From the Star Ledger:
Rowan, Rutgers study says N.J. is running out of open space, renews urban sprawl debate
For the first time, New Jersey’s landscape is covered more by housing and shopping malls rather than forests, the real consequence of the “two most sprawling decades” ever, a report being released today concludes.
The study, a collaboration between Rowan and Rutgers universities, analyzed land use data between 1986 and 2007 and estimates the state could run out of open space around 2050 if the pace of development that took place in the sprawl years continued.
“There’s less than a million acres left,” said John Hasse, a professor at Rowan University and a co-author of the report. “We have our last 20 percent.
But at the same time, some real estate observers predict the current recession and underlying demographic trends will radically alter development in New Jersey away from the suburbs, slowing down McMansion-style lots in the future.
Either way, the report has renewed the volatile sprawl debates in the state, already the most densely populated in the country. Builders, environmentalists and planners routinely square off as they confront the fewer acres left open for development.
…
“We’re not running out of land in New Jersey,” said David Fisher of Hovnanian Enterprises Inc., one of the largest builders in the state. “If you look at the regulations and lands that are made off-limits, then, yes, land is less available than just a decade or two ago.”
…
“This sprawl model, we no longer have a foundation for it,” said Jeffrey Otteau, president of Otteau Valuation, a real estate analysis group, in East Brunswick. “Households will need to be more efficient in their spending, which means smaller houses with shorter commute times.”
…
“When the economy comes back on, I think there are these trends of people still wanting large-lot development,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve seen the last of sprawl in the state.”
From the Courier Post:
Economy focus of Obama’s N.J. visit
President Barack Obama will discuss the national economy during a visit today to New Jersey, a state whose own economy is struggling to achieve sustained growth.
Obama will talk with several small-business owners, including one from South Jersey, at a sandwich shop in Edison, Middlesex County. The White House said the talks will focus on the merits of small-business legislation that’s expected to face a Senate vote this week.
From NPR:
Obama Makes Economic Sales Pitch; No One’s Buying
As President Obama goes to New Jersey for a meeting with small-business owners Wednesday, Americans’ satisfaction with his handling of the economy remains at a low ebb.
In a new Reuters poll, 67 percent of voters said Obama has not focused enough on creating jobs.
Since December, Obama has delivered more than a dozen economic speeches like the one he will give in New Jersey. Yet with his poll numbers dropping steadily, it’s far from clear that the campaign is helping the president’s cause.
I find it amusing that some of the same people who want smaller government blame Obama for not creating more jobs. Even if taxes in NJ were zero, we would still be losing jobs because the cost of living here (real estate included) is simply much higher than elsewhere. It’s really easy to move non-manufacturing jobs out of state or off-shore since these jobs have so little physical infrastructure; I see it every day at work, and this has been going on for 10 years. I guess no one noticed this trend during the housing boom.
I just came back from Poland which is benefiting from cheaper labor despite of the recession. Their shopping malls (Galerias) in Warsaw and Krakow looked like ours did during the 1990s.
Frist and Obama in NJ today … it’s my lucky day!!
Bojangles = Michael Corleone
small business = Fredo Corleone
This guy and his collectivist crew hate small business. They see it as white, privileged, upper class…and a target, to be taxed into submission.
It also doesn’t help that Bojangles and the crew around him don’t have a single day’s experience in running or working for any kind of business.
[88] [prior thread] juice
That was one of the weirder SHTF stories I have read, but like so many of them, I think that there are kernels of probability in the soup of incredibility.
That said, it was odd to see it printed on Counterpunch. They would not have touched it if it weren’t for the anti-globalism aspect.
Wall St. = rigged table game
“In our day and age, when implied correlation is approaching 1 with each passing day, and when nuanced relationships are ignored, as every correlation somehow immediately becomes causation only to be invalidated, chewed out and left for dead, there is one certain and virtually guaranteed statistical relationship left, that not only persists day after day but has now become its own self-fulfilling prophecy. We speak of course of the (inverse) correlation between stock prices and volume: i.e., “volume up, stocks down; volume down, stocks up.” Rinse, repeat, over and over and over. Rarely has this correlation been as pronounced (although we have been discussing it for well over a year) as over the past 12 weeks.”
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/charting-1000-correlation-between-stock-prices-and-volume
[5] doom
Actually, the dems have been quite conflicted, Dear Leader included. On larger policy issues, and even in PPACA, they have tried to lay off small business while sticking it to larger businesses, particularly multinationals. OTOH, they have stepped up enforcement on small biz, and the breaks they do give small biz are to compensate for the damage caused by new legislation.
Small biz is also more sensitive to downturns, uncertainty, and the like, whether from PPACA, cap and trade, or the estate tax, all of which are hammering small biz sentiment. While small biz has always enjoyed a preferred status under our tax code, the dems have not offered enough offsets to mollify them about CHANGE, so small businessfolk are understandably concerned.
One problem with dem policy toward small business is their apparent definition of small business. It applies only to micro businesses–solos or very small associations, barely profitable, with very little revenue. The vast majority of what we realistically consider small businessess are grouped into what this admin. considers “big” business. Thus, the local manufacturer that employs 75-100 people, has one facility in an industrial park, and has revenues of a couple of million, is a “large” business in the eyes of Obama, even if the rest of the country thinks otherwise. And lets not even get into incorporation, which the Dems see as a dodge for businesspeople to avoid personal responsibility. To them, it is somehow dishonest to protect yourself from bankruptcy or capricious prosecution by incorporating.
plume (8)-
Willie Sutton robbed banks, because that’s “where the money is”.
Bojangles and his soci@list thieves classify any business that’s profitable as “big”, so that they can swoop in and pick the bones clean.
(8) If you go by the IRS definition, a “small business” is generally one with less than $10M in assets.
How shocking.
A $200 million mortgage fraud scheme.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/07/23/128720556/atc-flipping?print=1
Wow, the racist comments on this site are getting out of control.
Grim, 13 in mod
[WTF, that is assets, not revenues, and there are other measures as well]
Time to wake the baby. Read you all in the afternoon.
When Hilary gets elected in 2012, everyone gets a $2M wedding for their daughters.
(13) The IRS definition is based on assets. I presume that this is the definition that Obama uses (and all politicians use). It has nothing to do with revenues. Nor does it have anything to do with race, privilege, or class as Clot suggests
http://www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=101001,00.html
Taxpayer Profile:
Approximately 57 million taxpayers.
About 41 million self-employed persons.
About 9 million small businesses with assets of less than $10 million.
About 7 million filers of employment, excise, estate and gift returns.
wtf (15)-
Why do you presume Bojangles uses those parameters? Any proof?
As far as I can see, the Administration’s venom is pretty much directed at anyone who employs others and attempts to turn a profit. I also agree with Shore, in that they appear to harbor special hatred toward any business organized as a “C” corporation.
smathers (12)-
Where are the racist comments? Calling a banksters’ lickspittle, Bush-in-blackface fascist “Bojangles” is not racist.
BTW, I don’t have a problem with black people. I hate Arabs.
Just like you hate Jews.
Smathers #12: It isn’t just that they are racist, it’s also that they are ignorant and knee-jerk. NO ONE here has yet presented a compelling demonstration of how tax cuts have ever created jobs. The Bush tax cuts made taxes on the wealthy and corporations lower than ever, and they have jettisoned some 8.5 million jobs. Until one of you knee-jerk denizens of wingnuttia can present a case that doesn’t come from the National Review or Bill Kristol or any of that ilk, you are not going to have my ear.
Bojangles is replacing Oprah when she retires. His stints on Letterman & The View are for training purposes as a prelude to Oprah. New show will be called Obama.
18
posting a comment=having your ear
What sub will O buy at Tastee’s? I’ve never been there but must have driven near it 100 times. I never knew it was supposed to be special. What’s their best sub?
I wonder if the shop owner is looking forward to all of the new regulatory burdens on his business, and how he’ll react to upcoming obligations for his employees.
I wonder how much money this sub shop is making, and whether the owner needs to worry about income and/or estate tax issues.
18- Thanks Jill. Based on my experiences of late working for small businesses there has been no trickle down effect to the staff. Little if any raises being given out, even though the company actually is making a good profit. The “excuse” being used, of course, is that the economy isn’t good. So we are all just glad to be employed. I haven’t seen many small business owners willing to be generous at all. If others out there have a different slant on this , please do tell.
Jill (18)-
Look at the stub of a paycheck in France. It’s bigger than the check and has a gazillion withholdings. I have some family that own businesses there, and they don’t hire anyone unless somebody already within the company dies.
Even if you don’t buy that lower taxes create jobs, I can damn well prove that raising taxes kills them.
False Flag in the Strait of Hormuz?
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iV1R7V9IJw2dQfRwLHnCIsHFJPdQD9H81BH80
Tastee’s FTW!
“What sub will O buy at Tastee’s? I’ve never been there but must have driven near it 100 times. I never knew it was supposed to be special. What’s their best sub?
I wonder if the shop owner is looking forward to all of the new regulatory burdens on his business, and how he’ll react to upcoming obligations for his employees.
I wonder how much money this sub shop is making, and whether the owner needs to worry about income and/or estate tax issues.”
Heh, Tastee sub is pretty good. Most of their subs are generic. Awesome bread. Great lettuce, tomato, oil/vinegar. Average cold cuts. What’s hilarious is, my friends and I were convinced Tastee sub was cheating on taxes for years given that they only accepted cash up until about last month. We were wondering why they suddenly got a credit card machine. Maybe this explains it. Obama doesn’t have any cash. He just charges everything.
I’ve been to that sub place once. Dirty
The White House Advance Staff should have sent O’bama to any Jersey Mike’s Sub Shop.
Here’s a small business owner who took a one-horse sub shop in Point Pleasant and turned it into a franchise powerhouse. There are now 400 locations as far west as California.
Of course, Bo would never make it out of Ocean County in one piece.
“The White House Advance Staff should have sent O’bama to any Jersey Mike’s Sub Shop.
Here’s a small business owner who took a one-horse sub shop in Point Pleasant and turned it into a franchise powerhouse. There are now 400 locations as far west as California.
Of course, Bo would never make it out of Ocean County in one piece.”
If you asked Barry, Jersey Mikes is big business and needs to be heavily regulated.
As long as we’re talking subs, can I put in a plug for the White House in AC?
“As long as we’re talking subs, can I put in a plug for the White House in AC?”
mmmmmmmmmmmm…..cheesesteak.
BO is in town for The View and two DNC fundraisers to raise 3 million @30k a ticket. Meeting with the pimps for the child labor sweat shops as a cover to meet 100 fat cats in finance.
The pit stop at the Sub shop is just the MSM cover story. Since the new demographic in Edison (40k Asian Indians) don’t really eat cold cuts I would expect that sub shop to close for good when the current owner (second generation) retires in a few years.
Nothing changes folks.
28
He could get out of Point Pleasant Beach no problem.
And Jersey Mike’s pretty much blows. In Point there is no reason to stray from Joe Leones for a sub.
When does this madness end?
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/07/nj_foreclosure_filings_double.html#incart_hbx
On the sub tip,
Tastee is where I pick up a sandwich for Rutger’s games as it’s close to the RAC and the Stadium. The place is kinda dirty, but the subs are definitely better than average. I agree that it’s the fresh shredded lettuce, tomato and onion, salt pepper and oil/vinegar that makes them good.
White House (AC) subs rock due to the quality of the bread and the provolone. They don’t skimp on anything there, but they are a bit pricey. A large sub there will feed you for a week. The meat is pretty good as well. Word to the wise though, call ahead to avoid the obligatory 45 minute wait no matter what time of the day it is.
Now the SUPREME sub in my opinion is the Jersey Jim’s Town Sub Shoppe in South River. It’s literally a whole in the wall. I’m speaking from memory as I haven’t been there since my high school days. The place is literally the front room of a house. Inside they have one woman who takes orders and another woman who makes the subs in back. Their menu had like 7 subs and besides chips and Snapples, there were no other options except for a large kosher dill. No hot subs either, which in my opinion is fare for the pizza place set and not the sub shop. Their subs were more of the Tastee variety with super fresh produce, but loads of quality meat. I can’t vouch for them any more, but back in the day, they were the best kept secret in Middlesex County. Best of all, everyone went to Riddle and Martin which were OK, but garbage when compared to the Town. Will have to stop by again sometime this summer to see if they still rock. They probably do due to their simplicity.
BTW, anyone here going down to AC for the Food and Wine festival? Gator and I scored free tickets (sort of) so we’ll be there on Saturday afternoon.
Can you imagine losing track of billions $?
Coming soon to your gov’t run healthscare system.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_692292.html
I remember about 40 pallets of cash – estimated $9 billion – went missing in Iraq.
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/10/iraq_billions200710
This is all good and well but in the contemporary job market you are required to be much more mobile. Its unlikely you are going to stay in the same job for 10 – 25 yeas. It would appear that the dynamics of the labor market and the dynamics of housing at at odds with each other.
Of course one solution is a substantial reduction in home ownership rates and an increase in the rate of renting in order to facility job mobility.
It isn’t just that they are racist, it’s also that they are ignorant and knee-jerk.
Meh. Like the frog in the warming water, you get used to it. And it’s refreshing to read what people actually think, even if it’s a lot of frightening John Birch Society rantings.
Orion, 34
This madness is gonna be the new normal for a while. Get comfortable.
Last night I had another flurry of patients needing psych screening services. One patient has been out of work for 4 four! years… is just now going through foreclosure. Depressed as hell and brought in by their mother due to depression.
That’s just one story. These aren’t burger flippers who option/ARMed over their heads, these are solid middle classers just now at the precipice of flat broke.
Don’t tell me about “jobless recovery” — I see the real deal every working day in the Pit. You can’t believe the fright I’m seeing. Some come in for straight up anxiety. Librarian, kid on the way, scared shitless and living on anti-anxiety meds.
You think this behemoth is turning course soon? Like Wantan says, “gonna be a long walk home.”
And you will be walking. Our hospital will not give cab vouchers to anyone anymore. Get a ride, get cash or walk.
sl
nom, Juice 6
If you look at what happened in russia after their currency collapse and in argentina after their collapse, the tribal police force situation did occur in the more rural areas and smaller towns. While most would balk at the idea, its not beyond the realm of possibility in the outlying areas of the US
Juice 24
Given the size of a super tanker, the best a deliberate attack can do is hit the back of the tanker???? I would imagine that a strike to the majority of the tanker would have been potentially catastrophic. If it was a deliberate attack someone has REALLY bad aim. Then again, as a false flag that would be a convenient place to hit in order to avoid an actual disaster. On top of that it is reported that the engines were not damaged.
Juice, there is also this
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told state-run television that the United States has “decided to attack at least two countries in the (Middle East) region in the next three months.” He did not specify which ones.-USA Today
In the end, the signal to noise ratio is way to high to take any of this as evidence of anything.
I’m still waiting for us to invade Israel. Isn’t that what some other anti-semite here said would have occurred by now?
Hyde – latest report “The cause of the incident was a freak wave and there is damage in the upper accommodation decks of the ship and a few injured people on board,”
Freak wave can go
Juice,
How does a freak wave get mistaken for an explosion? The results of the 2 should be fairly easily differentiated by the naked eye. Possible but it seems odd.
18.Jill says:
July 28, 2010 at 9:14 am
Smathers #12: It isn’t just that they are racist, it’s also that they are ignorant and knee-jerk. NO ONE here has yet presented a compelling demonstration of how tax cuts have ever created jobs. The Bush tax cuts made taxes on the wealthy and corporations lower than ever, and they have jettisoned some 8.5 million jobs. Until one of you knee-jerk denizens of wingnuttia can present a case that doesn’t come from the National Review or Bill Kristol or any of that ilk, you are not going to have my ear.
Very True, neither Tax Cuts, or Tax Increases, Create Jobs. As FDR found out from the “Great Depression”, War Creates Jobs. But only if you still have a Manufacturing Base.
Re: 46
… and only if you win the war …
Confused
I disagree. It would create even more jobs now, as we would have to start a crash program to rebuild and retrain our manufacturing base! WWIII here we come!
bubble
Nope. Given the US’s geographic separation from europe and asia, we could potentially lose a major conventional conflict with little to no physical damage to the US mainland. Its the same issue we would face in the hypothetical scenario of the US directly attacking/invading china. The supply chains would be just to long and to vulnerable to support such a move.
Classic Ritholtz, check out the chart:
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/07/updating-the-case-shiller-100-chart-forecast/
ok – you’re right to some extent, but we still have to pay for it, unless we plan on plundering wealth from other countries like the Nazi’s tried to do; I would submit that we’re still paying for Vietnam – or deferring payment on the debt incurred
Bubble,
unless we plan on plundering wealth from other countries like the Nazi’s tried to do
We have been doing that for the last 50 years and in a much more sophisticated manner. We r@pe nations on a regular basis for their resources. We just you lawyers and corporations instead of storm troopers. Look at the history of US corporations in foreign nations acting with US government backing.
Hyde – Can a large wave perhaps 100 ft high even form there? If the ship was in the straight of Hormuz then I would think other ships would have been affected, there is allot of shipping and military activity there.
Orion (36)-
There is nothing- anywhere on Earth- that the gubmint of the US can’t make worse by getting involved.
This country really sucks. We should become isolationist, just to give everybody else a break.
Indian people don’t like Tastee? Geez there is so much stupid crap on this blog. I remember when it was mostly about real estate. Today its all about hating on teh socializm and racial resentment.
Well we still do the ‘real’ part sync.
they paved paradise and put up a porking lot.
sync (55)-
Real Estate is dead money for the next 20-40 years. How else are we supposed to entertain ourselves?
Federal judge just declared that the handover of the US to illegal aliens is to begin.
Doom,
I don’t remember who said it but its a quote (paraphrased) worthy of you:
“Democracy is doomed when the politicans realise they can bribe the electorate with its own money.”
Juice 53
Rouge wave in the Straits of Hormuz sounds like a heck of a long shot to me.
48.Mr Hyde says:
July 28, 2010 at 11:57 am
Confused
War Creates Jobs. But only if you still have a Manufacturing Base.
I disagree. It would create even more jobs now, as we would have to start a crash program to rebuild and retrain our manufacturing base! WWIII here we come!
Very hard to do quickly, when your last Tool & Die Maker closed up shop & your Steel Mills became Casinos.
Maybe ramp up with psychological warfare.
We always have the movie industry, just have to insert the appropriate subliminal messages before exporting…
Back in the day they had a Tastee Sub Shop in Allenhurst. They got their bread from the Baldanza Bakery in Long Branch. The husband always cut the bread and sliced the meat, and passed it to his wife who had extra long talon-like finger nails. She used them to put on piles of extra thin shredded lettuce and the other accoutrements. They had a pinball machine you could play while you were waiting. Remember that popping sound they would make if you won a game? Good times.
http://emailrpt.gsmls.com/public/show_public_report_rpt.do?report=clientfull&Id=55160421_6166
Gator / Libtard
Sold, $725,000… different person, same mistake
From Main Article-Otteau:
Somebody check the fusebox.
“When the economy comes back on…”
43. Troops are being amassed . Plans are being made. Apparently.
re: #55 – Synch I am saying the demographic shift will not support that Sub shop in another 10 years. The majority of Indians are semi-vegetarian.For a place that servers Ham, Salami and cheese for their #1 sandwich I doubt that the place is going too see too many Jews or Indians walking though the door. There is also a large Muslim population in Edison, with several mosques. I doubt they are going to chow down on ham sandwich either.
If you are goona trot out the racism card use it on this author.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1999416,00.html
Speaking of world domination, what ever happend to our local Al Gore?
Synch, Juice
You guys need this:
http://www.gifbin.com/981769
[62] DL
Often attributed to Robert Tytler, a scottish philosopher.
Juice
Did you notice the following ta the bottom of the article:
apparently that article is
http://www.gifbin.com/981769
Any bets on which breaks first? Iran or N. Korea?
[17] doom
I’m surprised at you. You took the bait. Allegations of racism are the main cards in the liberal argument poker hand. You know this, and yet you still picked up the card.
IMHO, the better approach is to brush aside the comment and marginalize the commenter, which is itself an Alinsky tactic. I suggest something like this: “Whatever Smathers. You could find racism in a still-life painting.” Basically anything to suggest that (a) you got nothin’, and (b) that dog won’t hunt. But never a direct denial or challenge to the speaker as this tends to stall the debate, and would, in the eyes of the predisposed, validate the charge.
By deflecting in this way, it forces the accuser to elaborate on his racial allegation (which risks showing it to be attenuated, subjective crap), or to move on from the original taunt. Either way, it puts the accuser in a rhetorical losing position, and demonstrates to the hearers that the comment lacked substance (if it did have substance, the initial allegation of racism would be unnecessary).
Of course, staying away from any “hook” language that permits the liberal to play this card also helps. I remember that this was the Kennedy debating style: Look for an opening to invoke the names of the dead Kennedys. When Mitt Romney debated Teddy once, he artfully avoided giving Ted any opportunity to do this. Finally, toward the end of the debate, Teddy had to use an inappropriate moment to wedge in the invocation. This left a lot of people scratching their heads as to why he invoked dead Kennedys at that point, and laid bare the debating tactic for what it was.
Hope this helps.
DL,
Iran. Keeping NK more or less in line is in China’s best interest at the moment, so while the dont mind NK doing some sabre rattling they wont let them actually act. Iran on the other hand is not controlled by a dominant regional power, and is a regional power in its own right. On top of that Iran is obviously heavily involved in mideast tensions and both Iran and the US seem unable to communicate with one another besides the use of obscene gestures.
[57] dl
“they paved paradise and put up a porking lot.”
Post of the day!
But i thought Obama was all about transparency!?!?!
The law, signed last week by President Obama, exempts the SEC from disclosing records or information derived from “surveillance, risk assessments, or other regulatory and oversight activities.” Given that the SEC is a regulatory body, the provision covers almost every action by the agency, lawyers say. Congress and federal agencies can request information, but the public cannot.
http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2010/07/28/sec-says-new-finreg-law-exempts-public-disclosure/
[41] hyde
“If you look at what happened in russia after their currency collapse and in argentina after their collapse, the tribal police force situation did occur in the more rural areas and smaller towns. While most would balk at the idea, its not beyond the realm of possibility in the outlying areas of the US”
That was one of the kernels of probability I referred to. Also, I think “After Armageddon” is being re-run tonight at 10, and if this is the same documentary I saw before, the experts interviewed for it also considered that to be probable, and in fact, likely.
In fact, for Nompound purposes, I am counting on just such a development.
Hyde; Agree. Its only a question of time before the Israelis decide to do something. Question is; what do they go after and what do they hope to achieve? The Iranians have too much undergound so any strike will likely only be symbolic, and then the Iranians can paint Israel as the aggressor. Plus, they can use their friends in the region to launch rockets at Israel. Seems Teheran is holding all the cards.
Just got a call from my regional subfranchisor. A while back, another broker/owner in my system posted (to a Facebook page) some bogus stats, intended to make the tax credit-stimmed closing activity look like a “recovery”. I left a comment on the page, basically calling “bullshit” on the broker.
I didn’t think about it again, as I see stuff like this all the time on Facebook & don’t even have the energy to respond, unless I’m already riled up by something else.
Well, I just received a little ringy-dingy from my region, asking me- in so many words-to kindly STFU.
So now, within the past two years, my local board, my closest competitor, a fellow broker and my regional office have all asked me to shut up.
Time to shut this sucker down and get into another line of work.
War Creates Jobs. But only if you still have a Manufacturing Base.
I disagree. It would create even more jobs now, as we would have to start a crash program to rebuild and retrain our manufacturing base! WWIII here we come!
The only war worth entertaining would be a war with China, so that we could destroy their industrial base (and their energy demand to reduce energy prices). Those factories making tanks need to be put to civilian use after a war, like in WWII, for the value proposition to make any sense at all. A war with DPRK won’t do anything but cost money and a war with Iran will only raise energy prices and put more strain on the economy. Of course, China will probably be reluctant to continue buying our debt; “can you spare a dime so we can attack you”? So, funding could be a problem.
It wasn’t a typo. Thought no one would notice.
Joyce 65 – Well I hope at least they got the houseful of cr*p for that price.
RE [81];
Time to shut this sucker down and get into another line of work.
Its tough being so right, so often.
But I can handle it.
-Moose
Doom @ 2:47pm:
WWSAD?
Renting 82,
Think outside the box! There is a lot of political tension in southeast asia. If you ignite the indian/pakistan conflict into a hot war you could probably draw china into it. once you do that we can support and supply india, who is geographically close enough to reasonably impact china without using nukes.
Of course such a conflict will probably set off the majority of southeast asia ala WWII. There is probably some way we could generate the same end result but involving Iran as the fuse. Perhaps sink a few indian vessels as part of a false flag ( flying the iranian flag and using iranian hardware) and at the same time pay off the ISI to initiate a hot conflict between india and pakistan. At that point it becomes WWIII and you have the middle east and south east asia lit up all at once!
Nom 78
A potentially crucial difference between Argentina, Russia and the US is private weapons! Private American citizens are on averaged armed to the teeth compared to both russia and Argentina, especially in the rural areas. I would go so far as to say that any “tribal” police would have to play very nicely with the locals as the cops are likely to be out armed and out supplied by the locals. a tribal police force that gets to “aggressive” with the locals is looking at its very own bagdad and they wont have apaches and tanks to back them up.
81: Maybe NorthStar is hiring?
Re [81];
Fountain over at “For What Its Worth” is continually on the receiveing end of cease & desist letters and board complaints, not to mention the day-to-day gripes of delusional sellers. He’s been radio silent since Tue, and every time that happens part of me starts to wonder if someone at Christie’s or Sotheby’s didn’t off him to protect their 5% of a seven figure deal. And don’t even think of trying to argue that a bretheren Realtor would never do such a thing.
Only difference between me and Chris Fountain is that if someone approaches me with ill intent, they’d better be armed to the teeth, quick on the draw and absent a conscience.
Kodak’s earnings, or should I say losings, sucked again. That company is doomed.
Syncmaster who knew? Two words people: Tony Luke . That is all.
Very interesting article, thanks. Keep up the good work.
[81] doom
Or you could simply STFU.
[88] hyde
Again, I considered the facts you presented, and I am counting on just such a development.
The unanticipated threat, if there is one, is that whatever local militia forms is more powerful, and at odds with, local law enforcement. This may be especially true in areas with a lot of meth labs, or where gangs are a problem. The gangs may glom onto local power brokers (legal or illegal), or become warlords in their own right. So while the prevalence of an armed populace is a check on abuse of power, it is still essential that local law enforcement remain in control.
OT – Anyone there at the Stone Pony last Friday when Bruce made a guest appearance?
http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/stopthepresses/242133/bruce-springsteen-makes-surprise-appearance-at-new-jersey-club/
plume (95)-
Rest assured that I told my regional office to STFU early and often in the conversation. However, I’ve had enough experience with people trying to muzzle me to understand that they generally will find a way to do it…or exact a very stiff price out of me in return for the “privilege” of continuing to talk. There is still a great deal of money the charlatans stand to make by reeling in the last of the greater fools.
I also am beginning to believe it’s no longer worth the agita. Smart folks within- and outside the industry- know exactly what’s going on. Nobody needs to wait for me to tell them that RE is a dead dog.
I’m toying with a couple of possible entry points back into the wine biz. It will at least be fun to take a couple of interviews and see what happens.
Doom. I need a CIM (clinical info mngr)- a fancy name for a typist…on my overnight shifts. Pay sucks but the work is steady. And you get to see my misery front and center. You gotta bring your own flak jacket.
sl
#97 Set up an online store too so those of us not blessed to live in New Jersey can order wine from you.
sl (98)-
If that’s a job offer, I’d be interested as long as I can drink while I’m working.
I’m contemplating getting into the wine biz any minute now. Gotta check my stash.
Bill & Hillary ups Wedding Cost to $3M – $5M. If the common people have no bread and are hungry, “Let them Eat cake”. I wonder if “O’ helped fund it with Stimulus $’s ?
Did I hear correctly that the Frenxh are about to round up and deport all illegal Roma people in France?
Doom, 100
You’d be working with me, you’ll need to drink.
Heavily. Ask any RE agent.
sl
Beige Book:
Construction and Real Estate
Housing markets have softened somewhat, on balance, since the last report, with much of the weakening attributed to the expiration of the home-buyer tax credit. An authority on New Jersey’s housing industry characterizes housing demand as sluggish and lacking momentum. Activity has tapered off, while transaction prices for both new and existing homes appear to be drifting down. Northern New Jersey’s rental market has also slackened, with a growing number of available units on the market and landlords offering more incentives and concessions; a number of buildings initially intended as condos have converted to rentals. Similarly, Buffalo-area Realtors report that home sales activity weakened substantially in May and June, reportedly due largely to the expiration of the extended homebuyers’ tax credit, though selling prices continued to run ahead of comparable 2009 levels.
In New York City, conditions were more mixed, with co-op and condo sales activity picking up in the second quarter but prices generally holding steady. The number of apartment sales rose by a bit more than the seasonal norm in the first quarter. The median sales price of an apartment was down 7 percent from a year ago in Queens but up 5 percent in Brooklyn. In Manhattan, the median price rose roughly 8 percent from a year earlier, but the price per square foot was virtually unchanged. Manhattan’s rental market, though still well below its peak of a few years ago, appears to be on the rebound: leasing activity picked up noticeably, rents have stabilized, landlords are giving less generous concessions, and the inventory of available rentals has declined.
Commercial real estate markets across the District were mixed but, on balance, little changed since the last report. Office leasing activity picked up considerably in New York City, and vacancy rates declined modestly, but asking rents are still down more than 20 percent from a year ago. Vacancy rates were steady in Long Island and Northern New Jersey, while asking rents were down slightly–compared to both the first quarter and a year earlier. In Westchester and Fairfield counties, market conditions improved slightly, as vacancy rates edged down and asking rents rose. Office markets were mixed in upstate New York: vacancy rates edged up in most major markets but asking rents continued to run modestly above year-ago levels. Industrial markets were mostly softer in the second quarter: industrial vacancy rates rose across most of upstate New York and in Westchester and Fairfield counties but were little changed in Long Island and down modestly in northern New Jersey. Industrial rents were down moderately from a year ago in most areas. Finally, Manhattan’s retail leasing market picked up in the second quarter, while northern New Jersey’s remained stable. Commercial development remains very sluggish in general, though developers plan further hotel construction in New York City.
http://www.federalreserve.gov/fomc/beigebook/2010/20100728/2.htm
102: That # means nothing. They’re getting comped on tons of that crap.
Luckily, I don’t talk to racists anymore, just point out that calling Obama Bojangles is racist.
Never said I wasn’t a Jew myself.
Jill (18) right on.
Anyone who is a serious (heck even an amateur!) scholar of history understands that these terms like “Left” and “Right” are useless to describe political movements throughout most of history. Take Jefferson. Right-wing? Maybe… in his support of decentralization and belief in self-reliance but then how would that co-relate with his hatred of big business? Or Teddy Roosevelt? Imperialist, yes (e.g. Right-wing), but used to attack big business.
The Democrats and the Republicans have become completely useless. And the wingnutmania is krazy. I am glad that there’s a place where the dominant wisdom is questioned, but I just don’t get the madness that’s spouted around here, most especially the racism (of course there are few people as racist as radical Zionists… so no surprise in one case).
SL (40),
Quite sad stories you tell. Unfortunately, these are manifestations of destructive policies, corruption, perversion of truths, debasement of morality, rapacious desire for power so prevalent in today’s society.
It all trickles down to the common man. On the other hand, people like you, who are there to help are priceless.
The new normal sucks.
Luckily, I don’t talk to racists anymore, just point out that calling Obama Bojangles is racist.
Off color, maybe. Easily misinterpreted, maybe. Racist? Not sure. There is plenty of racism here, but I’m not sure this is it.
What if you put it in the context of analogy? Someone who sells out their constituency to the highest bidder, just like Robinson did? Like Mr. O, talking (tap dancing) about protecting the little guy, but soliciting massive campaign donations from the banks. Consumer protection? Huh? Healthcare reform? Where? Jobs? I don’t see any. Financial reform? No sir. Lots of pomp and circumstance, nothing done but protecting his real constituency, the banks and big business.
Didn’t Robinson make millions during his career emphasizing the same racial stereotypes that pigeonholed him? He was an extremely talented guy, too bad he spent his career enforcing racial stereotypes for money. A sellout.
The term would be equally applicable to the folks on Real Housewives of NJ, Jersey Shore, or about a dozen other reality tv shows, most Jersey career politicians, etc.
107.Smathers says:
July 28, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Luckily, I don’t talk to racists anymore, just point out that calling Obama Bojangles is racist.
Never said I wasn’t a Jew myself
I never viewed the reference to “O” as Bojangles as Racist, rather as Grim pointed out it was a comparison to Anderson. I would have thought comparing him to Al Jolson in black face would possibly be Racist, but not to another Black man noted for his showmanship and littl;e else? Just out of curiosity, what led you to a view of Racism?