the open puts account for about 60.93% of our cash position. The cash position in our portfolio is at around 34.33%. We bought more shares than usual this month taking advantage of the 5% drop in the major indexes in the last month. We will continue purchases at an accelerated pace, if the drop develops into a correction.

Below is our updated portfolio – the overall portfolio is up 4% compared to our cost basis:

Stock	Buy Date	Buy Price	Current Price	Current % Of Portfolio	Unrealized % Return	Yield as % of Portfolio Value
Altria (MO)	Various	19.19	27.08	2.04	41.11	0.16
Philip Morris International (PM)	1/4/2005	32.19	68.48	2.07	112.72	0.12
Kraft Foods (KFT)	Various	26.33	34.48	2.08	30.97	0.09
Pfizer (PFE)	Various	22.13	20.26	2.14	(8.44)	0.09
ICICI Bank (IBN)	5/18/2006 and 08/01/2008	25.28	45.83	2.07	92.84	0.11
Central Europe & Russia Fund (CEE)	Various	29.97	42.62	1.29	42.23	0.01
Itron Inc. (ITRI)	11/07/2007	85.01	47.80	0.72	(43.84)	None
iRobot (IRBT)	12/18/2007	18.65	30.11	1.82	62.83	None
LDK Solar (LDK)	Various	20.35	7.00	0.63	(65.61)	None
Aegon N.V. (AEG)	04/28/2008	15.99	6.41	0.77	(34.64)	0.00
Frontline Limited (FRO)	10/06/2008	36.95	15.82	0.72	(51.86)	0.08
DryShips Incorporated (DRYS)	02/09/2009	6.96	3.94	0.42	(43.42)	0.00
Plum Creek Timber (PCL)	07/23/2009	30.50	39.18	2.36	28.46	0.14
CPFL Energia S.A. (CPL)	07/28/2009	50.45	84.58	2.55	67.66	0.18
BP plc (BP)	08/05/2009	51.49	42.16	1.27	(18.12)	0.09
AT&T (T)	08/27/2009	26.38	30.77	1.86	16.62	0.12
Sysco Corporation (SYY)	Various	25.92	30.90	2.33	19.20	0.10
Exelon (EXC)	12/30/2009	49.38	41.74	1.89	(15.48)	0.16
Telefonica SA (TEF)	02/09/2010	22.93	23.69	2.14	3.31	0.24
Vonage Holdings (VG)	04/06/2010	1.51	4.08	1.23	169.42	0
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)	04/23/2010	28.27	30.17	1.82	6.70	0.09
Intel Corporation (INTC)	Various	21.91	21.19	2.56	(3.29)	0.12
Google Inc. (GOOG)	05/03/2010	528.36	485	1.46	(8.21)	0
Cardinal Health (CAH)	05/06/2010	34.42	43.88	1.99	27.48	0.06
Pearson PLC (PSO)	05/06/2010	14.32	18.50	1.95	29.16	0.16
Nokia (NOK)	05/14/2010	10.35	6.02	0.91	(41.84)	0.16
Harris (HRS)	06/07/2010	45.65	44.34	2.01	(0.12)	0.08
Beckton Dickson (BDX)	06/23/2010	70.20	85.13	2.57	21.27	0.10
NYSE EuroNext (NYX)	10/22/2010	30.38	33.34	2.01	9.74	0.15
Owens & Minor Inc. (OMI)	10/22/2010	28.11	33.16	2.00	17.97	0.08
Encana (ECA)	11/8/2010	29.22	30.47	1.84	4.37	0.10
Nucor Steel (NUE)	1/21/2011	44.96	39.45	1.79	(12.26)	0.12
K12 Inc (LRN)	2/15/2011	32.21	32.43	1.47	0.67	0.00
Procter and Gamble (PG)	3/7/2011	61.80	64.69	1.95	4.68	0.09
National Presto Industries (NPK)	06/15/2011	97.85	98.00	1.48	0.15	0.19
Harleysville Group (HGIC)	06/17/2011	30.46	30.41	1.83	(0.18)	0.14
Wal-Mart (WMT)	06/17/2011	53.06	52.82	1.59	(0.45)	0.07
Nutrisystem (NTRI)	06/18/2011	17.00	12.76	0.96	(24.94)	0.08
Cash				35.41
Total Portfolio					4.00	3.06

Below is a summary of transactions during the year:

Stock	Buy Date	Buy Price	Sell Date	Sell Price	% Gain (Loss)	% Portfolio Return*
GSK Jan 2011 35 Put	1/22/2011	NA	3/26/2010	NA	NA	0.14
NUE Jan 2011 40 Put	1/22/2011	NA	3/26/2010	NA	NA	0.17
ADP Jan 2011 40 Put	1/22/2011	NA	6/21/2010	NA	NA	0.10
COST Jan 2011 55 Put	1/22/2011	NA	8/16/2010	NA	NA	0.10
QSII June 2011 60 Put	2/15/2011	NA	10/29/2010	NA	NA	0.15
AMTD Feb 2011 15 Put	2/19/2011	NA	7/13/2010	NA	NA	0.15
ITRI May 2011 60 Put	3/8/2011	NA	10/7/2010	NA	NA	(0.00)
NE June 2011 33 Put	3/8/2011	NA	11/4/2010	NA	NA	0.14
JNJ July 2011 60 Put	5/5/2011	NA	12/27/2010	NA	NA	0.06
Central Europe and Russia Fund (CEE)	6/28/2007	51.57	5/5/2011	44.68	(13.52)	(0.16)
LinkedIn (LNKD)	05/19/2011	86.80	05/25/2011	94.31	8.65	0.12
NTRI June 2011 17 Put	06/18/2011	NA	01/21/2011	NA	NA	0.10
Realized Gain/(Loss) YTD	-	-	-	-	-	1.05

• % Gain/Loss Relative to Portfolio Value at Beginning of Year + Deposits
• The table assumes realization of profits associated with selling options only after the option is exercised or expiry.

We have covered calls written against one-third of our ICICI Bank (IBN) shares (Jan 2012 55), all of our Cardinal Health (CAH) shares (Sep 2011 43 at $2.55), and all of our NYSE Euronext (NYX) shares (NYX Jan 2012 40 at $1.93).

We have cash covered puts written on Weyerhaeuser Company (WY) shares (Jan 2012 20 at $2), Cisco (CSCO) shares (Jan 2012 20 at $2.64), Berkshire Hataway (BRK.B) shares (Jan 2012 75 at $7.15), Abbott Labs (ABT) shares (Jan 2012 45 at $4.40), H&R Block (HRB) shares (Jan 2012 10 at $1.60 and 12.5 at $2.30), Alcoa (AA) shares (Jan 2012 15 at $1.70), Gol Linhas (July 2011 12.5 at $0.85), McDonalds (MCD) shares (Sep 2011 75 at $3.50), Cameco (CCJ) shares (Jan 2012 22.5 at $1.60), Glaxo (GSK) shares (Jan 2012 35 at $2.70), and Diebold (DB) shares (Nov 2011 35 at $3.40) with a cash coverage requirement of about 60.93% of our cash position.

We did a mid-year revamp of our watch list this month. Our updated watch list follow – Automatic Data Processing (ADP), Applied Materials (AMAT), Amgen (AMGN), Air Products & Chemicals (APD), Brown-Foreman (BF-B), Bemis Company (BMS), Canon (CAJ), Church & Dwight Company (CHD), Canadian National Railway (CNI), Darden’s Restaurants (DRI), Giant Interactive Group (GA), Kaman Corporation (KAMN), Coca Cola (KO), 3M Company (MMM), PepsiCo (PEP), Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA), UPS Corporation (UPS), US Bancorp (USB), VF Corporation (VFC), and Waste Management (WM).

R2I - New Home Purchase Experience in Kochi

When purchasing a house remotely in a growing economy like India, where laws and regulations can be gray, it is a given that dicey situations are lurking. We shadowed our cousin’s detailed research about six years ago and inked the deal on a villa project by the Kakkanad Infopark area. Thanks to her research, we are blessed with a premium location! In the wake of the real-estate boom in Kerala, builders have mushroomed and purists consider our builder, though well known, a notch below premium local builders. A very early task is to designate someone to work with the builders, for unlike in the US and with premium builders at national level in India, most villa projects provide options to alter construction based on a generic plan. The obvious downside with this approach though, is that this calls for the owner to be really involved in the construction phase. Nowadays, it is possible to remotely coordinate without a middleman as builders are used to working with NRI’s.

With most builders, the quoted price (per square foot rate + statutory and other charges) is for the shell with a single-coat of paint and basic landscaping. Builders however encourage upgrading via them to make the house livable. Though we refrained, we highly recommend this option, as it allows the flexibility to be hands-off with a single point of contact. Upgrading through the builders is slightly more expensive but the alternatives are not much fun either: be a renter till interior decoration is completed or move in as-is and get the upgrades done. We chose the latter approach which while economical was painful.

To our builder’s credit, our community had the luxury of water and electricity from day one. Water connection from Kerala Water Authority (KWA) was a work in progress but they had an RO plant and some wells to ensure water supply. In peak summer, the community has to purchase water by the truckload to contain needs. KWA connections are slowly getting done at all the villas, although receiving water is still to become a reality. KWA pumps water twice a week to the area, but most houses are yet to receive a single drop of water – it is fishy and there is speculation that it is based on some understanding between private water suppliers and KWA valve operators.

At handover, many items were below par with the glaring ones being design considerations that did not factor in the monsoons of Kerala. Below are examples:

1. Sunshades: For aesthetic appeal, the sunshades atop the windows and the roof resembled a shallow tank with drainage vent on one side. That design with inadequate slope allowed water to collect and leak into the walls. Newer designs of a sloping thin slab would have been a better option. We added sloping wherever required and waterproofed throughout. Another option is to keep the existing structure and add a sloping tile roof to the parapets.
2. Open Balconies: Our house had three sit-out areas upstairs. While aesthetically pleasing, water came pouring in during the monsoon. Most homeowners had to cover these patios in some way.
3. Termite/Pest Control: While the literature promised termite treatment after constructing the basement, it did not seem effective at all and pest proofing was not even promised. This translated to the owners doing these messy processes after handover. The former involves drilling holes into the structure generating a lot of dust, not to mention the fumes from the liquid injected to kill the termites. The latter involves misting the walls throughout – a health hazard. Fumigation seems to be unheard of.
4. Roof tile work that drained to a channel within the roof structure: Rain falling on the tiles atop the roof drained to the inside of the concrete roofing and then drained down via the down spouts. The design is flawed for it did not consider water leaking through the roof due to blocked drainage or inadequate sloping or broken tiles.
5. Underground Water Pipes: As these buildings were constructed on landfill, a certain level of settling was to be expected. These underground waterpipes were a bad idea as many homeowners experienced pipe breakage. As a preventive measure we invested in cutting the underground portions off and brought the pipes up.
6. Landscaping: Lawns were standard in the front but no drip irrigation facilities were provided. Given the water shortage, the idea of supplying villas with water-intensive lawns was a poor choice.
7. Water: Although our builder invested in an RO plant, the capacity was enough only for a fraction of the villas constructed. Inadequate water is an on-going problem that needs to be addressed.

To summarize, buying into a new villa project in Kochi is very different from purchasing a new construction home in a developed country. In the shell given at Kochi, time, energy, and resources are required before it can be called a home. Future articles will elaborate on what all were required from us during our first year in our new home.

Day Trip to Bolgatty Palace and Vicinity

Bolgatty, an island on its own, along with the Vallarpadam and the Vypin islands is known as the Goshree Islands. It is across from mainland Kochi. Until the Goshree Island bridges were inaugurated in June 2004, access to these islands was only by boat. In February 2011, a new access point to the islands materialized with the inauguration of the first International Container Trans-shipment Terminal (ICTT) by Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. The terminal boasts several firsts for the country including the largest individual terminal in India (4 million TEUs once the two phases are completed) and the country’s longest railway bridge (4.62 km) connecting it to mainland Kochi across the Vembanad Lake.


As for getting to Bolgatty – from Ernakulam, at the northern end of Shanmugam Road past the High Court and the National Institute of Oceanography, cross the first Goshree Bridge and hang the first left (there is a sign-board which can be easily overlooked as the road is understated). From ICT Road, take a left in the direction of the first Goshree Bridge and take the 2nd right just before the first Goshree Bridge. The road leads through an unkempt locale to the entrance of the Bolgatty Palace Hotel. The hotel premises run by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) is guarded like a fortress and unless one has a reservation or you are part of an event, gaining entry for the uninitiated is an exercise in negotiation - the site has a café and a restaurant that is open for visitors. Rooms are priced between $175 and $290 (Rs 8K to Rs 15K) depending on the season. Birthday parties and other functions are priced upwards of Rs 500 per head - this can be a great option as the setting is hard to beat, especially for evening out-door events. The building to the left is newly built by KTDC and through that building is a private docking facility, which is a vantage spot, offering spectacular view of the Kochi skyline. The other building to the right is the old palace building (completely renovated) with the main guest rooms and the honeymoon quarters to the right. The KTDC building has a café and the old palace building has a full-fledged fabulous restaurant. The palace building showcases a huge winding wooden staircase leading up to the guest rooms – it is visible across from the main restaurant corridor. There is a large pool by the side of the restaurant and across the pool area facing the water body are the honeymoon quarters. The palace grounds are appealing and features the remnants of the 9-hole golf course, which the staff considers functional. Its practicality though is anybody’s guess! Crossing the 2nd Goshree Bridge, which is, but a short distance away from Bolgatty Palace takes one to Vallarpadam. The terminal area is completely cordoned off, although both the landmarks - the railway line and the Vallarpadam railway bridge - are visible when driving past the bridge. The island is home to a very famous church, the Basilica of Our Lady of Vallarpadam. This imposing structure can be noticed from the main road and is less than a kilometer on the first left past the bridge. The beautiful place of worship, established in 1524, features a famed picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary believed to possess miraculous powers. The church is a melting pot for all religions, and the feast of Vallarpadathamma (Mother of Vallarpadam) celebrated between September 16th and 24th every year is a major draw-card.

The promenade along Marine Drive hugging the backwaters of Vembanad Lake is a great place to catch the evening breeze though pollution can be a deterrent. The 1.75 KM walkway is popular among locals and tourists alike. Street vendors along with representatives of the Marine Drive Tourist Boat Association dot the pathway. An hour-long boat trip covering the prime spots along Vembanad Lake starts at Rs 50 (~$1). Speed boats are another option and its pricing ranges from around Rs 400 (~$10) for a quick 15 minute ride for a maximum of four people to Rs 1500 ($35) for an hour-long trip covering Cochin Shipyard, Naval Base, Oil Tankers, Wellington Island, Fort Kochi, Vyppin, Dolphin Aria, Chinese Nets, Vallarpadam Container Terminal, and Mattanchery. There are several eateries, shopping complexes (GCDA and Baypride Mall), and a couple of touristy bridges (Rainbow Bridge and Chinese Fishing Net Bridge) along the walkway. Across from the GCDA Complex is another major shopping mall called Penta Menaka. The area around Penta Menaka is a huge shopping area covered by street vendors as well as small-time shop-owners. The area is popular with the locals to wind-down at the end of a long-day.

Last Updated: 07/2011.

Day Trip to Fort Kochi

Fort Kochi, about 12 km from Kakkanad, is the upper part of an island off the coast of Kochi City (Ernakulam) accessible via a few bridges. To skirt city traffic use NH 49 after Maradu - (past NH 47 bypass) – Thevara – Wellington Island Bridge – with a sharp left turn to the Mattancherry Bridge. There is a tollbooth upon entering the island from the Aroor-Edakochi Bridge (NH47A). Take the immediate right and drive north to reach the general area where the Jewish Synagogue, the Police Museum, Dutch Palace and the Cemetery are located (inquire about the Jews Street if lost). The island is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west; Vembanad Lake to the east separates it from mainland Kochi. Prior to the colonial era (early 16th century), the area was a major spice trading post. The Chinese arrived in the 14th century, and the name Cochin (co-chin – like China) is argued to have originated as its consequence. Testimony to their influence is the famous Chinese Fishing Nets that still serves as a landmark. The area is a tourist hub because of its varied culture and architecture influenced by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British.

Jews Street is a popular tourist hangout location and the touristy feel is further promoted by the array of antique shops on either side of the road and a few decent restaurants. There is a designated parking area to the left upon entering the area. Handicrafts are authentic but somewhat pricey – depending on the merchant (road-side vs actual shop), the quoted price is slightly negotiable. Jewelry, handicrafts (close to Rs. 1000/- for a small but exquisitely hand embroidered table cloth is typical), spices, miniature autos (Rs 150 and up), and a small collection of old coins (Rs 300 and up) seemed to be the most popular items on display. Jews Street is equipped with excellent direction plaques that guide one to the end of the alleyway where the Jewish Synagogue (aka Mattancherry Synagogue or Paradesi Synagogue) is located. The Cochin Jewish Community built the synagogue in 1568. Entrance fee is Rs 5/- and most possessions including cameras and handbags are not allowed inside the building. A unique local influence is the need to remove sandals or shoes. From the outside it appears as an old building - an 18th century clock tower and police presence are the only visible clues as a place of great historic prominence. The articles of interest inside the building include hundreds of Chinese hand-painted porcelain tiles, an oriental rug which was a gift from the last Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, many Belgian glass chandeliers, scrolls of the law, gold crowns received as gift, and a brass-railed pulpit. The Mattancherry Palace Temple and the Dutch (Mattancherry) Palace is located adjacent to the Synagogue and easily accessed by following the direction plaques. Entrance fee to the palace is Rs 5/- and tickets are purchased upstairs. The palace is a treasure-trove for history buffs with a huge amount of information presented in various frames. Murals and materials used in the palace (pallaks, jewelry, combs, etc) are on display. Visitors interested in the history of the area should allow upwards of two hours in the palace. The cemetery in one of the side streets of Jews Street seemed permanently closed with a bolted lock sealing the main gates. The Police Museum while small earns full credits for the presentation and the material – it depicts the history of the police department through authentic presentation of equipment and uniforms from the colonial era onwards – the icing on the cake is that there is no entrance fee.

The northern tip of the island is five more kilometers further up which is where the main tourist area of Vasco Da Gama Square is located. In that general vicinity there are a number of attractions including the Chinese Fishing Nets, St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica, Children’s Park, Parade Ground, Cochin Club, Cemetery, etc. The view across from Vasco Da Gama square features the Ernakulam skyline along with Bolgaty and Vallarpadam container terminal. There are also a few functional Chinese fishing nets in close proximity to the shore at the square. A short walking distance from the square and the Children’s Park on Princess Street is the Santacruz Basilica (open daily 7AM-8PM – free), the first European Church built in Asia by the Portuguese in 1502. It has several paintings, and other decors. The church serves as the primary seat of the Latin church of Kerala and was declared a Basilica during the Pope John Paul II’s visit of 1984. Princess Street has several western cafes, souvenir shops, etc and is a good leisurely hangout area. Bastion Bungalow featuring Dutch architecture can be seen along the way – it is the official residence of the Cochin sub-collector and hence entry is restricted. Further down the road (River Road) on Napier Street is Parade Ground and en-route is the beautifully landscaped Cochin Club – a British colonial club established early 19th century with 250 members currently – the security at the entrance do not frown at the camera. VOC Gate, the only remanant of the office of Dutch East India Company, is a large wooden gate with the VOC inscription located across from the Parade Ground. Further down and off Napier Street (0.5KM) is the St. Francis church (open Mon-Sat 9:30 AM to 5PM), the burial site of Vasco da Gama – the remains were transferred to Lisbon fourteen years later. Gama’s gravestone and a cenotaph in memory of the people of Kochi who fell in WWI are also at this site.

It is difficult to squeeze experiencing everything Fort Kochi has to offer to a day. On our part, we missed out on the Indo-Portuguese museum (9AM to 6PM except Mondays), the Pierce Leslie Bungalow (now a boutique hotel on Beach Road, Indian Naval Maritime Museum (INS Dronarcharya), etc. Established by the late Dr. Joseph Kureethra (Bishop of Kochi) to protect the rich Portuguese heritage, the Indo-Portuguese museum is located near Parade Ground in the Bishop’s House compound. There are a few good eateries on Princess Street and a few other spots around Fort Kochi. Another option is to dine in Ernakulam MG Road (via Thoppumpady Bridge - Willington Island - NH47A) where plenty of excellent mid-priced options abound – Dwaraka (vegetarian) and Cochin Bake House located before Jose Junction on MG Road standout in both access and service.

There are also many places one can choose from to enjoy local performing arts (Kerala Kathakali Center – near Santa Cruz Basilica, K.B.Jacob Road – Rs 150 to Rs 200 for an hour long show, Greenix Tourist Theater, Kerala Folklore Theater), experience eco-tourist villages (Kumbalangi Integrated Tourist Village and Mastyafed Milky-way Aqua-Tourist Village), etc. We hope to experience and report on many of these places as time allows.

Medieval Era Music (500-1450) – An Intro with Books, and other Resources

Music of every era has been largely a reflection of the frame of mind the society bore at that period in time. While Western music from the ages to the present is collectively but incorrectly referred to as Classical Music, documented evidence defines the musical era as:

• Medieval (500-1450)
• Renaissance (1430- 1600)
• Baroque (1600-1760)
• Classical (1730-1820)
• Romantic (1815-1910)
• 20th Century (1900-2000)
• Contemporary (1975-present)

The overlapping years are the transitional period of each era.

Medieval Era:

The end of the Roman Empire marked the beginning of this era, which continued till early fifteenth century. Society broke free from the primitive, uncouth ways of the Dark Ages and took on a polished appeal. European music primarily evolved as sacred music under Christian influence. The initial prayers and the vocals used by the church were monophonic in nature until music arrangement shifted to polyphony. Despite the fact that the church considered blending sacred and secular music as sacrilege, it was the rage of the era. Travel prompted by Crusades further shaped the society and toned the music outlook. Slowly, Arabian love songs, French Troubadours, Trouveres and Minstrels who sang of courtly love and romance, along with the English, Scottish and Welsh bards lend harmony to the mix.

Although there is no dearth of composers for that period, the more famous ones are Phillipe de Vitry, Guillaume Dufay, Johannes de Muris, and Guillaume Machaut. Vitry is regarded as the visionary who formally laid out the Ars Nova theory (includes all European polyphonic music of the 14th century), and as the main developer of the motets. While mostly secular, some of Vitry’s works had a religious tilt. However it was Machaut who embraced Ars Nova and took it to higher heights. Machaut is also well known for his work Mass of the Notre Dame. Dufay, on the other hand, was the transitional composer who handheld the medieval music into the renaissance era. His calm and smooth works were a sharp deviation from the harsh and complicated music composed by his peers.

Below are music selections by composers of the medieval era:

Composer/Title	Thumbnail	ISBN/ASIN	Best Price	Description
Les tres riches heures du Moyen Age: A Medieval Journey Box Set		B00000074R	$59.98	Boxed set of Medieval compositions. Over 7 hours. Composers: Gregorian Chant, Pierre De Breville, Bemart de Ventadom, Folquet de Marseille, Alfonso X, Neidhart von Reuental, Tannhauser, Oswald von Wolkenstein, Adam de la Halle, etc.
Phillipe de Vitry and the Ars Nova		B00000204S	$19.98	The music is full of correspondingly bold, stark harmonies and strongly accented rhythms. 14th century motets - The Orlando Consort.
Patterns in Play: A Model for Text Setting in the Early French Songs of Guillaume Dufay by Graeme M. Boone - American Musicological Society Monographs		978-0803212350	$90.00	Focuses on the early French songs of Guillaume Dufay and proposes a basis for determining some rules of common procedure for interpreting both underlay and style.
Guillaume de Machaut and Reims: Context and Meaning in his Musical Works		978-0521036085	$57	Machaut's works in context of his long-term relationship to Reims and its cathedral
John Dunstable: Complete Works		978-0852494080	$80	Critical edition of Dunstable’s music.
Oeuvres Completes Du Trouvere Adam De La Halle: Poesies Et Musique		978-0852494080	$31	Reproduction of the original published before 1923.

While secular music was the highlight of this era entertainment music was not lacking either. Almost every medieval town, castle, and court had its own musical band known as Waits. Waits were musicians in groups of four that started off as watchmen of the castle and later became sentinels for the town. They alerted the residents of pending danger with high-pitched pipes called the shawns or hautboys. When the sentry role was no longer required these talented people became the official town band.

Musical instruments of the era are summarized in the table below. Most of them are still enjoyed by musicians.

Product	Thumbnail	Best Price	Description
Shawm		$50 and up	Musical instrument of the woodwind family.
Flute		$100 and up	Woodwind family instrument.
Recorder		$4 and up	English version of the flute.
Gemshorn		$995 and up	Precisely pitched musical instruments frequently used by early music and folk music ensembles.
Ocarina		$50 and up	An oval-shaped enclosed space with four to twelve finger holes and a mouthpiece that projects from the body.
Bagpipe		$150 and up	Uses enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag.
Lute		$200 and up	Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back.
Mandora		NA	Mandora or mandore refers to various types of lutes.
Gittern		NA	A relatively small, quill-plucked, gut strung instrument that originated around the 13th century and came to Europe via Moorish Spain A predecessor of the guitar.
Psaltery		$50 and up	Stringed musical instrument of the harp or the zither family.
Lyre		$150 and up	A stringed musical instrument well known for its use in classical antiquity and later.
Vielle		NA	A European bowed stringed instrument used in the Medieval period, similar to a modern violin but with a somewhat longer and deeper body, five (rather than four) gut strings, and a leaf-shaped pegbox with frontal tuning pegs.
Fiddle		$150 and up	Bowed string musical instrument, usually the violin.
Hurdy Gurdy		$7 and up	Also known as a wheel fiddle is a stringed musical instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned rosined wheel rubbing against the strings.
Organ		$990 and up	A family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone.
Harp		$150 and up	A stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicular to the soundboard.
Trombone		$150 and up	A musical instrument in the brass family.

Related Posts:

• Romantic Era Music (1815-1910) - An Introduction
• Classical Era Music (1730-1820) - An Introduction
• Baroque Era Music (1600-1750) - An Introduction
• Renaissance Era Music (1430-1600) - An Introduction
• Medieval Era Music (500-1450) - An Introduction