Several readers suggested topics related to housing bubble outcomes. "A question I’ve had for some time is this… will Joe Public: * Who bought a house for $500,000, with $0 (or negligable) down ARM & Now finds finds himself underwater to the tune of $100,000 with a increasing payment."

"Two choices: 1) Live poor, probably very poor, for many years paying more for something he could buy back for less. 2) Walk. Jingle-mail. Now his credit is ruined for 7 years."

"Joe will walk, and although I am a moral person, I’d walk to. Here’s my logic, I walk now and I can live good, not poor. After 7 years I’ll actually have a downpayment and can start over. The two choices/paths probably meet up in 7 years, except #1 means hard, poor, living, while #2 is no real pain. (A subtopic is would those with non-recourse loans - helocs, refies? - would they walk to? How have the BK laws limited them?)"

One added, "The credit is not really 'ruined' for 7 years. After one year, the chargeoff has less effect and as time goes by, even less. It’s not that bad and without access to credit, Joe might actually learn to live within his means. It could be a good thing!"

Another said, "Topic: Who should be holding the bag? Who should pay? Also maybe we can have a topic on the best constructive ways the correction needed could take place.'

One looked at the size of the problem. "Do folks even realize how much a trillion dollars is? Who is going to pay? We’ve just been banking on the the fact that deficits don’t matter. Brilliant logic."

"Let’s take our national debt of roughly 8.5 trillion. Divide that by half of our approximate population (an extremely conservative estimate of people actually producing things). That comes out to roughly 60k. I’d say that the actual percentage of people who even make 60k a year is very small. Back to the question of who is going to pay. It should be pretty obvious we, as a country, should have been asking this question 30 years ago when we went to a fiat currency with fractional reserve lending."

"The only way it wouldn’t end badly is if the bankers holding the strings were the most honest and trustworthy people none to man. How are we doing so far?"

Another reader is looking for solutions, "I would like to see a weekend topic re: What would be the best way for this housing bubble to resolve? Best for the economy and the regular people of this country (and others) who will eventually pay in one way or another for this crazy run-up. I also would like to hear more from the bright folks here about how the next 20 years could be approached as far as dwindling energy reserves start to take effect - in regards to housing."

"I would like to see some great ideas for the next generation. we may have an opportunity to change things for the better with this selfish bubble business finally ending."

From a reader in construction, "I think some trends you are going to see in the future are, 1. More homes built or re-mod to have the family stay longer in one home. Also your parents in their old age will not be able to afford a free standing home with all the fees etc. and again will make it better [cheaper] for family to stay together. This will be somewhat forced because the banks in coming years will go back to old lending standards."

"2. Fuel prices go up, think the airlines are going to be hit big time, days of going from CA to east coast for some weekend bingo party for $300 will be gone. I think in 20 years train travel will get bigger. Best cost per ton per mile there is."

"3. Homes will have to be built or re-tooled to have more than one energy system, what I mean is your lighting will have to be split into 110 service and a battery service to help when rolling black outs happen."