Statement by the Family of Charlton Heston: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance: "BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., April 5, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Legendary actor, civil rights leader and political activist Charlton Heston passed away today, at the age of 84. He died at his home with Lydia, his wife of 64 years, at his side. Mr. Heston was loved by his two children, Fraser Clarke Heston and Holly Heston Rochell, and his three grandchildren, Jack Alexander Heston, Ridley Rochell and Charlie Rochell."
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I'm sorry to hear this. He was a fine actor and a fascinating individual.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Bloomberg.com: Exclusive
Bloomberg.com: Banks delaying foreclosure on delinquent mortgages: "April 4 (Bloomberg) -- Banks are so overwhelmed by the U.S. housing crisis they've started to look the other way when homeowners stop paying their mortgages. The number of borrowers at least 90 days late on their home loans rose to 3.6 percent at the end of December, the highest in at least five years, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association in Washington. That figure, for the first time, is almost double the 2 percent who have been foreclosed on. Lenders who allow owners to stay in their homes are distorting the record foreclosure rate and delaying the worst of the housing decline, said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com, a unit of New York-based Moody's Corp. These borrowers will eventually push the number of delinquencies even higher and send more homes onto an already glutted market."
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With 2% foreclosed on and another 3.6% having one foot in foreclosure and the other foot on a banana peel, I think it safe to say that there is no end in sight to the mortgage meltdown.
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With 2% foreclosed on and another 3.6% having one foot in foreclosure and the other foot on a banana peel, I think it safe to say that there is no end in sight to the mortgage meltdown.
Leonardo DiCaprio Buys An Eco-Friendly NYC Condo - Starpulse Entertainment News Blog
Leonardo DiCaprio Buys An Eco-Friendly NYC Condo - Starpulse Entertainment News Blog: "NEW YORK (AP) - Every time he comes home, Leonardo DiCaprio is practicing what he preaches. The environmentally conscious actor has bought an apartment in Riverhouse, an eco-friendly building overlooking the Hudson River. The purchase was confirmed on Friday by Christopher Daly, president of Sheldrake Organization, the developer of the Battery Park City complex. Occupancy is slated for this summer. The 264-unit condominium glass tower overlooks the river and a park, and boasts low emission paints, a 24-hour fresh filtered air system, a water treatment facility and rotating solar panels. DiCaprio seemingly also will have everything at his fingertips. The David Rockwell-designed high-rise features an indoor 50-foot lap pool, media cafe, fitness center, landscaped terrace - and dog spa. The building also will house the City Bakery and a branch of the New York Public Library."
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I think there will be more of these "eco-friendly" developments in the years to come. But they will be expensive. It's nice that these stars have private jets, so they can fly around saving the planet from people like me who drive SUVs to the train station.
What goes on in a dog spa, anyway? All my dog wants to do is sleep, eat, bark, and play. I don't think he wants cucumber slices on his eyes, but I could be wrong.
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I think there will be more of these "eco-friendly" developments in the years to come. But they will be expensive. It's nice that these stars have private jets, so they can fly around saving the planet from people like me who drive SUVs to the train station.
What goes on in a dog spa, anyway? All my dog wants to do is sleep, eat, bark, and play. I don't think he wants cucumber slices on his eyes, but I could be wrong.
Diaper-clad monkey gets out of home, chases people into street -- Wildlife, Orange County (Florida) -- OrlandoSentinel.com
Diaper-clad monkey gets out of home, chases people into street -- Wildlife, Orange County (Florida) -- OrlandoSentinel.com: "A diaper-wearing monkey named Prada chased after residents at a southwest Orlando condo complex Friday before animal-control workers tricked him into a cage with their secret weapon: a banana."
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With a name like Prada this monkey might make a good purse. Just a thought.
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With a name like Prada this monkey might make a good purse. Just a thought.
Good deed lands Boca couple in trouble with condo board -- Rentals, Broward County, Paul Ryan -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Good deed lands Boca couple in trouble with condo board -- Rentals, Broward County, Paul Ryan -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
He was a "gentle" Army veteran living quietly in his Boca Raton condo when his world came apart. Two years ago, former Postal Service worker Paul Ryan, 60, had a nervous breakdown and couldn't work, care for himself or pay his bills. He has no family to help him. With Foreclosure on his Boca Verde apartment imminent, Rhode Island real estate investors Carol and Sabatino Ranucci stepped in. The snowbirds have owned a unit in the same building as Ryan for more than 20 years. They saw he had no place to go and rushed to his aid. The Ranuccis paid his bills, took him to doctors, picked up his medicine and helped him get disability benefits. In March 2007, they bought the 1,043-square-foot apartment that he had purchased in 2003 and let him stay at no charge. Now, however, the Boca Verde condo board wants Ryan out. It has filed a lawsuit that could become a test of how much discretion directors have when it comes to enforcing rules.
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I'm always getting knocked for pointing to nasty, stupid things condo and HOA boards do. I would be happy to post links to stories about boards showing common sense and human decency and helping their members find solutions to their problems. Unfortunately, such things things either don't seem to happen very often, or if and when they do they don't make it into the local press. Maybe the people who are so convinced that these associations are terrific could start sending me all these good news stories they claim are so common.
He was a "gentle" Army veteran living quietly in his Boca Raton condo when his world came apart. Two years ago, former Postal Service worker Paul Ryan, 60, had a nervous breakdown and couldn't work, care for himself or pay his bills. He has no family to help him. With Foreclosure on his Boca Verde apartment imminent, Rhode Island real estate investors Carol and Sabatino Ranucci stepped in. The snowbirds have owned a unit in the same building as Ryan for more than 20 years. They saw he had no place to go and rushed to his aid. The Ranuccis paid his bills, took him to doctors, picked up his medicine and helped him get disability benefits. In March 2007, they bought the 1,043-square-foot apartment that he had purchased in 2003 and let him stay at no charge. Now, however, the Boca Verde condo board wants Ryan out. It has filed a lawsuit that could become a test of how much discretion directors have when it comes to enforcing rules.
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I'm always getting knocked for pointing to nasty, stupid things condo and HOA boards do. I would be happy to post links to stories about boards showing common sense and human decency and helping their members find solutions to their problems. Unfortunately, such things things either don't seem to happen very often, or if and when they do they don't make it into the local press. Maybe the people who are so convinced that these associations are terrific could start sending me all these good news stories they claim are so common.
Cryptic Clarity - » 10 Things You Might Not Know About the Peace Symbol
Cryptic Clarity - » 10 Things You Might Not Know About the Peace Symbol: "☮ In 2006, a suburban couple in Denver used it as a Christmas Wreath and was threatened by the homeowner’s association with a daily fine if they didn’t remove it. A member of the association told the newspaper that it was an anti-Christ sign."
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I didn't know it was invented in 1958.
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I didn't know it was invented in 1958.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Foreclosures force HOAs to cut corners on upkeep
Foreclosures force HOAs to cut corners on upkeep
Fred Pilot sent this along. I have been pointing out the fiscal fragility of HOA and condo associations for years. Major challenges such as earthquakes, floods, construction defects, tort suits, and other unforeseen events can push an association into insolvency. Along comes the foreclosure tsunami that cuts off anticipated assessment revenues, and now we have associations discovering that they are in financial trouble. If this new level of local government is to be funded entirely by homeowners, in addition to being run by homeowners, it is easy to see that as the owners to, so go the associations.
Fred Pilot sent this along. I have been pointing out the fiscal fragility of HOA and condo associations for years. Major challenges such as earthquakes, floods, construction defects, tort suits, and other unforeseen events can push an association into insolvency. Along comes the foreclosure tsunami that cuts off anticipated assessment revenues, and now we have associations discovering that they are in financial trouble. If this new level of local government is to be funded entirely by homeowners, in addition to being run by homeowners, it is easy to see that as the owners to, so go the associations.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Woman Accused Of Burning Home On Eve Of Foreclosure - Greenville News Story - WYFF Greenville
Woman Accused Of Burning Home On Eve Of Foreclosure - Greenville News Story - WYFF Greenville: "EASLEY, S.C. -- An Upstate woman is accused of setting her house on fire the night before it was to be foreclosed."
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Hey, maybe she just accidentally spilled some gasoline on the carpet and then accidentally dropped a match in it.
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Hey, maybe she just accidentally spilled some gasoline on the carpet and then accidentally dropped a match in it.
Weightlifter fined for noisy exercise - Telegraph
Weightlifter fined for noisy exercise - Telegraph: "A weightlifter has been fined £70 for exercising too loudly. Giran Jobe, 36, was charged with 47 breaches of a noise abatement order after neighbours complained that his two-hour training sessions with dumbbells left them unable to sleep. A council team investigating complaints about noise from his top-floor flat in Margate, Kent, found that at times the level hit 100 decibels - as loud as a rock concert."
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This guy should marry that Russian tennis player who screams with every shot.
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This guy should marry that Russian tennis player who screams with every shot.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
AB 1921 Assembly Bill - INTRODUCED
AB 1921 Assembly Bill - INTRODUCED
Here is the full text of A.B. 1921 (see below). This is going to its first hearing tomorrow. It has just been introduced.
Here is the full text of A.B. 1921 (see below). This is going to its first hearing tomorrow. It has just been introduced.
Donie Vanitzian dissects California A.B. 1921
Villa Appalling co-author and L.A. Times columnist Donie Vanitzian has a lengthy and very critical analysis of the massive rewrite of the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act that was drafted mainly by the California Law Revision Commission.
Villa Appalling co-author and L.A. Times columnist Donie Vanitzian has a lengthy and very critical analysis of the massive rewrite of the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act that was drafted mainly by the California Law Revision Commission.
In Plainfield, developer, preservationists in fight over fate of two old homes -- Road Transportation, Windham County -- chicagotribune.com
In Plainfield, developer, preservationists in fight over fate of two old homes -- Road Transportation, Windham County -- chicagotribune.com: "Main Street Plainfield remained frozen in time for more than a century. These days, though, with suburban sprawl engulfing the village, only a few Greek revival homes survive alongside chain stores and offices.
A Walgreens built where an 1837 cobbler shop once stood is a bitter reminder for some old-timers of just how much the historic corridor has changed. A new threat of losing two more pioneer homes has galvanized residents who fear the village may lose its special allure if demolitions continue."
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From Mystery Reader comes this story of a clash between historic preservation and the need to accommodate growth in a fast-growing area southwest of Chicago.
A Walgreens built where an 1837 cobbler shop once stood is a bitter reminder for some old-timers of just how much the historic corridor has changed. A new threat of losing two more pioneer homes has galvanized residents who fear the village may lose its special allure if demolitions continue."
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From Mystery Reader comes this story of a clash between historic preservation and the need to accommodate growth in a fast-growing area southwest of Chicago.
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