Condos and HOAs | Sun-Sentinel.comRay says his West Palm Beach condo lease will likely not be renewed because of his daily habit of waiting outside the building on the sidewalk for about 10 minutes each day for his wife to arrive from work. As far as he knows, that is the only reason for rejection.
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This post is from a blog by Daniel Vasquez, a Florida journalist who writes a column on condo and hoa issues.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Dusting for dog-crap in a fancy condo - Boing Boing
Dusting for dog-crap in a fancy condo - Boing Boing
The condo association at Scarlett Place, a posh Baltimore building, have proposed to DNA-test all the dogs on the premises, and use DNA from errant dog-turds to identify feckless owners and fine them $500 per dog-pie.
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I told my 19 year old son about this, and he said, "That sounds like something from The Onion." Yes, it does. But it is real. It is no longer possible to parody the antics of HOA boards because no matter how absurd the concept you come up with, they have already exceeded it.
Thanks to Mystery Reader for this link. I also got it from Fred Pilot who contributed two more stories below. I have been too busy to blog for several weeks so thanks to those who sent me items--I will see about catching up.
The condo association at Scarlett Place, a posh Baltimore building, have proposed to DNA-test all the dogs on the premises, and use DNA from errant dog-turds to identify feckless owners and fine them $500 per dog-pie.
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I told my 19 year old son about this, and he said, "That sounds like something from The Onion." Yes, it does. But it is real. It is no longer possible to parody the antics of HOA boards because no matter how absurd the concept you come up with, they have already exceeded it.
Thanks to Mystery Reader for this link. I also got it from Fred Pilot who contributed two more stories below. I have been too busy to blog for several weeks so thanks to those who sent me items--I will see about catching up.
South AfricaNews - 'They are a mafia' (Page 1 of 2)
News - Crime & Courts: 'They are a mafia' (Page 1 of 2)
It is a comfortable complex with a mix of upmarket and middle-class homes, some with views of the sea - but run by a homeowners' association from hell, say some residents.
So heated has the low-level war between residents and The Capricorn Beach Homeowners' Association (HOA) become that the association has reportedly racked up a R191 000 bill in legal battles against homeowners.
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Those R thingies are Rands. That's the currency in South Africa. According to my friendly neighborhood internet converter, R191,000 amounts to $24,227. So it seems that HOA lawyers are expensive the world around.
It is a comfortable complex with a mix of upmarket and middle-class homes, some with views of the sea - but run by a homeowners' association from hell, say some residents.
So heated has the low-level war between residents and The Capricorn Beach Homeowners' Association (HOA) become that the association has reportedly racked up a R191 000 bill in legal battles against homeowners.
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Those R thingies are Rands. That's the currency in South Africa. According to my friendly neighborhood internet converter, R191,000 amounts to $24,227. So it seems that HOA lawyers are expensive the world around.
Homeowner Wins Court Battle With HOA - San Antonio News Story - KSAT San Antonio
Homeowner Wins Court Battle With HOA - San Antonio News Story - KSAT San AntonioHidden Forest off of Bitters Road looks quiet, but for more than three years, it's been the center of a legal battle over the rights of homeowners associations.
"They were suing to foreclose on my home over $390," said Hern.
Hern said he was late on his association dues but objected to the added fees and decided to fight. Over the years, he said the attorney's fees kept adding up.
"They were asking for a little over $25,000 in fees," he said.
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And of course now that the HOA has lost, their attorney is promising to "address this further through the legal process," which translates into litigation without limit to crush any owner who stands up for his rights.
"They were suing to foreclose on my home over $390," said Hern.
Hern said he was late on his association dues but objected to the added fees and decided to fight. Over the years, he said the attorney's fees kept adding up.
"They were asking for a little over $25,000 in fees," he said.
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And of course now that the HOA has lost, their attorney is promising to "address this further through the legal process," which translates into litigation without limit to crush any owner who stands up for his rights.
U.S. Banks Post Profit, but Woes Persist - WSJ.com
U.S. Banks Post Profit, but Woes Persist - WSJ.com
WASHINGTON—A total of 775 banks, or one-tenth of all U.S. banks, were on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s list of "problem" institutions in the first quarter, as bad loans in the commercial real-estate market weighed on bank balance sheets.
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This recovery is going well.
WASHINGTON—A total of 775 banks, or one-tenth of all U.S. banks, were on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s list of "problem" institutions in the first quarter, as bad loans in the commercial real-estate market weighed on bank balance sheets.
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This recovery is going well.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Living in denial: How corporations manufacture doubt - opinion - 20 May 2010 - New Scientist
Living in denial: How corporations manufacture doubt - opinion - 20 May 2010 - New Scientist"Objective scientific research": those words would almost make you believe that Panzer was talking about objective science. But when doubt is your goal, the misuse of language is just another way to confuse the public.
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Hmmmmmmm.
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Hmmmmmmm.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Council Told to Consider Bankruptcy - Bloomberg.com
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Council Told to Consider Bankruptcy - Bloomberg.com: "April 27 (Bloomberg) -- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which has missed $6 million in debt payments since Jan. 1, should consider seeking Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, City Controller Dan Miller told a three-hour special committee hearing."
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No worries. It's only the capitol of Pennsylvania.
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No worries. It's only the capitol of Pennsylvania.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Outraged homeowners detail HOA fines, foreclosure threats to Austin lawmakers | Denton Record Chronicle | News for Denton County, Texas | Texas Southwest
Outraged homeowners detail HOA fines, foreclosure threats to Austin lawmakers | Denton Record Chronicle | News for Denton County, Texas | Texas Southwest: "A Houston couple may wind up having to pay more than $20,000 after a feud over a $50 ticket for having gray – instead of black – tape on exterior water lines, leaders of a property owners' rights group told the House Business and Industry Committee.
'That was clearly, if it's true, the most egregious thing we heard today,' said Rep. Gary Elkins, R-Houston, the panel's vice chairman.
The issue of how much power homeowners associations should have so they can collect past-due assessments and enforce architectural uniformity has simmered in the Legislature since the 1990s, said Rep. Helen Giddings, D-Dallas.
Giddings said she was dismayed by recent stories in The Dallas Morning News about a Colleyville developer who, with his wife and business partner, used five neighborhood associations to dictate everything from how many day lilies to plant in a flower bed to the precise size of coach lamps at entrances.
'Some of these things are just downright, absolutely, totally ridiculous,' she said."
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Yes, they are. I like that: downright, absolutely, totally ridiculous.
'That was clearly, if it's true, the most egregious thing we heard today,' said Rep. Gary Elkins, R-Houston, the panel's vice chairman.
The issue of how much power homeowners associations should have so they can collect past-due assessments and enforce architectural uniformity has simmered in the Legislature since the 1990s, said Rep. Helen Giddings, D-Dallas.
Giddings said she was dismayed by recent stories in The Dallas Morning News about a Colleyville developer who, with his wife and business partner, used five neighborhood associations to dictate everything from how many day lilies to plant in a flower bed to the precise size of coach lamps at entrances.
'Some of these things are just downright, absolutely, totally ridiculous,' she said."
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Yes, they are. I like that: downright, absolutely, totally ridiculous.
IG Report: Obama Homeowner Bailout Program a Bust - HUMAN EVENTS
IG Report: Obama Homeowner Bailout Program a Bust - HUMAN EVENTS: "The $75 billion HAMP program was created with a promise to bailout 3 to 4 million homeowners in foreclosure, paying lenders to modify troubled mortgages. Foreclosures reached 2.8 million in 2009 and are on track to exceed that total with over 932,000 foreclosures filed in the first three months of 2010, the report found.
The inspector general found the program “has made very little progress in stemming this onslaught” in a year with only 230,000 loans permanently modified."
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Well, it's only...75 BILLION DOLLARS.
The inspector general found the program “has made very little progress in stemming this onslaught” in a year with only 230,000 loans permanently modified."
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Well, it's only...75 BILLION DOLLARS.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
IMF Survey: Government Borrowing Is Rising Risk to World Financial System
IMF Survey: Government Borrowing Is Rising Risk to World Financial System: "But the biggest threats have moved from the private to the public sectors in advanced economies. Governments not only took on many of the bad assets from private institutions but due to the recession face continuing heavy borrowing needs for the next few years. Slow growth in the real economy and high unemployment will retard tax revenues and require higher government spending—such as on unemployment benefits and job creation activities."
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That's the way it looks to me.
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That's the way it looks to me.
Monday, April 12, 2010
AFP: Risk of Japan going bankrupt is real, say analysts
AFP: Risk of Japan going bankrupt is real, say analysts: "Public debt is expected to hit 200 percent of GDP in the next year as the government tries to spend its way out of the economic doldrums despite plummeting tax revenues and soaring welfare costs for its ageing population."
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The USA had better get busy or Japan will beat us to the bottom of the barrel.
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The USA had better get busy or Japan will beat us to the bottom of the barrel.
Friday, April 09, 2010
Foreclosure auction of Nicolas Cage's mansion is a flop - latimes.com
Foreclosure auction of Nicolas Cage's mansion is a flop - latimes.com: "'The design was 'frat house bordello,' ' Parsons said. 'There must have been 300 comic book covers elaborately framed and hanging on the walls.' Model train sets on raised tracks a couple feet below the ceiling circled the inside of the breakfast room and two bedrooms. There were also no takers in the courthouse sale, and in less than a minute the auction closed, with ownership reverting to the foreclosing lender -- just one of six holding a total of $18 million in loans on the property."
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He had tried and failed to sell it for $35 million. They started the auction at $10.4 million. No bidders. Frat house bordello must have gone out of style.
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He had tried and failed to sell it for $35 million. They started the auction at $10.4 million. No bidders. Frat house bordello must have gone out of style.
Evolution, Big Bang Polls Omitted From NSF Report - ScienceInsider
Evolution, Big Bang Polls Omitted From NSF Report - ScienceInsider: "The deleted text, obtained by ScienceInsider, does not differ radically from what has appeared in previous Indicators. The section, which was part of the unedited chapter on public attitudes toward science and technology, notes that 45% of Americans in 2008 answered true to the statement, 'Human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals.' The figure is similar to previous years and much lower than in Japan (78%), Europe (70%), China (69%), and South Korea (64%). The same gap exists for the response to a second statement, 'The universe began with a big explosion,' with which only 33% of Americans agreed."
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Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Chase Sued For Telling People To Stop Paying Mortgage, Then Foreclosing - The Consumerist
Chase Sued For Telling People To Stop Paying Mortgage, Then Foreclosing - The Consumerist: "We hear stories all the time about people who are having trouble paying their mortgage, call the bank for help, and are then told there's nothing the bank can do unless they stop paying their mortgage. Well, one couple is suing Chase after they followed that advice, and then got foreclosed on."
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Thanks to Mystery Reader for this absolutely infuriating story. It makes me wonder what percentage of home foreclosures by banks and associations are bogus.
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Thanks to Mystery Reader for this absolutely infuriating story. It makes me wonder what percentage of home foreclosures by banks and associations are bogus.
Nearly half of US households escape fed income tax - Yahoo! Finance
Nearly half of US households escape fed income tax - Yahoo! Finance: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- Tax Day is a dreaded deadline for millions, but for nearly half of U.S. households it's simply somebody else's problem.
About 47 percent will pay no federal income taxes at all for 2009. Either their incomes were too low, or they qualified for enough credits, deductions and exemptions to eliminate their liability. That's according to projections by the Tax Policy Center, a Washington research organization."
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It would be interesting to see what the correlation is between paying income tax or not and supporting big federal spending programs. Somehow I think the people who pay the income taxes are not so keen on the huge deficits the federal government is running up.
About 47 percent will pay no federal income taxes at all for 2009. Either their incomes were too low, or they qualified for enough credits, deductions and exemptions to eliminate their liability. That's according to projections by the Tax Policy Center, a Washington research organization."
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It would be interesting to see what the correlation is between paying income tax or not and supporting big federal spending programs. Somehow I think the people who pay the income taxes are not so keen on the huge deficits the federal government is running up.
KSBY News San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles - Duck feeding ban approved in San Luis Obispo
KSBY News San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles - Duck feeding ban approved in San Luis Obispo: "You will no longer be able to feed the ducks in the city of San Luis Obispo.
Tuesday night, the city council passed its new storm water management regulations. The ordinance prohibits people from feeding ducks at local parks, lakes and creeks. City leaders say feeding animals contributes to pollution."
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You know what drug the ducks take?
Quack.
L.A. mayor calls for temporary shutdowns of some agencies - latimes.com
L.A. mayor calls for temporary shutdowns of some agencies - latimes.com
When you read all these demands to abolish HOAs and condos, keep in mind that such a thing can only happen through state legislation. Can you imagine the California state legislature tampering with the HOA cash cow, with cities running gigantic structural deficits? Neither can I. Cities and CIDs are joined at the hip now.
When you read all these demands to abolish HOAs and condos, keep in mind that such a thing can only happen through state legislation. Can you imagine the California state legislature tampering with the HOA cash cow, with cities running gigantic structural deficits? Neither can I. Cities and CIDs are joined at the hip now.
Monday, April 05, 2010
Tea Party 48% Obama 44% - Rasmussen Reports™
Tea Party 48% Obama 44% - Rasmussen Reports™: "On major issues, 48% of voters say that the average Tea Party member is closer to their views than President Barack Obama. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 44% hold the opposite view and believe the president’s views are closer to their own."
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Interesting election coming up, I'd say.
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Interesting election coming up, I'd say.
Saturday, April 03, 2010
Lawyer: "Be aggressive with your foreclosure actions."
Condo and HOA Law by Donna DiMaggio Berger, Esq.: Time to Tighten Up Your Current Collection Policy: "Be aggressive with your foreclosure actions. This accomplishes several things: it sends a message to the rest of the paying members that you are doing something; it warns those who might be tempted to stop paying their assessments that you will do something, it allows the association (once it takes title) to either sell the property or lease it out short term to recoup some or all of the money owed and it allows the association to control who occupies the property and its condition."
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I posted a link a while back to President Obama's request that banks not be so quick to foreclose. I received a comment to that post flagging this one, from Donna Berger's blog. She says to "be aggressive with your foreclosure actions."
I understand that associations need to collect delinquent assessments, or else the other owners end up paying for the ones who don't. But look--even CAI says to use foreclosure only as a last resort. Yet, within CAI there are always these lawyers and managers who tell their association clients something different, such as be aggressive; use foreclosure ASAP; use nonjudicial foreclosure if possible; and so forth.
So--which of these two approaches is the "real" CAI? The statements that emanate from CAI national, or the advice CAI members give their client associations?
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I posted a link a while back to President Obama's request that banks not be so quick to foreclose. I received a comment to that post flagging this one, from Donna Berger's blog. She says to "be aggressive with your foreclosure actions."
I understand that associations need to collect delinquent assessments, or else the other owners end up paying for the ones who don't. But look--even CAI says to use foreclosure only as a last resort. Yet, within CAI there are always these lawyers and managers who tell their association clients something different, such as be aggressive; use foreclosure ASAP; use nonjudicial foreclosure if possible; and so forth.
So--which of these two approaches is the "real" CAI? The statements that emanate from CAI national, or the advice CAI members give their client associations?
Monday, March 29, 2010
Homeowner group OKs $4,000 yard art fine | HeraldTribune.com
Homeowner group OKs $4,000 yard art fine | HeraldTribune.com: "LAKEWOOD RANCH - Two metal poodles and several small seashells decorating Summerfield resident Joani Ellis' front yard are still costing her $50 a day
Facing nearly $4,000 in fines, Ellis appealed the penalties to the Summerfield/Riverwalk Homeowner Association on Thursday night.
But the board did not budge on their stance that Ellis is breaking a neighborhood rule that allows only three lawn decorations."
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Take a look at the picture and tell me this is something her neighbors have any business even talking about, much less imposing fines.
Fred Pilot sent this link.
Facing nearly $4,000 in fines, Ellis appealed the penalties to the Summerfield/Riverwalk Homeowner Association on Thursday night.
But the board did not budge on their stance that Ellis is breaking a neighborhood rule that allows only three lawn decorations."
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Take a look at the picture and tell me this is something her neighbors have any business even talking about, much less imposing fines.
Fred Pilot sent this link.
Colleyville homeowners divided over developer's control of HOAs | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Breaking News for Dallas-Fort Worth | Dallas Morning News
Colleyville homeowners divided over developer's control of HOAs | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Breaking News for Dallas-Fort Worth | Dallas Morning News: "COLLEYVILLE – This affluent community, full of beautiful new homes and shops, doesn't look like a hothouse for revolutionaries hellbent on overthrowing the established suburban order.
But a group of residents in five luxury neighborhoods has grown tired of their homeowners associations dictating everything from how many day lilies to plant in a flower bed to what companies they can hire to put in a swimming pool."
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The peasants are revolting!
Thanks to Fred Pilot for the link.
But a group of residents in five luxury neighborhoods has grown tired of their homeowners associations dictating everything from how many day lilies to plant in a flower bed to what companies they can hire to put in a swimming pool."
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The peasants are revolting!
Thanks to Fred Pilot for the link.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Somebody needs a lawyer in Colorado
Can anybody give me the name of an attorney in Colorado who will represent owners in a dispute with an HOA? I have been contacted by somebody in Jefferson County, CO, who needs a lawyer. You can send it to me at ecmlaw@gmail.com and I will pass it on to the interested party.
White men shun Democrats -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY
White men shun Democrats -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY: "Millions of white men who voted for Barack Obama are walking away from the Democratic Party, and it appears increasingly likely that they'll take the midterms elections in November with them. Their departure could well lead to a GOP landslide on a scale not seen since 1994."
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It only took a year or so for President Obama to alienate a huge chunk of the electorate. I don't think there is much he can do to get them back, either. People know who he is now.
He ran as a common-sense, centrist, outsider who was going to Washington to fix things. Nobody who knew him would have believed that for a minute, of course, but with the press declining to dig into his background much it worked with a lot of independents. The Republicans had cast themselves into a pit of disrepute and the McCain-Palin ticket was hopelessly inept, so Obama swept right in.
But now everybody can see that Obama is farther to the left than he let on. He is committing the federal government to vast deficits for decades to come, and he is loading up his administration with lefties who want to regulate every aspect of the economy to the point of making entire industries virtual arms of the federal government. With Congress on his side he can do all this, or at least most of it.
Jobs and fixing the federal budget are more important to many voters than they are to those in power in Washington. If the November elections bring a huge turnout of angry white people, watch out. Remember that Ross Perot got 19% of the vote in 1992. And he was an obvious nutball whose VP candidate couldn't even figure out why Perot chose him.
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It only took a year or so for President Obama to alienate a huge chunk of the electorate. I don't think there is much he can do to get them back, either. People know who he is now.
He ran as a common-sense, centrist, outsider who was going to Washington to fix things. Nobody who knew him would have believed that for a minute, of course, but with the press declining to dig into his background much it worked with a lot of independents. The Republicans had cast themselves into a pit of disrepute and the McCain-Palin ticket was hopelessly inept, so Obama swept right in.
But now everybody can see that Obama is farther to the left than he let on. He is committing the federal government to vast deficits for decades to come, and he is loading up his administration with lefties who want to regulate every aspect of the economy to the point of making entire industries virtual arms of the federal government. With Congress on his side he can do all this, or at least most of it.
Jobs and fixing the federal budget are more important to many voters than they are to those in power in Washington. If the November elections bring a huge turnout of angry white people, watch out. Remember that Ross Perot got 19% of the vote in 1992. And he was an obvious nutball whose VP candidate couldn't even figure out why Perot chose him.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Chase Hassles Woman For $45K In Payments For Home She No Longer Owns - The Consumerist
Chase Hassles Woman For $45K In Payments For Home She No Longer Owns - The Consumerist"In Oct. 2008, a mother of four in Illinois needed to unload her house or face foreclosure. So she worked with Chase Home Financial and got them to agree to a short sale. Unfortunately, more than a year later not everyone at Chase knows the house was sold, because they're telling the former homeowner she owes almost $45,000 in late payments."
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Thanks to Mystery Reader for this example of another major screw-up by a bank dunning somebody for money they don't owe. Is this better than foreclosing on the wrong home?
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Thanks to Mystery Reader for this example of another major screw-up by a bank dunning somebody for money they don't owe. Is this better than foreclosing on the wrong home?
Half of U.S. Home Loan Modifications Default Again (Update1) - Bloomberg.com
Half of U.S. Home Loan Modifications Default Again (Update1) - Bloomberg.com: "The re-default rate of loans modified in the first quarter of 2009 was 51.5 percent by the end of the year, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision said in a joint report today. The figure, which measures payments at least 30 days late, climbed to 57.9 percent for changes made in the prior 12 months.
U.S. homeowners are struggling to make payments as depressed housing prices leave them owing more than their properties are worth. About 24 percent of properties with a mortgage were underwater in the fourth quarter, First American CoreLogic said last month. The median price of a U.S. home was $165,100 in February, down 28 percent from its peak in July 2006, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Modifications are “clearly not working well and it’s not a surprise,” said Sam Khater, a senior economist at First American CoreLogic in Tysons Corner, Virginia. “It’s pointless to rewrite these loans because they’re underwater.”"
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No problem, because Obama will just tell the banks to be nice. See below.
U.S. homeowners are struggling to make payments as depressed housing prices leave them owing more than their properties are worth. About 24 percent of properties with a mortgage were underwater in the fourth quarter, First American CoreLogic said last month. The median price of a U.S. home was $165,100 in February, down 28 percent from its peak in July 2006, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Modifications are “clearly not working well and it’s not a surprise,” said Sam Khater, a senior economist at First American CoreLogic in Tysons Corner, Virginia. “It’s pointless to rewrite these loans because they’re underwater.”"
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No problem, because Obama will just tell the banks to be nice. See below.
Obama readies steps to fight foreclosures, particularly for unemployed - washingtonpost.com
Obama readies steps to fight foreclosures, particularly for unemployed - washingtonpost.com: "The Obama administration plans to overhaul how it is tackling the foreclosure crisis, in part by requiring lenders to temporarily slash or eliminate monthly mortgage payments for many borrowers who are unemployed, senior officials said Thursday."
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Which will push more banks into insolvency, and thus into the arms of the ever-expanding federal regulatory apparatus, where they will be reprogrammed as community service agencies?
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Which will push more banks into insolvency, and thus into the arms of the ever-expanding federal regulatory apparatus, where they will be reprogrammed as community service agencies?
Eldo Telecom: Study points to demise of burbs as bedroom communities
Eldo Telecom: Study points to demise of burbs as bedroom communities: "A study by the Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology found that long commutes to jobs in the Los Angeles basin from California's Inland Empire area (San Bernardino/Riverside) aren't really worth it when the cost of commuting if factored in. For decades, housing that costs less than comparable real estate closer to jobs in L.A. was the draw that fueled the region's growth. But when the costs of hours spent in cars and gasoline and maintenance are taken into account, it comes out a wash. (And arguably, potentially a net loss when the adverse work/life balance and health affects are included)."
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Fred Pilot, on his blog, zeroes in on the problem that is setting the limits to suburbia.
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Fred Pilot, on his blog, zeroes in on the problem that is setting the limits to suburbia.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
New home sales drop 2.2 percent in Feb. to new low
New home sales drop 2.2 percent in Feb. to new low: "The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that new home sales fell 2.2 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual sales pace of 308,000.
It was the fourth consecutive month of declines and the worst showing on records dating to 1963."
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The figures for Chicagoland showed prices up, but sales down.
It was the fourth consecutive month of declines and the worst showing on records dating to 1963."
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The figures for Chicagoland showed prices up, but sales down.
No more State Police on Chicago expressways? :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Election 2010
No more State Police on Chicago expressways? :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Election 2010: "The Chicago Police Department may be forced to assume primary responsibility for patrolling 53 miles of Chicago area expressways -- at a time when police manpower is woefully short -- under Gov. Quinn's proposal to slash the State Police budget and lay off 464 state troopers."
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The CPD is the second-largest police department in the country with 13,000 officers. They claim they have a severe manpower shortage and can't get enough officers on the street as it is, so they can't be expected to write speeding tickets on the expressways.
My observations: 1. CPD officers regard traffic enforcement as a nuisance unless they are specifically assigned to that duty. I walk from Union Station to UIC and back every working day and have been doing so for years.I have never, ever--not one time--seen a Chicago Police Officer writing a traffic ticket. Almost every day I see driving behavior that should lead to public flogging. There are cops hanging out at the 7-11s and elsewhere. No tickets being written.
2. Even with the state police writing tickets on the expressways, it is like a scene from Deathrace. People drive over 100 mph. You see it all the time. And when the go to court for driving over 100 mph, 2/3 of the time they get court supervision and it doesn't even go on their driving record. Don't believe me? Read this. The judges couldn't care less, either, as long as the money comes rolling in from the fines. So: the expressways are full of people driving like maniacs. Many of them are driving on suspended licenses, don't have insurance, and seem not to care if they kill you.
3. So, if they fire the 464 Chicago area state troopers, CPD will not pick up the slack very well and it will be like the Autobahn out there.
I'm glad I take the train.
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The CPD is the second-largest police department in the country with 13,000 officers. They claim they have a severe manpower shortage and can't get enough officers on the street as it is, so they can't be expected to write speeding tickets on the expressways.
My observations: 1. CPD officers regard traffic enforcement as a nuisance unless they are specifically assigned to that duty. I walk from Union Station to UIC and back every working day and have been doing so for years.I have never, ever--not one time--seen a Chicago Police Officer writing a traffic ticket. Almost every day I see driving behavior that should lead to public flogging. There are cops hanging out at the 7-11s and elsewhere. No tickets being written.
2. Even with the state police writing tickets on the expressways, it is like a scene from Deathrace. People drive over 100 mph. You see it all the time. And when the go to court for driving over 100 mph, 2/3 of the time they get court supervision and it doesn't even go on their driving record. Don't believe me? Read this. The judges couldn't care less, either, as long as the money comes rolling in from the fines. So: the expressways are full of people driving like maniacs. Many of them are driving on suspended licenses, don't have insurance, and seem not to care if they kill you.
3. So, if they fire the 464 Chicago area state troopers, CPD will not pick up the slack very well and it will be like the Autobahn out there.
I'm glad I take the train.
Monday, March 22, 2010
americas-most-underwater-housing-markets: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance
americas-most-underwater-housing-markets: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance: "'We have never had negative equity like this at the national level in as many different regions as we have now,' Humphries says. To get a better sense of the cities with the greatest concentrations of negative equity, Zillow provided U.S. News with data that detail the percentage of mortgage borrowers who are underwater in 142 distinct markets throughout the country. Based on this research, we compiled the following list of America's most underwater housing markets. (Please note: We chose no more than one city per state.)"
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Vegas, Merced, Phoenix, Orlando, Greeley, and on. Quite a spread.
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Vegas, Merced, Phoenix, Orlando, Greeley, and on. Quite a spread.
N.J. Town Out To Ban Dog Barking Round-The-Clock - wcbstv.com
N.J. Town Out To Ban Dog Barking Round-The-Clock - wcbstv.com: "But now in Piscataway an ordinance about incessant barking between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., has been expanded to include barking around the clock. And, yes, you could be fined."
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As you can see, Piscataway, NJ, has solved all its other problems and has time for this.
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As you can see, Piscataway, NJ, has solved all its other problems and has time for this.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Obama Paying More Than Buffett as Bonds Show U.S. Losing AAA - Bloomberg.com
Obama Paying More Than Buffett as Bonds Show U.S. Losing AAA - Bloomberg.com: "While Treasuries backed by the full faith and credit of the government typically yield less than corporate debt, the relationship has flipped as Moody’s Investors Service predicts the U.S. will spend more on debt service as a percentage of revenue this year than any other top-rated country except the U.K. America will use about 7 percent of taxes for debt payments in 2010 and almost 11 percent in 2013, moving “substantially” closer to losing its AAA rating, Moody’s said last week."
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Over the years I have often wondered if the rest of the western world was depending on us not becoming like them. Great Britain, France, etc., let their military strength deteriorate because they know we won't. They extend their welfare state because they know we won't. They were taking risks because they knew we wouldn't. There would always be this strong military power with a solid capitalist economy to serve as the backbone of the western world. But now we are becoming just like them. What happens? I guess we are going to find out.
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Over the years I have often wondered if the rest of the western world was depending on us not becoming like them. Great Britain, France, etc., let their military strength deteriorate because they know we won't. They extend their welfare state because they know we won't. They were taking risks because they knew we wouldn't. There would always be this strong military power with a solid capitalist economy to serve as the backbone of the western world. But now we are becoming just like them. What happens? I guess we are going to find out.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Red Menace: Stop the Ug99 Fungus Before Its Spores Bring Starvation | Magazine
Red Menace: Stop the Ug99 Fungus Before Its Spores Bring Starvation | Magazine: "Stem rust is the polio of agriculture, a plague that was brought under control nearly half a century ago as part of the celebrated Green Revolution. After years of trial and error, scientists managed to breed wheat that contained genes capable of repelling the assaults of Puccinia graminis, the formal name of the fungus.
But now it’s clear: The triumph didn’t last. While languishing in the Ugandan highlands, a small population of P. graminis evolved the means to overcome mankind’s most ingenious genetic defenses. This distinct new race of P. graminis, dubbed Ug99 after its country of origin (Uganda) and year of christening (1999), is storming east, working its way through Africa and the Middle East and threatening India and China. More than a billion lives are at stake. “It’s an absolute game-changer,” says Brian Steffenson, a cereal-disease expert at the University of Minnesota who travels to Njoro regularly to observe the enemy in the wild. “The pathogen takes out pretty much everything we have.”"
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In case you were running out of things to worry about...
But now it’s clear: The triumph didn’t last. While languishing in the Ugandan highlands, a small population of P. graminis evolved the means to overcome mankind’s most ingenious genetic defenses. This distinct new race of P. graminis, dubbed Ug99 after its country of origin (Uganda) and year of christening (1999), is storming east, working its way through Africa and the Middle East and threatening India and China. More than a billion lives are at stake. “It’s an absolute game-changer,” says Brian Steffenson, a cereal-disease expert at the University of Minnesota who travels to Njoro regularly to observe the enemy in the wild. “The pathogen takes out pretty much everything we have.”"
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In case you were running out of things to worry about...
Russia: Stray Dogs Master Complex Moscow Subway System - ABC News
Russia: Stray Dogs Master Complex Moscow Subway System - ABC News
This is pretty amazing--it is at the start of the 7 minute segment and well worth watching.
This is pretty amazing--it is at the start of the 7 minute segment and well worth watching.
Computer snafu is behind at least 50 'raids' on Brooklyn couple's home
Computer snafu is behind at least 50 'raids' on Brooklyn couple's home: "Embarrassed cops on Thursday cited a 'computer glitch' as the reason police targeted the home of an elderly, law-abiding couple more than 50 times in futile hunts for bad guys."
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If you live in New York, this is your tax dollars at work.
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If you live in New York, this is your tax dollars at work.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
More homeowners are opting for 'strategic defaults' - latimes.com
More homeowners are opting for 'strategic defaults' - latimes.com: "Time was when Americans would do almost anything to hang on to their homes. But that commitment appears to be fraying as more people fall behind on their loans while watching the banks and lenders that helped trigger the financial crisis return to prosperity.
Nearly one-quarter of U.S. mortgages, or about 11 million loans, are 'underwater,' i.e. the houses are worth less than the balance of their loans. While home values are regaining ground -- median prices rose 10% in Southern California last month to $275,000 compared with a year earlier -- they remain far below the July 2007 peak of $505,000.
Many homeowners are just coming to grips with the idea that prices will take years to reach the pre-crash peak: as long as 14 years in California, according to economist Chris Thornberg."
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Fourteen years? For a baby boomer that is just way. Too. Long.
Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link and for pointing out that anybody who is strategically defaulting on their mortgage has already strategically defaulted on their HOA/condo assessments as well. The rocky times continue.
Nearly one-quarter of U.S. mortgages, or about 11 million loans, are 'underwater,' i.e. the houses are worth less than the balance of their loans. While home values are regaining ground -- median prices rose 10% in Southern California last month to $275,000 compared with a year earlier -- they remain far below the July 2007 peak of $505,000.
Many homeowners are just coming to grips with the idea that prices will take years to reach the pre-crash peak: as long as 14 years in California, according to economist Chris Thornberg."
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Fourteen years? For a baby boomer that is just way. Too. Long.
Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link and for pointing out that anybody who is strategically defaulting on their mortgage has already strategically defaulted on their HOA/condo assessments as well. The rocky times continue.
Bad math wrongly IDs lagging schools | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, Vermont
Bad math wrongly IDs lagging schools | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, Vermont: "Two Vermont schools were mistakenly included in a list of the state’s “persistently lowest achieving schools” released last week, and two others have taken their place, an apologetic Vermont Department of Education announced Tuesday...The revision was prompted by an error in calculation used to rank the schools on the basis of standardized test results. The mistake was noticed Friday by a department staff member and made public Tuesday after a Free Press inquiry into possible miscalculations."
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The nation's public schools have reached the point of self-parody.
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The nation's public schools have reached the point of self-parody.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
C-Span Puts Its Full Archives on the Web - NYTimes.com
C-Span Puts Its Full Archives on the Web - NYTimes.com: "WASHINGTON — Researchers, political satirists and partisan mudslingers, take note: C-Span has uploaded virtually every minute of its video archives to the Internet."
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The Onion should have written that headline. Can you imagine watching 23 years of the House of Representatives in session? Dante could have had that on big screen TV in the inner circle of Hell.
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The Onion should have written that headline. Can you imagine watching 23 years of the House of Representatives in session? Dante could have had that on big screen TV in the inner circle of Hell.
Monday, March 15, 2010
House may try to pass Senate health-care bill without voting on it
House may try to pass Senate health-care bill without voting on it: "After laying the groundwork for a decisive vote this week on the Senate's health-care bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Monday that she might instead attempt to pass the measure without having members vote on it.
Instead, Pelosi (D-Calif.) would rely on a procedural sleight of hand: The House would instead vote on a more popular measure that presumes the health-care bill has passed the chamber."
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Why? Because there might be somebody someplace who still believes that the United States Congress is one of the world's greatest legislative bodies, and it is important to crush that person's faith like a paper cup.
Instead, Pelosi (D-Calif.) would rely on a procedural sleight of hand: The House would instead vote on a more popular measure that presumes the health-care bill has passed the chamber."
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Why? Because there might be somebody someplace who still believes that the United States Congress is one of the world's greatest legislative bodies, and it is important to crush that person's faith like a paper cup.
America's Craziest Cities - The Daily Beast
America's Craziest Cities - The Daily Beast: "Move over, Las Vegas. After two years of national doldrums, crazy is on the rise again. From shrinks to drinks, The Daily Beast tallies who’s handling their stress—and who’s losing it."
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No way Chicago should rank so low. And LA is even lower. I protest.
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No way Chicago should rank so low. And LA is even lower. I protest.
Jim Jubak: Is China broke? Hidden debt burdens Asia giant - MSN Money
Jim Jubak: Is China broke? Hidden debt burdens Asia giant - MSN Money: "All governments lie about their finances. At worst, as in Greece and the United States, the lies are bold and transparent. Everybody knows the emperor has no clothes, but no one want to say so. At best, as in Canada and China, the lies are more subtle -- more like a magician's misdirection than a viking raider's ax. Look at these great numbers, the lie goes, but don't look at those up my sleeve.
There's a good argument to be made that if you look at all the numbers, instead of just the ones the budget magicians want you to see, China is indeed broke."
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Are there any governments that are not broke?
There's a good argument to be made that if you look at all the numbers, instead of just the ones the budget magicians want you to see, China is indeed broke."
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Are there any governments that are not broke?
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Police: Man Drunk At DUI Sentencing - Omaha News Story - KETV Omaha
Police: Man Drunk At DUI Sentencing - Omaha News Story - KETV Omaha: "PAPILLION, Neb.--Authorities said a drunken driver showed up for his sentencing hearing drunk again. Jason Botos, 30, was driven to court by his father and investigators said he was so drunk that he had to be helped inside and wasn't able to make his court appearance. 'He was unable to get himself out of the vehicle, he was so intoxicated,' said deputy Sarpy County attorney Ben Perlman."
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But he gets points for showing up, right?
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But he gets points for showing up, right?
The American Conservative » Sprawling Misconceptions
The American Conservative » Sprawling Misconceptions: "For the 101st time: sprawl — an umbrella term for the pattern of development seen virtually everywhere in the United States — is not caused by the free market. It is, rather, mandated by a vast and seemingly intractable network of government regulations, from zoning laws and building codes to street design regulations. If Stossel wants to expand Americans’ lifestyle choices, he should attack the very thing he was defending, namely, suburban sprawl.
It’s odd that self-described libertarians such as Stossel are so slow to grasp that government planning makes sprawl ubiquitous. You would think that libertarians would instinctively grasp the deeply statist nature of suburban development."
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Libertarian John Stossel thinks (scroll down to his pet peeve #2) that the market created sprawl. Here is a different take on it--government policies are largely responsible for the way people live in suburbia--something that I have been saying for a long time. Seems that some conservatives don't buy the libertarian magic beans.
It’s odd that self-described libertarians such as Stossel are so slow to grasp that government planning makes sprawl ubiquitous. You would think that libertarians would instinctively grasp the deeply statist nature of suburban development."
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Libertarian John Stossel thinks (scroll down to his pet peeve #2) that the market created sprawl. Here is a different take on it--government policies are largely responsible for the way people live in suburbia--something that I have been saying for a long time. Seems that some conservatives don't buy the libertarian magic beans.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Court sides with homeowner in dispute over pickup
Court sides with homeowner in dispute over pickup: "A.J. Vizzi has lived in The Eagles golfing community in northwestern Hillsborough County since he built a two-story house on a lake in 1997. For a few years, he parked his pickup in the driveway and didn't hear anything negative about it.
That all changed in 2001, when he said he received a violation notice from his homeowners association. 'Up until 2001, I was here for four years before they ever even told me I was in violation of any of their covenants,' said Vizzi."
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The circuit court ruled in Vizzi's favor. So did the court of appeal. Congratulations! I see the HOA's attorney, Jonathan Ellis of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick in Tampa, was unavailable for comment. I wonder if they will try to take it to the Florida Supreme Court. Thanks to Fred Pilot for the link.
That all changed in 2001, when he said he received a violation notice from his homeowners association. 'Up until 2001, I was here for four years before they ever even told me I was in violation of any of their covenants,' said Vizzi."
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The circuit court ruled in Vizzi's favor. So did the court of appeal. Congratulations! I see the HOA's attorney, Jonathan Ellis of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick in Tampa, was unavailable for comment. I wonder if they will try to take it to the Florida Supreme Court. Thanks to Fred Pilot for the link.
New round of foreclosures threatens housing market - washingtonpost.com
New round of foreclosures threatens housing market - washingtonpost.com: "The housing market is facing swelling ranks of homeowners who are seriously delinquent but have yet to lose their homes, and this is threatening a new wave of foreclosures that could hit just as the real estate market has begun to stabilize."
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"Seriously delinquent" as in "haven't made a mortgage payment in three months or more." We are getting close to 10% of all US mortgages falling in that category, folks. And from where I sit here in bankrupt Illinois, the job losses are mounting.
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"Seriously delinquent" as in "haven't made a mortgage payment in three months or more." We are getting close to 10% of all US mortgages falling in that category, folks. And from where I sit here in bankrupt Illinois, the job losses are mounting.
Bankruptcy Won't Work!
Bankruptcy Won't Work!
Tyler Berding and Sandra Bonato explain why members get no protection when the association goes under.
Tyler Berding and Sandra Bonato explain why members get no protection when the association goes under.
HOAs suffer during recession - Las Vegas Sun
HOAs suffer during recession - Las Vegas Sun: "Foreclosures are taking a toll on some Las Vegas homeowner associations, some of which are closing pools and deferring maintenance as they deal with a drop in revenue.
The financial woes faced by the associations come as they are locked in legal and legislative battles with investors in foreclosed homes who complain they are overcharged for fines and fees by the associations and their collection agencies."
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Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link to another story about hard times in Privatopia.
The financial woes faced by the associations come as they are locked in legal and legislative battles with investors in foreclosed homes who complain they are overcharged for fines and fees by the associations and their collection agencies."
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Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link to another story about hard times in Privatopia.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Half of Kansas City's schools to close by fall
Half of Kansas City's schools to close by fall: "The school board narrowly approved the plan Wednesday night to close 29 of the district's 61 schools to try to stave off bankruptcy. The closures have angered many parents, students and teachers, but administrators say they had no choice because without them, the district would have been in the red by 2011."
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It seems that this is not a scare tactic, like the Illinois governor's proposed teacher-firing budget. This appears to be real.
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It seems that this is not a scare tactic, like the Illinois governor's proposed teacher-firing budget. This appears to be real.
U.S. Sales Tax Rates Hit Record High - Forbes.com
U.S. Sales Tax Rates Hit Record High - Forbes.com: "While President Obama's push to raise federal income taxes for the wealthy gets lots of attention, the continuing upward creep in the sales tax rates imposed by state and local governments has gotten less notice.
But Vertex Inc., which calculates sales tax for Internet sellers, reports that the average general sales tax rate nationwide reached 8.629% at the end of 2009, the highest since the Berwyn, Pa., company started tracking data in 1982. That was up a nickel on a taxable $100 purchase from a year earlier and up nearly 40 cents for the decade. The highest sales tax rate in the country now stands at 12%."
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Here in Illinois the governor proposed yesterday to raise it from a flat 3% to a flat 4%. He called it an education surcharge or something, but it's an income tax hike. The key to understanding this is to stack up all the taxes people pay in a given state. And as we all know, you also need to add on the amount they pay in assessments to their CID if any, because that is really a disguised tax in most cases.
But Vertex Inc., which calculates sales tax for Internet sellers, reports that the average general sales tax rate nationwide reached 8.629% at the end of 2009, the highest since the Berwyn, Pa., company started tracking data in 1982. That was up a nickel on a taxable $100 purchase from a year earlier and up nearly 40 cents for the decade. The highest sales tax rate in the country now stands at 12%."
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Here in Illinois the governor proposed yesterday to raise it from a flat 3% to a flat 4%. He called it an education surcharge or something, but it's an income tax hike. The key to understanding this is to stack up all the taxes people pay in a given state. And as we all know, you also need to add on the amount they pay in assessments to their CID if any, because that is really a disguised tax in most cases.
6 of the 10 richest counties in U.S. are in DC area | Washington Examiner
6 of the 10 richest counties in U.S. are in DC area | Washington Examiner:
"America's 25 richest counties
Rank County Population Median household income
1 Loudoun County 277,433 $110,643
2 Fairfax County 1,005,980 $106,785
3 Howard County 272,412 $101,710
4 Hunterdon County, N.J. 129,000 $100,947
5 Somerset County, N.J. 321,589 $100,207
6 Fairfax City 23,281 $98,133
7 Morris County, N.J. 486,459 $97,565
8 Douglas County, Colo. 270,286 $97,480
9 Arlington County 204,889 $96,390
10 Montgomery County 942,747 $93,999"
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It would seem that being close to DC is good for your pocketbook.
"America's 25 richest counties
Rank County Population Median household income
1 Loudoun County 277,433 $110,643
2 Fairfax County 1,005,980 $106,785
3 Howard County 272,412 $101,710
4 Hunterdon County, N.J. 129,000 $100,947
5 Somerset County, N.J. 321,589 $100,207
6 Fairfax City 23,281 $98,133
7 Morris County, N.J. 486,459 $97,565
8 Douglas County, Colo. 270,286 $97,480
9 Arlington County 204,889 $96,390
10 Montgomery County 942,747 $93,999"
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It would seem that being close to DC is good for your pocketbook.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Developer-created CC&R requiring listing with particular broker
Just ran across this interesting issue on DIRT-L. I took out the names to protect the privacy of the attorneys who were discussing it:
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Do any states prohibit by statute or case law the practice of a developer (or HOA) requiring subdivision owners to list any future re-sale of their property with the developer's preferred real estate listing brokerage?
In SC, developers put listing with the preferred brokerage into their CCRs (covenants conditions restrictions) that owners must list for a period of time with the preferred brokerage (aka the brokerage of record or the on-site brokerage).
A member of the public called and said that NC, Ga, and California have prohibited this practice.
In SC, many developers use this strategy.
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In Connecticut, such a covenant has been held to violate the state Anti-Trust Act. See State v. Hossan-Maxwell, Inc., 181 Conn. 655 (1980)
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It is also my understanding that this practice is prohibited by statute or regulation. In any event, under the conventional test, the covenant would not "run with the land" and would bind only the first purchaser.
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So there you have it. I haven't researched the issue myself and I'm just passing it along FYI to check out if you are interested.
--
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Do any states prohibit by statute or case law the practice of a developer (or HOA) requiring subdivision owners to list any future re-sale of their property with the developer's preferred real estate listing brokerage?
In SC, developers put listing with the preferred brokerage into their CCRs (covenants conditions restrictions) that owners must list for a period of time with the preferred brokerage (aka the brokerage of record or the on-site brokerage).
A member of the public called and said that NC, Ga, and California have prohibited this practice.
In SC, many developers use this strategy.
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In Connecticut, such a covenant has been held to violate the state Anti-Trust Act. See State v. Hossan-Maxwell, Inc., 181 Conn. 655 (1980)
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It is also my understanding that this practice is prohibited by statute or regulation. In any event, under the conventional test, the covenant would not "run with the land" and would bind only the first purchaser.
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So there you have it. I haven't researched the issue myself and I'm just passing it along FYI to check out if you are interested.
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The Associated Press: Roberts: Scene at State of Union `very troubling'
The Associated Press: Roberts: Scene at State of Union `very troubling': "Responding to a University of Alabama law student's question, Roberts said anyone was free to criticize the court, and some have an obligation to do so because of their positions.
'So I have no problems with that,' he said. 'On the other hand, there is the issue of the setting, the circumstances and the decorum.
'The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court — according the requirements of protocol — has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling.'
Breaking from tradition, Obama criticized the court's decision that allows corporations and unions to freely spend money to run political ads for or against specific candidates.
'With all due deference to the separation of powers the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections,' Obama said in January."
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That was my reaction at the time. Obama has every right to bash the decision in Citizens United v. FEC, but he did it in a crude, boorish way that was intended to bully them in public.
'So I have no problems with that,' he said. 'On the other hand, there is the issue of the setting, the circumstances and the decorum.
'The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court — according the requirements of protocol — has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling.'
Breaking from tradition, Obama criticized the court's decision that allows corporations and unions to freely spend money to run political ads for or against specific candidates.
'With all due deference to the separation of powers the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections,' Obama said in January."
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That was my reaction at the time. Obama has every right to bash the decision in Citizens United v. FEC, but he did it in a crude, boorish way that was intended to bully them in public.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Obama moving to limit fishing access - ESPN
Obama moving to limit fishing access - ESPN: "The Obama administration will accept no more public input for a federal strategy that could prohibit U.S. citizens from fishing the nation's oceans, coastal areas, Great Lakes, and even inland waters...Led by NOAA's Jane Lubchenco, the task force has shown no overt dislike of recreational angling, but its indifference to the economic, social and biological value of the sport has been deafening.
Additionally, Lubchenco and others in the administration have close ties to environmental groups who would like nothing better than to ban recreational angling. And evidence suggests that these organizations have been the engine behind the task force since before Obama issued a memo creating it last June."
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I'd like to say that this is from some lunatic fringe, far right wing blog. However, it is from ESPN.
Additionally, Lubchenco and others in the administration have close ties to environmental groups who would like nothing better than to ban recreational angling. And evidence suggests that these organizations have been the engine behind the task force since before Obama issued a memo creating it last June."
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I'd like to say that this is from some lunatic fringe, far right wing blog. However, it is from ESPN.
Joseph Brogan, 58, professor at La Salle with Tolkien touch | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/09/2009
Joseph Brogan, 58, professor at La Salle with Tolkien touch | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/09/2009: "Joseph V. Brogan, 58, of Havertown, a La Salle University political-science professor who taught an honors course on The Lord of the Rings, died of lung cancer Wednesday at his home.
Dr. Brogan taught at La Salle for more than 25 years. In addition to courses such as modern and classical political theory, constitutional law, and U.S. politics and federalism, he twice conducted the honors course on J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy."
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I met Joe Brogan through his brother (and my friend and former colleague) Tom Brogan. Joe was just a wonderful person. He was a brilliant scholar and a fantastic teacher. I attended a panel that he chaired at the American Political Science Association on the politics of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was one of the most fascinating theoretical conversations I have ever heard. Whether it was something that elevated, or just sitting and talking with him at a Phillies game, he was a great guy in every way. What a loss for LaSalle, his family, and everybody who knew him.
UIC students, faculty push gov. for more funding - 3/08/10 - Chicago News - abc7chicago.com
UIC students, faculty push gov. for more funding - 3/08/10 - Chicago News - abc7chicago.com
Here's the local media take on the demonstration here at UIC yesterday.
Here's the local media take on the demonstration here at UIC yesterday.
Fans of Donna Berger
Ever since I posted a couple of what I thought were light-hearted observations on the similarity of attorney Donna Berger's blog to mine (see below), I have been getting nasty, mean, and (of course) anonymous personal attacks on me in the comments to those items. I finally started blocking these posts. I don't mind the occasional personal attack on me, and I normally leave things like that up for all to read because they say more about the writer than about me. But this is obviously an orchestrated campaign that came in response to my attempts at humor, and I'm not going to open my blog to this person or persons, whoever she/he/they may be, to carry on in this cowardly and petty fashion.
I wonder who it could be?
I wonder who it could be?
Ugly gender war splits country club - Chicago Tribune Archives
Ugly gender war splits country club - Chicago Tribune Archives: "PHOENIX—When the men of the Phoenix Country Club saw their feeding ways in peril, they did not tarry. Some sent nasty e-mail messages, hectored players on the fairway and, for good measure, urinated on a fellow club member’s pecan tree. One of the club’s male members was expelled.
The targets of their ire were the women—and some men—who have dared to speak up against the club’s policy of forbidding women in the men’s grill room, a center of power dining in Phoenix."
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Mystery Reader sent this along. You need to register to read past the third graph, unfortunately. I would have to say that urinating on the pecan tree definitely means war.
The targets of their ire were the women—and some men—who have dared to speak up against the club’s policy of forbidding women in the men’s grill room, a center of power dining in Phoenix."
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Mystery Reader sent this along. You need to register to read past the third graph, unfortunately. I would have to say that urinating on the pecan tree definitely means war.
Monday, March 08, 2010
Last Decade Spelled Disaster For Older Workers
Last Decade Spelled Disaster For Older Workers: "Washington, DC—Older workers endured a staggering 331% increase in unemployment over the last 10 years, a new analysis conducted by the AARP Public Policy Institute shows. This dramatic rise in older unemployed workers has resulted in declining financial and retirement security for millions of Americans who have little time to make up the losses.
“The last decade has spelled disaster for millions of older workers who have lost their jobs, seen their retirement savings diminish, and had their health care costs continue to skyrocket,” said Nancy A. LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President. “The recession has only made this bad situation worse, as the statistics show clearly that older workers who lose their jobs stay unemployed longer than other groups.”
The new analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by AARP’s Public Policy Institute shows a dramatic 331.4% increase in the number of unemployed Americans age 55+ and over from January 2000 through December 2009. For age 65+ workers, the increase in the number of unemployed was lower, but still a massive 235%."
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Now add to that the impending collapse of many private and public pension funds. Add to that the meltdown in home equity. Add to that the loss of many public services that I believe will hit all levels of government over the next few fiscal years, as governments make cuts that would have been unthinkable a few years ago. This thing we once called "retirement" could become rather interesting for those now aged 55 to 65.
“The last decade has spelled disaster for millions of older workers who have lost their jobs, seen their retirement savings diminish, and had their health care costs continue to skyrocket,” said Nancy A. LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President. “The recession has only made this bad situation worse, as the statistics show clearly that older workers who lose their jobs stay unemployed longer than other groups.”
The new analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by AARP’s Public Policy Institute shows a dramatic 331.4% increase in the number of unemployed Americans age 55+ and over from January 2000 through December 2009. For age 65+ workers, the increase in the number of unemployed was lower, but still a massive 235%."
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Now add to that the impending collapse of many private and public pension funds. Add to that the meltdown in home equity. Add to that the loss of many public services that I believe will hit all levels of government over the next few fiscal years, as governments make cuts that would have been unthinkable a few years ago. This thing we once called "retirement" could become rather interesting for those now aged 55 to 65.
California Proposition 14, Top Two Primaries Act (June 2010) - Ballotpedia
California Proposition 14, Top Two Primaries Act (June 2010) - Ballotpedia: "A California Top Two Primaries Act ballot proposition is on the June 8, 2010 ballot in California as a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment.
If approved by voters, the proposal will require that candidates run in a single primary open to all registered voters, with the top two vote-getters meeting in a runoff. The new system would take effect in the 2012 elections.[1]
Specifically, it would provide for a 'voter-nominated primary election' for each state elective office and congressional office in California. Voters could vote in the primary election for any candidate for a congressional or state elective office without regard to the political party affiliations of either the candidate or the voter. Candidates could choose whether or not to have their political party affiliation displayed on the ballot.
The proposition also prohibits political parties from nominating candidates in a primary, although political parties would be allowed to endorse, support or oppose candidates. Elections for presidential candidates, and for members of political party committees and party central steering committees would not fall under the 'top two' system."
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This already failed in 2004. Apparently the idea is to produce two moderate candidates in the general election, instead of a left-wing democrat and a right-wing republican nominated by the foaming-at-the-mouth partisans of their respective parties. The Greens and Libertarians and other minor parties think, correctly, that this will wipe them out entirely because they will never, ever, be number one or number two in the primary, so they won't be on the general election ballot at all.
If approved by voters, the proposal will require that candidates run in a single primary open to all registered voters, with the top two vote-getters meeting in a runoff. The new system would take effect in the 2012 elections.[1]
Specifically, it would provide for a 'voter-nominated primary election' for each state elective office and congressional office in California. Voters could vote in the primary election for any candidate for a congressional or state elective office without regard to the political party affiliations of either the candidate or the voter. Candidates could choose whether or not to have their political party affiliation displayed on the ballot.
The proposition also prohibits political parties from nominating candidates in a primary, although political parties would be allowed to endorse, support or oppose candidates. Elections for presidential candidates, and for members of political party committees and party central steering committees would not fall under the 'top two' system."
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This already failed in 2004. Apparently the idea is to produce two moderate candidates in the general election, instead of a left-wing democrat and a right-wing republican nominated by the foaming-at-the-mouth partisans of their respective parties. The Greens and Libertarians and other minor parties think, correctly, that this will wipe them out entirely because they will never, ever, be number one or number two in the primary, so they won't be on the general election ballot at all.
Congressional estimates show grim deficit picture - Yahoo! News
Congressional estimates show grim deficit picture - Yahoo! News: "The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicts that Obama's budget plans would generate deficits over the upcoming decade that would total $9.8 trillion. That's $1.2 trillion more than predicted by the administration.
The agency says its future-year predictions of tax revenues are more pessimistic than the administration's. That's because CBO projects slightly slower economic growth than the White House.
The deficit picture has turned alarmingly worse since the recession that started at the end of 2007, never dipping below 4 percent of the size of the economy over the next decade. Economists say that deficits of that size are unsustainable and could put upward pressure on interest rates, crowd out private investment in the economy and ultimately erode the nation's standard of living."
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And it seems that the electorate is now thinking about the deficit as a major issue. It took Ross Perot to put that issue out front in 1992 because the major parties didn't want to talk about it. But now the federal budget deficit, and debt in general, have become mainstream concerns--not that our politicians seem to be doing anything about it...
The agency says its future-year predictions of tax revenues are more pessimistic than the administration's. That's because CBO projects slightly slower economic growth than the White House.
The deficit picture has turned alarmingly worse since the recession that started at the end of 2007, never dipping below 4 percent of the size of the economy over the next decade. Economists say that deficits of that size are unsustainable and could put upward pressure on interest rates, crowd out private investment in the economy and ultimately erode the nation's standard of living."
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And it seems that the electorate is now thinking about the deficit as a major issue. It took Ross Perot to put that issue out front in 1992 because the major parties didn't want to talk about it. But now the federal budget deficit, and debt in general, have become mainstream concerns--not that our politicians seem to be doing anything about it...
Sole occupant of 32-story Fort Myers condo wants out | news-press.com | The News-Press
Sole occupant of 32-story Fort Myers condo wants out | news-press.com | The News-Press: "Only a handful of purchasers who put down deposits closed on their condos in the building, and except for Vangelakos, they've accepted deals with developer The Related Group to swap for units in Tower 2.
But Vangelakos, who paid $430,000 for the home, closed in November 2008 and insisted on taking possession. He, his wife Cathleen, and their three children use the condo as a vacation home when he can get away from his job as a Weehawken, N.J., firefighter.
Neither side is happy with the arrangement - the company is spending money because it can't shut down the building altogether and the Vangelakos family considers the arrangement creepy, especially at night."
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This would be too much like The Shining for me.
But Vangelakos, who paid $430,000 for the home, closed in November 2008 and insisted on taking possession. He, his wife Cathleen, and their three children use the condo as a vacation home when he can get away from his job as a Weehawken, N.J., firefighter.
Neither side is happy with the arrangement - the company is spending money because it can't shut down the building altogether and the Vangelakos family considers the arrangement creepy, especially at night."
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This would be too much like The Shining for me.
HOA Rules - Why is it Necessary in Home Buying - International Business Times
HOA Rules - Why is it Necessary in Home Buying - International Business Times: "Moreover, they set the allowable number of occupants per house, the kind of pets that are permitted and the race of persons who can stay in the community."
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I linked to this ridiculous article below, and an astute commenter highlighted the language that I am re-posting. For many decades, HOAs were used to keep African-Americans and other minorities from buying suburban housing. The Supreme Court declared them unenforceable in 1948, but they remain on the books of many an HOA to this day. This "Flynna Jones" person seems to have an interesting perspective on race restrictions.
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I linked to this ridiculous article below, and an astute commenter highlighted the language that I am re-posting. For many decades, HOAs were used to keep African-Americans and other minorities from buying suburban housing. The Supreme Court declared them unenforceable in 1948, but they remain on the books of many an HOA to this day. This "Flynna Jones" person seems to have an interesting perspective on race restrictions.
HOA Rules - Why is it Necessary in Home Buying - International Business Times
HOA Rules - Why is it Necessary in Home Buying - International Business Times: "Being a member of a homeowners association can give you a lot of benefits. As soon as you enter into such group, you can be assured of a safe and orderly community to live. This organization is tasked to look after the homeowners, enforce rules and asks the residents to pay certain fees. And in exchange, the group will keep the peace and comfort of the area, provide the best amenities, different advantages and develop living condition. It can get rid the issues of other residents too. Through this, the relationship of everyone in the community is peaceful."
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Mika Brainy says if you want a good laugh, read this article.
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Mika Brainy says if you want a good laugh, read this article.
The Galveston County Daily News
The Galveston County Daily News: "GALVESTON — A homeowners association in an affluent West End neighborhood is accusing one of its members of falsely portraying himself as its president and signing documents that would release hurricane-damaged beach-front houses to the city in a controversial buyout program."
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Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link to a story about a $21 million buyout program.
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Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link to a story about a $21 million buyout program.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
BBC News - Swiss ask whether animals need lawyers
BBC News - Swiss ask whether animals need lawyers: "Swiss voters will go to the polls on Sunday to decide on a proposal to appoint state-funded lawyers across the country to represent animals in court. Supporters of the initiative say such lawyers would help deter cases of animal cruelty and neglect, by making sure that those who did abuse or neglect animals would be properly punished."
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I guess the Swiss must have a lot of extra money lying around to even be considering this. Thanks to Marty Muloski for the link.
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I guess the Swiss must have a lot of extra money lying around to even be considering this. Thanks to Marty Muloski for the link.
Friday, March 05, 2010
FOXNews.com - California Considers Tracking Animal Abusers Like Sex Offenders
FOXNews.com - California Considers Tracking Animal Abusers Like Sex Offenders
Having solved all of California's other problems, the state legislature has made time to do this?
Having solved all of California's other problems, the state legislature has made time to do this?
Banks shuttered in Fla., Ill., Md., Utah - Yahoo! Finance
Banks shuttered in Fla., Ill., Md., Utah - Yahoo! Finance: "The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. took over Sun American Bank, based in Boca Raton, Fla., with $535.7 million in assets and $443.5 million in deposits. Also seized were Bank of Illinois of Normal, Ill., with $211.7 million in assets and $198.5 million in deposits; Waterfield Bank in Germantown, Md., with $155.6 million in assets and $156.4 million in deposits; and Centennial Bank in Ogden, Utah, with $215.2 million in assets and $205.1 million in deposits."
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I guess these bank closings are another "lagging indicator" in this glorious economic revival that we are experiencing.
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I guess these bank closings are another "lagging indicator" in this glorious economic revival that we are experiencing.
'Chop, chop from the top!'
'Chop, chop from the top!': "“Chop, chop from the top! Don’t balance the budget on the backs of the students and staff!” chanted students, staff and faculty Thursday at the University of Illinois’ Chicago campus.
A financial crisis at UIC, precipitated by the state’s budget crunch, continues to foment uncertainty on campus. Recent cuts have been made at the university, including furlough days for faculty. Now, some employees are losing their jobs."
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I saw some of this after teaching my classes yesterday. Decent sized group and lots of noise. There is huge resentment against the UIC administration right now among students, staff, and faculty. I assume the same is true at the Urbana-Champaign and Springfield campuses. People perceive them as overpaid, underwhelming, and out of touch. I think many people wonder why these people get paid $200,000 to $400,000 per year, and get the best staff, resources, and other support, but still have no idea how to protect this institution from disaster. All they do is look down the ranks and cut the people who make the place work.
A financial crisis at UIC, precipitated by the state’s budget crunch, continues to foment uncertainty on campus. Recent cuts have been made at the university, including furlough days for faculty. Now, some employees are losing their jobs."
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I saw some of this after teaching my classes yesterday. Decent sized group and lots of noise. There is huge resentment against the UIC administration right now among students, staff, and faculty. I assume the same is true at the Urbana-Champaign and Springfield campuses. People perceive them as overpaid, underwhelming, and out of touch. I think many people wonder why these people get paid $200,000 to $400,000 per year, and get the best staff, resources, and other support, but still have no idea how to protect this institution from disaster. All they do is look down the ranks and cut the people who make the place work.
Poll: 86 percent say government 'broken' - Andy Barr - POLITICO.com
Poll: 86 percent say government 'broken' - Andy Barr - POLITICO.com: "Wide majorities of Americans do not trust elected officials and think the federal government is “broken,” according to excerpts of a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Monday.
Eighty-six percent of the 1,023 Americans surveyed nationwide said that the government is “broken” compared to only 14 percent who said it is not.
However, only 5 percent of the 86 percent who think government is “broken” believe that it “cannot be fixed.”"
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Those two sentiments in combination--government is broken but it can be fixed--mean that the Democratic Party should expect to be the target of voter rage in November, at the federal and state levels. The only way people can vote to "fix" government in our two-party system is to vote for the party that isn't currently in control. Unless there is some major good news on the economic front between now and election day, the Democrats are in trouble. I see no way such news can be forthcoming. The employment picture just can't turn around by then. Some indicators are positive, but voters don't care about the Dow-Jones average.
Eighty-six percent of the 1,023 Americans surveyed nationwide said that the government is “broken” compared to only 14 percent who said it is not.
However, only 5 percent of the 86 percent who think government is “broken” believe that it “cannot be fixed.”"
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Those two sentiments in combination--government is broken but it can be fixed--mean that the Democratic Party should expect to be the target of voter rage in November, at the federal and state levels. The only way people can vote to "fix" government in our two-party system is to vote for the party that isn't currently in control. Unless there is some major good news on the economic front between now and election day, the Democrats are in trouble. I see no way such news can be forthcoming. The employment picture just can't turn around by then. Some indicators are positive, but voters don't care about the Dow-Jones average.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
New ghost towns: Industrial communities teeter on the edge - USATODAY.com
New ghost towns: Industrial communities teeter on the edge - USATODAY.com: "Whether it's textiles in the Carolinas, paper in New England or steel in the Midwest, most industrial cities and mill towns 'are on pins and needles,' says Donald Schunk, an economist at Coastal Carolina University. 'Day to day, week to week, any manufacturing facility seems vulnerable. People don't know if they'll be there.'
That's true in:
• Georgetown, S.C. (pop. 9,000), where the closing of the local steel mill last year left International Paper as the last major private employer.
• Madawaska, Maine (pop. 4,000), where workers voted last month to take an 8.5% wage cut to keep the financially strapped paper mill going.
• Glenwood, Wash. (pop. 500), where flat lumber prices and rising land prices are crippling the forest products industry."
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If you add up all the seriously troubled states, cities, and CIDs, it starts to look like a whole lot of ordinary people are going to be wondering who to blame.
That's true in:
• Georgetown, S.C. (pop. 9,000), where the closing of the local steel mill last year left International Paper as the last major private employer.
• Madawaska, Maine (pop. 4,000), where workers voted last month to take an 8.5% wage cut to keep the financially strapped paper mill going.
• Glenwood, Wash. (pop. 500), where flat lumber prices and rising land prices are crippling the forest products industry."
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If you add up all the seriously troubled states, cities, and CIDs, it starts to look like a whole lot of ordinary people are going to be wondering who to blame.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Scientists defend warning after tsunami nonevent - Science- msnbc.com
Scientists defend warning after tsunami nonevent - Science- msnbc.com
Right, wrong...who cares. The important point is...THE DEBATE IS OVER, YOU TSUNAMI-DENIERS!
Right, wrong...who cares. The important point is...THE DEBATE IS OVER, YOU TSUNAMI-DENIERS!
Help for Donna Berger's blog! Here is the label of my shirt!
In answer to numerous queries, I have managed to locate the magic shirt that I was wearing in my online photo. Now if Donna Berger can find one, she can have herself photographed wearing it and make her condo law blog exactly like mine (see below).
California is a greater risk than Greece, warns JP Morgan chief - Telegraph
California is a greater risk than Greece, warns JP Morgan chief - Telegraph: "Jamie Dimon, chairman of JP Morgan Chase, has warned American investors should be more worried about the risk of default of the state of California than of Greece's current debt woes."
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And the state comptroller says he may have to start paying state workers with IOUs again.
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And the state comptroller says he may have to start paying state workers with IOUs again.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Condo and HOA Law by Donna DiMaggio Berger, Esq.
Condo and HOA Law by Donna DiMaggio Berger, Esq.
Now, where do you think Donna Berger got the idea for the layout of her condo law weblog? Hmmmm.
Thanks to Fred Pilot for pointing this out.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Brutal death sours cup joy | World news | The Observer
Brutal death sours cup joy | World news | The Observer: "The incident is the clearest demonstration yet that many of Rio's favelas are so lawless they are 'parallel states', with their own leaders and rules. Estimates put the membership of drug gangs at 100,000 - more than the entire police force. With an armoury of about 65,000 firearms too, the traffickers are a parallel army. 'They are the law, the only law, and you have to obey them whether you like it or not,' said Clarissa Fonseca de Bastos, a street vendor who lives in a favela known as the Morro da Formiga, or Anthill.
In some slums, say residents, drug lords decide when shops will open and close, who can enter or leave and where and how houses can be built. Their influence is also beginning to extend to middle-class areas and their growing boldness was shown a fortnight ago when the windows of Rio's mayoral office were shattered by bullets."
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We talk about outlaw private governments, but in Brazil they really have them.
In some slums, say residents, drug lords decide when shops will open and close, who can enter or leave and where and how houses can be built. Their influence is also beginning to extend to middle-class areas and their growing boldness was shown a fortnight ago when the windows of Rio's mayoral office were shattered by bullets."
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We talk about outlaw private governments, but in Brazil they really have them.
Fannie Seeks $15.3 Billion in U.S. Aid After 10th Straight Loss - Bloomberg.com
Fannie Seeks $15.3 Billion in U.S. Aid After 10th Straight Loss - Bloomberg.com: "Feb. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Fannie Mae, the mortgage-finance company under federal conservatorship, said it will seek $15.3 billion in aid from the U.S. Treasury after posting a 10th straight quarterly loss. A fourth-quarter net loss of $16.3 billion, or $2.87 a share, pushed the company to request its fifth draw on an unlimited lifeline from the government..."
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This is going so well. I suppose we can file this in that bulging folder called "lagging indicators"?
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This is going so well. I suppose we can file this in that bulging folder called "lagging indicators"?
HOA? No. The City of Orange.
Orange County's law-breaking landscapers | MNN - Mother Nature Network: "An Orange County, California, couple face steep fines — and possibly jail time — for replacing a conventional grass lawn with drought-tolerant landscaping."
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You might think that a city named after a fruit would be a little more tolerant of an herb garden. But no. Not with all those HOAs around that the city has to imitate!
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You might think that a city named after a fruit would be a little more tolerant of an herb garden. But no. Not with all those HOAs around that the city has to imitate!
Wet Mountain Tribune - Protip: weed burner and propane leak don't mix
Wet Mountain Tribune - Page 1 - 2/25/2010: "Alice French, who has lived in the trailer for a number of years, had called her son, Brad, to help thaw a frozen water line. Apparently, Brad was using a weed burner, which is a device hooked to a small propane tank, to thaw the water line under the trailer. “The underside of the trailer caught fire,” said Livengood. “I suspect there was a propane leak under the trailer because Brad reported hearing a ‘whoosh’ immediately before the fire started.” Livengood also said Alice had mentioned smelling propane a few days before."
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And that's a slice of life from Wet Mountain, Colorado.
CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - CNN Poll: Majority says government a threat to citizens’ rights « - Blogs from CNN.com
CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - CNN Poll: Majority says government a threat to citizens’ rights « - Blogs from CNN.com: "Fifty-six percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday say they think the federal government's become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. Forty-four percent of those polled disagree.
The survey indicates a partisan divide on the question: only 37 percent of Democrats, 63 percent of Independents and nearly 7 in 10 Republicans say the federal government poses a threat to the rights of Americans."
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If we end up with federal government employees running the health insurance industry that number will go up.
The survey indicates a partisan divide on the question: only 37 percent of Democrats, 63 percent of Independents and nearly 7 in 10 Republicans say the federal government poses a threat to the rights of Americans."
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If we end up with federal government employees running the health insurance industry that number will go up.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Obama May Prohibit Home-Loan Foreclosures Without HAMP Review - Bloomberg.com
Obama May Prohibit Home-Loan Foreclosures Without HAMP Review - Bloomberg.com: "Feb. 25 (Bloomberg) -- The Obama administration may expand efforts to ease the housing crisis by banning all foreclosures on home loans unless they have been screened and rejected by the government’s Home Affordable Modification Program.
The proposal, reviewed by lenders last week on a White House conference call, “prohibits referral to foreclosure until borrower is evaluated and found ineligible for HAMP or reasonable contact efforts have failed,” according to a Treasury Department document outlining the plan."
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How does this "ease the housing crisis"? All it does is keep people in the homes they can't pay for. The HAMP program isn't really making all that big a difference.
The proposal, reviewed by lenders last week on a White House conference call, “prohibits referral to foreclosure until borrower is evaluated and found ineligible for HAMP or reasonable contact efforts have failed,” according to a Treasury Department document outlining the plan."
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How does this "ease the housing crisis"? All it does is keep people in the homes they can't pay for. The HAMP program isn't really making all that big a difference.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Aloha Segregation - The Editors - National Review Online
Aloha Segregation - The Editors - National Review Online: "A bill expected to pass the House today with overwhelming Democratic support would accomplish something peculiar for a liberal republic in the 21st century: It would partly disenfranchise a portion of one state’s residents, create a parallel government for those meeting a legislated criterion of ethnic purity, and would portend the transfer of public assets, land, and political power from those who fail to satisfy the standard of ethnic purity to those who do. For these reasons and many more, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act richly deserves opposition."
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This is a conservative perspective on what I think could turn out to be an interesting law--if it passes the Senate and gets President Obama's signature. The fact that he was born in Hawaii and grew there makes it especially intriguing.
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This is a conservative perspective on what I think could turn out to be an interesting law--if it passes the Senate and gets President Obama's signature. The fact that he was born in Hawaii and grew there makes it especially intriguing.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Climate scientists withdraw journal claims of rising sea levels | Environment | guardian.co.uk
Climate scientists withdraw journal claims of rising sea levels | Environment | guardian.co.uk: "Scientists have been forced to withdraw a study on projected sea level rise due to global warming after finding mistakes that undermined the findings."
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This past six months has just been one blow after another to the scientific basis for global warming. Personally, I think there has been a clear warming trend since 1850 or so. But you have to question the most dramatic predictions, which appear to rest on projections from data that have some significant problems.
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This past six months has just been one blow after another to the scientific basis for global warming. Personally, I think there has been a clear warming trend since 1850 or so. But you have to question the most dramatic predictions, which appear to rest on projections from data that have some significant problems.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Bad economies in states to worsen: governors | Reuters
Bad economies in states to worsen: governors | Reuters: "The situation is fairly poor for a lot of states around the country. In fact, most states,' Vermont Governor Jim Douglas, who is chairman of the association, said at a press conference at its annual meeting.
'What we're finding out from a fiscal standpoint is that the worst is yet to come,' Douglas said.
In a survey conducted last week of 45 of the 50 states, the group found that states have $18.8 billion of budget gaps yet to be closed in fiscal 2010. This comes after they have already imposed measures to eliminate budget imbalances totaling $87 billion in the fiscal year, which for most started last summer.
In the budgets they are drafting for fiscal 2011, states foresee shortfalls of $53.6 billion and for fiscal 2012 $61.6 billion."
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And there is more of this "lagging indicator" stuff. This one's different, folks. This isn't cyclical. It's structural.
'What we're finding out from a fiscal standpoint is that the worst is yet to come,' Douglas said.
In a survey conducted last week of 45 of the 50 states, the group found that states have $18.8 billion of budget gaps yet to be closed in fiscal 2010. This comes after they have already imposed measures to eliminate budget imbalances totaling $87 billion in the fiscal year, which for most started last summer.
In the budgets they are drafting for fiscal 2011, states foresee shortfalls of $53.6 billion and for fiscal 2012 $61.6 billion."
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And there is more of this "lagging indicator" stuff. This one's different, folks. This isn't cyclical. It's structural.
Banks in Calif., Ill., Fla., Texas are shut down - Yahoo! Finance
Banks in Calif., Ill., Fla., Texas are shut down - Yahoo! Finance: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- Regulators shut four banks from California to Florida on Friday, boosting to 20 the number of U.S. bank failures this year following the 140 closures last year in the worst financial climate in decades."
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And the carnage continues.
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And the carnage continues.
Does deal with feds encourage foreclosures?
Does deal with feds encourage foreclosures?: "A bank can make a bigger profit by foreclosing on a homeowner rather than modifying the mortgage, according to two California real estate entrepreneurs. They blame a sweetheart deal that a new bank negotiated with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
The California men produced a video that has now gone viral on the internet, outlining a sweetheart deal for billionaire investors who came together to buy out troubled IndyMac Mortgage Services. The newly formed OneWest Bank haggled with the FDIC to buy out IndyMac's mortgages for 70 cents on the dollar, then convinced the feds to cover nearly all their losses with at least 80 cents on the dollar of the original loan values."
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The video link is here.
The California men produced a video that has now gone viral on the internet, outlining a sweetheart deal for billionaire investors who came together to buy out troubled IndyMac Mortgage Services. The newly formed OneWest Bank haggled with the FDIC to buy out IndyMac's mortgages for 70 cents on the dollar, then convinced the feds to cover nearly all their losses with at least 80 cents on the dollar of the original loan values."
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The video link is here.
Friday, February 19, 2010
San Diego Reader | Home Owner Association Horror Stories
San Diego Reader | Home Owner Association Horror Stories: "In a way, the whole HOA is a sucker’s game set up by a collusion of developers and local governments. Unpaid HOA boards use HOA assessment fees to pay for what should be the municipality’s responsibility, such basics as roads, electricity, sewage, and water. Developers create high-profit, high-density housing and then hand it over, lock, stock, and all financial and legal responsibilities to these amateur boards not only to run what often amount to million-dollar businesses, but also to keep on paying property taxes to local government for the infrastructure services those authorities didn’t actually have to provide or keep up. No wonder cities love them just as much as developers. No wonder HOA-run condo complexes have mushroomed sixfold, from 7000 in California 20 years ago to about 43,000 today, housing around 10 million, maybe a quarter of the state’s entire population."
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The San Diego Reader's Bill Manson lays down the smack on HOAs. Quite a story. Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link.
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The San Diego Reader's Bill Manson lays down the smack on HOAs. Quite a story. Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Printing money, local currencies, communities and the economy - MSN Money
Printing money, local currencies, communities and the economy - MSN Money: "Last year, two Detroit tavern owners were sitting at the bar, sampling their beverages and bemoaning the local economy -- no one in the city had cash, and when they did, they spent it in the suburbs. Then the pair hit on a solution: Print their own money.
It is, after all, perfectly legal for anyone to issue currency, as long as it doesn't look too much like a U.S. dollar. Thus was born the Detroit cheer, a local scrip accepted by a handful of city businesses, including a pizzeria, an electrician and a doggy day care center."
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I think this story ends with people exchanging live pigs for baskets of apples.
It is, after all, perfectly legal for anyone to issue currency, as long as it doesn't look too much like a U.S. dollar. Thus was born the Detroit cheer, a local scrip accepted by a handful of city businesses, including a pizzeria, an electrician and a doggy day care center."
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I think this story ends with people exchanging live pigs for baskets of apples.
Move Over China: Beijing Sells Whopping $34.2 Billion Treasuries In December As Japan Becomes Largest Official Holder Of US Debt | zero hedge
Move Over China: Beijing Sells Whopping $34.2 Billion Treasuries In December As Japan Becomes Largest Official Holder Of US Debt | zero hedge: "Gradually we are getting confirmation that Chinese 'posturing' about offloading US debt is all too real. The most recent TIC data confirmed the Treasury's greatest nightmare: China is now dumping US bonds. In December China sold $34.2 billion of debt ($38.8 billion in Bills sold offset by $4.6 billion in Bonds purchased), lowering its total holdings $755.4 billion, the lowest since February 2009, and for the first time in many years relinquishing the top US debt holder spot to Japan, which bought $11.5 billion (mostly in Bonds, selling $1.4 billion Bills) bringing its total to $768.8 billion."
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Frustrated Owner Bulldozes Home Ahead Of Foreclosure - Cincinnati News Story - WLWT Cincinnati
Frustrated Owner Bulldozes Home Ahead Of Foreclosure - Cincinnati News Story - WLWT Cincinnati: "The Moscow man used a bulldozer two weeks ago to level the home he'd built, and the sprawling country home is now rubble, buried under a coating of snow.
'As far as what the bank is going to get, I plan on giving them back what was on this hill exactly (as) it was,' Hoskins said. 'I brought it out of the ground and I plan on putting it back in the ground.'"
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Hey, fair is fair.
'As far as what the bank is going to get, I plan on giving them back what was on this hill exactly (as) it was,' Hoskins said. 'I brought it out of the ground and I plan on putting it back in the ground.'"
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Hey, fair is fair.
Las Vegas Mayor Goodman rejects Obama invitation - KTNV ABC,Channel 13,Las Vegas,Nevada,News,Weather,Sports,Entertainment,KTNV.com,Action News .:.
Las Vegas Mayor Goodman rejects Obama invitation - KTNV ABC,Channel 13,Las Vegas,Nevada,News,Weather,Sports,Entertainment,KTNV.com,Action News .:.: "Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) - Mayor Oscar Goodman has refused an invitation to meet with President Obama when he arrives in town on Thursday. Mayor Goodman called President Obama a slow learner after he told Americans not to blow money on a weekend in Las Vegas if they were saving to put their kids through college.
'I've got other things to do quite frankly for my constituents here in Las Vegas who rely on me to do the right thing as a mayor,' explained Mayor Goodman."
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No beer and apologies for Mayor Goodman...
'I've got other things to do quite frankly for my constituents here in Las Vegas who rely on me to do the right thing as a mayor,' explained Mayor Goodman."
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No beer and apologies for Mayor Goodman...
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
National Debt, Budget Deficit Scary Forecast for Taxpayers: Obama to Sign Fiscal Reform, Economists Predict Cutbacks, Tax Increases - ABC News
National Debt, Budget Deficit Scary Forecast for Taxpayers: Obama to Sign Fiscal Reform, Economists Predict Cutbacks, Tax Increases - ABC News: "Over the past year alone, the amount the U.S. government owes its lenders has grown to more than half the country's entire economic output, or gross domestic product.
Even more alarming, experts say, is that those figures will climb to an unprecedented 200 percent of GDP by 2038 without a dramatic shift in course."
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The CID revolution was accelerated by measures that cut or capped property taxes. Imagine what kinds of institutional changes are in store for us. These gigantic deficits at all levels of government will force cuts in services that we think today are essential, and tax increases that we think nobody could afford.
Even more alarming, experts say, is that those figures will climb to an unprecedented 200 percent of GDP by 2038 without a dramatic shift in course."
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The CID revolution was accelerated by measures that cut or capped property taxes. Imagine what kinds of institutional changes are in store for us. These gigantic deficits at all levels of government will force cuts in services that we think today are essential, and tax increases that we think nobody could afford.
States renege on local aid
States renege on local aid: "“For the last three recession cycles, it’s been common for states to reduce financial support for local governments during the recession, and once they come out of it, they restore most of what they’ve cut,” says Michael Pagano, dean of the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois-Chicago. This time is different. Now local officials are wondering whether that money will ever come back."
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Wondering? Why are they wondering? The money isn't coming back.
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Wondering? Why are they wondering? The money isn't coming back.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Will San Diego go bankrupt?
voiceofsandiego.org | News. Investigation. Analysis. Conversation. Intelligence. - Explainer: Are Pensions Fair Game in Bankruptcy?: "Since last fall, talk of municipal bankruptcy has wormed its way back into public debate at the city of San Diego."
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The city has a $2.1 billion obligation to the public employee pension funds. There is a difference of opinion over whether they can make this go away by filing for municipal bankruptcy.
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The city has a $2.1 billion obligation to the public employee pension funds. There is a difference of opinion over whether they can make this go away by filing for municipal bankruptcy.
Monday, February 15, 2010
In Elkhart, Ind., Fear for the Day When Housing Aid Ends - NYTimes.com
In Elkhart, Ind., Fear for the Day When Housing Aid Ends - NYTimes.com: "ELKHART, Ind. — Over the next six months, the federal government plans to wind down many of its emergency programs for housing. Then it will become clear if the market can function on its own.
People here are pretty sure the answer will be no."
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Me, too. I'm pretty sure the answer will be NO in CAPS. On the bright side, though, there are great YouTube videos on how to pitch a tarp-tent and live off fried wood lice. So we do have options to that suburban lifestyle.
People here are pretty sure the answer will be no."
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Me, too. I'm pretty sure the answer will be NO in CAPS. On the bright side, though, there are great YouTube videos on how to pitch a tarp-tent and live off fried wood lice. So we do have options to that suburban lifestyle.
My Way News - Schools face big budget holes as stimulus runs out
My Way News - Schools face big budget holes as stimulus runs out: "SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The nation's public schools are falling under severe financial stress as states slash education spending and drain federal stimulus money that staved off deep classroom cuts and widespread job losses.
School districts have already suffered big budget cuts since the recession began two years ago, but experts say the cash crunch will get a lot worse as states run out of stimulus dollars.
The result in many hard-hit districts: more teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, smaller paychecks, fewer electives and extracurricular activities, and decimated summer school programs.
The situation is particularly ugly in California, where school districts are preparing for mass layoffs and swelling class sizes as the state grapples with another massive budget shortfall."
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So how does the national economy recover? State and local governments and school districts across the nation are standing on swiss cheese.
School districts have already suffered big budget cuts since the recession began two years ago, but experts say the cash crunch will get a lot worse as states run out of stimulus dollars.
The result in many hard-hit districts: more teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, smaller paychecks, fewer electives and extracurricular activities, and decimated summer school programs.
The situation is particularly ugly in California, where school districts are preparing for mass layoffs and swelling class sizes as the state grapples with another massive budget shortfall."
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So how does the national economy recover? State and local governments and school districts across the nation are standing on swiss cheese.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
World may not be warming, say scientists - Times Online
World may not be warming, say scientists - Times Online
“The temperature records cannot be relied on as indicators of global change,” said John Christy, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, a former lead author on the IPCC.
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So now the "deniers" include "a former lead author on the IPCC" and another scientist "who was invited by the panel to review its last report." And there are many others as well, who say that the temperature measurements upon which the global warming theory is based "are contaminated with surface effects from industrialization and data quality problems. These add up to a large warming bias."
I guess it is time for the global warming crowd to fire up their sarcasm machine, throw some ridicule bombs, and launch the ad hominem missles. Because, as Al Gore says, the debate is over. Except that it isn't.
“The temperature records cannot be relied on as indicators of global change,” said John Christy, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, a former lead author on the IPCC.
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So now the "deniers" include "a former lead author on the IPCC" and another scientist "who was invited by the panel to review its last report." And there are many others as well, who say that the temperature measurements upon which the global warming theory is based "are contaminated with surface effects from industrialization and data quality problems. These add up to a large warming bias."
I guess it is time for the global warming crowd to fire up their sarcasm machine, throw some ridicule bombs, and launch the ad hominem missles. Because, as Al Gore says, the debate is over. Except that it isn't.
Climategate U-turn: Astonishment as scientist at centre of global warming email row admits data not well organised | Mail Online
Climategate U-turn: Astonishment as scientist at centre of global warming email row admits data not well organised | Mail Online: "# Data for vital 'hockey stick graph' has gone missing
# There has been no global warming since 1995
# Warming periods have happened before - but NOT due to man-made changes"
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But other than that...
# There has been no global warming since 1995
# Warming periods have happened before - but NOT due to man-made changes"
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But other than that...
Desolate malls, empty offices may come soon - Real estate- msnbc.com
Desolate malls, empty offices may come soon - Real estate- msnbc.com: "Over the next several years, failed commercial real estate loans could litter American cities with empty stores and office complexes, cause hundreds of bank failures and weaken the economy, a watchdog report says.
Banks face up to $300 billion in losses on loans made for commercial property and development, according to a report released Thursday by the Congressional Oversight Panel."
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Nice to see somebody waking up to this situation. I've been predicting a commercial real estate meltdown, but maybe it will be a slow collapse. Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link.
Banks face up to $300 billion in losses on loans made for commercial property and development, according to a report released Thursday by the Congressional Oversight Panel."
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Nice to see somebody waking up to this situation. I've been predicting a commercial real estate meltdown, but maybe it will be a slow collapse. Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link.
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