The Housing Bubble

Glad somebody appreciated this pic. It was in Adbusters Magazine a few years ago.

Fortunately Colorado remains the thinnest state in USA and we don’t have as much of that.

And yes it is the HFCS. Read Big Corn’s argument against these claims here:

http://sweetsurprise.com

It’s not corn sugar, or HFCS if you prefer, that’s causing the obesity problem in the US.

Calories in must be less than or equal to calories burned. Simple math. If calories in are higher than calories burned, you have a problem.

Blaming corn sugar just gives you another scapegoat. It’s not my fault I’m fat, it’s the corn sugar, it’s my genes, I don’t really eat that much, it’s too hard to exercise, etc.

I really believe its HFCS we all drank sugar sodas lemonade, some put sugar in coffee, powdered sugar on waffles pancakes,and maple syrup, only occasionally did my mom use Karo..

I recently read that we live in an “obesogenic” environment. Where stone age metabolisms meet capitalist and technological abundance.

It could well be that there are also foods or chemicals in the environment that promote fat retention. On the other hand, it seems to me that we do take in a higher volume of food and expend fewer calories.

Mmmm, donuts!

The math is not as simple as you would think, Bad Andy. But I’ve already been through that, I’m not going to bother.

There are certainly other factors to be considered oxide and there are calories that are better than others…but…if you had 1,000 calories every day from cookies, beer, and cola…and that’s all you consumed…you wouldn’t gain weight, in fact you’d lose wait. You wouldn’t be healthy and you couldn’t live on that for long but you wouldn’t be fat.

“It could well be that there are also foods or chemicals in the environment that promote fat retention.”

Interesting study just recently that BPA is linked to childhood obesity. Makes sense to me.

I wouldn’t rule that out. I also minored in statistics (yes I’m more boring than your CPA) and know how these conclusions are drawn. More kids are fat now than 15 years ago, today we have more BPA than 15 years go there must be a correlation. Forget that today’s youth don’t get out as much and consume more…it’s got to be BPA…and corn sugar…and pollutants in the air…

ANDY: are we so politically correct that we can’t have studies using kids who are on a sugar diet?

It could well be that there are also foods or chemicals in the environment that promote fat retention.”

It’s probably going to turn out to be a whole host of things that are causing the obesity epidemic, not just one culprit.

The human diet has changed more in the last 50 years than it has in the last 5,000. Add to that the chemical cocktail that we are breathing, eating, and absorbing through our skin on a daily basis, plus a sedentary lifestyle..

Meanwhile, just a personal anecdote: I quit eating wheat a few months back, just to see if there was any truth to that new food fad. No more belly and (without giving up Ben and Jerry’s) the last little bit of body fat is gone.

Low(er) carb works for me. Since I run long distances I still eat plenty of carbs, just not wheat.

it’s got to be BPA

How do we know it’s the BPA and not the carby food that comes inside the BPA? What if somebody ate only meat that came in BPA plastic (does it?), would he lose weight? There are far too many factors to run adequate controls for true root causality.

By the way, Andy, when you say “some calories are better than others,” you’ve just gone a long way from your simple math.

I think serving sizes are a factor…

Have some friends in the military who were stationed in various places abroad for a number of years…
When they came back they were shocked that the portions of restaurant food were so much bigger than they remembered.

This from people who had great stories about being invited to Sunday family dinner with their new Italian friends… 8 or 9 wonderful (small serving) courses, but never feeling “Thanksgiving dinner, now I have to loosen my belt and take a nap” full.

Not only that, but I found people out walking and riding bikes after dinner in the Italy that I visited in 2008.

Other than the black-dress wearing nonne, and a very small percentage of everyone else, people seemed very proportioned.

er, very WELL proportioned…

People have to move. If you exercise every day for at least 30 minutes you can eat whatever you want. Just plain laziness and in this case poor parenting.

“er, very WELL proportioned…”

Unfortunately they love their cigarettes.

“Unfortunately they love their cigarettes.”

Unfortunately for who? The smoking Nazis?

“Unfortunately for who? The smoking Nazis?”

Smokers suck. Filthy, stinking, nasty habit. I should never have to smell that stench again in my life. Except I will, because some selfish, stinking SOB will decide that it’s their inalienable right to spew that toxic lung chimney refuse in my direction. My least favorite is the elevator smoker. I’ve almost gone to blows with that dude. Rant off.

“Unfortunately for who? The smoking Nazis?”

Huh?

“Smokers suck. Filthy, stinking, nasty habit. I should never have to smell that stench again in my life. Except I will, because some selfish, stinking SOB will decide that it’s their inalienable right to spew that toxic lung chimney refuse in my direction. My least favorite is the elevator smoker. I’ve almost gone to blows with that dude. Rant off.”

I guess I will pencil you in as a smoking nazi, you see RMS the term was defined by another extremely tolerant individual, saved me the trouble. What happens when you burp and fart in an elevator? (Not that I condone elevator or restaurant smoking) Or, what if you just stink? How about toxic refuse known as cologne or perfume? Do you go to blows? Do you kick the truck and bus driver’s a$$ for spewing toxic diesel smoke? How about the hippie’s pot smoke at concerts and outdoor events? Do you smack them around or just call the government storm troopers? Just asking.

Burping, farting, and stinking in public are poor form, but do not subject others to cancerous chemicals. I’ve not been made aware of toxic cologne or perfume, so please advise. Diesel belching vehicles are being put out to pasture as the new smog laws are much more stringent. All of these things, though, have absolutely nothing to do with the original subject which is smoking. I don’t smack anyone around for smoking, but I am one of the first people to call them out when they start smoking in inappropriate public places which puts asthmatics such as myself in harm’s way.

Back in the early 1970’s when smoking in public was still considered socially-acceptable, my ex took to carrying around a bottle of that gawd-awful “Heaven Scent” drug store cologne, and when some cretin lit up in a restaurant he’d spray it, non-stop, over his shoulder into the offending party’s airspace until they got the message.

If they didn’t and started giving him grief for it, my ex would extract himself from the booth (all 6′5″, long-haired hippie freak, Viet vet linebacker of him) and glower down at their table, spray bottle in hand, and explain politely “The lady doesn’t like cigarette smoke. But I’ll tell you what….” They usually stubbed the cigs forthwith.

Why was it always the wormy little dudes with Bwooklyn accents and half-buttoned Quiana shirts that got all huffy about it?

Can’t you use Photoshop to blur their faces? Even Picasa has some rudimentary photo modification tools.

Photoshop Gaussian Blur. And you can set that PS filter to be as blurry as you want.

Yeah I wasn’t sure that would work, until recently…need to get on this again.

Meanwhile, I just stand up straighter myself. That leaning-over habit is insidious.

That leaning-over habit is insidious.

My desktop is now on the kitchen counter - at eye level - and I stand when at my computer. Too much sitting will mess you up.

My desktop is now on the kitchen counter - at eye level

I sit in the lotus position burning sandalwood incense with my laptop on top of a sustainable wood crate of organic bean-sprouts.

(listening to Yanni)

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

LOL, Rio…

As I sit here at the desk where I am parked for most of the work day…

It’s time to get back on the Weight Watchers program. And move more. Thanks for the pep talk, everybody.

itsabouttime, I HATE you for Yanni-rolling me! AAAAARGH!

ok I didn’t actually know exactly who Yanni is. Now I know. Dang.

Don’t know if if it’s a good thing or a bad thing to discover gaps like that in my personal pop culture database.

Guess you missed his July concert at the Masonic Hall. It was a good one.

IAT

Mom slipped on ice. It was February in Pennsylvania. Goes with the territory.

Ouch. How about getting Mom an early Christmas present?…

https://www.yaktrax.com/

I wondered if that was it…

How about some boots with spikes in the soles?

“Mom slipped on ice.”

Maybe get her some Yaktrax. They stretch to fit onto shoes and give great traction in ice and snow.

IF they happen (big IF!)…

Oxide, depends on the location and the peak price. In PG county houses are almost 50% of peak prices. In MoCo and NoVa closer to DC, prices were down not more than 15-20% from peak prices. Now, they are seem to be heading for a normal drop of at least 40% from peak value.

In most cases, prices between 200-300K range will not fall much but for prices probably over 500K would fall by another 15-20% in coming months especially if fiscal cliff happens, it might overcorrect.

Also, the defense contractors and other Govt. IT contractors who bill the Govt. $300 per hour for their employees, would have to give a 60 day notice to many of their employees starting end of October as Fiscal cliff will not be averted in the lameduck session of congress.

I’m thinking that if even 200K people get layoff notices, it will tank the market by at least 20% in the DC metro area. The projections are that if Fiscal cliff really happens, 480K jobs in DC metro will disappear.

Btw, even if congress averts it this year, it has to happen next year as Congress can’t keep on spending forever without some discipline. They don’t want to cut the fat but want to cut the programs. Even if wastage is cut and contracting rates are brought to sane levels, a lot of savings can be achieved without layoffs.

The government waived the 60+ notices. They are preparing… it is coming. 10,000+ seems to be what most CEO’s will be loping off payroll.

Cities like San Diego are going to lose a huge chunk of high paying salaries… my company, let 450+ go before Sequestration even hits, selling buildings left and right. San Diego price crashes to resume indefinitely!

“Cities like San Diego are going to lose a huge chunk of high paying salaries…”

Talk around the shop today is about a 10 percent reduction in the budget, back to 2008 spending levels. Not sure what the implications are for layoffs versus accelerated attrition, reduced hiring or other ways to limit labor costs…

“The 47% will always be with us.”

“The poor will always be with us.”

If you gave each of them $1 millon they’d still be poor.

Independantly Poor.

If you want to make the people who live in Koreatown very rich then dump millions of dollars into Compton.

dump millions of dollars into Compton

That’s Racist®

Of course, that’s probably because he retired in 2003 after taking $300 each from millions who never even opened the box.

I’ve heard that something like 70% of all info-products of the sort Sheets sells are never opened. Good business to be in. People spend big bucks on your stuff, then never use it.

You only need bags of money if you are in debt, which kind of precludes having bags of money.

And why bring bags of money to buy in the first place unless you’re getting a 30-40% “I don’t need financing” discount right off the top?

Oh, that’s right. Buying a house has turned into the same racket as buying a car. Cash is helpful to get the deal done, but you still have to pay the higher price that financing has caused.

Until mark-to-market is reinstated, nobody cares about that.

Yes, but at a trickle, those homes will be a small number of comps, and won’t really compare at all to a home of the same vintage that was maintained.

When an appraiser, or buyer looks through the comp set, they’ll pick the most applicable, not the boarded up, abandoned house with broken windows.

Moreover, the longer they stay abandoned, the more likely they are simply bulldozed…that’s one way to take care of the excess supply of housing.

Are you telling me that there are courageous politicians out there who will change the laws of judicial states in order to allow foreclosures to occur faster?

Really?

….my money is on the reality that you’ll say whatever is necessary for the health of your wallet, truth be damned.

Really.

“The laws in Florida are preventing this market clearing process to occur.”

The laws in Florida allow people to stay in “their” house for 5 years without making a mortgage payment? The point I was trying to make was they ain`t gonna let it happen, at least not yet. How long does $40 billion a month of MBS keep house prices elevated anyway? Is that a Florida law that allowed the Fed to do that?

“Nationally, the volume of home sales was also up in August and median prices increased on a year-over-year basis for the sixth straight month. The last time that happened was during the housing boom from December 2005 to May 2006.”

“The housing market is steadily recovering with consistent increases in both home sales and median prices,” said National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun.”

Foreclosure free ride: 3 years, no payments
By Les Christie @CNNMoney January 1, 2012: 4:40 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Delinquent borrowers facing foreclosure are learning that they can stay in their homes for years, as long as they’re willing to put up a fight.

Among the tactics: Challenging the bank’s actions, waiting to file paperwork right up until the deadline, requesting the lender dig up original paperwork or, in some extreme cases, declaring bankruptcy.

Nationwide, the average time it takes to process a foreclosure — from the first missed payment to the final foreclosure auction — has climbed to 674 days from 253 days just four years ago, according to LPS Applied Analytics.

It takes much longer than that in Florida, where the process averages 1,027 days, nearly 3 years. In D.C., foreclosure averages 1,053 days and delinquent borrowers in New York often stay in their homes for an average of 906 days.

And while some borrowers are looking for ways to make good with lenders and get their homes back, many aren’t paying a dime. Nearly 40% of homeowners in default have not made a payment in at least two years, according to LPS.

Many of these homeowners are staying in their homes based on a technicality. There is rarely any dispute over whether or not they have stopped paying their mortgage, said David Dunn, a partner at law firm Hogan Lovells in New York, who represents banks and other financial institutions in foreclosure cases.

“In my experience, they never say, ‘I’m not delinquent’ or ‘I want to pay my bill but I’m confused over who to send it to,’ or ‘Oh my God, you mean I didn’t pay my mortgage?’ They’re not in technical default. They’re in default because they’re not paying,” he said.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/28/real_estate/foreclosure/index.htm - 66k -

“The laws in Florida are preventing this market clearing process to occur.”

The laws in Florida (and NY for that matter) require that foreclosures to go through the courts. It is a judicial state.

Compare that with CA and AZ, which are non-judicial.

CA’s non-current rate is at ~8.9%, down from over 15% at worst. AZ’s is at ~8.5%, down from over 16% at worst.

FL is at over 21%, down from about 24% at worst; NY is at 13.2%, down from 13.4% (that’s right, just 0.2% off the peak).

The same lenders have lent in all four of these states, why didn’t Florida and NY make as much progress burning through their shadow inventory as CA and AZ?

The answer is that state law has prevented them from doing so as quickly as they can in CA/AZ.

Further abstracting away from those particular states, look at judicial vs. non-judicial as a whole (data also from LPS as it is in your article):

Judicial States (including Florida and NY): 6.46% of all mortgages are in the foreclosure process.

Non-Judicial States (including CA and AZ): 2.38% of all mortgages are in the foreclosure process.

You can’t tell me that the foreclosure laws of the states are not a big reason why some states are foreclosing faster than others. The laws allow the delay tactics to be used.

And for what it’s worth, the $40 Billion of purchases by the Fed had nothing to do with what has been going on in Florida so far in 2012 (it was just announced).

“The same lenders have lent in all four of these states, why didn’t Florida and NY make as much progress burning through their shadow inventory as CA and AZ?”

Not trying to be a smart @ss, but how do you know CA and AZ have made that much progress burning through their shadow inventory. Around here there are still lots of houses that dont show up on any foreclosure stats anywhere. There is one right next to me.

I am sure you could get a foreclosure done more quickly if you didn`t have to go through the courts. But if you don`t want to foreclose in the first place, how much faster is it gonna be?

You’re right…if you don’t want to foreclose, the laws are irrelevant. However, it appears from the data that the existence of the laws is slowing the flow of distressed properties back onto the market in judicial states as compared to non-judicial–all else equal.

I’ve been tracking the non-current data from LPS since mid ‘09, which includes homes that are either delinquent (presumably the one next door), or in the foreclosure process. The numbers nationwide peaked at around February of 2010 (the entire country at 13.5%, AZ at 16.3%, CA at 15.3%, Florida at 23.8%). As of the end of July 2012, the entire country is at 11.1%, AZ at 8.5%, CA at 8.9%, FL at 21.1%.

I’ve seen “normal” as noted at approximately 5-5.25% (even in “normal” times there are delinquencies and foreclosures). In round numbers, Florida is 400% of normal, CA and AZ at about 170-180% of normal.

Over time, LPS has more and more emphasized this divergence between what is happening in judicial vs. non-judicial states in terms of clearing inventory. Each month, they have an audio file that goes along with a ~20 page presentation that walks through the numbers.

Do I know for a fact that their data is accurate?

No.

But they see a lot of data, and their numbers are among the most credible I’ve seen. As you noted in your article, lots of places rely on their data (including the press). They sell more detailed data for big money ($1k per month last I asked), and so they have an incentive to be as accurate as possible. If it comes out that they are fudging the numbers, they are at risk of losing a lot of revenue from selling the data.

And based on other sources (Zillow, Foreclosure Radar, the “Hope Now” Alliance, etc.), the same trend has been reported (diminishing levels of distress in AZ/CA). The data I pull from each place is generally different:

Foreclosure Radar: REO held by the banks (part of shadow inventory–unfortunately not available other than some Western States);
Zillow: Percentage of home sales that were foreclosed in the last 12 months (distressed impact on market), number of homes foreclosed per month per 10,000 (new distress coming to market)
LPS: Non-Current Loan Rate by state (bulk of shadow inventory)
Hope How Alliance: Number of severely delinquent loans by state (a part of non-current loans)

No guarantees that all these sources are right, but specifically with respect to LPS, I’ve seen nothing to indicate that they are wrong.

Notice how in 2008 the swing state numbers and the national numbers were virtually the same. That is why they are swing states.

In the 11 swing states, Mitt Romney earns 47% of the vote, and the president is supported by 46%. Three percent (3%) are not sure, and four percent (4%) are undecided.

In 2008, Obama won these states by a combined margin of 53% to 46%, virtually identical to his national margin.

This is the fourth day in a row that Romney has posted a slight lead after the president’s convention bounce put him ahead for several days. The race in the swing states is now back to where it was at the beginning of the month.

Rasmussen is proven right wing shill.

With the best record of accuracy in America as opposed as the shills on the left MSM that thought Scott Walker was going to lose right up to a few weeks before the election.

Speaking of polls we are hated more now in Egypt than under Bush II, more than a movie is causing the problems.

Obama’s handling of the Tahrir Square uprising early last year did not generate any obvious improvement in Egyptians’ views of the U.S. According to a Pew poll conducted two months after Hosni Mubarak’s departure, 79 percent of Egyptians viewed the U.S. in an unfavorable light – 10 percent more than the 69 percent measured in 2006.

Remember this too close to call election?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/73384.html

‘According to a Pew poll conducted two months after Hosni Mubarak’s departure, 79 percent of Egyptians viewed the U.S. in an unfavorable light – 10 percent more than the 69 percent measured in 2006′

And Mubarak won his last ‘election’ with 98% of the vote.

‘According to a Pew poll conducted two months after Hosni Mubarak’s departure, 79 percent of Egyptians viewed the U.S. in an unfavorable light – 10 percent more than the 69 percent measured in 2006′

That’s not a valid poll. Talking heads on TV tell me otherwise all the time.

Rio, this is the poll to watch. I have heard it is ‘The’ go-to site for the straight story as our main stream media corporations don’t want you to see the TRUTH!

http://www.unskewedpolls.com/

TRUST NO OTHER POLL!

I recall he was a law professor for 12 years, worked in a law firm for 11 years.

but did he accomplish anything noteworthy?

What an idiotic response.

No. It hit a nerve. Sorry.

How much more of America identifies with an individual that has never held a real job, the closest thing to a job being a community organizer?

All of Obama’s jobs were real. What are you talking about? Community organizer is a fantastic job. It adds much more value to lives than corporate-raiding, saddling American companies with massive debt then stripping them of wealth and sending American jobs to China all so one can open Swiss Bank accounts that are a bet against the currency of the country you want to be president of.

You clearly can’t bear the thought of anything disparaging being said about Obama,

You’re wrong. I just didn’t like your idiotic, biased comment which many of yours are. Here, I’ll say something disparaging about Obama:

Obama really bites it with his National Defense Authorization Act.

I hate Obama’s pot policies.

Obama should close GITMO like he promised.

See? What’s the big deal?

but did he accomplish anything noteworthy?

State Senator, US Senator, POTUS

Ryan,

To not see how two ideas were being conflated by Romney’s comment (and that THAT is a big deal) is irresponsible and lazy.

If Obama wins 47% of the VOTE, some subset will not pay (federal) taxes.

Of the 47% of AMERICANS who “pay no taxes” some subset will vote for Obama, some subset will vote for Romney, and clearly some will not vote.

Sounds like the Romney/Ryan plan.

You know Rio, your “black man” is a failed president.

You’re freaking out. You are sad.

No, I am actually quite happy. Happy knowing that progressives are being exposed for the cancer that they are and will soon be relegated to the ash heaps of history.

No, I am actually quite happy.

You don’t act or write happy. You write freaked.

“…the progressives in the Republican party…”

and hiding under your bed!

Rugged individualists…

And the most rugged and individual cowboy of them all, Teddy Roosevelt… was not too great with money. He blew most of his inheritance on his ranching operation in the Dakotas, later breaking even. Even when he was a legislator in New York, his wife had to turn his Long Island estate into a working farm just to sustain it.

Some say he spent his money on wine, women, and hard partying . . . and wasted the rest. Ba-da-dump!

IAT

A son of Bush?

Well, ya stumped me on that one, CIBT. We’ll see. I’m just fairly sure Obama will win in November. That means 4 more years of the same bailouts. We’re going to see some major wheels come off the current economy in 2013, though. Look to the automotive sector grabbing for more free govt cheese.

“Your statement presumes they will figure out how to field a viable candidate by 2017.”

It’s not a matter of figuring out…. it’s whomever they select to win.

You’re stumped because, given the scenario you laid out, it won’t matter who they run. Which they will bank on, clearing the way to sneak in Jeb under most people’s current anti-Bush radar.

Sorry, but the demographic trend is not the Republican Party’s friend.

And the newer, harder, colder, trickle-down on steroids Republican ideology is not the Republican Party’s friend.

AZslim, there’s another factor you’re dismissing: Republicans may be having trouble keeping a physical constituency, but failed public socialism means they are retaining more ideological constituencies. That’s my polite way of saying the Democrats aren’t really convincing people they know how to manage the economy.

In yet another way of stating it, people will hope for change again, and Mr Hopey Changey won’t look as good anymore. Still, I anticipate Obama (Mr HC) will win in November by the usual small margin. The real face slaps of Obamacare will start in 2014, hopefully to suppress more Democrats in the Congressional mid-terms. There are worse things in life than a R Congress pitted ‘against’ a D President.

There are worse things in life than a R Congress pitted ‘against’ a D President.

It seems that’s about as good as it gets.

And my hope is that George Zimmerman gets acquitted for shooting Trayvon Martin on the same day Romney is inaugurated and this country erupts in a race war, just for the LOLZ

Find a jury to convict? not likely with the very high crime rate

http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Sanford-Florida.html

All it takes is one juror. I think that’s what the defense has to bank on.

The best LOLZ will be footage of “youths” (MSM’s word of choice) getting themselves some Justice For Trayvon by looting Foot Locker

No, they just think the left Kool Aid tastes better than the right.

You have to be willing to read both sides and bleed the bits of truth out of each. Most people don’t have this ability. Those who only listen to the MSM or Fox news are really screwed.

“(MSM Lag Dogs)”

Gog lag?

Your preferred sources of information (MSM Lag Dogs) are flawed

Yes they are flawed but not in the way you say you think. The biggest flaw with the MSM is that they still treat a party out of control with equal respect as they do the Democratic Party.

It’s Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism

http://www.amazon.com/Even-Worse-Than-Looks-Constitutional/dp/0465031331

In It’s Even Worse Than It Looks, congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein identify two overriding problems that have led Congress—and the United States—to the brink of institutional collapse.

Congress is deadlocked and its approval ratings are at record lows. America’s two main political parties have given up their traditions of compromise, endangering our very system of constitutional democracy. And one of these parties has taken on the role of insurgent outlier; the Republicans have become ideologically extreme, scornful of compromise, and ardently opposed to the established social and economic policy regime.

No, they just think the left Kool Aid tastes better than the right.

So do many on the right. “Liberal MSM” my foot

Extremism In Congress: ‘Even Worse Than It Looks’?

http://www.npr.org/2012/04/30/151522725/even-worse-than-it-looks-extremism-in-congress

Congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein are no strangers to D.C. politics. The two of them have been in Washington for more than 40 years — and they’re renowned for their carefully nonpartisan positions.

But now, they say, Congress is more dysfunctional than it has been since the Civil War, and they aren’t hesitating to point a finger at who they think is to blame.

“One of the two major parties, the Republican Party, has become an insurgent outlier — ideologically extreme; contemptuous of the inherited social and economic policy regime; scornful of compromise; unpersuaded by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition,” they write in their new book, It’s Even Worse Than It Looks.

MSM? You mean the MSM owned by just 6 corporations? That MSM?

No, I actually get my information from history so that all I have to do is look at how closely current events match which particular past events to know.

In the case the current necon Repubs, U.S. Grant writes of the time just before the Civil War at the extremist views of the South regarding slavery and how they too, used the tactic of extremism and intolerance while claiming to be victims and open minded. In fact, it’s a personal story of a man seeking to escape a crowd he had just harangued that were now chasing him, then proceeded to harangue Grant while riding with him in the taxi/carriage he was seeking escape in.

Grant makes very clear the hypocrisy of the “Southern Gentleman” by pointing out that at that time, southerners were HANGING people who opposed slavery while Northerners were NOT hanging those who promoted slavery.

THAT’S just a sample of were I get my information.

Congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein are no strangers to D.C. politics.

These guys are the problems not the solution. I am sure they loved the good ol’s days of bi-partisan debt pushing to Americans. We would not be in the situation today if there were more bickering in the past.

These guys are the problems not the solution.

Only to you because they call your Repub party:

“an insurgent outlier — ideologically extreme; contemptuous of the inherited social and economic policy regime; scornful of compromise; unpersuaded by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition,”

Only to you because they call your Repub party:

Can’t argue, call names, right?

If bickering would have stopped the WS bailouts, I would have taken it.

If bickering would have stopped the wars, I would have taken it.

So on and on…..

When Dems and Repubs are civil to each other pass a bill, believe me it’s not a good thing for the majority of Americans. If you can’t see that you are one dumb sob…..may be it’s redundant….

Can’t argue, call names, right?

Actually, this is not a “name”. This is an accurate description of a “party” out of control. Your party? Are you proud of its bastardization? Read the words if you can.

The Repub Party: “an insurgent outlier — ideologically extreme; contemptuous of the inherited social and economic policy regime; scornful of compromise; unpersuaded by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition,”

He died earlier this month.

Was this supposed death permanent? It’s been said that some of these religious guys have been known to rise up.

LOL

How does Ron Paul & company feel now about playing by the rules in the future?

‘How does Ron Paul & company feel now about playing by the rules in the future’

Well, Paul is retiring. The grass roots people are still organizing. I’m sure a lot of soul searching is going on.

About the rules; regular people in the process don’t get to choose to work outside the rules. Only the insiders get away with that. And the rule changes at the GOP convention, another anti-democratic abomination, make a future grass roots campaign even less likely.

One option I’ve brought up to people I know; let’s purge the party of those who forced Romney on us. I mean, let’s run them out on a rail, and never let them show their faces without reminding them of the disaster they caused.

After all, this President should have lost by a landslide. As I said months ago, my cat could beat Obama. How the GOP could screw this up so badly is mind boggling. Or, maybe they wanted to lose. If that’s the case, we’ve got a major systemic problem to deal with.

“Then on to the state caucus/conventions, where RP delegates were arrested, beat up, had their votes stolen and rules were changed at the last minute to favor Romney. Even though this is the real election, they got away with this. (In AZ we tried to take it to the (Republican) Attorney General, and he brushed us off.)”

This is an amazing untold story which goes far to explaining the pre-election status quo.

That was your first error Ben:
“After all, this President should have lost by a landslide. As I said months ago, my cat could beat Obama.”

As I have noticed there are many on the right that are voting ABO. Romney seems have made that decision right after the primaries so you should statistically be a Romney voter in his mind. As such he doesn’t feel he needs to explain in detail what his plans are, what his tax returns show or why righteous Mormons get VIP seating in heaven.

I’m voting against the rich guys. It’s class warfare from here on out. See you at the rumble2012.com where my guy Jon Stewart will go Mano-a-Mano with Bill O’Reilly.

*It seemed to me Jon Stewart gave Ron Paul more air time than most all the other networks (except maybe FOX when they weren’t ridiculing him).

“So even when someone like Ron Paul plays by the rules, gets on the ballots, raises money, draws many thousands of young people to rally after rally, his campaign is ignored by the media and the parties.”

Debt slaves make up a huge demographic and produce trillions in revenue for the global bankers. That is why the elite in this country pander to folks like Darrell who want to keep the pumps primed at any cost. We simply do not have enough people in this country willing to accept the tough medicine.

We have witnessed just about every historical standard for business and finance be thrown out the window just to keep the party going…and we are seeing it not just in the United States but Globally. No standards, no ethics just gimme gimme gimme. I am not optimistic at this point, though I certainly hope we can have a legitimate third party some day.

Then on to the state caucus/conventions, where RP delegates were arrested, beat up, had their votes stolen and rules were changed at the last minute to favor Romney.

Ben, do you have any links for this, or dates when you might have already posted them? I’m not asking as a challenge to the claims, but as someone who can’t check in here everyday and wants to read more about it. Thx.

We simply do not have enough people in this country willing to accept the tough medicine.

Or able?

We simply do not have enough people in this country willing to accept the tough medicine.

Well, I reject your premise.

Considering the amount of wealth that has been created, and that does exist, your “tough medicine” seems more like an excuse for those who have pillaged.

“Well, I reject your premise.”

Ladies and gentleman we have another pump the printing press cheer leader…courtesy of the communist party - Brazil Chapter.

I was talking about tough medicine for those that have pillaged, try reading an entire comment for once, you may even become a believer.

“Well, I reject your premise.”

Ladies and gentleman we have another pump the printing press cheer leader…courtesy of the communist party - Brazil Chapter.
….I was talking about tough medicine for those that have pillaged, try reading an entire comment for once, you may even become a believer.

Liar. You shuck and jive and call names but you, of all people don’t give a damn of “tough meds for those who have pillaged”. You don’t. You’re are fake and a shill. As if you care about those who have pillaged. The idea that you care. BS.

” Liar. You shuck and jive and call names but you, of all people don’t give a damn of “tough meds for those who have pillaged”. You don’t. You’re are fake and a shill. As if you care about those who have pillaged. The idea that you care. BS.”

They are doing wonderful things in mental institutions now days, you should get yourself checked out.

Now, as a response, you couldn’t be more wrong, I am a working guy and have nothing but disdain for the Government/Banking Industrial complex. You however, as I stated, have just backed yourself into a corner and identified yourself as a member of the pump the printing press cheer leader squad…all in the name of collapsing the system and/or getting your guy elected. So, who is the real proponent of the elite and the continued pillaging?

I am a working guy and have nothing but disdain for the Government/Banking Industrial complex.

Commies? Socialists? Yawnnnnnnn. Give it a rest nickpapageorgio. You seem to me, to be a guy who’s easily influenced by propaganda, overly simplistic, afraid of his own shadow, and who can’t think too clearly on anything that’s not spoon-fed by AM radio.

(But your handle is cool!)

‘do you have any links for this, or dates when you might have already posted them’

It’s late, so ask me tomorrow or another day and I’ll find you some links. It’s mostly youtube or alternate sites because the MSM completely ignored these events.

Seattle,

It was obvious from the beginning of the election cycle that the RNC was not going to recognize Ron Paul’s delegates at the National Convention. (They barely tolerated him at their primary debates.) Here’s one particularly egregious example in which the RNC bus carrying Paul’s VA. delegates from their hotel got “lost” for an hour while the rules committee voted to change procedure:

http://www.dailypaul.com/252191/rnc-bus-driver-gets-lost-forcing-va-delegates-to-miss-crucial-rules-change-vote

Was this (and the rest of the underhanded tactics of the RNC) unfair, a miscarriage of justice and a perversion of democracy? You bet it was, but it was nothing that hasn’t been happening in the smoke-filled back rooms of party National Conventions since our founding. The difference is that now we have the internet, and all the machinations are out there in the open for the people to see.

And sadly, it’s not illegal. Paul was technically free to start his own party and hold his own convention with his own nominating rules, but he chose to run as a Republican.

‘you are either a player or you are being played’

One can’t chose to be a player. Along those lines, I knew a guy once who decided ‘if you can’t beat them, join them.’ He went to work for the CIA helping Saddam Hussein, among others. I don’t have it in me to do that.

“If you can’t beat them, join them.”

Or ignore them, or find up what they are up to then plan countermeasures.

The PTB operates at the macro level but individuals operate at the micro level. The PTB spends a lot of time and money trying to get the micro guys to play the game that the macro guys set up. One way - maybe the only way - for the micro guys to win is to not play.

This goes not only for politics but it also goes for marketing - but maybe I am repeating myself.

In the immediate aftermath of September 11 I was out of a job. I had a friend who suggested that I go work for the CIA. I’m glad I didn’t explore that possibility.

In the immediate aftermath of September 11 I was out of a job. I had a friend who suggested that I go work for the CIA. I’m glad I didn’t explore that possibility.

One of my bicycling friends spent her entire career with the CIA. She wasn’t a case officer, which is what the rest of us think of when we think of spies.

Instead, she worked in an office at the Langley HQ. Her job: data analyst. And that’s all she could say about it.

‘can the nation survive another four years of Obama’

‘I would like to abolish or at least limit the power of Fed Reserve too, but we are close to the economic edge’

Can the nation survive another four years of Bernanke?

close to the economic edge

And the deficit will reach $20T under a Romney administration.

You’ll see

I wonder if even the obama administration thinks the country can survive four more years of him:

http://www.infowars.com/dhs-purchases-200-million-more-rounds-of-ammunition/

Regarding the infowars article, the squad predicts that Eric Holder will have his Waco moment under O’s 2nd term.

Because nothing says Hope and Change like tear gassing women and children then burning them alive

Can the nation survive another four years of Bernanke?

That’s the real question, and I fear that the answer, while “yes, we will ’survive’”, has the caveat that it won’t be pretty.

Can the nation survive another four years of Bernanke?

The simplistic beauty and truth of this statement silences all bullshit.

But can the nation survive another four years of Obama?

Interesting. No mention of Congress in that post.

The Bernanke was not a great choice, in fact a really bad choice, but is was actually Sir Greenspan that got us here.

Would McCain have fired Bernanke?

What happened a decade ago is not as significant as what is happening now. No one was bound to continue the policies of Greenspan, or to exceed them. Bernanke has, is and will.

They put him up to cozy up to his money.

No joke.

They put him up to cozy up to his money.

And to get more of his kind of money:

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/contrib.php?id=N00000286&cycle=2012

I read somewhere that the technocrats look at economy as odometer. If it’s up, it must be good. Forget about how many useless trips may have been taken. Forget about the rust and maintenance needed. As long as it’s up, life is good.

“I read somewhere that the technocrats look at economy as odometer. If it’s up, it must be good.”

It’s really much worse than that. They look at the manipulated economic indicators as the odometer. So long as those indicators can be manipulated higher, it must be good — who cares about the dismal underlying picture?

I’ve been coming to the conclusion that money - or more specifically, the lack of it - is simply a tool used to compel the labor of serfs, in order for the PTB to benefit.

Freakin’ commie talk.

Oh Redrum (cool nick, BTW), when I was chasing investment capital back in the 1990s (”ancient times”), my business partners and I eventually called money “permission”. Without the money to develop the new industrial processes we invented, we didn’t actually have permission to develop them. And since we largely failed in our enterprise (only reaching a few US Navy contracts), then we failed to obtain sufficient permission. If I had only had half a million dollars of “permission” to obtain the services of real industrial designers, we’d have obtained far better results, and earlier to boot, and would probably be manufacturing our target materials by now.

Oh well. At least I learned. Money is more than just a better medium of exchange. It’s power. It’s permission. It converts intellectual potential energy into industrial kinetic energy.

Good observation BetterRenter.

So, money is used by the ruling class both to compel labor AND stifle competition.

Exactly, BetterRenter.

Exactly.

Nothing like real life experience to show the lie of “bootstrapping, hard work ethic” for the bullcrap it is without real money to back it up.

Been there. Done that. Got the scars on my butt to prove it. More than once.

Good to see you again, redster.

The number of for-profit, private sector, government contractor employees increased under the George W. Bush administration.
And increased in Obama’s first term.
And would increase under Romney.
And would increase in Obama’s second term.
And will increase under whoever wins in 2016.
And 2020.
And 2024.
Et cetera…

Nothing “partisan” about that, jeff saturday

jeff saturday was never served, the UNKNOWN TENANT was, with foreclosure papers on a house that a Deadbeat Public Union employee was collecting rent on while not paying the mortgage. Now I don`t blame that on Obama, I blame that on the Deadbeat Public Union employee.

Nothing “partisan” about that.

“Monkeying with Prop 13 or property taxes in CA is the third rail.”

+1 Might upset those wealthy CRE Syndicates.

Not even the RE industry, try everyone…

I once raised the concept of altering Prop 13 to only apply to primary residences to my MIL (a teacher)…without even thinking about what I said, she flew off the handle about how without Prop 13 she would have lost her house decades ago, etc.

It took me an hour to calm her down and explain what I meant…if such a thing was on the ballot, people would see “change Prop 13″ and vote “no” immediately without reading.

“It took me an hour to calm her down and explain what I meant…if such a thing was on the ballot, people would see “change Prop 13″ and vote “no” ”

Yes, ballot words would have to be chosen carefully. “Amend” would be a less offensive word, but still off-putting. I believe the state creates the wording on the ballot, and it would be in the state’s interest to get prop. 13 amended.

“Prop #13 was not legislated…It was a proposition passed by the voters so, the only way to overturn prop#13 is through a State Wide vote and that has a zero chance of passing”

Agreed, but we could put forth a new proposition that essentially tweaks 13 but leaving the intent intact.

jbunniii says “…much of the savings is attributable to this move from a house to a one-bedroom apartment….”

This is true for about 2/3s, as they could have rented an apartment in NJ, but they would not be close to their children and still have the tough winters.

The other savings comes from the $490/mon they save in health insurance, which in NJ is astronomical.

And San Francisco doesn’t have any of this? LOLZ!

Parts of this city are a cesspool, it’s true. But overall it’s still one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to (close second with Venice, Italy).

Per wikipedia: Today, San Francisco is one of the top tourist destinations in the world, ranking 35th out of the 100 most visited cities worldwide.

Are you missing the LOLZ here? LOLZ, LOLZ LOLZ!

Denver doesn’t have a subway, therefore there are no escalators to poop on. We do, however, have open-air urinal 16th Street Mall. All the gutter punk failures who couldn’t hack it on the West Coast end up here.

And blame Nancy Pelosi for your poopie escalators!

You didn’t build that

Where would I rather live if cost were no object?

I’d live right where I am now, but also have a surf shack in Hawaii and a pied-a-terre in Manhattan.

Alas, our 45 day escrow has been extended another friggin’ week. Trying not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but the city sure is taking their sweet time funding our loan. Luckily, the seller does not live there (it’s been vacant for 6 months) and she owns the house outright.

I’ve been here 23 years, but as soon as I have the keys in my hand (Friday?!) I will relish the idea of being a San Franciscan.

Where would I rather live if cost were no object? SF for sure. If I’m living on a low salary? Well…that’s a different question.

Yes. I’ve lived, IMO in a few of the most beautiful places - Nor CA, Mid-West forests and Rio. But I don’t need much now. Alas, I’m not 21 anymore. Give me my books, my love, my internet to keep in touch with events and my family, cable TV for the shows that I like and access to good food (and a garden) and an airport and life will be good. After all that America has done, should not life be good for most Americans? Or just for the connected few?

Oh please for every truly hard luck case you have 999 cases or irresponsible people:

Then stop giving us the right’s crap that we’re “exceptional”. It’s boring. Be consistent.

“single-payer”

The population is a person too!

“Like they have in all those “socialist” countries who deliver better health outcomes at less than half the cost of USA’s “free market” health care system?”

“FAIL”

|12/19/2011 @ 3:24PM |48,025 views
The Ugly Realities Of Socialized Medicine Are Not Going Away

Take the case of David Evans, a 69-year-old farmer living in Cornwall, in southwest England. About a year ago, he developed a hernia and needed an operation. Despite government requirements that he receive treatment within 18 weeks of diagnosis, he still hasn’t been treated.

Recently, he had to use his own ultrasound equipment — typically used to examine pregnant sheep — to check the hernia himself and determine if it was getting worse.

“I was in quite a lot of pain,” explained Evans. “There will be many more people like me who are suffering and are now being forced to wait quite a long time.”

The law furnishes all Britons — Evans included — with health insurance. But he might as well not have coverage at all — because he’s certainly not getting any care.

A report released in October by Britain’s health regulator found that a stunning 20 percent of hospitals were failing to provide the minimum standard of care legally required for elderly patients.

As part of the study, inspectors dropped by dozens of hospitals unannounced. They found patients shouting or banging on bedrails desperately trying to get the attention of a nurse. At one hospital, inspectors identified bed-ridden patients that hadn’t been given water for over 10 hours.

The upcoming austerity measures will only amplify maladies like these.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sallypipes/2011/12/19/the-ugly-realities-of-socialized-medicine-are-not-going-away-3/ - 92k

PASS?

No, it’s still FAIL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_infant_mortality_rate

Rather than rely on anecdotes, we should be looking at statistics. You’ll always be able to find horror stories in any system.

Heck, I’ve read stories about jet airliners that crash, and when they do there are almost always mass fatalities. Anecdotes like that are very scary. Yet the truth is that air travel is very safe.

“No, it’s still FAIL”

Well I`ll see your FAIL and raise you 1 big FAT FAIL.

1 Japan 82.7
2 Hong Kong （People Republic Of China） 82.2
37 Cuba 78.3
38 United States 78.2

Diet and exercise have anything to do with how long you live? What is the obesity rate in jAPAN? The Cubans are really screwed though, those poor skinny b@stards don`t get Big Gulps or Ring Dings and they still only get to live .1 years longer than a fat 2 pack a day couch potato flat screen watchin American.

According to 2007 statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States has the highest prevalence of overweight adults in the Anglosphere.[1]
Historical U.S. Obesity Rate, 1960-2004.[2]Obesity in the United States has been increasingly cited as a major health issue in recent decades. While many industrialized countries have experienced similar increases, obesity rates in the United States are among the highest in the world.[3] Of all countries, the United States has the highest rate of obesity. From 13% obesity in 1962, estimates have steadily increased, reaching 19.4% in 1997, 24.5% in 2004[4] 26.6% in 2007,[5] and 33.8% (adults) and 17% (children) in 2008.[6][7] In 2010, the CDC reported higher numbers once more, counting 35.7% of American adults as obese, and 17% of American children.[8]

Why Is the Obesity Rate So Low in Japan and High in the U.S.? Some Possible Economic Explanations

More than one billion adults are overweight worldwide, and more than 300 million of them clinically obese, raising the risk of many serious diseases. Only 3.6 percent of Japanese have a body mass index (BMI) over 30, which is the international standard for obesity, whereas 32.0 percent of Americans do. A total of 66.5 percent of Americans have a BMI over 25, making them overweight, but only 24.7 percent of Japanese. This paper examines the reasons Japan has one of the lowest rates of obesity in the world and the United States one of the highest, giving particular attention to underlying economic factors that might be influenced by policy changes. The average person in Japan consumes over 200 fewer calories per day than the average American. Food prices are substantially higher in Japan, but the traditional Japanese dietary habits, although changing, are also healthier. The Japanese are also far more physically active than Americans, but not because they do more planned physical exercise. They walk more as part of their daily lives. They walk more because the cost of driving an automobile is far higher in Japan, whereas public transportation is typically very convenient, but normally requires more walking than the use of a car. In terms of policy solutions, economic incentives could be structured to encourage Americans to drive less and use public transportation more, which would typically also mean walking more.

Unknown Tenant “FAIL” D-
(come on, he’s cool) But basically saying Americans are less healthy because we are less healthy is funny.

English are ‘healthier than Americans at all ages’ despite spending far less on healthcare
By Daily Mail Reporter 9 March 2011

People living in England enjoy better health over their lifetime compared to their American cousins, U.S. researchers say.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1364515/England-healthier-US-despite-spending-healthcare.html

Despite higher levels of spending on healthcare in the United States, rates of disease are considerably lower in England.

Researchers from Columbia University and Princeton University compared the health of residents in the United States and England from childhood to 80 years.

They focused on the major markers of disease including obesity, hypertension, diabetes, levels of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol, asthma, angina and stroke.

Americans fared worse than the English across all the areas, with health differences as pronounced at a very young age as they were in later life.

‘That is both an important and surprising finding as it is inconsistent with many theories about why Americans are less healthy than the English,’ says co-author Julien Teitler from Columbia University.

Canadians strongly support the health system’s public rather than for-profit private basis, and a 2009 poll by Nanos Research found 86.2% of Canadians surveyed supported or strongly supported “public solutions to make our public health care stronger.”[7][8]

A Strategic Counsel survey found 91% of Canadians prefer their healthcare system instead of a U.S. style system.[9][10] Plus 70% of Canadians rated their system as working either “well” or “very well”.[11]

A 2009 Harris/Decima poll found 82% of Canadians preferred their healthcare system to the one in the United States, more than ten times as many as the 8% stating a preference for a US-style health care system for Canada[12] while a Strategic Counsel survey in 2008 found 91% of Canadians preferring their healthcare system to that of the U.S.[13][ wiki

“But basically saying Americans are less healthy because we are less healthy is funny.”

I am not saying Americans are less healthy because they are less healthy. I am saying that obese people die before people who are not obese and 35.7% of American adults are obese. How many obese 70 year olds do you see walking around anywhere?

The squad throws up a link showing countries who deliver better health outcomes because they live longer. Well it looks like they don`t have as many obese people and obese people don`t live as long as people who are not obese. Now if you guys can show me a country with government-financed long-term care insurance that is taking care of a couple of million obese 82.7 year olds I would be happy to take another look.

But unless they are rich, I think you`re gonna find skinny patients shouting or banging on bedrails desperately trying to get the attention of a nurse.

But I did find you a 3 minute clip of government-financed health care.

Born on the Fourth of July (2/9) Movie CLIP - Treated Like … - YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsRDr3miUyc - 159k - Cached - Similar pages
Jun 16, 2011 … Born on the Fourth of July Movie Clip - watch all clips … bedridden and angry Ron (Tom Cruise) protests his poor treatment at the VA Hospital.

The squad throws up a link showing countries who deliver better health outcomes because they live longer. Well it looks like they don`t have as many obese people and obese people don`t live as long as people who are not obese

Countries with universal health-care don’t have as many fat people. Maybe that’s a lesson to be studied.

USA is not “exceptional” just because we are fat, and our fatness does not excuse us of our poor health compared to countries with universal health-care.

Commie talk!

“Yup. And pay Blue Cross’ CEO $12.9 million salary.”

Is that all he makes?

Good thing he`s not married to Michelle Obama, he couldn`t afford her wardrobe and vacations.

Dec 29, 2011 11:53am

Michelle Obama’s Pricey Vacation Wardrobe

By Luchina Fishe

The Obamas have been drawing heat for their 17-day Hawaiian holiday, estimated by some media outlets to cost taxpayers $4 million.

But the criticism doesn’t stop there. Now first lady Michelle Obama is under scrutiny for her high-end fashion choices.

For the Christmas Day church service at the Kaneohe Bay Marine Base, Mrs. Obama was photographed in a seemingly simple white sundress with red and yellow stripes. The dress, however, was by French-born, U.S.-based designer Sophie Theallet, and would have cost the first lady almost $2,000 when she bought it in 2009. More recent designs by Theallet sell for even more.

For the meet-and-greet with service members and their families in a nearby mess hall later in the day, Mrs. Obama dressed down — in a printed green $950 Comme des Garcons skirt with bag waist.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2011/12/michelle-obamas-pricey-vacation-wardrobe/ -

Good thing he`s not married to Michelle Obama, he couldn`t afford her wardrobe and vacations.

Now you are getting stupid. Equating Obama’s vacation cost to “health-care” CEO’s compensation in America is dumb.

“Equating Obama’s vacation cost to “health-care” CEO’s compensation in America is dumb.”

How so? We are talking about Blue Cross’ CEO $12.9 million salary and government taking over health care. So we are going to give the federal government the money to pay for health care and we have $10 million of taxpayers’ money on the First Lady`s vacations in one year alone.

“Dropping $822,751 on a conference for about 300 people would be a scandalous waste in the private sector (maybe not if you’re Instagram)—but put that bill on a government tab, and it’s unfathomable: In fact, that sum is the amount of taxpayer dollars dropped on a Las Vegas junket by an agency that most Americans haven’t even heard of.” That`s the GSA

Solydra? $500,000,000.00

Pilosi`s private jet?

On and on and on. $Billions are now rounding errors.

These are things that the people responsible for everybody`s health care do? They are going to bring down the cost and improve the delivery of health care?

.CBO: ObamaCare Price Tag Shifts from $940 Billion to $1.76 Trillion

By Brian Koenig
Wed, Mar 14, 2012.

President Obama’s landmark healthcare overhaul is projected to cost $1.76 trillion over a decade, reports the Congressional Budget Office, a hefty sum more than the $940 billion estimated when the healthcare legislation was signed into law. To put it mildly, ObamaCare’s projected net worth is far off from its original estimate — in fact, about $820 billion off.

The cost will go up, the vacations will go on and you better take a look at that VA video.

US Census Bureau?

I looked…I’m sure there is something there, but it wasn’t obvious.

Well, for one - hardness - metallic tungsten is much harder than metallic gold. If you dropped a bar onto a hard surface and listened to its “ring”, you would easily tell the difference between a tungsten and a gold bar.

Much the same way as you can tell a copper penny from a zinc one - try it for yourself! The zinc one doesn’t ring like the copper one.

You really need to put down the kool-aid and walk away…

Wow. 2banana said “kool-aid” Wow.

Whenever you hear “kool-aid” you can rest assured that the person saying it has NO original thoughts in his head.

The whole right-wing, AM radio crowd has been pushing the “kool-aid” meme for more than 3 years.

Try to come up with some new material 2banana, if not you are totally boring.