Some “Personal Experiences” For The Holiday
The Rocky Mountain News reports from Colorado. “Doug Milliken, the newly elected Arapahoe County treasurer who ran on a platform that promised to help families avoid foreclosure, is in the process of losing his house. Milliken’s Centennial home in the Parkview Meadows subdivision is scheduled to go up for auction on Jan. 3, a day before he is sworn in as treasurer. County records show he owes $243,624 on the property.”
“Milliken’s campaign fliers promised to ‘educate homeowners on how to make wise decisions to avoid losing their homes’ and to ‘empower families to save their home when faced with foreclosure.’”
“But Adrian Ciazza, the outgoing Arapahoe County treasurer, said Milliken ‘won on false pretenses.’ ‘The treasurer has absolutely no ability to help people avoid foreclosure,’ he said.”
“Milliken, who said he found out Friday about the foreclosure, said he fell behind because he has been focused on campaigning, was shutting down his accounting firm, and was taking care of his ailing father. He said he didn’t expect he would be embroiled in the same problem he was telling voters he would help them avoid. ‘When I brought up this issue, this was the furthest thing from my mind,’ he said.”
“Milliken says he plans to use what he learns from the foreclosure process he faces to help others in difficulty. ‘It’s just amazing that I have some personal experience,’ he said.”
The Associated Press reports from Tennesee. “A church that wanted to do something special for Hurricane Katrina victims gave a $75,000 house, free and clear, to a couple who said they were left homeless by the storm. But the couple turned around and sold the place without ever moving in, and went back to New Orleans.”
“‘Take it up with God,’ an unrepentant Joshua Thompson told a TV reporter after it was learned that he and the woman he identified as his wife had flipped the home for $88,000.”
“‘They came in humble like they really needed a new start, and our hearts went out to them,” said Jean Phillips, a real estate agent and member of the church. ‘They actually begged for the home.’”
“The church was also shocked by an ungrateful interview the couple gave with WHBQ-TV in Memphis. ‘I really don’t like this area,’ said Delores Thompson. ‘I really didn’t, and I didn’t know anybody, so that’s why I didn’t move in and I sold it.’”
“Thompson thanked the church for its generosity but said she saw nothing wrong in selling the three-bedroom, two-bath house. ‘Do I have any legal problems? What do you mean? The house was given to me,’ she said. ‘I have the paperwork and everything.’”
They got the key to the house…but will St. Peter give them the key to the Pearly Gates?
Yep “take it up with God!” LOL.
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typical end result of liberal “feel-good” compassion.
This is more about Karma! Its going to bite these ungrateful’s in the a$$!
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i bet the pious, holier-than-thou church members felt so good about themselves too. “I AM a good person. My mother WAS right!”
Kind of like you wanking about your net worth and alleged market positions?
Kind of like you wanking about your net worth and alleged market positions?
DAAAMN! I sure do hope I don’t fall on txchick’s bad side.
I think the Thompsons are really Jesus and Mary in disguise and they are testing the faith of the church members. My advice to the church is to gather an even greater sum of money and buy another house and put it in the name of the scammer..er..needy beggar. God is watching. How will you respond?
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she’s just jealous that i’m younger, richer, and better looking.
Not only do these dumb-ass congregants get taxed at extortionate rates, now they willingly take up a collection for sincere-sounding Katrina hustlers. Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
To quote the Good Book, fools and their money are soon parted.
No, the typical end result of compassion is a grateful person. What happened in Memphis is the result of a culture that elevates greed to the level of God, and that doesn’t have anything to do with liberals.
Yeah, blame it on the liberals. Are you sure this wasn’t compassionate conservatism?
Actually, this was a wakeup call to the church to get back to God’s true mission for them: beating up some more on gay people.
I don’t do church as an adult, but I must have missed the beating up gay people part when I was a kid. Oh well, thanks for edumacating me.
You can get back to knowing your brother
“You can get back to knowing your brother.” I have no brother, but three sisters. I certainly know them. They don’t know how to save money.
I thought the “jesus” department belonged to the “morals and values right wing” movement? They only give with strings attached? Typical of people who didn’t go through Katrina and want the glory of giving to be on their trophies.
I’m with the NOLA victims who got screwed by Mother Nature/God …”take it up with God.” They have to do it too.
Isn’t it in the Holy Book that the Xtian right uses that says, don’t let you left hand know what your right hand is doing when giving? Hm mmmmmm.
How much did you donate?
Not sure what string you assume they left attached. You mean that the family they helped would actually live in the house? Seems reasonable to me. Or repay the church for the cost of the house (allowing them to help someone else) and pocket only the profit.
typical end result of liberal “feel-good” compassion.
Why, look at all those Katrina victims getting rich selling charity houses on eBay!
Pfffft; lightweight.
If i think racist thoughts here, does that make me a racist?
Kramer!!!
Damn do i have to offer an apology on Letterman now?
Apologies won’t do — you’ll have to write six-figure checks to “Jus’ Me” Jackson and the NAACP shakedown machine.
To make amends i will be happy to offer one neg am loan to any card carrying member of the NAACP free of charge
What a sick ticket …
how do you know that any of the parties involved are a different ethnicity than you?
Take a look at the picture accompanying the story.
Do we assume that these things happened because of a race or because of an individual being greedy? I don’t like playing race cards. I hope you don’t either.
oh yeah, there it is! Thanks txchick.
To answer your question mdmortgageguy: YES. (unfortunately, now I have the same thoughts…so I guess we will row our boat to Hades together)
If you have those thoughts, please remember it is your problem.
I have found greed knows no color boundaries. I am in the center of the Greed Universe. Those white guys in fancy suits that I see getting on a subway at Penn Station make me a lot more nervous than all of the hoodlums I see getting on at the same stop. The hoodlums may be able to rob me once but those guys in fancy suits will rob me for my entire life. At least I can hide my money from the hoodlums.
I realize it is my problem and take full responsibility. I’m working on it. But damn. Hating Whitey just feels so good!
Takes a lot of emotional energy to hate someone and usually they’re not even worth the effort. Indifference is far more efficient.
Hating someone for their skin color alone is Bad ™.
Hating a person’s behavior, irrespective of their skin color, is fine.
It probably is not the Black persons’ fault that they sold the home that was given to them under false pretenses. Many Blacks were caught faking neediness to Whites after Katrina. Many Blacks were caught wasting their FEMA money.
The fault lies with the Whites who feel the Blacks are some kind of noble creature which will do no wrong, combined with White-guilt over their station in life. Just look at the regret Houston has after inviting Katrina Blacks into the city.
Note black people disrespect whites who act one way with whites and try to act black with blacks. I see that all the time. Or how about those phoney whites who run themselves over and try to be a doormat for blacks? Yes, that’s guilt. It masks a deeper prejudice against blacks, in my opinion. Moreover, I don’t respect the whites who change their personality when they are with a people who are from a different ethnic group. I don’t trust people who are pretentious, in general. What ever happened to the dream of Martin Luther King where we can treat strangers the same regardless of the color of their skin? I try to live that example as much as possible.
You both are very obnoxious and hope any quality person, black or white, would not support such stupid posts. The fault lies with people who make blanket statements about others.
Katrina fraud as well as Iraq fraud as well as Savings and Loan fraud as well as all other frauds have no color boundaries. Two Romanian nationals were just arrested in LA for pretending to be Katrina victims. Also, this story is about black people who were trying to help other people who I assume were probably black as well, but do not know. Although I did not initially see this as a race topic, some people have brought race into the picture. I just say you can’t have it both ways. You can’t tell people to stop playing a race card at the same time that you too keep bring race up at every possible scenario.
how do you know that any of the parties involved are a different ethnicity than you?
Squirrel, please!
guess who… iraq fraud?? Should I guess where you pulled that from?
And yes, greed knows no color boundaries, pretty obvious. But NO citizens sure perfected the “govt owes me” mentality, even before katrina.
Black peoples’ problem is not whites with some exceptions. The fact that 80% of black children are not raised or supported by their fathers is their rode to poverty. I am sick of the crap blaming racism on whites. Racism is a generalization of stereotypes of people.
Stereotypes are necessary in life. They enable us to quickly form judgements that may allow us to profit or even survive. People then judge each other and hopefully good people over come stereotypes.
If I am followed at night by two black men I will feel a greater threat then if followed by two jewish men. Is that racism? Then I am a rascist.
Rascism and stereotypes also can work in reverse to help its victims. If I hired a black man and he did an excellent job, I would admire him more then the same white. My reasoning would be that this person had to over come a probably difficult childhood and low family support toward education. Inspight of this hard background this person has succeeded. This would generate even greater admiration of this person.
The great experment in America of mixing races from around the world will be tested by the coming problems in the economy. The cement that holds so many Americans together is economic prosperity,
Mjh, if you are unaware of the amount of money that has been or is being stolen in this War in Iraq then I’m not sure how to help you. It makes the Katrina fraud issue look like a small pond in the middle of the Sahara.
Patriotic Bear, stereotyping is pure laziness on the part of the person who stereotypes. I am not sure why this story allows people to vent their feelings about blacks blaming whites for racism. This story had nothing to do with racism and I venture to say that the people who brought up race in the first place were not black. And, yes, if you stereotype you are being a racist.
And who needs the silly racism/stereotypes, whether in reverse or not. I just could imagine if you were a juror on two trials (one with a black guy who was innocent and accused and one with a white guy that was guilty and accued) that based on your stereotypes you’d be sending the wrong person up the river.
Patriotic Bear, one more thing. I also venture to say that you are confusing/mixing up race and class issues. You say that blacks’ problems are not the same as whites’ problems. I think that is a little misguided. I think a black middle class person and a white middle class person have much more of the same problems than a black middle class person does with a black impoverished person or a white middle class person has with a white impoverished person. I think people falsely assume that black means poor and white means rich/middle class. This is also highly misguided.
Nice post, Patriotic Bear! I think you hit the nail on the head.
If the black community would rally around their successful members (NOT rappers & entertainers), perhaps the stereotypes would no longer be so “accurate”. Why is it that the black community seems to lump itself with the rap/gang member/criminal elements — calling it “black culture” or some nonsense — and then think white people will not think negatively of them. Just plain stupid, IMHO.
AND, how about those black men start WORKING and supporting their many children…or maybe stop sleeping around and impregnating vast numbers of black women who are then left alone to raise the children and be the backbone of black society, carrying the dead weight of the black men all the way.
CA renter, what black community are you talking about? I happen to be black and nobody that I know considers the black criminal elements to be part of black culture. In fact, black rappers/sport figures are typically promoted and supported by an entertainment/sports machine that is very much outside of black control. Do you know who Pamela Thomas Graham or Kenneth Chenault or Richard Parsons or Ann Fudge are? These people can be found all over many black owned magazines like Black Enterprise, etc. but are largely ignored by mainstream society. When was the last time that you’ve read Black Enterprise magazine and saw a perspective from a media element that is actually owned by someone who is black?
I do not deny that there is still a lot of work that still needs to be done within certain aspects of black society. The black family was not something that was really promoted in the U.S. for nearly 400 years (with most of this time seeing black men being used as stallions to impregnate as many black women as possible to increase the slave herd for financial gains).
I’m not sure what white problems you have that are so different than mine. Right now my main issues are being annoyed that both my husband and I are working so hard and need to go into so much debt to buy an overpriced house or that I am able to balance being a good mother and wife with my work responsibilities or that my two year old son will get a good education and grow up to be a decent human being. Maybe these “black issues” of mine are very different than your “white issues.”
“Guess who” makes a good point regarding class similarities.
Stereotyping is another way of saying a “first impression”. We all stereotype on the basis of many factors. It is probably the way the brain attempts to summarize data as quickly as possible. The key is if these factors have probabilities of truth.
If I am seeking a wife and meet a bueatiful devorced blond women who’s kids live with their father, I will have an immediate negative view/stereotype of that person. Other stereotypes that kick in may change my mind. If I am a juror in a drug case and the witness has a bolt in his nose, tatoos everywhere, with one of the arm tatoos showing a hyperdermic needle will I stereotype ? Yes. Will other stereotypes and information change my mind? Sure.
Our race, the clothes we where, marks on our bodies, language usage, and even smile on our face create impressions or stereotypes. To say that is wrong is to argue against human nature. Initial judgements, impressions or stereotypes regarding races or any other criteria can not be the only criteris…just the first. That judgement is based on the history or reputation of the people. That is just common sense.
We have all seen the gothic dressed kid that is unable to understand he is being stereotyped by his appearance. The kid will then say something like, “people should not judge me by my appearance or how I dress”. The fact is his appearance makes a statement. It says, “look at me and by the way I reject your society”. This will offend some people.
The typical person that plays the race or prejudice card is a person who does not think it is right to judge. There is no responsibilithy for all people are the result of prior up bringing. This may work in heaven but in the real world we must judge all the time.
Since this is a realestate blog I will conclude by asking all of you not to stereotype the next realtor you meet. He probably is a an idiot mouthing off what his superiors have told him to say about the market but accept what he tells you. Then again he may not be stupid and driven by self interest. Don’t be judgemental or stereotype him or your will be a realty rascist.
“Guess who” you and your family, friends and community are the very people that will help change the negative stereotype of the black man. I hope my post have not offended you for I admire you and your family.
All people make stereotypes, as has been posted above, to make real life instantaneous judgements that are necessary to help them survive.
For example, if I am walking in an inner city neighborhood going to a professional sports event and I see several thug individuals walking towards me I might want to walk up near a policeman and wait for the thugs to pass. I might not be robbed, but why take a chance I dont need to take.
Some PC individuals may say to me that I dont know a thug when I see one, or they may just be dressed as thugs but not really be thugs. Remember, however, this is a real life situation, not some classroom or watching the news in the safety of your home.
The problem in this country is that somewhere in the 198o’s political correctness became a societal censure device. ie: You are judged as bad if you make a generalization about anyone or anything. The roots of PC were born sometime in the 60’s and 70’s but the bitter harvest didnt bloom until the 80’s.
As has been posted above that is fine in academia, or in the media, but isn’t so good in real world applications with real time consequences involving life and property.
Then you have race baiters like the Rev. Al Sharpton and certain PC indoctrinated and institutionalized media types who go to any lengths to report on white perpetrator vs black victim crimes. The same Rev. Al Sharpton and these PC white guilt media types will not address any Black perpetrator vs white victim crime.
Here is just one example. It is ugly and it is true. Nonetheless, I will tell it here. In an actual case in which white perpetrators tied a black man to a truck and dragged him to his death, Al Sharpton and the PC media had a frenzy. Later there was a similar instance in which black perpetrators tied a white man to a truck and dragged him to his death. The Rev. Al Sharpton and the national media PC types were nowhere to be found and were silent and mute. Why? It didnt fit their agenda. Just like it didn’t fit DL’s agenda for a long time to address the bubble until he had to.
The Rev. Al Sharpton has been proven time and again as a race baiting liar that not even David Lereah could top. In fact, he is just the same as David Lereah with not many real differences at all. Lereah has his job to do to make certain individuals money, and Sharpton has his job to do to make certain individuals money. But make no mistake my friends that money is at the root of both of these men.
Leareah’s job is to get you to buy real estate no matter what lies he has to tell. Sharpton’s job is to advance his cause no matter what lies he has to tell you or what selective manipulations of actual cases and statistics are necessary to achieve his objective. Just like DL. Again, no real difference other than both men are liars and are willing to do anything to advance their respective causes.
As has been posted above the term white guilt was invented to describe the pehnomenon that has occured to reverse injustice over the past several hundred years. White guilt means exactly what has been posted above. White guilt is a PC phenomenon in which white people believe or feel the need to act as if, due to the media and teaching, that black people are a more noble race. The white people and youth of today believe that they must self flagellate themselves to cleanse past transgretions by now departed or very elderly whites. Just as the reverend Tim Dimmesdale, in the Nathaniel Hawthorne book, the Scarlet Letter felt compelled to torture himself.
But due to political correctness, if anyone who happens to be white brings up this inequity they are called a racist and a hatemonger. Unfortunately white guilt is a very real thing that is kept in a very dim dusty closet. It is such an ugly thing when it is exposed to the light of day. People rarely want to see such ugly truths. They far prefer such ugly truths to go creeping and slinking back into the dusty closet.
In general, whites prefer not to discuss it, instead they go with what they have been taught that you must be a racist if you bring it up.
Blacks also don’t bring it up because if they do they may suffer the fate of being branded as a traitor to other blacks, or to the cause of other blacks, or as not being black enough.
Yes, yes I know. Some of you will say, ” I am black and I haven’t experienced this phenomenon.” Some of you will also say, ” I am white and I havent experienced this phenomenon. That does not mean that in the overall scheme of things that it isnt true. Yes, I also know that some of you will say I haven’t heard anyone say that someone isn’t “black enough.” But overall , in the majority it is true. It just means that a small overall sample group hasn’t experienced it. This small sample group would be referred to as a statistical outlier group not representing the majority of the group.
Some individuals will just flat say this isnt true. But, at the end of the day, overall, it is true. It’s ugly, but it is true. And cold hard truths are always the ugliest things.
Lies and seductions like ARM’s and being able to buy a 500,000 McMansion for only 1,200 a month are far prettier than the grim reality that you are presently priced out of the market. Getting HELOCS up to your eyes to have granite countertops and H2’s and running with the jet set is more pleasant than driving a 4 year old Ford and renting for a few years.
All in all, what I’m saying here is that it’s human nature to identify what the group feels or thinks and believe it too, or profess that you do. It’s fun and comfortable to be part of the group. It’s also safe too. You wont be ostracized, or referred to as different. You will still have fun at dinner parties ,agreeing with everyone, that real estate is a good way to make a 30% profit every year forever. It’s just the way the human condition works.
It’s hard to think for yourself, and not blindly accept what common wisdom of the day suggests is the “RIGHT” or “WRONG” thing to do. Be a people and not a Sheeple. Think for yourself and dont follow blindly whatever your group advocates unless you think about it and it really makes sense to you. And not just cause your group leader says so.
Sorry all for being so long winded. I had to add my two cents. I have worked long for justice and tolerance. I hope I haven’t offended any of you. If I did it wasn’t my intent.
This country will be better when political correctness is dismantled and everyone has a right to their opinion and to speak the truth.
PC was an experiment that has gone amok. Most experiments originate with nobe ideas. But some experiments do run amok.
noble ideas.
Guess Who,
Just wanted to respond, so you knew I saw your post (although it’s late).
I agree with you that most people from the same circumstances (SES and religious, cultural backgrounds) tend to have the same problems. However, there are certain issues which occur more often with particular people (be that income level, certain race, certain sex, etc.). My gripe is that we don’t often hear anyone significant from the black community (except for Bill Cosby — a TRUE civil rights leader, IMHO) speak out against the inclusion of rappers, gang members, taggers, drug users & random thugs as a valid part of the “black culture”.
Like Patriotic Bear said, it sounds like you are one of the people who will make a good impression on those who are still defining for themselves what “black culture” is. I also never intended to insult you or any other decent, law-abiding, considerate person of any color, sex, ethnic background, etc.
But, you must admit, there need to be more people standing up with Bill Cosby and fewer standing with the Reverends Jackson and Sharpton, could we not agree?
Thank you for standing up for what you believe. If we could all have honest discourse in open society, perhaps we could end racism (which, I believe, is really more discrimination against certain cultures rather than race) altogether.
Enjoyed your posts!!
I wonder what the big deal is though? A church gave a needy couple an asset “free and clear.” The couple exercised their right to sell the asset. Market economics. So what’s the problem? Probably that the asset wasn’t entirely free and clear, it was encumbered by a 30-year gratitude lien. The couple has defaulted on many years payment of humble grovelings to the fine and pious congregationalists.
Think of all the meek smiles and soggy thank-you-ma’am’s they skipped out on. The warm hugs and akward photo-ops for the local press. They had an obligation to bootlick and apple-polish each and every one of those good parishioners for a long time to come, and they KNEW IT.
And yet off they went like thieves in the night selling property to which they had full legal title and moving to another state like they were free citizens.
The unmitigated cheek of it all.
Once again proving that, “No good deed goes unpunished.” Although this time the punishment is just a figurative slap in the face.
Bill,
While your contempt of the Church and the parishioners is most apparent, you are wrong in your very premises.
The parishioners did not give the couple an “asset”, they provided them with a HOME. They could have easily provided rent payments for the couple for many years, for less money, and been less of a burden. But in their generosity, they decided to give them freedom and independence and self-worth, much like Habit-for-Humanity tries to do.
It was assumed they wanted and needed a HOME, not an asset to trade. I am sure if they had known that a home was not what they wanted, they would not have provided it in the first place.
I have first hand experience with parasites of all sorts, who have wandered into my life, in need of many things. Usually, no matter what one does for these types of people, they end up homeless and poor, anyway. Many things I have given to the “needy”, often ended up being sold for drugs, alcohol or general “partying”. They were no better off, and I was poorer for my gift. But, it hasn’t stopped me from continuing to give to the “needy”, but I am more judicious in my gifts.
I feel bad for the friendly parishioners who gave their hard earned money and time to help a couple of thankless parasites. They are little better than theives. While they were legally entitled to do whatever they wished with their new home, being a little more forthcoming about their intents would have been much more appropriate in any civil society.
You seem pleased that these kind people got taken for a ride.
I find that disheartening.
Sorry, Bill,
I meant Chris………..the poster above you.
I speculate this will be small potatoes compared to when the Feds do an estimate of the total fraud related to Katrina. ~ $100B pumped into the area, how much fraud out of that? $5B? $10B?
I have been saying this since September 2005: Rather than rebuilding a racist cesspool in a swamp below sea level in the heart of hurricane country, wouldn’t it be far cheaper to give every homeowner a $100,000 voucher to buy a house elsewhere? I ran the numbers and it was much less than the final tally for rebuilding the city.
I am not saying it is the responsibility of US taxpayers to do this, but it seems smarter in the long run to get the people out of a place that is doomed anyway, rather than paying to put things back the way they were.
“I have been saying this since September 2005: Rather than rebuilding a racist cesspool in a swamp below sea level in the heart of hurricane country, wouldn’t it be far cheaper to give every homeowner a $100,000 voucher to buy a house elsewhere? I ran the numbers and it was much less than the final tally for rebuilding the city.”
For goodness sakes Lou, don’t you want to live in “Chocolate City?” lol!
~Misstrial
Why give them anything???
Isn’t it their responsibility to take care of their own concerns??
Why don’t you send me 100k? I could spend it just as easily as them.
Both examples show the sadly immoral America going the same way as the Roman Empire.
I have been to both Memphis and New Orleans many times. Leaving aside the other issues, I am not sure why any sane person would move back to New Orleans. Except for the French Quarter, which is built on a sand bar, the city is doomed.
Tell that to Holland, where much larger areas of the country are below sea level.
We have the technology to save New Orleans, but we are choosing not to.
There’s a little difference…..Holland won’t be getting hit by any hurricanes
I agree. When was the last itme Holland was hit by a Hurricane? High and low tides are an egineering problem…build a dike and pump water, Hurricanes are a cycical descrutive force. New Orleans should not be rebuilt unless its outside the bowl.
Technology is a wonderful thing when it works as planned. When it doesn’t it’s usually bad. Oh yeah, and it costs a lot. I say level NO and return it to its natural state.
That church should have put that house into a land trust, not give it out right.
In a land trust it would have been deed restricted for 10 year, plus a return of the original amount piad back to the church of $75,000. And it could have ben revoked if they didn’t move in.
So if they didn’t move in, it the property reverts back to the church. And if the new owners try to filp it, they have to pay back everything, and get clearance from the deed holder, the church, during that first 10 years.
Land trusts or deed restrictions is one way to buffer mania real estate markets which hurt communities.
I believe during world war Ii the president enacted a kind of deed restriction on real estate and rent prices as a way to protect citizens from run-away prices brought on during the war.
Good point, LA Friend.
Haven’t seen you in a while (I post less often as well, since there are so many new posters here, but still read). Welcome back!
ZipRealty has 939,377 active homes Nationwide
http://www.ziprealty.com/maps/index.jsp?usage=search&cKey=74rbwvlk
Never quite made it to 1 million by today.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
You just needed to do a little more campaigning, advising sellers of their false hope for a spring bounce. You’ll be vindicated in April ….. and then some.
“Never quite made it to 1 million by today.”
That’s because everyone in NorCal is pulling their listings.
LOL! Baltimore, too, especially the “nicer” areas…
http://tinyurl.com/negxu
I guess we will have to wait until after the Super Bowl to hit the 1m ziprealty inventory mark…
All potential buyers should consider 2007 as year to ” Sit on your wallet”.
On Long Island I’m seeing lower asking prices. Mostly on new listings, older listings seem to be stuck in the mud. I think alot of the older listings are having trouble coming to terms with their original expectations. Some areas asking prices look to have come down 5 - 10%.
Regarding “Doug Milliken, the newly elected Arapahoe County treasurer who ran on a platform that promised to help families avoid foreclosure”…..
On our local news, reporters have recently aired a story on mortgage costs explaining all the individual costs that get added on and what the final cost of the closing will be if rolled into the (ie 30 year) mortgage. I’ve also noticed several television news sources explaining the definition of being upside down on your mortgage and how it can happen even as you make all your payments.
I found it interesting the media is now attempting to educate even if it is in a remedial sense. The stories would be more helpful, IMHO, if they provided sources of more complete info such as web pages or the Home Buying for Dummies book. One story did start with getting your credit score in order so you can get the lowest interest rate.
It would have been more useful had the media and the RE industry reminded the public of reasonable income/home purchase amount histories. But instead they focused on the ‘gold rush’ view as prices took off.
Agreed Ben, but then again much of the MSM is really just a big commercial/pr release. I teach my 8 and 10 year old that all the time. Just the morning my son was exclaiming, “Blah! Blah! Blah!” in response to some overdone commercial. (Good boy!)
That’s why the recent stories stood out to me.
Why do you even watch TV at all?
“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book” — Groucho Marx
“I found it interesting the media is now attempting to educate even if it is in a remedial sense.”
Funny that the media’s new-found zeal to educate might inadvertently hasten a market crash…
I dont feel sorry for anybody in financial stress, all you do by giving is enabling. If you want to help them out give them free advice but giving someone money is like giving a dope addict some more dope. They’ll just blow it again.
If someone wants to learn financial freedom they first have to learn to live within their means. Look at all the credit cards for $2000.00 the government gave to katrina victims. Much of it went to plasma TVS and goods not housing.
Americans truly disgust me and so does our leadership. We need a new direction than being referred to as consumers.
You are correct, there will always be lazy low lifes and for them there is no help.I have no problem with charity by choice it’s forced charity that ticks me off. The bailout of N.O. was and is one collosal waste of Federal taxpayer money. I went through Hurricane Hugo on the coast of South Carolina, lost it all and did not seek any outside help. Pulled myself up and got back to work. Of course I never felt like I was a “victim” it’s this type of mentality that rots society. As to the folks selling the house the church gave them, no surprise at all.
Savings bond buyers are also aiding Hurricane Katrina victims by loaning money. I agree. It is immoral to force charity. When the “big one” strikes Los Angeles, the precedent will be to throw in hundreds of billions of dollars there. Many people in LA do not have earthquake insurance, recognize the risks of being there, and expect to be bailed out by responsible people when it happens.
Ah yes, but look at all those CA electoral votes….
The electoral votes in CA only go to Democrats from now on. That state is lost to the Republicans. Good luck in the future, Republicans!
Wow! I bet you feel better getting that out of your system and telling those darn Republicans that California is a Democrat state. Boy, I hope they read this blog so they can partake in such wisdom.
Au contrear, the state is lost to both Demoncrats and Republicans to ILLEGAL ALIENS and welfare ho’s.
in the northridge earthquake i was offered FEMA money as my apartment was totaled .i was 1/4 mile from epicenter,my bulding was red tagged and had only one day to get my stuff out.i told them to keep the free handout because i am sure there were more needy than i was.
1/4 mile from the epicenter!? Wow. That must have been quite a ride. Congrats on snubbing the handout; your subsequent recovery and success now belongs to you alone.
well when i drove north on reseda blvd and plummer and i saw whole building collapsed on top of people i could hardly feel right about taking money.i was just thankfull to be alive.i was thrown 3 feet in the air several times so yes it was a wild ride,in fact it was downright frightening.
That’s crazy. I was in a dorm room in downtown LA and got shaken pretty good, but nothing like you. The downright frightening part for me was that most of my liquor bottles fell from the top shelf of my desk. I still mourn their loss.
A very successful Pasadena Realtor TM told me a year and a half ago that “only” an earthquake brings Calif RE prices down. I don’t know how he explains 1991-93 (before Northridge), but I suppose in the future he will remember whatever earthquake comes in 07 or 08 as the “cause” of the current downturn. People who want to lie to themselves do a very good job of it.
This realtor isn’t as dumb as you think. In ‘07 he’ll just refer to one of the many quakes that happen every day.
http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/latest.htm
He’ll say “Dang it! The CA real estate market would have gone up forever if it wasn’t for that devastating 3.2 Palmdale quake back in 2006″
There’s a lot of Californians who believe that canard about RE prices and earthquakes. I’ve heard it a few times myself, usually in reference to prices in Berkeley or other popular towns.
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But “George Bush don’t care about black people.”
Rome fell when the majority found out they could vote themselves benefits from the public treasury that someone else had to pay for. Most of the posters in here, I’m guessing, are that “someone else.” Given the demographics and general dumbing-down of the US population over the past three decades, the Democrats will soon enjoy a stranglehold on power as long as they can buy off the societal parasites that form their core voting bloc.
Six out of ten babies born in the US are now born out of wedlock, with everything that entails. The future is not bright for those who will have to pick up the tab for the irresponsibility and shiftlessness of others.
Arrange your finances so that you don’t shoulder ANY of the tab for others. It can be done and taxation is extortion.
And which Federal prison are you posting from?
pls elaborate
Nothing wrong in taking all the deductions you’re legally entitled to. But I’ve gotta hunch if I didn’t send in a tax return every year I’d get nailed. PROMPTLY.
I have read about some people who haven’t filed a return in 5 or 10 years and owe big time. Mark, are you one of those? Tell us how you do it.
He’s Wesley Snipes.
I doubt if Mark evades taxes. I, myself, have the same opinion of Mark. There are a lot of legal tax deductions that you are unaware about but are among dozens of forms on the irs.gov site. My federal and state tax rate in 2002 was 9% on $120,000 - legally. And I did not have any mortgage payment. My colleague used the same tax deductions I had and paid only 3% combined federal and state income taxes. I also buy municipal bonds, contribute the max to my 401k, and will switch a Roth 401k as soon as my company offers it, contribute fully to my IRA, hold stocks more than a year to get the 15% max tax, and so on. IMO, it is patriotic to avoid as much tax as possible. Trillions of dollars are wasted on socialist programs and welfare for college researchers who study the mating habits of the Tse Tse fly. Trillions of dollars fund hundreds of acronymed bureaucracies that that are unconstitutional.
This made up history really kills me. By the time Rome fell, it had long since stopped being a Republic. It was run by Emporer’s who thought they were gods. You are actually using Rome, an empire that fell due to the mismanagement by a government that was not accountable to an electorate, to our democracy to make the case that we shouldn’t have government of the people. It’s so rare these days to see people actually argue against a democracy, and ironic that it is often the same people who supported a war to install a democracy in Iraq.
Fully agree and especially with this part:
“and ironic that it is often the same people who supported a war to install a democracy in Iraq. “
The Roman Republic ran from 510 BC to 44 BC (when Julius Ceasar became dictator for life). After Ceasar, the Roman Empire lasted until 476 AD.
In honor of his status as a god we named the 7 month of the year after him and the 8 month after his grandson, the god Augustus. (surprising how Jesus only gets 2 days)
SAmmy Schadenfreude - Your statistic re: rate of out-of-wedlock births is way off. It’s not 60%, more like one-third. Perhaps it’s not such a good idea for you to refer to the dumbing down of the population.
http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=14615
As always, I’d be interested to see where you got your stastistic.
Recent news: nearly 4 in 10.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Unmarried_Births.html
Only 40% of babies are born out of wedlock now? Well that makes it much better. I’m sure we will hit the 60% mark in a few years. This country will become a welfare state sooner than you think with everybody holding out their hands demanding the “right” to free healthcare, housing, food, cable TV, broadband internet and everything else.
I would have to greatly disagree with these assertions about children being born out of wedlock. I myself have 2 children out of wedlock and we (both parents) provide 100% to the family as if we were traditionally married, I found it unnessicary in our situatuion to be married. This is a personal choice not a law to be married to have children so it has no foundation or basis on what a family is or that families ability to provide for themselves. I still find it very silly people still find this a huge issue. Granted there is always exceptions to the rule but I know many married couples who should have never been as well.
Some people can work this out without damaging the children or the family unit, but most people in society, especially the more anti-social one’s need marriage to help hold their responsibilities. Just because the elite can break the rules, does not mean the lower classes can without real pain on their families and the communities around them.
Yeah, really. A marriage license - and who needs goverment permission raise a family? -is just a three way contract between you, your spouse, and the government.
If nosy right wingers kept their noses out of women’s reproductive rights …this might not be an issue …but HEY! You got Jeezus!
If some people gets their way, the out of wedlock rate will be close to 80%. They want the children to be born, so they can starve them to death.
For the 3rd time, the sadly immoral America going the way of the Roman Empire.
If it wasn’t for those pesky right-wingers, there would be no out of wedlock births or poverty at all
You are so right there mr carpenter. A lot of people are so screwed up financially that only when they live within their means will they figure out what is going on. The housing debacle has basically allowed people to party like rock stars the last few years. We need to flush the system right now.
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Agreed!
In Defense of Scrooge
http://www.mises.org/fullstory.aspx?control=573
Anybody quoting Mises is alright in my book…
Love the article. In the 50’s my favorite comic-book character was Scrooge McDuck.
Any panicked FBs conducting Thanksgiving Day Open Houses in your area?
From today until March I’m certain we can expect RE sales to come in close to ZERO… except for the REOs that set the new benchmarks for the spring bust of ‘07. In fact, I intend to attend a few auctions at the courthouse beginning next week, just to gauge turnout and see how properties price. Last time I went to one there were far too many bidders spending way too much. Suspect it’s gonna take a while till the knife catchers get taken out of the crowd. A lot more properties REO lately…
‘Any panicked FBs conducting Thanksgiving Day Open Houses in your area?’
That would be something!
Do they serve turkey at Thanksgiving Day open houses?
How about hiring actors to cook and serve a turkey dinner. They could even have some pretend throw-downs with in-laws. That way you could actually visualize your own Thanksgiving in that house.
“How about hiring actors to cook and serve a turkey dinner. They could even have some pretend throw-downs with in-laws. That way you could actually visualize your own Thanksgiving in that house.”
LOL! The ultimate in ’staging!’
~Misstrial
Plenty of “cooked goose”
“Milliken says he plans to use what he learns from the foreclosure process he faces to help others in difficulty. ‘It’s just amazing that I have some personal experience,’ he said.”
That’s what I like, some hands on training in the foreclosure process. The county treasurer in foreclosure! Doesn’t that beat all?
Article said he was an accountant. Too funny.
“Article said he was an accountant. Too funny.”
Hey I know, he can hire Casey’s wife as an accountant/admin aide!
~Misstrial
As he walks away with leaving others to foot the bill for his losses …the right wingers jump on the NOLA house-flippers instead …I just love hypocrisy! Isn’t it just all about greed anyways?
I just love watching naive do-gooders get their eyes opened. Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us to reward parasites and sluggards. The pastor who came up with this ill-conceived “charity”, and his aptly-named “flock”, will probably be a little more discerning thanks to their duping by these all-too-typical Katrina ingrates with their entitlement mentality.
Sometimes the other side thumps the bible and rips off the audience while practicing the opposite of what they preach (Oral Roberts, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker). My father was the victim of theft - a minister stole thousands of dollars of business equipment from my father in the 1970s. I never trusted Bible thumpers, Koran thumpers, and the like anyway. I very much doubt if the pastor in that Katrina aid ripoff will learn his lesson at all. Most importantly, the United States has the best legal system in the world. If the pastor was realistic and not naive like a great many religious people, he would have drawn up a contract to make sure the “victims” would live in the house for a period of at least X amount of years to safeguard the house from being flipped. It always amazes me how holy book thumpers think God’s law is all they need when we have the best legal system in the world, and it works for the most part. Ignore reality at your own peril - should have been an Ayn Rand quote.
Reminds me of the Sam Kinison bit where he goes off on Jim and Tammy Faye.
Those people lost their home. A church gave them a new home, which they sold. A gift given with expectations is not a gift freely given. If you can’t stand the idea that people might not use your gifts the way you think they should, then you aren’t giving anything, you are trying to employ someone.
I read the A.P. article. Looks to me like this church got scammed. Reminds me of the scam we have going in housing. I commend this church on its charitable act. I know they are disappointed that a more needy family wasn’t helped. Anyone out there criticizing the Church of GOD in CHRIST, please tell me of your charitable giving of a house. To the Church of GOD in CHRIST, do not weary of doing good. GOD says that “whatsoever a man soweth, so shall he also reapeth”. Makes me curious how this will play out in the future. All those crooked realtors and mortgage brokers, liars on no-doc loans and any else that did crooked things, your future awaits you.
Religious people always sound as crazy as eljefe.
Crazy like a fox.
Those people lost their home. A church gave them a new home, which they sold. A gift given with expectations is not a gift freely given. If you can’t stand the idea that people might not use your gifts the way you think they should, then you aren’t giving anything, you are trying to employ someone.
Very well said. There are no strings attached to gifts. I’m sure the church members were suprised to see these people sell the house, but a gift is a gift. No doubt, this slap in the face hurt some members that sacrificed so much to make this happen.
Also, if I’m not mistaken the Bible says not to advertise your gifting. Do so quietly and anonymously for others. Otherwise, you are gifting for yourself for others to see.
The Rocky Mountain News reports from Colorado. “Doug Milliken, the newly elected Arapahoe County treasurer who ran on a platform that promised to help families avoid foreclosure, is in the process of losing his house. Milliken’s Centennial home in the Parkview Meadows subdivision is scheduled to go up for auction on Jan. 3, a day before he is sworn in as treasurer. County records show he owes $243,624 on the property.”
Well isn’t this just rich — the FBs vote in one of their own, who can now mismanage public money as badly as he managed his own financial affairs. Talk about low comedy!
My comments may be slightly off topic, but I have often wondered how many of the elected folks in the Senate and Lower House and even the White House are capable of balancing their own checkbooks. Most of these people are lawyers, and I have been told by their office help that lawyers can be some of the most clueless people when it comes to finances and running a business.
8 foreclosures this year on one street in South OC.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Does anyone know how to figure out the costs for these townhomes.
1) Taxes,
2) HOA,
3) Home Insurance,
4) Earthquake Insurance, and
4) Mello Roos
I’ve never gotten close enough to buying in the OC to figure it all out, but I bet it’s close to $800-$1000 per month alone.
Wowie!!! Great news.
I’m on the freeway, husband driving to Coalinga for Thanksgiving.
Hope everyone is having a thankful day
Happy Thanksgiving, Mel!!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Among my long list of blessings would be the gift of knowledge that has come from this site. I’m supremely grateful to Ben Jones as the creater and driving force behind the blog, and to the many smart, funny, insightful people who post valuable information in here on a daily basis. This has been a bastion of sanity and wit in a time when so many of our fellow citizens have seemingly taken leave of their senses.
“Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Among my long list of blessings would be the gift of knowledge that has come from this site. I’m supremely grateful to Ben Jones as the creater and driving force behind the blog, and to the many smart, funny, insightful people who post valuable information in here on a daily basis. This has been a bastion of sanity and wit in a time when so many of our fellow citizens have seemingly taken leave of their senses.”
*Raises glass and toasts Ben and the Board in agreement!*
~Misstrial
Oops, forgot to add the ‘Sammy’ to my handle.
Whew. I thought for a second there that you were inviting us to get to know you on a last name basis!
>Milliken, a Democrat
it figures!
That is 3 right wing posts. Give it up! Go listen to Sean Hannity re-runs!
Hey Crispy - I’ve made it clear that I despise the Republicans as much or more than the Democrats. Other than Ron Paul, I can’t think of a single politician in this country right now that is standing up for the interests of the productive middle and working classes. Both parties are heavily beholden to Wall Street and corporate America, which provide most of their funding.
AMEN!!
Sammy,
Are you a fellow Libertarian?
Philosophy-wise I have a strong libertarian bent, but completely disagree with the Libertarian Party’s open-borders stance. I think some government policing and regulation (i.e. of the lending industry) is necessary and appropriate.
Where your parents Dem’s? Something tells me they were.
I second Crispy’s motion. It’s Thanksgiving. Isn’t politics a forbidden subject around the table? Please stop, Gekko.
We have been provided with a cornucopia of subjects today. Let’s agree to talk about something less toxic than politics…like racism, greed, and religion!
Speaking of religion, any comments on the new found activism of atheists?
A Free-for-All on Science and Religion
NYTimes, 11/21/06
“Maybe the pivotal moment came when Steven Weinberg, a Nobel laureate in physics, warned that “the world needs to wake up from its long nightmare of religious belief,” or when a Nobelist in chemistry, Sir Harold Kroto, called for the John Templeton Foundation to give its next $1.5 million prize for “progress in spiritual discoveries” to an atheist — Richard Dawkins, the Oxford evolutionary biologist whose book “The God Delusion” is a national best-seller.”
Frankly I’m tired of having to continually show “respect” for irrational stories (religion) that seem to be a major root of war and violence and bias. It’s about time that those of us who are atheists had the courage to say so and be proud of it. So there’s a new anti-religion pro-logic movement — kind of the equivalent of feminism and gay pride — I don’t think it has a name yet.
Oh Their God (as opposed to “my” god)!!! This is like a dream come true. You cannot imagine how many times I bit my tongue listening to other people’s moronic stories and pretend to show respect! I hope this will be only the beginning of a much larger movement to come.
Amen!
Try checking out the history of 18th century Europe.
It was called the Age of Reason or the Age of Rationalism.
The first recorded Pro-logic movement. Led the several revolutions and the slaughter of many people, which seemed like the “logical” choice.
Gekko
You’re right. Let’s have some more years of Republican rule (dictatorship). More wars. Let’s attack Syria and Iran and N. Korea. More fake numbers about inflation and what a great economy this is. Let’s run up a bigger national debt out kids cannot hope to pay off. We need more CEO’s ripping off the unwary. More non-bid multi-billion government contracts given to corporations who control the Republican purse strings. More Enrons. More Exxon’s. More massive tax breaks for the top 1%. More blatant Republican political corruption. More “photo-ops” by incompentent leaders (”Brownie. You’re a heck of a guy.”) More military advice from people who never served in the military or got out of combat service using their rich daddie’s influence. Let’s elect another Republican President who’s children (the Princess Bush twins) visit the trendy clubs in foreign countries (probably protected by an entourage of tax payer paid Secret Service agents) while ordinary young American kids spill their blood, die or get maimed for life in a war that is a total failure and was trumped up in the first place.
Some Americans are nice people but as a nation you must be the dumbest ever created.
Gekko,
Stop stirring up the left wing bees nest. It brings the haters out of the woodwork and I don’t want to lose my appetite on Thanksgiving.
Bismarck said “God has a special love of asses, apes and, Americans”.
*Were
>Milliken, who said he found out Friday about the foreclosure, said he fell behind because he has been focused on campaigning, was shutting down his accounting firm, and was taking care of his ailing father.
Excuses are like a$$holes, everyone’s got one.
… and they all stink! (My dad’s favorite expression
)
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Interesting to see the differences in markets. I am in Tulsa, OK and see very few for sale signs compaired to Virginia.
Prices have increased some in OK however only by a small amout.
My personal experiences of yesterday. Should maybe post in BitsBucket but why not under “personal experiences”. Drove from DC to Lewes DE to get on the ferry to Cape May. DC real estate slowdown only modestly evident, but WOW, the 20 miles from Georgetown DE to Lewes DE, i.e., shore-proximate, were an obvious disaster area. I counted 40 individual for sale signs, a couple of FSBO, and at least 10 major new “communities”. Pulte, Ryan, everybody. Everything from small manufactured homes to the familiar McMansion tracts. Some still under construction. Big houses mostly unoccupied, or at least, no vehicles out front. “From the mid 300’s” is the only price tag I recall. The existing homes for sale were more modest. Reached Cape May by ferry. A dinner guest here is a Realtor TM who was in a mood to tell the truth. Nothing at all is moving. A luxury condo bought just months ago for $819K is on the market at $575K and nobody is even looking at it. According to the apparently honest realtor, his colleagues are talking a lot about the spring bounce, which he calls BS. As if we didn’t know. The key to this may be that this guy has pretty much retired from actually trying to sell property. He says several offices here have closed for good, and others are rationing paper clips.
The areas near the shore in Delware have been over run by out of town money. The local incomes don’t come close to supporting prices.
Property taxes are very cheap though. My mother bought september ‘05 in a small town in southern Delaware. She got a 3 bedroom Victorian, built in 1898. The house was very well maintained. She paid $210,000. The prior owner paid $159,000 in 1999. Here’s the kicker, her property tax bill came two months ago. Total state and local property taxes - $596.00. Since Delaware is a very popular state for incorporation, the fees subsidize the taxes.
A very Happy Thanksgiving to all and especially to Blogger Ben
Meanwhile:
“The Rocky Mountain News reports from Colorado. “Doug Milliken, the newly elected Arapahoe County treasurer who ran on a platform that promised to help families avoid foreclosure, is in the process of losing his house.”
This guy should be recalled.
~Misstrial
One of my former neighbors (across the street from our first rental house here) is a realtor who runs a small independent office. She was always a good neighbor and nice person, and never tried to insinuate herself into our good graces like so many realtors do. When we moved (landlord-owner sold house out from underneath us) she nodded knowingly when I said we’d rent for at least another year, and gave a very candid (negative) assessment of the local RE market. If we use a realtor, which I’d rather not, she’s definitely on the shortlist.
was shutting down his accounting firm
An accountant to boot. I used to have an accountant just like him.
Anyone want to bet that the foreclosed loan was granted based upon “stated income” that was “over stated.” Would be interesting to compare the income stated on his loan application with the income stated on his tax return. Something about “figures lie and liars figure……”
I have a couple of comments on the Parasites in Tennessee;….
1st.. do we not have a gift tax in this country…??? Who is liable for the tax on the gift above the limit ??? How is it they were given a $75,000. house with no tax consequence ??
2nd.. They receive the property as a gift, did not move into it and did not rent it….This then does not qualify the property for the “Owner Occupied” Exclusion and it does not qualify for investment (Property held for the production of income for 1 year or more) so, it appears to me the sale will not qualify for Capital Gains treatment and the gain ($88,000.) should be recognized as ordinary income and taxed accordingly….
In summery, do they owe a gift tax and the tax @ ordinary rates on the sale ?? I hope so…That should leave them with around $20K or so which, (Given their Character) they will piss away in short order….
Good points scdave .
Anyway, I want to say Happy Thanksgiving to Ben and the Posters on this great site .
You think these “peaches” are taxpayers, too? I gotta bridge for you . . . .
Local observation from San Diego:
Just got an in-person phone call from a rep at Chanticlair (Buie Communities) in 4S Ranch wishing me a happy Thanksgiving and letting me know that they are now offering a $50K incentive on their $700K 2700 sq.ft. homes.
This puts them in the $260/sq.ft. range offered at Hovnanian’s Evergreen and Wm. Lyon’s Maybeck in 4S.
The 2500+ sq.ft. market seems to be coming down a lot faster than the 2000 sq.ft. market, which makes me think that there isn’t a whole lot more profit to be squeezed from the smaller homes.
Falling new home prices in 4S Ranch will drop like a wet blanket on used home prices of older homes in surrounding communities like Poway, High Country West and Rancho Penasquitos. The problem is that the 4S Ranch homes are newer, bigger and more prestigious, and hence will always sell at a premium to the older, smaller used homes in adjacent areas, no matter how far their prices fall.
“now offering a $50K incentive on their $700K 2700 sq.ft. homes.”
Does this mean the market value has dropped to $650K? And is the $50K incentive included in the amount financed? How is it possible to obtain a $700K loan on a home with a market value of $650K without committing appraisal fraud to the tune of $50K?
Interesting story for Thanksgiving and very telling to see how much hate is in the hearts of many posting - until you walk in their shoes - you have no idea what they were thinking - or their motive - let it go -
Please let God in and the hate out
Wishin you love in your heart and a Happy Thanksgiving
True. We have no idea on the full story.
It has absolutely nothing to do with “God”, however.
On principle, I refuse to listen to any people from cults, be they Scientology, Islam, Christianity or any other mumbo-jumbo.
Happy secular Thanksgiving from the UK.
Regards,
Loafer
“It has absolutely nothing to do with “God”, however.
On principle, I refuse to listen to any people from cults, be they Scientology, Islam, Christianity or any other mumbo-jumbo.”
I agree. I met a lot of people in my life who are very kind, are principled, and their ethics are very admirable, yet they do not believe in God. And no, they are not necessarily liberals, and no, some of them are very patriotic. I hate to be pigeonholed by people. But I am a believer in justice and decent non-believers deserve to be publicly praised.
You seem like a very narrow-minded fool. I listen to people no matter what religious or non-religious group they belong to. I judge them individually. I have friends from all walks of life. For you to exclude 95% of the population is your loss and greatly narrows life’s experience.
Perhaps I put it badly. I actually agree with you - I listen to everyone as long as they don’t thrust their (in my view mistaken) beliefs down my throat or justify their actions based on their cult rather than their rights and responsibilities.
You will note I agree with the poster, I just don’t think it has anything to do with Idolatry.
Loafer
Methinkest both the grifters from N’Olins and the congregation have been watching WAAAY too much Oprah lately. The grifters “played” the congregation and the “Oprah moment” wound up in the Geraldo file.
[This Thanksgiving moment brought to you by The Good Intentions Paving Company!!!]
That’s why you should never give too much to the needy. You give enough for them to survive and let them make their own way. They should have paid rent for this couple for a year to help them get back on their feet.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for the day. Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
That is why what you give to the needy should be long on helping them become more self-sufficient.
Give a man a fire, and he’ll be warm for the rest of the night. Set a man on fire, and he’ll be warm for the rest of his life.
Build a man a fire and you warm him for a day. Set a man on fire and you warm him for the rest of his lifetime.
“Doug Milliken, the newly elected Arapahoe County treasurer who ran on a platform that promised to help families avoid foreclosure, is in the process of losing his house. Milliken’s Centennial home in the Parkview Meadows subdivision is scheduled to go up for auction on Jan. 3, a day before he is sworn in as treasurer. County records show he owes $243,624 on the property. Milliken’s campaign fliers promised to ‘educate homeowners on how to make wise decisions to avoid losing their homes’ and to ‘empower families to save their home when faced with foreclosure.’”
Could this be an early warning sign of a future grass-roots political juggernaut which will legislate indefinite forebearance for families who face foreclosure? If indefinite forebearance is good for Fannie Mae, I guess it is good for everyone…
I can’t think of a single politician in this country right now that is standing up for the interests of the productive middle and working classes. I can’t think of one politician that isn’t a sleazy, scum-sucking parasitic A$$HOLE. Republican or Democrat. I have just a little less loathing (and probably not measurable) for Rep than Dems. Unfortunately, the best man (or woman) for the job will never run. They don’t want the ‘publicity’
Newsflash, N2LC… the productive middle and working classes are the ignorant masses from which manias are born. We’ll have better government when people wake up and demand better. Even here on this blog you still see a lot of shallow political “talking points” echoed by some who should know better.
IMHO, the coming depression will be quite a wake up call to the country in this regard.
The middle class can burn, because they don’t care about individual freedom; it’s always about “the children”. I hope the housing bust wipes them out and leaves them debt slaves.
The daytraders of the dotbomb era made up less than 1% of the population. The flippers made up less than 1% of the population. The middle class does not have the money to start or support manias. It is the elite ruling class that moves markets and in the end it is the elite ruling class that benefits from the bust.
Ummmm, riiiiiiight. Guess the Kennedys were the one’s driving Ariba shares through the roof… oh, and it must have been the Rockefellers buying thousands of stucco sh!tboxes in Arizona and Nevada. Newsflash, JfR… the elite don’t need suicide loans.
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VIDEO: Donated House Sold by Katrina Evacuees
http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/myfox/pages/InsideFox/Detail?contentId=1487999&version=5&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=5.7.1
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“‘Take it up with God,’ caught on tape.
wow…