Last year I was fortunate enough to meet Noah & Logan Miller. They are identical twin brothers who live in Marin and have written an incredible story about their father, an atypical Marinite, whose story had to be told.

 These incredibly talented young men wrote, directed and star in the film version of their story. The movie is called “Touching Home” and was premiered at the 2008 San Francisco International Film Festival. The film is wonderful – from the gorgeous photography to the heartfelt acting of Ed Harris, Lee Meriwether, Brad Dourif and the brothers – and leaves a lasting impression on the viewer.

 The film is slated for general release later this year and to kick it off the brothers have written the ‘story of the story’  about how they finagled the making of the film. Fascinating stories of how they attracted major film stars, award-winning editors & cinematographers to their project and how they were able to persuade  major film star Ed Harris to participate in their independent film. Filmed in Marin with lots of local sites this movie is a must-see.

The kickoff party for the book is sure to be a blast . It’ll happen at AT&T ball park in San Francisco on June 6, 2009 at 7PM.  Check out the website at http://www.inorintheway.com/

Pre-order the book and receive to two free passes to the part at the ballpark. Admission is free for children under 12. So, get the book, read the fascinating story and let’s have a blast at the park.

If you pre-order the book please reference MRG on your order. Feel free to contact me for additional information.

I had the occasion to interview a middle-aged couple who was thinking of selling their home here in Marin. They had contacted an associate of mine who works in Boise, Idaho. They drove to Boise and were shown a number of properties that were for sale.

Let me start at the beginning. The motivation of this couple was centered around the wife’s sprightly 94 year old mother, who has been living in an “old folks” home and was not enjoying the company. She is more vibrant than many of the elders at the home and she wants to get out, be involved and, God bless her, enjoy the remainder of her life. The couple’s home is a two-story home with no room on the ground floor suitable for the mother’s bedroom.

Boise seemed like the perfect solution. They had found a one-story home with two master bedroom suites that was perfect for their plans. While showing them property, my associate – who had recently moved from California to Idaho – asked if they had looked into their health insurance and whether or not they could get the same coverage in Idaho. The couple apparently never considered the insurance aspect.

They returned to California and called my business partner and I for a listing presentation. We had a great interview and things seemed ready to go. We’d list and sell their home and they’d make the move to Idaho with mom in tow. A new life!

Then they called the health insurance companies in California and Idaho. Sure enough, they would not get a transfer of coverage, would have to re-apply to Blue Cross of Idaho and, yes, pre-existing conditions would be excluded or coverage denied.

Did I mention that the husband had just had knee surgery for the second time due to an infection after the first surgery? That he needs to go through rehabilitation and that he would soon be facing shoulder surgery? Needless to say, their health coverage is extremely important and could not be jeopardized.

In a nutshell, an insurance company is dictating the lives of these three people. How many times have people not changed jobs because of this same issue, or lost their job and been unable to get or afford an individual health insurance policy? Unfortunately, this couple and mother now cannot make the move they so wanted.

It is simply disgraceful, and it’s certainly high time that we make our representatives confront this major issue on a meaningful level. We all have insurance stories like this one and in many cases much worse and more egregious. At a ground level, we should write to our representatives conveying these situations and demanding action. Don’t forget, our politicians get health insurance for life. It’s not an issue to them unless we make it one!

Everybody wants to buy and spend, agreed? We now know that unbridled greed got us into the shape we’re currently in, agreed? Then why, I ask, isn’t anything being done to address the next ticking bomb – credit card debt? Everyday we hear of credit card companies jacking the rates on unsuspecting credit card holders. Undeservedly in most cases. 29-38%?!  Has anyone ever heard of usury? Or has that word disappeared from our vocabulary along with monopoly? We are talking about another government-sanctioned rip-off of the public…another crime of unbridled greed pounding us into the ground, killing our economy and ruining untold lives. Did we overspend? undoubtedly! Did we live beyond our means in some cases? of course! We’re Americans and we’re addicted to buying and spending. What’s more we still want to. Here’s the key – the government must make it possible. Why? Because it’s the only way to save our economy. How else do they expect to save an economy that for years has been driven by consumer spending? Let us spend!  How? Immediately lower all credit card rates on outstanding balances and all new purchases to 1-2%. Yeah! Use some of that bailout money to supplement the rate if necessary. Shouldn’t the cc companies be happy with a 1-2% return? What rate do you get when lending your money to banks (savings accounts, etc)?

Imagine how freed up people would feel. They’d be paying down their existing debt and not afraid of adding new debt via buying and spending. We’d get the wheels cranking again. We’d get people back in stores. We’d create jobs. It’s a patriotic call to duty. The credit card companies must get real and stop the greed, lower the rates and open the gates of consumerism once more.

Wow! the arrogance involved in the bailout is overwhelming. Reading this article  is enough to anger even the most mild-mannered. While reading it think back to Paulson and all those anguished politicians pleading with the American public, swearing that the bailout was our only hope. Well here we are, screwed again.

Amidst all the financial and economic turmoil we now get some really bad news.