THE DOWNSIDE OF BEING HIGHLY EFFECTIVE. Via Newmark's Door, a report on the realities of life in a high-stakes tournament market.

"You have to produce every year. You have to be originating, bringing in business. Maintain long-term knowledge of the transactions, and you have to keep closing deals," she said.

While Trader magazine may be filled with advertisements for $300,000 cars and $10 million yachts, the irony is that some of the people who can afford these toys rarely have the time to enjoy them.

"Most of the people have to work tremendously long hours and spend a tremendous portion of their adult lives to reach that level. Having the time to enjoy them is another matter," [Trader editor Andrew] Barber said.

The timing of this article is instructive. Yesterday was Take Back Your Time Day (soon to be Panera Bread Take Back Your Time Day) where the advocates mix some useful advice on switching off and simplifying with some potential misinterpretations of those supposedly laid back Europeans.

Let's bring the United States up to the standards already in place in all other industrial countries, thereby creating more jobs and improving our health, families, community and civic life and environment. We call upon elected officials and candidates of all political parties to support this free time agenda.

Take Back Your Time Day comes with nine weeks to go in the year, to call attention to the difference between average annual hours worked in the United States and in Europe. There may, however, be a measurement problem. Reported average hours worked can be lower if reported average hours of unemployment are higher. Nah. Wouldn't happen: those other industrialized countries "create" more jobs.