Will consolidation ever happen?

From the Star Ledger:

Gov. Christie says property tax cap could force N.J. town, school district mergers

New Jersey’s notorious but beloved patchwork of towns and school districts could be transformed under a new limit on annual property tax increases, Gov. Chris Christie said today.

Speaking to a town hall audience in Perth Amboy, Christie said a constitutional amendment capping increases at 2.5 percent could force mergers that would reduce the number of local governments. The Garden State now has 566 towns and 588 school districts.

“There’s a lot of redundancy that goes on from district to district,” he told the crowd of about 275 people. “When Cap 2.5 comes into effect, those school districts are going to have to make choices, and some of those choices are going to be that they’re going to want to consolidate with other districts to be able to save their money. Right now, there is no incentive to do that and there is no imperative to do it, because all they need to do is just continue to raise property taxes.”

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283 Responses to Will consolidation ever happen?

  1. NJCoast says:

    Jeff Beck killed it at the Paramount in Asbury. Imelda May opened after playing Montclair’s Wellmont Monday.

  2. Nomad says:

    note how banks are making more $$ than normal on this – never ends

    Stimulus Bond Program Has Unforeseen Costs

    Published: June 15, 2010

    They are supposed to help states and cities that are short of cash build roads, schools and bridges…

    But Build America Bonds, part of President Obama’s economic stimulus plan, are also building something else: controversy.

    For banks, Build America Bonds are more lucrative than traditional municipal bonds. Weighted by size, municipal issuers paid $6.55 per $1,000 of Build America Bond sold in June, compared with $6.08 for traditional municipal bonds.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/16/business/economy/16bonds.html?ref=business

  3. jp says:

    Comsolidtaion makes absolute sense, and I can appreciate Christie’s honesty for putting cap 2.5’s consequences in the public.

    But I’m more apt to think other towns and districts should consolidate way before mine.

  4. Final Doom says:

    Cap 2.5 should be Cap 0.

    Somebody needs to teach CC about compounding.

  5. Final Doom says:

    Toss a few of the NJEA heads and some CWA leaders in jail, and you’ll start to see some action pronto.

  6. Shore Guy says:

    How could those fine people in Loch Arbour ever be expected to consolidate with the lowlifes in Interlaken, or, gasp, the people in Allenherst?

    It makes one shudder to think of it.

  7. Shore Guy says:

    Clot,

    A few years of 1% budget cuts would be a good thing.

  8. Shore Guy says:

    The horror of Spring Lake being “forced” to merge with a place like Sea Girt should make it clear to everyone that consolidation is not right for NJ. There is a reason “those people” are located on the other side of the pond and bridge. Join with them? Never.

  9. Final Doom says:

    How dare anyone attempt to halt NJ’s transition to a collectivist state, home to only the ultra-rich and the dirt-poor who must service them.

    It will be a great social experiment to see how a US state functions in the absence of a middle class…although I suspect it will resemble our own little homemade version of Argentina.

    Note to self: look into business prospects of developing personal armies-for hire.

  10. homeboken says:

    Doom – How about some wisdom before I burn more money. Chile-Honduras? I think Chile -1 goal, or perhaps Chile money line -170

  11. Final Doom says:

    Chile on the money line. However, don’t be surprised if it’s moved to 2-1.

    My money is where my mouth is on this one. I think Chile is going a long way in the tournament.

  12. homeboken says:

    Agreed, I can’t get comfortable with a Honduras team that is starting a 36 year old. Chile is younger and faster. Down on the money line at -160, and -1 goal at +140. Let’s see if I can claw back out of this pit.

  13. #6 – How could those fine people in Loch Arbour ever be expected to consolidate with the lowlifes in Interlaken, or, gasp, the people in Allenherst?

    Good lord man! The next thing you’ll suggest is they go to school with people from Wanamassa! NOT ON MY WATCH!

    Why, if 1 sq mile towns can’t have their own school districts than what is this country coming to?

  14. Shore Guy says:

    “Wanamassa! ”

    Never! Heads will roll before people have to suffer THAT fate.

  15. NJCoast says:

    Loch Arbour has always been part of the Ocean Township school district, they’ve been going to school with the kids from Wanamassa for decades. Deal, Allenhurst, and Interlaken have been going to Asbury Park schools for a century. With the exception of Deal which has an Elementary school all those towns consolidated long ago as far as schools go.

  16. #15 – …all those towns consolidated long ago as far as schools go

    Don’t ruin our fun with inconvenient facts!

    Most of those towns share police forces as well, IIRC.

  17. NJGator says:

    I’m sure the fine folks of Short Hills are waiting with open arms to invite the teens of West Orange and Maplewood to their NJ Monthly #1 ranked HS. Ditto for Glen Ridge and the kids of Bloomfield and the South End of Montclair.

  18. NJGator says:

    But I bet the Ridgers will really want the kids from East Orange first!

  19. Shore Guy says:

    NJC,

    Schools are one thing. Police? Town Councils? Assistant Directors of the Department of Rendndancy Depertment? Well, those are different matters all together.

    The day the residents of Lake Como have to share municipal services and governance with the residents of Belmar, the Earth may stand still

  20. Shore Guy says:

    Every town should be like Teterboro. No more than 50 residents,

  21. NJGator says:

    Doom – let Stu and I introduce you to Valentine Jackson, the most beloved crossing guard in all of Glen Ridge. I’m sure she’d be happy to let you work her territory for your weapon sales. Highest traffic intersection in town – corner of Ridgewood and Bloomfield. You can reach the train commuters and the HS kids all in one place.

  22. Barbara says:

    Many NJ towns are run by deeply entrenched families that have run things for a few generations. You go downtown and you could draw a family tree. Cousins, in laws, wives…they feel very strongly that it is there’s to as they please, oh and who the hell are YOU?

  23. Barbara says:

    theirs

  24. NJGator says:

    Seriously, even if school district consolidation keeps “neighborhood” schools intact, there will still be a secession revolt in every West Essex town.

    No one in the Essex burbs will be quiet while a Newark appointed pol takes over their school district.

  25. NJGator says:

    Sign from g-d? This always reminded me I was in an entirely different universe every time we visited Stu’s sister in Ohio.

    http://www.sustainabilityninja.com/eco-news/solid-rock-church-touchdown-jesus-struck-by-lightning-64400/

  26. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    Orion [24],

    Housing starts demonstrated a V recovery in 1974, 1981 and 1990. Not this time, more like an L or Stu’s hockey stick.

  27. Barbara says:

    27. No one thought to install a lightening rod nearby? That’s what you do when you erect a structure that’s the highest point in the area. Science: it can help!

  28. Cindy says:

    I asked my daughter about the two roving bands (5 or 6 in each group) of unemployed youth we saw in Portland yesterday. She says the locals call them “nomads.”

    They have no desire to make use the many homeless shelter benefits here. They are just passing through. Smiling, backpack-carrying performers – gypsies – nomads. Living that life by choice. Seeing the world as it were….Nobody bats an eye. A common sight here I guess.

  29. jj says:

    We don’t have them in New York as we would rob,beat,rape and then kill them. For some reason they either stay away or don’t last too long here.

    Cindy says:
    June 16, 2010 at 9:02 am
    I asked my daughter about the two roving bands (5 or 6 in each group) of unemployed youth we saw in Portland yesterday. She says the locals call them “nomads.”

    They have no desire to make use the many homeless shelter benefits here. They are just passing through. Smiling, backpack-carrying performers – gypsies – nomads. Living that life by choice. Seeing the world as it were….Nobody bats an eye. A common sight here I guess.

  30. #31 We don’t have them in New York as we would rob,beat,rape and then kill them. For some reason they either stay away or don’t last too long here.

    Who would rob them, bond traders?

    Also, they used to be a very common sight in NYC. You still get some down in TSP on crusty row.

  31. Pat says:

    They are commonly seen here sitting in the doorways of Wmrt eating raw corn.

  32. Cindy says:

    Gator – I was able to keep up with 4-year old Avery yesterday. He is sleeping in today – because no WAY he was taking a nap yesterday.

    Ate @ Hopworks last night –
    Organic brewery on location – The Hub.
    Whatever I drank was sort of red – tasted good to me.

    Real estate is not dropping much here in the Westmoreland area – not yet I guess. Because of the surrounding hills, they never did sprawling subdivisions. Not much building at all. All I have seen in the immediate area is a place leveled last April – new construction now.

  33. Juice Box says:

    re: #31 jj – from the late 60’s to the early 90’s the area on Eighth Ave between 40th and 50th Sts used to be know as “Minnesota Strip”, where teen-age run mostly from the Midwest would end up as strung out prostitutes.

  34. grim says:

    From the AP:

    Home construction sinks, building permits down

    Home construction plunged last month to the lowest level since December as builders scaled back without a federal tax credit to lure buyers. Building permits also fell, a sign the construction industry won’t fuel the economic recovery.

    The Commerce Department said Wednesday that construction of new homes and apartments fell 10 percent from a month earlier to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 593,000. April’s figure was revised downward to 659,000.

    The results were driven by a 17 percent decline in the single-family market, which had benefited earlier in the year from federal tax credits of up to $8,000. It was the largest monthly drop in single-family construction since January 1991.

    Applications for new building permits, a sign of future activity, also fell. They sank 5.9 percent to an annual rate of 574,000, the lowest level in a year.

    The report missed Wall Street expectations by a wide margin. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had predicted that housing construction would only fall to seasonally adjusted annual rate of 650,000 and had forecast that building permit applications would increase to an annual rate of 630,000.

  35. Final Doom says:

    I’m shocked, just shocked.

  36. Sas3 says:

    #32 Orion. We should simply inflate our way out of the problem. For decades, Greece was able to get out of the mess from pension liabilities through devaluations, but now because of Euro, they can’t do that anymore. US at least has the luxury for now.

    S

  37. Final Doom says:

    Phone has not rung in my office since Monday.

  38. Cindy says:

    http://www.hopworksbeer.com/

    Very kid-friendly – if you are ever in the area…

    Thursday I take the train to Olympia Wa. Then a ferry ride to Victoria for a few days with my eldest daughter and my other grand kids over the weekend…

    I was supposed to baby sit the kids while my daughter and her husband went to U2 in Seattle – canceled –

    I have never been outside of the US. Not even to Mexico…finally, I get to use my passport.

  39. Juice Box says:

    re: Freddie and Fannie delist.

    NYSE Listing standard is $4 a share.

    Perhaps they should consider adding this one to the pink sheets.

    http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=c

  40. Cindy says:

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704009804575308584183110498.html

    This watered-down financial bill is – well – frustrating to watch. But I guess the stock price on the rating agencies went up yesterday…

  41. Juice Box says:

    Bloomberg radio did a story today on NY Metro shadow inventory. Something like 8 years backlog.

    S&P just released their report on Shadown Inventory.

    “Variations In U.S. Shadow Inventories Could Spell Home Price Declines In Some Areas, Stabilization In Others”

    “The New York City metro area had the highest level of shadow inventory at 103.1 months, followed by Miami with 61.8 months and Boston with 58 months.”

    Here is the report. Check out Chart #3

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/33084604/Shadow-Inventories-Variations

  42. New in NJ says:

    re posts 37 and 38 –

    I’m shocked, just shocked that the article didn’t contain the word “unexpected”.

  43. grim says:

    44 – Wow

  44. #44 – Very interesting, not wholly unexpected either. Recent fall in the EUR is only adding to the problems in MYC (Manhattan really) as Euro buyers may have accounted for almost 20% of the market.
    CR link discussing a WSJ article.

  45. Mr Hyde says:

    SAS3

    We cant inflate our way out of this unless we “restructure” i.e. default, on a number of social programs from SS to medicare/caid and a number of others. They are all indexed to inflation by law. Even if the GOV starts playing the Argentinian game of exponentially understating inflation and unemployment the need increases in outlays for those programs would still crush the US GOV.

    The US cannot pay its existing debt and obligations. They will eventually be forced to reduce and cut entitlement programs as well as start playing real devaluation games such as dumping a huge % of the debt into the FED then disbanding the FED and writing off its “bad debt”

  46. grim says:

    From the WSJ:

    Currency Fall Curbs Europe’s Taste for New York Property

    Europe’s brewing economic turmoil that began with a government debt crisis in Greece—which saw its credit rating slashed to junk status by another rating agency on Monday—is spreading its malaise across the continent and has punished financial markets world-wide.

    It also threatens to claim a more local victim: New York City’s residential market. That’s because the declining value of Europe’s main currencies—the euro and the British pound—has sharply increased prices that Europeans must pay after they translate their currency into dollars.

    The euro’s 25% depreciation against the dollar, to less than $1.20 earlier this month means that Europeans are paying a quarter more for New York property in dollar terms than they did two years ago when one euro was exchanged into $1.60. The British pound, valued at $2 in March 2008 but recently trading below $1.45, has taken a similar plunge.

  47. grim says:

    Beat me to it Tosh

  48. Juice Box says:

    re: #47 – Tosh little shadow inventory in Manhattan proper, all of the outlier areas including NJ are due for a the hit, except for Hoboken of-course.

  49. Fabius Maximus says:

    Swiss +975
    Tie +400

    Choices, choices

  50. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    [49],

    Anybody who buys real estate simply as the result of a currency peg, deserves their fate. Like lifting one leg of a hedge to speculate. Jam.

  51. grim says:

    CAP2.5? Hell, CAP8

    From the Philly Inquirer:


    Cherry Hill mayor seeks property-tax hike, staff cuts

    Cherry Hill Mayor Bernie Platt, citing declining revenues and state aid, has introduced a township budget calling for property-tax hikes and reductions in township staff.
    The budget announcement, made at a Township Council meeting Monday night, comes as local governments across New Jersey are grappling with similar financial issues.

    “Striking this tax rate for the next six months makes me angry as hell and further solidifies my belief that the current tax system and the state itself is broken,” Platt, a Democrat, said in a statement released Tuesday.

    Cherry Hill’s tax rate will increase 8 percent for the first six months of the fiscal year, which begins July 1. That amounts to a $98 tax increase on a $140,000 home for that period.

    Dan Keashen, spokesman for the mayor’s office, said the council hoped to bring the rate down for the second half of the year.

    “We have a significant revenue problem,” he said. “Our expenses are contracting, but our revenues are falling at a much faster rate.”

  52. jamil says:

    prev thread 212 Shore:
    “BHO don’t need no stink’n facts:”

    If Obambi has lost both Keith Olbermann and Shore Guy, he is toast. (Here, I’m making a bold assumption that Keith and Shore are different persons).

  53. NJGator says:

    Juice 51 – Isn’t Hoboken on fire?

  54. Libtard says:

    Grim,

    Could chart 3 be the primary reason that RE in the New York area has fared that much better than the rest of the country for the most part? I always wondered how so many of my broke peers are able to stay in their homes with their meager salaries. Perhaps a lot of them stopped paying but the banks won’t evict them. The day of reckoning for our area is near (I hope).

  55. Libtard says:

    Jamil,

    Are your skivvies getting moist?

  56. NJGator says:

    Grim 54 – In Montclair he would be considered a fiscal conservative.

  57. jcer says:

    Lib, banks aren’t kicking people out for a long time. In NJ it seems foreclosure can take up to 3 years. It is a big issue with Judicial Foreclosure, courts are overloaded, banks don’t really want the collateral back so they drag it out.

  58. Juice Box says:

    re #56 – NJGator – on fire no, I haven’t heard of any bidding wars there.

    Hoboken sales volume is steady after a decent decline, however prices are still falling inline with the rest of NJ about 2% per month.

    Here is a write up on Frank’s wet dream.

    http://www.newjerseyrealestateguys.com/gold-coast/hoboken-condo-inventory-sales-activity/

  59. hughesrep says:

    54

    Cherry Hill anticipated a huge chunk of revenue from 200 townhomes, 400 condo’s and 800 apartments at the old racetrack site which should have been completed in 2008 or so.

    As of a few weeks ago I think they’ve sold about 50 of the townhomes. The condo’s and apartments haven’t even begun. Nice retail site though the traffic is a disaster.

    http://www.gardenstatepark.net/

  60. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [2] nomad

    Besides the obvious, there is another downside to BABs: They don’t sell.

    This doesn’t get reported, and I cannot go into any details because I am directly involved, but recently a very large entity in the state tried to sell BABs at auction. No takers. Even efforts to directly place them had no takers.

    Buyers don’t want taxable bonds when they can get tax exempts. ‘Nuff said.

  61. jj says:

    The good old days, when I live in city by Lex and 26 street. The Hos used to be on all four corners of Park Avenue in the 20’s and most of Lex, we also had several Crack houses, lots of SROs and Madison Square park you would never cut through. One bar on corner of 26th and Lex was a Pimp bar, Pimps would hang out there and collect their cash off the girls working the street in front. One night after drinking my buddy and I wanted a few more beers at five am and went in as it was open all night, and wow, trannies in torn fishnet stockings dripping in nasty stcky stuff with track marks settling up at the bar. Course I stayed for a few drinks, even scarier was every ho know me. When I went to work every morning around 8am they would see and me and wave and say hi. Worse part of my walk up was the whole first floor was a bunch of gay guys who were always hookin up. Turns out they were so popular as they were the “bottom guys” and most people don’t want to be a pillow biter, well of course they did not last more than two years as they either got the disease or became losser than a manhole and once they had poop stains from the O ring being popped they were old news and back on the bus to the midwest. NYC was so much fun back in the Koch/Dinken days

    Funny the nastiest part was the girls stayed till around ten am. Mind you they started around 11 pm. They would be in their torn stained stinky fishnets with their make up smeered and wigs crooked and people coming off night shift from sanitation, fulton fish market or dirty cab drivers would stop by for a quick one up against the wall or between two park cars, maybe sometimes paying the extra ten bucks for no rubber. I wish I had a camcorder back then as it is unbelievable to anyone under 30 that NYC on Park Avenue was like that.
    Juice Box says:
    June 16, 2010 at 9:22 am
    re: #31 jj – from the late 60’s to the early 90’s the area on Eighth Ave between 40th and 50th Sts used to be know as “Minnesota Strip”, where teen-age run mostly from the Midwest would end up as strung out prostitutes.

  62. Sas3 says:

    Nom, newbie question: are the BABs good for small fish retirement accounts?

  63. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    Probably a better place to consolidate would be the low-hanging fruit of county governments and overlapping state agencies.

    Bill Weld did this in Mass. and while there was much bleating, it eventually worked and no one is talking about going back.

    For example, there were at least 4, and maybe more state agencies or authorities with their own police forces. He rolled them up into the State Police. Some of their unions squealed like stuck pigs (pun intended) because the Staties had much tougher qualification standards (lose the paunch and the moustache, trooper!!!) but the judges upheld it.

    He also consolidated the state college system, which I was against because now every fricken backwater state U is a UMass campus.

    He didn’t need to abolish county governments because earlier governors had taken down those patronage pits.

    Here in Jersey, Christie can consolidate at the state level, but more importantly, can abolish separate county governance. State can take over the courts, jails, and county “colleges”, and roll the county cops into the state police (if they qualify). Parks can go to the municipalities. Other services can be divided between local and state governments. He can restructure his tax proposal to permit the towns to take over some of the county tax levy to offset incremental burdens, but should cut state aid to the munis that are getting this levy. The remainder of the county levy goes back to the voters.

    I think that this idea would be quite popular. The county governments have few natural constituents except for obvious patronage appointees, and if the voters think that there is something in it for them, they will be supportive.

  64. Essex says:

    64. You gotta write a book. Your musings are pretty compelling. Though gross. It’d be a best seller.

  65. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [65] sas3

    They are no better or worse taxwise than any other investment. I suppose if the return were decent, why not, but you have to evaluate that like any other bond.

    Evaluating bonds is JJ’s province, though I don’t know if he evaluates munis.

  66. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [67] essex

    Last year, we had a “johnscapade” contest, to see who could write like John.

    My stories were not as graphic or seamy, but they had the advantage of being undeniably true.

  67. Libtard says:

    JJ, I suggest you call it, “Busting an O-ring.”

  68. jj says:

    No – BABs are best for non US entities
    Sas3 says:
    June 16, 2010 at 10:30 am
    Nom, newbie question: are the BABs good for small fish retirement accounts?

  69. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [71] jj

    For non-US taxable entities??? I can see tax exempt entities, but unless I miss my guess, this is FDAP income, so it doesn’t avoid taxation, even under a tax convention.

    Admittedly, I don’t know much about BABs, but that is my take.

  70. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    One final point about local consolidation: It will almost have to be done at gunpoint. SP may be willing to absorb Fanwood, but Fanwoodians won’t want it. Brigadoon and Cranford likely don’t want to absorb Garwood (a.k.a. Doow Rag) though Westfield would probably be willing to absorb part of it if Cranford takes the lion’s share. And the western small towns would rather abolish police departments and use state police rather than be absorbed into a larger town with its tax structure.

    Which is why abolishing county governments makes more sense to me. It’s far easier.

  71. grim says:

    #73 – I think I know someone who was duped by her. Not 100% sure (they didn’t admit it), but the bits and pieces add up.

  72. NJGator says:

    The end is nigh…

    This just in from the township of Montclair. The long-sought Quiet Zone whistle ban has been delayed for several weeks, awaiting waiver.

    Notice to Residents: Train Horns in Montclair
    Despite the best efforts of Montclair and NJ TRANSIT over the past several months, it has become apparent that there will be a short gap between the end of the Train Whistle Ban and the implementation of a Quiet Zone. During this gap, which could last a few weeks, NJ TRANSIT must comply with the federal law governing the use of horns at grade crossings. As a result, residents will notice use of locomotive horns between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. after June 24, 2010.

    As residents of Montclair may know, the Township has been working aggressively and cooperatively with NJ TRANSIT to implement a Quiet Zone that would allow for silencing train horns at all crossings in Montclair 24 hours a day. The Township and NJ TRANSIT have applied for a waiver from the Federal Railroad Administration to allow the current 7 p.m. – 7 a.m. whistle ban to stay in effect until all the requisite safety enhancements to grade crossings have been completed and the 24-hour Quiet Zone can be put into effect. However, there may be a short delay of a few weeks before the waiver is granted, when federal safety regulations will require trains to blow whistles in advance of all grade crossings in order to ensure motorist and pedestrian safety. All railroads must comply with these regulations, which supersede all existing regulations, such as Montclair’s nighttime “whistle ban.”
    The Township and NJ TRANSIT will continue to work with the Federal Railroad Administration to ensure that this process moves forward as expeditiously as possible.

  73. Shore Guy says:

    I wonder who draws the short straw and gets to drive this car, where it looks like theformer driver killed himself (from NJ.com):

    WALL TOWNSHIP — A New Jersey State Police trooper was found dead this morning near the Garden State Parkway.

    According to State Police, an officer came upon a trooper car at about 7:30 a.m. on the exit ramp from the parkway to Route 34 south. A trooper was found unresponsive in the car, officials said.

    State Police said they are not looking for other vehicles or suspects.

    Police converged on the Parkway and Route 34 this morning to investigate the reported shooting near Exit 98. Joe Orlando, a spokesman for the N.J. Turnpike Authority, said Exit 98 is closed to traffic.

    Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Gov. Chris Christie, said a trooper had been shot. He did not provide any more details.

  74. Juice Box says:

    Defauts R US.

    June 16 (Bloomberg) — The city of San Diego should consider Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy to help it reduce fringe benefits, pension and health obligations.

    http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aIpb23EbeGvM

  75. Shore Guy says:

    Lets put THIS in the “Well, duh!” category.

    http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gs0Gb4EWla9gbBCBOGQCnCMyGQewD9GC0CN80

    LONDON — Scientists say being fat can be bad for the bedroom, especially if you’re a woman.

    In a new study, European researchers found obese women had more trouble finding a sexual partner than their normal-weight counterparts, though the same wasn’t true for obese men, and were four times as likely to have an unplanned pregnancy.

    [snip]

    Experts interviewed more than 12,000 French men and women aged 18 to 69 about their sexual experiences and analyzed the results based on their Body Mass Index.

    Obese women were 30 percent less likely than normal-weight women to have had a sexual partner in the last year.

    [snip]

  76. zieba says:

    I think Hyde or Clot brought this up some time ago:

    “Conspiracy theorists mistake Kia storage site for U.N. takeover of Florida”

    http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/15/conspiracy-theorists-mistake-kia-storage-site-for-u-n-takeover/

  77. Mr Hyde says:

    Zieba 80

    That was al gore. he was telling us that the UN blue hats had arrived.

    Shore:

    In regards to the men, i wonder what the results look like if they control for income bands???

  78. theo says:

    Can’t wait to see the reaction in Montclair whent he first hearing-impaired special needs kid is run down by a NJ Transit train because the town wouldn’t let NJ Transit blow the horns too loud.

  79. Essex says:

    What’s up with the 80’s hair on the soccer players…..????

  80. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [80] hyde

    And did they also test to see when the control groups hooked up? Does the data confirm that the hefty group scored later in the evenings?

  81. Yikes says:

    Spain will tie this up. Definitely.

  82. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [83] essex

    I noticed that. I surely hope that trend doesn’t arrive here.

    Or if it does, at least it will make it easier to identify and mock certain people.

  83. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [78] juice box

    Municipal leaders ought to wet-plaster this on the windows of the union bosses’ Escalades:

    ““Municipalities are not required to raise taxes or cut costs to the bone before filing for reorganization under Chapter 9,” the grand jury report says, quoting from a presentation at an October 2009, San Diego County Taxpayers Association seminar.”

  84. Mr Hyde says:

    Slightly OT

    NJ pensions are bad, but take a look at this list of Illinois pensions

    http://www.theneweditor.com/index.php?/archives/11438-You-Thought-California-State-Pensions-Were-Out-Of-Control-Wait-Until-You-See-This-Top-100-List-of-School-Administration-Pensions-From-Illinois….html

    At what point do some pissed off locals start using these lists as a hitlist of sorts?

  85. Mr Hyde says:

    Nom,

    I believe i have seen a couple studies suggesting that 25% of guys get 75% of the action.

  86. Juice Box says:

    Did they get Clot?

    NEWARK — Federal authorities early today arrested more than 20 people on charges of running a mortgage-fraud operation in northern New Jersey, authorities said.

    The suspects were led handcuffed into FBI headquarters in Newark.
    Beginning at about 10:30 a.m., a bus on loan from the Essex County Sheriff began shuttling the suspects to the nearby federal courthouse, where they are expected to appear before a federal magistrate judge this afternoon.

    More than 25 people have been charged, authorities said.

    U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman and Michael B. Ward, head of the FBI’s Newark office, have scheduled a 1 p.m. news conference to discuss the charges.

    http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/federal_authorities_arrest_mro.html

  87. jj says:

    My friends and I started every year at zero with a clean slate. Game on New Years eve. But it is much harder for man. I have a good friend who always had money and a nice car and his own apartment in the city and a place in Hamptons, he kept track. Also he never was with a pig or a ho. He got married at 43 and was only with 200 women. Does not sound like much but finding 7-8 hot women a year for over 25 years straight is hard work.

    Mr Hyde says:
    June 16, 2010 at 11:35 am
    Nom,

    I believe i have seen a couple studies suggesting that 25% of guys get 75% of the action.

  88. Yikes says:

    Spain has lost. 1-0.

    If Spain is able to finish 2nd in its group – not a lock – it’ll possibly mean a round-of-16 game against Brazil.

  89. jj says:

    Brazil cleaned Spains clock with Spic and Span

  90. NJGator says:

    Theo 82 – We’ve already had several deaths by NJT train in town. Kids have been using the tracks and trestles as pedestrian paths for years. This is a colossally stupid idea.

  91. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    “finding 7-8 hot women a year for over 25 years straight is hard work.”

    Not if you’re Wilt the Stilt.

  92. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [88] hyde

    I think there were 100 calls to the phone company for unlisted numbers, and a decent number of inquiries to ADT, Brinks, and Guardian for home security systems.

  93. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    I want to go work for Ken Feinberg. He gets all the action.

    I think I can get an interview. We did go to the same university for undergrad, and we both attended the same law school.

  94. chicagofinance says:

    Sas3 says:
    June 16, 2010 at 10:30 am
    Nom, newbie question: are the BABs good for small fish retirement accounts?

    BABs are verboten for you….forget it..

  95. chicagofinance says:

    Possibly the most notable passage from this website in about 6-12 months…..

    jj says:
    June 16, 2010 at 10:29 am
    …..well of course they did not last more than two years as they either got the disease or became losser than a manhole and once they had poop stains from the O ring being popped they were old news and back on the bus to the midwest.

  96. frank says:

    Where’s the recession???

    AT&T Suspends Pre-Orders Of New iPhone 4 3GS

    “In a stunning development for millions of American who no longer pay their mortgages with the blessing of Uncle Obama, only to use all this “excess” money to buy Apple apps and whatever latest gadget Steve Jobs’ gizmo factory comes out with”

    http://www.zerohedge.com/article/att-suspends-pre-orders-new-iphone-4-3gs

  97. speedkillsu says:

    jj ….ever frequent the Abbey 26 and 3 rd … open all nite to locals

  98. Mr Hyde says:

    Frank,

    You have to keep the people focused on the Bread&Circus.

  99. meter says:

    @jamil:

    “(Here, I’m making a bold assumption that Keith and Shore are different persons).”

    lol

  100. Sal says:

    We are renting a duplex with no yard in a great town with $2,200/m right now. We are not in middle class, but much higher income group family. But I am very much comfortable with the amount we spend on rent/mortgage around this price. I just want single family home to raise our kids and have little bit of yard for them to play. What would any of agents out here recommend us to do? Sit tight till we can afford one in this town? or go far more west and get REO? I know I am not going to get what MARKET PRICED houses right now for any town.

  101. chicagofinance says:

    One of my favorite stories about my wife that won over three of my best friends……we were walking to this place…

    http://www.thirdandlongnyc.com/

    We get to 35th and start walking east…when we get to 3rd she asks everyone “Ok we at third avenue…where is Long Street?”….everyone said she was waaaaay to cute for me….

  102. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    “Where’s the recession???”

    Frank [101],

    Idiot. Maybe the millions not paying their mortgages, the article you posted.

  103. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    Frank,

    If toast was resposbile for man to man coverage on Jerry Rice would you constantly ask why Jerry Rice was scoring a sh*tload of TD’s?

  104. Yikes says:

    why would anyone live in Cherry Hill when you can live nearby in Bucks County for half the taxes, a bigger house, and a bigger yard?

    (in response to the link about taxes in cherry hill going up)

  105. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    responsible.

  106. meter says:

    @109 Yikes –

    The bagels?

  107. Libtard says:

    Meter, good answer!

  108. Final Doom says:

    Whenever I’m at work and I think I’ve just seen the dumbest thing ever, Frank manages to post some mind-melting piece of drivel.

    Frank, you are the king. We are not worthy.

  109. Pat says:

    Because the commute’s better.

  110. Yikes says:

    jj says:
    June 16, 2010 at 11:46 am

    He got married at 43 and was only with 200 women. Does not sound like much but finding 7-8 hot women a year for over 25 years straight is hard work.

    Seems low for a guy who was 43.
    in your prime (22-32) you don’t need money or a flashy car, just game. in a strong summer, i know guys who were finding a different one each week.

    they all can’t be prom queens, and anyone who says they all were is a liar

  111. Yikes says:

    Pat – the commute where? NYC?

    As for Bagels, I hit a Manhattan Bagel or Einstein Bagel each week here in Bucks. I prefer the Manhattan Bagel, by far.

  112. Pat says:

    And I really did try this morning with the soccer. Hours.

    First, I looked, then I closed my eyes and listened to the game.

    I’m still not there, because I keep peeking to check out the calves and the backsides instead of trying to get into the game.

    Maybe it’s better to focus on one team and personalities.

  113. Pat says:

    Clot, which team (not national teams) normally seems to be composed of jerks and misanthropes?

  114. NJGator says:

    Doom – You just can’t stay away from trouble, can you?

  115. Pat says:

    Philly, Wilmington, shore

  116. Pat says:

    I wish somebody who writes housing articles for CNN would toss in some links, at least, to data that sheds some light on other factors that should be considered in predictions.

    If you are going to predict a housing shortage based on current household formation, then you must include job and wage available from bls. Please focus in particular on those professions growing for the next ten years that have current median pay of 25k or less.

  117. Final Doom says:

    pat (118)-

    England.

  118. Final Doom says:

    Gator (119)-

    I want a face-off with your mayor and/or some of the politburo in that hellhole of a burg.

    What a bunch of self-important, corrupt arseholes.

  119. Final Doom says:

    Our 11 gets to play Montclair this Summer.

    Standing instructions are to foul them hard before they can foul us. They are by far the dirtiest team we play.

  120. Pat for England says:

    Officially an England fan, I will follow their misadventures, cheer them on and generally spit on other teams during the next year.

  121. Final Doom says:

    Pat (118)-

    Sorry. Didn’t catch the “not national teams”.

    In that case, I’d say Real Madrid. They still engage in fascist cheers from the Generalissimo Franco era.

  122. Pat for England says:

    Isn’t there a local team?

  123. Pat for England says:

    Real Madrid I don’t think I can do if that cute guy with the dark hair plays for them. He was too distracting.

  124. Final Doom says:

    You could also pick any team in Italy. Any team that has black players can expect objects thrown, old fascist chants, monkey noises and chants that roughly translate to “black people are not Italians”.

  125. Final Doom says:

    Pat (127)-

    You could become a Red Bulls fan, but then we’d have to endure your posting here for someone to euthanize you.

  126. Juice Box says:

    “Staycation Chernobyl” nice one clot.

  127. Final Doom says:

    Gun to head, I’d take living in Chernobyl over Montclair.

  128. NJGator says:

    Doom – You must go with Stu to a town council meeting and spek during public comment. But it must be at a meeting that will be televised on TV 34. I will be hosting the GTG in our gazebo where the rest of us will watch.

  129. Final Doom says:

    gator (133)-

    I will turn that meeting into a bar brawl.

  130. NJGator says:

    Doom 134 – That would be far more productive than the usual cr*p that goes down at 205 Claremont.

    I would love to see you debate the belly-cast making Doula who is one of the biggest supporters of a municipal skatepark.

  131. Final Doom says:

    gator (133)-

    Your town is at least fun. Collectivist eggheads are much better targets for sarcasm than the killjoys in my town, all of whom try to out-Republican each other.

    Too bad their Republicanism ends when the topic turns to spending other people’s money.

  132. Final Doom says:

    Gator (135)-

    In my parts, everybody knows the skatepark is the best place to score weed.

  133. NJGator says:

    Doom 137 – Exactly what Stu said the last time this was discussed seriously.

    It will be great if they actually go through with it…the last time they discussed this they were going to use the little park area directly adjacent to the Walnut Street train station. It will be a nice complement for the new quiet zone. Lots of kids hanging out, smoking weed on skate boards right along the tracks while the trains charge through without blowing whistles.

  134. Pat for England says:

    We have a new skatepark opening in a week or so.

    I’ll let you guys know what the flavor is when I bike past.

  135. Libtard says:

    Doom (124):

    “They are by far the dirtiest team we play.”

    I knew there was something about my hometown that I could be proud of.

  136. jj says:

    Actually, he is picky. In every hook-up there is a “reacher” and a “settler” One reaches and one settles.

    For instance some nights I was like WTF I will be settler, you can put up huge numbers. Heck talk about sad when I had an apt in Queens I was out in NYC and said I am hooking up with first girl who walked by, some fuggly girl came by I made out with her, 3 minutes later said lets go back to my place then realized she ain’t worth the $20 cab so made her take train, then walk four blocks to my apt, in morning she wanted to do it again and have breakfast I was like JC I have my number no thanks, get out.

    Meanwhile when I was the “reacher” it could take me several weeks of hard work to land my prey

    My friend was always the reacher, models, sweedish exchange students, actresses, sterwardess, he worked his ass of for everything he got. Most impressive I thought was he bust his butt to land something as rare as a hot 19 year old virgin that might take him three to four months and then move right on his way, not even a second time. My numbers greatly suffered as if I landed the hottest/hottest girl I would want to hit if for a few months. To this day I don’t know if that is a regret or not.

    BTW he married an ex pure plat stripper who is over 14 years younger than him when he hung up his spikes. I give him credit he has not cheated. But he did do everyone in his pipeline before the wedding including 12 hours before ceramony the neighbor’s sweedish nanny.

    Yikes says:
    June 16, 2010 at 1:13 pm
    jj says:
    June 16, 2010 at 11:46 am

    He got married at 43 and was only with 200 women. Does not sound like much but finding 7-8 hot women a year for over 25 years straight is hard work.

    Seems low for a guy who was 43.
    in your prime (22-32) you don’t need money or a flashy car, just game. in a strong summer, i know guys who were finding a different one each week.

    they all can’t be prom queens, and anyone who says they all were is a liar

  137. Essex says:

    136. I know you hate the borg….the borg hates you too. But what is the alternative? Are we to wander in the desert dear doom. Are we to wander into oblivion?

  138. jj says:

    Went to third and long once many many years ago with a huge bunch of guys from Citigroup. Usually high charging trader crowd. Anyhow they invited the big boss to go, maybe he was 35, guy had no personality, looked real mean but they invited hime figuring he would say no. Anyhow on a trader salary beer is almost free at third and long soon guy is getting little out of hand to say least and rest of us in distraction start stealing plaques off wall. Well two bouncers try to grab him by each are and throw him out. They can move him, he yells out he is an ex-marine and a black belt in karate and he wants to take them outside and kick both their butts at once. Both turn white as a ghost, then go oh yea lets do it, so they go outside and two bouncers run back in like nancy boys scared for life and he is pounding on door for them to come out so he can kill them, funny was there was around 50 customers in their bar laughing at the bouncers for hiding from one guy, looked like they were about to call 911 so we poured the guy into a cab and got him out of there. Next time I went there those bouncers were gone, nancy boy bouncers

    chicagofinance says:
    June 16, 2010 at 12:56 pm
    One of my favorite stories about my wife that won over three of my best friends……we were walking to this place…

    http://www.thirdandlongnyc.com/

    We get to 35th and start walking east…when we get to 3rd she asks everyone “Ok we at third avenue…where is Long Street?”….everyone said she was waaaaay to cute for me….

  139. Fabius Maximus says:

    Ah, there is nothing like watching the Spain I know and love.

    Could this be a repeat of 1998 where they don’t make it out of the group?

  140. NJGator says:

    Can people not do anything these days without an iPhone app?

    http://www.baristanet.com/baristakids/blog/ipregnancy-an-app-for-the-9-months/

  141. Shore Guy says:

    — Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg the board of BP has decided not to pay any further dividends this yea

    Via CNN e-mail alert

  142. Dink says:

    Anyone with GSMLS access know how to query more than 500 results at a time?

  143. Libtard says:

    Goodbye BP and goodbye long-term costs for the cleanup. Anyone still believe we are leaking anywhere close to 50,000 gallons per day?

    Drill baby drill!

  144. grim says:

    Not sure who is more fucked, the gulf or Montclair.

  145. #148 – Can people not do anything these days without an iPhone app?

    They can, but it requires an Android app.

    /apologies

  146. grim says:

    Tosh, you drive a c30? How do you like it? Any issues?

  147. Mr Hyde says:

    Libtard

    BP’s recent design proposals for increasing its capture capacity has listed design capacities of 100,000+ barrels/day.

    The thing about that is that they have to allow some of the oil to leak into the ocean to prevent hydrates from clogging the pipes(sea water mixing with the oil/gas mixture will form hydrates). That they would even propose a design that large suggests that the flow is in the neighborhood of their design capacity.

    My personal laymans opinion from what i have read on this makes me believe that there are probably sea bed ruptures from the failed casing.

  148. jj says:

    BP news is getting a little old by now. Maybe oil might be good for the old geezers skin while swimming in palm beach.

  149. Libtard says:

    Hyde,

    My earlier estimates were based on the raw size of the slick. Ain’t no way a slick that large stemming from a well a mile below the surface, could have formed from 10,000 gallons per day. That’s a damn swimming pool. People are just too trusting of their political leaders. I would trust a crackhead long before I trusted a CEO or an elected official.

  150. #155 – No issues at all so far.
    I love the car. Seats are a bit on the firm side and quirky. Visibility via the rear-view center mirror could be better.
    Those are my only real complaints. It’s a Volvo so you can’t turn the traction control off.
    It has an immense amount of grip for a fwd car. Lots of mid range grunt as well. I know it’s in the same market segment as the Mini, and is a rival, but the C30 more a GT than a GTi.
    Build quality is on par with all of Volvo’s other stuff.
    The big plus is I almost never see another on the road.

    … Not a huge amount of trunk space with the rear seats up.

  151. Mr Hyde says:

    Libtard

    I would say its in the nest interests of both BO and O to keep the exact details as obscured as possible.

    The fact that they dont have USGS or NOAA ships monitoring the gulf water column is telling if you ask me. The only research ships down there are a few university ships.

  152. grim says:

    Riot in Manhattan? Maybe clot is on to something. Gunna be a long hot summer.

  153. Mr Hyde says:

    Libtard,

    From the oil guys i have been following, a new question that might arise is how big was the oil bearing formation? Apparently a sustained flow rate of 50,000 BPD or larger would be to large to be sustained by a formation of the size that BP has claimed for the mocando formation.

    I’m not claiming a conspiracy, but apparently the physics are getting close to not matching up anymore in terms of flow rate V size and characteristics of the ruptured formation.

  154. Final Doom says:

    BC (142)-

    I’d like to think so.

  155. Final Doom says:

    I think it’s a given that any news coming out of the oil spill is a complete fabrication.

    I’ll get my info from Matt Simmons on this one.

    I also expect to see the tactical nuke dropped down this thing…after every other “fix” fails.

  156. Shore Guy says:

    Compare the volume of oil spilling into the Gulf with Ivory Coast’s national production:

    http://af.reuters.com/article/ivoryCoastNews/idAFLDE65F28220100616

  157. Shore Guy says:

    If you were an enterprising terrorist group, what might have jumped way up on your target list? Then ask yourself, what can DHS do to stop it?

  158. Shore Guy says:

    Then ask yourself, “Do I want to own beachfront property anywhere in the Gulf?

  159. Mr Hyde says:

    SHore,

    To pull off this level of disaster would probably require a fairly technical attack. Just hitting the rig at the surface would probably be a smaller mess as in theory the safety shutdowns should engage even if you cause catastrophic loss of the rig.

    Although without going into detail i can image a few ways to make attempts that address most of the potential hurdles.

  160. grim says:

    Attacking rigs? While these would be important targets for wartime sabotage, they make poor terrorism targets.

    Blowing up rigs miles offshore does little to terrorize anyone but the oil industry workers.

    Besides, the strategy of bleeding us dry through the wars in the middle east is working all too well.

  161. Qwerty says:

    http://www.marketwatch.com/story/senate-oks-extending-home-buyer-credit-deadline-2010-06-16

    June 16, 2010, 3:57 p.m. EDT

    Senate OKs extending home-buyer credit deadline

    By Ruth Mantell

    WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The home-buyer tax credit deadline would be extended three months following a Wednesday vote in the Senate. Senators voted 60 to 37 to approve the extension for the credit, which has a current deadline of June 30 to close a purchase. This extension would apply to people who entered a purchase contract by April 30. “By extending the transaction deadline, we can ensure that everyone taking advantage of this credit can complete the purchase of their new home,” said Democratic Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, one of the motion’s sponsors, in a statement. The credit provision is part of a larger jobs and tax package that both chambers must still vote on before it becomes law.

  162. Mr Hyde says:

    Grim,

    you could argue that Iraq and Afghanistan are really resource wars. One nation for oil the other for minerals.

  163. Barbara says:

    guys,
    I can’t get that Jay Z Alicia Keys Newark parody out of my head. Its a goodin.

  164. Sas3 says:

    AQ seems to have financial worries (msnbc link from huffpost: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37735233/ns/world_news-terrorism/).

    May be they can declare themselves a bank and get TARP money? Since the TARP money is essentially free, they do not even have any problems with sharia compliance of no interest…

    S

  165. grim says:

    Barb,

    Haven’t heard it yet, but I have reservations about it being better than Chunky Pams Dirty Jerzy video.

  166. Confused in NJ says:

    San Diego May Use Bankruptcy to Roll Back Benefits: Joe Mysak

    June 16 (Bloomberg) — The city of San Diego should consider Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy to help it reduce fringe benefits, pension and health obligations.

    That’s one of the suggestions made by the San Diego County Grand Jury, which does the normal duties of recommending indictments as well as reporting on local governments and special districts.

    San Diego is the fifth major city in the U.S. this year, and the second in California, where people are talking about bankruptcy as a means to “restructure and reorganize their assets and debts while providing relief from current and future obligations,” in the words of the grand jury’s 22-page report, published on June 8.

    San Diego has unfunded liabilities of $2.2 billion in its pension plan and $1.3 billion for health care, which the report calls “unsustainable.”

    More than two years of cutting budgets and the mounting public pension crisis have made the unthinkable an option, maybe even an attractive one.

    “Municipalities are not required to raise taxes or cut costs to the bone before filing for reorganization under Chapter 9,” the grand jury report says, quoting from a presentation at an October 2009, San Diego County Taxpayers Association seminar.

  167. Barbara says:

    grim, is that on U Tube? I’ll have to look it up. Here’s the Newark one:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U7kuqow3gg

  168. zieba says:

    Barb,

    That Newark parody has nothing on Chunky Pam.

    Crank it up:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY4SF8xWKFo

  169. serenity now says:

    Lil Johnny Meets Barack

    Barack Obama was visiting a primary school and he visited one of the classes. They were in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings. The teacher asked the president if he would like to lead the discussion on the word ‘tragedy’. So our illustrious president asked the class for an example of a ‘tragedy’.

    One little boy stood up and offered: “If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in the field and a tractor runs over him and kills him, that would be a tragedy.”

    “No,’ said Obama, ‘that would be an accident.”

    A little girl raised her hand: “If a school bus carrying 50 children drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy.”

    “I’m afraid not,’ explained Obama. ‘That’s what we would call great loss.”

    The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Obama searched the room. “Isn’t there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?”

    Finally, at the back of the room, Little Johnny raised his hand. In a quiet voice he said: “If the plane carrying you and Mrs. Obama was struck by a ‘friendly fire’ missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy.”

    “Fantastic!’ exclaimed Obama. ‘That’s right. And can you tell me why that would be tragedy?”

    “Well,’ says Johnny, ‘It has to be a tragedy, because it sure as hell wouldn’t be a great loss….
    and you can bet your ass it’s probably not an accident either.

  170. Cindy says:

    Grim – 178 179 181

    ALL waiting in moderation trying to answer Chicago’s question about a baseball player….I have no idea why….

  171. chicagofinance says:

    Yikes says:
    June 16, 2010 at 1:14 pm
    Pat – the commute where? NYC?
    As for Bagels, I hit a Manhattan Bagel or Einstein Bagel each week here in Bucks. I prefer the Manhattan Bagel, by far.

    Y: are you fking kidding? Not boiled? not a bagel…

  172. Sas3 says:

    Yahya Weheli, American, Stranded Overseas Due To No-Fly List.

    Seems like he offered to ride in handcuffs with US Marshalls. I guess they are trying to make an example out of him.

    I hope Indians don’t get on the sh!t list anytime.

    S

  173. Barbara says:

    Chunky Pam….she does a shout out to the Jackson Whites. Wish someone could get cram in a little South Jersey in one of these.

  174. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    Damn. I missed out on this choice Nompound property????

    http://www.landandfarm.com/lf/asp/photoshow.asp?id=269594&did=39647561

  175. BlindJust says:

    I called on the availability on one short sale gem. Was told that, though there was an offer on the table, the bank wouldn’t accept less than $760K. Oh, and they had not 1 … 2 … but 3 appraisers that came in at that number. I then asked why it was listed at $700K. He said to get offers. He then said if I wanted it for the bargain price of $60K over list, it’s mine.

    Only problem is it’s been on the market for a year and they’ve not received a bid close to that price.

  176. Barbara says:

    185.
    same BS is going on with a POS next door. Several interested parties have put in reasonable bids, bank balked at all of them. We are furious, local govts need to start targeting this BS and contacting banks and assuring them that their properties will be worth a lot less with a pile of summons to be paid at closing.

  177. Mr Hyde says:

    Blind

    as clot has pointed out, that just means the house isnt really for sale.

  178. BlindJust says:

    Hyde – Then they shouldn’t waste buyer’s time. Pull it from the market or list it for the minimum acceptable bid with full disclosure.

  179. Yikes says:

    Y: are you fking kidding? Not boiled? not a bagel…

    ChiFi, sorry, i have no clue what this even means. All i know is that the pumpernickel bagels are GREAT.

  180. BlindJust says:

    Barb – agreed. There are 4 other properties currently listed on that same street: $879, $899, $1.239. Will be interesting to see what they go for if they can’t sell that comp for $700K.

  181. Barbara says:

    188 Blind

    according the the realawhore listing it (same one who sold it to the unqualified bum in 06, profits on both ends) the “lowest acceptable price” is the full debt. Its basically an assumable mortgage. What a joke.

  182. Pat for England says:

    Yikes, he means you’re just eating bread that you think is a bagel. If you get a similar taste by buying minibagels and popping them in the toaster on low for 60 seconds, you’re not getting the real bagel taste.

    You have to go to a Jewish bakery. Preferrably one that puts the brownies on sugar in the big pan.

  183. Pat for England says:

    There used to be one down in Levittown, but it closed.

    You can still get real half torps down at Italian Peoples Bakery, but not good bagels.

    You need to hit Trenton on Sunday morning.

  184. chicagofinance says:

    Pat: you also need good water;

    yikes: lay off the bagels man; those things are 300-600 cals apiece….actually the for prepack set the Dunkin’ bagels are pretty good….

  185. sas says:

    “are you fking kidding? Not boiled? not a bagel”

    Yup.

    I like the joint in westwood, near the tracks.Goldberg’s

    and Absolute Bagels over on w107 & bway.

    SAS

  186. Pat for England says:

    yeah, the water’s O.K. there. Not as bad as the shore, not as good as stuff from NY.

    Definitely see the quality difference in the pizza dough.

  187. Pat for England says:

    C.F., I practically lived in a Jewish bakery when I was growing up.

    My cousing Frannie got a job there, so you know we were all over that like John on a 19-y-o virgin.

  188. Fabius Maximus says:

    Bring on the Lye.

    Sip and 440

  189. Qwerty says:

    A well-deserved tribute to Oilbama

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6urJsX3KX4

  190. me@work says:

    sas, 195

    you want great bagels?

    Rte 17 “hot bagels” on the southbound side, next to the hotel.

    I’ll buy ya a bagel Thur morning if you show up. They are really the best.

    sl

  191. Final Doom says:

    Stench of death overwhelming this AM.

  192. Essex says:

    maybe you should shower?

  193. me@work says:

    Oy vey! (202)

    I wonder if this is a fake run up just to sucker more people into the market (like me…) :(

    sl

  194. Final Doom says:

    Chance to get short all the fantasy sectors. Even Cramer is now admitting the whole market is a sham.

    Dow 4,500 and riots before the weather turns cold.

  195. Confused in NJ says:

    ADELAIDE, Australia – The first day Abby Sunderland was stranded in the Southern Ocean, Australia’s rescue agency chartered a jet to fly over the area where her emergency beacon was activated.

    The 11-hour flight cost an estimated 110,000 Australian dollars (US $94,500).

    The second day, after locating her, the agency sent another plane to coordinate her pickup by ships racing toward her damaged and drifting yacht.

    The Australian military also deployed two Orion aircraft to wait on an Indian Ocean island in case an airdrop or further assistance was needed. An Orion costs about AU$30,000 an hour to operate.

    In the meantime, the French territory of Reunion Island diverted three ships to Sunderland’s location. The fishing vessel that reached her first lost at least three days of work; a commercial ship also sent to her rescue would have added three or four days of travel time to its intended destination.

    Her rescue Saturday within two days of setting off the emergency call was welcomed in Australia and in her home state of California. But amid the well-wishers on online forums and news sites were many who questioned why Australia and France were footing the bill for an American teenager’s solo quest.

  196. Housing Purgatory says:

    Hey guys,
    I just bought a prperty and am looking for an answer on a pipe I see sticking out of the ground..

    There is a Delta symbol ( upside down Triangle) with the # 4 inside it on the pipe.. Any one know what that symbol is for?
    I didn’t see anything on the survey…

    Thanks for your help.

  197. Final Doom says:

    That stench of death is coming from the S&P.

    “A quick observation for those who care to see just how disconnected from reality the market is at these levels comes courtesy of Smithers & Co., which has updated its CAPE (Cyclically Adjusted PE) and Tobin q chart. Briefly, as of June 10, the S&P was 46% overvalued based on CAPE and 50% overvalued based on q. Incidentally, this makes perfect sense: when the FNM and FRE churnamathons advised their HFT sponsors they would no longer be able to play hot potato with these two bankrupt stocks, they immediately dropped by 50% as soon as the HFT brigade exited stage left. It is not a stretch to see how the computerized trading brigade has made a comparable valuation anomaly with the broader market. Shut down HFT, and next thing you know the market will drop to its fair value: somewhere 50% lower.”

    http://www.zerohedge.com/article/cape-tobin-q-imply-market-48-overvalued

  198. Final Doom says:

    purg (206)-

    Light a match next to the end, and see what happens.

  199. Housing Purgatory says:

    FD
    No luck… Nothing happened lol…
    Guess I cant collect the insurance and remodel now. Darn…

  200. jamil says:

    206
    “There is a Delta symbol ( upside down Triangle) with the # 4 inside it on the pipe.. Any one know what that symbol is for”

    Mafia buried the body 4ft down ?

  201. Pat for England says:

    Is the pipe white plastic, like the symbol looks like it’s recyclable?

  202. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    “Stench of death overwhelming this AM.”

    Doom,

    Stop being so pessimistic. Big deal, a bank run in Spain; no funding in the markets and withdrawals increasing at a rapid pace, the delisting of the heart of the US housing market, no job growth and a downward spiral in housing starts and building permits.

    Sounds like green shoots printing to me.

    Get ready for a continuation of govt incentives for housing. How about a 15K tax credit, announced within 90 days? Based on the chart below, they may also start bulldozing a million homes.

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m5i6pLhlNWU/TBjxso0Q9tI/AAAAAAAACWs/ik6gDhTYmU4/s1600/BP.JPG

  203. Housing Purgatory says:

    211
    no , not plastic..

  204. Barbara says:

    I didn’t buy the US riots stuff much until BP broke the planet. Now riots seems very reasonable.

  205. Final Doom says:

    I look forward to seeing whether you can have a good riot in the middle of a bank run.

    It’s possible that going nuts and standing in line are mutually exclusive concepts.

  206. Barbara says:

    bank first, then D&D run for an iced coffee, then off to the riot. But if I don’t get my cash for my iced coffee, riot at the bank first.

  207. make money says:

    Barb,(216)

    Bravo.Post of the week.

  208. All "H-Train" Hype says:

    New jobless claims – 472k

    Wait until the public workers and the gulf coast people get laid off next month, we will hope for 472k then.

  209. In important news; Valve announced Portal 2 at E3 yesterday, which I’m certainly looking forward to.
    However, WHERE IS EPISODE 3 GABE NEWELL !?!
    Do not make me come to your place to find out, `cause I will.
    I’ve been patient so far. Very very patient. Don’t push it.
    It’s been 3 years waiting for what was supposed to be 6 month intervals of ‘episodic content’. I understand you’re in Washington and all but here, in NY, that’s what we call a f***ing long time.
    You still have a few days of E3 left to announce the release. Hell, wait till Fri if you want, I understand suspense. But there had *better* be some sort of announcement this year.
    I have one way tickets to Olympia just in case.

  210. NY Times has an article on one way to add value to a house, ‘Catios’….

    …. a warning on the pics.They don’t pull punches.

  211. #221 – Frank, only 8 UC?

  212. Mr Hyde says:

    Tosh

    If Bojangles was smart he wold make HL2 Episode 3 a national priority. The draw of that bread&circus would be to great even for me. I would be forced to chain my self to my computer for weeks!!!!!

    Just think of the unrest he could alleviate!!!

  213. #223 – If Bojangles was smart he wold make HL2 Episode 3 a national priority.

    I too would become temporarily docile with it’s release.

  214. Mr Hyde says:

    Tosh,

    Maybe Obama could retask DARPA to provide resources to vale. Actually give them access to “Black Mesa“. Lets just leave the inter dimensional gate ways out of this though. I haven’t had enough practice with my crowbar yet.

  215. Mr Hyde says:

    vale = Valve

  216. Mr Hyde says:

    Tosh

    ever read Accelerando? good SciFi story, you might like it

    http://www.jus.uio.no/sisu/accelerando.charles_stross/toc.html

  217. #227 – thanks Hyde, I’ve heard the name but haven’t read anything by Stross yet.

  218. JPasteurized says:

    The Times is full-on drinking the Realtor kool-aid…

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/17/business/economy/17slump.html?hp

    Comment 13 is clearly by a njrer reader.

  219. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    [230],

    Comment 21 has to be 50.5.

  220. Fabius Maximus says:

    Clot,

    Your welcome back to the Premiership is a trip to Old Trafford. Will Fergie twist the knife by actually starting Little Micky?

  221. jamil says:

    This is for Shore Guy,

    “Obama Overtakes Carter As Worst President Of The U.S. In The Last 100 Years”
    http://www.usofearth.com/polls/?p=144
    Obama 34%
    Carter 31%
    GWB 24%

    I would have thought that this were to take at least 2 years. Guess that “never let crisis go wasted so rush through all marxist ideas you always dreamed of” contributed a lot..

  222. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [231] bob

    No, it isn’t 101. Not enough “Damn”, “terrorists”, or “commies” in that comment.

  223. jj says:

    Anyone going, Taking Back SundayTuesday June 22, 2010 at 8:00 pmStarland Ballroom Sayreville, NJ

  224. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [233] jamil

    People fail to appreciate that, compared to O, Carter was a TEA partier.

    Carter was also more to the right than Clinton, whom all the dems pine for now, but before Monica, they wanted Clinton’s head on a platter for “selling out” to the right in his famous “triangulation” on issues (acheived by hiring Dick Morris, the Karl Rove of his day. Ironic, huh?).

  225. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [224] tosh

    “I too would become temporarily docile with it’s release.”

    Videodrome!

  226. Orion says:

    Government intervention/annexation in our largest industries:

    Banks
    Autos
    Healthcare
    Energy……My guess, pharma is next.

  227. jamil says:

    Orion:
    “My guess, pharma is next.”

    Did you forget the nationalized HC bill that just passed?

  228. yo'me says:

    This was sent via email

    Thought you
    might be interested in this forgotten bit of
    information. ……..

    It
    was 1987! At a lecture the other day they were playing an old news video of
    Lt.Col. Oliver North testifying at the Iran-Contra hearings during the Reagan
    Administration.

    There was Ollie in front of God and country getting the
    third degree, but what he said was stunning!

    He was being drilled by a
    senator; ‘Did you not recently spend close to $60,000 for a home security
    system?’

    Ollie replied, ‘Yes, I did, Sir.’

    The senator
    continued, trying to get a laugh out of the audience, ‘Isn’t that just a little
    excessive?’

    ‘No, sir,’ continued Ollie.

    ‘No? And why not?’ the
    senator asked.

    ‘Because the lives of my family and I were threatened,
    sir.’

    ‘Threatened? By whom?’ the senator questioned.

    ‘By a
    terrorist, sir’ Ollie answered.

    ‘Terrorist? What terrorist could
    possibly scare you that much?’

    ‘His name is Osama bin Laden, sir’ Ollie
    replied.

    At this point the senator tried to repeat the name, but
    couldn’t pronounce it, which most people back then probably couldn’t. A couple
    of people laughed at the attempt.. Then the senator continued. Why are you so
    afraid of this man?’ the senator asked.

    ‘Because, sir, he is the most
    evil person alive that I know of’, Ollie answered.

    ‘And
    what do you recommend we do about him?’ asked the senator.

    ‘Well, sir,
    if it was up to me, I would recommend that an assassin team be formed to
    eliminate him and his men from the face of the earth.’

    The senator
    disagreed with this approach, and that was all that was shown of the clip.

    By
    the way, that senator was Al Gore!
    (Thank you Al, you are such an embarrassment to Tennessee!!)

    Also:

    Terrorist
    pilot Mohammad Atta blew up a bus in Israel
    in 1986. The Israelis captured, tried and imprisoned him.. As part of the
    Oslo agreement with the Palestinians in 1993,
    Israel had to agree to release
    so-called ‘political prisoners.’

    However, the Israelis would not release
    any with blood on their hands, The American President at the time, Bill Clinton,
    and his Secretary of State, Warren Christopher, ‘insisted’ that all prisoners be
    released.

    Thus Mohammad Atta was freed and eventually thanked us by
    flying an airplane into Tower One of the World Trade
    Center .. This was reported
    by many of the American TV networks at the time that the terrorists were first
    identified.

  229. Mr Wantanapolous says:

    “We live in a Constitutional Republic. The President’s job under the Constitution is to enforce the laws made by the elected Congress. His job is not to create new laws and enforce them all by himself. His job is as magistrate under the Constitution, not as Caudillo. He is not the law. He is supposed to enforce what Congress decides.”

    “The BP behavior is reminiscent of how, immediately after assuming office, Mr. Obama, with no Congressional authority or administrative allowance, simply made a phone call to fire the head of GM. When I called the White House press office to ask under what law or regulation Mr. Obama was acting, I was told he did not need a law. If the government put a lot of money into GM, it could call the shots at GM, I was told. But under what authority, I asked. “None needed,” was the final answer.”

    http://spectator.org/archives/2010/06/16/the-caudillo-president

  230. Orion says:

    Instead of gym time, ALL inmates should serve months of cleaning the oil spill disaster. My 2c.

  231. hughesrep says:

    240

    You have stupid people who e-mail you.

    http://www.snopes.com/rumors/north.asp

  232. meter says:

    @206 –

    “There is a Delta symbol ( upside down Triangle) with the # 4 inside it on the pipe.. Any one know what that symbol is for?
    I didn’t see anything on the survey…”

    That’s obviously a ventilation tube for the subterranean sprawling missile complex that sits underneath your and (everyone in your development’s) property.

  233. hughesrep says:

    243

    http://www.snopes.com/rumors/atta.asp

    The second one is also false. However I do know a Nigerian prince who is trying to get his money out of his country if you can help.

  234. Orion says:

    Jamil 239:

    You’re right. I was thinking more along the lines of drug manufacturers/researchers, i.e., Roche, Merck, Teva, etc.

  235. Libtard In the City says:

    Jamil,

    usofearth.com? You can do much better than that.

  236. Final Doom says:

    fab (232)-

    Up ManU’s arse. Jonas will kick Rooney, and we’ll nab at least a draw.

  237. grim says:

    New thread, up!

  238. Comrade Nom Deplume says:

    [238] orion

    “Government intervention/annexation in our largest industries”

    Pharma is done for now at least.

    Oil is in progress, as are banks. Autos was an outlier, and probably won’t go further.

    Future industries that will be brought to heel (mostly through price controls) are (in no particular order):

    1. Railroads
    2. Natural gas producers and pipelines
    3: Airlines
    4. Telecommunications
    5. Refining
    6. Insurance (notably health insurance, but life as well).

    I expect that in the next two years, we will ressurect the ICC in some fashion, give expanded powers to FCC, partially repeal the McCarran-Ferguson Act, and implement price controls on natural gas, through a vehicle to be determined.

    There will also be “soft” takeovers through changes in the Internal Revenue Code that could make certain products/lines unprofitable, hence forcing structural change.

    Not sure how refining will be regulated, and there is a tremendous risk there if the majors decide to extend a refinery shutdown in order to squeeze the dems (any whiff of refineries going offline, especially if perceived to be a pissing match with the gov., would have an immediate impact on distillate pricing, including gasoline).

    Downside is that there are jobs that will be lost if Mao-bama reins in a few of these industries, as lines of business will get axed, jobs will get offshored, some companies will fold, and others will merge. I expect the most job losses/mergers in insurance and airlines. That will paradoxically give the survivors enhanced pricing power unless the dems regulate what they can earn (which is the problem with PPACA). That will lead to price controls across the board.

    Before you know it, many of your large industries will be, in effect, government-controlled, giving us a state capitalism system with central planning and regulation.

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