Shopping at Amazon?
Wait! If you click on the Amazon banner link at the top of the page first, HCN will get a percentage of anything you purchase for 24 hours!
Open predictions
Our local book authors
User login
Who's online
There are currently 30 members and 169 guests online.
Currently online
- flaminia
- GDD9000
- Duke of Con Dao
- poic
- Comrade Alexei Mikhailovich
- robj
- Comrade Kristina
- josap
- mhdoc
- rander
- Windward.Broach
- 1 currency now -yogi
- wafdof
- JP
- steinly
- RATM
- Tom Stone
- Alaric
- emergency hotdog
- Substace Over Form
- Bob Dobbs
- TJ and The Bear
- RE
- albrt
- shill
- picosec
- CitizenPither
- CalculatedRisk
- aClem
- tg
lawyerliz this time im guilty i skipped the summary
and i jumped the monkey
To add: I find Fisher entertaining - but I think Yellen's view carry more weight (and she has been more cautious than Fisher).
best to all
new term
jumping the monkey is the opposite of
jumping the shark
you heard it here first
but the worst is behind us, right?
RockyR wrote:
Five Things: The Worst Is Behind Us-Minyanville
the light vehicle sales numbers look better than what i would have predicted
Over the past few weeks, noticing fewer and fewer good deals at the grocery store.
But, rather oddly, some really fab sales on basic foods (flour, sugar, soups, cereal, crackers, tuna, peanut butter, juice, etc...) at the drug stores.
I'm happy to pick up groceries at the drug store - easier to navigate the aisles, park 10 steps from the door, and friendlier staff.
YoY postings of online job advertisements that mention a month look to have been modestly higher for October compared to last year. Close to October 2007 levels. September was up YoY as well. But all months before September were down YoY. That's the good news.
The bad news is the seasonality, and job ads/hiring can be expected to decline every month after October until March
although last year was very odd. November was the peak job postings month instead of October (one reason why this year's October might be higher). Nov/Dec 08 postings were both between 05 and 06 levels. While Sept/Oct 08 were at depressed levels.
Seems like we're back in the regular pattern of things, ex-clunkers.
Is that good, EvilHenry?
dryfly - 'How about is the 'War On Stupid' terror?
Not sure about your play on words...
The point I was trying to suggest is there's a lot of venom now for Fox News. This 'news organization' has been very pro-war and promotes expanding the wars in the Middle East very vigourously.
The consensus in the media and among the American public is that The War On Terror, the search for WMD's, the expansion of this WMD search, the continued search for bin Laden, etc. is all legitimate and 'patriotic' and justified. Many of the Dems agree with the continued 'occupation' and aggresive wars policies and continued funding and expansion of these wars that the Neo-Cons pursued religiously as promoted by Fox News for years now.
So when someone on the left or far Left or whatever knocks Fox News...they are knocking a 'consensus' bi-partisan support for the endless wars policies that are still being promoted of course by Fox News...This news organization represents the 'consensus' on U.S. War policies...so if someone calls Fox stupid...are they saying the support of endless wars and the search for WMD's and bin Laden is stupid?
At some point this week we'll get to see the Federal Reserve appeal motion to the second circuit on the Bloomberg lawsuit. It might've already been filed and someone has to simply access it with PACER and post it.
2nd circuit court of appeals
Docket: 09-4083-cv
Amended Order filed stating: IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the motion by Appellant Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for a stay pending appeal of the August 24, 2009 order of the Honorable Loretta A. Preska in the District Court for the Southern District of New York is GRANTED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the appeal is expedited. Appellants brief must be filed on or before November 6, 2009. Appellees brief must be filed on or before December 7, 2009. A reply brief may be filed on or before December 21, 2009. The appeal will be heard during the week of January 4, 2010, subject to the approval of the pesiding judge. (GEL, C.JJ.)
Norka, as per previous thread, revenge is a big part of
my defending foreclosures. It's my revenge for the horrible
way lenders treated ALL their clients over the years. Even
the rich; even people whose BIL ran the branch office that
the loan was processed in.
And for really stupid requirements and abandonment of sensible
ones.
Maybe there's no perp walk, but there's my wrench gumming
works.
up the
When I say 'consensus' for more wars policy, I'm referring to pundit support, Congressional support, media support, support from Obama, support from Fox News, etc...because there is a growing 'minority' of voters who may be questioning these pro-war policies now...
The Fed appeal will cite the 'systemic risk' of disclosure and that will be the end of it in the courts...
"pavel: Two folks meet. Each mistrusts the other and is continuously trying to game him/her to their own advantage. We will assume both are completely rational and act in their own self-interest under conditions of perfect information. Can they ever form the basis of a relationship, much less a society?"
RIF, I don't see how.
We're leaving for Mass in 15 minutes. See you later.
merchants of fear wrote:
IMO, it's just the Political type 2's & 4's being pissed-off at the propaganda arm of the Political Type #1 (and some 3's). It's the same as the PTs #1's (& some 3's) being pissed at Liberal Media. What they really mean is "how dare you question MY sycophants".
Faux News is the "keeper" of the PT's #1's (and some 3's) mythology. The opposite side should be pissed at them.
NaRm,
Yeah...the propaganda is getting complicated...
NOTaREALmerican
i looked at the 5 things ya need to know at the link you shared
thanks....interesting
regarding the graph of the spread between goldman price per share versus CDS and the spread
im not smart enuf to understand what im looking at
could you please explain the implication of that graph?
merchants of fear wrote:
It's basically the same: "One big happy group hug family" vs. "us vs them paranoia".
Amazon.com: Hard Hearts and Soft Heads: Disciplinary Differences in University Students'Sociopolitical Orientations (9783639034936): Brianne Hastie: Books
Edit: wierd. I posted the wrong link, but the titles are the exact opposite: Amazon.com: Hard Heads, Soft Hearts: Tough-minded Economics For A Just Society (9780201145199): Alan S. Blinder: Books
The unemployment picture is really much worse than in 1982, or at any time since the great depression. That graph shows that the current drop in unemployment has gone on much longer and deeper than any other post-war recession, and hasn't yet hit bottom...
Detroit Dan wrote:
I'm not even sure that the numbers are comparable. Hasn't the definition of unemployment changed in major ways since 1982?
mock turtle wrote:
HA! no. I just replied based on YOUR post of "the worst is behind us" and I happened to be reading this story with the same title when I saw your post. The CDS and spreads and shorts and puts and gambling and even understanding how not to pay retail price for anything is beyond my comprehension. I have no comprehension of future values.
mock turtle wrote:
How about Jumping the Pig*? It's when you read through all the comments on a C.R. post even though you know the thread has been
'ed.
*Not to be confused with When Pigs Fly. Although a Jumping Pig could be considered like a Dead Cat Bounce...
Given that the Federal Court didn't buy the "systemic risk" argument; I think there's a good chance the appeal will be denied.
NOTaREALmerican
cool...i appreciat your being up front
yeah all i know is that the spread indicates risk
but i have never been clear if the spread denotes the difference between the equity share price and the company that "writes" the policy
or if what we are looking at involves the reference companies share price...ie the company being "insured" against loss of returns (or outright default) and that companies share price.
on top of all that (im really gonna show my ignorance here)
it has been my understanding that one on the chief criticisms of CDSs
is that the market is opaque as there is no exchange
are not most if not all CDS deals OTC (over the counter)
and thus it would seem a graph like the one at miny would be difficult to put together
because price discovery in the marketplace is not public information
no?
The Fannie Q3 $18 billion loss was reported in the summary.
But not the Freddie Q3 $5 billion loss unless I missed it.
Both are little government shops of horrors.
There's an article in today's NY Times that asks whether Obama has lost his speechifying power.
The Words That Once Soared - NY Times
''As the most gifted orator of his generation, President Obama finds speechmaking perhaps his most potent political tool. It propelled him to national prominence in 2004 and to the White House in 2008. And whenever he needs to calm economic fears or revive stalled health care legislation, he takes to the lectern. But the limits of rhetoric were on display last week when the president could not rescue two foundering candidates in governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia. Has Mr. Obama lost his oratorical touch? Is the magic finally beginning to fade? Does the White House rely too heavily on his skills on the stump to advance his priorities?"
Although the article has interesting ideas, it misses the point. Obama's speeches aren't losing their magic because his speaking skills are declining, or because his policies aren't working.
The speeches aren't working because Obama isn't giving the speech Americans need to hear. It goes like this...
"Americans are wondering why they are unemployed or hurting financially while Wall Street keeps getting rich off government programs and taxpayer bailouts. I hear you. I don't like it. And I'm going to make sure it stops."
Obama can't make this speech because he's too deep in bed with Wall Street and bankers, and he fears how they might retaliate and short the U.S. economy.
Until Obama gives this speech, his other speeches will lack credibility. In the end, good speeches are about making people believe. As long as Obama stays in bed with Wall St., most people will keep losing belief in Obama. This isn't the Obama they thought they were getting.
rich wrote:
Interesting. Perhaps a few of them will even figure out it WAS the Party they were getting. (I guess 10 or 15 people figuring this out won't matter that much tho).
Mr Slippery wrote:
Feed me, Timmah, feed me!
yagij wrote:
Geithner: need stimulus, not financial transactions tax
| Reuters
From the article above:
Geithner said there was broad agreement that "growth remains the dominant policy imperative across our economies."
Sounds like the dominant policy of cancer cells...
NOTaREALmerican wrote:
Geithner: need to go away, not hang around D.C.
Amongst the few I understand why we went into Iraq. Justified? yes. Did I like it? no but needed to be done. Last time I had this debate no one on here could even tell my why we went into Iraq the first time. I heard the same stupid talking point it was for WMD's. Shallow thinking is the problem not as much the news source. I got this opinion before there was a Fox news. Last comment on the subject.
yagij wrote:
Isn't he is Scotland with the other groupies, I mean finance ministers?
Rajesh wrote:
As long as his employer's main address is in D.C., I don't care where he is besides that he is still in D.C. and I would like for him to go to NYC and never come back. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Paulson has kept a low profile since he gave up the job...
Employment
? Landing a job like getting into Harvard - CNN.com
The article requested is no longer available.
Good for Bobby: better safe than sorry. The forecast track looks to miss the main area of oil/gas platforms so those with natgas better hope for a very cold winter.
Lobbyist Ben Dover wrote:
I thought I was amongst the few that understand why we went into Iraq. Justified? Yes. Oil is more important than peasants.
NOTaREALmerican wrote:
Until we return to times when peasants pull us in 2-wheeled vehicles to and from work. Then, athletic peasants will be more important than out-of-shape peasants.
rich:
You hit the nail on the head. I voted for Obama, and I had great hopes for him. I have lost all faith. Until his actions match his rhetoric, I will withhold my support (for what it's worth).
Part of it, yes but most important was the invasion of Kuwait. The oil for food and the Petro Euro was for the second time plus Clinton was very weak and did not follow up with a tail kick to finish.
Nuke wrote:
But, the real question is: do you blame Obama or the Party? Similarly, do you blame Bush or the Party?
Rich +10
Lobbyist Ben Dover wrote:
Finish what? Is it finished now? Did we win?
NOTaREALmerican wrote:
More broadly: do you blame the Politicians or the Party? Similarly, do you blame the corporations or the Party?
NOTaREALmerican wrote:
Dilbert Pointy Headed Boss: "We used to believe 'our people' were our most valuable asset but then we reconsidered - turns out 'money' is our most valuable asset. People come in eighth right behind 'office supplies'..."
NOTaREALmerican wrote:
Why do you hate 'Merica? You a MINO?
I blame both Obama and the party. Congress is doing an even worse job than Obama. The Democrats in congress deliberately picked weak leaders because they didn't want party discipline to interfere with their local interests and personal schemes.
I never expected too much from O.
But I couldn't vote for McC/Pain
lawyerliz wrote:
McPain fits in with McMansions and McJobs and...
lawyerliz wrote:
Did you think voting for somebody else (Edit: not a Republicrat) was "throwing away your vote"? Do you feel that way now?
Nuke wrote:
I will forward your message to the helicopter right away...
Sorry, line's busy, Goldman Sachs is feeding in some instructions.
NaRm -- if we won, who lost? i.e who really lost? I'm finding this to be a VERY useful policy analysis tool. If the losing party involves TBTF banks or industries that contributed large amounts of money to political campaigns, I simply assume the supposed policy statement is more political
-poop.
The amount of stimulus:
A lot of folks have trouble with big numbers (trillions, billions etc), so to help decipher how big the stimulus is consider the following:
The federal monthly **deficit is projected to average **$120 billion for 2009-2010. That is enough to buy
. everything ** sold by WalMart in the US in October
. **everything sold by Costco in October
. everything sold by Coke in October
. everything sold by McDonalds in October
. everything sold by Home Depot in October
. everything sold by Target in October AND
. every new car bought during the month
AND
still had more than $30 billion left to spend!
So yes the stimulus of deficit spending musty be having an impact. The question is where is the real economy.
billwilson wrote:
At the SSA office and the UE office trying to not starve for the next 18 months.
Umm, but if handed to unlending insolvent banks, it's dead money.
Dead, not breathing, not doing hardly nothin'.
Better that we buy all that stuff and then raffle it off.
I blame the parties and the political class in general. The political class in America today resembles the European nobility of the 18th and 19th centuries. The kings, dukes, prices, etc, were more loyal to their bloodlines and class than their countries. There real enemies weren't the Germans (for example), but their own populations. Likewise, the Democrats and Republicans are united against us. When the R candidate for Congress in upstate NY (23rd districts) knew she couldn't win, she dropped out and endorsed the D over the 3rd party candidate.
Free meals at Mickey D's for the next month for x meals not to
exceed however many they sold in October!! At least I could
get free coffee there.
albrt wrote:
This isn't new, what ELSE would a Party that doesn't fear "going out of business" do?. The question is: are you going to keep voting Republicrat, because you don't want the "throw away your vote"?
A person I know in West Va voted for Nader instead of Gore.
I think her hub is still mad at her.
Likewise free stuff from Home Depot, paid for by the feds!!
Lots of free plants and a new weed whacker from HD for me!!
lawyerliz wrote:
Would it really had made any difference? Would Gore, and his Party, have re-regulated the banks and prevented where we're at now?
It's not money. It's ex-money
Ex Money
billwilson wrote:
that's a rhetorical question, right bill?
Dunno, but it would have been better than Bush, of that
I am sure.
Nuke double-plus-up
Likewise, the Democrats and Republicans are united against us. When the R candidate for Congress in upstate NY (23rd districts) knew she couldn't win, she dropped out and endorsed the D over the 3rd party candidate.
lawyerliz wrote:
at this point, i think it is valid to question why they aren't just handing out free food to everyone. why even bother pretending we have "a system" anymore. just, give it away.
lawyerliz wrote:
Perhaps your political expectations are too low? Just being better than a Republican administration isn't saying very much.
My point actually was that helicopters are better than
handing money to dead banks.
My expectations are extremely low.
Whenever an organization gets to a certain size it's primary goal is the running of the organization. Any "business" that gets appended to that is purely incidental.
Yup ... I just think that once we get into the billions and trillions most folks can't get their heads around how much money we are talking about., so they may not realize just how monstrous the monthly stimulus is. And if it is this big and we have no growth, look-out below.
Agreed.
lawyerliz wrote:
So, voting for any other party, even one run by morons - will fulfill expectations. Can't be worse than what we've got now.
OT to albrt re MERS,
Thanks for your guest post and insightful commentary. I guess people should be advised not to sign mortgages that name MERS as mortgagee instead of the lender. At least then they will know who they are dealing with.
In California, if a corporation, LLC or LP holds a mortgage or deed of trust secured by real property in the state, they are considered as 'doing business' in California and must register with the Secretary of State and pay $800 or more (some times much more) per year for that privilege. Without doing so, they have no right to foreclose.
So it occurred to me that using MERS was a great way for out-of-state mortgagees to do business in the state without doing business in the state. I naturally assumed MERS was doing business in the state.
Much to my surprise, it appears that the right of MERS to do business in California has been suspended by the state:
California Business Search
Far be it from me to offer an opinion on the legal validity of any foreclosures by MERS in California since the corporation's suspension. I suppose someone else may bring up that subject some day.
billwilson wrote:
The money is being burned on non-stimulus activity.
Bank bail-outs are not stimulus.
That is why we see no effect, despite the size of the deficit.
At a certain point of complexity, what you have is an empire,
and an empire needs an emperor.
If we get out of all those stupid wars, stupid that we are staying
in them, we could stay a Republic/Oligarchy for a while longer.
Anybody want to start a 3rd party?
I'm too busy posting here.
lawyerliz wrote:
Which Party is getting us out of the wars?
lawyerliz wrote:
There are already many.
Wow.
lawyerliz wrote:
Queue Mock Turtle
Which Party is getting us out of the wars?
None that are getting my next vote.
lawyerliz wrote:
Doing so would be pointless. The system is rigged for two parties, and two parties only. You even hear politicians bragging about it occasionally. "Our wonderful two-party system...etc."
lawyerliz wrote:
If we start a third party, the mortgage pig has to be our mascot.
I think O should read a little Machiavelli.
Throwing money down a hole (i.e. at a bad investment or conspicuous consumption or outright waste) accomplishes the same thing - contraction of the money supply, just less efficiently than if I'd set fire to the money, or made some electronic representations disappear on a nebulous balance sheet somewhere.
Yeah
lawyerliz wrote:
O is doing EXACTLY what he should be doing as a Republicrat. Doing all that can be done to keep the assets of the top 1% growing. It's why the Party is supported by the nobility and why the Fed exists.
Liz:
You don't think O is a ruthless careerist? Far all the bullshit about hope and change, what has been his number 1 agenda? Throwing money at politically favored industries.
There you go Feudal.
A giant magnet run over the earth wiping out all bank records!!
Thanks. Bizarre news about California - not sure what is going on there.
I don't think it should make all that much difference to a person signing a mortgage today whether MERS is on it. You probably have a better idea what a MERS lender is going to do with the mortgage, because their procedures for each state are more or less publicly available. If a non-MERS lender originates the mortgage, they can sell it to whoever they want and you have no idea what the servicing or foreclosure procedures will be.
My vote for the best one sentence summary of the year’s events goes to “cleek,” a commenter on the John Cole says "Whatever" blog:
show me on the doll where Goldman Sacks touched you.
Equating investment banking with child molesting, it has first and secondary resonances: initially, outrageous and salacious, and on reflection, literally and fundamentally truthful – since the ultimate cost of the damage the pigmen have wrought will be inflicted on our children and grandchildren.
I don't think he or anybody else knows what to do. I said before
the election you could squish all your fav presidents together
into one giant wise great president, and I still think that they
wouldn't know what to do.
NOTaREALmerican wrote:
Third parties will never have traction until the constitution is changed - we will need to adopt some form of parliamentary system or proportional voting that restricts 'winner take all' and forces coalitions. Until then it is vote for lessor of evils...
All deficit spending is stimulus.
Bank bailouts are stimulus because with the bailout the bondholders and equity holders were not wiped out and thus have more money than they would have had.
Unemployment benefit extensions are stimulus too because people now how money they would not have had.
The problem is that "stimulus" in this fashion is merely treading water at beast.
lawyerliz wrote:
I disagree. He's just the President. The Party formed the government. The government is working for the best interests of the owners of the Party. That's exactly what the other Party would have done, as they have the same owners.
Dawg had some ideas about good ideas to subsidize.
A lot of dams and bridges need fixing. A lot of kids need
to know how to read.
A lot of people need to get food at food banks.
It is a good thing not to let people starve.
Treading water at beast!!!
What a freudian slip!!
Is the number of the
666?
dryfly wrote:
The constitution doesn't specify the rules of elections. That is done by individual states. Some state have plurality wins; some states require a run-off if there is no 50%+1 winner. Washington state is allowing two candidates from the same party the in general election. Louisiana has always (as far back as I remember) had a non-partisan election occasionally followed by a run-off.
dryfly wrote:
I know that. But, I'm still amazed that people seriously vote for either Party tho. Pretending to each other, and (worse) their kids, like it matters.
The bondholders etc have the ILLUSION that they still
have something, anyway. Don't know about the
reality. The map is not the territory.
albrt wrote:
Actually, I'm not either. If the "S" in MERS is "Systems," then it does exist, but only since June 1, 2009:
California Business Search
Just went there on a lark and now I've confused myself.
How does this affect title?
A non existent entity cannot hold title--at least in Fla.
It's weird that some of the Neo-Con policies have been discredited or are not regarded as the best policies now looking back but these policies are pursued now by the new admin and Congress anyway the same as before the Hope & Change came...also not too long ago...Iran dumping the Dollar would have been an Act of War...now it's U.S. economic policy and 'independent' Fed policy based on what's being done in or to the economy to 'fight' this financial crisis...
"The bondholders etc have the ILLUSION that they still
have something, anyway. Don't know about the
reality. The map is not the territory."
In the land of magical thinking or propaganda (they are two sides of the same shaved coin), perception is reality.
Rajesh wrote:
That in itself is part of the problem - you would have to have the vast majority of states allow for proportional appointment of electors before you break up the political oligopoly of two parties.
At the congressional level - less problematic BUT in actuality it is - just look how the few independents behave - they caucus with one or the other main parties and for all practical purposes are either GOP or Dem.
It isn't an accident we got two parties - it was a result of the structure offered by the constitution... we've had some parties go away and others emerge but then quickly settle down into a tug of war between two.
Compare that with parliamentary systems - multiple parties, coalitions & flux. That isn't us.
Wonder what ever happened to the critic Mike Morgan's 'cease-and-desist' warning from GS concerning his 'Goldman Sachs 666' blog name?
Oh, no, the
will be after me!!
I know Mike Morgan suffered a heart attack and backed off pursuing the GS 666 blog...
dryfly wrote:
It may not be our current system, but it is us. The Demopubs and the Republicrats have multiple internal factions. For example, the "Blue Dogs" are almost a party unto themselves. So are the "Christian Right", the "Greens", and other assorted wingnuts.
The stuff he was saying about GS is just mainstream criticism now...
How about just
666. Or, in the spirit of the book of
999 which we all will know really means
666? 
the Appocalypse
merchants of fear wrote:
Perhaps, the Neo-Con policies were NOT just the policies of the Republican party, but - instead - ARE the policies of the Republicrat Party - with the 'debate' just being the usual "democracy show" for the dumbasses. "Both" Parties are pretty supportive of "the empire" concept.
Still may be some news about that GS trading program code that was stolen by an ex-employee...
Wingnuts.......Wonder which party coined the word.
3
s has 6 eyes. Hmmmm.
Yeah NaRm...it's slowing starting to make some sense now...that the 'spiked' Kool-aide is finally starting to wear off...
lawyerliz wrote:
Well, I'm sure it exists in Florida, but more to the point, what happened on this appeal?
Realtors most often ask the following . . .MERS Who?
Did the Florida Supreme Court rule on whether MERS can foreclose?
Also, for those of you who get paid to read and/or write discovery, note the April 11th comment.
It's like a crazy drunk night out on the town...and you blacked out...and woke up in an alley with your shirt off...and flashlights in your eyes...and hearing...'please vacate the area now and keep moving...clear out now'...
Nuke,
Thanks. One question is...why can't the media in general (and NY Times specifically) see what you and me and most others on this board can see about Obama' strange transition from populist to Wall Street tool? Why are they beating around the bush with articles like this one?
That kool-aide kicks ass!
Maybe that's what they used in Jonestown...
the
is big, but really only the present figurehead we point to of the nebulously-definable and all-pervading global system of parasitical speculative international finance Squid that is the "real" 666 
rich wrote:
The NY Times takes pride in being the newspaper of "the establishment". An old term for "the enlightened nobility", ie the Democratic Party. There's allot of history in the establishment running the country and the NY Times is their Faux News. The original liberal media.
Edit: A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, there used to be liberal Republicans too.
There's a program of Recovery though...a 12-step program for kool-aide debtors anonymous but it is frowned upon by the financial authorities...
Hey, Albert! Nice job!
By the way, something fishy with MERS' corporate registration is going on in Arizona as well:
Ariz. Corp. Comm. -- Corporations Division.
An assistant secretary can't sign an asgt without a corp.
resolution.
I have never had MERS as a plaintiff in any of my cases.
And have never seen MERS listed as a plaintiff when I
go in for motion calendar and look at the computer sheet
to see where my case is.
lawyerliz wrote:
Thanks. I just wish HCN were more searchable so I could copy it back. Anyway I wouldn't use subsidize because my list is intended to generate ROI as opposed to most expenditures by BigGov that are never intended to justify their existence.
rich:
Well, for one the NY Times look at Obama as a rock star. Never underestimate the ability of natural sychophants to be co-opted by a strong personality. The Boston Globe has been carrying water for the Kennedy's for decades.
Also, look at the relationship between the media and the political class. Incestuous doesn't start to cover it. Andrea Mitchell, Mary Matlin, Tony Snow, David Gergen, Cokie Roberts, and George Stephanopoulos are all major media figures who married/worked for major political figures. The days of working class, ink stained wretches is done. Most NY Times "reporters" went to the same schools and attend the same parties as the politicians.
mp wrote:
"BLACK CANYON HWY" Sounds suspicious.
A non existent entity--I meant non existent at all anywhere.
Oh Gosh, I've forgotten what you do when the corp exists somewhere
else, bad Liz. But it is a real problem when the corp comes into
existence after the real estate transaction.
The 'squid' is a meme created by a writer for the Rolling Stone...a magazine about popular culture, entertainment, and music...it makes the connected big players into something that can be imagined...rather than just the pain & suffering of the losses they caused...
Nuke wrote:
But they don't get the glory or the bucks. Which is why they act like groupies. Next best thing in their minds, and maybe they'll get nice spokesman job or something.
The Brits have a system with multiple parties, but I don't really see much of an improvement over what we have here. It's not really the system, it's the mindset of the electorate.
NaRm,
Black Canyon highway is next to the freeway for a quick getaway...
Hey, Liz! Get a load of MERS corporate agent in Florida.
A real sleaze bag!
Ripoff Report: Alex Morfesis (Tampa) Alex Gerasimos Morfesis Con Artist in Real Estate - He Sounds smart, but will rip you off for consulting fees and try to steal your properties Tarpon Springs, Florida
http://sunbiz.org/pdf/40186704.pdf
God, I love the internet.
Liz, it sounds like you need to consult with Conjure.
merchants of fear wrote:
It's having an effect too. I know people that have mentioned his articles to me. They usually say something (like): "you know how you have been boring us for months about the banks being run by scumbags? I just read this article in Rolling Stone about...." Apparantly many boomers read this magazine.
Perhaps just beating a dead horse on MERS, but this federal trial court decision from April applies California law and disposes of most of the FB's claims in their attempt to halt foreclosure:
http://noonanandlieberman.com/media/pdfs/Pagtalunan_v_Reunion_Mortg_Inc.pdf
Page 8 clarifies this sportsfan's confusion regarding MERS and MERS from his comments above.
Glad we straightened him out.
mp wrote:
Morfesis, an intentional misspelling? Blank Canyon Hwy? I'm starting too see a pattern here.
That LLC isn't MERS. Mers is I believe out of Delaware.
The con artiste ripped off Mers's name only.
Sorry to disappoint.
A foreign corp or LLC can register in Fla--as a foreign corp or LLC.
The have to exist somewhere else first.
But thanks for the MERS info. I printed it out.
That info is nearly a year old tho.
The birthers are all crazy right...and the silly truthers...there's a lot of weak lawsuits about birth records...the weak ones get to court and get thrown out of court...it's like all the weak theories floating around and allowed into the media and internet forums...the stuff that can be dismissed and ridiculed...the tinfoil gets into circulation easily through numerous site and endless links...now something of substance...a theory or 'lawsuit' will never see the light of day...because that might be a problem...
I want to see the TARP autobailout lawsuit make court....
NaRm -
is a great meme (not quite as good a thought-virus as money though)... It crystallizes a whole bunch of very abstract happenings into something ordinary folk can point at and yell at in connection with their lack of raises, unemployment of close friends, losses in retirement accounts, rises in domestic violence, newsworthy suicides, and pretty much everything else wrong in the world. TPTB may have bitten off far more calamari than they can chew. 
... and with that I'm off to put aside all these cares and troubles with a couple hours of singing!
And thanks for the District Court Case. Youse guys are getting me to
work on a Sunday instead of just blathering.
yagij wrote (in reply to...) on Sun, 11/8/2009 - 3:56 pm
lawyerliz wrote:
Anybody want to start a 3rd party?
Queue Mock Turtle
student in back row raises his hand....shaking it furiously
yelling i do..i do...i do
Oxtail wrote:
Yeah, that's true. The Brits and the Mericans have countries with lots of myths. Myths of honorable greatness, and honorable nobility. It's tough to think clearly when you believe your ex-dear-leaders - and the empire they created - are near God-like, and yet; all you see around now are scumbags. It takes tons of duplicity and self-delusion to over come this "reality".
We're going to have to find something for the new core unemployed to do. Soylent green perhaps ?
~splat
Hordes in front of
666 offices waving signs and chanting
squid, squid, squid, squid.
Takes me back to '66 it does.
Liz, OK, I see what's going on.
Beautiful, just beautiful.
Just keep Conjure in mind.
His retainer is affordable.
We are the proud owners of a 4.875 fixed rate now, thanks to those on this blog a long while back who were sure enough that rates would drop below 5% to convince me to hold off for a while.
But the closing atty must've thought I was nuts when she didn't have to explain what MERS was.
A sign of a true CR addict.
lawyerliz wrote:
Sadly, I see GS taking the fall for the real squid, which is the top 1% having 50% of the nation's wealth. So, when GS is gone the world's greatest "democracy" will still not have one.
Lobbyist Ben Dover wrote 3:34 pm
Part of it, yes but most important was the invasion of Kuwait. The oil for food and the Petro Euro was for the second time plus Clinton was very weak and did not follow up with a tail kick to finish.
you really believe those were bush's reasons for taking the usa into iraq?
we invaded iraq and had their dictator killed
for the same reason we have invaded several other countries and overthrown or killed their dictators...
they were once our puppets...but then tried to cut their strings and thumb their nose at our will
let me suggest you consider the history of panama
may i suggest you check out history of usa invasions of or attacks against countries from mexico to panama to chile
btw "the price of loyalty"...the book...by bush's first treasury secretary , makes it pretty clear
Great drive by the Chargers
OK, concerning MERS in Arizona.
There is an LLC, but it looks like a possible scam.
The Delaware corporation (headquartered in Virginia) is not licensed in Arizona.
So, what does that do to MERS' status in Arizona?
Anything?
mp
morfesis as in alex morfesis?
yes.
i have not followed him of late
what his current take on our "predicament"
The guy evidently set up an LLC in Florida called:
Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems LLC
It would appear that is an appropriation of:
Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.
A Delaware corporate headquartered in Virginia
The Trap- Whatever happened to our dream of freedom? (pt. 1)
(pts 2 & 3 also available)
Good evening, all
Interesting news, hot from NYTimes - China is flexing its fiscal muscle to buy a lot of goodwill in resource-rich part of the world while getting rid of dollars. I think it is pretty smart
BEIJING — China offered African governments a multibillion-dollar package of financial and technical assistance on Sunday, stepping up a courtship that already has gained Beijing wide access to oil and minerals across perhaps the most resource-rich continent in the world.
Prime Minister Wen Jiabao pledged to grant African countries $10 billion in low-interest development loans over the next three years, to establish a $1 billion loan program for small and medium-size businesses, and to forgive the remaining debt on certain interest-free loans that China previously granted less-developed African nations.
Mr. Wen made the pledge in an address to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, held in the Egyptian city of Sharm el Sheik. The $10 billion in new loans is double the amount China pledged at the last meeting in 2006. The debt forgiveness continues a series of annual loan cancellations that extends to 2006.
Mr. Wen told officials of the 49 African nations in attendance that this year’s session “represents a new stage of development in relations with Africa.”
Yeah, I got off CR long enuf to watch the last 33 seconds of the game.
that doesnt sound promising...for him
and with all the claims of whom has legal claim to what mbs revenue stream
great business model i would guess...bad name choice
If China can do something better than us in Africa,
let 'em.
So, do any of our legal minds have a sense of MERS' status in Arizona, given that they're not registered there?
Mock,
First you finish what you start. Second If lives in a war are so precious then why do we not have a war on drunk drivers. Research the United fruit Co. (Chiquita Banana today) and the Banana wars. Lives for oil, bananas and lots of other trivial stuff. Why are we still in Korea and why did we go there? The motive behind wars are not palatable because they include power and economics. For me Bush 1 blew it. It all makes sense but badly executed.
Depends.
Does holding mtges as a nominee constitute doing business?
Do you have to be registered to do business?
Search me. I know nothing about doing business in Arizona but would certainly expect that the answer to both of those questions would be 'yes.'
Lobbyist Ben Dover wrote:
LBD: Why exactly did we go into Iraq?
China has been on a tear in Africa, building infrastructure by the metric ton (roads, hospitals, clinics, schools, etc.) in order to secure access to the mineral wealth of those nations in all its various forms...typically the loan for the infrastructure build is secured by the resources, but not always - recently the Chinese had to tweak terms for a deal in the Democratic Republic of Congo to keep the IMF happy...this has been ongoing for years.
Bush I saw the potential for making a power vacuum available for Iran to slide into...
Why exactly did we go into Iraq?
1) Because we could
2) Because Afghanistan was too amorphous a country to provide satisfying enough catharsis from exacting revenge
That's all
“So how did money lenders learn to overcome the fundamental conflict: if they were too generous, they made no money; if they were too hard-nosed, like Gerald Law, people eventually called the police?
The answer is by growing big- and growing powerful. “
When I read the last sentence then I realized what WallStreetPigs has done to us.
Above is from Niall Ferguson’s ‘THE ASCENT OF MONEY”. I highly recommend this book.
Good luck to all.
this has been ongoing for years.
Good for China, good for Africa
I hope that continues especially given the likely drop of foreign aid by the US
Does this mean Timmay can't hold title in FL?
MrM wrote:
It is smart but while getting rid of the dollars it is in effect 'desterilizing' them - once out of the lock box that is the PBoC they then find their way back into the Forex [since the Africans aren't in a position to squirrel them away] and put more pressure on the yuan.
That isn't a problem UNLESS they want to continue the pseudo-peg.
LBD sid "first you finish what you start..."
Lobbyist BD...generally i would agree
but bush gave insufficient consideration to the regional balance of power and created a shit storm for us
ill step into the trap since i set it...bush blasted his way into iraq to show daddy he was a big boy and take the oil away from a two bit bully who wouldnt play nice by his rules
the american people were lied to by bush and cheney and if that isnt treason it should be for those two materially helped our enemy, alqaeda in a time of war by energizing the enemies recruitment process across the muslim world and justifying , in their eyes...not mine.. further muslim extremism
bush should have been impeached...but after all he didnt leave a stain on a blue dress so.... what ever
i am disgusted and ashamed for my country which i will love to my dying day...but i can no longer stomach the lies
....whether told by bush or obama i will call each and every move as i see it without regard to party...period
dryfly -- never thought of that. is this endgame re dollar peg, a miscalculation by the chinese, or something else?
Since this morning's topic was about "American Optimism", I thought I'd respond with my thoughts on the topic. In the U.S. real wages increased every decade from 1820 to 1970 according to Rick Wolff thus creating a tremendous sense of optimism in the public at large.
However, since 1970 this has not been the case as basically wages have stagnated even with overly friendly (and IMO manipulated) inflation numbers. In addition, debt service has increased dramatically in this period thus reducing middle class and below disposable income. Here is Elisabeth Warren's conclusion:
... America was once a world of three economic groups that shaded each unto the
other—a bottom, a middle, and a top—and economic security was the birthright of all
those who could make it to the middle. Today the lines dividing Americans are
changing. No longer is the division on economic security between the poor and everyone
else. The division is between those who are prospering and those who are struggling, and
much of the middle class is now on the struggling side. ...
These struggling Americans (approx. 80% of the population) have also consistently heard the great economic mantra that ever increasing productivity will result in increased wages. Here is the conventional wisdom on productivity by Encyclopedia Brittancia:
*Real average labour compensation has increased over the long run at about the same pace as labour productivity. *
However, reality is quite different. Here is another chart by Professor Wolff:
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/ee947bb285.png
Therefore, the past 30 years have IMO rung in the era of "American Realism". Given the fact that I believe that automation/robotics combined with an ever more competitive worldwide labor market will push real wages down instead of up, I believe we are about to ring in the era of "American Pessimism". No state of mind is permanent and optimism needs to be fed by success constantly. The fact that Chinese college graduates are now getting the same starting wage as migrant workers should be a warning to anybody.
That isn't a problem UNLESS they want to continue the pseudo-peg.
The Chinese will have to use their USD reserves for buying assets, both tangible and intangible (like African goodwill). It will apply pressure on the yuan eventually, but other real options do they have?
sneering nihilist wrote:
I think it was a miscalculation - it complicates decoupling if they want to get free of our dodgy debt... but I think they are smart enough to realize this and move on - in time, their time. The implications for us are huge - especially if we are dumb enough to get caught trying to fund large deficits & not anticipate their not being there.
I was wondering about that, I think dryfly's thesis is correct but what is the lag of the transmission?
edit: clarification, I don't see it as a miscalculation by the Chinese, however
MrM wrote:
None... but tell that to the 200-300 million Chinese currently tied to the export industries... it might be inevitable but that doesn't make it less painful.
Oh, boy. Get a load of this regarding California MERS:
if mers(mortgage electronic registration systems... - JustAnswer
mp, I guess there aren't any Arizona lawyers on board.
I was thinking of asking you a rhetorical question, namely "How do you know the Delaware corporation isn't licensed in Arizona?," but then I remembered I was the guy who thought they were suspended in California.
China is making all the right moves IMO and those move are well calculated.
mp, one is "System" and one is "Systems." That was my mistake.
RE wrote:
Hopefully, the Merican peasants will begin to expect something from their government in the near future. Not sure what that might be exactly, but a government that exists to enrich the top 1% at the expense of the average peasant shouldn't exist.
but tell that to the 200-300 million Chinese currently tied to the export industries
Don't you think the rest 1,000 million of the mainland Chinese, not tied to export industries, will benefit from raising yuan?
FD. I am aware of discussions about usage differences between RMB and yuan, but do not care enough to remember the answer
china is puking up dollars for oil interests, farmland, physical assets, etc,...
the scary thing (to my simple mind) is that the chinese heavily influence the value of the dollar.
And Bernanke Didn't Think Unemployment Would Reach 10% -- Seeking Alpha
SNAFU wrote:
I'm confident in their confidence.
The disconcerting fact is that the Gini coefficient of the U.S. and Mexico is just about the same today and only Brazil's is worse of the major countries.
the Gini coefficient.
It is interesting that "Communist" China has also caught up with the U.S.
MrM wrote:
No. If you think the American system enriches the top %1; how about a system that enriches the top 0.01%?
Rajesh wrote:
Sounds like a goal for our squid.
NOTaREALmerican wrote:
The squid giveth; the squid taketh away.
.
The squid is our shepherd who we shall not want.
It makes me lie down on dirty mattresses
It sells my soul
It leads me on the path of indebtedness
for its profit's sake.
.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of slavery
I will show no sadness
for it is with me
your whip and your chain,
you drive me on.
.
You prepare a cell before me
in the presence of my friends
you cover my head with soot
my bowl goes empty
Surely hope and joy shall be crushed
all the days of my life
and I shall dwell in the cell of the squid
forever.
sneering nihilist wrote:
They have been one of the major forces artificially supporting the dollar for much of the last decade... via MBS & treasury buys... so if they 'let the dollar fall' it is more of a correction to where it should be [given our debts & deficits] than a manipulation.
Point is if they use dollars to buy assets in Africa and think it won't add pressure on their efforts to peg - they will be disappointed. But if buying these assets goes hand in hand w/ a managed fall in the dollar from a yuan perspective - then it is wickedly smart & benefits everyone... China, US & Africa.
The U.S. is actually quite close especially once you consider assets and not simply income.
http://visionsfromspace.com/images/USWealthAndIncomeDistribution.jpg
Note that the charts are based on 2004 data. I'm certain it is worse today.
MrM wrote:
Absolutely I do - but the economic upheaval possibly spilling over to social & political upheaval could easily negate any possible whiff of a benefit. I think the CCP is well aware of what can go wrong - just hope they have it covered.
SNAFU wrote:
This is good. Now that Uncle Ben's perverted crisies are shown to be far less sticky than promised on the package we can do the right thing and switch brands.
dryfly wrote:
They sent tanks down a road along with tear gas and troops to crush it last time. Would it be any different this time?
Rob Dawg wrote:
I'm sure a different brand of band-aids will make all the difference.
dryfly -- But if buying these assets goes hand in hand w/ a managed fall in the dollar from a yuan perspective - then it is wickedly smart & benefits everyone... China, US & Africa.
that's what i'm betting on. a dollar peg until they can use their own consumers with a little help from cheap african labor and material.
Ususal run away run away dollar kind of vid
YouTube - CNBC - Dollar Will be Utterly Destroyed, Global Currency, New World Order
'Show me on the doll where the
and uncle Ben touched you"
RE wrote:
Interesting link. Never heard of this Gini dude.
(I'm sure Faux News would accuse him if inciting class warfare tho, commie).
LOL Gini is a she.... isn't she???
Hey, that guy isn't 1 world currency - yogi, is he?
Add-on: No, at the end they said he's from Seattle, not NY.
RE wrote:
Oh. Well, dude is asexual isn't it? (Don't know). The France line shows a pretty dramatic drop. This is a real interesting link. I should be able to over-stimulate a few of my fascist friends with it. Thanks.
OT Taken from ZH for NaRm:
yagij wrote:
HA! jeez. Happily, dinner is ready. Homemade pizza, a bottle of wine, and a spouse that won't let me talking about economics or the state of the world.
yagij wrote:
Tienanmen didn't involve hundreds of millions of angry workers - it was a relatively small number of angry students & intellectuals - very different kind of situation. This could be far more explosive. I'm all for changes in China but explosive changes benefits no one.
sneering nihilist wrote:
On most Chinese funded infrastructure projects, they ship in Chinese labor to do even the more menial jobs. This causes a lot of frictions because the locals do not get any of the benefits of the construction spending.
?????
RE wrote
It is interesting that "Communist" China has also caught up with the U.S. (regarding the gini )
but hey communist canada (snark) has surpassed the usa
median household income canada 2006 53k...usa 07 48k
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/09s0668.pdf
Average Annual Household Income Canada | DiscoveryFinance.Com
maybe theres something to be said for those "socialist" policies after all
yagij wrote:
Promethesus bound.