Extinct boobies return from the dead - environment - 13 August 2009 - New Scientist
It's not what you think.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Eldo Telecom: Migration of boomers to Penturbia will boost small town broadband
Eldo Telecom: Migration of boomers to Penturbia will boost small town broadband: "The Daily Yonder has an interesting item in today's issue that lends credence to Jack Lessinger's prediction two decades ago that America is poised to enter its fifth major settlement pattern. This fifth era -- dubbed Penturbia by Lessinger in the title of his 1990 book on the topic -- will be marked by a shift away from metro areas and suburbs to less populated smaller towns outside of metro areas.
The Daily Yonder story cites a U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service forecast that the baby boomers -- a hugely populous demographic group -- will shun the burbs in favor of Lessinger's Penturbs. A big draw will be natural amenities, which a map accompanying the article shows are primarily in the western U.S.
This is also where the nation's telecommunications infrastructure is least likely to offer broadband and other advanced telecommunications services, services the boomers are likely to expect and demand but telcos and cable companies have found difficult to profitably provide there. An influx of boomers could change those economics. And where the providers won't upgrade or expand their infrastructures, look for the boomers to form telecom cooperatives and do the job themselves."
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So says blogger Fred Pilot.
The Daily Yonder story cites a U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service forecast that the baby boomers -- a hugely populous demographic group -- will shun the burbs in favor of Lessinger's Penturbs. A big draw will be natural amenities, which a map accompanying the article shows are primarily in the western U.S.
This is also where the nation's telecommunications infrastructure is least likely to offer broadband and other advanced telecommunications services, services the boomers are likely to expect and demand but telcos and cable companies have found difficult to profitably provide there. An influx of boomers could change those economics. And where the providers won't upgrade or expand their infrastructures, look for the boomers to form telecom cooperatives and do the job themselves."
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So says blogger Fred Pilot.
Kausfiles : Will You/Won't You Be on My "Death Panel"?
Kausfiles : Will You/Won't You Be on My "Death Panel"?: "THE PRESIDENT: So that's where I think you just get into some very difficult moral issues. But that's also a huge driver of cost, right?
I mean, the chronically ill and those toward the end of their lives are accounting for potentially 80 percent of the total health care bill out here.
LEONHARDT: So how do you - how do we deal with it?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think that there is going to have to be a conversation that is guided by doctors, scientists, ethicists. And then there is going to have to be a very difficult democratic conversation that takes place. It is very difficult to imagine the country making those decisions just through the normal political channels. And that's part of why you have to have some independent group that can give you guidance. It's not determinative, but I think has to be able to give you some guidance. And that's part of what I suspect you'll see emerging out of the various health care conversations that are taking place on the Hill right now."
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And Mickey Kaus thinks calling that "independent group" a "death panel" (Sarah Palin's term) might not be such a stretch. The point, as Kaus puts it, is that "he's talking about a panel of independent experts making end-of-life recommendations in order to save costs that have an effect at an individual level."
And by "independent" he means people who don't care about your Mom--not her MD, not her family members, and not Mom herself. Right now, these decisions are largely made by the MD and the patient, with family input. But under Obama's plan, there would be a government panel making cost-benefit decisions about cases like this.
My Mom is 87 and has a chronic painful condition--osteoporosis of the spine. She just had an expensive surgical procedure done on her spine to relieve the pain of multiple stress fractures. As a result she is now back on her walker moving around. For how long? I don't know. Maybe not long. Is it worth the expense? You bet. And I don't like the idea of some "independent" people having the power to recommend denial of Medicare payment for that procedure on the basis that it isn't a good allocation of government resources, given her age and condition, so let her just take pain killers and lie in bed (until she gets pneumomia and dies). And I am completely convinced by everything Obama and others have said that this is exactly the kind of cost-benefit decision they want the government to make.
Clearly, many people are furious and terrified about this prospect. That doesn't surprise me. What does surprise me is that so many people stubbornly refuse to acknowledge that this is what is being proposed. Obama has said over and over that he wants to do this. He just sugar-coats it with a lot of talk about "difficult choices," and then he fobs that whole mess off onto a mysterious panel of academic and governmental experts who will make "recommendations" about life and death.
It is no wonder people are blowing their tops at these meetings with their elected representatives.
I mean, the chronically ill and those toward the end of their lives are accounting for potentially 80 percent of the total health care bill out here.
LEONHARDT: So how do you - how do we deal with it?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think that there is going to have to be a conversation that is guided by doctors, scientists, ethicists. And then there is going to have to be a very difficult democratic conversation that takes place. It is very difficult to imagine the country making those decisions just through the normal political channels. And that's part of why you have to have some independent group that can give you guidance. It's not determinative, but I think has to be able to give you some guidance. And that's part of what I suspect you'll see emerging out of the various health care conversations that are taking place on the Hill right now."
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And Mickey Kaus thinks calling that "independent group" a "death panel" (Sarah Palin's term) might not be such a stretch. The point, as Kaus puts it, is that "he's talking about a panel of independent experts making end-of-life recommendations in order to save costs that have an effect at an individual level."
And by "independent" he means people who don't care about your Mom--not her MD, not her family members, and not Mom herself. Right now, these decisions are largely made by the MD and the patient, with family input. But under Obama's plan, there would be a government panel making cost-benefit decisions about cases like this.
My Mom is 87 and has a chronic painful condition--osteoporosis of the spine. She just had an expensive surgical procedure done on her spine to relieve the pain of multiple stress fractures. As a result she is now back on her walker moving around. For how long? I don't know. Maybe not long. Is it worth the expense? You bet. And I don't like the idea of some "independent" people having the power to recommend denial of Medicare payment for that procedure on the basis that it isn't a good allocation of government resources, given her age and condition, so let her just take pain killers and lie in bed (until she gets pneumomia and dies). And I am completely convinced by everything Obama and others have said that this is exactly the kind of cost-benefit decision they want the government to make.
Clearly, many people are furious and terrified about this prospect. That doesn't surprise me. What does surprise me is that so many people stubbornly refuse to acknowledge that this is what is being proposed. Obama has said over and over that he wants to do this. He just sugar-coats it with a lot of talk about "difficult choices," and then he fobs that whole mess off onto a mysterious panel of academic and governmental experts who will make "recommendations" about life and death.
It is no wonder people are blowing their tops at these meetings with their elected representatives.
Foreclosures rise 7 percent in July from June - Yahoo! News
Foreclosures rise 7 percent in July from June - Yahoo! News: "The number of U.S. households on the verge of losing their homes rose 7 percent from June to July, as the escalating foreclosure crisis continued to outpace government efforts to limit the damage.
Foreclosure filings were up 32 percent from the same month last year, RealtyTrac Inc. said Thursday."
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This recession is starting to remind me of the late 1970s, when the economy wouldn't fully recover for years. Various economic indicators would point up, others would trend down, and things just kept sputtering along. Politicians would argue about what to do, but nobody really seemed to know.
Foreclosure filings were up 32 percent from the same month last year, RealtyTrac Inc. said Thursday."
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This recession is starting to remind me of the late 1970s, when the economy wouldn't fully recover for years. Various economic indicators would point up, others would trend down, and things just kept sputtering along. Politicians would argue about what to do, but nobody really seemed to know.
How about sporks?
Lynn bans BB guns, bats, clubs to increase school safety - The Boston Globe: "The City Council authorized police this week to arrest students who bring to school objects that could be used as weapons, officials said.
The ordinance, which passed Tuesday, expands the definition of a weapon to include items that are otherwise legal but could be used to inflict physical harm, said Police Chief Kevin F. Coppinger."
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They didn't "ban" these things. They made it a crime to bring anything to school that could be used as a weapon. There is a constitutional rule that says it is a denial of due process of law to draft a vague, overly-broad ordinance that could include just about anything, depending on how the police feel at the moment. Kind of like this one? How do you like this: "“We’re trying to be proactive,’’ Coppinger said. “We didn’t see an uptick in kids bringing weapons to school." He said police will make arrests depending on an individual’s actions, motivations, and circumstances.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Michigan Dems consider 2010 ballot proposals - Coldwater, MI - The Daily Reporter
State Dems consider 2010 ballot proposals - Coldwater, MI - The Daily Reporter: "The state Democratic Party (MDP) has raised eyebrows and drawn fire by suggesting some controversial ballot proposals for next year’s general elections.
With the heading of “Putting People First,” they listed them as such:
- Mandating all employers to provide affordable health care for their employees and dependents or pay a penalty.
- Raising the minimum wage from $7.40 per hour to $10 and covering all workers with no exceptions.
- Increasing unemployment benefits by $100/week, making all workers eligible and adding six months to the time one can receive benefits.
- Cutting utility rates by 20 percent.
- Imposing a one-year moratorium on home foreclosures."
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Wow. Michigan's economy is already just about the worst of all states. This ought to drive out the rest of the businesses.
With the heading of “Putting People First,” they listed them as such:
- Mandating all employers to provide affordable health care for their employees and dependents or pay a penalty.
- Raising the minimum wage from $7.40 per hour to $10 and covering all workers with no exceptions.
- Increasing unemployment benefits by $100/week, making all workers eligible and adding six months to the time one can receive benefits.
- Cutting utility rates by 20 percent.
- Imposing a one-year moratorium on home foreclosures."
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Wow. Michigan's economy is already just about the worst of all states. This ought to drive out the rest of the businesses.
Shut Yer Mouth: Man Gets 6 Months for Yawning | NBC New York
Shut Yer Mouth: Man Gets 6 Months for Yawning | NBC New York: "[Clifton} Williams, 33, attended his cousin's July hearing at Will County Courthouse in Joliet. His cousin, Jason Mayfield, pled guilty to a felony drug charge. As the judge sentenced Mayfield to two years probation, Williams let out a yawn, an involuntary faux pas in such a formal setting.
Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak thought the yawn was criminal and sentenced Williams to six months in jail, the maximum penalty for contempt of court without a jury trial. Rozak's order said that Williams 'raised his hands while at the same time making a loud yawning sound,' causing a disrespectful interruption in court."
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The article goes on to say that Judge Rozak is known for this sort of thing.
Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak thought the yawn was criminal and sentenced Williams to six months in jail, the maximum penalty for contempt of court without a jury trial. Rozak's order said that Williams 'raised his hands while at the same time making a loud yawning sound,' causing a disrespectful interruption in court."
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The article goes on to say that Judge Rozak is known for this sort of thing.
Obama Says Grandmother’s Hip Replacement Raises Cost Questions - Bloomberg.com
Obama Says Grandmother’s Hip Replacement Raises Cost Questions - Bloomberg.com: "Obama said “you just get into some very difficult moral issues” when considering whether “to give my grandmother, or everybody else’s aging grandparents or parents, a hip replacement when they’re terminally ill.
“That’s where I think you just get into some very difficult moral issues,” he said in the April 14 interview. “The chronically ill and those toward the end of their lives are accounting for potentially 80 percent of the total health- care bill out here.”"
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That was Obama on April 14, 2008. In the previous sentence, he said, "“I would have paid out of pocket for that hip replacement just because she’s my grandmother.” So it is seems that he is questioning whether Medicare should pay for procedures like this. That's the only way it becomes a public policy issue. He made other similar statements. How far does he want to carry this cost-benefit principle in rationing health care to the elderly?
“That’s where I think you just get into some very difficult moral issues,” he said in the April 14 interview. “The chronically ill and those toward the end of their lives are accounting for potentially 80 percent of the total health- care bill out here.”"
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That was Obama on April 14, 2008. In the previous sentence, he said, "“I would have paid out of pocket for that hip replacement just because she’s my grandmother.” So it is seems that he is questioning whether Medicare should pay for procedures like this. That's the only way it becomes a public policy issue. He made other similar statements. How far does he want to carry this cost-benefit principle in rationing health care to the elderly?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Obama on public-private competition
Breitbart.tv » Obama: ‘It’s the Post Office That’s Always Having Problems’
Yes, it is. But how is that an argument for a "public option" in health care? The US Postal Service has a government-granted monopoly on delivering letters, and also has exclusive access to all citizen-owned mailboxes. Fedex and UPS are excluded from that gigantic market entirely and are restricted to delivering packages.
How would the Postal Service be doing without that monopoly, I wonder? If private businesses could compete to deliver mail, the way they arrange cell phone calls and internet service and deliver packages, what would happen to the US Postal Service?
And that's the example he chose to illustrate his claim that the public option in health care won't wipe out the private insurance industry--a market in which Congress has given a huge protected share of the market to its own government corporation, excluding all competition, and a market in which it is still true, as Obama says, the Postal Service "is always having problems."
Maybe we should all think about that for a minute in the context of Obama's health care proposal--because it seems that he hasn't.
Yes, it is. But how is that an argument for a "public option" in health care? The US Postal Service has a government-granted monopoly on delivering letters, and also has exclusive access to all citizen-owned mailboxes. Fedex and UPS are excluded from that gigantic market entirely and are restricted to delivering packages.
How would the Postal Service be doing without that monopoly, I wonder? If private businesses could compete to deliver mail, the way they arrange cell phone calls and internet service and deliver packages, what would happen to the US Postal Service?
And that's the example he chose to illustrate his claim that the public option in health care won't wipe out the private insurance industry--a market in which Congress has given a huge protected share of the market to its own government corporation, excluding all competition, and a market in which it is still true, as Obama says, the Postal Service "is always having problems."
Maybe we should all think about that for a minute in the context of Obama's health care proposal--because it seems that he hasn't.
Manhunt Underway After Home Invasion in Gated Community - KTLA
Manhunt Underway After Home Invasion in Gated Community - KTLA: "The robbery was reported shortly before 3 a.m. at a residence at an upscale gated community off Grand Avenue called 'The Country', according to Sgt. Bret Bodenstedt of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
A woman was home at the time of time of the robbery, along with her three children.
She was able to fight off her attacker, and she was transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries."
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Some of these places are less secure than others, it seems.
A woman was home at the time of time of the robbery, along with her three children.
She was able to fight off her attacker, and she was transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries."
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Some of these places are less secure than others, it seems.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Lost in Translation: Clinton Says She, Not Bill, is the Secretary of State - Political Punch
Lost in Translation: Clinton Says She, Not Bill, is the Secretary of State - Political Punch
A Congolese student asked Hillary Clinton, through a translator, what President Obama thought of some trade deal between China and the Congo. The translator goofed and said "Mr. Clinton" instead of "Mr. Obama." Hillary Clinton then proceeded to vent her sarcastic spleen at the student (of the male persuasion) for the crime of asking her to "channel" her husband, saying, "My husband is not Secretary of State. I am." Watch the video to get the full pants-suited, 1970s-feminist snarkyness of her response.
But those who understood the original question as being about what Obama thought must have been puzzled by her response. Clinton started referring to "my husband," based on the translator's mistake, and that must have sent some people's brains spinning. They must think that (a) she is married to Barack Obama, and (b) she doesn't give a rip what he thinks about foreign policy.
ps: I think Hillary Clinton is doing a good job overall as Secretary of State, notwithstanding the prickly demeanor that cost her votes during the primary season.
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A Congolese student asked Hillary Clinton, through a translator, what President Obama thought of some trade deal between China and the Congo. The translator goofed and said "Mr. Clinton" instead of "Mr. Obama." Hillary Clinton then proceeded to vent her sarcastic spleen at the student (of the male persuasion) for the crime of asking her to "channel" her husband, saying, "My husband is not Secretary of State. I am." Watch the video to get the full pants-suited, 1970s-feminist snarkyness of her response.
But those who understood the original question as being about what Obama thought must have been puzzled by her response. Clinton started referring to "my husband," based on the translator's mistake, and that must have sent some people's brains spinning. They must think that (a) she is married to Barack Obama, and (b) she doesn't give a rip what he thinks about foreign policy.
ps: I think Hillary Clinton is doing a good job overall as Secretary of State, notwithstanding the prickly demeanor that cost her votes during the primary season.
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Brutalist Style » The Windy Pixel
Brutalist Style » The Windy Pixel: "Brutalism is a term used to describe a specific architectural style popular from the ’50s to the ’70s – you’ve probably seen many examples without knowing they constitute an an architectural movement. Brutalist buildings are typically made of poured concrete and are marked by their blocky, strong, rough appearance. Famous Chicago examples include the University of Chicago’s Regenstein Library and the inner campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago (the building that gets wider as it gets taller is called University Hall – see photo below). Both were designed by Walter Netsch (of Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel fame)."
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Brutalism is such great description of the UIC central campus. The photo shows University Hall (right next to my building, Behavioral Sciences) in some dramatic lighting conditions.
Shoreline Towers condo association plans to be a buyer in foreclosure market -- chicagotribune.com
Shoreline Towers condo association plans to be a buyer in foreclosure market -- chicagotribune.com: "At Shoreline Towers, a 378-unit building along the lake in the city's Edgewater neighborhood, where there's recently been an average of 12 to 14 foreclosures at any given time, board members are trying a new tack. If they receive the required 66 2/3 percent majority approval needed from owners, the association will buy up to eight foreclosed condos during the next two years and rent them as apartments until the housing market improves. Then they'll resell them."
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Condo association turning itself into landlord...thanks to Brian Flood of UIC's Public Affairs Office and Fred Pilot for this link.
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Condo association turning itself into landlord...thanks to Brian Flood of UIC's Public Affairs Office and Fred Pilot for this link.
YouTube - The Public Plan Deception - It's Not About Choice
YouTube - The Public Plan Deception - It's Not About Choice
This is a powerful video. I suppose everything was taken out of context, it's misleading, and so forth. But when you listen to Rep. Schakowsky, who is from the same Chicago machine as Obama, it's hard not to see what the agenda is here.
This is a powerful video. I suppose everything was taken out of context, it's misleading, and so forth. But when you listen to Rep. Schakowsky, who is from the same Chicago machine as Obama, it's hard not to see what the agenda is here.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Iran to privatize northern oil exploration rights
Iran to privatize northern oil exploration rights: "The Iranian Privatization Organization has been given the rights to privatize 80 percent of the rights to explore oil in the country's northern sector and the Caspian Sea."
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I wonder what the Koran says about the ethics of privatization. The requirements for charitable giving, especially to "evkaf" or religious charitable institutions, are pretty demanding.
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I wonder what the Koran says about the ethics of privatization. The requirements for charitable giving, especially to "evkaf" or religious charitable institutions, are pretty demanding.
Neighborhood rules can trump solar power - UPI.com
Neighborhood rules can trump solar power - UPI.com: "WOODBURY, Minn., Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Folks in a Minnesota city say a homeowners association is blocking their plans to install solar-power panels purely because of the way they look.
The dispute was the topic of a recent planning commission meeting in the St. Paul suburb of Woodbury where neighborhood aesthetics were a big issue in the 'greening' of the community, about 70 percent of which is under the jurisdiction of a homeowners' association."
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Clotheslines, solar panels, water-saving landscaping, satellite dishes, pickup trucks, flags, signs, mezuzahs...don't these HOA directors have lives of their own to attend to?
The dispute was the topic of a recent planning commission meeting in the St. Paul suburb of Woodbury where neighborhood aesthetics were a big issue in the 'greening' of the community, about 70 percent of which is under the jurisdiction of a homeowners' association."
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Clotheslines, solar panels, water-saving landscaping, satellite dishes, pickup trucks, flags, signs, mezuzahs...don't these HOA directors have lives of their own to attend to?
Killer's Diary Shows Need to Patrol Web: Top News Stories at Officer.com
Killer's Diary Shows Need to Patrol Web: Top News Stories at Officer.com: "Two days after a gunman killed three people at a suburban Pittsburgh health club, local police said they are taking a closer look at monitoring the Internet."
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When you post something to the web, you are publicizing it, so I don't see this proposal as an invasion of privacy in the normal sense. It is like reading something you spray painted on a wall that could be seen by anybody who passed by. In Fourth Amendment terms it is what we call "plain view," meaning if police are in a place they have a right to be and see something that has value as evidence, it is usable with no warrant because it isn't really a search at all. This Sodini creep created a web page that was out there, but probably nobody saw it because (duh) he didn't have any friends who cared what he was doing.
On the other hand, this kind of police "monitoring" is a bit troubling because it could lead to a lot of frivolous investigations and reputational damage. People say things on the web that they don't mean and would never say but for the anonymity of the web. Many people take on a persona, give themselves a screen name, and talk like some character they made up. When it gets out of hand, moderators often step in, and that's that. But with the cops looking for potential future mass murderers, that kind of rhetoric takes on a different aspect. The anonymity of the web is illusory because a law enforcement officer can get access to identifying information by a number of means. And suddenly a person could be the subject of an investigation because of something he or she said as "Mr. Doomsday" or some such ridiculous moniker, and never meant at all. He puffs himself up to look like a tough guy, and a cop thinks he is a potential killer.
For example, I have seen posts here and elsewhere in which people say some pretty dire and threatening things about lawyers, property managers, and HOA/condo directors. I have even seen expressions of support for killer Richard Glassel who shot up his board meeting in Arizona, killing two people and wounding several others. He was sentenced to death in 2003.
I hope we don't end up with people getting targeted, investigated, interviewed, and even arrested, for venting their spleen on the web on the grounds that someday they might kill somebody.
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When you post something to the web, you are publicizing it, so I don't see this proposal as an invasion of privacy in the normal sense. It is like reading something you spray painted on a wall that could be seen by anybody who passed by. In Fourth Amendment terms it is what we call "plain view," meaning if police are in a place they have a right to be and see something that has value as evidence, it is usable with no warrant because it isn't really a search at all. This Sodini creep created a web page that was out there, but probably nobody saw it because (duh) he didn't have any friends who cared what he was doing.
On the other hand, this kind of police "monitoring" is a bit troubling because it could lead to a lot of frivolous investigations and reputational damage. People say things on the web that they don't mean and would never say but for the anonymity of the web. Many people take on a persona, give themselves a screen name, and talk like some character they made up. When it gets out of hand, moderators often step in, and that's that. But with the cops looking for potential future mass murderers, that kind of rhetoric takes on a different aspect. The anonymity of the web is illusory because a law enforcement officer can get access to identifying information by a number of means. And suddenly a person could be the subject of an investigation because of something he or she said as "Mr. Doomsday" or some such ridiculous moniker, and never meant at all. He puffs himself up to look like a tough guy, and a cop thinks he is a potential killer.
For example, I have seen posts here and elsewhere in which people say some pretty dire and threatening things about lawyers, property managers, and HOA/condo directors. I have even seen expressions of support for killer Richard Glassel who shot up his board meeting in Arizona, killing two people and wounding several others. He was sentenced to death in 2003.
I hope we don't end up with people getting targeted, investigated, interviewed, and even arrested, for venting their spleen on the web on the grounds that someday they might kill somebody.
Should we read between the lines?
'End-of-Life' Counseling Intensifies Health Care Debate - Political News - FOXNews.com: "'As the nation looks to ways to improve patient care and reduce costs of health care, end-of-life conversations should be considered, ' said the study's senior author, Holly Prigerson, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
'Policies that promote increased communication, such as incentives for end-of-life conversations, may be cost-effective ways to both improve care and reduce some of the rising health care expenditures.'
White House aides acknowledge it's a sensitive issue.
A quarter of all Medicare spending takes place in a patient's final year of life, and studies show most people facing a terminal illness or simply very old age prefer less medical intervention to more. That suggests the potential for savings."
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So we, the taxpayers, can achieve "savings" if somebody talks with "people facing a terminal illness or simply very old age" about their...options? I see three. One is getting expensive treatment, the other is not getting that treatment, and the third is drifting away on a drug cocktail, also known as "assisted suicide," as people are now doing in the Netherlands and other European nations. How far would this new approach to health care in the US go, I wonder?
'Policies that promote increased communication, such as incentives for end-of-life conversations, may be cost-effective ways to both improve care and reduce some of the rising health care expenditures.'
White House aides acknowledge it's a sensitive issue.
A quarter of all Medicare spending takes place in a patient's final year of life, and studies show most people facing a terminal illness or simply very old age prefer less medical intervention to more. That suggests the potential for savings."
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So we, the taxpayers, can achieve "savings" if somebody talks with "people facing a terminal illness or simply very old age" about their...options? I see three. One is getting expensive treatment, the other is not getting that treatment, and the third is drifting away on a drug cocktail, also known as "assisted suicide," as people are now doing in the Netherlands and other European nations. How far would this new approach to health care in the US go, I wonder?
Friday, August 07, 2009
U.S. Considers Remaking Mortgage Giants - washingtonpost.com
U.S. Considers Remaking Mortgage Giants - washingtonpost.com: "The bad debts the firms own would be placed in new government-backed financial institutions -- so-called bad banks -- that would take responsibility for collecting as much of the outstanding balance as possible. What would be left would be two healthy financial companies with a clean slate.
The moves would represent one of the most dramatic reorderings of the badly shattered housing finance system since District-based Fannie Mae was created by Congress to support mortgage lending during the Great Depression."
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Here we go again. Another grand scheme. And only today I heard President Obama expounding about how his policies had rescued the financial system from "the brink." But now another massive reform is called for.
The moves would represent one of the most dramatic reorderings of the badly shattered housing finance system since District-based Fannie Mae was created by Congress to support mortgage lending during the Great Depression."
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Here we go again. Another grand scheme. And only today I heard President Obama expounding about how his policies had rescued the financial system from "the brink." But now another massive reform is called for.
Breitbart.tv » Obama: ‘Don’t Want the Folks Who Created the Mess to Do a Lot of Talking’
Breitbart.tv » Obama: ‘Don’t Want the Folks Who Created the Mess to Do a Lot of Talking’
I can't remember an American President declaring that he doesn't want to hear from this or that interest group. And the other problem is that he acts like he is the only policy maker we have. He is just the President, not the entire national government. Congress makes the laws, and they should hear from everybody. When you consider how little interest Obama takes in the details of legislation, preferring to leave that to Congress, you'd think he would leave the issue of who has input to the people who will write the laws.
I can't remember an American President declaring that he doesn't want to hear from this or that interest group. And the other problem is that he acts like he is the only policy maker we have. He is just the President, not the entire national government. Congress makes the laws, and they should hear from everybody. When you consider how little interest Obama takes in the details of legislation, preferring to leave that to Congress, you'd think he would leave the issue of who has input to the people who will write the laws.
Breitbart.tv » AARP Organizers Cancel ‘Listening Session’ After Participants Refuse to ‘Keep Their Comments Quiet’
Breitbart.tv » AARP Organizers Cancel ‘Listening Session’ After Participants Refuse to ‘Keep Their Comments Quiet’
AARP will have to do some fast talking to get out of this PR disaster.
AARP will have to do some fast talking to get out of this PR disaster.
Privacy Act request to report health plan objections
Of Arms and the Law: Privacy Act request to report health plan objections: "The Administration has asked that anyone who gets an email or 'see[s] something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy' report it to flag@whitehouse.gov.
Evan Coyne Malone suggests the request may be illegal under the Privacy Act and the Dept of Justice's statement about its purpose.
As a recovering bureaucrat, I can point to a much, much, bigger illegality under that Act.
5 US Code §552a(e)(7) commands that any Federal agency
'(7) maintain no record describing how any individual exercises rights guaranteed by the First Amendment unless expressly authorized by statute or by the individual about whom the record is maintained or unless pertinent to and within the scope of an authorized law enforcement activity;'"
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So say two conservative bloggers. Whether or not it is illegal, this White House request is outrageous, and if Bush had done it the press would have gone ballistic.
Evan Coyne Malone suggests the request may be illegal under the Privacy Act and the Dept of Justice's statement about its purpose.
As a recovering bureaucrat, I can point to a much, much, bigger illegality under that Act.
5 US Code §552a(e)(7) commands that any Federal agency
'(7) maintain no record describing how any individual exercises rights guaranteed by the First Amendment unless expressly authorized by statute or by the individual about whom the record is maintained or unless pertinent to and within the scope of an authorized law enforcement activity;'"
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So say two conservative bloggers. Whether or not it is illegal, this White House request is outrageous, and if Bush had done it the press would have gone ballistic.
Breitbart.tv » UFO Appears Behind Broadcaster During BBC Program
Breitbart.tv » UFO Appears Behind Broadcaster During BBC Program Pretty strange--send for Mulder and Scully!
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Final report of U. of I. admissions panel -- chicagotribune.com
Final report of U. of I. admissions panel -- chicagotribune.com
Here's the report on this entire sordid situation. What a disgrace to the University of Illinois. And it's all at the top.
Here's the report on this entire sordid situation. What a disgrace to the University of Illinois. And it's all at the top.
Refrigerator Recycling Programs Take Off - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com
Refrigerator Recycling Programs Take Off - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com: "Programs that allow homeowners to trade in their old refrigerators and scoop up a rebate — a sort of “cash for clunkers” system for the fridge — are spreading quickly across the country."
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Why not just cut straight to "the guvmint will buy all your old stuff," and have one big national yard sale where the feds drive up the street and give us cash on the barrel head for all our outdated cars, appliances, and furniture? Then we can replace it all with "green" stuff.
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Why not just cut straight to "the guvmint will buy all your old stuff," and have one big national yard sale where the feds drive up the street and give us cash on the barrel head for all our outdated cars, appliances, and furniture? Then we can replace it all with "green" stuff.
Edwards' ex-mistress appears at federal courthouse :: WRAL.com
Edwards' ex-mistress appears at federal courthouse :: WRAL.com: "Raleigh, N.C. — Rielle Hunter, John Edwards' former mistress, went inside the federal courthouse in Raleigh Thursday morning. A grand jury is meeting in the courthouse."
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Edward is under investigation for possible misuse of his campaign funds to support his mistress. While married. To a woman with cancer. And this creep came very close to being Vice President of the United States.
But let's talk some more about Sarah Palin.
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Edward is under investigation for possible misuse of his campaign funds to support his mistress. While married. To a woman with cancer. And this creep came very close to being Vice President of the United States.
But let's talk some more about Sarah Palin.
Fannie Mae seeks $10.7B in US aid after 2Q loss - Yahoo! Finance
Fannie Mae seeks $10.7B in US aid after 2Q loss - Yahoo! Finance: "The mortgage finance company, seized by federal regulators last September, posted a second-quarter loss of $15.2 billion, or $2.67 per share, including $411 million in dividend payouts. That compares with a loss of $2.6 billion, or $2.54 per share, in the year-ago period.
The government, which seized control of Fannie Mae and its sibling Freddie Mac last September, has already spent about $85 billion to prop up the two companies."
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How does this sound? "We are dependent on the continued support of the Treasury in order to continue operating our business." Thus spake Fannie Mae.
The government, which seized control of Fannie Mae and its sibling Freddie Mac last September, has already spent about $85 billion to prop up the two companies."
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How does this sound? "We are dependent on the continued support of the Treasury in order to continue operating our business." Thus spake Fannie Mae.
Homeowners Associations Win Foreclosure Court Battle - cbs4.com
Homeowners Associations Win Foreclosure Court Battle - cbs4.com: "Revenues have fallen off a cliff as homeowners, many in foreclosure, are choosing not to pay their bills. In May The Oaks in Miami Gardens began using a new legal strategy presented by the Associated Law Group. The attorneys proposed to go after landlords who were collecting rents but not paying their association dues.
Instead of rent payments going to the landlord, the court appoints a receiver to collect that rent. The receiver then pays the association what's owed.
What's new about this maneuver though is the judge isn't doing this on a case by case basis. The receiver is appointed to collect for any rental unit in foreclosure in the entire building."
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And it seems that the Third District Court of Appeals approves of this method. Thanks to Fred Pilot for the link.
Instead of rent payments going to the landlord, the court appoints a receiver to collect that rent. The receiver then pays the association what's owed.
What's new about this maneuver though is the judge isn't doing this on a case by case basis. The receiver is appointed to collect for any rental unit in foreclosure in the entire building."
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And it seems that the Third District Court of Appeals approves of this method. Thanks to Fred Pilot for the link.
No More Perks: Coffee Shops Pull the Plug on Laptop Users - WSJ.com
No More Perks: Coffee Shops Pull the Plug on Laptop Users - WSJ.com: "Amid the economic downturn, there are fewer places in New York to plug in computers. As idle workers fill coffee-shop tables -- nursing a single cup, if that, and surfing the Web for hours -- and as shop owners struggle to stay in business, a decade-old love affair between coffee shops and laptop-wielding customers is fading. In some places, customers just get cold looks, but in a growing number of small coffee shops, firm restrictions on laptop use have been imposed and electric outlets have been locked."
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These folks are driving away the paying customers. Some of them even talk to themselves and chuckle strangely at odd intervals. Mom's basement needs Wi-Fi.
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These folks are driving away the paying customers. Some of them even talk to themselves and chuckle strangely at odd intervals. Mom's basement needs Wi-Fi.
The "next phase of the housing decline"
About half of U.S. mortgages seen underwater by 2011 - Yahoo! News: "NEW YORK (Reuters) – The percentage of U.S. homeowners who owe more than their house is worth will nearly double to 48 percent in 2011 from 26 percent at the end of March, portending another blow to the housing market, Deutsche Bank said on Wednesday.
Home price declines will have their biggest impact on prime 'conforming' loans that meet underwriting and size guidelines of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the bank said in a report. Prime conforming loans make up two-thirds of mortgages, and are typically less risky because of stringent requirements."
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This is just about the last thing I needed to read.
Home price declines will have their biggest impact on prime 'conforming' loans that meet underwriting and size guidelines of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the bank said in a report. Prime conforming loans make up two-thirds of mortgages, and are typically less risky because of stringent requirements."
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This is just about the last thing I needed to read.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Rat out your friends to the White House if they don't want government health care!
The White House - Blog Post - Facts Are Stubborn Things: "There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."
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That's what Linda Douglass wants you to do. She is one of the former journalists now flacking for Obama, and her role is to do PR for the health care reform.
So go start some "casual conversations" and scour the web, and see if you can ferret out the people who are a little "fishy."
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That's what Linda Douglass wants you to do. She is one of the former journalists now flacking for Obama, and her role is to do PR for the health care reform.
So go start some "casual conversations" and scour the web, and see if you can ferret out the people who are a little "fishy."
Guard troops may be needed in troubled Ala. county - Yahoo! News
Guard troops may be needed in troubled Ala. county - Yahoo! News: "BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The sheriff in Alabama's most populous county may call for the National Guard to help maintain order, a spokesman said Tuesday, after a judge cleared the way for cuts in the sheriff's budget and hopes dimmed for a quick end to a budget crisis.
Circuit Judge Joseph L. Boohaker ruled that leaders in Jefferson County — now trying to head off a municipal bankruptcy filing of historic proportions — could go ahead with plans to slash $4.1 million from the budget of Sheriff Mike Hale, who had filed a lawsuit that temporarily blocked spending cuts for his office."
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And so the idea of having to defend your own home may be coming back into fashion.
Circuit Judge Joseph L. Boohaker ruled that leaders in Jefferson County — now trying to head off a municipal bankruptcy filing of historic proportions — could go ahead with plans to slash $4.1 million from the budget of Sheriff Mike Hale, who had filed a lawsuit that temporarily blocked spending cuts for his office."
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And so the idea of having to defend your own home may be coming back into fashion.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
California Father Refuses to Take Down Tattered U.S. Flag - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com
California Father Refuses to Take Down Tattered U.S. Flag - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com: "A California dad is refusing to take down the tattered and torn American flag that's been flying on his lawn in Fresno for almost a year, despite complaints from neighbors on his military-heavy block and from a national veterans group that says he's mistreating the Stars and Stripes."
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He told his son he would fly this flag until he returns from Iraq. This is a great example of how emotions sometimes lead people to use their property for expressive purposes that run afoul of the aesthetic standards prevalent in their neighborhoods. With an HOA you get an immediate crackdown more often than not, but with a city there is usually some reluctance to leap right in with an enforcement action.
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He told his son he would fly this flag until he returns from Iraq. This is a great example of how emotions sometimes lead people to use their property for expressive purposes that run afoul of the aesthetic standards prevalent in their neighborhoods. With an HOA you get an immediate crackdown more often than not, but with a city there is usually some reluctance to leap right in with an enforcement action.
American Thinker: The Myth of the Expert
American Thinker: The Myth of the Expert: "As we struggle out of the mess created by the affordable housing experts, we get to watch the president and Congress try to convert the plans of their health and climate experts into legislation. They want to control health care with a panel of experts, and they are trying to control the earth's climate with an energy tax gussied up by experts to look like a market in carbon emission permits. Meanwhile their previous expert-led projects in education and welfare sink further and further into failure."
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Interesting conservative perspective on the link between big science and big government.
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Interesting conservative perspective on the link between big science and big government.
Monday, August 03, 2009
High-End Homes Frozen Out of Budding Housing Rebound - WSJ.com
High-End Homes Frozen Out of Budding Housing Rebound - WSJ.com: "KENILWORTH, Ill. -- Housing is fast dividing into two markets: Sales of low- and moderately priced homes are picking up and values have stopped falling in some parts of the nation. But on the upper end, sales remain mired in a deep slump and price declines are expected to accelerate."
Friday, July 31, 2009
The Volokh Conspiracy - A Tax Break for Trial Lawyers?
The Volokh Conspiracy - A Tax Break for Trial Lawyers?: "Walter Olson notes that some folks in Congress are pushing a tax break for trial lawyers. Specifically, the proposal would enable plaintiffs' lawyers to deduct loans to clients to cover litigation expenses as made, rather than at the conclusion of the litigation. The estimated value of the tax code revision is $1.6 billion."
Rudy: 'Shut Up' - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com
Rudy: 'Shut Up' - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com: "Rudy Giuliani, who has returned as a leading Republican spokesman, condemned Obama's health care plan in an interview with Sean Hannity.
He also offered, in response to the president's hope that the Gates arrest would be a 'teachable moment,' this:
'He's actually right. It is teachable. Here's the lesson: Shut up.'"
He also offered, in response to the president's hope that the Gates arrest would be a 'teachable moment,' this:
'He's actually right. It is teachable. Here's the lesson: Shut up.'"
California's default rate soars to 9.5% - Los Angeles Times
California's default rate soars to 9.5% - Los Angeles Times: "About 1 in 10 Californians with a home loan is now in default, and there's growing evidence that the mortgage meltdown is spreading to commercial real estate.
The home mortgage delinquency rate -- the percentage of borrowers who have missed several payments and are in the first stage of foreclosure -- climbed in June to 9.5% in California and 9.9% in Los Angeles County, according to First American CoreLogic."
The home mortgage delinquency rate -- the percentage of borrowers who have missed several payments and are in the first stage of foreclosure -- climbed in June to 9.5% in California and 9.9% in Los Angeles County, according to First American CoreLogic."
San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly's living situation to be probed - 7/27/09 - San Francisco News - abc7news.com
San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly's living situation to be probed - 7/27/09 - San Francisco News - abc7news.com
Chris Daly is a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He is so far to the left that he can look to his right and see Che Guevara. His main cause in life is to turn the city, and especially the Tenderloin, over to the homeless and the poor. He crusades against every proposal to re-open the city to the middle class, as was done in Chicago. No condo conversions, no tenancy in common conversions--nothing. Don't take my word for it--just do a Google search and see for yourself. Anyway, it turns out that his wife and kids live in Fairfield, which as I understand it is located in Sonoma County, some 45 miles from San Francisco, and he supposedly shares a condo with some friends in SF. You have to live in the city to be a Supervisor. Does he really live in the city? The City Attorney is going to find out.
But, says Daly, we can't afford a house in the city on my salary. Right, pal. Join the club--the club that you helped to form--of middle class families who have had to move to the suburbs because of the ludicrous public policies in this city.
Chris Daly is a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He is so far to the left that he can look to his right and see Che Guevara. His main cause in life is to turn the city, and especially the Tenderloin, over to the homeless and the poor. He crusades against every proposal to re-open the city to the middle class, as was done in Chicago. No condo conversions, no tenancy in common conversions--nothing. Don't take my word for it--just do a Google search and see for yourself. Anyway, it turns out that his wife and kids live in Fairfield, which as I understand it is located in Sonoma County, some 45 miles from San Francisco, and he supposedly shares a condo with some friends in SF. You have to live in the city to be a Supervisor. Does he really live in the city? The City Attorney is going to find out.
But, says Daly, we can't afford a house in the city on my salary. Right, pal. Join the club--the club that you helped to form--of middle class families who have had to move to the suburbs because of the ludicrous public policies in this city.
Downtown Fort Myers condo has 32 stories, and one lonely tale | news-press.com | The News-Press
Downtown Fort Myers condo has 32 stories, and one lonely tale | news-press.com | The News-Press: "Victor Vangelakos lives in a luxury condominium tower on the Caloosahatchee River. He never has to worry about the neighbors making too much noise.
There are no neighbors.
Vangelakos, 45, his wife Cathy and their three children are the only residents in the 32-story Oasis I condo on the east edge of downtown Fort Myers."
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Not bad for a $430,000 condo. You get the whole 32 stories to yourself.
There are no neighbors.
Vangelakos, 45, his wife Cathy and their three children are the only residents in the 32-story Oasis I condo on the east edge of downtown Fort Myers."
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Not bad for a $430,000 condo. You get the whole 32 stories to yourself.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Investors buying condos in bulk in South Florida | HeraldTribune.com | Sarasota Florida | Southwest Florida's Information Leader
Investors buying condos in bulk in South Florida | HeraldTribune.com | Sarasota Florida | Southwest Florida's Information Leader: "Big-time cash investors are snapping up South Florida condo units in bulk. There have been at least seven purchases of 10 or more condos this year, including four since June, according to county records. Investors are reselling the units or renting them until the market recovers"
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Fred Pilot sent this story of life in what amounts to the real estate fast lane these days.
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Fred Pilot sent this story of life in what amounts to the real estate fast lane these days.
Here's why downtown San Francisco is so seedy
My cousin Jason Zubia told me this story, and it was so astounding that we looked it up.
San Francisco's red-light denizens fight to stay seedy
SAN FRANCISCO -- When Carolyn Abst moved into this city's harsh Tenderloin district several years ago, she thought she would be welcomed. As owner of an architecture firm, she was bringing in jobs and ideas to revitalize the area. Instead, some of her neighbors called for her head.
"Wanted" posters went up around the Tenderloin last year, featuring Ms. Abst's photo. Someone circulated pamphlets disparaging her. Residents yelled at her in the street. Ms. Abst's offense: trying to plant 400 trees in the area. "I had no idea that cleanliness, beauty and safety could get people so riled up," the 58-year-old says.
San Francisco's red-light denizens fight to stay seedy
SAN FRANCISCO -- When Carolyn Abst moved into this city's harsh Tenderloin district several years ago, she thought she would be welcomed. As owner of an architecture firm, she was bringing in jobs and ideas to revitalize the area. Instead, some of her neighbors called for her head.
"Wanted" posters went up around the Tenderloin last year, featuring Ms. Abst's photo. Someone circulated pamphlets disparaging her. Residents yelled at her in the street. Ms. Abst's offense: trying to plant 400 trees in the area. "I had no idea that cleanliness, beauty and safety could get people so riled up," the 58-year-old says.
Another pit bull saga
Dog fight in gated community
Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link. It seems that once again the pit bull lovers are defending their imaginary right to own dangerous dogs.
The owners of a pair of pit bulls have sicced a lawyer on two men who've tried to keep their dogs out of the gated Brentwood community.
Byrd and Anne Cain filed a lawsuit against James Carroll and Miles Hession on July 13, claiming the men, who are former board members of the community's homeowners association, have invaded their right to privacy, made misrepresentations about them and "wrongfully used the legal process against the Cains in order to accomplish an ulterior purpose."
The lawsuit is the latest in a neighborhood feud that began in 2006, when the association's board of directors banned specific breeds of dogs, such as pit bulls, Doberman pinschers, rottweilers and chow chows. The board later took court action to force the removal of the Cain's pit bulls, which had been declared "a nuisance" by the association. Anne Cain said her dogs have never attacked anyone.
Circuit Court Judge Jeff Bivins declared the board could not prohibit a particular type of dog but ruled that the homeowners association's governing documents gave them the power to specifically prohibit the Cain's dogs.
Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link. It seems that once again the pit bull lovers are defending their imaginary right to own dangerous dogs.
The owners of a pair of pit bulls have sicced a lawyer on two men who've tried to keep their dogs out of the gated Brentwood community.
Byrd and Anne Cain filed a lawsuit against James Carroll and Miles Hession on July 13, claiming the men, who are former board members of the community's homeowners association, have invaded their right to privacy, made misrepresentations about them and "wrongfully used the legal process against the Cains in order to accomplish an ulterior purpose."
The lawsuit is the latest in a neighborhood feud that began in 2006, when the association's board of directors banned specific breeds of dogs, such as pit bulls, Doberman pinschers, rottweilers and chow chows. The board later took court action to force the removal of the Cain's pit bulls, which had been declared "a nuisance" by the association. Anne Cain said her dogs have never attacked anyone.
Circuit Court Judge Jeff Bivins declared the board could not prohibit a particular type of dog but ruled that the homeowners association's governing documents gave them the power to specifically prohibit the Cain's dogs.
Summit County, homeowners square off over crumbling road
Take our roads, please. No thank you.
Fred Pilot sent this along. This is the typical scenario when an HOA gets stuck with crumbling private roads: they ask local government to take it, and the municipality or country usually says no, because the roads don't meet the minimum standards for public streets:
"The homeowners association recently asked the commissioners to take over full maintenance for the road system in the neighborhood, but county staff recommended against the move, citing a need for more than $1 million worth of repairs that need to be done first."
Fred Pilot sent this along. This is the typical scenario when an HOA gets stuck with crumbling private roads: they ask local government to take it, and the municipality or country usually says no, because the roads don't meet the minimum standards for public streets:
"The homeowners association recently asked the commissioners to take over full maintenance for the road system in the neighborhood, but county staff recommended against the move, citing a need for more than $1 million worth of repairs that need to be done first."
On vacation
I am in San Francisco with my children, visiting my sister and extended family. It is harder for me to blog here but I will put up some things whenever I have time.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Clinton says she has no interest in White House - Yahoo! News
Clinton says she has no interest in White House - Yahoo! News: "'Well, you know, I say no, never, you know, not at all. I don't know what, what else to say,' Clinton said on NBC's 'Meet the Press' after host David Gregory noted that she left some wiggle room in an interview last week in Thailand.
But then Gregory followed up by asking, 'Are you saying you wouldn't entertain another run?'
Clinton's response was less clear: 'I have absolutely no belief in my mind that that is going to happen, that I have any interest in it happening. You know, as I said, I, I am so focused on what I'm doing.'
In the interview on Thai television, Clinton said, 'I don't know, but I doubt very much that anything like that will ever be part of my life.'"
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On the one hand, these questions are silly because they are just trying to get some sentence out of her that they can twist and make it look like she's planning to run against Obama. That seems to be possible in the sense that most anything is possible. On the other hand, obviously she would love to be President, and I suppose if Obama were to drop to Bush-level approval ratings, some scenario like Ted Kennedy challenging Jimmy Carter would go from barely possible to reality. But when I read these interchanges with Clinton, I wish they would deal with her as Secretary of State instead of grilling her in the hope of finding some "wiggle room" between her words.
But then Gregory followed up by asking, 'Are you saying you wouldn't entertain another run?'
Clinton's response was less clear: 'I have absolutely no belief in my mind that that is going to happen, that I have any interest in it happening. You know, as I said, I, I am so focused on what I'm doing.'
In the interview on Thai television, Clinton said, 'I don't know, but I doubt very much that anything like that will ever be part of my life.'"
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On the one hand, these questions are silly because they are just trying to get some sentence out of her that they can twist and make it look like she's planning to run against Obama. That seems to be possible in the sense that most anything is possible. On the other hand, obviously she would love to be President, and I suppose if Obama were to drop to Bush-level approval ratings, some scenario like Ted Kennedy challenging Jimmy Carter would go from barely possible to reality. But when I read these interchanges with Clinton, I wish they would deal with her as Secretary of State instead of grilling her in the hope of finding some "wiggle room" between her words.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Women are getting more beautiful - Times Online
Women are getting more beautiful - Times Online: "Scientists have found that evolution is driving women to become ever more beautiful, while men remain as aesthetically unappealing as their caveman ancestors.
The researchers have found beautiful women have more children than their plainer counterparts and that a higher proportion of those children are female. Those daughters, once adult, also tend to be attractive and so repeat the pattern.
Over generations, the scientists argue, this has led to women becoming steadily more aesthetically pleasing, a “beauty race” that is still on. The findings have emerged from a series of studies of physical attractiveness and its links to reproductive success in humans."
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They say beautiful women have 16% more children. But aren't the kids still half caveman?
Company director arrested for attempted murder after rescuing son being beaten by yobs | Mail Online
Company director arrested for attempted murder after rescuing son being beaten by yobs | Mail Online: "A company director has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after confronting a gang of yobs who were attacking his stepson.
Colin Philpott, 58, allegedly stabbed a 16-year-old in the chest during the incident in the front garden of his £500,000 Tudor-style house.
He had awoken late on Friday night to discover stepson Alex Lee being beaten by the group of teenagers."
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So he went to his son's defense with a letter opener, and now he's charged with attempted murder. I suppose the main prosecution witnesses will be the thugs. Nice country, that Great Britain.
Colin Philpott, 58, allegedly stabbed a 16-year-old in the chest during the incident in the front garden of his £500,000 Tudor-style house.
He had awoken late on Friday night to discover stepson Alex Lee being beaten by the group of teenagers."
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So he went to his son's defense with a letter opener, and now he's charged with attempted murder. I suppose the main prosecution witnesses will be the thugs. Nice country, that Great Britain.
Key Senate Democrat Concedes Republican Support Needed for Health Overhaul - Political News - FOXNews.com
Key Senate Democrat Concedes Republican Support Needed for Health Overhaul - Political News - FOXNews.com: "Senate Democrats are going to need help from Republicans to get President Obama's ambitious plan to reinvent the health care system over the goal line, a top lawmaker acknowledged on Sunday."
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If that is the case, I don't see how it will end up being "President Obama's ambitious plan." It will be something more modest, and that "government option" will have to go, I think.
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If that is the case, I don't see how it will end up being "President Obama's ambitious plan." It will be something more modest, and that "government option" will have to go, I think.
Drought turning Texas as dry as toast - Weather- msnbc.com
Drought turning Texas as dry as toast - Weather- msnbc.com: "DALLAS - Off-duty police officers are patrolling streets, looking for people illegally watering their lawns and gardens. Residents are encouraged to stealthily rat out water scofflaws on a 24-hour hot line."
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I assume the HOAs are not enforcing their green lawn restrictions?
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I assume the HOAs are not enforcing their green lawn restrictions?
America's Top States for Business 2009 - Overall Rankings - CNBC.com
America's Top States for Business 2009 - Overall Rankings - CNBC.com
Interesting--California ranks 1st in technology & innovation, and in access to capital. But it ranks 49th in cost of business and business friendliness.
Interesting--California ranks 1st in technology & innovation, and in access to capital. But it ranks 49th in cost of business and business friendliness.
Scientists Worry Machines May Outsmart Man - NYTimes.com
Scientists Worry Machines May Outsmart Man - NYTimes.com
Strange. More worried that we will outsmart ourselves. Hurm.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Will we ever hear the tapes?
911, police tapes key in Gates case - BostonHerald.com: "Mounting pressure to get to the bottom of the controversial arrest of black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. is centering on recorded police tapes that may offer a dose of reality amid all the media and political noise.
Cambridge police brass and lawyers are weighing making the tapes public, which could include the 911 call reporting a break-in at Gates’ home and radio transmissions by the cop who busted him July 16 for disorderly conduct."
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But will we ever hear these tapes?
Obviously I don't know what they contain. But let's assume hypothetically that they show Prof. Gates to be a) behaving like an ass, and b) therefore a liar as well, and c) the officer in question behaving professionally. Given that the police commissioner immediately went to the officer's defense--which he never would have done without hearing the tapes and talking to the other officers who were there--I think that may be the case.
Those tapes could prove a huge embarrassment to Gates, and also to our meddlesome President, who just had to plunge into this situation without knowing the whole story, and then proceed to thrash around like a cod in a gill net trying to get himself out.
And with his health care legislation teetering on the brink, and his approval rating hovering around the 50 point level, can another embarrassment be allowed? I could envision the White House bringing pressure to bear on the Cambridge government to prevent release of the tapes. But that is all just a big paranoid fantasy, isn't it?
Cambridge police brass and lawyers are weighing making the tapes public, which could include the 911 call reporting a break-in at Gates’ home and radio transmissions by the cop who busted him July 16 for disorderly conduct."
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But will we ever hear these tapes?
Obviously I don't know what they contain. But let's assume hypothetically that they show Prof. Gates to be a) behaving like an ass, and b) therefore a liar as well, and c) the officer in question behaving professionally. Given that the police commissioner immediately went to the officer's defense--which he never would have done without hearing the tapes and talking to the other officers who were there--I think that may be the case.
Those tapes could prove a huge embarrassment to Gates, and also to our meddlesome President, who just had to plunge into this situation without knowing the whole story, and then proceed to thrash around like a cod in a gill net trying to get himself out.
And with his health care legislation teetering on the brink, and his approval rating hovering around the 50 point level, can another embarrassment be allowed? I could envision the White House bringing pressure to bear on the Cambridge government to prevent release of the tapes. But that is all just a big paranoid fantasy, isn't it?
California budget crisis brings critics of Prop. 13 to the fore - San Jose Mercury News
California budget crisis brings critics of Prop. 13 to the fore - San Jose Mercury News: "Proposition 13 is the 1978 law that rolled property assessments back to 1975 levels and capped both the annual increase in assessed value and the tax itself.
The state's budget crisis is prompting another review of the popular measure. Several groups, including the nonprofit California Tax Reform, and a campaign recently started by San Francisco Assessor Phil Ting, are leading a charge to change Proposition 13 to extract more taxes from commercial property owners."
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Oh, sure. Raise taxes on business in a recession. That will do wonders for the unemployment--in the wrong direction.
Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link.
The state's budget crisis is prompting another review of the popular measure. Several groups, including the nonprofit California Tax Reform, and a campaign recently started by San Francisco Assessor Phil Ting, are leading a charge to change Proposition 13 to extract more taxes from commercial property owners."
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Oh, sure. Raise taxes on business in a recession. That will do wonders for the unemployment--in the wrong direction.
Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link.
Raleigh takes on parking in yards - Local & State - News & Observer
Raleigh takes on parking in yards - Local & State - News & Observer: "Among the opponents is Councilman Philip Isley, who says this is the latest and most egregious attempt by the city to tell residents what they can and can't do on their own property.
'This is beyond the nanny state,' Isley said. 'This is a homeowners association on steroids.'"
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First they came for the cars in the front yards, and I said nothing. Then they came for the refrigerators in the back yards, and I said nothing. And when they came for the trailer in the driveway that my brother in law was living in, it was too late!
FT.com / Asia-Pacific - India widens climate rift with west
FT.com / Asia-Pacific - India widens climate rift with west: "India rejected key scientific findings on global warming, while the European Union called for more action by developing states on greenhouse gas emissions. Jairam Ramesh, the Indian environment minister, accused the developed world of needlessly raising alarm over melting Himalayan glaciers."
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With India taking this position, and with China belching out enough coal smoke to blot out the sun, I'm not sure that all our capping and trading will accomplish much. And the larger point is that here is an environmental minister disputing the core beliefs of the global warming crowd. We here in the US are being force-fed the "debate is over" propaganda, but it isn't that simple. I don't pretend to know, but I think there are still more questions than answers.
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With India taking this position, and with China belching out enough coal smoke to blot out the sun, I'm not sure that all our capping and trading will accomplish much. And the larger point is that here is an environmental minister disputing the core beliefs of the global warming crowd. We here in the US are being force-fed the "debate is over" propaganda, but it isn't that simple. I don't pretend to know, but I think there are still more questions than answers.
Regulators shut 6 Ga banks, 1 in New York state - Yahoo! Finance
Regulators shut 6 Ga banks, 1 in New York state - Yahoo! Finance: "Regulators on Friday shut six banks in Georgia and a small bank in New York state, raising to 64 the number of federally insured banks to fail this year."
Friday, July 24, 2009
At Jade Park, mobile-home owners do it their way
At Jade Park, mobile-home owners do it their way: "Jade Park residents are proud of surviving development and dodging homeowner association communities with the red-tiled roofs, many of which sprouted nearby. People have elbow room to stretch, freedom to design their own yards and fix their homes as they see fit."
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That's one way to keep your freedom from HOA rules--live in a trailer.
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That's one way to keep your freedom from HOA rules--live in a trailer.
Woman charged with stealing $35,000 from homeowner's association | BlueRidgeNow.com | Times-News Online | Hendersonville, NC
Woman charged with stealing $35,000 from homeowner's association | BlueRidgeNow.com | Times-News Online | Hendersonville, NC: "Heather Pettit Barnette, 31, of 14 Shadowbrook Drive, Flat Rock, was charged with obtaining property by false pretenses by allegedly taking $35,544 from the Shadowbrook Property Owner’s Association, according to court records."
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It seems to me that these charges are popping up with greater frequency.
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It seems to me that these charges are popping up with greater frequency.
Daily Herald | Reforms will have significant impact on association members
Daily Herald | Reforms will have significant impact on association members
Jordan Shifrin's column about changes to the law on HOAs and condos in Illinois.
Jordan Shifrin's column about changes to the law on HOAs and condos in Illinois.
ThePilot.com : Village Wins Ruling Over Annexation
ThePilot.com : Village Wins Ruling Over Annexation: "A three-judge panel of the N.C. Court of Appeals on Tuesday affirmed two Moore County court decisions and ruled against every objection to Pinehurst's involuntary annexation of Pinewild Country Club.
Judges Linda M. McGee, Robert Hunter, and Cheri Beasley unanimously supported the village of Pinehurst. The court's opinion -- written by McGee with Hunter and Beasley concurring -- says that gated communities like Pinewild cannot stop annexation just by blocking access to private streets. Being a gated community does not give Pinewild any different status, the court ruled."
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Pinewild argued that they couldn't be annexed "if its residents simply refused to allow police, firefighters, waste collection workers, administrative officials or certain other municipal employees access to their private streets." Charming. This is why eventually a lot of these places will incorporate as municipalities.
Judges Linda M. McGee, Robert Hunter, and Cheri Beasley unanimously supported the village of Pinehurst. The court's opinion -- written by McGee with Hunter and Beasley concurring -- says that gated communities like Pinewild cannot stop annexation just by blocking access to private streets. Being a gated community does not give Pinewild any different status, the court ruled."
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Pinewild argued that they couldn't be annexed "if its residents simply refused to allow police, firefighters, waste collection workers, administrative officials or certain other municipal employees access to their private streets." Charming. This is why eventually a lot of these places will incorporate as municipalities.
Researcher Condemns Conformity Among His Peers - TierneyLab Blog - NYTimes.com
Researcher Condemns Conformity Among His Peers - TierneyLab Blog - NYTimes.com: "A remarkable first-hand description of this phenomenon was provided a few months ago by the economist Robert Shiller, co-inventor of the Case-Shiller house price index. Dr. Shiller was concerned about what he saw as an impending house price bubble when he served as an adviser to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York up until 2004.
So why didn’t he burst his lungs warning about the impending collapse of the housing market? “In my position on the panel, I felt the need to use restraint,” he relates. “While I warned about the bubbles I believed were developing in the stock and housing markets, I did so very gently, and felt vulnerable expressing such quirky views. Deviating too far from consensus leaves one feeling potentially ostracized from the group, with the risk that one may be terminated.”"
So why didn’t he burst his lungs warning about the impending collapse of the housing market? “In my position on the panel, I felt the need to use restraint,” he relates. “While I warned about the bubbles I believed were developing in the stock and housing markets, I did so very gently, and felt vulnerable expressing such quirky views. Deviating too far from consensus leaves one feeling potentially ostracized from the group, with the risk that one may be terminated.”"
White Sox Mark Buehrle Pitches Perfect Game - cbs2chicago.com
White Sox Mark Buehrle Pitches Perfect Game - cbs2chicago.com
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Oh, yes. And now the Sox are tied for the division lead with Detroit--and about to start a series with them. On a roll, baby.
This is going well
N. Korea Calls Clinton 'Schoolgirl,' U.S. Fires Back - Political News - FOXNews.com: "Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suggested Thursday she's holding out hope that North Korea will rejoin nuclear disarmament talks, even as the country's foreign ministry descended into low-brow name-calling -- describing Clinton as a 'primary schoolgirl' and calling her unintelligent.
North Korean representatives also said the so-called six-party talks are 'over' and 'dead,' and rejected as 'nonsense' the United States' plan to offer the country new incentives."
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The US becomes a Joe Palooka doll.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Kausfiles : Obama's Overreach
Kausfiles : Obama's Overreach: "On tax increases, Obama said:
'I don't want that final one-third of the cost of health care to be completely shouldered on the backs of middle-class families who are already struggling in a difficult economy. And so if I see a proposal that is primarily funded through taxing middle-class families, I'm going to be opposed to that ...' [E.A.]
In standard Washspeak, this means Obama is open to a health reform that taxes middle class families as long as it isn't 'primarily' or 'completely' funded by taxes on middle class families. But 49% funded by taxes on middle class families? ... However you interpret these sentences, it's hard to see how Obama hasn't given a flashing green light to non-trivial tax increases on middle class families. ... 6:10 P.M."
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So says Mickey Kaus. And I am certain he is right, because there is no way on earth that "the rich" can be soaked sufficiently to cover all this extravagant federal spending.
'I don't want that final one-third of the cost of health care to be completely shouldered on the backs of middle-class families who are already struggling in a difficult economy. And so if I see a proposal that is primarily funded through taxing middle-class families, I'm going to be opposed to that ...' [E.A.]
In standard Washspeak, this means Obama is open to a health reform that taxes middle class families as long as it isn't 'primarily' or 'completely' funded by taxes on middle class families. But 49% funded by taxes on middle class families? ... However you interpret these sentences, it's hard to see how Obama hasn't given a flashing green light to non-trivial tax increases on middle class families. ... 6:10 P.M."
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So says Mickey Kaus. And I am certain he is right, because there is no way on earth that "the rich" can be soaked sufficiently to cover all this extravagant federal spending.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Conservative kiosk not allowed at mall | WCNC.com | Local News for Charlotte, North Carolina | Top Stories
Conservative kiosk not allowed at mall | WCNC.com | Local News for Charlotte, North Carolina | Top Stories: "At the end of July, Free Market Warrior will not be allowed at Concord Mills Mall. The kiosk chain's owner shared e-mail correspondence with NewsChannel 36 that explains that the mall management has decided that the items sold are not 'neutral' enough"
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The "biting" message ticked off somebody who complained to the mall owner and wrote a letter to the Charlotte Observer. And then the mall owner decided the conservative business was kiosk non grata. And that's how much your constitutional rights are worth on private property, even if you pay your rent.
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The "biting" message ticked off somebody who complained to the mall owner and wrote a letter to the Charlotte Observer. And then the mall owner decided the conservative business was kiosk non grata. And that's how much your constitutional rights are worth on private property, even if you pay your rent.
Bill Text 26th Legislature: Alaska's state sovereignty resolution
Bill Text 26th Legislature: "BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature hereby claims sovereignty for the state under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States; and be it FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution serves as Notice and Demand to the federal government to cease and desist, effective immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers."
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This is the meat of the resolution that Sarah Palin just signed. The Palin haters are doing their usual thing over this, saying only one other governor has been dumb enough to sign it. However, it was passed unanimously by both houses of the Alaska legislature, so what was she supposed to do--veto it?
George Staropoli--who should bail out the HOAs?
The only real solution to the HOA foreclosure fiasco « HOA Constitutional Government: "Given the current dismal state of affairs with our economy, and the increasing rate of HOA/condo foreclosures, I have been doing a lot of serious pondering (ahem!) on this major threat to the survival of HOA-land. I think I hit upon the only real solution to the HOA foreclosure problem, taking a cue from the federal government bailout of the mortgage industry, banks, and GM. I am not proposing another government bailout. Oh no!
Instead, I’m proposing a private corporation bailout. You know, like the Bank of America bailout of Merrill Lynch, etc. But, the major obstacle to this plan was, WHO? I thought and thought of candidates. In these dire circumstances it had to be a “true believer”, a corporation that had faith in HOA-land, and one that would fight tooth and nail to preserve HOA-land from collapse. Only one stood out, loudly and clearly: Community Associations Institute (CAI)."
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Tongue? Cheek?
Instead, I’m proposing a private corporation bailout. You know, like the Bank of America bailout of Merrill Lynch, etc. But, the major obstacle to this plan was, WHO? I thought and thought of candidates. In these dire circumstances it had to be a “true believer”, a corporation that had faith in HOA-land, and one that would fight tooth and nail to preserve HOA-land from collapse. Only one stood out, loudly and clearly: Community Associations Institute (CAI)."
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Tongue? Cheek?
Government Motors tanking
GM global sales fall 22 pct in first half of 2009: "DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors posted Wednesday a 22 percent global sales drop from a year earlier for the first six months of 2009 amid the economic slowdown and the automaker's slide into bankruptcy."
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And this is what we, the taxpayers, are now invested in.
Another isolated instance!
Crimetracker - Video On Demand | WHAS11.com | News for Louisville, Kentucky: "She was supposed to collect fees from the people in her Neighborhood Association but instead, police say the treasurer bilked her neighbors out of more than $10,000 in dues."
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And check out the piano ad that precedes the video.
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And check out the piano ad that precedes the video.
Glenmore group thinks treasurer absconded with $666,446 | Charlottesville Daily Progress
Glenmore group thinks treasurer absconded with $666,446 | Charlottesville Daily Progress: "An audit of the Glenmore Community Association’s finances has discovered nearly $700,000 missing from the operating and reserve accounts of the luxury neighborhood’s homeowners association.
The missing funds are the latest twist in the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Michael Comer, who was treasurer of the homeowners association and president of the Glenmore Country Club.
Comer, 45, did not show up for a meeting on the morning of July 1 to discuss a financial audit of the association’s finances for 2008."
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Isolated instance.
The missing funds are the latest twist in the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Michael Comer, who was treasurer of the homeowners association and president of the Glenmore Country Club.
Comer, 45, did not show up for a meeting on the morning of July 1 to discuss a financial audit of the association’s finances for 2008."
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Isolated instance.
Police: former HOA president steals $166K from association | association, boynton, casablanca - Test Page - CBS Channel 12 News
Police: former HOA president steals $166K from association | association, boynton, casablanca - Test Page - CBS Channel 12 News: "BOYNTON BEACH-- The term condo commando has taken a whole new meaning at Casablanca Isles, a development on West Boynton Beach Boulevard, west of I-95.
This after police say the president and bookkeeper of Casablanca's homeowner's association raided association funds for more than $166,000."
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I am shocked! Shocked! To discover that there is theft going on here...in Casablanca.
This after police say the president and bookkeeper of Casablanca's homeowner's association raided association funds for more than $166,000."
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I am shocked! Shocked! To discover that there is theft going on here...in Casablanca.
Homeowner fights HOA rules
Homeowner fights HOA rules: "A valley man is upset about the latest HOA rules that govern his Community in Goodyear. He's even hired a lawyer. Tom Anuszewski rents out his home in Canyon Trails. He claims the new rules are unfair to him and his tenants and that they may even be discriminatory.
The Canyon Trails Homeowners Association sent letters to all homeowners who currently rent out their homes. The new policy states that homeowners have to pay a $200 rental fee. They also have to hand over the names, ages and license plate numbers of the tenants. The HOA is also asking for a background check on all tenants. On top of that, they now have the right to evict tenants on the homeowner's behalf as a third party beneficiary.
'It's unfair,' says Anuszewski. He believes the HOA is trying to discourage homeowners from renting out their homes."
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Many CIDs are trying to prevent renting now. But what if, like Anuszewski, you have to rent out the place to survive economically?
The Canyon Trails Homeowners Association sent letters to all homeowners who currently rent out their homes. The new policy states that homeowners have to pay a $200 rental fee. They also have to hand over the names, ages and license plate numbers of the tenants. The HOA is also asking for a background check on all tenants. On top of that, they now have the right to evict tenants on the homeowner's behalf as a third party beneficiary.
'It's unfair,' says Anuszewski. He believes the HOA is trying to discourage homeowners from renting out their homes."
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Many CIDs are trying to prevent renting now. But what if, like Anuszewski, you have to rent out the place to survive economically?
Homeowner Associations Wield Great Power Amid Foreclosures - News Story - KTVU San Francisco
Homeowner Associations Wield Great Power Amid Foreclosures - News Story - KTVU San Francisco: "Often, the homeowners association will hire a collection agency to do the work for them. Those collection agencies are usually part of law firms that represent Homeowners associations and may do foreclosures.
Many homeowners complain they're being abused by collection agencies that run up huge collection fees that can be four or five times the amount originally owed.
Tax attorney Michael Hamersley of El Dorado Hills said he faces foreclosure because the collection agency his homeowners association hired demands more than $2,000 for an overdue assessment of just $226.
In Oakland, condo owner Brenda Fuller said she fell behind on her homeowners dues after she went on temporary disability.
“They would have taken my house,” explained Fuller.
Homeowner advocate Marjorie Murray said in both cases collection agencies began foreclosures."
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Check out Marjorie Murray's organization--the Center for California Homeowner Association Law
Many homeowners complain they're being abused by collection agencies that run up huge collection fees that can be four or five times the amount originally owed.
Tax attorney Michael Hamersley of El Dorado Hills said he faces foreclosure because the collection agency his homeowners association hired demands more than $2,000 for an overdue assessment of just $226.
In Oakland, condo owner Brenda Fuller said she fell behind on her homeowners dues after she went on temporary disability.
“They would have taken my house,” explained Fuller.
Homeowner advocate Marjorie Murray said in both cases collection agencies began foreclosures."
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Check out Marjorie Murray's organization--the Center for California Homeowner Association Law
Which California dream?
News Analysis - Pinch of Reality Threatens the California Dream - NYTimes.com: "“In the end, we do not know for sure whether the California public really wants the California dream anymore,” said Bruce E. Cain, a professor of political science at the University of California, Berkeley. “The population is too diverse to have a common vision of what it wants to provide to everyone. Some people want the old dream, some want the gated privatized version, and some would like to secede and get away from it all.”"
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Thanks to Fred Pilot for flagging this quote from Bruce Cain, a prominent political scientist who seems to highlight one of the main issues I wrote about in Privatopia.
Anger follows California budget crisis deal
Anger follows California budget crisis deal: "The Times said the reduction would be achieved through a combination of measures including allowing prisoners to finish their sentences on home detention and creating incentives for completion of rehabilitation plans."
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I wonder what those incentives are. Considering the abysmal success rate of "rehabilitation" it would have to be a winning Powerball ticket.
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I wonder what those incentives are. Considering the abysmal success rate of "rehabilitation" it would have to be a winning Powerball ticket.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
UPDATE 2-California counties, cities to fight budget deal | Markets | Markets News | Reuters
UPDATE 2-California counties, cities to fight budget deal | Markets | Markets News | Reuters: "LOS ANGELES, July 21 (Reuters) - The day-old pact among California leaders to close the state's $26.3 billion budget gap came under fire on Tuesday as county and city governments threatened to sue to block a plan to seize local tax revenues as part of the deal.
City and council officials vowed to seek a court order barring the proposed diversion of $2 billion from local redevelopment agencies and $1.7 billion in highway tax collections into state coffers to help close the budget deficit."
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Can you imagine how bitter this is going to get?
City and council officials vowed to seek a court order barring the proposed diversion of $2 billion from local redevelopment agencies and $1.7 billion in highway tax collections into state coffers to help close the budget deficit."
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Can you imagine how bitter this is going to get?
Roubini: Economic Recovery To Be 'Very Ugly'
Roubini: Economic Recovery To Be 'Very Ugly': "Nouriel Roubini, the economist whose dire forecasts earned him the nickname 'Doctor Doom', told CNBC Monday that the economic recovery is going to be 'very ugly.'
'The recovery is going to be subpar,' Roubini said. 'I see a one percent growth in the economy in the next few years. There will also be 11 percent unemployment next year and the recovery is going to be slow. It's going to feel like a recession even when it ends.'"
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I hope he's wrong, but just being candid about it, I am afraid he's right.
'The recovery is going to be subpar,' Roubini said. 'I see a one percent growth in the economy in the next few years. There will also be 11 percent unemployment next year and the recovery is going to be slow. It's going to feel like a recession even when it ends.'"
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I hope he's wrong, but just being candid about it, I am afraid he's right.
University of Illinois at Chicago studies lesbian drinking habits
WBBM 780 - Chicago's #1 source for local news, traffic and weather - $3M NIH grant to UIC to study lesbian drinking: "CHICAGO (STNG) -- The UIC College of Nursing has received a $3 million federal grant to continue research to identify risk factors for excessive drinking among lesbians."
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And I'm proud to be working at Ground Zero for the study of lesbian drinking. I think.
This is the Behavioral Sciences Building, where I work. How about that Neo-Brutalist style?
Detroit Schools on the Brink - WSJ.com
Detroit Schools on the Brink - WSJ.com: "Detroit's public-school system, beset by massive deficits and widespread corruption, is on the brink of following local icons GM and Chrysler into bankruptcy court...Some experts say the Detroit case could be the first in a string of Chapter 9 bankruptcies among school districts and other public entities battered by the economic crisis, and it could help shape that area of the law. "Given the state of public finance," says Samuel Gerdano, executive director of the American Bankruptcy Institute, "I think the wave is coming.""
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So do I. I think the private and public institutions of local government are on the edge of a cliff right now. Many state and local governments are facing insolvency right now. What does the future hold? The Obama administration is spending so much money that we, the taxpayers, will soon be faced with increased federal taxes. That will increase resistance to state and local taxation, so massive service cuts seem to be the only way they can go.
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So do I. I think the private and public institutions of local government are on the edge of a cliff right now. Many state and local governments are facing insolvency right now. What does the future hold? The Obama administration is spending so much money that we, the taxpayers, will soon be faced with increased federal taxes. That will increase resistance to state and local taxation, so massive service cuts seem to be the only way they can go.
Yeah, but that was different...somehow...
Democrats irked by Obama signing statement: "President Barack Obama has irked close allies in Congress by declaring he has the right to ignore legislation on constitutional grounds after having criticized George W. Bush for doing the same."
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Remember all the lefties going berserk over Bush's signing statements? I don't like them, either. I think presidents should either sign or veto. I guess I'm old fashioned that way. But I am wondering how much outrage we will see from his supporters now that he is doing the same things.
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Remember all the lefties going berserk over Bush's signing statements? I don't like them, either. I think presidents should either sign or veto. I guess I'm old fashioned that way. But I am wondering how much outrage we will see from his supporters now that he is doing the same things.
Dark Roasted Blend: The Walled Cities: Keeping Out The Joneses
Dark Roasted Blend: The Walled Cities: Keeping Out The Joneses
These are spectacular photos--don't miss them.
These are spectacular photos--don't miss them.
Polls can affect president's hold on party - USATODAY.com
Polls can affect president's hold on party - USATODAY.com: "Barack Obama, who completed six months in office Monday, has a 55% approval rating in the USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, putting him 10th among the dozen presidents who have served since World War II at this point in their tenures."
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I realize these poll numbers can change. But in a way that's the point. He has brought down his own approval numbers by over-reaching, especially on health care. I believe that if he took on the issue of reducing health care costs first, and got a bill passed on that, he would shoot up in the polls. Then he could address the question of universal coverage. But he is stubbornly insisting that everything has to be done at once, and right now.
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I realize these poll numbers can change. But in a way that's the point. He has brought down his own approval numbers by over-reaching, especially on health care. I believe that if he took on the issue of reducing health care costs first, and got a bill passed on that, he would shoot up in the polls. Then he could address the question of universal coverage. But he is stubbornly insisting that everything has to be done at once, and right now.
Getting Along with Americans & Canadians: How to be liked in Canada & the U.S.
Getting Along with Americans & Canadians: How to be liked in Canada & the U.S.: "By the way, the answer to 'How are you?' in all situations is 'I am well. Thank you. How are you?' or 'Fine. Thank you,' or the more popular colloquial but grammatically incorrect, 'Good. How are you doing?' or similar statements.
The questioner does not want to know your real state of health unless he or she is a doctor or nurse in a medical office. 'My ebola virus is spreading rapidly, and I will not live more than a day longer,' is not the welcomed answer in social or business situations. 'How are you' and 'How do you do' are polite greetings, not questions."
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Here is one of my pet peeves. Why do Americans insist that every single human interaction, however impersonal and trivial, cannot commence until the following magic words have been uttered:
"How are you?"
"Fine. How are you?"
"Fine."
Why is this incantation necessary? The grocery clerk, the bank teller, the mugger...even people who would just as soon step over your dying body to get to an ATM are asking you how you are before they will proceed further with selling you a can of Drano.
Here's how bad it is. People call a radio talk show and wait for an hour to get on the air. Then the host says to them, "OK, Bob in Denver--go ahead." And what does Bob say?
"How are you?"
The host should reply, "Is that why you called, Bob? You waited on hold for a hour to ask me THE SAME STUPID QUESTION EVERY OTHER CALLER HAS ASKED ME TODAY? Well, here's your answer: I'm exactly as FINE as I was TWO MINUTES AGO when I answered the SAME QUESTION for the LAST CALLER!"
I know I can't change this situation, but sometimes I actually tell people how I am and you should see the look of shock and horror on their face when I do. It's not that I tell them anything bad. It might be, "Well, I cut myself shaving this morning." But that is enough to send the "how are you" folks into a panic, because they didn't want any real interaction and now here it is.
Subprime brokers mutate into loan fixers - The New York Times- msnbc.com
Subprime brokers mutate into loan fixers - The New York Times- msnbc.com: "FedMod is but one example of how many of the same people who dispensed risky mortgages during the real estate bubble have reconstituted themselves into a new industry focused on selling loan modifications.
Despite making promises of relief to homeowners desperate to keep their homes, FedMod and other profit making loan modification firms often fail to deliver, according to a New York Times investigation based on interviews with scores of former employees and customers, more than 650 complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau, and documents filed by the Federal Trade Commission in a lawsuit against the company."
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Do you see anything wrong with this picture?
Despite making promises of relief to homeowners desperate to keep their homes, FedMod and other profit making loan modification firms often fail to deliver, according to a New York Times investigation based on interviews with scores of former employees and customers, more than 650 complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau, and documents filed by the Federal Trade Commission in a lawsuit against the company."
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Do you see anything wrong with this picture?
Law.com - Firms Bank on California Cities' Distress
Law.com - Firms Bank on California Cities' Distress: "A parade of law firms big and small have responded to Pacific Grove's call for help as the California city works to get a handle on its growing budget deficit.
While Pacific Grove is not ready to file for Chapter 9, under which municipalities seek bankruptcy protection, it is exploring the legal costs and potential consequences of such a move. It has recently received eight pitches, from behemoths like Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Cooley Godward Kronish and Morrison & Foerster, and from smaller, more regional shops such as Best Best & Krieger, McNutt Law Group and Renne Sloan Holtzman Sakai. Responding to the city's request for qualifications, the firms outlined costs for pre-filing consultation and representation in bankruptcy and post-bankruptcy proceedings."
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This must be a boom year for bankruptcy lawyers.
While Pacific Grove is not ready to file for Chapter 9, under which municipalities seek bankruptcy protection, it is exploring the legal costs and potential consequences of such a move. It has recently received eight pitches, from behemoths like Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Cooley Godward Kronish and Morrison & Foerster, and from smaller, more regional shops such as Best Best & Krieger, McNutt Law Group and Renne Sloan Holtzman Sakai. Responding to the city's request for qualifications, the firms outlined costs for pre-filing consultation and representation in bankruptcy and post-bankruptcy proceedings."
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This must be a boom year for bankruptcy lawyers.
Condominium Associations Suffer As Foreclosures Take A Grip | House Repos Blog
Condominium Associations Suffer As Foreclosures Take A Grip | House Repos Blog: "As condos are lost to foreclosures, the rest who are still in their homes laments that they are finding it difficult to maintain the sprawling houses because a majority cannot shell out the fees for their upkeep."
Columbia, Inc.? Old idea gets new traction - baltimoresun.com
Columbia, Inc.? Old idea gets new traction - baltimoresun.com: "It's been 13 years since the failure of the last real effort to convert Columbia into an incorporated municipality, but some feel the current suggestion that the town's homeowners association seek power over zoning is tied to that old debate.
'If they can get control of zoning, they'll also be asking for incorporation,' said Pearl Atkinson Stewart, the Columbia Association board member with the longest tenure and institutional memory. 'I can't see it going anywhere.'
In fact, deputy county solicitor Paul Johnson said that based on his experience, he feels incorporation would be the only way for the town's residents to get zoning authority, an opinion shared by the Maryland attorney general's office, said spokeswoman Raquel Guillory."
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Libertarians argue that CIDs will replace cities, but I think it is more likely that the really big ones, like Columbia, MD, will incorporate as municipalities.
'If they can get control of zoning, they'll also be asking for incorporation,' said Pearl Atkinson Stewart, the Columbia Association board member with the longest tenure and institutional memory. 'I can't see it going anywhere.'
In fact, deputy county solicitor Paul Johnson said that based on his experience, he feels incorporation would be the only way for the town's residents to get zoning authority, an opinion shared by the Maryland attorney general's office, said spokeswoman Raquel Guillory."
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Libertarians argue that CIDs will replace cities, but I think it is more likely that the really big ones, like Columbia, MD, will incorporate as municipalities.
Unpaid dues split neighbors | The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Unpaid dues split neighbors | The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind.: "Liens filed by neighborhoods in Allen County against their residents over uncollected dues are increasing. Associations are even filing lawsuits to ensure they get the money needed for maintenance of community areas and other services. A newly enacted state law, however, will give the two sides time to resolve their problems without resorting to the court system, according to one of the law’s authors."
CRITTERS: Quite a Response to Haley vs. Willoughby Park HOA - StarNewsOnline.com
CRITTERS: Quite a Response to Haley vs. Willoughby Park HOA - StarNewsOnline.com: "I want to thank everyone who has responded to the column about the Willoughby Park HOA board's efforts to evict Haley, the 13-year-old dog.
The responses on the Critters Blog, in the StarNews forum and via e-mail have been unanimous in noting the injustice being done to Haley, Paige Cole and Brian Brian Niemcvyk.
I'll have a lot more to say about this particular case and on the issue of some HOA boards far overstepping their bounds - in next Saturday's Animals Tales column and back here in the Critters Blog."
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Cynthia Stephens sent this update from a local columnist who is tracking the case.
The responses on the Critters Blog, in the StarNews forum and via e-mail have been unanimous in noting the injustice being done to Haley, Paige Cole and Brian Brian Niemcvyk.
I'll have a lot more to say about this particular case and on the issue of some HOA boards far overstepping their bounds - in next Saturday's Animals Tales column and back here in the Critters Blog."
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Cynthia Stephens sent this update from a local columnist who is tracking the case.
Family Hassled By HOA - KRDO.com Colorado Springs, Pueblo - Weather, News, Sports -
Family Hassled By HOA - KRDO.com Colorado Springs, Pueblo - Weather, News, Sports -: "Woodmen Hills Filing 11 in Peyton, wants the Wolbers family to manicure their front lawn. The Wolbers don't see a problem with their lawn. 'Our lawn is green and mowed, I don't know what else they want,' Jeni Wolbers said.
Jeni Wolbers' husband deployed in May and her daughter is in renal failure. The daughter is waiting for her father to return so he can donate his kidney. Jeni spends all her time and money taking care of her daughter.
In May, the Wolbers landscaped their backyard, which the HOA required. 'All of our money went into that, and now my husbands gone and I have no help,' stated Jeni."
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Thanks to Fred Pilot for this infuriating link.
Jeni Wolbers' husband deployed in May and her daughter is in renal failure. The daughter is waiting for her father to return so he can donate his kidney. Jeni spends all her time and money taking care of her daughter.
In May, the Wolbers landscaped their backyard, which the HOA required. 'All of our money went into that, and now my husbands gone and I have no help,' stated Jeni."
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Thanks to Fred Pilot for this infuriating link.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Coming soon to the USA: health commissars
BBC NEWS | UK | England | London | Man refused liver transplant dies: "A man from east London who began binge-drinking at 13 has died after being denied a life-saving liver transplant.
Gary Reinbach, 22, from Dagenham, was given only a few weeks to live after developing cirrhosis of the liver.
He was admitted to University College Hospital London (UCL) with alcohol damage for the first time 10 weeks ago.
But health chiefs ruled he should not be exempt from strict organ donation criteria which require an alcohol-free period of at least six months."
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And soon, we here in the USA may get our very own "health chiefs," meaning the government commissars who will decide whether we live or die. That's how socialized medicine works, and anybody who doesn't see where Obamacare is designed to lead is either blind or disingenous.
Gary Reinbach, 22, from Dagenham, was given only a few weeks to live after developing cirrhosis of the liver.
He was admitted to University College Hospital London (UCL) with alcohol damage for the first time 10 weeks ago.
But health chiefs ruled he should not be exempt from strict organ donation criteria which require an alcohol-free period of at least six months."
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And soon, we here in the USA may get our very own "health chiefs," meaning the government commissars who will decide whether we live or die. That's how socialized medicine works, and anybody who doesn't see where Obamacare is designed to lead is either blind or disingenous.
HOA bans smoking INDOORS!
Leader-Telegram Online: "Members of the Fairfax Parkside Homeowners Association on Wednesday voted to outlaw smoking inside residences that are part of the 34-unit development. The ban also prohibits smoking in shared spaces, such as porches and garages, but does allow it in yards and on patios.
Of the 19 association members who voted on the issue, 15 favored the anti-smoking regulation proposed by association President Dave Hanvelt, while four argued that residents should be allowed to smoke in their homes."
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This is an HOA in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, that was part of the USA until recently.
Of the 19 association members who voted on the issue, 15 favored the anti-smoking regulation proposed by association President Dave Hanvelt, while four argued that residents should be allowed to smoke in their homes."
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This is an HOA in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, that was part of the USA until recently.
White House pushes health care before disclosure of economic data
My Way News - White House putting off release of budget update: "The administration's annual midsummer budget update is sure to show higher deficits and unemployment and slower growth than projected in President Barack Obama's budget in February and update in May, and that could complicate his efforts to get his signature health care and global-warming proposals through Congress.
The release of the update - usually scheduled for mid-July - has been put off until the middle of next month, giving rise to speculation the White House is delaying the bad news at least until Congress leaves town on its August 7 summer recess.
The administration is pressing for votes before then on its $1 trillion health care initiative, which lawmakers are arguing over how to finance."
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So Congress is supposed to pass this before it is fully read and debated, before hearing from their constituents during the summer recess, and even before the nation is told the actual state of the US economy. Your representative government at work...
The release of the update - usually scheduled for mid-July - has been put off until the middle of next month, giving rise to speculation the White House is delaying the bad news at least until Congress leaves town on its August 7 summer recess.
The administration is pressing for votes before then on its $1 trillion health care initiative, which lawmakers are arguing over how to finance."
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So Congress is supposed to pass this before it is fully read and debated, before hearing from their constituents during the summer recess, and even before the nation is told the actual state of the US economy. Your representative government at work...
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Florida Condo And Homeowner Associations Filing Chapter 11 As A Last Resort
Florida Condo And Homeowner Associations Filing Chapter 11 As A Last Resort: "Last year, we began to see that condo associations in Florida were facing trouble. With many condo owners not paying their fees or facing foreclosure it was inevitable that the condo and homeowner associations would only be able to go on so long. The Miami Herald is reporting that with those fees remaining unpaid some South Florida condo associations are seeing bankruptcy as a way out. So far at least seven Florida condo associations have filed for bankruptcy and there could be many more to follow.
The lure for the associations is that if they are in bankruptcy the utilities they owe money to can't turn off basic services like water and power. The downside may be that it is both costly and only a stopgap measure."
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Yes, and as the article notes, unlike bankrupt businesses, they don't have assets to sell off.
The lure for the associations is that if they are in bankruptcy the utilities they owe money to can't turn off basic services like water and power. The downside may be that it is both costly and only a stopgap measure."
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Yes, and as the article notes, unlike bankrupt businesses, they don't have assets to sell off.
Sotomayor Spontaneously Combusts, Firefighter Frank Ricci Suggests Letting Fire Burn Itself Out
Carbolic Smoke Ball
Somehow the major networks seem to have missed this story.
Somehow the major networks seem to have missed this story.
What's really behind Obama's sudden plea for troubled health reforms today | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times
What's really behind Obama's sudden plea for troubled health reforms today | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times: "Obama insists Congress get a healthcare reform program drafted before its members leave on Aug. 7 for their next long vacation. Why? Because members may get an earful back home from the 70% of Americans who say they are satisfied with their healthcare plans and the estimated 98% who don't want higher taxes to pay for reforms that benefit others now and maybe them later someday, who knows.
And if Obama doesn't get his beloved healthcare reforms this year when his party has such firm control of both chambers of Congress, 2010 is a midterm election year when such immense spending will be even more controversial and when, historically, the White House party loses members in Congress. (And unemployment rates are predicted to continue rising.)"
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How about that? Obama's belief, and that of the Axelrod-Emanuel-Pelosi-Reid combine that enables him, is that this massive redesign of the American health care system must be passed by Congress before the people have a chance to tell their legislative representatives what they think of it. He would prefer that the representatives and senators pass it without even reading it themselves.
The truth behind all Obama's power to the people rhetoric is that he has no more respect for democracy than did his predecessor in office. He thinks we are a selfish, primitive, rabble and need to have our lives organized for us by the federal government, led by...guess who?
And if Obama doesn't get his beloved healthcare reforms this year when his party has such firm control of both chambers of Congress, 2010 is a midterm election year when such immense spending will be even more controversial and when, historically, the White House party loses members in Congress. (And unemployment rates are predicted to continue rising.)"
------------
How about that? Obama's belief, and that of the Axelrod-Emanuel-Pelosi-Reid combine that enables him, is that this massive redesign of the American health care system must be passed by Congress before the people have a chance to tell their legislative representatives what they think of it. He would prefer that the representatives and senators pass it without even reading it themselves.
The truth behind all Obama's power to the people rhetoric is that he has no more respect for democracy than did his predecessor in office. He thinks we are a selfish, primitive, rabble and need to have our lives organized for us by the federal government, led by...guess who?
California closes state offices to save cash
California closes state offices to save cash: "The DMV is one of many state offices to close on Friday, one of three unpaid leave days a month ordered for state workers to help the government reduce its expenses.
The furloughs declared earlier this month are expected to save more than one billion dollars over the next year in California.
On Wednesday, authorities shut down most of the operations of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the largest court system in the country with approximately 100,000 people passing through its 600 courtrooms every day.
Presiding Judge Charles McCoy said he was forced to take the step in anticipation of a 138-million-dollar funding shortfall for the fiscal year that began this month."
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What's the problem? Just tax the rich. They can pay for everything, can't they?
The furloughs declared earlier this month are expected to save more than one billion dollars over the next year in California.
On Wednesday, authorities shut down most of the operations of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the largest court system in the country with approximately 100,000 people passing through its 600 courtrooms every day.
Presiding Judge Charles McCoy said he was forced to take the step in anticipation of a 138-million-dollar funding shortfall for the fiscal year that began this month."
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What's the problem? Just tax the rich. They can pay for everything, can't they?
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