The Housing Bubble

BS riding a bike? Ohhhh, do I resemble THAT remark!

Want some quality BS? Then come on a ride with Slim.

BS on a bike?

Darryl, I dare you to ride with me to the top of Mt. Tamalpais (birthplace of mountain biking, in Marin).

Mountain bike on trails or road bike on the pavement, your choice.

You’ll be sh!tting and cursing all the way up, choking in my dust. And then it’s 35mph+ all the way down. Wheeee!

“Darryl, I dare you to ride with me to the top of Mt. Tamalpais ”

It was a play on the old cliche’ Money talks and BS walks. I replaced “walks” with rides a bike since that was what slim had injected.

I think bicyclist trust drivers too much.

How do you ride in Tuscon 6 months of the year when it is over 100 degrees? My motorcycle kickstand sunk into the asphalt last time i was there and it was Sept.

Build it! Just dont let the government do it.

How do you ride in Tuscon 6 months of the year when it is over 100 degrees?

Drink plenty of water, cover the arms and legs because it’s a little cooler that way (really!), put sunscreen on what isn’t covered, and don’t get to stressed out about the temperatures.

LOL at that video, but lots of the bicyclists here in Nor Cal are seriously insufferable. Between the holier-than-thou posturing, and the TOTAL disregard for traffic laws, I’m surprised there aren’t more road rage incidents directed at them.

I haven’t met a cyclist yet who will admit there’s an issue with their brethren failing to obey traffic laws. Please, people, remember that those laws are there to protect you as well as people driving cars.

Poor south park. When that cloud of Smug from Denver mixed with the cloud of smug blowing in from California… Ugh, the smug was suffocating.

The video is great..my problem with bikers is they REFUSE to be seen…almost none here have any lights reflectors or wear bright clothes

I probably could have injured /killed a few because you just cant see dark clothes on a black bike on a dark street…

When I am walking, the bikes and the cars bug me.

When I am biking, I get really pissed off at the pedestrians and the cars.

When I am driving, everyone bothers me.

Can’t win.

“The video is great..my problem with bikers is they REFUSE to be seen”

When I was in the Navy, the military passed a law that anyone riding a bike or motorcycle had to be wearing an orange, reflective vest (and a helmet, long pants, leather jacket and gloves).

Total accidents dropped more than 50% and deaths more than 75%. Now, you could say that is because fewer service members were riding motorcycles, since the point is that it is “cool” and the coolness factor drops off a cliff when you’re wearing an orange reflective vest.

Exactly you never feel sorry for hitting a biker or pedestrian…always try and get the cop to write a ticket on them….

Because your insurance company will commit fraud and pay them and your rates will go up…..

The best thing about getting old is that I could care less about appearing cool anymore.

The video is great..my problem with bikers is they REFUSE to be seen…almost none here have any lights reflectors or wear bright clothes

I probably could have injured /killed a few because you just cant see dark clothes on a black bike on a dark street…

It was exactly a week ago when I was riding home from a Thursday evening soiree with one of my favorite local causes. Almost crashed into a couple of un-lit bicyclists in the oh-so-upscale Sam Hughes nabe.

I gave them a royal cussing out.

When I was in the Navy, the military passed a law that anyone riding a bike or motorcycle had to be wearing an orange, reflective vest (and a helmet, long pants, leather jacket and gloves).

Total accidents dropped more than 50% and deaths more than 75%. Now, you could say that is because fewer service members were riding motorcycles, since the point is that it is “cool” and the coolness factor drops off a cliff when you’re wearing an orange reflective vest.

I wear one of those dorky orange vests. Day or night.

And you know what? I’m too old to score coolness points anyway. So, a vest wearer I shall be.

Fun vid, sf, but can anyone tell me what’s with the revenge banana slices on the truck tires? I’m trying to work through the physics of it in my head, but do the stems puncture the rubber or something? Is the tire supposed to slip on them? Is it just the cyclists’ Mark of Cain?

As Slim can tell you, I used to carry a small pouch with a raw egg or two on my handlebars. Hot sun, douchey driver trying to run you the road for giggles; come up behind them when they stop for the next red light and…BLAMMO! Instant epoxy.
Hey!
I’M ONNA MOTHA******* BIKE!

The terminus is at Kapolei.

I gathered, from reading his books, that Barack Obama couldn’t get out of Hawaii soon enough.

This isn’t just a Barack thing — there’s a name for it. It’s called Island Fever, and it causes a lot of young people to head for the Mainland as soon as they can.

Not even close. I looked it up as I thought Alaska had the highest rate per population (that seasonal affective disorder/no sun doesn’t help), but actually Alaska’s rate is second to Montana. Hawaii is in the middle.

on the AFSP site

Yes, the air. It’s perfect.

Wife loves to visit, but refuses to live there.

So I am at zero risk of ever getting tired of Hawaii…

You wrongly assume a Republican cannot be a liberal.

Most Republicans are liberal RINOs! The only real Republicans left are the Tea Party folks who are the last TRUE Americans.

LOL! These AZ Republicans must be chameleons or something.

So, the legislature doesn’t pass spending bills? They are just created and passed by the governor and mayor?

BTW: The rail was put on the ballot by a referendum in 2000, when Republican Hull was governor. Nappy didn’t win until 2002, 2 years after the rail was approved.

Gordon won in 2004, 4 years after the rail project was green lit. Mayor at the time was Skip Rimsza… yep, a Republican.

You were saying about what I was saying????

Darn those facts.

again??!

since the turn of the 2000!

According to NASA, sea level has been going up about the same rate for at least since 1870 as observed at their coastal markers.

climate nasa gov/keyIndicators/

According to NASA, sea level has been going up about the same rate for at least since 1870 as observed at their coastal markers.

Umm, have you checked out your own ‘link’. ALL the data there points to global warming.

And you’re wrong about sea levels too. They rose at an annual rate of 1.7mm a year from 1870 to 2000, but at a rate of 3.17mm a year 1993 to the present.

Next?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_sea_level_rise

From (Douglas 2002): “In the last dozen years, published values of 20th century GSL rise have ranged from 1.0 to 2.4 mm/yr.

Ouch, I’ve been dismissed!

I wouldn’t have given the link if I didn’t think the site was interesting. It’s not the circular groupthink that I find interesting, rather the obvious things that they neglect to examine. I suspect that you gave it a more cursory look than I.

I suspect that you gave it a more cursory look than I.

Clearly you gave it a more cursory look than I, since your interpretation of the quite clear data was WRONG.

You would get along great with my Ex.

You would get along great with my Ex.

She wasn’t buying it either?

The maps of the DC area are messy too. Especially northern Arlington.

LOL. I’ve been hearing this rising oceans nonsense for 25 years.

And 25 years is a long time when the earth is only 6000 years old. (He’s LOLing again)

And even if it is rising it doesn’t matter cus we’re all gonna get Raptured up to Heaven LOL

All data shows global warming between 1977 and 1998 than it stops albeit at a warm level. Just as the salmon have returned to the northwest due to cooler waters off the coast, the PDO and the end of the peak sunspot cycle will mean cooler temps over the next few decades. 60 year cycle having very little to do with co2.

link: icecap.us/images/uploads/WashingtonPolicymakersaddress.pdf

The bottom line is we had natural global warming with minor help from man made co2. However, the proponents of man-made global warming attributed virtually all the global warming to the co2 and then extrapolated how much additional c02 would raise temperatures. However, starting in 1998 despite the rapid increase in co2, the warming stopped and all the global warming models cannot explain it, but they will not admit they overestimated the impact of co2 except for people like James Lovelock. If your model does not work and their model does not than the science is far from settled. Ocean temps are dropping so naturally the rise in oceans will slow or even reverse. It is always a danger to extrapolate a trend too long and expecting rising housing prices forever was the mistake the banks made.

Here’s the link Blue almost gave us.

http://climate.nasa.gov/keyIndicators/

How do you get “stopped” from “record settings temperatures” announced in the news almost each month for the last decade.

Seriously?

1998 warmer than 2011. And virually tied with 2005 and 2010 the years used to demonstrate global warming. The climategate e-mails show that even the proponents of AGW know that there has been no warming since 1998. Yes you can find a record here or there and ignore a record cold temperature somewhere else. But to have true global warming, both the land and the seas have to warm on a global basis and we have not seen that since 1998 despite an increase in C02 emissions that exceeded the forecasts that called for us to be 2 degrees F warmer by now. So we can debate whether one year is 1/100 of a degree warmer than another but that is not what their models said would have happened by now. Our warmth is someone elses cold that is not global warming that is weather.

Seriously, even James Lovelock admits it, why can’t you?

NOAA, NASA and several other science organizations around the world (including the damn commies) show temps have risen.

James Lovelock? You didn’t read his quote very well. He didn’t say it stopped, he just said it isn’t rising as fast as he thought it would.

Again, “record setting temps” do NOT mean “stopped”.

Please, stay in school.

Understand something, I have never said that man is not a contributor but the amount matters. Based on studies that I trust I think CO2 is 1/7 the heat agent that the original models stated. Lovelock did not state an exact figure only that it was much less than he thought at the time, he might be in complete agreement with me. Whether the globe is warming on average .14 or 1 degree F per decade does matter. Record setting temps in one location whether cold or warm do not matter. Only global temps do matter and we have been flat to down for 15 years now which is contrary to the models but consistent with PDO. Perhaps you need to go back to school. I can see why you are an Obama supporter, you don’t let pesky facts like the predictions made in the 1980’s about where we would be right now have all been wrong. We are talking about inches of ocean rising when they stated it would many feet including saying things like unless CO2 was immediately curtailed Florida would be underwater by now. So why don’t you show that the world average this year for the combined ocean and surface temperature is warmer than 1998 or at least explain how you can have global warming without the globe warming.

Quote:

From the GWPF:

Comments by Dr David Whitehouse on the PNAS paper Kaufmann et al.

Reconciling anthropogenic climate change with observed temperature 1998 – 2008.

It is good news that the authors recognise that there has been no global temperature increase since 1998. Even after the standstill appears time and again in peer-reviewed scientific studies, many commentators still deny its reality. We live in the warmest decade since thermometer records began about 150 years ago, but it hasn’t gotten any warmer for at least a decade.

The researchers tweak an out-of-date climate computer model and cherry-pick the outcome to get their desired result. They do not use the latest data on the sun’s influence on the Earth, rendering their results of academic interest only.

They blame China’s increasing coal consumption that they say is adding particles into the atmosphere that reflect sunlight and therefore cool the planet. The effect of aerosols and their interplay with other agents of combustion is a major uncertainty in climate models. Moreover, despite China’s coal burning, data indicate that in the past decade the amount of aerosols in the atmosphere has not increased.

The researchers seek to explain the temperature standstill between 1998 and 2008. They say that the global temperature has increased since then.

This is misleading. There was an El Nino in 2010 (natural cyclic warming) but even that did not raise temperatures above 1998. In fact the standstill has continued to 2010 and 2011 appears to be on course to be a cooler year than any of the preceding ten years.

Tweaking computer models like this proves nothing. The real test is in the real world data. The temperature hasn’t increased for over a decade. For there to be any faith in the underlying scientific assumptions the world has to start warming soon, at an enhanced rate to compensate for it being held back for a decade.

Despite what the authors of this paper state after their tinkering with an out of date climate computer model, there is as yet no convincing explanation for the global temperature standstill of the past decade.

Either man-made and natural climatic effects have conspired to completely offset the warming that should have occurred due to greenhouse gasses in the past decade, or our estimation of the ‘climate sensitivity’ to greenhouse gasses is too large.

This is not an extreme or ‘sceptic’ position but represents part of the diversity of scientific opinion presented to the IPCC that is seldom reported.

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20100728_stateoftheclimate.html

“More than 300 scientists from 160 research groups in 48 countries contributed to the report, which confirms that the past decade was the warmest on record and that the Earth has been growing warmer over the last 50 years. ”

That’s 160 research groups. 48 countries.

That’s 160 research groups. 48 countries.

Darn that evidence.

Like a certain presidential candidate.

“There are many people here in SF that can afford the prices here.”

And it was just yesterday you were pimping “$90k downpayment assistant programs”.

If it’s so affordable, why are you here wringing your hands ever day?

“I am one of those people taking advantage of a program like this.”

I’m not knocking your decision, but I note that plenty of folks who just yesterday thought they were taking advantage of a special government-sponsored financing program are among today’s foreclosure victims.

If it’s so affordable, why are you here wringing your hands ever day?

I never said it was affordable.

And I didn’t say I can afford it. I can’t (on a public school teacher’s salary and with kids). But there are others who can.

I note that plenty of folks who just yesterday thought they were taking advantage of a special government-sponsored financing program are among today’s foreclosure victims

That’s true. And it could happen. I could also lose my rental and have to leave the city altogether, as many people already have.

You guys all taught me the importance of doing the math.

For us, right now, PITI will be $400 less than our current rent and less than 25% of our monthly net take-home pay. We are not planning on moving anytime in the next 20 years and the house is just large enough (1350 sq, ft) for our family of 4 and small enough that when the kids grow up we’ll have just enough extra space but not too much.

Sure, the stock market and the current tech boom could crash, the euro could come apart and there could be a major run on the banks all at the same time and housing and rents in SF will crater, and then we’ll be screwed. In the meanwhile, my family still needs a place to live.

If that’s the case, why are you here wringing your hands and pimping SF housing sales?

pimping SF housing sales?

Pimping is for for people trying to make a profit.

I think you are a landlord.

Pimping is for for people trying to make a profit.

I think you’re a pimp.

OOH OHH I got polly’s angst up…..

Come on face it…..most here would fail at these interviews….what do you know about DWTS? if you dont watch tv of the latest xbox game when you never bought one?

How do you make small talk at an interview when the interviewer is so clueless about a housing bubble? or OJ? Or just about anything we discuss here?

Its a different world from the last time you had to look for a job.

and loss of tax revenues really hurt along with everything connected with RE.

If local governments aren’t getting enough tax money, they can always raise rates.

Governments at all levels smoothly vacuum up excess taxes on rising house prices (current homeowners love that - they can’t monetize the rising house prices but the local government certainly can take more taxes). However, when tax revenue drops off, they howl like it was the Apocalypse.

If local governments aren’t getting enough tax money, they can always raise rates.

Not where I live. We have this thingie called TABOR. You East Coast tax slaves should give it a try.

Ah, I got to buy my first shack at the end of that recession…good times.

A decently optioned Tahoe is almost $50K.

The same is true of a Ford Expedition, Toyota Sequoia (as much as 60K), or a Nissan Armada.

Full size SUVs are unbelievably expensive.

Yeah, and it cracks me up that they think I’m the pretentious yuppie in my used BMW that I paid half as much for.

“Always amusing to watch SUV and truck owners squeeze into them.”

Not if you are the one next to them.

Then place your bet and double your money. Me seeing your cherry-picked polls don’t affect the casino odds. Those are made by the Free Market.

“I guess you haven’t seen the latest polls:

Gallup Romney +2
Rasmussen Romney +4
Ohio: Romney leads
FL: Romney leads”

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/

“But if you simply average all the data that post-dates the unveiling of Mr. Ryan as Mr. Romney’s running mate, we’re getting largely the same story that we did on Tuesday. Mr. Romney has gained a net of one point, on average, in the eleven polls conducted wholly or partially after his announcement of Mr. Ryan, compared to the prior renditions of the same surveys in the same states. This is a below-average “bounce” for the selection of a vice presidential candidate; in past elections, the bounce has averaged in the neighborhood of 4 percentage points instead. Read more…”

Great link! Lots of good analysis there.

Guess you don’t understand the what the recent surge in Obama prices on the IEM 2012 Presidential Election Futures market implies about the U.S. voter response to the Ryan nomination?

well I sure am reluctant to go to ER again! My insurance pays only 30% unless it’s because of an accident.

But I don’t know what the solution is. For all I know, Obamacare or single payer could have high deductibles (or entry costs) too, or people would over-utilize. I guess that’s why the long wait times in other countries.

I wish one could buy a gap policy to go with the employer’s health plan.

well I sure am reluctant to go to ER again! My insurance pays only 30% unless it’s because of an accident.

We’ll … if you’re having chest pains, just make sure you fall down the stairs before heading to the ER.

The whole philosophy behind single payer would be negated by a high deductible. Look, right now health insurance companies have very little reason to keep you as healthy as possible. Even if you have the protection of a group plan through a large employer, there is a good chance that by the time your bad habits (if you have any) get you sick in an expensive way, you will have changed employers and therefore be the problem of a different insurance company or your employer will have changed insurance companies or you will be on Medicare and be the government’s problem. So why should they help you stay healthy at some cost to themselves when they would have to pay for the current care and it is very likely that someone else will have to pay for the future care.

WIth a single payer system, the single insurer is responsible for everyone, so when it keeps people healthy now, the money the single payer spends now keeps the same single payer from incurring costs later. And as a government entity, it isn’t running on “what are my profits going to be this quarter” metrics.

There is no way in heck that a single payer system is high deductible. It would completely undermine the idea of keeping people from needed expensive care in the future. It could have sliding scale co-pays to reduce overuse, but since you want people to come in whenever they need care and before it gets too bad, they aren’t going to be too burdensome.

I personally knew 3 people who died because they couldn’t afford a doctor. They never knew how sick they were until it was too late.

I personally knew 3 people who died because they couldn’t afford a doctor.

Three people? “Uniquely American”

“Translation: I support Democrats but don’t want to admit it.”

Yeah, that’s why I’m a registered Republican and vote Republican a good 75% of the time.

Both parties suck. Usually is it the Democrat that sucks more. On occasion, it is the Republican that sucks more.

Quite honestly, in this election for president, I’m not sure who sucks more. Obama has done little to nothing other than continue what got us into trouble in the first place. Romney’s platform is that we need to do even more, more of the same that brought us to the brink of economic collapse into depression.

Hmmm… more of the same or more, more of the same.

WTF? Over the last 30 years we’ve increased each household share of total debt from 3x income to 6.5x income… totally unsustainable debt growth, but the only way to fund our unstable, trade imbalance plagued economy.

And… my choices are more of the same, or more, more of the same?

Really?

Loved the “you have no right to complain” post in yesterday’s bits bucket resulting in Ben calling you a third grader.

Of course, being called a 3rd grader was totally unfair. 8 year olds are nicer than that. That sort of sniping is more likely to be found in the 11 to 13 age range.

Please show me an example of a Republican displaying fear and hate.

Rush, Hannity, Beck, etc. Look at blogs. I can show you racists, haters fear mongers and nutball posters bashing Obama.

The Repub haters way outnumber the Dems.

For every instance that you show me, I will find two Democrats.

I’m sure there’s a Kochtopus-funded ‘grass roots’ web site that has them all cataloged and ready for dissemination.

How about the bullseye target on Sarah Palin’s website that directly influenced Tea Party member Jared Loughner to go batsh*t and shoot people?

Dear Progressive Folks,

Just listing Rush, Hannity, Beck doesn’t mean a thing. Just because you “think” that they spew hate, doesn’t mean its true. If you actually listened you would know better. Got any specifics?

Koch related hate: The left has demonized the Koch Brothers, but what have they actually said that is hateful or fearful? As far as I know they have spoken about their political beliefs, but hateful and fearful? Specifics my dear alpha-sloth.

GS, Sarah Palin’s website had “nothing to do” with Loughner’s shooting of those people. He is a certified nutcase that wanted to become famous.

I have no doubt that you have these perceptions, but I have no doubt that I can find 2 times as many specific examples of a Democratic nut job (oops is that hateful?) saying some specific lies that were hateful and fearful.

Maybe this could be a weekend assignment?

Actually, the Kochs demonized themselves, by their actions.

Just listing Rush, Hannity, Beck doesn’t mean a thing. Just because you “think” that they spew hate, doesn’t mean its true.

I think you just discredited your position on your own.

“Just listing Rush, Hannity, Beck doesn’t mean a thing. Just because you “think” that they spew hate, doesn’t mean its true. If you actually listened you would know better.”

With this kind of judgment, you need to seek help before you end up in prison.

Seriously.

Sorry guys, but I think you’re unhinged.

Give a quote, a link or something that shows these guys were personally attacking one of your heroes. You know, in a personal way. I could just name Obama, Biden, Wasserman-Schultz, Matthews, etc, etc, etc.

If you do, I will find twice as many. I do not need a website to come up with these as they are all over the place. Here is one example.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnnaeOHXFyI

Do you all agree that this would qualify as “Fear and Hate” Speech?

Give a quote, a link or something that shows these guys were personally attacking one of your heroes.

You’re too biased to mess with on this one. I don’t want to ruin the moment.

“Just listing Rush, Hannity, Beck doesn’t mean a thing. Just because you “think” that they spew hate, doesn’t mean its true. If you actually listened you would know better.”

“I will find twice as many.”

Oh yeah, well I will find thrice as many!

Why 2x? Why not 3x? Or 4x?

I still guarantee you he’s using some web site that has this all loaded and ready. And I’ll bet it’s Kochtopus-funded, too.

That and getting everybody out of debt.

It is the Republicans that are talking about cutting government spending (peoples’ paychecks).

It is the Republicans that are holding extension of the Bush tax cuts to the middle-class (or, those under $200K a year income) hostage to demands the cuts be made permanent on the rich (those making more than $200K at least).

It is the Republicans that want to lower the rates and broaden the base (take away deductions).

How do you fix this economy?

I’m sorry, but the Republican BS about getting government out of the way is total lies. $1.3T a year flowing out of circulation, $600B a year to international trade deficits and $700B a year to widening wealth disparity. We’ve only been able to do that by increasing debt to the tune of 10% of GDP, every year, for the last 30+ years.

Sure, MAYBE Romney and Ryan will be able to get the debt engines fired up and start creating new debt faster than the current $1.3T a year… but how long can that last?

To really “fix” this economy, we have to stop being focused on making the rich ever richer. We need to accept that money is borrowed into existence, and the only way we’ve managed to maintain imbalances is through unsustainable debt growth. We need to attack and reverse the trade imbalances so that our economy is not dependent on unsustainable debt growth.

We need to end free trade by putting a tariff on money leaving the country so large that we balance foreign trade, and we need to return to a 1950s style tax code with low payroll taxes and a steep (90+% top marginal rate) income tax code with tons of deductions for spending money on things that actually put AMERICANS to work.

Are Republicans or Democrats going to do these things? No. This is why the economy is not about to be “fixed”.

Hey Hey hey $3000 debit cards to real Americans .

Giving trillions to everyone else hasn’t worked.. Maybe QE7 might work

Also we need to repair how they calculate Fico scores….what if you had perfect/ good credit for 20 years then the SHTF??

Bingo.

The current administration (and the House/Senate that passed the laws) doesn’t seem to understand that tax planning year to year and regulations that take YEARS to implement (healthcare law and financial regulation) is a recipe consumer and business uncertainty, and sluggish growth.

We are 2 years past the passage of Dodd Frank, and the most important two provisions of the law (Volcker Rule) and QRM requirements are still a mystery.

They should have just brought back Glass-Steagall…37 pages and it works.

They should have just brought back Glass-Steagall…37 pages and it works.

Then Congress couldn’t justify their existence… need new laws, not old laws. New laws with new pork.

“Money needs to flow to the middle class. How? Tax cuts and private industry job hiring.”

Private industry hiring, sure. But “tax cuts” for whom, exactly?

“…businesses aren’t hiring in the US because of a lack of end-user demand and a lack of confidence in the economic recovery…”

So, if we are admitting that it’s demand that causes hiring (not tax cuts as some would try to tell us), who are the tax cuts for?

So, if we are admitting that it’s demand that causes hiring (not tax cuts as some would try to tell us), who are the tax cuts for?

Who needs the money? The middle class of course…

Businesses are doing stock buybacks and dividend increases because they have access to all this cheap money and can’t earn a decent return on it. Tax cuts for big businesses won’t go anywhere. Maybe you could garner support for small to mid-size business tax cuts, maybe not. I’m not advocating raising taxes on businesses, but tax cuts here won’t fix our demand problem.

Same goes for the wealthy. I don’t consider an income of $250K wealthy, but it’s in the top 5% of income. No reason the top needs more tax breaks. The middle-class sweet spot of $50k-$250k would be where I would focus tax cuts on…

We have a “demand” problem because the wretched refuse don’t have any money.

Thirty years of stagnant/shrinking pay along with the tax burden being shifted onto the 90%ers can cause these problems.

The problem won’t be addressed until the boomers/parasites all die off (with or without a nudge from the government), and/or payscales are balanced with those in India/China.

I’m not advocating raising taxes on businesses, but tax cuts here won’t fix our demand problem.

Same goes for the wealthy.

I’m in agreement, but I gotta ask…did someone hijack your moniker the last few days?

did someone hijack your moniker the last few days?

LOL.

No. I’m a capitalist at heart, and believe in the superiority of markets over central-planning. We need to strengthen our entrepreneurial spirit, not become more dependent upon government. It’s why I probably seemed so dogmatic in my debates with Rio, as I despise Socialism [if you couldn't tell].

However, I understand the role government has in providing the basis for markets to work. I support strengthening the middle-class, in part because my family is a part of it, but also because it’s beneficial to our society as a whole. I enjoyed Will’s speech in the opening episode of “The Newsroom”. Like him, I think America has fallen, but still hold out hope that we can reclaim greatness. I don’t think Socialism is the answer, but neither is unregulated Capitalism. [the domain of InColorodo's Robber Barons]

To put it all in perspective, I’m a registered Republican who connects with the Tea Party more than the NeoCons and the Fundies, who has voted Democrat more than Republican, and would have a hard time deciding who was the better POTUS, Ronald Regan or Bill Clinton.

+1

I think you pulled this from my brain:

“To put it all in perspective, I’m a registered Republican who connects with the Tea Party more than the NeoCons and the Fundies, who has voted Democrat more than Republican, and would have a hard time deciding who was the better POTUS, Ronald Regan or Bill Clinton.”

It’s why I probably seemed so dogmatic in my debates with Rio, as I despise Socialism

You make some very good points sometimes but going off the deep end and labeling me a “socialist” is moronic.

My ideas would strengthen capitalism. American capitalism is devouring itself. If the PTB up there don’t lighten’ up on hammering the middle-class, you might see some real socialism come your way.

Then you’ll be thinking back and thinking Rio was a frikin’ Koch brother.

To put it all in perspective…

Fair enough. One more point of clarification. Do you agree with this statement?:

Socialism in the US didn’t just start on January 21, 2009?

So jealous. I was in the heat in a lovely gray suit today. Felt like I might pass out and die as soon as I got out of my car.

Wha….?

H00kers are that demanding in Rio?

that demanding in Rio?

lol If it were that, I wouldn’t need the $35 t-shirt.

did it work?

BB shirts are beyond compare. They are a little spendy, but, IMHO, worth it. They look great, don’t get wrinkled easily, and seems to last just about forever. I always wait for their annual sale and just go in and buy a bunch at one time. They even have people there that I can call and just have them set everything aside for me, it’s “Man clothes shopping” at it’s finest. I just walk in, pay, and walk out.

Just bought some nice shirts and slacks a few weeks ago.

Damn well worth the money.

During the holidays the holiday’s deals can be had at this site for men’s clothing

http://www.us.thomaspink.com/

Saw all of that in La Jolla last week. The trick is trying to identify the makers from the fakers within the “money uniform” group.

Oh, and thanks for the Roppongi suggestion PB. We ate at Sushi on the Rock (terrific, creative rolls) the night before and had walked past Roppongi (fantastic tapas and also great rolls) afterward and had decided to try it the next night, so very apropos and good confirmation for us.

Kayaking to the caves was a chaotic tourist mob scene; something we’ll probably leave as an activity for a winter visit.

“Oh, and thanks for the Roppongi suggestion PB.”

Ate there last night — wife and I managed to satisfy ourselves on $30 worth of half-price happy hour tapas. Then on to a spectacularly hilarious concert within walking distance up the street. I’m truly having a great week.

“…something we’ll probably leave as an activity for a winter visit.”

Just two problems with that plan:
1) Really cold water;
2) Really big waves.

Alternative suggestion: Plan your next visit for the fall sweet spot, after the end of the tourist season but before the water gets cold (probably late September - October).

$30 worth of half-price happy hour tapas.

We weren’t so lucky. We did the same but were also tempted by the siren song of the rolls they have, which aren’t part of the happy hour menu. We don’t eat out a lot so we went a little nuts on this trip.

Good point on the fall sweet spot. We’re looking for a warm weather alternative to Hawaii now that those prices have gone up considerably. We were thinking late winter/early spring, when Portland has been under months of grey/wet. Might have to re-think that one…or skip the kayaking.

I swear to you doc, I don’t know how it got there……

I only had my back turned for a second, I swear!

Since I work around engineers, I’ve often had to explain to them that “there is no such thing as a short-sleeved dress shirt”.

say, very talented!

Offer accepted by seller. It is bank owned, so 1 month close rather than the 3-4 month minimum for short sale.

Just need a good inspection and for appraisal to be something close to purchase price (within $10K or so).

$27K for a 1000 sqft, totally remodeled townhouse in a very nice community? Those comps are for trashed places with the copper ripper out of the wall, not move in ready that were just remodeled.

Look at the rent? $700 a month. $27K would give a price/rent of 38 vs a historic norm of 100.

I see your math, but the rent number is a Zestimate, no? I thought you said Zillow was crap.

My reservation is that the last time I was in Glendale, there was a sea of unloved housing.

One of my kids rented a smaller crappier place around there for about that number a few years back, so maybe you are getting a great deal.

Isn’t Glendale near the College ? Seems like it would be a good bet .

Glendale is where I was twice outbid. First place was across the street from ASU West. Second was across from Glendale Community College.

The one I had my offer accepted is in Phoenix, 3 miles to the nearest college (Glendale Community College)… thus, my comment about the less desirable location.

The new condo is behind a high school, and very near a large, now half-empty shopping mall that was the cool place to go cruising.. like 30 years ago. Oh, and near the glorified miniature golf place, with a couple rickety roller coasters called Castles and Coasters.

In short, it was the “good neighborhood” 30 years ago.

I firmly believe it was globalism and free trade that has hurt the middle class these last 30+ years. And not just trade protectionism, but the globalist mind-set as well.

From the article posted on GM by Forbes:

“Martin Winterkorn [CEO of VW] has a PhD in Metallurgical Engineering, and he has spent his entire career in the automotive industry. At the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, Winterkorn was caught on amateur video sitting in, and studying Hyundai’s newly introduced i30, a competitor to VW’s best-selling family car, the Golf. Here is an excerpt from a story about this incident published along with the video by The Truth About Cars, an auto industry blog:

Winterkorn measures the A-pillar, runs his hands over the plastic. He walks away, his entourage trots after him. Deeply in thought and very worried.””

Compare that to the typical US executive. Night and day difference…

“I firmly believe it was globalism and free trade that has hurt the middle class these last 30+ years. And not just trade protectionism, but the globalist mind-set as well.”

I love it when people act as if trade was invented in 1980. I guess prior to 1980 no countries ever traded with each other. Nobody ever traveled to another country for a vacation ( a form of trade in tourism). No American ever bought a Swiss watch or a German car or a Japanese TV prior to 1980.

Then one day in 1981, evil Ronald Reagan turned on the trade switch and started decimating the middle class. It was done from the same room in the WH where evil GWB created Katrina in order to destroy New Orleans.

It’s also scary how people still think that protectionism works. It has been proven countless times that it doesn’t work. It’ not even up for debate in economic theory whether or not trade is a positive thing. Left, right agree on few things. This is one of them. Trade is good, protectionism is bad. And yet for some unknown reason there is still an irrational drumbeat of support for closing up the border. This is the #1 reason why Ron Paul and his followers are dangerous to this country.

err, should have said “lack of trade protectionism” above. Germany is the model I have always said we should strive for on a national level.

Technical excellence, protections for industry. The only thing I don’t like are the high taxes, but nothing’s perfect…

(GERMANY) The only thing I don’t like are the high taxes, but nothing’s perfect…

Good post however the high taxes in Germany that you don’t like are a big reason that Germany is as civilized and as capitalistically successful.

“High” taxes invested wisely in a country and a country competing in the world as a COUNTRY (and not just a collection of corporations) make all the difference in the long-term success or failure of a country.

Good post however the high taxes in Germany that you don’t like are a big reason that Germany is as civilized and as capitalistically successful.

When German relatives visit they are usually shocked by the state of decrepitude of our infrastructure, likening it to what they’ve seen in 3rd world countries (especially the condition of our roads)

I love it when people act as if trade was invented in 1980. I guess prior to 1980 no countries ever traded with each other. Nobody ever traveled to another country for a vacation

You know Smithers must think we’re morons or something. Northeastener makes a rational post about the dangers of wide open globalization and Smithers comes back with another smarta$$ed post with about 6 strawman arguments in it.

Rational free and fair trade is good and has been around forever. But making your country wide open for imports and off-shoring is DISASTER.

Does Smithers think some of us are too dumb to know the difference?

Germany is a good model . I like their health care also . They have a basic single payer program for basic health costs ,and if you want greater health coverage you buy a supplement for the extra’s like a private room or elective surgery and stuff like that . They save and they aren’t big at going into debt .

Does anybody know about their immigration policies in
Germany ?

Does anybody know about their immigration policies in
Germany ?

My understanding is that if you’re not of German heritage, you can pretty well forget about attaining full citizenship. But I’m willing to be corrected on this point.

I love it when people act as if trade was invented in 1980. I guess prior to 1980 no countries ever traded with each other.

International trade has gone on as long as there have been caravans and ships to transport goods and countries [cities] to trade with.

Trade is good, protectionism is bad.
Trade is indeed good, but protectionism isn’t bad. Ask yourself why then does China, Korea, and Germany all have protections on local industries?

If the answer to that fails to convince you, ask yourself why the US Firearms industry is so strong? It also happens to be one of the most heavily protected industries in the US.

Protectionism is about leveling out wage and legal disparities between partners. It is about protecting domestic markets and domestic companies. Back when US industry was run by Patriots whose loyalty was to America, this made sense… it is only since the 1980’s that corporate America became beholden to no one.

I was trying to show above how Nationalism is still strong in Germany. That the CEO viewed it as competition with Korea. Same goes for Japan… they approach business as a war, and international business pits the Japan against the rest. Trade does strengthen nations, but those running corporations have to have a sense of nationalism as well…

A capitalist without a sense of national pride is a mercenary at heart.

This may be a good weekend topic:

When [and why] did America’s Corporate leaders become globalists, with no or limited loyalty to the US?

When did Nationalism and Patriotism become an underrepresented trait among corporate America’s leaders?

Why is Nationalism still strong in countries like Germany, Japan, China, and Korea, but lacking in the US? Does this have anything to do with those country’s ascendant economic world status and the decline of the US?

When [and why] did America’s Corporate leaders become globalists, with no or limited loyalty to the US?

Short answer IMO. 1971-2: A lot of economic charts started diverging from the trend. Beginning of the Business Roundtable, Nixon took us off the gold-standard etc.

Then the supply-side/trickle-down (Voodoo) economics under Reagan. Then greed began to trump nationalism mid-late 80’s.
“Greed is Good” Gorden Gecko, Wall Street 1987. Republican propaganda preaching “markets” and dollar is God.

Then Hyper-drive under Clinton and his Goldman Sachs gang. Pensions turn into IRA’s, 401K’s in the 80’s through the 90’s “your on your own” mentality takes over. “I gotta get mine” mentality . Bubble after bubble. Republican propaganda preaching “markets” and dollar is God. Changing public policy to worship our new God. ($$$) Bank de-regulation.

Here we are.

It may even have begun before that, when the costs of city living made workers too expensive. To escape expensive workers and expensive land and expensive taxes (and unions too), factories moved from cities to the rural areas, then from the northern to the southern states. It was only a short hop to go to other countries.

I do remember a switch flipping around 1980 when chinese garments came on the market at amazing prices and degree of detail.

I sewed for a hobby as a teen - also as a way to save money. I remember like yesterday my first chinese made dress - stitches, pleating, piping…. It would have taken me a week to sew this dress I could buy for 2 or 3 hours’ salary.

Austerity is only self defeating once the debt becomes unrepayable.

Austerity is only self defeating once the debt becomes unrepayable.

Have you seen the US national debt recently? $16 Trillion dollars and counting. And it’s increasing $3.8 Billion per day.

We’ll never repay this. It’s just the ruse we keep telling the rest of the world because extend and pretend is easier than the pain that comes with severe change.

Look. I’ve asked the question for years: If deficits don’t matter [Cheney] and the Fed and Treasury can expand the monetary base at will [QE1, QE2, Operation Twist, etc.], why do we pay still pay taxes?

The answer is simple. As a fiat currency, the US dollar’s value in trade is based on the good faith and credit of the US, otherwise known as it’s taxing authority. The question is, can the US raise enough tax revenue to fund it’s budget, to include paying interest on Treasury debt? The answer to that is most likely no, but that is the elephant under the rug. Why? Because we have trade partners who depend on access to our markets and we have the strongest military in the world, with capabilities that are essentially unmatched. When the rest of the world no longer fears our military or needs our markets, the game will be up…

“why do we still pay” and “its taxing authority”… need more proof reading.

I’m with you on this one NE; the US and many governments are past the point of no return. The litmus test is to ask yourself if you’d buy a 30 year government bond if you had to hold it to maturity. The answer should be no. But I don’t believe that austerity in itself is self defeating if done early enough.

ask yourself if you’d buy a 30 year government bond if you had to hold it to maturity. The answer should be no.

Why?

But I don’t believe that austerity in itself is self defeating if done early enough.

No, if it’s done in time to prevent a bubble, it is not self-defeating. If it’s done after the bubble bursts, it is.

Got to love the hypocrisy.

Or you can turn all the lights off.

He’s a “Two-Bagger”

One bag over his head.

One bag over her head, in case his falls off.

I was thinking exactly the same thing. What was the point having the CEO sign off on the audits if they weren’t going to be held personally liable?

The only thing I could think of was that MF Global wasn’t a public company, SOX wouldn’t apply. [too lazy to google it]

GEO’s aren’t responsible anymore .The big stock listed Pharma Company that just got nailed for a variety of crimes settled for peanuts with the Government and
nobody went to jail ,in spite of deaths being some of the damage from their acts ,or lack of acts . There was some agreement that they woild change their practices .

Remember how Bank GEO’s were saying to Congress that they didn’t see it coming and lines like “But everybody was doing it .”

The only thing that is going to stop Big Corporate Crimes
now is if they actually go to jail . The problem is that if you have nobody responsible ,( which is how they like to
set it up ) than you get the crimes committed repeatedly .

“My favorite LIBERAL comments on Ryan.

Lookie here - he voted for some obama programs so he must be evil and no good.”

Yep. This is the try to discourage conservatives from liking him because he’s really a big govt liberal in disguise strategy. It’s all they have, lies, lies and more lies.

What they don’t realize is that most conservatives would vote for Bernie Sanders if he were running against Obama as a (R). But hey, if they want to waste their efforts/money trying to turn Ryan into an evil puppy eating right wing wackjob who is really a leftist….by all means go ahead.

I like Ryan a whole lot better than Romney. Still won’t vote for those clowns though. Nor the other jokers.

LOL. So now Republicans don’t want to execute seniors on the spot, they want to slowly kill them over time. It gets better and better. Do you people really think this stuff works anymore? Come on.

I’ll try to spell it out for you. I’ll use little words.

Draconian cuts in Medicare budget mean that old people will be denied medical care.

Old people that get medical care typically live longer than those that receive less/none.

Now, who wants to cut Medicare the most?

The “free market” isn’t interested in solving this problem. The free market only wants to insure people who don’t file claims; that’s why Medicare/Medicaid exist in the first place

Darrell’s rational post
Rational? The word doesn’t mean what you think it means.

as reported by many experts
So now MSNBC prime time hosts are knows as experts?

you have one: Ron Paul.

Well raise the age for full benefits to 75….and only partial after 65..

I still say we never adjusted the actuary tables correctly to reflect the super successful NON smoking campaigns that made so many people live past 85.

“Well raise the age for full benefits to 75….and only partial after 65..”

I’d have no problem with that. When SS was created in 1935 the average lifespan was about 65 and the retirement age was 65. Today retirement is still 65, yet average lifespan is close to 80.

I’d still prefer the option of opting out fully from the program. I don’t want it, I don’t need it.

John Galt lives, and posts on this blog.

“I don’t want it, I don’t need it.”

I don’t think it was created for those who don’t need it.

Ezra Klein. He is mostly a print journalist, but has been subbing for Maddow regularly. And he is pretty darn young.

Polly:

Check this one out….20 years old…

http://chelseakrost.com/

I was contacted by Quinnipiac University on my cell phone two weeks ago for their Colorado poll, it is no longer limited to landlines only.

LOL! The only thing “74% of 18-29 year olds know” is who’s who in American Idol and Dancing with the Stars.

I doubt that many even know who Ryan is.

And I’m sure you two would be saying the same thing if the poll said 74% oppose the Ryan plan.

Like I said, it is great entertainment watching liberals twist themselves into a pretzel trying to demonize Ryan. None of it is working. Plan A: he’s Hitler. Fail. Plan B, call everyone who likes him - even if they members of the 2008 Obama base - morons.

Good luck with that strategy boys.

Like I said, it is great entertainment watching liberals twist themselves into a pretzel trying to demonize Ryan.

No….. I don’t think you enjoy it at all and even when it’s only the truth.

I think it scares the heck out of you. That’s why your responses are so tweeking.

Not under any program they have proposed will they be able to fund the upcoming medical costs for 80 million baby boomers for 20 years as well as the generation before them that is starting to dye off now ,as well as the 30 million that don’t have coverage now . At current medical
costs, that would rise no doubt ,it won’t work .

Just like it doesn’t work for housing to be to high in costs for what the economy can sustain in terms of being affordable .

I regularly try and convince my wife to change careers and become a teacher. She would earn about what she earns now and only work 8 months out of the year [with holidays and vacations]. She would be out of work at 2 or 3, when the kids get out of school. She could teach her favorite subjects… Math or Science.

No luck so far.

Wow. Just wow.

A teacher with 10 years seniority and a doctorate overpaid when they pull down $80K year?

Yeah, our education system will work real well when newbie teachers have to choose between teaching and working at Dunkin’ Donuts. Especially when making donuts pays more.

How much pension do they get per year

In our school district - none.

My brother makes in excess of $125,000/year as a high school history teacher - that’s without doing Mr. Smithers math calculations. Teachers are not underpaid everywhere…especially not in my area.

Plus virtually lifetime employment guarantee.

I seem to recall reading that hundreds of thousands of teachers nationwide have been laid off.

As for teachers getting health insurance, I get health insurance at my job. Why shouldn’t teachers? And even though I’m a lowly individual contributor where I work, I’m better paid than school principals are in our district. The top pay for teachers is 60K, and you need 30 years plus a PhD to get that. We pay entry level code monkeys more than that where I work.

“Teachers are not underpaid everywhere…especially not in my area.”

Agreed, but we are talking about teachers in general, and on average their pay is low.

It came from 15 years of overbuilding.

Start paying someone $15 to produce $10 and you quickly go out of business.

Start paying 200 people $8 to produce $50 and one person gets very rich and 200 people collect foodstamps.

(and then the same rich person votes for a Repub to cut foodstamps)

It’s econ/crony-capitalism 101 dude.

Too many of these Master of the Universe types base their business models on paying substandard wages. It has nothing to do with “supply and demand”.

We’ve all seen the places who are constantly advertising for help, even during the depression/recession. Logic would suggest that they could fill their positions, if they offered more pay. Not the way they think. They figure if they can have a constant churn of low wage bottom feeders, they can get the job done, even if the employee only stays 6 months.

And if that fails, they can always start whining about “shortages of qualified people” and con/blackmail the local political hacks into providing free corporate specific/taxpayer supplied training.

Less for them that way, you know they make the “tough decisions”.

Anything that creates a sellers market for labor is automatically opposed.

-Universal Health Care? Pass that, and a bunch of people with themselves or family members with pre-existing conditions can take a hike. And they will.

-The same with small business startups…..Repubs like to blame regulation/red tape. From my own observation/experience, it has nothing to do with that. People don’t start their own businesses because they can’t get affordable health insurance. And/or there isn’t enough of a customer base to support a full time business.

+ 1 million, fixr

Heck, we had 2,000 people apply for a bunch of menial jobs at a new Embassy Suites in our town. The last time a new WalMart opened there were also thousands of applicants.

Because no such thing exists, that’s why.

I’ll admit that I take things a lot further than many of the other deejays. I do stretches. Meditation. Not much talking on a show day.

You might need all that but you might not at all. You’re new so maybe over cautious. Ever thought about just winging a show and seeing what happens? (with out the dairy though)

Ever thought about just winging a show and seeing what happens? (with out the dairy though)

I had to do that this past Sunday. Synopsis:

I get home from the library. It’s 110 degrees outside, I haven’t had lunch yet, and I REALLY need a shower.

There’s a couple of missed calls and a message on my caller ID. Oh, shhh–! Which of my family members is having a problem?

I listen to the message, and it’s The Producer of the Sunday afternoon show I sometimes do. She’s giving a Grammy nomination in the spoken word category. Call it “Down for the Count.”

I call her, stammer something about my scripts for the next two shows not being ready. She says something about a bad migraine. And yes, I can do the show today. Matter of fact, she’s not so bad-off that she can’t display her usual short temper.

Okay, Producer. I get it. Looks like I’d better get my unprepared self down to the station. Duty calls.

So, I grab my headphones, a few CDs, and utter a few choice oaths before rolling the bike back out the door. Ready or not, here I come.

Skip the lunch, because my appetite has vanished. Pre-show stress does that every time. And the shower can wait.

When I sign on, the in-studio computer says it’s 108 degrees outside. Yeah, tell me about it.

But the show, which consists of me, a guest, and another cast member who does the interview, goes just fine.

Afterward, I burn a CD of the show to send to Aunt Jean in Vermont. She likes to play my performances during Family Sunday Dinner. This weekly get-together is taken quite seriously in my family. My mother and father do their version of it in Pennsylvania, but I have to say that the Vermonters are a lot more fun.

Then I ride home. Still hot as Hades outside.

No messages from The Producer on the caller ID. That’s interesting. She usually listens to my show like a hawk.

Next morning, 6:34 a.m. message drops into my Gmail…

The Producer: I was in bed moaning but I trust it all went well last night. Thank you so much Slim!! I am still barely out of it so will close now.

My reply: It was a blast! We had a great time!

And the best news of all was that Slim’s Air Band was well behaved. You never know about them. They want to mess with the mixing board, fool around with the turntables, and generally try to interfere with the playing of music they don’t like.

Uh-oh. I think I just woke them up. Better go deal with this unruly Air Band situation.

—–

No word from The Producer since Monday. Guess that’s a good thing.

Rush L liked the oxy.

Yeah, what did I win, huh? Where’s my prize?

Stay tuned!!!!