The Housing Bubble

I’m guessing that the CFL will probably go away once LEDs get cheap.

The Canadian Football League is a joke anyway. Good riddance. I never new light emitting diodes could destroy a sports league.

Sadly… per Jevon’s theorem your electricity savings will now favor a quite perverse economic diversification process…

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1913401,00.html?xid=rss-topstories-cnnpartner

Wanna get scared? Just ask your friends, family and co-workers how they dispose of them or how to clean up one if you break it. No thanks on the mercury, I get enough in the fish I eat..I’ll keep my incandescents.

They’ll shake the voodoo rattles at you, promising doom and destruction if government ever dare shrink. The public will be appropriately frightened and the issue won’t be discussed again.

Sounds like 1) Iraq and 2) the bailouts, and 3) the Fed Audit.

Works like a charm.

Every day and in every way, The Housing Bubble remains THE premier choice of blogging by the planet’s thinking people!

You heard it here first.

Actually, I sort of agree. I would impose a tax on you or Fox news to post, and also charge people a tax to read them. Anyone on CNBC could post for free. ; )

cobaltblue,

So true. FPSS liked to discuss the “connectedness” of things and I really defy anyone out there to show how ‘most’ of what we’re confronting ‘isn’t’ related to this living nightmare?

Love everyone’s -anger- out there today btw!

“I would impose a tax on you or Fox news to post, and also charge people a tax to read them”

Too late. I’ve already proposed a $5 tax on blog posts ($10 if it’s a post calling for higher taxes– except for this one). The reception has been lukewarm, to put it politely.

Dang First,

You beat me to it.

Can we also tax O’Reilly, Beck, Hannity, Coulter to name a few?

No need to tax the moonbat fringe. They’re fading slowing all on their one.

Can we also tax O’Reilly, Beck, Hannity, Coulter to name a few?

Maybe they could do a cap-and-trade with Stewart, Colbert and Mahr?

The characters that SFgal lists are also gov’t employees. They just play a different role. It all depends on what they need at the moment - your blood or your money.

So true. FPSS liked to discuss the “connectedness” of things and I really defy anyone out there to show how ‘most’ of what we’re confronting ‘isn’t’ related to this living nightmare?
———————————————–

I would respond to this, but its so vague, and doesn’t really address anything specifically. Yes, things are connected . . . what “living nightmare” are you referring to? I thought the republican ticket for presidency was a living nightmare, actually and am so glad we have Obama now. I am very afraid of Palin’s ability to rabble rouse people to violence, and that is a living nightmare to me. The far right is definitely connected to riling up those who don’t have much education and creating a living nightmare where they can. Lying about WMDs and getting us into an endless war is also a living nightmare.

First,

Wow, actually none of the above, although I’m sure there are blogs that address that.

( From cobaltblue’s post above )

“Every day and in every way, The Housing Bubble remains THE premier choice of blogging by the planet’s thinking people!”

How is it possible to misconstrue that such as you have? Just curious.

“Can we also tax O’Reilly, Beck, Hannity, Coulter to name a few?”

I’ve often wondered about the 16th Amdt. and the so-called “general police power” of the legislature. It seems like we’ve really just replaced a monarchy with a committee, to allow the plebes to fantasize about controlling the world and taxing and regulating anyone they don’t like. “Live and let live” isn’t on the table.

I am very afraid of Palin’s ability to rabble rouse people to violence,

When did Palin rabble rouse anyone to violence?

“The far right is definitely connected to riling up those who don’t have much education and creating a living nightmare where they can. Lying about WMDs and getting us into an endless war is also a living nightmare.”

OK, First, I think we understand your political affiliation. Maybe you can explain why the enlightened, educated set now in power doesn’t get us out of the endless war.

Agree the CNBC crowd are govt shills.

Agree O’Reilly and Beck and Hannity are fringe loonies, but I don’t agree they are govt shills. They would probably love to do away w/ all sources of govt revenue.

Ummm to be fair the far left has no problem with trying to rabble rouse people to violence also.

SF Gal, how is the far left rabble rousing to violence? I’m not saying they aren’t, just asking. Probably anyone on the far side of either side will create problems.

To whoever asked, it was widely reported that a Sarah Palin rallies, people would shout out that Obama was dangerous and should be harmed, and she would do nothing to stop it. Also, I am thinking of the abortion doctor who was recently murdered, although I do not connect that with her.

I also don’t think it is fair to ask why Obama hasn’t solved all the nightmares he was handed in his 6 months in office.

Actually, I just wanted to add some balance to this post, since at first it seemed unbalanced, and we don’t all think the same. That’s all. Not trying to make it a huge political blog.

I just was suprised that taxing people with different opinions was considered a good idea.

Anyway, have a great day everyone. Must work now. Like everyone else I really appreciate this blog.

exeter,

If these people are so readily dismissed.., why waste any breath on them? Look, if you’re not a fan of Michelle M@lkin, that’s fine. But “moonbat” is her’s and her’s alone.

She’s been using it for years. This is so typical, liberals diss’ on cons. commentators and then adopt and deploy the very same phrases and tactics they’re criticizing?

Please coin your own phrases.

First:

“It was widely reported that…”

link please.

Here’s a link to speech which advocated gang rape against Palin. http://thesuperficial.com/2008/10/sandra_bernhard_banned_from_be.php

With friends like these, the left doesn’t need enemies.

No need to tax the moonbat fringe. They’re fading slowing all on their one.

Hey, get your epithets straight:

Moonbats == extreme left wingers
Wingnuts == extreme right wingers

MOONBATS

http://thesuperficial.com/2008/10/sandra_bernhard_banned_from_be.php

With friends like these, the left doesn’t need enemies

Philly, for petesake, this isn’t the left. This person/”comedienne” is a nutjob whose friend used to be madonna. DON”T go using that tripe and rubbish as an example for smart people to the left of center.
That isn’t fair. Gosh, so many examples of the “family values” still getting caught having affairs..blah blah blah.

Nice example of pulling crap outa a hole. Sheesh.

Stop it you guys. You slam indescriminately.

“The far right is definitely connected to riling up those who don’t have much education and creating a living nightmare where they can. Lying about WMDs and getting us into an endless war is also a living nightmare.”

I always amaze that the uneducated people are in the republican Party but all the smart liberals never have jobs or at least jobs with health insurance. Then they are in love with idiots like Obama, Pelosi, Dodd, Frank, ie Elemer Fudd!

desertdweller,

That wasn’t an indiscriminate slam at all. It was ONE example of a pattern of misogynistic abuse directed at a female candidate in the last presidential election. Hillary suffered her share as well. I was never a fan of hers but was astonished at the vitriol directed at her by 0bamamedia and the followers swept up in the ecstasy of his cult.

The fact that Sandra Bernhard believed she could get away with hate speech against Sarah Palin is testament to the “wink and a nod” approval that any celebrity who trashed Palin enjoyed. (Frankly, I’m stunned that you would defend a purported joke about gang rape.)

And it didn’t stop after the election yielded the Left’s desired result. David Letterman also believed the Palin family - minor females only - were fair game long after she had been defeated. Didn’t work out too well for him either.

My post was in reply to a comment about Palin inciting violence. That comment is still unsupported by any credible source. So who’s the one engaging in indiscriminate slamming?

I was never a fan of hers but was astonished at the vitriol directed at her by 0bamaLimbaughmedia and the followers swept up in the ecstasy of his cult.

Fixed that for ya.

Rush wasn’t running for office.

Numerous websites sprang up chronicling the attacks levelled against both HRC and Sarah Palin. Criticism of the candidates’ appearance, policies - to be expected and really nothing to cause alarm. But speech threatening rape against a candidate, or in the case of one professor who described his wish to rape Sarah Palin - that is just vile. If those comments were directed against a person of color, it would be considered hate speech and grounds for prosecution.

I can find the link to the professor’s ill-considered article, if anyone doesn’t believe me, a little web-digging will locate it. It’s the end of my work day, and I am out.

Rush wasn’t running for office.

Googled:

“palin campaign incites violence”

and

“obama campaign incites violence”

100% of the first page results are opinion pieces, comments and bloggers, but none of them mention Obama vs. H Clinton as your earlier comment suggested.

Way to go X !!! beautifully done.

“100% of the first page results are opinion pieces, comments and bloggers, but none of them mention Obama vs. H Clinton as your earlier comment suggested.”

Imagine that!!!! lmao.

Imagine that!!!! lmao.

Yeah. Because, as we know, the internet is run by libruls.

Gore didn’t build in access for troublemaking conserv’tivs because they already had the entire AM dial.

Well, at least the parts that the Mexicans didn’t want.

dam dem dar librulls!

AM radio? The TheoCons really are embracing new technology… Go TheoCons!

She is simply extreme. Same with O’Reilly and Olbermann. Both the far left and far right share a self-righteous sense of superiority. If you want reason and thought, look somewhere else.

“Huffington is a special case. She was far right until her dear hubby came home and told her he was gay and wanted a divorce. She then flipped out and became far left. I wonder what she really thinks.”

And he was far right too.

Sex, lies, drugs…….. so typical of a gop politician. All the while demonizing the rest of the planet for their heathen ways.

“Huffington is a special case. She was far right until her dear hubby came home and told her he was gay and wanted a divorce. She then flipped out and became far left. I wonder what she really thinks.”

Which to me indicates in actuality she’s neither far left nor far right, but merely an opportunist.

As are most of these flamboyant talking heads.

Well all those flamboyant heads got us talking didn’t they?

Well all those flamboyant heads got us talking didn’t they?

If only we could slap them. I often try, but that stupid flat screen balks my best efforts.
Sigh.

How true. Building new industries takes sacrifice and years of profitless operation and R&D.

Shuffling houses, however, was instant gratification for too many.

edgewaterjohn,

Thank you, not to mention a lot of BS&T’s. Locally, Portland made a feigned attempt at making themselves the “Bio-Tech Capitol” and… when they got a little competition from towns that actually -have- schools, they quickly re-grouped and declared we’d become “The Green Industry Capitol”.

It’s all just lip-service to make cons. believe they’re actually working on something? The truth is ( as a major transhipment point on I-5 ) we are ( or rather were ) a Trucking Hub! But having Freightliner and Les Schwab Tires just didn’t sound ‘cool’ enough? Certainly not cool enough to charge $500 a s/f for a “loft”?

hey DinOR, hot up there? You have no idea, but for OR, that heat must be amazing.

I agree that the majority of MSM and citizens do Not want to put in the years of hard work to get things on track again. Instant gratification-sell my house-buy some trinkets-buy another house- add granite- mix. Stir up and do again.

Our citizens and some here on the hbb want this potus to instantly do the same. Fix instantly or we will bash,criticize,threaten, lie, and distort to ‘our’ hearts content.

Raise your hands, who here as real 6pack abs? It takes hard work to get those, same as fixing what got broken.

Now lets vote them out of congress and senate and start over. Take a break and turn the knob off on the faux noise channel. Just say No. Push away from the table.

Slim’s dad has 6pack abs. And he’s 84.

As for me, no 6pack abs. Oh, well.

Raise your hands, who here as real 6pack abs?

My abs are well-hidden under several thousand 18-packs.

desertdweller,

Years… of hard work?

They don’t want to do ANY! Agreed, “Stir up and do again”, hey, works for me?

And that’s the problem. The whole debate has been centered around “What can we do to get ‘housing’ back on track!?” Oh.., let’s be honest, no one gives a rip about ‘housing’ at this point. What they really mean is; “What can we do to get the easy money ‘profits’ rolling again?”

So we wasted precious time and endless resources trying to fix the House ATM ( and no, I don’t think it would’ve been one lick better under McCain )

None of these people would care if it were Harley’s or beanie-babies for that matter? Let’s just get on w/ our new ponzi so we can get back to scoring chicks and adorning ourselves w/ trinkets!

“……years of hard work to put things on track again….”

I’ll disagree with the conventional wisdom on this blog, which is that everyone in the US ia a lazy dumba$$.

The thing that pi$$es me off the most is that a lot of people have been working harder and harder for less and less return (minimal raises, cost shifting by employers, inflation, etc.), and didn’t participate in any of this.

Now, we are expected to work even harder, and ante up to pay for the damage, at the party we weren’t invited to.

Thank you X-GSfixer.

I know plenty of people who are working their asses off. Contrary to popular belief on this blog I know plenty of people who work hard while working for the government.

I work hard for the government, but most of my job is filling out endless paperwork with a little real work mixed in. Of course, every bit of real work requires more paperwork. If we do much more real work, we’ll have to hire more people to do the paperwork.

Case in point:

Bond Report

Jul 29, 2009, 10:49 a.m. EST
Treasurys rise as durable-goods orders slide
By Nick Godt, MarketWatch

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Treasury prices rose on Wednesday, sending yields lower, after the government reported that orders for durable goods sank much more in June than economists expected.
…

PB,

Do recall the whackjob quoted on SeekingAlpha that declared ( back in ‘05 ) “We’ll have low-interest rates and a global liquidity GLUT for the foreseeable future!” ?

( I wonder if ‘this’ is what he meant? )

I am not sure how one should judge the success of Treasury bond auctions, given that the Fed might be goosing demand from behind the curtain.

Wall Street Journal

* JULY 29, 2009, 2:13 P.M. ET

UPDATE: Treasurys Prices Sink Following 5-Year Auction

(Updates market prices, adds background and impact on stocks.)

By Emily Barrett

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)–Treasurys prices fell across the board on a disappointing result from the Treasury’s latest record fund-raising effort.

The $39 billion auction of new 2.625% five-year bonds - the largest such sale ever - wasn’t bid heavily enough to prevent the government paying a higher rate on its borrowing. The yield on the new notes was 2.689%, compared with 2.63% in premarket trade.

The results were discouraging enough for investors to offload Treasurys. The two-year bond price has bounced off its lows following the auction, but is still down 3/32 to yield 1.18%. The 10-year is back at breakeven for 3.69%. Yields move inversely to prices.

Demand at the auction was certainly cooler than hoped, particularly given the sheer volume of debt the government must sell to fund its economic stimulus efforts. If these higher borrowing costs are the start of a trend, that project will be all the more expensive.

The statistics certainly weren’t as pretty as the last auction of five-year notes, in June, when the ferocity of bidding took the market by surprise, and seemed to put to rest fears that investors could be souring on U.S. debt.

Bids at this auction exceeded the amount on offer by 1.92 times, the lowest since September last year, and well below the 2.58 seen last month. Indirect bids, which are a gauge of participation among foreign central banks, came in at 36.7%, better than the 35.7% average of the last 12 auctions, but nowhere near the 62.8% seen at the June auction.

The market had been braced for a poor performance, following a surprisingly tepid reception for the $42 billion sale of two-year notes the day before. Now investors are getting worried about the prospects for Thursday’s $28 billion sale of seven-year paper.

“Today’s definitely not-good five-year auction really raises the bar in terms of negative expectations for tomorrow’s seven-year auction,” noted Miller Tabak & Co. strategist Dan Greenhaus.
…

He and his wife can go back to their career as He-Man and Skeletor impersonators.

He and his wife can go back to their career as He-Man and Skeletor impersonators.

Hhahahaha! Comical!

Perhaps next, some 21st century updates for:

The Night Chicago Died.

Awfulness exceeded only by…

Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves?

My kids are pretty darn happy that although Mom was into disposable dance tunes, Dad actually collected the stuff that was due to deemed classics.

Loverboy, anybody?

LOL

The only real St. Paddy’s Day celebration is in Boston. People get drunk in the streets, clutching pitchers of green beer. I’ve seen Boston cops on horseback on St. Paddy’s day riding down the street with a plastic cup in hand.

Dennis, I beg to differ. Boston’s may have a higher quality of drunk, but Butte has green beer in pitchers, four lane streets completely blocked from drunk people spilling out of the more popular bars (the vu villa in particular), and on duty cops drinking beer as well. The population of the town doubles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vAAqo2V8E8

The link will probably kill this response, but there’s a video showing a little bit about what it’s like in Butte.

Hey Butte’s got the folk and blues festival now too ya know. ST Patty’s is not enough anymore.

We have a pretty snazzy Oktoberfest right in my neighborhood. Lady who’s an accordion teacher invites her fellow musicians and students over, and they set up in her carport.

And you should see my peeps get up and dance. Over there you have the couple of women who run the neighborhood association. (Yes, they are married, even though Arizona doesn’t recognize it). Then there’s drunken Pete. Man, I would love to see that guy sober sometime.

Uh-oh, there’s Dennis with his latest girlfriend. Wonder how long this one’s gonna last.

Then there’s Cheryl, dancing with a big tough-looking Hispanic guy with lots of tattoos. Not to worry, that’s her husband.

And, with any luck, we just might get Chuck and Mom (everyone calls her that) up and dancing too.

I should add that street festivals especially complemented the rise of a specific facet of the boom - the urban condo.

There’s big bucks in commodifying the “Mardi Gras” lifestyle. Think for a moment about some of the festivals you’ve attended this past decade - have you noticed their proximity to condo developments/downtown renaissance projects?

A great example is the area just to the west of Milwaukee’s Maier Park (Summerfest). In a case where there wasn’t a neighborhood close to the festival - they built one - much of it from the ground up. Whole blocks of new condos meant to look like a little downtown.

The people I know who own bars and restaurants in downtown areas hate the ’streetfests’. There’s no parking and their regulars just stay away. The crowds that replace them want to use their bathrooms (with the kids!) but buy their funnel cakes and plastic cups of beer from the vendors outside who undercut all their prices.

So I take it everyone else has Wednesday Out to Lunch, Thursday out to Dinner, New Year’s alcohol-free puppet shows and face painting etc too?

sleepless_near_seattle!

Thanks for remembering! And… from the look of things, the discontent is finally… starting to get some TRACTION!

I tired of going toe-to-toe w/ our local city mgr. and our new mayor, so I took to the airwaves and the host really let me ramble! I wish they had an audio link.

edgewaterjohn and mikey have it down to a “t”. It’s all totally fabricated, especially when you’ve invited to your 14th “2nd Annual Fill in the Blank Fest Fest” of the summer! Oh it doesn’t even have to be ’summer’, just not raining too hard.

“especially when you’ve invited to your 14th “2nd Annual Fill in the Blank Fest Fest” of the summer!”

So true. Two weeks ago they had the “INTERNATIONAL Brewer’s Fest.” So I sat there thinking, “WTF? Is THIS the one I usually go to or is it the OTHER one that I go to?”

I suppose the strategy is that I’ll be so confused I’ll have to go to BOTH…

sleepless_near_seattle,

DAMN that is funny! Yeah, in all the excitement, I kind of lost track myself?

I just wish it didn’t take a Great Depression II for these city mgrs. to see the FOLLY of their “events”? Nope, couldn’t be derailed by common sense or the realization that they’re just taking the same pie and cutting it into ever smaller slices?

Had to take GDII.

DinOR, forgive me and my rants. I followed another link yesterday with photos about them unbolting and shipping another company’s specialized manufacturing equipment to CHINA. This sort of stuff drives me completely bonkers for days and it only looks like a one man mikey parade. It always gets me hopping around mad and shouting like an insane person.

I think ALL Americans all over should be angrily marching and protesting in the streets as these greedy politicans corporations and business gurus gut that destroy what little is left of our US manufacturing base.

American manufacturing is an empty hollow shell of what it once was an it hurts old-timers like me to see it happening. I DON’T handle change like THIS very well !

No worries Mikey, Big Brother is preparing a green energy service based job with your name on it, as we speak!

“What you say Willard…I’m going to become a Jolly Green Giant… Green Bean” !?!”

I have said this in the past.
The only way that we are going to get manufacturing back here, is to make companies comply with US regulations on wage, benefits, health, and environmental in order to sell your product here.
One question raised was that how could you enforce it?
Would we see an inspector at the gates a-la Iraq before the invasion….
Nah. We already HAVE the mechanism in place.. it is called the FDA.
The FDA visits companies that manufacture drugs over seas constantly. They have to comply with GMP. It goes something like this…
FDA inspector shows up… Company does not open the door. Inspector calls the FDA. Injuction is ordered, and no product from said company is sold, and all existing products are pulled from the market.
Granted that the FDA has NO power to regulate beyond the US border, but what they can, will, and have done is bar the manufacturer from selling products here. End of story.
Your rinky dink polluting company in china, no longer can sell their lead poisoned, polluting, low wage POS here…

The other way that manufacturing will come back is when wages and benefits here are similar to those in the Far East. It looks like that has a better chance of happening than making foreign companies comply with U.S. regulations.

I have said this in the past.
The only way that we are going to get manufacturing back here, is to make companies comply with US regulations on wage, benefits, health, and environmental in order to sell your product here.
One question raised was that how could you enforce it?
Would we see an inspector at the gates a-la Iraq before the invasion….
Nah. We already HAVE the mechanism in place.. it is called the FDA.
The FDA visits companies that manufacture drugs over seas constantly. They have to comply with GMP. It goes something like this…
FDA inspector shows up… Company does not open the door. Inspector calls the FDA. Injuction is ordered, and no product from said company is sold, and all existing products are pulled from the market.
Granted that the FDA has NO power to regulate beyond the US border, but what they can, will, and have done is bar the manufacturer from selling products here. End of story.
Your rinky dink polluting company in china, no longer can sell their lead poisoned, polluting, low wage POS here…

+Eleventybillion

Pinch,

There are a lot more manufacturing companies than there are drug companies. And you can be that a banned company will simply pass the goods off to one that isn’t. I like the idea, but there are too many easy work-arounds. And of course, the last thing that’s needed is a new, massive government agency.

The best solution I can come up with is to only trade with countries that have environmental/labour standards that are equivalent. Being sure that such standards are met becomes the new challenge.

Al,

I agree. One encouraging aspect I’m seeing of late is the revival of salesmanship. Go into virtually any retail establishment and you’ll be asked “Can I help you find anything?!” at least (3) times.

“I” happen to see this as pivotal. No one wants to “lead on price” any more and the only way to do that is to SELL! Many of the jobs went offshore b/c we forgot to teach the younger gen. how to sell!

Preach it, DinOR. I’ve found that, since The Recession has crept across the land, sales skills have become very important. My little biz has been a good learning lab for this activity.

Oh, one more thing. Improving the quality of what you offer. That can help sales too.

“…..make companies (countries) comply with US regulations…….”

Will. Never. Happen.

It violates their “national sovereignty”, you see. And our government, in it’s infinite wisdom, has signed numerous treaties accepting another countriy’s regulatory decisions as equivalent to our own.

But “National Sovereignty” is a dirty word around here. Every little pi$$ant country thinks they deserve veto power over everything the US does.

I’m looking in Auburndale, MA and have seen a few foreclosures and short sales. So they are starting in some of the nicer areas. I also see many listings in the area of people trying to break even, like your friend (I check Mass Land Records). Most have purchased in the last 5 or 6 years and most don’t appear to be selling. It will be interesting to see if any of these are Alt-A loans about to be reset. If so prices may be coming down in the area.

I spent a few days last week in both Marblehead and Newport (Rhode Island).

“For Sale” signs appear as if blooming spring flowers in the above locales… MANY more than in the previous visits.

Given that, I can only say that if anyone still thinks the so-called high end is not going to get crushed over the next few years, they have not been paying attention.

would love to see the amount of Alt-A recasts

Well, don’t get your hopes up too much… I expect Option-ARM’s to explode because of negative amortization and declining home values, but I don’t think traditional Alt-A ARM’s will have much impact if the majority are based on LIBOR. I know that based on the current LIBOR rates, if my ARM were to adjust today, my interest rate would fall from 5.85 to 4.15, saving me quite a bit. I fully expect this to be the case for the forseeable future as the Fed backstops the banking system.

Most have purchased in the last 5 or 6 years and most don’t appear to be selling

There’s the “Mexican Standoff” in Mass. They can’t drop the price because that’s what they owe and most, if not all, can’t bring money to the table. I have a co-worker who is in the same boat: went with the realtor that said his home should be priced at X, where X would allow them to not have to bring money to the table at closing. The other realtors basically said price their home at .9X and it will sell. That didn’t work for them because they have no savings to absorb the loss. Their pricing is based on what they owe, not what the market clearing price is.

This will take years to resolve as only home sellers who get this, adjust their prices down, and have cash savings to absorb the loss will be able to sell. Meanwhile, foreclosures and new home builders are slowly moving the market lower. It’s why I think, in Mass at least, the employment and wage picture is the most important factor in determining where prices go from here…

I’m not sure about Mass as far as the recast impact. California coastal should get clobbered. Florida will bust again as well.

I don’t know what the situation is like in Mass.

If its a high cost area just expect it to continue to deflate while living like a leach on the rest of the country. Supporting it’s socialist policies on the backs of others.

I don’t think the bubble was as large in some areas. Michigan has been in a long deflation and never picked up much value. Similar with Ohio. Mass bubbled pretty bad but not Florida/California/Nevada bad.

lavi d,

I’m a dog guy, not a cat guy so I never had a second thought about the term.

However I LOVE the dead-banker-bounce and will now work to change my descriptive language.

lavi, my apologies for missing the facetious tag…

But I am _FULLY_ on-board for changing it to a dead-banker bounce!

Took me three reads (I’m a little slow)- chuckle

Howz about “Pigers” gut P’Bear?

I like it!

Leigh

Ooooooh, and dead “Pigers” bounce too.

Ah, the visuals.

Leigh

Exactly! I know my Balzac. (nyuk nyuk)

Exactly. The executives most directly responsible for engineering the financial meltdown get to take the money and run, and the next generation of Americans gets to figure out how to pay for a large number of indigent baby boomer retirements.

alpha-sloth,

Good points as always. Sometime back we joked on partick.net these McChateaux’ would become divided up to house aging ( and insolvent ) boomers!

Further I’ll agree “broke is broke” and hence HOA’s will wither on the vine. It won’t matter this was once a “gated community” ( complete w/ security guard )

Personally I’d much prefer to see these implemented to house seniors than become crackhouses/shooting galleries and “grow” operations. Just me.

I’m sure they’ll run the gamut from rather nice apts to crack houses- much like the old victorians we lived in- with a few of the original owners still remaining (and grumbling about it) here and there.

I’ve already pointed out that Mcmansions are uniquely well-suited to be rooming houses/efficiencies apts. Huge entrance halls and every bedroom has its own bath. Great room could be common room, and the commercial quality kitchens would finally prove useful. (Nothing we can do about their poor construction quality though. But it’ll keep the handymen employed.)

Dinor- That security guard gatehouse sure will make a nice bus stop!

The Urban Doughnut Theory. It’s been playing out here in Sacramento, CA. Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s Central city was feared because of crime, bad schools, etc. Think crack epidemic. So, everyone flocked to the suburbs. Students, bohemians, artist, and oddballs headed to the cheap downtown.

Now, people with income have moved back in to central Sacramento, fixing up the old Victorians, cleaning up the neighborhoods. The suburbs are in the process of going bad and have formed a ring or doughnut of slums around the center.

This reminds me of the buildup of snow at the top of a mountain which normally precedes an avalanche.

Wall Street Journal Blogs

* July 23, 2009, 2:44 PM ET

Amid Signs of Recovery, Trouble with High-End Homes and Mystery Inventory
…
As today’s WSJ story notes, the relative strength or weakness of housing changes from market to market. And signs of a recovery at the bottom end of the market come amid signals that problems have spread to more expensive markets.

In California, for example, the share of mortgage defaults in the state’s most affordable sub-markets, which represent 25% of the state’s housing units, accounted for 45% of default activity in the second quarter. That’s down from 47.5% in the first quarter and from 52% in 2008, a signal that “the foreclosure problem was intensifying in more expensive areas,” according to MDA DataQuick, a San Diego-based real-estate research firm.

Another potential source of fog: uncertainty over the actual sale inventory, as some would-be sellers keep their homes off the market and as banks process a growing glut of foreclosures. (Calculated Risk offers some interesting historical charts here on inventory.)

“While recent inventory trends suggest improving trends, we remain concerned that these stats are not including a substantial amount of the foreclosures currently being held by banks or the growing backlog of ‘pent-up’ foreclosures as new delinquencies continue to rise,” writes Daniel Oppenheim, a housing anaylst at Credit Suisse.

Pulling a rug off an elephant is bound to upset the elephant. It will trumpet and stomp around, but that’s about all. OTOH, try pulling the rug out from under the elephant. Now that would be a sight to see.

“While recent inventory trends suggest improving trends, we remain concerned that these stats are not including a substantial amount of the foreclosures currently being held by banks or the growing backlog of ‘pent-up’ foreclosures as new delinquencies continue to rise,” writes Daniel Oppenheim, a housing anaylst at Credit Suisse.

Yes.

If you just take a simple percentage of all occupied homes vs all homes, you get a graph that looks like this, which indicates that no - there is no reduction in inventory yet; and most likely that is indeed due to the shadow REO inventory.

the growing backlog of ‘pent-up’ foreclosures

Wow. From “pent-up demand” to “pent-up foreclosures” in just a year!

Until the people in power admit that it was a fraud ridden equity extracting Mania , rather than just getting sub-prime borrowers into their first home ,than maybe they can come up with viable solutions .

Amen. Many of our elected representatives were clueless then and are still clueless about what happened.

One of the reasons I feel so strongly that all of the fraud should be aggressively prosecuted is that it would force them to see it for what it was. This isn’t people losing houses primarily because of an economic slowdown.

Oooh!

*happy face! *

‘Cause no one deserves it better.

Oh, yeah, and your bath looks like chocolate?!
Thanks for rubbin’ it in. Hahahah!

Congratulations.

I am jealous you found what you were looking for.

Thanks!

SF’Gal, tis our last abode, and with this economy, there’s plenty of room (AND WORK) for those we love that may need shelter.

Chocolate mocha, with a glean of warm deep burgandy.

Dang, I wish I had he official swatch color name thingy handy! Oh, but it’s so rich with all the natural light!

The frogs would feel at home - and your mossy head would look like sweet dew kissed glimmers.

Specially with a tiarra upon thy head!

Leigh

First $100k-plus fundraiser for KXCI.

Yay!

I was on my bike (the afore-mentioned 24-year-old one) in Sabino Canyon the first day that KXCI started broadcasting.

The bike was brand new.

Ahh, good memories. Thanks, Slim.

I’d buy ticket for the privilege.

Certain group(s) of Americans wanted free trade not fair trade. The Chinese leadership wanted complete control over the country. They used the control to accumulate large wealth for the country and I assume for themselves. Now they need nothing from US because they realize the market that handed them the trillions of dollars no longer exists.

Given the wealth they realize its worth having a huge bank and a huge insurer. Just imagine if you had a really large health care, housing or auto insurer in the US that had national coverage wouldn’t you be able to provide lower premiums? Because Risk is spread.

If you had one bank which allowed you to do buisness throughout the country wouldn’t that be beneficial?

A national bank is outlawed by our Constitution for good reason. The nation would be a slave to them, much as China is a slave to its government (which owns everything).

That’s one of the biggest reasons why most people who post on this blog are against the bailouts.

Now they need nothing from US because they realize the market that handed them the trillions of dollars no longer exists.

LMAO. Tell me in 5 years how that decoupling theory is working.

Decoupling will occur like it or not. When US stops financing Chinese development they will lose interest in US and look inwards.

The dynamic between China & USA is not sustainable. Do we want our advesory to be our debt holder? Do they want the major market for their products to be only major advesory left?

Rentor:

The dysfunctional relationship between China and the US will dissolve, and China will be exposed as the good-for-nothing communist country that it is. In the meanwhile, since 80% of their reserves are in US dollars, they are quite beholden to us.

“We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us”

-Pogo

Along each step the enemy learns form previous mistakes. And once in a while things are different. The 2000 stock bubble, the 2005 housing bubble. American problems which seem to have benefited Asian economies more than US economy.

The Chinese authorities will deflate Chinese bubbles before they burst.

In my lifetime the Japanese were going to bury us, the Soviets were going to bury us and now the Chinese are going to bury us. I’ll believe it when I see it. The only thing that will bury us is us and we are doing a pretty good job.

In your lifetime we never owed 30+% of our GDP to the Japanese or the Soviets.

Not saying the Chinese will bury us - but they’re taking a different tack than the Soviets (military) and the Japanese (their own debt) did. The Chinese can use *our* debt against us.

“The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”
- Proverbs 22:7

http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/29/markets/thebuzz/index.htm?cnn=yes

How do you say ‘bubble’ in Mandarin?

Chinese stocks are on fire and banks are lending like there’s no tomorrow. Sound familiar?

The Chinese will be the ones to deflate this bubble before it bursts. If someone within China tries to control the bubble to the detriment of Chinas leadership they will be EXECUTED. Imagine if we had executed the people responsible for the mess.

Rentor:

The deflation of a bubble is a crash. Imagine if we all had to live the way Chinese people live. Ben Jones and a few of the commentators on this blog would have been executed. The Alan Greenspans, George Bushes, and Hank Paulsons of the world would be untouchable, and in power forever.

“We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us”

-Pogo

Makes the 19,583rd time I’ve seen that reference in the last 40 years.

For there to be a bubble the asset has to be at multi-year high. Currently, nothing in the world is headed towards bubble status.

I believe deep pockets want to introduce doubt to retail investors.

The Alan Greenspans, George Bushes, and Hank Paulsons of the world would be untouchable, and in power forever.

AG, GWB & HP are untouchable. Are you saying they didn’t break any laws?

The “power forever” is best seen in Dr. Zhivago.

Rentor:

RE: AG, GB, HP, etc.

They are all temporary, subject to the vagaries of freely expressed public opinion. In China, where the government owns everything (banks, insurance companies, media outlets, people’s property), a few people have always had and will always have control. Public opinion is not only meaningless, but it’s tightly restricted by the state-controlled press.

A national state-run bank would usurp this country’s freedom in no time at all, and then you would have your utopian society, where we all work like dogs in exchange for a bowl of rice a day.

A national state-run bank would usurp this country’s freedom in no time at all, and then you would have your utopian society, where we all work like dogs in exchange for a bowl of rice a day.

The FED is like the national bank. Lets face who allows easy money?

The national debt will belong to our childrens competetiors BRIC countries and Middle Eastern countries. Our kids are better be ready to go fight wars for the new masters.

I think it’s sickening we as a nation are in this pitiful situation. A number of people including the president of the USA have stated this century will belong to China.

Believe me even people on this blog who were financially prudent will be dealt a blow when their kids pay for the mess created in the last 15 years, by both Clinton and Bush. Too early to judge Obama.

where we all work like dogs in exchange for a bowl of rice a day.

As Kudlow always says “A strong Currency is in the nations best interest”. Guess what we will have to devalue to 3rd world status.

Here Rentor, this is for you:

Why The United States Bank Was Closed

President Andrew Jackson
July 10, 1832

A BANK of the United States is in many respects convenient for the Government and useful to the people. Entertaining this opinion, and deeply impressed with the belief that some of the powers and privileges possessed by the existing Bank are unauthorized by the Constitution, subversive of the rights of the States, and dangerous to the liberties of the people, I felt it my duty, at an early period of my administration, to call the attention of Congress to the practicability of organizing an institution combining all its advantages, and obviating these objections. I sincerely regret that, in the act before me, I can perceive none of those modifications of the Bank charter which are necessary, in my opinion, to make it compatible with justice, with sound policy, or with the Constitution of our country.

Every monopoly, and all exclusive privileges, are granted at the expense of the public, which ought to receive a fair equivalent. The many millions which this act proposes to bestow on the stockholders of the existing Bank must come directly or indirectly out of the earnings of the American people. It is due to them, therefore, if their Government sell monopolies and exclusive privileges, that they should at least exact for them as much as they are worth in open market. The value of the monopoly in this case may be correctly ascertained. The twenty-eight millions of stock would probably be at an advance of fifty per cent, and command in market at least forty-two millions of dollars, subject to the payment of the present bonus. The present value of the monopoly, therefore, is seventeen millions of dollars, and this the act proposes to sell for three millions, payable in fifteen annual installments of two hundred thousand dollars each.

It is not conceivable how the present stockholders can have any claim to the special favor of the Government. The present corporation has enjoyed its monopoly during the period stipulated in the original contract. If we must have such a corporation, why should not the Government sell out the whole stock, and thus secure to the people the full market value of the privileges granted? Why should not Congress create and sell twenty-eight millions of stock, incorporating the purchasers with all the powers and privileges secured in this act, and putting the premium upon the sales into the Treasury.

It has been urged as an argument in favor of rechartering the present Bank, that the calling in its loans will produce great embarrassment and distress. The time allowed to close its concerns is ample; and if it has been well managed, its pressure will be light, and heavy only in case its management has been bad. If, therefore, it shall produce distress, the fault will be its own: and it would furnish a reason against renewing a power which has been so obviously abused. But will there ever be a time when this reason will be less powerful? To acknowledge its force is to admit that the Bank ought to be perpetual; and, as a consequence, the present stockholders, and those inheriting their rights as successors, be established a privileged order, clothed both with great political power and enjoying immense pecuniary advantages from their connection with the Government. The modifications of the existing charter, proposed by this act, are not such, in my views, as make it consistent with the rights of the States or the liberties of the people.

Is there no danger to our liberty and independence in a Bank that in its nature has so little to bind it to our country. The president of the Bank has told us that most of the State banks exist by its forbearance. Should its influence become concentered, as it may under the operation of such an act as this, in the hands of a self-elected directory, whose interests are identified with those of the foreign stockholders, will there not be cause to tremble for the purity of our elections in peace, and for the independence of our country in war. Their power would be great whenever they might choose to exert it; but if this monopoly were regularly renewed every fifteen or twenty years, on terms proposed by themselves, they might seldom in peace put forth their strength to influence elections or control the affairs of the nation. But if any private citizen or public functionary should interpose to curtail its powers, or prevent a renewal of its privileges, it cannot be doubted that he would be made to feel its influence.

Should the stock of the Bank principally pass into the hands of the subjects of a foreign country, and we should unfortunately become involved in a war with that country, what would be our condition? Of the course which would be pursued by a bank almost wholly owned by the subjects of a foreign power, and managed by those whose interests, if not affections, would run in the same direction, there can be no doubt. All its operations within would be in aid of the hostile fleets and armies without. Controlling our currency, receiving our public moneys, and holding thousands of our citizens in dependence, it would be more formidable and dangerous than the naval and military power of the enemy….

It is maintained by the advocates of the Bank, that its constitutionality, in all its features, ought to be considered as settled by precedent, and by the decision of the Supreme Court. To this conclusion I cannot assent. Mere precedent is a dangerous source of authority, and should not be regarded as deciding questions of constitutional power, except where the acquiescence of the people and the States can be considered as well settled. So far from this being the case on this subject, an argument against the Bank might be based on precedent. One Congress, in 1791, decided in favor of a bank; another, in 1811, decided against it. One Congress, in 1815, decided against a bank; another, in 1816, decided in its favor. Prior to the present Congress, therefore, the precedents drawn from that source were equal. If we resort to the States, the expressions of legislative, judicial, and executive opinions against the Bank have been probably to those in its favor as four to one. There is nothing in precedent, therefore, which, if its authority were admitted, ought to weigh in favor of the act before me.

If the opinion of the Supreme Court covered the whole ground of this act, it ought not to control the coordinate authorities of this Government. The Congress, the Executive, and the Court, must each for itself be guided by its own opinion of the Constitution. Each public officer, who takes an oath to support the Constitution, swears that he will support it as he understands it, and not as it is understood by others. It is as much the duty of the House of Representatives, of the Senate, and of the President to decide upon the constitutionality of any bill or resolution which may be presented to them for passage or approval as it is of the supreme judges when it may be brought before them for judicial decision….

It cannot be necessary to the character of the Bank as a fiscal agent of the Government that its private business should be exempted from that taxation to which all the State banks are liable; nor can I conceive it proper that the substantive and most essential powers reserved by the States shall be thus attacked and annihilated as a means of executing the powers delegated to the general government. It may be safely assumed that none of those sages who had an agency in forming or adopting our Constitution, ever imagined that any portion of the taxing power of the States, not prohibited to them nor delegated to Congress, was to be swept away and annihilated as a means of executing certain powers delegated to Congress….

Suspicions are entertained, and charges are made, of gross abuse and violation of its charter. An investigation unwillingly conceded, and so restricted in time as necessarily to make it incomplete and unsatisfactory, disclosed enough to excite suspicion and alarm. In the practices of the principal bank partially unveiled, in the absence of important witnesses, and in numerous charges confidently made, and as yet wholly uninvestigated, there was enough to induce a majority of the committee of investigation, a committee which was selected from the most able and honorable members of the House of Representatives, to recommend a suspension of further action upon the bill, and a prosecution of the inquiry. As the charter had yet four years to run, and as a renewal now was not necessary to the successful prosecution of its business, it was to have been expected that the Bank itself, conscious of its purity, and proud of its character, would have withdrawn its application for the present, and demanded the severest scrutiny into all its transactions. In their declining to do so, there seems to be an additional reason why the functionaries of the Government should proceed with less haste and more caution in the renewal of their monopoly….

I have now done my duty to my country. If sustained by my fellow citizens, I shall be grateful and happy; if not, I shall find in the motives which impel me ample grounds for contentment and peace. In the difficulties which surround us and the dangers which threaten our institutions there is cause for neither dismay nor alarm. For relief and deliverance let us firmly rely on that kind Providence which, I am sure, watches with peculiar care over the destinies of our republic, and on the intelligence and wisdom of our countrymen. Through His abundant goodness, and their patriotic devotion, our liberty and Union will be preserved.

Source: America, Vol.6, Pg.111

Not sure if you get my drift - unless you’re a prenatal pedophile.

‘Cause your building a second, cooler country?

…Ahhhh, sigh. I agree with Packman. This situation is shi*te. There’s a good reason there’s such an imbalance, and it’s a supremely ugly reason.

OK. ‘Don’t ship away the future ladies.’ Happy now? And don’t ship ‘em to me until they’re legal. (Don’t put me on the registry with the skinny-dippers and the public urinaters!)

Yes, I am building a ’second, cooler country’. And some of you might not make the list.

hey now - lawd, I feel a song coming on…

Snort!
Leigh

Up here in ol’ New England, they don’t know a good chicken friend steak with collard greens and mashed potatos and sweet tea.

Once went to a “southern” resturant in New Hampshire. Got brown gravy on my chicken friend steak.

That was six years ago and I’m still upset about it.

Dang Chile, you’re right! I think the price I referred to also included at least the greens and probably some taters as well.

That was six years ago and I’m still upset about it.

And rightly so! I’m surprised no one was kilt! You must have had your grandma with you, or else was so drunk you hadn’t the coordination necessary to beat those responsible.

Good segue to a much better subj…
where in the southwest can one find great collard greens, country fried steak, with the correct gravy..
Need some heart/artery stopping advice and directions?
Anyone?
cornbread fritters with peppers hot with butter?

doing sit ups to combat the food thoughts. a one, a two…

A soul food restaurant just opened on Fort Lowell Road in Tucson. Would that suffice?

“Up here in ol’ New England, they don’t know a good chicken friend steak with collard greens and mashed potatos and sweet tea.”

A man could starve to death!!

Yes they could. And there’s no New Mexican food either.

I’ve lived in New England for 10 years. Before that was in the south for a few, before that, New Mexico. One day my boss (born and bred Yankee) up here was makin’ light of the “chicken fried steak” thing, how it wasn’t chicken and wasn’t steak but sure was fried. Now, I’m not one to rise up and defend the south (being New Mexican, we were pretty much impartial to the whole war of Ivy League Agression), but that got my blood boiling. I like food that has flavor. If you invite me to a Bar-b-que I expect pulled pork, maybe a few racks of ribs, a couple smoked briskets that have been on the rack all day. Not some hockey puck of a hamburger. Poor Mrs. Chile, her sister invites us over to BBQs all the time, and every time I go I ask where’s the BBQ. Anyway…

I consider a chicken fried steak a good thing. No, a great thing. A thing of beauty, steak for the people. The great equalizer, a food stuff that takes rotgut meat and makes it a feast of kings. A family of four can have a steak dinner at a resturant for under $25 on chicken fried steak. Ain’t nothing greater than chicken fried steak for dinner.*

Except chicken fried steak and eggs for breakfast.

Heaven help mini-chile (seven weeks old today) and the day daddy takes him out for his first chicken fried steak.

* I was going to say New Mexican food, but that is my people’s food and good luck finding that outside New Mexico. And my rant wouldn’t mean as much either.

Great rant, Bad Chile! ‘Plus ups’ on the lack of understanding of what BBQ means. (And no, it’s also not stewed in a crock pot!) Chicken fried steak is so popular around here, some restaurants call fried chicken, ‘chicken fried chicken.’

My favorite New Mexican meal (tell me if it’s authentic-sure seemed it) was a breakfast of eggs and chicken livers poached in a chili sauce, at a truck stop-y kind of restaurant around Santa Fe. I think the waitress was impressed that I not only ordered it, but ate it all. What can I say, it was delicious- and a good hangover cure.

There’s a place called “Bobbie’s” in San Jose near Saratoga that features chicken fried steak with breakfast. Molto Bene!

“I’m visualizing a picture…”

I’m thinking bullet-proof vest and just hoping Oly doesn’t come MY way !

I’m thinking bullet-proof vest and just hoping Oly doesn’t come MY way !

I’ll be shooting at the SUN, Mr. Man. Not at aggravating Milwaukeeans*. And I’ve got great aim, too.

*Yet.

“I’m visualizing a picture…”

I’m thinking bullet-proof vest

What about helmets too?

Only pretty, air-conditioned helmets.
*pant, pant *

Where be my beer!!!!

Er…that be “Pink” a/c helmets Miss!

Slacker…grrr…oh, and with rhinestones!

Jeesh!

Leigh

What?! Man, I approve of that plan! I’m going to go check it out. Was it in bits?
I was hot yesterday. My brains quit being able to read at about noontime.

No it was in ahansens thread, towards the end. The discussion turned to what to do with all the yuppie’s hobby dressage horses.

Man! That was an excellent thread! And I missed the discussion, boo hooOOOOOOO: boomers, hobby horses, strip-searches, shooting things, pandemics….all among my most favored objects of conversation, along with frogs and beer.
Sigh.

Oh, yeah, let’s send Shorty to France right away! Utarr’s not far enough away from me.

*lapses into happy fantasy of Shorty going to France, with his wicked little hairy face peeking out of an airplane neighing ‘Sacre bleu!’ *

Excellent. It’s always good to be conscientious about ones health.

And your wallet! Its like $5.99 for a six-pack.

And it doesn’t come with that urban hipster d-bag reputation that PBR does!

(can’t wait for fall/winter when I can resume drinking the heavy microbrews)

Because, yes, my body would be nice and cool but unfortunately my head would quickly be set on fire. Sunglasses and hat and all. The water’s not moving, so it’s extra reflective. It’s like having two suns at once.

*pant, pant *

Ahhhh!
Okay! I’ll try it!

Okay, treshy, I owe you a giant favor. I’m going to keep my gratitude short, because I’m all wet and salty and dripping. I’m making a note of it though, in my long-term gratitude file. (It’s a little file.)

I have to admit my gratitude in increments, though, because I’m immature and hate to admit I was tutored by some HBBer I never even met. It’s a baby steps sort of thing.
Later!…

Does that have pirates in it, too? ‘Cause I recall that one.
Great flick!
Although I guess I could have been drunk and/or hanging out with pirates, and gotten confused, in which case I don’t know what you mean.

My local birds do they best they can to gobble all the berries too, but they are overwhelmed by sheer abundance. You can see the frustration in their beady little avian eyes, and it just makes me laugh like this: ‘Hahahahaa!,’ through purple-stained lips.

Bird netting and snake shot. That’s how I salvage oh, maybe 10% of MY berries….

Snake shot as in shooting them? That would git-r-done but the neighbors would call the cops, and the cops would take my gun. And the remaining birds would then peck me to death. (I’ve seen it happen.)

Also, you might want to duck and cover. I once mentioned my cat thrill-kills chipmunks and mice and I was soundly lectured on my ecological predation. (I still say they’re nature’s popcorn.)

Not that I should lecture you on ecological predation. BTW great thread yesterday, thanks for letting me in. Sorry I drank all the tequila.

Not that I should lecture you on ecological predation. BTW great thread yesterday, thanks for letting me in. Sorry I drank all the tequila.

I obviously missed this, and this makes me sad.

Yeah, you missed it. I was brilliant, as usual. (Until I threw up in the piano;)

Yeah, you missed it. I was brilliant, as usual. (Until I threw up in the piano;)

Now I want to hear it even more!
…Say, did you throw up in a thunderous chord, or did you stick with a single dramatic C sharp sort of effect?

I once mentioned my cat thrill-kills chipmunks and mice and I was soundly lectured on my ecological predation. (I still say they’re nature’s popcorn.)

Right this minute there’s a sign I wrote to myself, and I weighed down, right by my kayak, reading ‘DON’T MOVE THIS WOOD. THERE’S A CHIPMUNK LIVING IT IT’.
But you know what? That sign can go away, because it’s a temporary sort of thing. I have 3 feral cats that I really wish would go away. I think I like chipmunks better.

If anything happens to those chipmunks, I will mail you three replacements for every one you’ve lost. (I’m not sure the exact chord I vomited, but it was Wagnerian. Some people leapt to their feet in excitement, if I remember correctly. There was scattered applause, most sat silently, blinded by the light.

43 plants?! Thatsalottamaters. I’ve got 4 varieties (pink, yellow, red, chocolate) and one mystery volunteer in my potato patch. (Best potoatoes I’ve ever eaten- my first attempt- easy!)

There’s some kind of disease going around killing innocent oak trees. They gradually die over several years. We had to have our two (dead) oaks removed. Very sad.

Where’s my post! !

You went to church?
Why’d you go to church?

*gasp! *
What did you DO?!

Actually, I should ammend what I wrote for clarity. If your NEW POSSBILE HOME’s comute expense + commute hassle time & expense is more than a reasonable difference, then you should stay.

That’s what I hear, and really—that’s just too bad.

That’s what I hear, and really—that’s just too bad.

Maybe they should get some better costumes, or something.
…Oh, my Heavenly Gosh! I just had a GREAT idea! A mortgage-broker costume! Who doesn’t want to beat on, or get beat on by one of them!? Huh Huh Huh?!

I already tried that; condos in the downtown area are at least 1,100 USD, and the units at that price are usually very tinny (<600 sq ft). *sigh!

you can check them out yourself at austin home search dot com zip code 78701

LOL,

Raising Arizona is a classic for that scenario.

“Boy, you know you got a panry on yer head?”

“I’ll just be taking these hugies,,,, and whatever cash ya got.”

Classic! The cohen Brothers best,..
Next to ‘Oh Brother Where Art Thou’ of course

Both among the best movies ever, in my non-humble opinion.

LOL!

Oly, how to spell Dum?

I opened my mouth to answer you, but there were SO MANY possible comical responses that I had a brain overload, and I had to leap away from the computer before we both a’sploded.

Sorry.

You’re on the dole and picking juries, ATE? Times must be tough in the legal world.

I just never inhale around strangers, and some friends.

And I’d like a pony.

I think you mean ‘I’d like a magical pretty pink pony, with wings, that can fly to the moon.’
Why set your sights lower?

…You know what? Let’s k*ill this person. Just as a favor, in general to everything, and also to save the oxygen.

Sorry Oly, I’m a bit hot and grumpy today, as I sort through the Husband’s undies and pack them into boxes…. though I guess I sort of made that plain by my rant

Sadly, I don’t think we’ll need to k!ll her - she seems to be doing a grand job of it herself. At over 500lbs - and no sign of laying off the kinds of food that got her there in the first place - I’d put odds on her not lasting to 40 before she gets a stroke or thrombosis or diabetes, or some other fatal disease

If she wasn’t kvetching about what she’s had already -bariatric surgery, extra money for depression, etc… when so many people make do on far less than she gets, then I’d have some sympathy.

Not being ‘weightist’ about it - I’m hardly the svelte Pullet I once was, and every lb takes 3 times more effort to shed than it did in my 20’s - just taking umbrage at the sheer bald -faceness of the woman blaming other people for her gaining weight again, because she can’t ‘afford’ Weightwatchers chocolate bikkies…. 0_0

What? Undies?! Puttin’ them inna box?!
I must have missed sumpin’ big. Scre*w that chubby Eng*sh lad*y, I wanna hear your news.
Are you moving to a nicer clime, for instance?

Yes, tell us now, wouldja.

I’m gonna ask again tomorrow, as it’s getting late and I gotta go jump in the sea again in a bit.

Yes, really.

I’d swap my left boobie for a local Tesco’s

They’re called Fresh and Easy here in Vegas.

Another point . A lot of medications/drugs have the side effect of causing weight gain . I know more people who gained 20 to 40 pounds after they went on a medication.

Also ,remember how the Drug Industry came up with that
weight loss drug and it ended up causing heart damage ?

People forget about the fact that the Medical Profession is
Big Business .

But ,I wonder how much have the health care cost skyrocketed because of illegal drug use . Nobody seems to be talking about that little elephant in the room .

Let’s talk about it Wiz!

Folks on 8 pills a day; voiding that…er…poison into our water.

jeesh - and that’s conservative!

Some M.D.’s writing prescription drugs because they may be on the dole?

Another time, another conversation.

Best Always,
Leigh