Housing bill sent to the White House. I am not pleased, I am not pleased at all. Why the heck are we bailing out the very people who are responsible for the Housing Bubble? What bullsh!t. Thanks, politicians. Thanks, politicians who are not really trying to solve the problem but rather look like they’re “for the people.” This basically amounts to taxing me for their idiocy. F*ck that. I’m the people, be for me, dammit.

Look, I’ve said it before and I’ve said it again, but I’m going to say it once more at least: If you really want to help out the most people, let this bubble completely implode. Yes, some people will get hurt. But you’re hurting far more by letting the prices stay artificially high. You’re damning entire generations to be continual renters, or slaves to a mortgage they can’t afford. It’s freakin’ impossible anymore to simply buy a home that’s at or less than 30% of your income.

Unless you want to get mugged daily. Which, uh, hey? Count me out.

Tags: housing Crisis

Today while messing with my site I decided that I had too many pages. I have my site subdivided a handful of times, what with separate Photo pages, separate Movie pages, my Mac Tips & Tricks, and my blog all handled differently. Used to have “Articles” too, but I decided that not only has it done nothing but NOT grow in any real measure, but most of it was duplicable here in my Random Blog anyway. And in fact, some of them had just been copied & ported over to the Articles area from previous blog entries.

So I deleted them. Seemed like a waste to have a whole separate section that a) required upkeep, and b) was essentially superfluous in nature. I had amassed a whole 5 articles over that time, ranging from using a Mac to Immigration. None of them were life-altering, just basically longer blog entries. Well I think the world would rather 5 longer blog entries than 5 needless articles, no?

Yeah, me too.



Housing Market not on the rise after all...
Despite calls to the contrary, the reports are in and housing prices fell in the last measured timeframe faster and steeper than ever before at a 14.4% decline. The experts say that there’s no reason to believe the crunch is over or that it’s anywhere to go but down.

Glad I didn’t get on board last week! Called it!



Nice Article making my points
For the last year or so, I’ve been lambasting the housing industry and especially house-flippers are being responsible for the astronomical rise in housing costs this decade. I’ve said things such as “we need to view homes as a place to live, not as an investment vehicle: it’s not stock,” and so much as said that that sort of house-flipping mentality & speculation is the biggest problem that affects a home’s value.

I’ve gone so far as to say that bailing out the housing industry and those in foreclosure is a bad idea, and that I’m glad that the house-flippers are stuck with their mistake; they did this, they priced the American dream right out of the grasp of America, so f*ck ‘em; let them sink. Let them sink so that I can afford a damn roof over my head.

Well it’s nice to be vindicated. A nice two-page article over at the NY times today had a nice piece in it just for me. Most of the article is about the buy/rent ratio and the history of the decade, but on page two, near the end of the article, is this gem:

“ But it’s O.K. with me if our timing wasn’t perfect. After several years of reporting on the housing market, I’m convinced that the most common real estate mistake is viewing a house first as a financial investment and only second as a home. That’s one big reason we ended up in this bubble-induced mess. “

Tags: housing Crisis

So this asshole that’s responsible for creating both *NSYNC & The Backstreet Boys, is going to prison. And surprisingly enough, it’s not for having created *NSYNC & The Backstreet Boys.

Nope, apparently it’s because other than perpetrating those horrid bands on the public, he also swindled old folks out of their life savings. $300 million-worth. Ouch.

Title on Yahoo’s front page for the piece? ‘Bye Bye Bye to Boy-Band Manager.’ Now that’s class, baby.



Clinton fighting until the end
I would say that she should really just give up the ghost on this one right now. What exactly does she expect to happen in the next month or so that would turn around her failing campaign?

Perhaps lightning? Lupus? I dunno.

Girl, give it up.



Housing Market expected to turn around by end of year?
I don’t know about what I’ve heard in this regard recently. I mean, on one hand it would be prudent to start shopping now if the pundits are right.

On the other hand… when have they been right about it? Didn’t they predict that last year? And then it slid more than ever on record after that? Almost seems to me like they’re trying to create a rush that will end the housing slump, you know? And I would hate to be the one losing his shirt because he thought it would turn around, when it didn’t.

I think I’ll continue to wait. Though currently The Girl is researching modular & manufactured homes and blank property prices. I think we’re a promotion or two away from that at the moment myself, but hey, doesn’t hurt to keep tabs on what’s up, right? That way we’re prepared when the time comes.

Peace.

Tags: housing Crisis

This morning on some morning “news” show (I don’t know or care to find out which), Rosie O’Donnell was a guest. This was a big deal, because you may not recall but she was on another morning-esque show called The View (11 years now, no way!), where she had a falling-out with the only good-looking chick on the show over the whole Iraq Debacle we now find ourselves in.

Anyway, some thoughts on the matter:


ROSIE, YOU’RE RIGHT ABOUT the WAR AND SUCH, OK?
Look, I agree with you. The war is a farce. And in fact I think your views are much less cynical than my own are. The pretty bitch was wrong, she’s dumb and she doesn’t think passed her own perky, plump boobs. But c’mon! You gotta tone down the oinking, OK? People see your ugly mug, badgering away with that obnoxious attitude of yours, and they then try to label all liberals as “Rosie clones” or something.

Look: I even agree that you have to fight hard against the right-wingers. They throw sticks and stones and you need to throw sticks and stones back. But you’re dropping bombs, and more importantly, you’re just annoying. Shut up. Do all of us left-leaners a favor, and have someone else make your points for you. Write them down. Give them to me if you must. Dammit!

And I also agree that rather than arguing over silly, minute differences, Barack & Hilary need to realize that they’re both running for the highest office in the world. A black man & a woman, this would have been less than a pipe-dream 30 years ago. It would have been considered suicide – in the literal sense – a mere 60 years ago. Yes, they need to get over themselves, and get to at least being polite and sincere with each other.

But again, coming from you, it means so much less. You’re destroying the very foundations you hold dear every time you talk. Stop talking, OK, before you unravel democracy!

HOW YOU'RE DOING IT
You say things that are just so out of the realm of reality. Yeah sure, you don’t watch any TV or have any internet access at home. How the hell do you know what’s being said about you then? Guess what? You’re not front-page news on the New York Times, dear. And uh, the rest of america cannot fathom how it is that someone who is so often plastered all over the damn devices cannot have access to them. Hey guess what, it would be hard for you to blog (video blogging to boot!) if you aren’t using a computer, OK? Give us a break, even the dumbass right-wing nutjobs can figure out that if you have a blog (with video!) that you probably, must maybe, might be using a computer. And the internet.

So you’re a liar. And a hypocrite. And so much more. Like extremely annoying. Even to those who agree with your premises. And to be quite honest, you’re just not that special. I don’t care. I don’t think a lot of people do. And those who “worship” you? Yeah, the rest of us “normies’ feel about the same towards them as we do towards you. Are you getting it? Picking up what I’m throwing down, as they say? White on rice? You good to go? We connecting yet?



And more on the important point (and peoples)
Barack… Hilary… Seriously you two, get over whatever it is. And get real, too. I feel like you two are giving the public lines they want to hear (rescue! Pull out! Yay!), when in reality we can’t achieve the overall goals we need to and actually do what you say.

Like, uh, pull out of Iraq? Have you thought through that quagmire? Seriously? Yes, that's what we should do, tear apart a country with war... and then leave. Yeah I'm sure that wouldn't stain our image in the world any, huh? Oh, and saving the housing market? Are you for real? How the hell are your constituents going to afford homes if you don’t let the prices settle down to normal levels? You can’t bail out the mortgage industry and lower prices at the same time, sorry. Gonna have to let that crumble, my dears, if you really have the people's interests in mind here.

Dammit you two, I don’t want to have to run myself. I can’t. I have a few more years before I’m eligible. Get it right.Or email me. I’m available for consulting.

I’ll be checking my inbox. Hourly.

Peace.

Tags: women, hate, housing Crisis

They keep on saying that we need to bail out the damn mortgage industry, some sort of “economic stimulus” plan, prop it all up with some $30 billion. I just don’t get it.

To me, it would seem that amounts to perpetuating the republican agenda. I mean, the dems didn’t create the housing boom, it serves the purpose of keeping most of the people (whom they’re supposed to be “for”) out of one of the biggest facets of the American Dream… yet they keep right on going for that. Election year politics? Man, f*ck.

Sorry, but propping up the housing market serves no one except the people looking to turn around and sell for profit sometime soon. The market’s overvalued, and if they prop it up and keep the prices artificially high, then they’re locking soooo many low-income families out of the possibility of ever owning the roof over their heads.

This is decidedly not a democratic ideal. I don’t know what the hell they’re thinking. I actually – GASP! – agree with McCain on this one.



Workout stories
I haven’t worked out much recently. I was hit by the flu bug, albeit not too hard. But then I just sort of never got much better for the better part of two weeks, and only recently got good enough to lift frequently. Like, 3 days ago.

One thing I noticed during my hiatus: lack of gas. Yeah, that gas. Almost as soon as I got back on the bandwagon though, the gas came back. And it hit me: I may not be as naturally gassy as I feared myself to be; it may be a byproduct of the whey protein supplement I take when I work out. Er, used to take. I have been off it for almost two weeks and haven’t had any issues, so I am going to try getting on it again, see if the gas reappears. If so? Then I’m screwed.

More specifically, my wallet’s screwed. Because it’s not like I’m going to not lift. Rather, I’m going to have to relegate myself to actually eating the protein I need, as opposed to drinking it on the cheap. And it’s not like I don’t enjoy the eating. It’s just a bit more expensive.

So if you’re a workout buff and you think gas is just a way of life for you? Maybe not. It may just be a “whey” of life. May be another point to the old adage, “you get what you pay for.” No way to cheap out on the weight gain either, apparently. At least for me.

Peace.

Tags: Gym, housing Crisis

They’s a-crumblin’, folks, don’t know if you’ve read the news on the matter or not. But if you’re being swayed by folks saying that now is the time to buy, you better just shut those ears of yours down.

Oh no, this is a major correction we’re in the midst of, people. This ain’t no 1-2 month slide before it rises again, this is going to take the better part of years to get back to normal. In under 10 years, the housing market rose some 400%, while median wage rates remained almost flat. It was unsustainable, and if you put your money in now, you’re really just throwing it away.

Why do these people say that it’s going to bounce back? They’re trying to think positive thoughts, that’s what’s up. They’re losing their shirts in the market, they bought in hook-line-and-sinker, and of course, misery loves company. You don’t want to be that company.



Smart money move?
Rent for now. Find a decent place that you can afford and live out of for the next 3-4 years, maybe even 5-6 (yes, years). Yes, it will take that long. You don’t lose 75% of the current cost overnight; people want to believe their homes are still worth close to what they paid, so houses on the market will go gradually down the price slope, trust me on this.

Hey, I was right about Iraq, right? Right? Trust me on this.



Gross but I’ll tell you anyway
The dogs have worms. Eww. Yes, it’s eww. Sorry you had to experience it vicariously through me like that, but don’t worry, I’m going to try and get them taken care of today. And if not today, then definitely tomorrow.

But probably today. Because that’s just ewww.

Tags: Animals, housing Crisis

Have a Mighty Mouse? Don’t try this at home
I have one of them fancy-schmancy Apple Wireless Mighty Mice. I like it actually, simple yet elegant solution to mousing that it is. But the ‘revolutionary’ scroll ball mechanism they use has a tendency to get gunked up. I’m an oily (some say greasy) Italian, so mine got there eventually. I usually just turned it over and ran it really fast across the sofa or something. This worked well, up until a handful of days ago. Then for some reason, the gunk became too much for my lil’ scroll ball to overcome, even with the help of the sofa.

I went to the internet looking for answers. Kinda like moses & the mountain, only I’m not jewish and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t god that responded. And if it was? Well he gives some bad advice, his holiness.

I read this hint about how a simple cleaning solution was to pour high-percentage alcohol down into the unit with it unplugged, then let it dry. The alcohol evaporates quickly, and as it does you don’t have to worry about it sitting around and shorting things out when you plug it back in later.

Now while this may be true, I can tell you from personal experience that it will likely make a small irritation a major one. I went from having an intermittent non-scroll issue to an intermittent scroll issue, coupled with a middle-click function that no longer worked. Gawdammit.

Well the mouse cost me about $50 and I had no intention of going back to a mouse not as full-featured, nor shelling out an additional $50 for a new mouse. At least until I completely broke this one. So then naturally, I got busy seeing if I could thoroughly break my currently broken unit completely, or fix it, whichever came first.

After finding a video on youtube (geez, that place again), I learnt how to get under this mouse’s skin. After that, it was trying to track down my particular issue, which at first I thought might actually be a short circuit somewhere, damn the luck. Fortunately for me, after about 10 minutes of examination, I found the culprit: corrosion. Yes, though the alcohol had dried fast enough to prevent any shorts, it managed to corrode the contact patch of the middle-click function so that attempts to use it resulted in nothing. Sweet.

Taking the thing apart really isn’t that difficult. The hard part really is the first step, getting the grey ring pried off without A) stabbing yourself silly with a very sharp razor edge – which I almost succeeded at, and/or B) snapping the grey ring while prying it off, which miraculously I managed to avoid entirely.

Bottom line? Don’t shortcut it, it’s not worth it. You’ll end up taking it apart anyways, so just start there if you must, and clean it all properly, huh?



Fannie Mae’s Brother takes a Dump
The Federally-backed program, Freddie Mac, posts a $2-BILLION loss. So that housing slump? Looks like it’s gonna continue for a minute or two longer.

Good. Maybe someday I’ll actually be able to afford to buy a house without having to have kids. So I can sell them. Cuz, uh, that’s what I’d do.



Have I mentioned Michael Vick Sucks? Good.
So uh, yeah, Michael Vick went to jail already or something. Phew! Now my dogs can go out safely again.

My only remaining question is this: When does Clinton Portis go on trial? Surely being that dumb and ignorant is a felony, no?



Recently Downloaded: Daft Punk
After having watched too many videos on youtube with people dancing to Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, and also hating how Kanye West ruined it by opening his mouth and attempting to ‘rap’ on this track, I decided to shell out the 99¢ necessary to get a copy of the real thing from iTunes.

Yea, now as I dance through the valley of death, I will fear no, um, no… hidden cameras. OK I’m lying; I fear the hidden camera. You should too. Me dancing? Causes immediate blindness. If you get an email and it says anything about “dancing” and mentions “random,” “bob,” or even maybe “idiot” and/or “weirdo,” I’d recommend passing. Perhaps for the safety of all that I love, I should stick to the whitey head-bob.

Check.

Peace.

Tags: housing Crisis, hate