Bits Bucket for August 6, 2014
Post off-topic ideas, links, and Craigslist finds here.
The Housing Bubble
Examining the home price boom and its effect on owners, lenders, regulators, realtors and the economy as a whole.
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Name:Ben Jones
Location:Northern Arizona, United States
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A Stronger Israel? Elite opinion believes Israel will lose “long-term” whatever happens in the next weeks. Not necessarily.
By Victor Davis Hanson
In postmodern wars, we are told, there is no victory, no defeat, no aggressors, no defenders, just a tragedy of conflicting agendas. But in such a mindless and amoral landscape, Israel in fact is on its way to emerging in a far better position after the Gaza war than before.
Analysts of the current fighting in Gaza have assured us that even if Israel weakens Hamas, such a short-term victory will hardly lead to long-term strategic success — but they don’t define “long-term.” In this line of thinking, supposedly in a few weeks Israel will only find itself more isolated than ever. It will grow even more unpopular in Europe and will perhaps, for the first time, lose its patron, America — while gaining an enraged host of Arab and Islamic enemies. Meanwhile, Hamas will gain stature, rebuild, and slowly wear Israel down.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/384512/stronger-israel-victor-davis-hanson
Just sharing an excellent article that discusses what’s going happen once the current Gaza war is over.
Housing Blackawk housing.
if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck its probably a duck.
How far underwater are you?
A duck would never be a realtoR or liar. Us ducks are too good for that sort of thing.
For you it is about housing and it is something new reducing the demand for housing:
http://realestate.msn.com/blogs/listed-loans.aspx?post=478955a0-595e-49bb-92ca-2b573cc5226e
This is from Tulia but another link will post soon with same information:
The upcoming change
As it stands, you can buy a primary home, second home/vacation property or even an income property with 20 percent down just two years after a short sale. But the waiting time to obtain a new mortgage will increase from two years out of a short sale with 20 percent down to four years out of a short sale with 20 percent down. This change will affect homebuyers whose loan applications are dated Aug. 16 or later.
This change could be devastating for many homebuyers.
Take, for example, the would-be homebuyer who is currently house-hunting, pre-approved with a conventional mortgage with a previous short sale just two years ago. That homebuyer will have three choices:
1.Wait two more years, earmarking the upcoming four-year waiting time frame.
2.Wait one more year to procure a Federal Housing Administration loan
3.Get into contract immediately or, if refinancing, apply for a mortgage prior to Aug. 16.
How did this change occur? I wonder if Blackstone and Friends is behind it. They are the new sponge for foreclosures, so they need new rules to force people into renting their shadow houses.
Why bother with a short sale before buying your next home? Much easier to default on the first home after buying the second. That’s a popular option in the San Diego area. I see several families I know positioning their purchases this way. The new rules won’t have any effect on our market.
Works if they can qualify. That’s why we must ensure that everyone always qualifies for any mortgage. They only need apply!
” The new rules won’t have any effect on our market.”
Care to wager on that?
“Meanwhile, Hamas will gain stature, rebuild, and slowly wear Israel down.”
Hamas fires rockets that cost roughly $300 whereas the Iron Dome interceptors cost roughly $20k each, but this ignores the total Iron Dome crew-served deployment costs. The U.S. Congress just approved $225-million to replace 700 spent interceptors, or $320k apiece!
Side issue what do you think of this Drudge link:
http://www.wnd.com/2014/08/hand-of-god-sent-missile-into-sea/
I think there are three possibilities:
1. It is actually happening as reported in the article.
2. The Israeli government is attempting to get more support in the U.S. by claiming it is happening.
3. Something actually is happening that resembles the reporting but it is being enhanced by Israel for the reason identified above.
I tend to support number three but acknowledge my bias since I believe in God.
Realtorz are liars.
because sky wizard hates the gays, lolz
‘god is angry with liberia,’ the religious leaders said, according to the daily observer. ‘ebola is a plague. liberians have to pray and seek god’s forgiveness over the corruption and immoral acts such as homosexualism that continue to penetrate our society. as christians, we must repent and seek god’s forgiveness.’
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/08/06/god-is-angry-with-liberia-ebola-is-a-plague/
Housing Goon, housing.
Go time, Dannyboy, go time.
Got false flag ops?
Makes a good conspiracy theory just prior to an election that we all know Obama does not want to happen. Obama will probably not be impeached after it, but Eric Holder better practice holding his ankles for his crimes.
“Makes a good conspiracy theory”
You think I’m kidding. The combination of a blanket amnesty for the 20+ million illegals in this country, widespread outbreaks of Ebola in the United States, and the coming financial market collapse are the trifecta that Obama needs, that Obama wants.
Fundamental transformation = the elimination of U.S. sovereignty and handover to the United Nations.
I agree that Obama wants it. However, he is at a new low in popularity. If he was at a high I would be more worried. I trust that if he tries to take power, there will be a coup by the military. There are a lot of generals looking for payback and they know that the American population if forced to choose between an Obama dictatorship or a military dictatorship will choose the latter. Include me in that group. Consequently, I do not see Obama actually trying it.
BTW, I do think that Ebola has spread much more than has been reported. Usually Ebola is confined to an isolated village. It contains itself by wiping out the village and leaving the rest too sick to travel while they can spread the virus. This epidemic has reached the African cities and they do not have the medical resources to contain it. A high percentage of the population know nothing about science and are more likely to visit a witch doctor than to wash their hands with alcohol after coming into contact.
“There are a lot of generals looking for payback and they know that the American population if forced to choose between an Obama dictatorship or a military dictatorship will choose the latter. Include me in that group.”
Include me in that group, too. And I think we’re almost there.
This country has long depended on people and groups keeping agreements between each other, more or less (ok, there’s been a lot of less) but when those agreements have been broken, it does become a free for all, because why should one group be bound by their agreement if another group is not bound by theirs, even on the surface?
I would hate to see a military coup, but it’s got to be better than what we have now, and may be necessary to clean up the country. Most unfortunate. But I wouldn’t mind seeing charges of treason issued to “some folks”. And I’m not just talking about Obama. There’s “some folks” in Congress on both sides who desperately deserve it.
What have these members of Congress done that you consider to be treason?
Insider trading, for one. Borderline legal, but definitely treason when you trade for your own account, on the basis of legislation that you’ll be passing.
I think that congressional insider trading is corrupt, not treasonous. Unfortunately, it’s probably legal.
Abolishing Glass-Steagall. Proposing and voting for NAFTA/CAFTA. Supporting the Iraq war. All gross betrayals of trust, treason against the US as a nation and people.
You can’t prosecute members of Congress for the votes that they cast.
But you can do so for giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
See also articles reporting how Obama is prepping to trigger go time:
http://www.infowars.com/cdc-getting-dozens-of-calls-about-people-who-are-ill-after-traveling-in-africa/
http://www.infowars.com/un-and-feds-plan-to-fight-ebola-with-tyranny/
I always have trouble discerning satire from whatever the heck this, ahem, information is. One of the comments below the second article: The new Ebola vaccine, contains a nanobot that changes your DNA, don’t take the vaccine for any reason, no matter what story they come up with.
Insanity or brilliant satire?
Sounds like Utopia (the British TV series).
imdb Utopia
This reminds me of the controversy over putting fluoride in the water supply back in ’50s. There’s nothing new under the sun with these right wingers.
Water fluoridation has frequently been the subject of conspiracy theories. During the “Red Scare” in the United States during the late 1940s and 1950s, and to a lesser extent in the 1960s, activists on the far right of American politics routinely asserted that fluoridation was part of a far-reaching plot to impose a socialist or communist regime. They also opposed other public health programs, notably mass vaccination and mental health services.[56] Their views were influenced by opposition to a number of major social and political changes that had happened in recent years: the growth of internationalism, particularly the UN and its programs; the introduction of social welfare provisions, particularly the various programs established by the New Deal; and government efforts to reduce perceived inequalities in the social structure of the United States.[57]
Some took the view that fluoridation was only the first stage of a plan to control the American people. Fluoridation, it was claimed, was merely a stepping-stone on the way to implementing more ambitious programs. Others asserted the existence of a plot by communists and the United Nations to “deplete the brainpower and sap the strength of a generation of American children”. Dr. Charles Bett, a prominent anti-fluoridationist, charged that fluoridation was “better than using the atom bomb because the atom bomb has to be made, has to be transported to the place it is to be set off while poisonous fluorine has been placed right beside the water supplies by the Americans themselves ready to be dumped into the water mains whenever a Communist desires!” Similarly, a right-wing newsletter, the American Capsule News, claimed that “the Soviet General Staff is very happy about it. Anytime they get ready to strike, and their 5th column takes over, there are tons and tons of this poison “standing by” municipal and military water systems ready to be poured in within 15 minutes.”[9]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation_controversy#Communist_conspiracy_theory_.281940s-1960s.29
‘this, ahem, information’
the ‘real journalists’ at the new york times, washington post, msnbc, npr can provide you with the information you seek.
http://www.infowars.com/feinstein-youre-not-a-real-journalist-unless-you-draw-a-salary/
What ever happened to English? The word is “homosexuality”.
It’s part of that trend that started six years ago when people started calling Obama a socialist. Since then words ending in ist or ism have become very popular. Apparently, it’s spreading all over the world.
home prices have a lot of room to the upside.
Stocks on the other hand look ready for a freefall into the abyss. Mom and pop will be back to alpo for awhile.
Are the millenials the next bagholders?
Remember….. Housing depreciates.
Now how far underwater are you?
“home prices have a lot of room to the upside.”
Keep dreaming, loanowner.
Crash, market, crash, crash.
crater
wall street journal - poll finds widespread economic anxiety
‘a new wall street journal / nbc news poll found that despite the steady pace of hiring in recent months, 76% of adults lack confidence that their children’s generation will have a better life than they do — an all time high. some 71% of adults think the country is on the wrong track, a leap of 8 points from a june survey, and 60% believe the u.s. is in a state of decline.
the census bureau says the income of the median, or typical, american family in 2012 was $51,017, or about the same as in 1995 adjusting for inflation. median family income is about 8% below 2007 levels.’
if they keep interest rates low people can take on more debt and help the economy.
“60% believe the u.s. is in a state of decline.”
That right there is pretty ironic. The US is in a state of floundering.
Putin is watching Obama shoot himself in the head. You lose the reserve currency status and the U.S. does not decline it collapses:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/russia-sanctions-accelerate-risk-dollar-060237135.html
“the U.S. does not decline it collapses”
The “fundamental transformation” that you were promised.
“the U.S. … collapses”
Don’t be silly. It would be a great opportunity for a rebirth.
To have rebirth you must die. Everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die.
“Everyone wants to go to heaven”
Spoken like a true sky wizard believer.
I am actually an exception to that saying. I believe in the sky wizard so much I have no fear of death. Being disabled or suffering a painful death, yes and quick death, no problem.
God says not to be liar, lawyer.
His name is PropagandaDan,
Sometimes Albuquerque Shill.
We found him making comments from his van,
But his tone was rather trill.
We said “just stop”;
To the wizardry.
We said “no more”;
To artificial sophistry.
But he would not stop,
And he will not stop.
For a hired believer,
Still needs to shop.
His name is PropagandaDan;
Sometimes Albuquerque Shill.
He gets his comments from a can;
And never forgets to send the bill.
Don’t give up your day job at McDonalds.
How deep underwater are you?
Excerpt from link:
While no one’s suggesting the dollar will lose its status as the main currency of business any time soon, its dominance is ebbing. The greenback’s share of global reserves has already shrunk to under 61 percent from more than 72 percent in 2001. The drumbeat has only gotten louder since the financial crisis in 2008, an event that began in the U.S. when subprime-mortgage loans soured, and the largest emerging-market nations including Russia have vowed to conduct more business in their currencies.
“The crisis created a rethink of the dollar-denominated world that we live in,” said Joseph Quinlan, chief market strategist at Bank of America Corp.’s U.S. Trust, which oversees about $380 billion. “This nasty turn between Russia and the West related to sanctions, that can be an accelerator toward a more multicurrency world.”
Another excerpt which shows how China is gaining due to this dispute. It has already won due to its obtaining of Russian natural gas in large quantities but diminishing the U.S’s reserve currency status would be a much greater victory. How large a military would the U.S. have if taxes had to be imposed to pay for it instead of just printing dollars? The left might like that but how big would the welfare state in the U.S. be if the same were true. We are not Europe are middle class will not endure high taxes for a welfare state. The excerpt:
China is making a push for greater use of its currency in international trade. The People’s Bank of China extended a yuan swap line to Switzerland in July after agreeing a facility with the European Central Bank last year. The nation also agreed to allow companies to clear yuan-denominated transactions in London and Frankfurt for the first time.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority bought U.S. dollars in the foreign-exchange market this week to curb gains in the local dollar, which is pegged to the greenback, after purchasing $8.4 billion in July, the most since at least October 2012.
Sanctions show the potential for an increasing reliance on economic measures — such as restricting the use of a currency - - as “an alternative to military” action, according to Marc Chandler, the chief currency strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in New York.
“This represents a big step in the evolution of U.S. foreign policy toward Russia,” he said by phone on Aug. 4. “The real challenge is converting that financial power into political influence.”
our middle class. Sorry Oxide if you snooze you lose.
We are not Europe are middle class will not endure high taxes for a welfare state
I know that many people don’t consider Social Security to be part of a welfare state, but here’s an interesting poll result from 2012:
AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications. Aug. 16-20, 2012. N=1,006 adults nationwide. Margin of error ± 3.9.
“If you had to choose, which would you prefer: raising Social Security taxes so that the benefits can be kept the same for everyone, OR, keeping Social Security taxes at the same rate they are at now, but reducing the benefits for future generations?”
Raise taxes, same benefits: 53%
Same tax rate, reduce benefits : 36%
Unsure: 9%
Refused: 3%
link:
http://www.pollingreport.com/social.htm
Without identify raising taxes on whom, it means nothing. People may be for raising taxes on other people, but they seldom want their taxes raised. So I stand by my statement. The middle class will not support its taxes being raised. Obama knew it so he stated he would not support raising taxes on people making less than $250,000. He broke that pledge with many provisions of Obamacare and really wanted to break it with a carbon tax but failed to get that one.
identifying
Very interesting article, I agree on virtually every subject:
http://www.mining.com/web/jason-hamlin-calls-gold-unstoppable-with-stocks-leading-the-way/
Without identifying
raising taxes on whom,with my political beliefs.. it means nothing.fixed it
Very interesting article, I agree on virtually every subject:
Then thank you for saving so many of us so much time not reading it. You can be cool sometimes.
Don’t forget that median family income includes people who don’t share the same dwelling. It is higher than median household income.
Time Magazine - This Baptist Charity Is Being Paid Hundreds of Millions to Shelter Child Migrants
“Kevin Dinnin is the CEO of a faith-based, nonprofit organization called BCFS, formerly known as Baptist Child and Family Services. This obscure charity has emerged as one of the biggest players in the federal government’s response to the influx of more than 57,000 unaccompanied children who have trudged across the southern border this year. It runs two of the largest facilities for temporarily housing immigrant children, as well as six permanent shelters in California and Texas. Since December, BCFS has received more than $280 million in federal grants to operate these shelters, according to government records. On July 7, two days before Dinnin met Obama in Dallas, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded BCFS $190,707,505 in a single grant.
To shield vulnerable kids from angry opponents of immigration and the media spotlight, the government declines to disclose the locations and activities of many of the facilities operated by BCFS and similar organizations. That protectiveness comes at a political cost. Governors in states across the U.S. have assailed the federal government for sending kids to their states without notifying local officials, and congressional critics say that massive amounts of taxpayer money are being spent without proper oversight.”
“For BCFS executives, the work can be lucrative. According to federal tax records, Dinnin received nearly $450,000 in compensation in 2012. At least four other top officials earned more than $200,000.
The federal grant money for sheltering unaccompanied children, providedby HHS’s Administration for Children and Families, has so far totaled $671 million during the 2014 fiscal year. BCFS has received 40% of those funds, making it the largest recipient of money disbursed to contractors to temporarily house unaccompanied children until they can be reunited with family members or placed in foster care.
Unlike the temporary shelters, the permanent facilities are largely inaccessible to media and the taxpayers that fund them. Their locations are not officially disclosed, and they are generally unnamed or unmarked”
Associated Press - Texas Eased Rules for Housing Immigrant Children
“Overwhelmed by the arrival of thousands of unaccompanied immigrant children, the state of Texas relaxed its standards for the shelters that house them, easing rules governing how much space each child needs and what kind of facilities they should have.
As with a natural disaster, President Barack Obama put the Federal Emergency Management Agency in charge of coordinating the government’s response.”
UK homeowners start to panic sell in the face of house price …
Telegraph.co.uk - 4 hours ago
UK house prices in May to July were 10.2pc higher than the same three month period in the previous year, elevated by a continuing housing …
US housing market: Stuck in a multi-year hangover
Fortune-Aug 4, 2014
The U.S. housing market has recovered with impressive speed. In just two years, home prices have recovered to their pre-bubble norms, while …
Are Homebuilder Stocks Pointing To A Declining Housing Market?
ChicagoNow (blog)-Aug 5, 2014
I think it’s this slowdown that has spooked the homebuilder stocks and it could be a warning sign about the future of the housing market.
Phoenix-Area Housing Market in a Nearly Yearlong Slump
Phoenix New Times (blog)-by Matthew Hendley-18 hours ago
The Phoenix-area housing market has been slumping for nearly a year now, according to the latest real estate report from the Center for Real …
US Housing Market: Is the Slowdown Good for Buyers?
Realty Today-Aug 5, 2014
The U.S. housing market has been showing evident signs of a slowdown – sales have been low, prices have been stumpy and foreclosures …
Cash Buyers Overheat Oakland Real Estate Market
International Business Times AU-by Vittorio Hernandez-8 hours ago
Early this year, CNN Money named Oakland as one of the hottest housing markets in the country based on CoreLogic’s Case-Shiller report.
Has some charts.
Here’s A Look At The Housing Market Eight Years After The Collapse
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kirandhillon/2014/08/01/heres-a-look-at-the-housing-market-eight-years-after-the-collapse-3/
The U.S. housing market is recovering, but it’s still a ways off from reaching pre-bubble levels.
…For each indicator, FindTheBest compared the latest data (May 2014) to the housing market at its bottom (February 2009) and at its peak (June 2006).
Median Sale Price:
At a glance: 7.5% below peak
At the peak before the crash, the median sale price for a home in the U.S. was $200,000. By the time the market reached bottom, prices had dropped 29%, to $140,000. While today’s national median sale price has rebounded to $185,000, it’s still about 7.5% lower than the pre-crash high.
New Homes Sold:
At a glance: 72% below peak
Foreclosures:
At a glance: 186% above peak
Washington Post - Battle cry of the white man
“The Census Bureau forecasts that non-Hispanic whites, now slightly more than 60 percent of the population, will fall below 50 percent in 2043. Within 30 years, there will cease to be a racial majority in the United States. In a narrow political sense, this is bad news for the GOP, which is dominated by older white men such as (Alabama Rep. Mo) Brooks. But for the country, the disassociation of whiteness and American-ness is to be celebrated. Indeed, it is the key to our survival.”
I’m happy to see these old white men GOP’ers die off. Unfortunately, as many younger white men get older, they seem to be resembling those same people.
No racism there. Consistent with both Rio and Joe. With Joe it is a hatred of the older generation.
I’m white. How is that racist?
New York Times puff piece on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson
“He is working closely with Mr. Obama, who is moving ahead without Congress and is to announce by the end of the summer an executive order that could possibly allow millions to stay in the country. “We’re going to develop this together,” Mr. Johnson said during an interview in his office at the Homeland Security headquarters in Northwest Washington.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/us/politics/homeland-security-chief-steps-confidently-into-immigration-debate.html
The false flag blueprints have already been written, and when Jeh Johnson says it’s go time, it’s go time.
Got 7.62×39?
Business Insider reports on Obama’s preps to trigger go time
“By the end of the summer, President Barack Obama will make what some activists and legal experts say could be the “boldest move” of his presidency as he prepares to move without Congress on immigration reform.
Perhaps most importantly, Obama’s coming executive actions could also test the limits of presidential power.”
MOLON LABE
“If you want you doctor, you can keep your doctor”. (Obama). If you want your doctor, he or she will probably not work for what Obamacare will pay. (reality).
http://dailycaller.com/2014/08/04/doctors-begin-to-refuse-obamacare-patients/
As if any of this will even matter when 100,000,000 in this country die from Ebola, thanks to Obama.
That is the “fundamental transformation” you were promised.
I doubt that many Americans will die from it. Although even a 100,000 would be a horrible situation (not a prediction). However, the Globalists want African resources but really are not too keen on Africans so the disease might just be what the “doctor” ordered.
Did you dump your bonds too early?
Not to worry…the Plunge Protection Team is back!
Bulletin U.S. stocks turn positive; Dow up 15 points
Aug. 6, 2014, 8:50 a.m. EDT
Global bonds rally as investors seek safety
Concerns over Ukraine, weak European data spark buying
By Ben Eisen, MarketWatch
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Invested flocked to the safety of U.S. and German government bonds on Wednesday, as they raced to shed riskier assets amid a growing conflict in Ukraine and weak European data.
The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield, which falls as prices rise, was down 4 basis points on the day at 2.442%, near its lowest closing level since June 2013. The benchmark yield is on track to close lower for its fourth straight day.
German bunds rallied, sending the 10-year yield down 7 basis points to 1.102%, on track for a record low on a closing basis, according to Tradeweb. The U.K. 10-year gilt yield fell 7.5 basis points to 2.509%.
European stocks fell and U.S. futures pointed lower.
…
Bwahahahaha, notice the yellow stripe down Rand Paul’s back as he weasels out of the confrontation with a “Dreamer”:
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/08/steve-king-rand-paul-dreamers-immigration-109725.html
Forget Rand Paul. Who needs a coward for president, we’ve already had enuf of them. Boy, that apple fell really far from the tree, like over into the next orchard.
the 2014 super bowl coke commercial:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=443Vy3I0gJs
The ad did not work for Coke. Its sales continue to fall. Too bad.
Although I find the actions of the nightmare kidz to be over the top (all emotional video op crap), the main reason I posted this was to make note of Rand Paul’s behavior. So people can take the measure of the man, er, uh, weasel.
He’s not presidential or even veep material, not by a long shot. Then again, considering what we’ve had for a few decades, maybe he is.
There’s no voting our way out of this mess. This country is over, stick a fork in it.
I agree there’s no voting our way out of this mess, but say not the struggle naught availeth. The founders didn’t vote their way into the country, either.
Perhaps, like a rotting bubble house, too far gone to repair, the structure must be plowed under.
But the idea that was Egypt, Greece, Rome, England and the US still exists and pops up again in different places. Yes, only to make the same mistakes of Empire, but you never know, someday perhaps those mistakes will be corrected. In fact I think they will, and we may even get to see it.
Something is afoot right now that makes me think so.
Ammendment 5 to the US Constitution - read up on a Convention of the States and report back - me thinks we are at this threshold today - there have been I believe at least two meetings of state reps from across the nation - formed at the behest of the speaker of the House in Indiana who is now spearheading this effort. First one was in March of this year at the Mt. Vernon Convention meeting hall - simply titled the Mt. Vernon convention and the other I believe was scheduled in June of this year. Anyone else out there aware of this movement?
No, I’ve never heard of it. Does this movement have specific changes that it wants to make to the constitution.
Go to Mark Levin’s book the Liberty Ammendments - Though I have some concern about this sort of stuff I have to say that Levin makes a good argument for Article 5 convention of the states - especially getting the dead wood (read long time Demos and Repukes who have been in Congress alot longer than deserved) via term limits. George Mason apparently argued for term limits during the Constitutional Convention and failed to gather enough votes for it. There are other good arguments in the book but this has to be taken with a huge grain of salt. BUT folks there is an option to reduce nasty big government via the founders wisdom in the US Constitution - I highly recommend anyone concerned about runaway govt read this book - you can do it in a short weekend. States rights have been completely abrogated by the likes of big gubmit power brokers - we need to take our nation back!!!
I think that I heard Levin talking about that book on Sean Hannity’s radio show. His amendments mostly sounded pretty bad. The one that would institute term limits is probably the least bad, because it would have little effect.
He also wants to repeal the 17th amendment. That would mostly have the effect of making senators less responsive to their constituents. I’ve read of a study that shows that the Senate essentially reflects the interests of the richest 1/3 of the population. Repealing the 17th amendment would probably change that to be the richest 1/10.
There are a number of other proposed amendments that would strengthen the state government at the expense of the federal government. These would also mostly benefit businesses and the wealthy.
Then there’s this one:
Protecting the Vote: A proposal to require photo ID for all federal elections and limit early voting.
Without getting into the contentious issue of photo ID, I wonder what his argument is for limiting early voting. I imagine that an important goal would be to reduce the number of low income voters.
I found this all in an article on RedState.com. This description is interesting:
Taken as a whole, there is no doubt that these amendments would restore our Republican form of government.
It’s probably not a mistake that the word Republican is capitalized.
Mike - I have to say that goon squad may have a point - this nation may be done - stick a fork in her. That is what prompted my comment earlier.
As for me this nation is no longer an argument about two failed parties that don’t represent anything that I believe in- it is for me about taking this nation back as a nation by the people, for the people. We the people have NO real representation in DEE CEE or at the state level. I am utterly fed up with statism in its current form - sick and tired of corporatists and all the rigged systems that exist in this ‘best’ of the world’s nations. Housing is but one manifestation of this.
I love this country or at least what it was - having traveled to a number of other countries I ask myself all the time - what would my life be like here - outside of the beach bingo enclaves that vacationers inhabit. I wonder if the ‘hoi poloi’ ask the same.
I think that Levin has some valid points and again I say that I take these points with a big grain of salt as I think the Constitution as originally written is a magnificent piece of work. The deal is we have a regime in our nation that given the evidence have a goal of stomping on the Constitution and taking away our / my liberty - that to me is utterly disgusting and reprehensible.
I find it no accident that polls continue to show America in decline. Otrauma is but one element of a hairball of statists that want to take ‘er down. This whole mess started in the 1910’s with the rise of Woody Wilson and his ‘progressive’ ilk.
As I wrote, I think that one of the main effects of Levin’s amendments would be to concentrate even more power into the hands of the corporate elite. If you’re very rich, you might like that.
Regarding the good old days before Woodrow Wilson, my grandparents told me a little about what life was like in the 1920s, when they were kids. From what I heard, it wasn’t great compared to what we have today. I can’t imagine that it was any better 20 years before that. It was probably a bit worse.
I find it no accident that polls continue to show America in decline.
That poll result mostly has to do with economic issues. The recent brutal recession and painfully weak recovery occurred after a 30-year decline in middle class living standards. The reasons behind those economic phenomena having to do with the constitution.
The right wing media complex that Mark Levin is a part of exists, to a great degree, to convince working class and middle class Americans to support policies that benefit the 1%. All of this hullaballoo about the constitution serves as a distraction. It directs the anger that people about the economy towards things that have nothing to with the economy.
Perhaps, like a rotting bubble house, too far gone to repair, the structure must be plowed under.
Maybe so but here’s the problem. When those on the right (who are most likely to make it happen) say that, most all are misled imo on what part of the structure should be changed.
The problem is what needs to be fixed, those on the right are ideologically incapable of addressing as the most serious economic problem America faces. They can’t do it. Can’t. Because it goes against the grain of all the influence and propaganda they’ve absorbed.
Almost all of America’s major problems today are because most money and power has been redistributed from the middle-class to the very rich the past 40 years. They’d be hardly any foodstamps welfare and middleClass destruction if the massive gains in US production had been shared more equally-AS IT USED TO BE. The solution? A very bad word to those on the right -REDISTRIBUTION of wealth and power back to the middle class. How else?
Here lies the problem. What percent on the right could see themselves fighting for redistribution? The only way I could see it happening would be through a POPULIST/Rightish wing movement.
But how would you get that when the billionaires spend billions on propaganda to make what I’ve mentioned tarred as Socialism and Communism which it most certainly is not?
So without a redistribution, any “revolution” from the right would probably lead to a form of Fashism.
History has shown this. Why would it be different if the redistribution aspect was not addressed? And how could you get the right to address it?
‘The right wing media complex that Mark Levin is a part of’
Levin calls himself a constitutional scholar. Back during the presidential primaries, he went after Ron Paul like he was the devil himself. When it was Paul who spoke the most about the need to follow the constitution. Hannity attacked Paul, and anyone who even would consider voting for him. Limbaugh hated Paul so much he wouldn’t even mention his name. There’s obviously something going on here besides a right-left dualism.
“Hannity attacked Paul, and anyone who even would consider voting for him.”
Hannity is a creep. Ron Paul got railroaded by the cronies, with puppets like Hannity as mouthpieces.
“Hannity attacked Paul, and anyone who even would consider voting for him.”
I remember after a Repub Debate watching FOX and Ron Paul was polling as the clear winner and Hannity and Co were totally ignoring it and talking about Romney blah blah and then they stopped showing the very positive Ron Paul numbers and did not mention him or interview him and it was like give me a break! What right wing-racket.
Now, there are left-wing rackets too but I don’t recall ANY Dem in my lifetime who scored as highly in his party as Ron Paul who was totally marginalized and ignored by his own party. Does anybody? Anyone? Anyone?
‘I don’t recall ANY Dem in my lifetime who scored as highly in his party as Ron Paul who was totally marginalized and ignored by his own party’
Howard Dean. Also an anti-war candidate. Funny how that happens.
Yeah, it occurred to me while I was having dinner that the constitution says that Congress is supposed to declare war. The last time that that happened was in 1942. Yet there have been many wars since. I doubt very much that that’s a problem that bothers Mark Levin.
Then a quick Google search finds quotes from Mr. Levin saying that foreign policy was an area of convern regarding Ron Paul. Of course, it’s another wacky right wing website, so it may be made up.
http://dailycaller.com/2012/01/16/mark-levin-ron-pauls-interpretation-of-the-constitution-not-always-accurate-video/
This country is over, stick a fork in it.
USA’s “over” compared to what it once was, but it’s not over as a great country compared to most other countries.
For example, in a very few ways where I live is a great country but USA is great in many, many more ways, even with all the problems that I hope we get addressed.
It’s hard to get perspective when one never leaves for awhile. Not impossible, just hard.
Gold up over $20 an Oz and Putin has not even crossed into Ukraine.
Precious could be settin’ up for the usual September-December rally.
Wall Street Frets That You’re Getting Paid Too Much
By Peter Coy August 01, 2014
Wall Street money managers are worried about two things: that they won’t get paid enough and that ordinary Americans will get paid too much.
The fight over who gets what from the bonus pool is an unseemly annual rite at Wall Street firms. Last year the average bonus paid to securities industries employees in New York City was $164,000, the most since the financial crisis, according to New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
In contrast, concern over rising pay for the rest of America is a monthly, not annual, ritual. Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that average hourly earnings in July were flat, vs. an expected 0.2 percent increase. They’re up only 2 percent over the past year. However, hawks pointed out that the Employment Cost Index—which covers both wages and benefits—rose a more-than-expected 0.7 percent in the second quarter, its biggest rise since 2008.
“Wages are trending up, and once wage inflation takes hold, it continues for four to five years,” says Torsten Slok, chief international economist at Deutsche Bank. Slok notes that a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business finds an increased share of companies—around 15 percent—are “planning to raise wages up significantly in recent months.” He says in a chartbook for clients: “A broad-based pickup in wages in the pipeline.”
For Wall Street, the risk is that higher wage growth will lead to more inflation, which will push up interest rates, which will push down stock prices. The rate-setters of the Federal Reserve think that unemployment can fall to 5.4 percent before inflation starts to be a problem. Slok says inflation could come much sooner, citing academic studies that put the inflationary threshold anywhere from 6 percent unemployment all the way up to 7.2 percent.
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-08-01/wall-streeters-worry-that-theyre-paid-too-little-and-youre-paid-too-much#r=read
See above Wall Street Journal article.
For Wall Street, the risk is that higher wage growth will lead to more inflation, which will push up interest rates, which will push down stock prices.
Hmm. I’ve often heard that stocks are where you want to be during inflationary times since cash can’t keep pace. Another conundrum?
The theory is probably that the rise in interest rate will nip inflation in the bud.
He says in a chartbook for clients: “A broad-based pickup in wages in the pipeline.”
about time
Excerpt from Goldseek.com , particularly, I like the sentence about chess like moves by Putin and China. I could not have said it better myself, wait I did say Putin was playing chess while Obama is playing checkers:
Two of the most famous quotes are “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting” and “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”. In my opinion, China is currently “living” these two quotes almost verbatim. They have sat back for the last 15+ years and watched as the U.S. mortgaged their future, spent past goodwill and savings (gold in particular), and generally become weaker financially, spiritually, economically and militarily. I don’t believe that China wants any bullets to fly, I believe that they would be happy if there was no bloodshed but I also think that they are aware that the probability is quite high. As for my opinion of the first quote, China hopes that the U.S. defeats itself. The second quote, China is and has been planning the defeat of the U.S. since the days of Mao, he knew that the best way to defeat a foe is to debase their currency. How better than to let your foe debase their own currency?
Two other well known quotes are “There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare” and “Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.” These quotes speak to China’s knowledge that any war must be swift and that they are costly in not only economic terms but in terms of life. Please do not forget, war is not just a physical or military undertaking, it is also an “economic” undertaking. I believe that the Chinese would like to strike swiftly from an economic standpoint when they finally pull the plug. They will demand delivery of all sorts of COMEX products, particularly gold and silver. They will default on many derivatives and leave the Western banking system holding the bag. Oil and resource contracts will be triggered where the flow moves East as opposed to West (think Saudi Arabia and others here). The wholesale dumping of U.S. Treasuries and dollars will also be a distinct possibility. And as you know, the prices of gold and silver will be marked up and away from the grasp of “buyers” who finally “get it” but just a little bit too late. Of course, the flow of manufactured goods and even necessities that we no longer produce in the U.S. will cease. In short, we will economically be put into a vice grip overnight.
One last quote for you and this one I believe is very pertinent, “When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard”. I would equate this to the current and common saying that “desperate people do desperate things”. This as you know by some of my recent writings is a great fear of mine and I believe also a great fear of the international community. The actions or should I say “reactions” by the U.S. to losing power is of the greatest importance and unfortunately of least certainty. No one really knows exactly what the U.S. will do or how they will respond to various situations because policy has become “reactive” at best. From what I have been able to see, I believe that the U.S. has had “intentions” of war over both Syria and Ukraine, the only reason this has not happened in my opinion is because of the “chess” like maneuvering of the Chinese and Mr. Putin.
Nobody likes US hegemony.
It appears that a significant portion of the world will be finding out if they like Russian and Chinese hegenomy better.
“The Russians sent a ballerina troupe. All we sent was a couple of Admirals. The admirals were prettier, but they couldn’t dance worth a damn…..”
I guess that depends on your sexual preference. Joe would prefer the rear admirals. I think many Russian and Ukrainian women are very beautiful and I love ballerinas. Dated a few, only found going out to eat a pain, I do not ever wanted to be told again that digesting celery burns more calories than it contains. Don’t know or care if it is a myth.
ABQShill dated a few ballerinas? Wow, that’s rich. I think I may have met like one ballerina in my entire life. Then again, he is a rich lawyer with so much money that he can afford to not work and just post on the HBB all the time.
Or maybe he just lies.
You need to look up the various definition of ballerina, I think you are confusing it with prima ballerina. When in college, I dated several ballet dancers. Ballerina can mean a person that dances ballet. The women I dated were attempting to enter dance companies and at least one made it into a well respected dance company but not at the time, I was dating her. Now, go to your shift at McDonalds.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballerina
We need various definitions for all your lies, Dan.
“I think many Russian and Ukrainian women are very beautiful…”
+1 I heartily agree with this observation especially their ice-cold blue eyes.
Another conspiracy theory
http://tinyurl.com/mvccerk
In which……. CIA airplanes registered as owned by Delaware corporation under innocuous name + Medvac airplanes that flew US Ebola patients to ATL registered in Delaware under innocuous name = Medvac airplane must be owned/operated by CIA.
Delaware ownership doesn’t mean squat. A very high percentage of the business aircraft in the US are registered as being owned by Delaware corporations. Why? Tax reasons, of course.
As far as the owner being registered as “N173PA, LLC”?……Once again, no mystery. Tax reason, liability reasons, and to keep some anonymity for the owners.
Why anonymity?
-Because as soon as you are identified as being the owner of a corporate jet, every salesman in the country is wearing out your phone lines and the carpet in your reception area.
(We recently blocked FlightAware flight tracking on my primary airplane for this very reason……..cold calls from businesses saying “We saw you were at our airport recently…….why didn’t you come here/can we do business? This problem has reached epidemic proportions in the past 18 months).
-When you are a high net worth individual, you don’t want to make it any easier for the kidnappers/extortionists. Like telling them when you are leaving, or when you are going to arrive.
This is my problem with stories like this. He obviously doesn”t understand how things work (and why) in a business I’m very familiar with. I’ve got to wonder how much if the rest of his theory is based on the same kind of know nothing/erroneous thinking.
Could you clarify why the salesmen are calling? Do they want a free ride in the plane…or do they try to sell airplane stuff, or do they just think the owner has money and they try to sell anything at all? And why has this activity ticked up recently? Maybe economy not so good as advertised?
On a (partially) related note, young salespeople try to nail me every weeknight in Home Depot. I’ve gotten to where I can walk by and say “No thanks I don’t need to refinish my cabinets today” without stopping. They look surprised that I know their game.
On a (partially) related note, young salespeople try to nail me every weeknight in Home Depot.
TMI or perhaps nail me meant something different in my day.
BTW, if they are willing to close a sale that way, they really should be Realtors.
You’re a deluded narcissist.
See it is like Lola projecting. Describes him to a tee. It is hard not to call you Rio when you act so much like him. Of course, Joe would be another possibility but seems like Lola to me.
I’m merely calling a spade a spade. You’re so full of yourself you’re oblivious to the world around you. To think that young sales ladies are trying to sleep with your nearly 60 year old @ss is absurd.
When did I say that in this link?
“On a (partially) related note, young salespeople try to nail me every weeknight in Home Depot…BTW, if they are willing to close a sale that way, they really should be Realtors.”
link=thread.
On a (partially) related note, young salespeople try to nail me every weeknight in Home Depot…
That is from Oxide not me.
Please use quotations if you are going to quote somebody, for obvious reasons. That’s what they are for. USE them.
Try reading if you are capable or do you just read my posts? I am flattered.
“Try reading if you are capable or do you just read my posts? I am flattered.”
If you are going to post on a big boy and big girl blog, LEARN the English language, and the associated grammar. You write like a child.
Sorry, if I do not feel the need to proof read for you. I type badly and autocorrect takes over. When you take the time to think, I will take the time to proof read. Do we have a bargain?
Kind of a moot(?) point for a-dan, since the ambush sales people are 90% guys. The one girl who ambushed me was the best one. She started her pitch by chatting with me as I tried to choose some molding. I praised her for the strategy but advised her that it would work better if she hid the clipboard.
Not likin’ the direction that a-dan is going. First he informs Ben that he is available to answer posts only on the day of post, and only then before bedtime; otherwise we must accept the tragedy of the deprivation of his wit. Now he’s informing us that since HE has a smartphone, we must expect and endure the typos that accompany smarphone users. He wasn’t always like this; in fact not until recently. His Chinese paymasters must be compensating him well that he feels justified in turning his nose up at the mere mortals on the blog like a Siamese cat refusing food that is merely above average.
Maybe the paymasters gave him some cheap Chinese phone that results in a lot of typos. Or maybe he’s Chinese himself and the spelling mistakes are due to the fact that he still working on learning English.
Maybe you just don’t like it and I have been right about Obama. If he is not the worse president this country has ever had he is number 2 and trying harder.
“Not likin’ the direction that a-dan is going. First he informs Ben that he is available to answer posts only on the day of post, and only then before bedtime; otherwise we must accept the tragedy of the deprivation of his wit.”
I think that’s the very day I was finally fed up with his BS. Ben called him out, and he disappeared like a yellow-bellied snake in the grass, but not before he spent more time talking about how he couldn’t respond than an actual response would have taken. What a piece of crap shill.
I think that’s the very day I was finally fed up with his BS. Ben called him out, and he disappeared like a yellow-bellied snake in the grass, but not before he spent more time talking about how he couldn’t respond than an actual response would have taken. What a piece of crap shill.
Like I did not talk about China as soon as I had finished my work assignment and answered all of Ben’s points. So much so that Whac folded up like an accordion on the issue. So if you are not Whac why don’t you make your prediction for China’s GDP for the next few years?
Whac just got sick of you, PropagandaDan.
Yes, we are all sick of the endless BS.
Of course, Joe would be another possibility but seems like Lola to me.
You know, when you write things like that, and don’t see the difference in tone and style and aspects of nuance, (you obviously don’t perceive) it makes most of us, who do see these things, realize that you actually can’t.
And that says something about you. And what it says is not that flattering.
I have been right about Obama.
Braggart. Only because you have Rasmussen.
ADan be confused!
Usually (but not always) guys selling corporate aviation support services…….fuel, maintenance, limos/private cars, etc.
As the airplanes are usually owned/operated under an LLC, we have made it a practice to only give out the hangar address as our business address. That way, all of the crap mail/calls come here, instead of the company offices.
Again, primarily for tax and liability reason, the “owner” and “operator” may be the same person/company. A typical deal is where the airplane is “owned” by a Delaware corporation that has been set up to be “operated” by a locally based LLC.
I’ve got my own theories as far as why……over the past 5-6 years, the private equity vultures have bought up most of the various support and maintenance companies. Since the business as a whole is still in a mini-depression/recession, the only way to “grow” sales is to steal them from someone else. And as usual, everybody’s salary/bonus is tied to an increase in sales. Hence the cold calls and full court press. These guys can (and frequently) do drop by the shop unannounced
As the airplanes are usually owned/operated under an LLC
Off topic but I just saw “Flight” with Denzel Washington. If you saw it, were those moves remotely possible with the damage to that plane?
“On a (partially) related note, young salespeople try to nail me every weeknight in Home Depot. I’ve gotten to where I can walk by and say “No thanks I don’t need to refinish my cabinets today” without stopping. They look surprised that I know their game.”
Chances are the people who are accosting you are not direct Home Depot employees, but employed by the vendor and are posted inside Home Depot. You can usually tell if the apron is a different color than the Home Depot orange one. Many big box stores have these “vendor partnership” programs now, from Home Depot to Lowe’s to WalMart to Costco to Sam’s Club, etc. These programs push everything from home improvements to telecommunications services to energy drinks, etc. They grew out of the original “ambush marketing” strategy popular in the 1990s.
When accosted by someone pushing home improvements, all you need are the three magic words “I’m a renter” and they’ll back off fast. I even do that when I see an air conditioning or window company come up on my caller ID. I answer the phone with “I’m a renter”.
a-dan, they target me — well they target everyone — but I seem to stand out. Woman wearing a dress and heels in a Home Depot? Their immediate thought is that I have a rich husband just dying to buy a me new kitchen to keep me happy. Cha-ching.
They don’t wear aprons at all. They are college-age and wear business casual and are carrying a clipboard. They may as well wear a neon sign. A couple of them (props to them) at least try to learn a little about the stuff in the store so they can help customers which may help the sales pitch. It’s hard not to tell them off, but you know, these are the Millenials we read about. They live at home, and this is the only low-pay job they could find to pay off the college loans.
Their immediate thought is that I have a rich husband just dying to buy a me new kitchen to keep me happy. Cha-ching.
That would be a very old fashioned attitude to come from a millennial. It’s possible that they may think that you could afford it without a husband. It’s also possible that they have some sort financing available that would allow you to pay it off over many months.
They probably only get paid commission, which is where the desperation comes form.
They probably only get paid commission, which is where the desperation comes form.
All the store clerks get paid commission in Brazil and are on you like white on rice. Today I went to one of the most upscale Shopping Malls in Rio.
http://www.barrashopping.com.br/
And saw a Perry Ellis polo shirt for $110. T shirt for $70? What’s up with that? Some of you guys don’t think race has played a HUGE role in the world? LOL. The place was whiter than any mall in America and Brasil is half “colored”. This world has a long way to go and no I didn’t buy the shirt.
I’m a renter, hear me roar?
“I answer the phone with “I’m a renter”.”
Even more effective is “I’m in foreclosure.”
fixer some eye candy:
http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/most-beautiful-russian-women/
How could they leave out Luba Shumeyko?
Off topic question:
What’s the best way (sound quality wise) to transfer vinyl recordings to digital music files? And what type of file?
WAV files
What’s the best way (sound quality wise) to transfer vinyl recordings to digital music files? And what type of file?
WAV file is the best but it is uncompressed meaning it will take a LOT of storage space. If you have a $2000-$50,000 stereo and are an audiophile it’s the way to go maybe, but if you are an audiophile you would like vinyl better because it is better under good conditions- but not portable.
Now if it’s to listen to on an ipod or a $300 stereo or $20 headphones then I’d go MP3 at about a rate of between 128 and 192kbps which is “high” quality for MP3 but it takes way less storage space than wav files.
As far as how? There are many ways. Easiest? A service that will do it for you. Kinkos? (I’ve been away awhile) Here’s some simple ways I pulled off another site.
Being a bit of a tightwad, I refuse to pay extra bucks for something that I already own, so I chose not to purchase a USB turntable; I just use my existing stereo turntable (circa 1976) and amplifier (circa 1994).
I connect the headphone socket on the amplifier to an analogue to digital converter. These are available from most electronic suppliers, and can cost from $30 to $70, depending on the brand. This unit then connects to your PC, and the included software then allows you to record your old vinyls to digital format. (Similarly, you can also record other analogue source such as audio cassettes, open-reel tapes and - [heaven forbid!] 8-track cartridge tapes…)
Then you can either copy your tracks to CD, or a removable USB memory stick, or save them to iTunes, as I do.
A couple of points worthy of mentioning, however:
1) Make sure that you have a new stylus in your phono cartridge (these are getting more difficult to obtain these days, and will set you back up to $60….) This ensures the best quality sound reproduction from those wonderful old vinyls.
2) Make sure that the volume from your amplifier’s headphone socket is adjusted very, very low - otherwise you will get nothing but distortion in your recording.
I have literally thousands of tracks in my iTunes library that I have successfully copied this way, and apart from the obvious ‘clicks’ and ‘pops’ that come from the occasional scratch in the vinyl records, they sound great!
You must accept some loss of quality as you convert to mp3 format, but this is true of any analogue signal that you copy, with any sort of converter, even the aforementioned USB turntables….
Hope this helps.
What’s the best way (sound quality wise) to transfer vinyl recordings to digital music files? And what type of file?
Buy professionally-transformed digital versions? E.g. buy the CD.
Europe might be so bad right now that more stimulus is on the way
which will send another sugar infusion into the patient. Always interesting to try to predict what’s going on, but most of us should be humbled over how wrong we’ve been over the past 10 years in our predictions.
I’d like to get more out of stocks right now because the fall is protracted but highly overdue.
Why do people get so shaken when normal things happen? That goes for me too?
Worthless housing… worthless worthless housing. Housing is worth less and less with each passing day.
Thus far, 31 of 105 posts are Albuquerquedan’s (aka Scarecrow).
31/105 = 30% of ALL posts. I think people have stopped reading and commenting because of this guy. With his China pimping, global non-warming rhetoric, commodities pimping, and overall paid shilling, etc. he is running off people interested in the global housing bubble. A shame.
Maybe they are sick of your attacks upon me. Most of my comments seem to cause replies. Most of your posts invite crickets.
Many we should take a poll here. How many people are sick of attacks on Dan? How many approve of those attacks? Who is neutral on the question? Start your voting now.
Maybe they are sick of all the food fighting. But keep posting and I will keep responding and then you can add up the posts and everyone can be bored. However, what you will not succeed in doing is driving me from the board in an attempt to keep me from commenting on Obama’s failures.
I approve of the attacks against ADan.
“Most of my comments seem to cause replies.”
Of the negative variety. People don’t like you.
“People don’t like you.”
I like dan and I’m a people.
Of course I’m a white man and I know some people don’t like those people.
“I’m happy to see these old white men GOP’ers die off.”
Thank you. I know it is just a few people a couple of whom post with many handles both known and unknown.
Now, I know that Guillotine Renovator: (1) is an insane Obama supporter. (2) claims to be white (3) claims to be a renter.
Lola claims to be black and a homeowner. Joe claims to white and a homeowner and is not an insane Obama supporter. Whac is an insane Obama supporter, claims to be a renter, I do not know if he has ever identified his race. Other circumstantial evidence pointing in his direction is that as the posts for Guillotine Renovator have soared his posts have plummeted. Yes, he is definitely a likely candidate.
Well of course you do, Jeff, because your extreme right wing rhetoric and xenophobia matches up with his.
I don’t “claim” to be white, I AM white. I bet I’m “whiter” than you, Dan. And I don’t like Obama, but I don’t like any US politician and really don’t know of any who are much better than the next, regardless of party. That’s the difference between you and I. You are blindly subscribing to a corrupt group. And show me where I ever claimed to be a renter. I don’t remember where I did. You are, as usual, a LIAR, Scarecrow. Everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie.
“I don’t “claim” to be white, I AM white. I bet I’m “whiter” than you, Dan.”
Who is gonna judge this contest?
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday hit back hard against countries that have imposed sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, ordering trade cuts that an official said would include a ban on all imports of agricultural products from the United States.
The full list of products to be banned or limited for up to one year is to be published Thursday. But the state news agency RIA Novosti quoted Alexei Alexeenko of Russia’s plant and veterinary oversight service as saying “from the USA, all products that are produced there and brought to Russia will be prohibited.”
Alexeenko also was quoted as saying he thinks all fruits and vegetables from European Union countries will also be banned.
The move follows the latest round of sanctions against Russia imposed by the EU last week, which for the first time targeted entire sectors of the Russian economy.
Should help the Democrats in the farm states. (not).
“…a ban on all imports of agricultural products from the United States.”
Their black market will supply these U.S. products at higher prices.
Biden on Minors at Border: ‘These Are Our Kids’
WASHINGTON — Aug 6, 2014, 5:18 PM ET
By JOSH LEDERMAN Associated Press
Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the United States will be judged by how it treats the thousands of young immigrants showing up on its border, but warned that the U.S. will be forced to send some minors back to dangerous, unfortunate environments nonetheless.
“These are not somebody else’s kids. These are our kids,” Biden said.
Appealing to lawyers to help represent unaccompanied minors, Biden said it would be a difficult task for an overburdened legal system to assess whether children apprehended on the border meet the criteria for refugee status and whether returning them would risk their physical demise.
At the same time, he said it’s not feasible for the U.S. to let children stay here just because they would be better off in the U.S. than in their home countries.
“Judges are going to be sending some kids back to environments that aren’t’ as good even as the facilities they’re living in,” Biden said, referring to detention facilities the U.S. has hastily set up to house the influx of immigrants. But their circumstances “will not meet the standards of asylum.”
Biden’s remarks to people in the legal services community reflected the sense of urgency the Obama administration sees in securing legal representation for more than 57,000 unaccompanied children despite its inability to persuade Congress to agree on emergency funds to address the influx. The White House said fewer than half of those children currently have lawyers.
Biden said the key to stemming the surge is to address the root causes in violence-plagued Central American nations that are prompting parents to hand their children over to “unscrupulous” individuals to smuggle them over the border. Yet he lamented that domestic political concerns were preventing the leaders of those nations, who came to the White House last month to discuss the crisis, from taking the types of steps that Colombia has taken to curb narcotics and corruption under a U.S. assistance program known as Plan Colombia.
“Central American governments aren’t even close to being prepared to make some of the decisions the Colombians made, because they’re hard,” Biden said. “But the president and I are prepared.”
abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/biden-minors-border-kids-24869433 -
If Biden had 50 million sons they would look like these invading little bastards.
Region VIII checking in.
Region IV checked in and reading the card.
VLADIMIR PUTIN SIGNS HISTORIC $20BN OIL DEAL WITH IRAN TO BYPASS WESTERN SANCTIONS
Russian government will help Iran bring its oil to market
by ANDREW TROTMAN | THE TELEGRAPH | AUGUST 6, 2014
Vladimir Putin has agreed a $20bn (£11.8bn) trade deal with Iran that will see Russia sidestep Western sanctions on its energy sector.
Under the terms of a five-year accord, Russia will help Iran organise oil sales as well as “cooperate in the oil-gas industry, construction of power plants, grids, supply of machinery, consumer goods and agriculture products”, according to a statement by the Energy Ministry in Moscow.
The Russian government issued a new statement on Wednesday after mysteriously withdrawing a similar release on Tuesday.
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday that his government will help Iran bring its oil to market. In return, Iran wants to imort power and pump equipment, steel products such as pipes, machinery for its leather and textile industries, wood, wheat, pulses, oilseeds and meat.
Iran “is also interested in the joint construction of power generation and development of coal deposits”, Mr Novak added.
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