A.K.A. Ruthless Tommy Lawler?

I feel like such an idiot for having paid off my mortgage early instead of joining in on the gambling.

So, when does all the Fannie/Freddie REO inventory hit the streets?

Before discussing the chart, it should be noted that when a financial institution acquires the title to a property through foreclosure, the REO is supposed to be accounted for at fair value less costs to sell.

The Calvinball Referee says; "Bwahahahah!"

Anonymous Bosch wrote:
Edit: I've never met a gambler who hadn't lost more than he won. They brag about the wins, but just ask their friends and you'll hear about the losses.
The gambler eventually loses everything he gained. The professional one just knows better when to walk away from the table and when to stay in the game.

I love the fact that your blue bars are still extending for this recession.

The Petraeus briefing: Biden’s embarrassment is not the whole story, by Mark Perry | The Middle East Channel

"The briefers reported that there was a growing perception among Arab leaders that the U.S. was incapable of standing up to Israel, that CENTCOM's mostly Arab constituency was losing faith in American promises, that Israeli intransigence on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was jeopardizing U.S. standing in the region"

Wildly OT

I remember hearing in mid-2008 that Fannie and Freddie were intentionally holding REOs off the market, waiting for "better prices".

On that point, it would be interesting to see a graph of "listed REOs" versus non-listed. Just because a property is REO doesn't mean it is in the housing inventory numbers.

29% Palms?

Anonymous Bosch wrote:

It is assumed that both a higher rate of unemployment and a worsening of inflation both create economic and social costs for a country.

I understand what he was trying to do but the index does not do it. It implies unemployment and inflation are equally bad, which is not true. I prefer to have a job even if my salary loses value over time than not having a job at all and prices being stable. Got it?

Juvenal Delinquent wrote:
29% Palms?
OT: Palm-olive softens strong hands while they do the laundering...

April Fools:

New York State Tax Refunds Put On Hold
Gov. Paterson Freezes $500 Million, Says Financial Situation The Case, Won't Start Sending Again Until April 1

New York State Tax Refunds Put On Hold - wcbstv.com

Rob Dawg wrote:

29% Palms?

Palm Stings

Lots of walls and security out there - I doubt the bandos will be taking over enmasse....

I thought a lot of Palm Springs was Indian owned.

Juvenal Delinquent wrote:

The shores of Joshua Tree.
The shares of 'AAA'
We will lend on anything

To HELOC and Back

Is Palm Springs on Indian Land?

Yes and No.
In 1876, Pacific Railroad laid the tracks between Los Angeles and Yuma, Arizona. The U.S. government deeded the Agua Caliente 52,000 acres throughout the Coachella Valley (6,700 acres lay within the city of Palm Springs). The government gave the railroad a checkerboard of every square mile of land for 10 miles on either side of the railroad right-of-way. The Agua Caliente tribe got the non-Pacific Railroad owned squares.

This arrangement is extremely unique. Most Native American reservations across the United States were located outside of areas that became city limits. The city of Palm Springs is built on a "checkerboard" consisting of alternating Indian and non-Indian land. It may sound a little unsettling from a real estate perspective, but these are long term land leases that are commonly renewed well in advance of their expiration dates (it would be a public relations nightmare if they were not). Judging by the skyrocketing Palm Springs real estate prices, this unique situation has done nothing to slow the appreciation of property values.

If the Army and the Navy ever look on heaven's scene, they will find the streets are golded by United States Marines...

howzabout The Pacific?

The first one was pretty good...

1 currency now -yogi wrote:
Fed ponzi.
Fonzi?
YouTube - Fonzie jumps the shark

I saw my first Black person when I was 9. I only saw 2 of them too before 16. It is hard to believe how White America was. Especially when "equal but seperate" was around.

Supposed to get better as it ages.

Nice, Fast money was pounding the table that NatGas is about to be bombed, and to get out of UNG if your in it.
I feel as if it is all being twisted and mangled, far beyond manipulation so all rules of thumb don't work when the thumbs have been burnt off.

It's true. Although there probably is a domestic nat gas glut, they are just handing out money to homeowners in PA left and right for exploration rights to Marcellus Shale. It makes you wonder why. Either they figured out a way to make cars run on nat gas or else PA is sliding the drillers money under the table to keep state govt. afloat.

PA is one of those states on my short list of likely future defaults. Do you realize that PA will probably go on the hook for Harrisburg incinerator default? They are already on the hook for Pittsburgh.

sporkfed wrote:

Supposed to get better as it ages.

Mnmm. 2006. NINJA stated doc I/O vintage if I'm not mistaken. It has that distinct aroma of burnt bridges. Pretentious, ages poorly and every third bottle is toxic.

I saw my first Black person when I was 9. I only saw 2 of them too before 16. It is hard to believe how White America was. Especially when "equal but seperate" was around.

I once lived in White County, Indiana, where the motto was "All white...and proud of it."

I had exactly one Chinese-American going to elementary school with me in the City of Angles, and the very same school today is probably 75% Asian-Americans, a mish-mash of nationalities.

My daughter goes to the same high school I did. It was 99.9% White in the early 70's. Despite serious gerrymandering the best they can do is 65% White which makes it a sought after high school.

gottA GET SOME MOrE PERKOcet to perk me up.

New CFO says GM has chance to make 2010 profit - Yahoo! Finance

I love that our tax dollars which the politicians so generously gave GM is being spent on hiring 4 lobbying firms...to squeeze even more tax dollars out of Washington.

...and so ends day 3 of lawyerliz's journey down the healthwhole we've created for profit

Sleep tight and don't let the viruses bite, and if you don't eat your meat you can't have any pudding~

pavel, I have seen that movie. It was good.

"Soldat" by Siegfried Knappe actually happened, and he really got around the reich...

In the same POV of a WW2 German, as Storm of Steel (thanks for the tip~)

pavel, I have seen that movie. It was good.

Nova, I saw the site of a village that was burned, as was the village in the film. I'm not sure now but it may have been the same village. The young actor who played the boy was actually hypnotized for the burning scene.

Ever read Gunter Grass's letter to his children about how he dodged rejoining his unit toward the very end of the war?

But must reflect the Russian perspective very well, through the eyes of a ~15 year old.

So powerful. I've been thinking lately about the last scene, in which the boy has fantasies of shooting Hitler, but rejects them and stays human.

.

Oh, and Palm Springs real estate has completely cratered. How about this urban lot next to other homes for $1.33 per square foot. Yep, $10,000, 0 Parkmead, Palm Springs, CA 92262 | MLS# 41388682

$10k for an empty urban lot in So Cal?

Wish it into the cornfield, you're messing with our comps

off to sing and make merry,
to my calculated risk persona these things may seem contrary...
but when I last turn in, an idiot's grin
upon on my face I'll carry!

pavel, it is.

How about this urban lot next to other homes for $1.33 per square foot. Yep, $10,000, 0 Parkmead, Palm Springs, CA 92262 | MLS# 41388682

Drive about 5 miles down Route 111. Different story. The name of the story is "Delusion", just like coastal SoCal...

Funny. I have an Uncle who is still alive and who spent a year in the POW camps. He still feels that way about Germans.

I can understand that.

BTW, have you seen the long series Heimat?

rich wrote:

t serves notice on NY taxpayers not to let taxes be withheld or to pay estimated taxes.
Just watch revenues plummet in any state that delays refund checks.

Yes. This has already happened in Ca.

Jedi! Oh wait, that's a religion. Nevermind.

Irish you luck.

how many lives at this address.

Reincarnation history too?

MaryAnn, I got mine the other day. Here it sits, waiting to be filled out.

The questions are too intrusive. Do I really want to give them my kids' names? I know they have this info already, but do I need to give it to yet another agency?

I think I heard you are only required to tell how many people are in your household. I wonder if that's true. I'll have to research that.

Some other day.

Juvenal Delinquent wrote:

Wish it into the cornfield, you're messing with our comps

Inside Palmdale city limits, a house next door, two acres.... $8500. 0 East AVENUE O, Palmdale, CA 93591 | MLS# I10008117

I'm not sure what is going on down here in our area but I spoke with a few of my regs today and one that I hadn't seen in quite awhile. He is a concrete contractor and said he he is swamped right now. Said he did nothing at all for 8 months and now he can't keep up. Same story with my flooring guy.

Yep nova. I didn't get much of a chance to question the concrete guy but the flooring guy is mostly remodels.

seems like quality nesting.

part of an excellent post that is also applicable to the US

Euro Watch

The current problem facing Spain (and other similarly affected countries) has its roots in two quite distinct sources. In the first place measures taken to counteract the impact of the financial crisis have been inadequate and have simply produced large short term deficits. However to this short term liquidity and adjustment problem must now be added the further dimension of longer term impacts on public finances which have their origins lie in ageing populations, and the effect on economic growth of having older and smaller working-age populations.

Regarding the first, as Willem Buiter, now chief economist at Citi has pointed out, more than 40 per cent of global GDP is currently being produced in countries (overwhelmingly advanced economies) running fiscal deficits of 10 per cent of GDP or more. Over most of the last 30 years, this level fluctuated in the 0-5 per cent range and was dominated by debt form emerging economies. So the crisis marks a watershed, from which there will likely be no turning back, and in many ways could not have come at a worse moment for those countries who still have to undertake substantial pension reform to put their nation finances on a solid footing when faced with the unprecedented ageing which lies ahead.

JD and Nova,

2 more recommendations:

Semper Fi in the Sky: The Marine Air Battles of WWII (Joe Foss and his kind)
No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah

I've been waiting for some insightful works to come out about Iraq and Afghanistan and No True Glory is the best one I've yet read.

Yahoo! News

"
Previously undisclosed records from Mitchell's case reveal that Fortis had a company policy of targeting policyholders with HIV. A computer program and algorithm targeted every policyholder recently diagnosed with HIV for an automatic fraud investigation, as the company searched for any pretext to revoke their policy. As was the case with Mitchell, their insurance policies often were canceled on erroneous information, the flimsiest of evidence, or for no good reason at all, according to the court documents and interviews with state and federal investigators."

Inside San Diego City limits

0 Myrtle, San Diego, CA 92105 | MLS# 100004070 $11,000. Surrounded by single family homes. Adjacent to Highway 15.

black dog wrote:

I live deep in God's country virginia. To my surprise the english gent who voiced those lines lives moved in just down the road. My wife and I say hello to him and his wife whenever we see him on our walks. Seems very pleasant.

Roger Waters is your neighbor?? That's pretty wild.

Thanks Chainsaw. I read this. It;s early Iraq. It was pretty good.

Amazon.com: One Bullet Away eBook: Nathaniel Fick: Kindle Store

Now I must google Roger.

There's a reason bank-owned REO grows slower than F&F. Banks actually take the hit and sell the stuff to get it off their balance sheets. At least here in New England we learned the last time 'round that taking a big loss up front is actually cheaper than waiting, holding, and selling at an even more distressed price. As a regulator now, I find that I do not need to remind my banks of the 80s/90s New England mess. They got the lesson the first time.

nova wrote:

Roger Waters would appreciate the Mortgage Pig I think.

Mortgage Pigs on the Wing!

CK,

Perhaps the spike from the tax credit frenzy?

nova wrote:

Thanks Chainsaw. I read this. It;s early Iraq. It was pretty good

Thanks Nova. I think I saw an interview with the author back in 04/05. He was very impressive. I'll pick it up.

The Czechs got brave in early '45, and my dad was 20 caught up in things that young men did back then, and for some reason he knew how to dismantle a potato masher grenade to get to the explosive within, to use in some other fashion, and he told me there was about a dozen people in the resistance seated around a large table, and somebody brought one for him to dismantle, and he was so absorbed in his work he said that when he was done, he looked around and everybody had left and he hadn't even noticed...

Three Different Kinds.

Fannie, Freddie and FHA. 3 pigs in a poke.

Juvenal Delinquent wrote:

everybody had left and he hadn't even noticed...

Wow JD. I bow before you and your father. That is amazing.

That would explain a little why you are sharper than the average bear.

In my former life, I might have been one of those that vacated that room.

My father, towards the end, would fall asleep in his recliner and recite names. I asked my Mom about it. It was all the members of his platoon who had died. He had nightmares until he died. I remember him telling me about how he and a friend were running and he looked over. His friend was missing his head.

I think the one that bothered him the most was shooting a sniper out of a tower, When they checked the body it was a German girl. He was still going to the VA up until he died. 3 Purple hearts will do that to you.

SS? What?

pavel:

If you can stomach the profanity, tune to comedy Central for the best send-up ever done on radical atheists: the South Park Richard Dawkins episode.

Rob Dawg Alert!

TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen, who has guided Oregon's largest transit agency through 11 years of ambitious and sometimes-controversial rail expansion, announced today that he will retire when his contract ends in June.

Hired in October 1998, Hansen, 63, leaves the agency as it struggles with a $27 million budget hole amid an unforgiving recession and while it is telling riders to expect more service cuts and a fall fare increase.
Fred Hansen retiring as leader of TriMet, Oregon's largest transit agency | OregonLive.com

---like I was saying earlier today....
really nice, really nice.

nova wrote:

My father, towards the end, would fall asleep in his recliner and recite names. I asked my Mom about it. It was all the members of his platoon who had died. He had nightmares until he died. I remember him telling me about how he and a friend were running and he looked over. His friend was missing his head.

I think the one that bothered him the most was shooting a sniper out of a tower, When they checked the body it was a German girl. He was still going to the VA up until he died. 3 Purple hearts will do that to you.

----[To young Butch] Hello, little man. Boy, I sure heard a bunch about you. See, I was a good friend of your dad's. We were in that Hanoi pit of hell together for over five years. Hopefully, you'll never have to experience this yourself, but when two men are in a situation like me and your dad were, for as long as we were, you take on certain responsibilities of the other. If it had been me who had not made it, Major Coolidge would be talking right now to my son Jim. But the way it turned out is I'm talking to you, Butch. I got something for ya. [Holds up watch] This watch I got here was first purchased by your great-grandfather during the first world war. It was bought in a little general store in Knoxville, Tennessee, made by the first company to ever make wrist watches. Up until then, people just carried pocket watches. It was bought by Private Doughboy Ryan Coolidge the day he set sail for Paris. This was your great-grandfather's war watch, and he wore it every day he was in the war. Then when he had done his duty, he went home to your great-grandmother, took the watch and put it in an old coffee can. And in that can it stayed 'til your granddad Dane Coolidge was called upon by his country to go overseas and fight the Germans once again. This time they called it World War Two. Your great-grandfather gave this watch to your granddad for good luck. Unfortunately, Dane's luck wasn't as good as his old man's. Dane was a Marine and he was killed along with all the other Marines at the battle of Wake Island. Your granddad was facing death, and he knew it.

---