Weekend Open Discussion

This is the time and place to post observations about your local areas, comments on news stories or the New Jersey housing market, open house reports, etc. If you have any questions you wanted to ask earlier in the week but never posted them up, let’s have them. Also a good place to post suggestions, requests for information, criticism, and praise.

For readers that have never commented, there is a link at the top of each message that is typically labelled “[#] Comments“. Go ahead and give that a click, you might be missing out on a world of information you didn’t know about. While you are there, introduce yourselves to everyone.

For new readers that have only read the messages displayed on the main page, take a look through the archives, a substantial amount of information has been put online in the past year. The archives can be accessed by using the links found in the menus on the right hand side of the page.

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453 Responses to Weekend Open Discussion

  1. grim says:

    From the Trentonian:

    Princeton Junction lawyer guilty of $1M fraud

    A Princeton Junction attorney pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy that defrauded mortgage lenders of at least $1 million, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie said yesterday.

    Between March 2003 and September 2005, he admitted he participated in the conspiracy with Wayne Puff, the former president and founder of NJ Affordable Homes Corp., which was based at various times in Perth Amboy and Woodbridge, to defraud various mortgage lenders, said Michael Drewniak, public affairs officer with Christie’s office.

  2. grim says:

    From the Star Ledger:

    The Star-Ledger announces large-scale buyout offer

    The owners of The Star-Ledger announced Thursday they will sell the newspaper if they cannot win union concessions and persuade a large number of non-union, full-time workers to take buyouts in the next two months.

    The owners set a deadline of Oct. 1 for getting 200 of the paper’s 756 non-union full-time employees to take a buyout and for achieving the union concessions. The paper’s total workforce is 1,412.

  3. grim says:

    From Bloomberg:

    Merrill `Co-Opted’ Analysts Backed Auction-Rate Debt to the End

    Four days before Merrill Lynch & Co. stopped supporting the auction-rate securities market and left thousands of individual investors stuck with securities they couldn’t sell, the firm’s analysts recommended clients buy.

    “Reports of the imminent demise of the auction market seem to be greatly exaggerated, again,” analyst Kevin Conery wrote in a Feb. 8 research note. “We continue to be impressed by the auction market’s resiliency.”

    The remarks show Merrill’s researchers were “co-opted” during a seven-month drive by the New York-based firm’s sales force to prevent a meltdown in the $330 billion market, Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin alleged yesterday in an administrative complaint filed in Boston. As the sales desk pushed analysts to publish upbeat notes, managers used gallows humor to complain about a “collapsing” market and the end of $2,000 dinners.

    “Come on down and visit us in the vomitorium!!” the auction-rate desk’s managing director, Frances Constable, wrote to a co-worker in August, as demand began to dry up. “Market is collapsing,” another executive cited in Galvin’s complaint said in a November 2007 personal e-mail. “No more $2K dinners at CRU,” a Manhattan restaurant where the wine list includes dozens of bottles for more than $1,000.

  4. grim says:

    From MarketWatch:

    Housing slump causes more people to stay put

    Something happened last year in Chicago that hasn’t been seen since 2001: Instead of losing residents, the Second City actually gained population.

    According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city’s population rose 0.3% between July 2006 and July 2007. While the growth may look paltry compared with other U.S. cities, it hints at how the sluggish housing market and the credit crunch is affecting migration trends, demographers say.

    Meanwhile, hot cities including Phoenix, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas — while not losing population — are showing reduced levels of growth, reversing the trend of Americans from northern states relocating in the Sun Belt, he said. Houston still had the largest numerical increase in population, according to the census.

    In Florida, Miami, Orlando and Tampa saw a substantial slowdown in growth, he added.

    The dismal state of the housing market is blamed for stalling the heavy movement to the south — for now anyway. As home prices have plunged, many homeowners who want to move are staying put instead of selling for less than what they think their homes are worth.

    Stricter lending requirements also seem to be enabling larger cities to retain more of their residents. Young would-be homeowners who can’t get a mortgage in order to buy a home in the suburbs may be remaining in the city for now, Frey said.

  5. grim says:

    From the FT:

    Real estate sector fears huge increase in CMBS defaults

    Defaults on commercial mortgage-backed securities issued at the height of the credit bubble will more than quadruple from their current levels under conditions in the US economy expected by the commercial real estate industry, according to a report from Fitch Ratings.

    Borrowers would default on an average of 17.2 per cent of securitised commercial mortgages over 10 years if the US economy dips into a recession with 0.2 per cent contraction in growth, compared with current very low default rates of 4 per cent, a rise of 330 per cent.

    Such a scenario corresponds “to the negative predictions currently offered by commercial real estate experts”, analysts at Fitch wrote. This would happen if the economy suffered a similar downturn to 1991, and assumes that the value of properties covered by the deals falls by 25 per cent, and cash flow from rents by 15 per cent.

    The higher defaults under such a slowdown compares with a historical default rate of 7.9 per cent, and with the milder scenario that Fitch thinks is more possible of 0.8 per cent economic growth and a 13.7 per cent rate of default.

    It would cause non-investment grade bonds – B and BB rated CMBS – to suffer loss rates of 100 per cent and 95.9 per cent, respectively. Meanwhile, 30.6 per cent of the lowest-rated investment grade bonds – BBB rated – would experience losses, while loss severities would rise to 37.9 per cent from an historical average of 33.5 per cent.

  6. grim says:

    From NYT/Dealbook:

    Scenes From a Merrill Meltdown

    When the history of the Great Market Crash of 2008 is written, perhaps the following will make for a fitting epigraph:

    “Market is collapsing. No more $2k dinners at CRU!! The Financials are being invicerated! [sic]”

    That cri-de-coeur, penned by a Merrill Lynch executive in an e-mail message last November, showed up in an 80-page lawsuit (PDF) filed on Thursday by the state of Massachusetts, which is suing Merrill for misleading investors about toxic auction-rate securities. (Cru is the West Village hot spot whose $78 prix-fixe includes braised Berkshire pork belly and foie gras terrine.)

    It was the latest entry in a peculiar genre of poem: the Wall Street confessional. The missives, which first gained notoriety in the Eliot Spitzer era, are making a comeback as a new wave of financial fraud cases pop up in the courts.

    Add a few Merrill messages to the canon. Referring to the firm’s auction trading desk, a managing director wrote, “Come on down and visit us in the vomitorium!!” (This came as clients were allegedly advised to snap up the suspect securities.)

    Later, after an unfriendly questioner emerged on a sales call, the managing director urged a research analyst: “Shut this guy down. Suggest he call outside this call. He is focusing attention away from your positive message.”

    Finally, the same banker used an incriminating metaphor to motivate her sales team.

    “The gloves are off and we are not concerned with issuer perception of our abilities and the competition,” she wrote. “Gotta move these microwave ovens!!”

  7. grim says:

    From LoHud:

    Home foreclosures, mortgage fraud on rise in New York

    A report issued yesterday by the state Commission of Investigation found that home foreclosures have risen an alarming 14 percent in New York in recent months, with most cases in the New York City area.

    The report finds loopholes in state law are aiding the mortgage meltdown, despite attempts by the state Legislature to strengthen laws to protect homeowners.

    In 2007, New York City accounted for half of foreclosure filings in the state. Brooklyn and Queens together had 36 percent of the total filings, ranking first and second, respectively. Suffolk and Nassau counties ranked third and fourth.

    For the first quarter of this year, Westchester ranked sixth in the number of foreclosure filings, with 732, or 5.2 percent of the total statewide. Rockland ranked 11th and Putnam ranked 16th.

    Monroe County and the city of Rochester ranked fifth statewide with 815 foreclosure filings in the first quarter of the calendar year, which ended March 31. In 2007, the county had about 2,000 foreclosure filings – tops in upstate New York.

  8. RPatrick says:

    6-grim

    How do you go from 78 fixed price to 2k?
    Which if the food is really good is not horrendous considering it costs about 30 dollars to goto outback and get a steak.

    Have fun at the meetup, I am out celebrating my 29th.

  9. grim says:

    From Fox Philly:

    Close To 90 N.J. Towns Owe Millions For State Police Protection

    89 New Jersey towns owe more than $12 million dollars for state police protection.

    For the first time, they are being asked to share the costs to offset a budget shortfall and they’re none to happy about it.

  10. grim says:

    How do you go from 78 fixed price to 2k?

    Vino

  11. grim says:

    From Bloomberg:

    IndyMac, Second-Largest Mortgage Lender, to File for Bankruptcy

    IndyMac Bancorp Inc., the second- largest independent mortgage lender in the U.S. before it was forced to curtail lending, filed for bankruptcy after a run by depositors left the California mortgage lender short on cash.

    IndyMac will file for bankruptcy today in a California court, seeking relief under Chapter 7 of Title 11 of the U.S. code, the Pasadena, California-based company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

  12. Tom says:

    Grim,

    You forgot the most important news. The fat cat is a victim of foreclosures.

    Well more like victim of a bad owner.

    “”It broke my heart to give him up,” Donna Oklatner told MyFOXPhilly.com. “I could not take care of him. I love him. It broke me heart. I wanted him to have a good home.”

    I’m sorry but leaving a cat to wander the streets isn’t “giving him up”. That’s abandonment. Giving him up would be taking him to a shelter at least.

    Apparently she gave him to “a friend” to take to the shelter but he never made it there.

    Maybe I’m a bit callous because of all these stories of animals being abandoned like this, but I don’t buy the friend story.

  13. bairen says:

    #6 I’m glad to see Wall St is still full of people with lots of class and integrity….

    /off sarcasm

  14. Tom says:

    More great news from big realtor!

    “”The passing of this legislation is great news, particularly for anyone thinking about buying their first home,” said Weichert. “The current market already presents a great opportunity for first-time buyers when you consider interest rates remain historically low, home prices continue to be more affordable than in recent years and there is a large supply of homes to choose from. Now with the added incentive of a sizeable tax credit, it would be hard for me to resist if I was a first-time buyer.” “

    Nice change of pace to hear a realtor telling everyone to buy houses.

  15. grim says:

    Note: If I am ever in a position to incriminate myself in an email, I’ll be sure to run spell check before sending it.

  16. grim says:

    Nice change of pace to hear a realtor telling everyone to buy houses.

    Weichert’s cheerleader outfit is looking a bit threadbare, and those pompoms sure look like they’ve seen better days.

  17. Tom says:

    “filed on Thursday by the state of Massachusetts, which is suing Merrill for misleading investors about toxic auction-rate securities.”

    How can they claim to be mislead when they bought something with toxic right in the name :)

  18. grim says:

    From Bloomberg:

    U.S. Economy Probably Lost Jobs for Seventh Consecutive Month

    The U.S. probably lost jobs in July for a seventh consecutive month and the unemployment rate rose, increasing the risk the economic slowdown will worsen, economists said before a government report today.

    Payrolls fell by 75,000 after a 62,000 decline in June, according to the median estimate of 80 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. The jobless rate probably rose to 5.6 percent, the highest level in four years, according to the survey median.

    “We’ll see accelerated declines in payrolls,” said Lindsey Piegza, an economic analyst at FTN Financial in New York. “That will really compound the pressure on the consumer.”

  19. Tom says:

    IndyMac Files For Bankruptcy

    “IndyMac said its liabilities are between $100 million and $500 million, according to the Chapter 7 filing yesterday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles. The bank said it has fewer than 50 creditors. “

    Oh $100 or $500 million, but who’s really counting?

  20. grim says:

    Does it really matter? We’re good for it.

  21. tbw says:

    State Police are trying to raise money by stopping people for going 5 mph over the speed limit. Watch out people…

  22. Tom says:

    LOL. Cramer on the today show says oil companies made big profits because the spike in oil prices and Exxon probably peaked this quarter because the price of oil is coming down.

    Uhm… shouldn’t that be the other way around? Most other industries make less profit when the price of their supplies go up.

    Also said housing will stabilize and it’s possible things won’t get worse.

    They replayed his flip out clip. Shame all those people were losing their jobs because the fed didn’t come rescue them from their own stupidity earlier.

  23. grim says:

    From the WSJ:

    GM Swings to Loss
    By MIKE BARRIS
    August 1, 2008 7:29 a.m.

    General Motors Corp. swung to a $15.5 billion second-quarter net loss amid $9.1 billion in charges and write-downs, stung by strikes at a major supplier and collapsing truck and SUV sales.

    The company had warned early in July that it would post “a significant second quarter loss.”

  24. David says:

    This is old news, but I just noticed it. The base rate on I-series savings bonds is zero percent as of May 1. Supposedly the rate is determined by the outcome of recent TIPS auctions, which yields are hideous. Inflation protected securities seems to be a parimutuel game which now only pays out on a longshot.

  25. bairen says:

    #21 tbw

    I don’t think it’s just the state police. I’ve noticed a a huge increase in
    Warren in the number of police hiding along the busy commuting roads this week. My coworkers are saying the same thing about the local cops on the 40 mph roads in Morris County.

  26. sas says:

    I agee with Tom (12).

    This cat owner, Donna Oklatner, is a total moron. Never could stand people who abandon animals.

    Believe it or not, alot of forgotten heros during Vietnam were dogs. Thats for damn sure!

    but this shows you the underlying personality, pshychology & irresponsibilty of many (not all) people in foreclosure.

    Most (not all) are irresponsible and have a total emotional detachment from reality (i.e bills to pay or buying something knowing of they can afford anyways).

    So, there is a psychological profile/correlation here at work.

    and I submit to you that most (not all) people in foreclose… is not really an economical issue, but rather a complete psychological issue. Specifically, stupidity, irresponsibilty, emotional detachments from reality, lazy, expecting other to do for you, etc.. .etc….

    And just think, you are about to bend over, with your pants around your ankles, so these people can pay their morgages.
    ex.H R 3221 Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008

    sad but true.
    SAS

  27. HEHEHE says:

    I am out of the Tips. Into Prudent Bear Global Income. All disclaimers.

  28. sas says:

    “I’ve noticed a a huge increase in
    Warren in the number of police hiding along the busy commuting roads this week. My coworkers are saying the same thing about the local cops on the 40 mph roads in Morris County”

    yes, I’ve noticed this too. Keep in mind law enforcement is viewed as a revenue stream and not a peace officer. Gotta write those tickets. But yet, on the other hand, I don’t blame them. ALot of you drive like crap, so they are going to capitalize on that.

    See, another reason 911 is a joke. THe cops are too busy writing tickts to these awful drivers and it takes away time & resources to a true emergency.

    SAS

  29. Tom says:

    “Most (not all) are irresponsible and have a total emotional detachment from reality (i.e bills to pay or buying something knowing of they can afford anyways).”

    sas,

    if only the credit industry was capable of coming up with some sort of way to differentiate borrowers, and somehow rank them using maybe a numerical value which would indicate how they have behaved with credit in the past to determine their level of risk so that lenders wouldn’t give them more money than they can reasonably afford to pay back, this could have all been avoided.

    Oh wait.

  30. sas says:

    Tom,

    They do, or should I say.. they did.
    In my day, we called it the 4 C’s.

    But today, these morons will give a loan to anyone. and when it comes back to haunt them, they cry fould.

    boo hoo.
    these spoon fed babies. They cry if they break a nail, or if they run out of conditioner at the bathhouse.

    SAS

  31. Tom says:

    sas,

    That breeze you felt over your head indicates you need to read my poorly formed run on sentence again :)

  32. Stu says:

    Pimco:

    Bill Gross’ Investment Outlook

    http://www.pimco.com/LeftNav/Featured+Market+Commentary/IO/2008/Investment+Outlook+Bill+Gross+Mooooooo+August+2008.htm

    “Yet credit creation modeled after mother’s or better yet – cow’s milk – is not always a predictable event. Almost always the milkmaid or modern-day farmhand is blessed with an ever increasing pail of the white elixir. Occasionally, however, because of irritable bovine bowel syndrome or just bad grass, Old Bessie doesn’t produce. So it is in today’s financial markets. Debtors in need of more milk are squeezing the teat and not much is coming out. And this deflating supply of credit is in effect the financial market’s version of Mad Cow disease. It can be deadly.”

  33. sas says:

    I gotcha bloke!
    I’m just on a rant.

    ;)
    SAS

  34. Stu says:

    MSN Money:
    The repugnant bailout nation

    http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/ContrarianChronicles/TheRepugnantBailoutNation.aspx

    “We are at another moment when those of a bullish persuasion, whose financial muscle memory was developed under former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, are determined to put lipstick on the pig at every opportunity.”

  35. tbw says:

    The awful drivers are the ones who arent paying attention to what they are doing. Unfortunately, these dangerous drivers never get stopped for having their heads up their posteriors.

    I especially love the “speed limit vigilanties”, basically drivers who coast 50 mph in the left lane, refusing to mover over to the right. The DOT really needs to put up signs indicating that the left lane is for passing, not cruising. If you arent going faster than the car to the right of you, MOVE OVER!

    end rant.

  36. David says:

    #27 HEHEHE

    Is it worth the 1.53% expense ratio?

  37. Stu as John says:

    Freshman year in college was a blur to me. Managed to get on academic and residence life probation simultaneously. Besides the threat of getting the boot if I didn’t get the GPA into the 2s, they banished me to all male dorm. Needless to say, most of the football players and EOF students ended up banished to this dorm as well due to similar circumstances. At first, the fear of being labeled a homo scared the sh*t outta me. We also had community johns, so it wasn’t unusual on Friday morning to find a giant turd in a urinal. You also had to keep a spare set of clothes with you in the shower as frequently the boys would steal your stuff when you were washing up. Nothing like running down the hallway to your room in a moldy old shower curtain. Learned some good shower pranks including continuously dumping shampoo on the head of the dude showering next to you as he has his eyes closed trying to rinse his shampoo out. One day, we moved every piece of our R.A.’s furniture into the bathroom as he showered. We even hung his friggin’ plants. That was a riot. Well anyhow, the chicks saw our dorm the same way fluke see chum and my homo fears quickly faded. No fayg was gonna live in a building with such bad shared bathroom conditions anyhow. And the EOF and football players provided supplemental income if you new how to play ’em. The football players never did their term papers so a quick search using compuserve yielded plenty that that could be sold to ’em. The ballers paid top dollar for they thought I wrote ’em (with my 1.8 gpa and all). The EOF students could be used to buy your books as they were given a free $500 bookstore stipend each semester. I would buy their stipend for $100 cash and then would buy everyone their books at a 20% discount. Did I feel guilty? No effin way. 9 out of 10 of them wouldn’t make it to sophomore year anyhow.

  38. Stu says:

    Grim,

    I did some research and found that Mod security on certain blogs will result in the following error..”An appropriate representation of the requested resource /blog/wp-comments-post.php could not be found on this server.”

    In my case, it was the word linx, but spelled with a ‘y’.

    Apparently, there are a bunch of old school internet/Apache server terms that trip the error.

    Just thought you might want to know.

  39. sas says:

    “Stressed banks borrow record amount from Fed”
    http://tinyurl.com/59g5e9

  40. #15 – Note: If I am ever in a position to incriminate myself in an email, I’ll be sure to run spell check before sending it.

    I don’t understand, it was a perfectly cromulent word.

  41. Stu says:

    Government says economy shed 51,000 jobs in July – fewer than expected – but unemployment rate rose to 5.7% – highest in 4 years.

  42. Sean says:

    No turn signals. That gets my goat every time, I cannot stand drivers who never use turn signals.

  43. Stu says:

    “No turn signals. That gets my goat every time, I cannot stand drivers who never use turn signals.”

    That’s because their left hand is too busy holding the cell phone to their ear.

  44. Stu says:

    Unemployment at 4-year high
    Employers trim payrolls for seventh straight month in July, as jobless rate rises to 5.7%, a full percentage point higher than year ago.

    By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer
    August 1, 2008: 8:36 AM EDT

    NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Employers trimmed jobs once again in July and the unemployment rate hit a four-year high, according to a government report Friday that showed the seventh straight month of job losses .

    The Labor Department reported a net loss of 51,000 jobs in the month, compared to a revised loss of 51,000 jobs in June. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had been forecasting a loss of 75,000 jobs in the latest report.

    The unemployment rate edged up to 5.7% from a 5.5% reading in June. It was the worst reading since March 2004, and slightly worse than economists’ forecast of a 5.6% rate.

    The rate has now jumped a full percentage point from a year ago.

  45. NJGator says:

    Got my monthly compiled listings for the various towns Stu and I are watching. My quick 10 second assessment:

    Same tired crap. Slightly lower priced.

    Happy Friday, everyone!

  46. DINJ says:

    Well we just canceled a contract on a termite infested short sale……Oh well….
    WE have decided to put off the search until the baby DINJ arrives in November.
    Any thoughts on searching for a home with a newborn?

  47. stanjohn says:

    So Me and my buddy Mug hop a steamer out of Greenport Long island, old whaling village on the north fork. I only go North Fork, the Hamptons are for pinkshirted, pennyloafer types. Let me tell you its still a whaling village with all the 200+ pounders waddling around. Funny thing is the captains name is Quint and the boat is heading to Spain, not Staten Island. 30 cases of Ballantine and a few rounds with the hag cooking swill later and I’m getting chased by some bulls in Pamplona. I never seen Mug run so fast cept for the time we cut out on the check at the Athena diner on cross bay boulevard. Ever notice that Greek chicks have Hairy arms and unibrows walk kinda funny. Steal a ford escorpio and get the hell out of the bull town and head out to the country where everyone is speaking like the regulars at a chelsea nite club. Mug hates lisps and we just hightail it out of there. Me, I hate midgets, Mug, its lisps. Anyway, That was one crazy weekend. Work was rough on Monday.

  48. John says:

    Shower pranks were indeed popular. My hallinvented the janitors closet technique as one freshman jerk deserved more, the janitors closet we broke the inside doorknob off and broke the wood above the door. We jamed the freshman in there and throw everything nasty you could impagine over the top right on hime and then we shoved the hose in for a good washing and then let them stew for 30 minutes. He was naked in there too, dang when we flipped the door open and ran that nut was so freaked out we ran down the hall naked and had a big wipe out cause he was wet, he looked like a freak show. Someone once told me that most days are the same and we remember very little details of our life. Anytime you can remember an incident in detail it is a blessing. Well the freshman who was spreading crabs we locked in the closet will remember his special 30 minutes for a lifetime and that is really quite special. It is also special for all the girls he gave it too, payback is fun.

    The RA on our hall was a real A-hole, worst ever, so my hall invneted something called a piss pot, everyone on the hall had a big old nasty glass jar with a screw on lid, our plan was everytime you has something truly disgusting, scab, snot, pimple, toenail clipping, rancid food, dead mouse etc. you put it in the jar. On the last day of year we pelted his entire room with several jars of the stuff. For some reason that RA guy went bizark. But it was really really funny. I guess that was his special moment he will always remember.

  49. CNBC interview with Meredith Whitney from Oppenheimer;
    Maria B.: Can Lehman survive? (around the 8:22 mark)
    Whitney: Umm… I… ermm.. I don’t know…
    Interesting interview too.

  50. HEHEHE says:

    David,

    I saw that, I think so as I expect things to get much lousier. To each their own I guess. It was only 1% higher than the TIPS account I had been sitting in for a year. That one did well for about 8 months then pretty much stagnated. I figure I’d let it ride a year in the Prudent Bear. Again I am obviously no investment expert.

  51. Rich In NNJ says:

    Sorry, but John out “Johned” everyone.

  52. twice shy says:

    Here’s a new one, at least for me:

    Looked at an attractive small house this week. After checking the unfinished basement, accessible by narrow stairs without a rail that aren’t up to code, I decided there’s no way a fuel tank could have been originally installed (or removed for that matter).

    Seller checked “don’t know” on UST part of the disclosure. Lived there about 20 years. I went back early the next morning and found the tank which was overrun by roots from a nearby huge pine tree.

    This morning I hear from my agent that not one tank has been found, but two. Two for the price of one! House is vacant. Seller already owns another one around the corner. LOL.

  53. tbw says:

    twice shy: How did they find the tanks?

  54. Stu says:

    John,

    That all male dorm was a trip.

    I eventually become an RA and then an AM (supervisor to the RAs), but my policy was that as long as you shared your beer or pot with me, I wouldn’t rat you out. No share, well then the situation was going to be documented.

    Speaking of janitor closets. Every year, we would temporarily assign a freshman triple to a janitors closet. The look on the parents faces as well as on the Frosh was fantastic as they opened the door to the closet. Then, someone was assigned to say, “Look on the bright side, you have your own sink!”

    Then there was the pennying people into their rooms and throwing a stink bomb in from their window. Or simply leaning a waste bin of piss against their door so they would get to experience the yellow tide in the morning when they left for class.

    The best thing I took from Stone Hall was a ping-pong serve that I learned from a Vietnamese exchange student that is virtually impossible to return.

    Good times.

    My res life jobs eventually paid for my room and board for the last 4 years of my higher education. It was also, the single greatest chick magnet ever. All those freshman girls on the rebound after breaking up with their high school sweethearts, and they would come to me to make them feel better. Oh, I made them feel better alright!

  55. twice shy says:

    [53]:

    Professional tank sweep.

  56. Sybarite101 X says:

    RPatrick,

    Funny, I just turned 29 yesterday too! Happy Birthday.

  57. chicagofinance says:

    “Come on down and visit us in the vomitorium!!” the auction-rate desk’s managing director, Frances Constable, wrote to a co-worker in August, as demand began to dry up. “Market is collapsing,” another executive cited in Galvin’s complaint said in a November 2007 personal e-mail. “No more $2K dinners at CRU,” a Manhattan restaurant where the wine list includes dozens of bottles for more than $1,000.

    I GOT A LITTLE QUAD ACTION HERE:
    lost the contents of my sinus, stomach, bladder and bowel simultaneously…..I think I scared Hunter….

  58. Clotpoll says:

    grim (16)-

    It is a barely-concealed fact that Weichert’s managers- once their contracts expire- are being pared down to override-only compensation. Naturally, they are all quitting.

    They are being replaced in my area by some of the biggest losers ever to hit the biz. However, these are the people who are willing to accept only override as comp.

  59. twice shy says:

    [58]

    What is “override-only compensation?”

  60. njpatient says:

    #6

    Oh my

  61. grim says:

    Look on the bright side, at least the numbers came in lower than estimated.

    From Bloomberg:

    U.S. Payrolls Drop 51,000 Jobs; Jobless Rate Rises

    The U.S. lost jobs in July for a seventh straight month and the unemployment rate rose, increasing the risk that the economic slowdown will worsen.

    Payrolls fell by 51,000, less than forecast, after a decline of 51,000 in June that was smaller than initially reported, the Labor Department said today in Washington. The jobless rate rose to 5.7 percent, the highest since March 2004, from 5.5 percent the prior month.

    Fewer jobs, combined with decreasing property values, stricter lending rules and near-record energy prices, threaten to cut household spending. Cutbacks at UAL Corp. and Starbucks Corp. signal firings are spreading beyond builders and manufacturers as the cost of raw materials soars.

    “There’s not a whole lot of optimism among employers,” Peter Kretzmer, a senior economist at Bank of America Corp. in New York, said before the report. “The economy will get worse, and that can certainly generate more weakness in the labor market.”

  62. bi says:

    amazon’s #1 best seller today for weekend reading:

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/53/ref=pd_ts_b_nav

  63. John says:

    We used to penny sleeping people in and then yell fire, fire as we slowly sprayed talcom powder under the door. We only did it to first floor freshman people and the dopes always jumped out the window.

    My stupid hall way had a janitors closet with a room number and we ordered dominos pizza 5 minutes before closing, of course our room was nearby and we would commensurate the guy who had to eat the cost of the pizza as it was too late to take it back and we were nice enough to buy it off him for half price. So one day the guy catches on and starts giving us heat but the guy down the hall was smart enough to swipe all the other pies out of his domino’s ford escort and a feast was had by all. College was a lot more fun when their was nothing to do in the rooms, the kids today have cable internet, ac, ipods, blackberries, single room dorms. When you triple in a small room with two other 18 year olds with no TV or phone in the room you get into a lot more trouble.

  64. willwork4beer says:

    #63 John

    OMG, we used to pull the same janitor closet/ pizza scam at my school!!! LOL.

  65. Stu says:

    John,

    Same Domino’s pizza trick was performed regularly at Stone Hall as well. Eventually, Domino’s ‘wouldn’t deliver!’

    I was introduced to Hawaiian Pizza by the brothers. Pineapple and bacon was the shiznit!

  66. PGC says:

    #46 DINJ

    “Any thoughts on searching for a home with a newborn?”

    That’s what the Realtor is there for. They hold the baby or watch the stroller while you look round the house.

    If they give you any lip, just say “No Babysitting, No Commission”

  67. bairen john says:

    One time we threw a party in the dorm. I was chuggen down boilermakers made out of black Label and Mohawk. These fist pumpers crashed in and tried to throw off this playa’s game. Well they didnt no I had dun a lot of Hai karate back in the day. Nocked the lipstick right off them pigs without spilling a drop of my brew.

  68. Stu says:

    One last story…

    Freshman year, I get booked into a room with two EOF students. One was from Elizabeth, which I learned was pronounced Lizbit. Other was from West New York and only acted tough.

    Well a few nights into my college experience, one of them ask me if I ever, “busted a nut with a girl?” Having no clue as to what they were talking about having grown up from that urban enclave known as East Brunswick, I responded, “No, but it sounds awfully painful!” For the next 3 months, I had to hear that story repeated at least 100 times.

  69. Clotpoll says:

    2x (59)-

    A percentage of commission dollar on closed sales. A very low percentage.

  70. njpatient says:

    RPat
    “How do you go from 78 fixed price to 2k?
    Which if the food is really good is not horrendous considering it costs about 30 dollars to goto outback and get a steak.”

    Agree the price ain’t bad. The $2K is the result of the wines. You get two guys and a client at the table and they each want to show how much the know about expensive wine, someone orders a couple of bottles of Ridge Monte Bello ’79 and you’re at $2K pretty quickly.

  71. Stu says:

    BI:

    Have you read any of Mr. Corsi’s other fiction? He’s on track to replace Shakespeare!

    Mr. Corsi is the author of several books, including “Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry” (along with John O’Neill), “Black Gold Stranglehold: The Myth of Scarcity and the Politics of Oil” (along with Craig R. Smith), “Atomic Iran: How the Terrorist Regime Bought the Bomb and American Politicians,” and most recently, “Minutemen: The Battle to Secure America’s Borders.”

  72. njpatient says:

    6 grim

    I wonder what sorts of emails are floating around penned by Yun and Lereah and company discussing the falling RE market while they were out telling everyone to buy?

  73. sas says:

    yeah, I like that Jerome R Corsi.

    SAS

  74. njpatient says:

    14 Tom

    “The passing of this legislation is great news, particularly for anyone thinking about buying their first home,” said Weichert. “The current market already presents a great opportunity for first-time buyers when you consider interest rates remain historically low, home prices continue to be more affordable than in recent years and there is a large supply of homes to choose from.”

    Come to think of it, I have an email from a Weichert agent telling me that I was right about the RE market and she was wrong and it was a good thing I didn’t buy and would I please call her next year if I’m considering getting back in the market.

    Hmmmm.

  75. njpatient says:

    19 Tom

    “Oh $100 or $500 million, but who’s really counting?”

    Certainly not the CFO of IndyMac…

  76. njpatient says:

    “But yet, on the other hand, I don’t blame them. ALot of you drive like crap”

    sas, you regularly crack me up.

  77. willwork4beer says:

    #74 njpatient

    I’ve been getting a monthly newsletter on email from a realtor who showed me a house back in 2004. First three years was buy, buy, buy. Last 12 months has been gardening and barbecue tips… ;)

  78. Doyle says:

    BC,

    You out there? Heard he went on very late… due to the bad traffic I presume? 3 East was backed up from the Stadium to Montclair at 730p, and the turnpike was obviously a nightmare.

  79. njpatient says:

    37 Stu

    Now THAT get’s my vote for the Write As John contest!!!

    I think it most accurately captures the anti-hero flavor. Some of our other efforts have been too … romantic.

  80. Clotpoll says:

    So one night me and my pals grab a garbage can and brew up some boondoggle which is mad dog, koolade, grain and some slices of orange for the chiqitas. But one buddy of mine is a pharma major and he scores some romilar codene coff sirup, we dump it into the juice. So to make sure nobody dies, we give everybody three tickets, after three you’re cut off. Man you never saw girls get so wasted.

    So me and my pal square off with this butter face and she’s giving us the old dog and whistle in the janitor closet and things are moving along pretty good and she’s sorta rocking along like a tub of spoiled cottage cheese. Then there’s a knock on the door and it’s this guy from down the hall and he has a cattle prod.

    oops gotta go. Wisdom tree trading down. Hoo boy, I don’t think I have any stops in.

  81. Clotpoll says:

    The above was me, as John. Please do not draw parallels between this and my current (or any other) life.

  82. njpatient says:

    42 Sean

    I second that motion.

  83. Nom Deplume says:

    [21, 25]

    Regular readers of this blog will recall that I warned y’all about the police becoming the new tax collectors for the state and towns.

    My rule (learned thru painful experience) is to NOT be the fastest guy out there, only the 2nd fastest. I take full advantage of the fact that NY/NJ types always feel that they have to be the lead dog. Sometimes I can bait them into speeding and off they go. I call them “rabbits” because they will go fast and attract the hounds. Sit back about 500 yards and watch the fun.

  84. njpatient says:

    46 DINJ

    “Any thoughts on searching for a home with a newborn?”

    We did that in early ’07 (a newborn, two-year-old and four-year old). We’d just pull the baby’s ejectable car seat out, walk into the house, and leave her snoring in the foyer while the two older Little Patients ran around the house saying things like “but it has no fireplace!” or “what’s that smell?!?”

    When our realtor got too annoying and talkative, we’d make her hold the baby.

    It was great.

  85. njpatient says:

    “Funny thing is the captains name is Quint and the boat is heading to Spain, not Staten Island. 30 cases of Ballantine and a few rounds with the hag cooking swill later and I’m getting chased by some bulls in Pamplona.”

    Hemingway. Didn’t I say, Hemingway? We’re turning John into Hemingway.

  86. Clotpoll says:

    patient (85)-

    Yeah, it doesn’t ring true. The accurate voice is sort of an Andrew Dice Clay/Bob Guccione hybrid.

  87. Fiddy Cents on the Dollar says:

    Sybarite-
    RPatrick-

    I see we have a few birthdays this week….mine is today (but the celebration usually lasts all month).

    I knew there was something I instantly liked about you two Leos!!

  88. Nom Deplume says:

    [11] Grim,

    Wonder if Chuck will hang that trophy on his wall? I noticed that his website has absolutely no references to Indymac on it.

  89. njpatient says:

    54 stu

    “Then there was the pennying people into their rooms and throwing a stink bomb in from their window. Or simply leaning a waste bin of piss against their door so they would get to experience the yellow tide in the morning when they left for class.”

    Never stretched plastic wrap over the toilet bowl?

  90. njpatient says:

    62 bi

    Jerome Corsi? You’re flogging a book by Jerome Corsi?
    Oh my.
    Desperation really has set in, hasn’t it?

  91. twice shy says:

    Clot [69]:

    Small percentage commission on closed sales with (I’m assuming) no base pay? My confidence in Weichert agents and agency has been taken down another notch.

  92. Tom says:

    njpatient,

    I’m in shock! Do you think she’s going to send giftbaskets with an apology to the ones she sold houses to? :)

    Just got off the phone with Burtch Seed in OH. They’re one of the few distributors of this variety of kentucky bluegrass I was looking for, Avalanche. It’s in Scotts Pro line of grass seeds.

    It tested really well at Rutgers New Brunswick. Beat out other KBG varieties in all categories. The guy told me they use it a lot around there for sports fields because it stands up to traffic well. The variety is only 2 years old so I haven’t seen any pics of it but he told me it’s fine bladed and has a very dark color. The Rutgers NTEP tests rank it as the darkest.

    I’m going to be overseeding into the existing lawn so I’m not sure how dark it will be mixed in with what I have. Hopefully I get some improvement in color. It’s only about twice the price of the good seeds you can get at home depot so I’m going to try it out. This place also sells by the lb and not just by the 50lb sack they sell to golf courses and arenas.

    Hopefully the results are worth the frustration I had the past couple of weeks trying to decide which seed to go with. Life was simpler before I knew there were other seeds besides the stuff you can buy at HD.

  93. DL says:

    Lehman to Sell $30 Billion in Mortgage Assets.

    http://www.cnbc.com/id/25963606

  94. njpatient says:

    80 Clot

    A+
    I split my sides!

  95. njpatient says:

    83 Nom

    “Sometimes I can bait them ”

    This is a very important skill.

  96. bairen says:

    #89 njp

    I loved that move.

    When I worked at a beach club I nailed the handyman with that one. Took the lightbulb out of the bathroom so he wouldn’t notice. got the head cook too.

    In college I poured pickle juice and the oil from canned tuna in the carpets of one of my friend’s dorm. Place reeked for weeks.

  97. SG says:


    Home Prices Fell in 23 of 25 U.S. Metro Areas in May

    Aug. 1 (Bloomberg) — Home prices fell in 23 of 25 U.S. metropolitan areas in May from a year earlier as foreclosure sales pushed down values and most areas remained mired in the housing recession.

    Sacramento had the biggest price drop, falling 31 percent from May 2007. Las Vegas declined 29.5 percent, San Diego 27.2 percent, St. Louis 26.9 percent and Phoenix 25.8 percent, said real estate data company Radar Logic Inc. Sales rose in 22 areas in May from April, driven by “motivated” sellers including banks, the company said.

    Radar Logic’s May report showed no improvement in prices from April. May was the second consecutive month when prices fell in 23 of 25 metropolitan areas from a year earlier, suggesting no end to the three-year slump.

    Bill Gross, who manages the world’s biggest bond fund, predicted last month that falling U.S. home prices will force financial firms to write down $1 trillion from their balance sheets, crimping bank lending and sparking sales of assets.

    St. Louis had the biggest transaction decline, falling 75.9 percent, followed by Philadelphia (49.6 percent), Seattle (46.1 percent) and Atlanta (41 percent). Manhattan condominium transactions fell 31.8 percent, Radar Logic said.

  98. njpatient says:

    86 clot

    Exactly.

  99. bairen says:

    I would love to read a book by John. He would put all those hard boiled detective writers to shame.

  100. SG says:

    From Article above,

    Prices in the New York metropolitan area fell 5.8 percent from a year ago. They dropped 6 percent in Chicago and 7.8 percent in Boston, Radar Logic said.

  101. njpatient says:

    92 Tom

    As many in these parts know, I’m a big fan of the bluegrass.

  102. njpatient says:

    93 DL

    “Lehman to Sell $30 Billion in Mortgage Assets”

    for $1.5B? I hear that’s the going rate!

  103. syncmaster says:

    So how do you guys feel about the future of Perth Amboy?

    GSMLS #2546219 is listed at 305k. 3 bedrooms, 3 baths. New construction.

    305k seems high to me for PA.

  104. njpatient says:

    “Prices in the New York metropolitan area fell 5.8 percent from a year ago.”

    Pretorius Johnson was right!!

    Well, close enough. That’s in the ballpark of a price change somewhere between -5% and +5%.

    You know: “stagnant”.

  105. Jamey says:

    52:

    Unless they promise total remediation, I’d say, “Tanks, but no tanks.”

  106. DL says:

    102 – njpatient: 5 cents on the dollar? Not bearish enough.

  107. SG says:

    Good long article. Here are the topics.

    IS THE U.S. BANKING SYSTEM SAFE?

    Deception – Keeping the Ponzi Scheme Going

    The Future FDIC Bailout

    What is a Level 3 Asset?

    Merrill Lynch – Poster Child for Lack of Bank Credibility

    Is Housing Near the Bottom?

    Fannie & Freddie Fiasco

    Next Shoes to Drop – How High Will the Losses Go

  108. Orion says:

    Leo here, later this month.

  109. njpatient says:

    96 bairen

    My roommate and I had a giant slingshot that could launch a water balloon ~400 feet (range increased when we went to the roof of the music building, which was always empty).

    By the time the water balloons landed, they were coming down almost vertically, and it was impossible to tell from what direction they were coming.

    The reign of terror lasted about two years, and on one occasion when we had targeted the same spot for a bit too long, the head of security arrived, hopped out of his pickup, started looking around to try to spot the culprits, and jumped about three feet when the next shot landed in the bed of his pickup with an unholy bang.

  110. willwork4beer says:

    #104

    Njpatient Johnson is right about Pretorius Johnson being right!!!

  111. njpatient says:

    I think that’s Mel Brooks’s greatest work.

  112. Stu says:

    NJpatient (89):

    Plastic wrap would be too obvious although plenty of double deckers were performed at many a frat party. Fortunately the toilets in Stone were of the tankless variety.

    Thanks for the compliments on my John attempt.

    He is truly impossible to duplicate. I do agree that many of the entries are too ‘Naked City’ and just no ‘real’. Although, they are none-the-less entertaining.

  113. willwork4beer says:

    #111

    Mongo… Santa Maria!!! ;)

  114. njpatient says:

    Nice to see domestic Anthrax terrorist Bruce E. Ivins offed himself. The Patient family is happy to see him go. Maybe now we can stop pretending it never happened.

  115. Stu says:

    “I say the sheriff is a ni(bing)”

    “The sheriff is near?”

    “No, no, no. I said the sheriff is a ni(bing)”

  116. njpatient says:

    Stu – we may need to bring that bell to the inauguration in January.

  117. njpatient says:

    “Excuse me while I whip this out”

  118. njpatient says:

    “Is it twue what they say about you people?”

    “Oh, it’s twue, it’s twue!”

  119. willwork4beer says:

    15 schnitzengruben is my limit. Baby! I’m not from Havana!!!

  120. grim says:

    We really went downhill fast this week, I can’t imagine what the quality of discussion will be like at 3 this afternoon.

  121. willwork4beer says:

    Back to RE:

    OK, we’ll give some land to the n*@#+* and the c*#@+#, but we don’t want the Irish…

  122. grim says:

    Not that there is anything wrong with that

  123. Rich In NNJ says:

    Englewodd Cliff Comp Killer!

    SOLD: 289 CENTER ST $1,450,000 12/17/2004

    MLS#: 2818026
    Orig List: $1,660,000 5/2/2008
    Last List: $1,425,000 8/1/2008

  124. grim says:

    Sub ’04? Wow.

  125. Rich In NNJ says:

    (123) Englewood Cliffs Correction

    SOLD: $1,425,000 8/1/2008

  126. Rich In NNJ says:

    Lodi Comp Killer!

    SOLD: 253 GROVE ST $383,000 6/3/2005

    MLS#: 2811897 (REO)
    Orig List: $329,900 3/25/2008
    SOLD: $285,000 7/31/2008

  127. jamil says:

    114: njpatient: “Nice to see domestic Anthrax terrorist Bruce E. Ivins offed himself. The Patient family is happy to see him go.”

    The trial and day in court are overrated anway? I don’t know whether he was guilty or not, but, for example, seeing the public lynching of (innocent) Dr Hatfill without a shred of evidence, there are other possible explanations for suicide.

    You truly are a sick human being.

  128. bi says:

    john once said 90% of people should know his father’s work. guess what is his father’s name?

  129. Rich In NNJ says:

    Upper Saddle River Comp Killer!

    SOLD: 19 ORATAM RD $819,000 5/10/2005

    MLS#: 2813862
    Orig List: $849,000 4/6/2008
    SOLD: $705,000 7/31/2008

  130. Rich In NNJ says:

    Whoa! Another USR Comp Killer and below ’04 pricing!

    Upper Saddle River Comp Killer!

    SOLD: 55 UNION AVE $950,000 9/13/2004

    MLS#: 2806468
    Orig List: $899,000 2/15/2008
    SOLD: $750,000 7/31/2008

  131. njpatient says:

    “We really went downhill fast this week, I can’t imagine what the quality of discussion will be like at 3 this afternoon”

    Rareh!!!

    (Stu and Mr. Beer should get that reference)

  132. njpatient says:

    126 Rich

    “Lodi Comp Killer!”

    Nice! That’s a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

  133. BC Bob says:

    Doyle,

    I’m alive out there. Damn propane truck, didn’t come on to close to 9:30, played to 12:50. Top shelf.

    Now, off to Foxboro. I’ll be tailgating with approx 30 Red Souck fans. HAH, they’ll be crying in their beer about Manny. Hopefully, Bruce will cheer them up with Dirty Water.

    To anybody attending; Enjoy Shannon Rose, great place.

  134. Stu says:

    I don’t get the reference…sorry!

  135. Stu says:

    I was dying to attend the GTG, especially considering that they have smithwicks and boddington on tap, but I’m stuck with the Rye guy on Saturday night.

  136. Doyle says:

    BC,

    Jungleland { lyrics }
    Born To Run { lyrics }
    Bobby Jean { lyrics }
    Dancing In The Dark { lyrics }
    American Land { lyrics }
    Jersey Girl [Tour Premiere]
    Rosalita { lyrics

    Insane… I got hosed.

    Red Souck fans, ugh… at least the Manny jokes will be fun. Enjoy!

  137. lostinny says:

    Where’s all the white women at?!

  138. BC Bob says:

    Rich [130],

    20% off 2004 in USR! Not to worrry, don’t panic. Just some seismic event. Come to think of it, as Bruce states, earthshaking.

  139. willwork4beer says:

    #134 Stu

    Example of Gabby Johnson’s “authentic frontier gibberish”.
    Another example: “candy@ss sidewinder”

  140. willwork4beer says:

    #137 lost

    Stampeding cattle? That’s not much of an offense.

    Through the Vatican?

    Kinky!!!

    :)

  141. lostinny says:

    I love that movie.

  142. Rich In NNJ says:

    Dumont FUTURE Comp Killer!

    SOLD: 237 W MADISON AVE $250,000 12/18/2001
    SOLD: 237 W MADISON AVE $375,000 10/28/2004

    MLS#: 2818723 (REO)
    Orig List: $379,900 8/8/2007
    Last List: $289,900 7/31/2008

  143. BC Bob says:

    Doyle,

    Yeah, great setlist.

    The magic rat, over that Jersey state line.

    Down the shore everything’s allright.

    Don’t forget Spirit and Blinded by the Light.

    By the way, we have our Giant Super Bowl Champion shirts, ready to wear on the field at Gilette. Speaking of, does Tom Brady still have a sore #ss?

  144. Rich In NNJ says:

    Fair Lawn FUTURE Comp Killer!

    SOLD: 17 READING TER $372,500 2/15/2005

    MLS#: 2814431
    Orig List: $379,000 4/9/2008
    LastList: $369,000 8/1/2008

  145. Nom Deplume says:

    The NJ Real Estate and Blazing Saddles Report.

    “I’m working for Mel Brooks”

  146. njpatient says:

    127 jamil

    “You truly are a sick human being.”

    I take it you want Gitmo folded and you’re outraged at the Bush administration for eliminating the constitutional right to a writ of habeas corpus; I’m sure the use of torture makes you feel ill, and the holding of people indefinitely without the right to a trial makes you want to vomit.

    I’m sure that the fact that the targets of the Anthrax attacks were (a) every network other than FOX and (b) Democrats, despite the fact that they were in the minority, doesn’t have anything to do your spirited defense of this killer.

    I’m sure the fact that the Anthrax attacks were used as an excuse for the Iraq invasion doesn’t have anything to do your spirited defense of this killer.
    http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92270&page=1
    “second test of the anthrax-laced letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle points to the presence of a troubling chemical additive, sources tell ABCNEWS.

    As far as is known, only one country, Iraq, has used bentonite to produce biological weapons, but officials caution that the presence of the chemical alone does not constitute firm evidence of Iraqi involvement.”
    Wow – where d’ya think they got that titillating bit of information?

    Oddly, some people knew about the attacks in advance – like journalist Richard Cohen (remember how hard it was to get Cipro? We let 8 postal workers in NJ die because it was in short supply?):
    http://www.slate.com/id/2186766/
    “The attacks were not entirely unexpected. I had been told soon after Sept. 11 to secure Cipro, the antidote to anthrax. The tip had come in a roundabout way from a high government official, and I immediately acted on it. I was carrying Cipro way before most people had ever heard of it.”

    At least in this instance, I have the excuse that Mrs. Patient was in Tom Daschle’s office the day his staff opened the Anthrax letter. Our insurer refused to provide Cipro well, and the only reason she’s alive now is that she happened to be close with a certain public health officer who made it happen.

    What excuse do you have for your rank hypocrisy?

    There’s a stench around you.

  147. njpatient says:

    127 jamil

    “You truly are a sick human being.”

    I take it you want Gitmo folded and you’re outraged at the Bush administration for eliminating the constitutional right to a writ of habeas corpus; I’m sure the use of torture makes you feel ill, and the holding of people indefinitely without the right to a trial makes you want to vomit.

    I’m sure that the fact that the targets of the Anthrax attacks were (a) every network other than FOX and (b) Democrats, despite the fact that they were in the minority, doesn’t have anything to do your spirited defense of this killer.

    I’m sure the fact that the Anthrax attacks were used as an excuse for the Iraq invasion doesn’t have anything to do your spirited defense of this killer.

    http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92270&page=1
    “second test of the anthrax-laced letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle points to the presence of a troubling chemical additive, sources tell ABCNEWS.

    As far as is known, only one country, Iraq, has used bentonite to produce biological weapons, but officials caution that the presence of the chemical alone does not constitute firm evidence of Iraqi involvement.”

    Wow – where d’ya think they got that titillating bit of information?

    [more]

  148. njpatient says:

    jamil 127

    Oddly, some people knew about the attacks in advance – like journalist Richard Cohen (remember how hard it was to get Cipro? We let 8 postal workers in NJ die because it was in short supply?):
    http://www.slate.com/id/2186766/
    “The attacks were not entirely unexpected. I had been told soon after Sept. 11 to secure Cipro, the antidote to anthrax. The tip had come in a roundabout way from a high government official, and I immediately acted on it. I was carrying Cipro way before most people had ever heard of it.”

    At least in this instance, I have the excuse that Mrs. Patient was in Tom Daschle’s office the day his staff opened the Anthrax letter. Our insurer refused to provide Cipro well, and the only reason she’s alive now is that she happened to be close with a certain public health officer who made it happen.

    What excuse do you have for your rank hypocrisy?

    There’s a stench around you.

  149. Nom Deplume says:

    [95] patient

    “This is an important skill”

    I am a professional. Don’t try this at home.

  150. njpatient says:

    jamil 127

    Oddly, some people knew about the attacks in advance – like journalist Richard Cohen (remember how hard it was to get Cipro? We let 8 postal workers in NJ die because it was in short supply?):
    http://www.slate.com/id/2186766/
    “The attacks were not entirely unexpected. I had been told soon after Sept. 11 to secure Cipro, the antidote to anthrax. The tip had come in a roundabout way from a high government official, and I immediately acted on it. I was carrying Cipro way before most people had ever heard of it.”

  151. willwork4beer says:

    146 Nom

    OK, Nom we can get back to RE:

    “There’s no avoiding this conclusion, our town is turning into sh*t…”

    :)

  152. njpatient says:

    127 jamil

    At least in this instance, I have the excuse that Mrs. Patient was in Tom Daschle’s office the day his staff opened the Anthrax letter. Our insurer refused to provide Cipro well, and the only reason she’s alive now is that she happened to be close with a certain public health officer who made it happen.

    What excuse do you have for your rank hypocrisy?

    There’s a stench around you.

  153. njpatient says:

    Oddly, some people knew about the attacks in advance – like journalist Richard Cohen (remember how hard it was to get C*pro? We let 8 postal workers in NJ die because it was in short supply?):
    http://www.slate.com/id/2186766/
    “The attacks were not entirely unexpected. I had been told soon after Sept. 11 to secure C*pro, the antidote to anthrax. The tip had come in a roundabout way from a high government official, and I immediately acted on it. I was carrying C*pro way before most people had ever heard of it.”

    At least in this instance, I have the excuse that Mrs. Patient was in Tom D*schle’s office the day his staff opened the Anthrax letter. Our insurer refused to provide C*pro well, and the only reason she’s alive now is that she happened to be close with a certain public health officer who made it happen.

    What excuse do you have for your rank hypocrisy?

    There’s a stench around you.

  154. njpatient says:

    grim – c*pro goes to moderation??

  155. chicagofinance says:

    Clotpoll Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 10:00 am
    patient (85)- Yeah, it doesn’t ring true. The accurate voice is sort of an Andrew Dice Clay/Bob Guccione hybrid.

    clot: doesn’t Guccione have a gold-plated toilet bowl?

  156. Nom Deplume says:

    [147] Patient,

    To me, this suicide proves little. From what I read, Ivins sounded like he was wired a bit too tight to begin with, and was looking at forced retirement which was supposedly depressing him bigtime. Couple that with seeing the public drawing and quartering that Hatfill got (and thinking it could come his way) and you have the recipe for excedrin headache .357.

    Innocent until proven guilty is what we were taught. To me, there is just as much evidence that he was going to snap anyway as there is suggesting guilt.

  157. njpatient says:

    feel free to delete the moderated posts (took awhile to figure out what the trigger was).

  158. njpatient says:

    Nom

    “Innocent until proven guilty is what we were taught.”

    I agree with this. Having a personal closeness to the matter makes me feel a little less pleasant about it.

    I am glad that jamil feels that terrorist suspects should have full due process rights under the constitution.

  159. Tom says:

    237 W Madison, Dumont

    For reference, the judgment on that property was $411,926.16 and I think the auction was in may 2007. I didn’t start tracking properties on my site back then. That’s only 10% off judgment which is less than what I’ve been seeing lately.

    124 W. Madison Av, Dumont, NJ is also being foreclosed.

  160. njpatient says:

    142 Rich

    Holy smoke!

    LISTED at 25% below 2004!

  161. ben says:

    This is the 2nd house from Extreme Makeover lost to foreclosure. I read on another board that a great idea for a show. “Extreme Foreclosure”. We’ll profile every family that was on Extreme Makeover.

  162. jamil says:

    njpatient: Don’t give me this crap about habeas corpus and Fox. In WW2 under Dem leadership, we had people (both citizens and POWS) locked up in the US without habeas corpus and spies were executed without trial lawyers.

    I don’t know about this guy but given the incompetence of FBI and the treatment of Dr Hatfill, I would be a bit hesitant of celebrating a suicide of another scientist. As for Gitmo sickos, I have little sympathy for them. The ones who have been released have ended in blowing up themselves and others in various places.

  163. njpatient says:

    “I’ll be tailgating with approx 30 Red Souck fans. HAH, they’ll be crying in their beer about Manny.”

    Great trade, says this Yankee fan.

  164. njpatient says:

    139 Mr. Beer

    “Example of Gabby Johnson’s “authentic frontier gibberish”.”

    Ding!

  165. Rich In NNJ says:

    NJP & Bob (132 & 138),

    And all this is from the daily Hot Sheet; I’m not scouring every listing.

    The best is when I get comments like “that house is on a bad street”, “it’s in a crappy town”, etc.
    It was a bad street and/or a crappy town last year and all the years before.
    But from my recent experience gleaning over these daily sales and price changes, it doesn’t matter what street, neighborhood, town, burg or village. I’m seeing losses and short sales EVERYWHERE.

  166. Nom Deplume says:

    [160]

    “says this Yankee fan.”

    Yankee fan???

    NO SCOTCH FOR YOU.

  167. njpatient says:

    lost

    “I love that movie.”

    what a flick. Maybe we put it in the NJREReport movie hall of fame along with our previous inductee, “The Princess Bride”.

  168. njpatient says:

    “NO SCOTCH FOR YOU.”

    D’oh!!

  169. grim says:

    njp,

    yep, lots of c!pro spammers.

    hey, you know, i still have a bottle in my fridge from my last trip to mexico.

  170. Nom Deplume says:

    164

    I nominate Caddyshack

    “I tell ya, golf courses and cemeteries are the biggest waste of real estate.”

  171. Rich In NNJ says:

    Tom (156),

    It hasn’t sold yet.

  172. njpatient says:

    Rich

    “It was a bad street and/or a crappy town last year and all the years before”

    I love this one.

    Like the NJ town that’s “close to Manhattan”. Well, it was close to Manhattan before you arrived, and will be close to Manhattan after you leave. How does a constant factor explain recent price changes?!? Was Weehawken crawling ever closer to Manhattan for the past decade? Did Weehawken used to be in Bucks County??

    It’s really just a subset of the “I’m so smart” fairy tale.

  173. njpatient says:

    Nom
    What about “The Holy Grail”

    “She’s beautiful, she’s rich, she’s got huge… tracts of land”

  174. AntiTrump says:

    Is “Lipstick on a pig” the more over-used phrase in this credit crisis?

  175. EJ says:

    Anyone looking for info and advice on the local Jersey Shore market, check out http://www.yournjrealestate.com and his blog too. There is a lot of good information there.

  176. njpatient says:

    163 jamil

    The difference between you and me is that I have principals. These principals allow me to say that the US concentration camps in WWII were wrong, that Korematsu v. US is right up there with Dred Scott among our most wrongheaded and sickening Supreme Court decisions, and that although I have a visceral reaction to the Anthrax terrorist attack because it affected me personally, it’s still wrong, as Nom eloquently pointed out and you pointed out like a petulant third-grader, to deny the fundamental right of due process.

    You, on the other hand, seem to decide whether a person is entitled to a determination of guilt or innocence based on the color of their skin.

  177. njpatient says:

    jamil

    “Don’t give me this crap about habeas corpus”

    That says everything.

  178. Richie says:

    Speaking of Scotch; Grim and I nearly polished off a nice bottle of Macallan last nite… smooooooth

  179. Tom says:

    168 Rich,

    “It hasn’t sold yet.”

    Was just pointing out that I’ve seen foreclosures go for cheaper at auction so anyone interested might be able to lowball. Back when it was up for bid, it probably didn’t get much attention and the banks might not have been allowing the discounts I’m seeing now.

  180. Rich In NNJ says:

    Nearly?

    Keep trying girls.

  181. lostinny says:

    Patient
    I’m with you- inductee #2.

  182. Rich In NNJ says:

    Tom,

    I hear ya.

  183. njpatient says:

    oil ever closer to $40

  184. bairen says:

    Real men drink beer

  185. grim says:

    Speaking of Scotch; Grim and I nearly polished off a nice bottle of Macallan last nite… smooooooth

    Give some credit, another hour or so and the rest would have just evaporated.

    Tasty though.

  186. gary says:

    …and the number shall be three! No less… no more…. but three!

  187. Nom Deplume says:

    [170]

    “What is the average velocity of an unladen swallow?”

  188. bi says:

    By a few key strikes, I know why the quality of this board got deteriorated. here is top 10 list over 182 posts:

    41 njpatient
    21 grim
    15 Stu
    12 Rich In NNJ
    10 Tom
    9 willwork4beer
    7 Nom Deplume
    6 sas
    5 Clotpoll
    5 bairen

  189. Fiddy Cents on the Dollar says:

    Easy there, big fellas….Macallan is not meant to be “polished off” It’s meant to be savored.

    Even if this “savoring” consumes the whole bottle within a 6 hour savoring session.

    It should then be referred to as “A good night’s work” in savoring the best of the Speyside Highland region.

  190. gary says:

    [184],

    African or European?

  191. Nom Deplume says:

    [187]

    Uh. I don’t know. Aaaaaaaugh

  192. Sassy says:

    # 137 I’m waiting on the Bugaboo comp killers. How many will be realizing that money would have been better applied towards a mortgage payment by now. Craigslist is loaded with ’em for sale, so much for using them on baby #2, 3, 4 and 5.

  193. Nom Deplume says:

    [185]

    What??? I out-skunked John and Jamil???

    Oh the shame.

  194. SG says:

    By far this is the most Grim article I have read so far.

    http://www.nolanchart.com/article4339.html

    If this scenario comes true, what is recommendation on, where should one keep the money? I am talking about funds where you don’t want to take lot of risk for e.g. down payment funds etc…

  195. Stu says:

    BI:

    A single post from you is one too many.

  196. Secondary Market says:

    i seriously feel like i’m reading an Opie and Anthony thread.

  197. Essex says:

    185…I am dead certain that this board has helped more people in a week than you have had hot meals Bi.

  198. bairen says:

    #185 bi

    I’m in the top ten!!!!!

    bi now has 2 uses on this board.

    1) He is the board contrarian
    2) He likes to make tables.

    I didn’t know bi could count to 41. interesting that’s where he thinks oil is going too.

  199. Clotpoll says:

    Has anybody mentioned yet today that jamil sucks?

  200. Clotpoll says:

    bairen (195)-

    idiot savant

  201. bairen says:

    #196 clot

    I think that’s understood by the whole board.

  202. John says:

    The reason everyone is talking nonsense here is that houses may have gotten cheaper but we still know we can’t buy yet so we are killing time.

    Kinda like if someone stood outside Great Neck South with a Free Ham sign.

  203. njpatient says:

    “The reason everyone is talking nonsense here is that houses may have gotten cheaper but we still know we can’t buy yet so we are killing time.”

    John Johnson is right!

  204. Tom says:

    “The reason everyone is talking nonsense here is that houses may have gotten cheaper but we still know we can’t buy yet so we are killing time.

    Kinda like if someone stood outside Great Neck South with a Free Ham sign.”

    That sounds nothing like the other John impersonations. Next time try harder!

  205. John says:

    BTW sold that dog wisdom tree for enough gain to pay for some Benz parts. JC I only owned it two days and I was as nervous as a drug smugler in an airport.

    Other fun things in college, crazy glue people door locks, drop 5-8 no doze tablets in the coffee grinds in the percolator and watch the people fly about. Yelling INS in stony brook libray. Driving on the grass with lights out at night looking for open windows to nail people with fire extinguisher. Dropping Fridges off the roof. Turning volkswagon bugs upside down, using crazy gluing fishing line to a quarter and nailing like 50 credits on the pac man machine. Tilting soda machine or snack machine, putting renolds wrap in microwave, fire hose up BK drive through slot. Turning stero on a timer full blast for five seconds every 15 minutes between 4 and 6 am. Switching phone lines in telephone closet for free long distance, getting cc copy of tests, the list goes on and on. We were very busy.

  206. spam spam bacon spam as john says:

    janitor’s closet…

    the bathroom at my old job got used quite a lot by a kid who thought working was for stiffs and he would disappear into the pooproom for a good hour or more, and judging by the boss’ indifference it wasn’t gonna get any better so we quietly fired up the torches back of the shop and walked over with just the tip quietly pushing flame and proceeded to heat up the doorknob. So we hear all sorts of noises, like you think maybe there’s a window you don’t know about and someone else is in there with him with all the bullshittin’ that’s goin on, well we had that doorknob good and toasted when we initiated phase 2 which was to unload a 12 pack ether cans under the door… the first moments of spray got a laugh out of the slacker but then as can upon can was sprayed under the door, you could hear him assembling himself as if he was going on a date and by the time we was trying the doorknob and then screaming, we were darn near done unloading our ether load.

    He was real quiet after that and when the boss finally realized he was missing, we told him go try the bathroom.

    Slacker never came back after that and the boss had an office trailer delivered for himself with a pottie inside it.

  207. bairen says:

    Thgere are now some 3 bdr 1.5 or 2 baths for rent in Brigadoon in the $1,700 to $2,000 range. Looks like soon I’ll not only be deteriorating this board, but Brigadoon as well.

    Unless I move to Slummit.

    Another state

    or another country…again

  208. bairen says:

    I’m voting for John in November. He’s a playa not a poser.

  209. John says:

    FREE HAM

  210. John says:

    http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/820856/

    I got the pictures of your bathroom slackards

  211. PGC says:

    NJPaitent

    While I understand the personal connection makes the feelings raw, your statement “domestic Anthrax terrorist” will always negate any support for “Innocent until proven guilty”

    Jamil for all his faults does make a relevant point on Steve Hatfil and his public lynching.

    Until you rationalize this you’ll end up no different from the Gitmo supporters and those people that shout insults at musl1m families in the park.

  212. sas says:

    “By a few key strikes, I know why the quality of this board got deteriorated. here is top 10 list over 182 posts:

    6 sas”

    hugh? what did I do?

    SAS

  213. sas says:

    John,

    “I got the pictures of your bathroom slackards”

    this is the best you can do?

    come on bloke.. weak… very weak..

    SAS

  214. bi says:

    don’t get me wrong. i have no problem with the rest in top 10 except the first one, which posted almost 25% over total and most of them are non-sense craps.

  215. Secondary Market says:

    @201
    Hilarious!

  216. sas says:

    bi,
    you lost me? I don’t get it.
    whats wrong w/ the posts?

    SAS

  217. Stu says:

    “non-sense craps?”

    Wha?

  218. bairen says:

    Yesterday at Panera’s there was a sign posted that said their cost for wheat had gone up more then 100% in the last 6 months.

    These ethanol clowns are messin with my Bear Claws

  219. BklynHawk says:

    Rich NNJ-

    Thanks for the Fair Lawn Comp Killer. Things are definitely happening in that town.

  220. njpatient says:

    214 PGC

    I already admitted I was wrong on the point.

  221. njpatient says:

    bi:

    Pot, meet kettle. I won’t say “black” because that’d make you nervous.

  222. Nom Deplume says:

    [221]

    I believe it is proper to say “cookware of color”

  223. John says:

    Where is this park you speak of? Do they serve beer and peanuts while we shout the insults? Will Jerry Springer be there? Sounds like fun.

    Until you rationalize this you’ll end up no different from the Gitmo supporters and those people that shout insults at musl1m families in the park.

  224. John says:

    WASHINGTON MUT INC SB NT 4.625% 04/01/2014 Price (Ask) 49.010
    Yield to Worst (Ask) 20.125%

    The largest savings bank in the country is trading bonds at under 50 cents on a dollar.

  225. njpatient says:

    http://tinyurl.com/6pltw9

    Auto sales plunge again
    Sharp fall in truck and SUV sales hurt GM, Ford and Toyota as consumers get squeezed by higher gas prices and weak economy.

  226. Nom Deplume says:

    [205] barien,

    If you become Brigadoonian, you will have to come to the GTG. Too close for excuses.

  227. SG says:

    Long Article.


    Annus horribilis

    THINK back one year. It wasn’t such a long time ago, but things were vastly different.

    Mortgage interest rates were about 3 percentage points lower than now. The sharemarket was about 20% higher. The papers were full of stories about booming super returns, and the US “subprime” crisis was like a tiny dark cloud on the horizon – far away and probably harmless.

    Fast forward just 12 months. Some of the sharemarket’s biggest stars have been reduced to near-worthless wrecks. Most of the non-bank mortgage sector is in shutdown. The banks have increased mortgage interest rates well above the Reserve Bank’s cash rate rises, while in two cases owning up to $1 billion-plus losses.

  228. bairen says:

    #226 Nom,

    Would love to attend.

    Are German beers allowed? Hard liquor brings back some bad, John like memories of college.

  229. John says:

    http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ansLB3YYzGRo&refer=home

    Anyone want to go in the African Wallet business with me.

  230. lostinny says:

    229 Bairen
    Are you a fan of Franziskaner?

  231. PGC says:

    #220 njpatient

    There is nothing to admit to or apologize for. Everyone is entitled to their feelings and emotions and opinions, no matter what they are. That is why the first amendment exists.

  232. PGC says:

    #223 Strawman

    You get closer to Archie Bunker every day.

  233. njpatient says:

    “Are German beers allowed?”

    bairen, I’ll bring the Franziskaner if you bring the Weihenstephaner.

  234. lostinny says:

    Patient
    This is why I like you. I think we should bring some Abita too.

  235. bairen says:

    #231 lostinny Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 2:38 pm
    229 Bairen
    Are you a fan of Franziskaner?

    I prefer Heidiklum

  236. bairen says:

    #235 njpatient

    Sounds good to me.

  237. lostinny says:

    bairen
    I bet you do but I think Seal might have something to say about that.

  238. willwork4beer says:

    #231 lost Yum

    #235 njp Yum&yum

    #238 bairen YUM!

    :)

  239. njrebear says:

    224 John,
    What’s the cusip number?

  240. SG says:

    I know everyone is in Friday mood here, so RE is last on people’s mind. But if you want some RE excitement, see the link at post #237. There is YouTube video, I think very well done.

    Have a nice weekend. I am going to try to make it to GTG this time, after not being there for last 2 of them.

  241. John says:

    WASH MUT BK FA CA GLBL MTN BE 5.500% 01/15/2013 FR SB
    CUSIP 93933VAS7

    Someone pick up the whole 250K piece off my screen so I can’t see the cusip anymore. All I see now is this one at 65. and a few more in high 60s. I was going to buy 10K of it but I have a 8-25-08 Wamu bond maturing and want that cash back before I throw more money in the hole.

  242. Rich In NNJ says:

    Bergenfield Comp Killer!

    SOLD: 12 MORGAN ST $275,000 2/28/2003

    MLS#: 2809089 (REO)
    Orig List: $299,900 3/5/2008
    Last List: $289,900 5/27/2008
    SOLD: $260,000 8/1/2008

  243. John says:

    HA HA – I was talking to some lady about some work stuff and she mentioned she was at my 2006 speech at the Harvard club. She said “it was very infomative” Note not good, maybe she ment she learned she should check speakers qualifications before she pays to go to a conference. What amazes me is you can get free flights and rooms if you speak, I am working on a new speech, I think I will do the “The Coming Meltdown of the Total US Economy” I will charge ahead of time and take payment in Gold, Gas, Rice or Ammo.

  244. NJl$rd says:

    For Grim to trouble-shout this problem, you’ll need to email him the whole text so that he could duplicate and locate the problem. I’m not web developer but happen to do a small php integration project a few months ago. It’s no fun in general to debug as it took me a lot of time
    (Placing a lot of ‘syslog’ breakers, see reference http://us.php.net/syslog )

    #38 Stu Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 8:25 am

    Grim,

    I did some research and found that Mod security on certain blogs will result in the following error..”An appropriate representation of the requested resource /blog/wp-comments-post.php could not be found on this server.”

  245. John says:

    “Lulz” is how trolls keep score. A corruption of “LOL” or “laugh out loud,” “lulz” means the joy of disrupting another’s emotional equilibrium. “Lulz is watching someone lose their mind at their computer 2,000 miles away while you chat with friends and laugh,” said one ex-troll who, like many people I contacted, refused to disclose his legal identity.

    Another troll explained the lulz as a quasi-thermodynamic exchange between the sensitive and the cruel: “You look for someone who is full of it, a real blowhard. Then you exploit their insecurities to get an insane amount of drama, laughs and lulz. Rules would be simple: 1. Do whatever it takes to get lulz. 2. Make sure the lulz is widely distributed. This will allow for more lulz to be made. 3. The game is never over until all the lulz have been had.”

  246. John says:

    Estate Sale. Old Cape, Great Location,.29 Ac.,Includes Delapadated Boat House.

    Never seen that word in an RE ad before.

  247. Veto says:

    bairen Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 1:35 pm
    “Yesterday at Panera’s there was a sign posted that said their cost for wheat had gone up more then 100% in the last 6 months.”

    Similarly, baby’s favorite cookies flew off the shelves 2 weeks ago, couldn’t find them anywhere. Returned this week but price doubled to $4.50 per box. Also saw a $9 watermelon.

    I dont get the CPI. Oil/Gas up 30% per year, house prices were going up 25% per year, Gold up 30% per year, food going up 30% per year. CPI unchanged.

  248. Sean says:

    re: 254 – HEHEHE- Perhaps pile on SRS?

    All Disclaimers.

  249. sas says:

    ha ha. check out this bloke:

    notice the closings are still high- so.. all those people who purchased to help make sales high last year were still able to close this year- sales are still happening- just less bc of all the unnecessary media negativity such as this article.. some markets are truly affected- As a broker as well as investor, I dont think Manhattan is affected and if anything it is now more than ever more of a buyers market

    By jlnyc50 on 08/01/2008 at 4:30 pm

  250. sas says:

    and this bloke must be drinking out of the same Kool-Aid bowl:

    Set your terms, and I’ll bet you that you’re wrong. I bet that condo prices are *never more than 20% off their highs.

    By bluerain on 08/01/2008 at 4:10 pm

  251. Sybarite101 X says:

    My apologies if this has already been posted:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/magazine/03trolls-t.html?hp

    Relevant to many posters here.

  252. sas says:

    wow, look at that chickneck bed wetter from that NYT article.

    I can tell he lives at home with Mom. lol, he must live in NJ

    :)
    SAS

  253. Nom Deplume says:

    [233] barien,

    Given your travelogue, I would expect VB or XXXX.

    Q: Why do Queenslanders call it “XXXX”
    (and don’t tell me you haven’t heard this joke)

  254. Nom Deplume says:

    [240] lost,

    Some TurboDog perhaps????

  255. Nom Deplume says:

    okay, for the Fall Brigadoon GTG (which will be whatever day my wife lets me have it), it will be the:

    NJ RE Report Brigadoon GTG, Scotch Tasting, and German Beer Blast.

    Bring enough beer for Grim.

    For scotch drinkers, no F*^&$% blends allowed! We aren’t in Jr. high school any more.

  256. jamil says:

    njmentalpatient:

    “to deny the fundamental right of due process.”

    It was you you denied it by your sickening celebration of a suicide of a scientist. FBI has had 100% failure rate in this investigation, NYT leaked early the name of innocent Dr Hatfill and his life was practically destroyed in the process. It is not something to look forward, even if you are innocent.

    Gitmo has nothing to with this but since you asked: Under any credible legal theory, foreign militants captured abroad by US military do not have US constitutional rights (or made-up rights, such as Miranda). Once the hostilities between Taleban/AQ and the US have officially ended, they can be released. The closest legal example (or theory) for justice is military trial, similar to Nuremberg trials. No trial lawyers or US court system needed there. This is due process for terrorists (or heroes, as Mike Moore and ACLU calls them).

  257. lostinny says:

    263 Nome
    I’m not big on the TurboDog. I like the Purple Haze better.

  258. bairen says:

    #262 Nom,

    Haven’t found VB or XXXX over here. I did find (thanks to Willwork4beer) Barron’s extra special bitter which is actually nicer then VB.

    A: It’s how Queenslanders spell BEER.

    Queenland is loaded with peculiar people. When I was doing inside sales in Sydney, virtually every wacky caller lived in Queensland.

  259. bairen says:

    Singapore has Tiger beer which is pretty good.

    Q: What do you call a good beer in Taiwan?

    A: An import.

    The Taiwanese beer I tried was awful. worse than warm keystone. Much prefer South Korea’s OB or any major Japanese brand.

  260. NJl$rd says:

    bairen, mind u we have the exact same situation in US. lol / lulz whatever

    http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/jul2008/pi20080724_358837.htm?chan=investing_investing+index+page_top+stories
    Recent big deals include the July 13 acquisition of Anheuser-Busch (BUD), the owner of Budweiser and other iconic American beer brands, by Belgian brewer InBev (INBVF) for $52 billion.

    #268 bairen Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 5:39 pm

    Singapore has Tiger beer which is pretty good.

    Q: What do you call a good beer in Taiwan?

    A: An import.

  261. NJl$rd says:

    is this seven signs something …

    #251 chicagofinance Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 4:02 pm

    Solar Eclipse…

    http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?clip=11565&from=36hr_outlet_video

  262. willwork4beer says:

    lost

    Purple Haze rocks

    can’t believe I’ve been missing all these beer posts! :)

  263. willwork4beerjohn says:

    I hope the blog can stand one more “write like John” post. My entry, humbly submitted…

    After a year on my first job this newbee shows up some dumbass Ivy League rich kid on his first job stupid kid thought i was his boss but i new he had a lot of money so i figured why not. One day I say why dont we hit a gogo bar knowing that dumbass will trip over hiself to pay for it to impress me. So we go there in his daddys car and i procede to get him oiled telling him how macho he is for drinking all that booze and at the same time working the best looking dancer in the place while telling dumbass that she wants him but she needs some blow to get in the mood. Dumbass says he never did any blow and has no idea and can i help him sure i says give me a grand all the while making sure he gets another drink. I gotta talk to the girl I say and then I went to the girl and said lets go I take her out to daddys car and do her right twice. Went back into the bar and grabbed dumbass and poured him in to the back seat since he was wasted and drove to Atlantic City. Turned his grand into ten at the blackjack tables got myself a nice comp meal and a few drinks. Went back to daddys car and in the daylite I could see dumbass facedown in the big wet spot me and that dancer left the night before dang that was some funky shee-it. Woke him up and told him the girl said he was a freakin animal but she loved it and could he give me some tips he bought it the stupid shmuck. I worked with him for four years after that and every time I saw him he bragged about it. sucker.

  264. njpatient says:

    Lostinny

    You gotta watch it with the Purple Haze, though. Pretty soon you’re beer-goggling and all of a sudden it’s ‘Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy.

  265. njpatient says:

    Jamil

    It’s clear that you’re not a lawyer.

  266. willwork4beer says:

    #268 bairen

    Yikes… that’s scary.

    “The Taiwanese beer I tried was awful. worse than warm keystone.”

  267. lostinny says:

    I don’t think they have any Purple Haze at the Shannon Rose.
    Patient
    Been there done that. Luckily it was my husband that was next to me. :)

  268. njpatient says:

    Nom

    “(which will be whatever day my wife lets me have it)”

    Mrs. Deplume and Mrs. Patient will get along just fine.
    No JW blue, then?

  269. njpatient says:

    Veto

    “I don’t get the CPI”

    Cost of lying: unchanged

  270. NJl$rd says:

    liny – a test

  271. Cindy says:

    (272) willwork4beerjohn

    Pretty good!

    “Woke him up and told him the girl said he was an animal..”

    Con, blow, girl, newbie rich kid, bucks, late night, drinking …it’s all there – more car details maybe?

  272. lostinny says:

    272 Cindy
    The only thing missing was the famous person.

  273. Cindy says:

    (282) lostinny…

    I KNEW something was missing…

    You got it..

    Who could we insert in there?

  274. Nom Deplume says:

    [277] patient,

    I care not that a bottle is personalized. I care what is in it. If you vouch for it as being equal to a decent Speyside, well, fine with me. But I have never found blends to measure up. And I note that decent single malts don’t have to advertise on NJ Transit.

    [267] barien,

    I liked Queensland. I thought Cape Trib was just about the most beautiful place I ever saw. And snorkeling on Agincourt Reef blew away anyplace else I ever dived. Mossman and Cairns were a bit odd though.

  275. grim says:

    Well, I guess it wouldn’t really be Friday without a bank failure..

    http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/2008/08/your-friday-bank-failure.html

  276. NJl$rd says:

    Is it too late to start a book:
    “How to buy a REO 22 cents on A Dollar”

    #279 njrebear Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 6:24 pm

    One failur so far today.

    http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/banklist.html

  277. grim says:

    No JW blue, then?

    I’ll bring the blue, I don’t discriminate.

  278. Nom Deplume says:

    Patient, you will appreciate this. The last two houses we looked at had trampolines in the back yards, including the one we are under contract for.

    Little Nom will be incensed to learn that it doesn’t convey. She keeps asking about it, and yesterday she asked how the owners could take it if it won’t fit on a truck.

    Priceless.

  279. Cindy says:

    (285) – Grim,

    Florida, California – Not the places to live right now.. I’ve been sticking with my Educational Employee CU…

    We haven’t seen your “John” entry??? I know you are a great writer..

  280. Nom Deplume says:

    [285]

    True that.

    Regular Readers of NJREReport already know (because I told them) that Friday afternoon is the time that bank employees fear.

  281. njpatient says:

    “Includes Delapadated Boat House.
    Never seen that word in an RE ad before.”

    Joh, if you’re making fun of someone’s spelling, it’s the surest possible sign that they should retire

  282. S.S. says:

    Jim Cramer says housing market has bottomed. Thank god. Now I can finally buy something..thanks Cramer…you da man!

    If I ever see him in public…a brick will mysteriously appear in his face.

  283. willwork4beer says:

    #281 Cindy

    Thanks :)

    # 282 lost

    You’re right, I tried to work one in there somewhere. My original concept was about a guy who wanted to party with a rock star and John’s buddy was a roadie. Would have been way too long…

    On second thought, could have been a “celebrity” dancer AKA porn star. Oh well. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. LOL :)

  284. njpatient says:

    269 njslumlord

    “we have the exact same situation in US.”

    Couldn’t disagree more. There’s plenty of good domestic beer in the US, and the acquisition of Anheuser Busch didn’t change that one whit.

  285. Nom Deplume says:

    [292]

    Cramer said housing has bottomed???

    Sheet, I knew I was buying at the wrong time. Maybe I can contest my assessment next year when Cramerica sags another 10%.

  286. NJl$rd says:

    272 the other thing about john

    – he could be cheap but he don’t normally lie

  287. njpatient says:

    288 Nom

    Awwwww
    You’re screwed.

  288. willwork4beer says:

    Grim,

    #293 in mod. I never had that happen before. I think its because I used the “p*rn” word… Sorry. :(

  289. njpatient says:

    284 nom

    And they will hold their manhoods cheap, who did not dive with you at Agincourt.

  290. scribe says:

    willwork4beer

    great John knockoff!

    I’ve been trying to think of my own John parody, but I can’t quite get to the level of his grosser posts … in fact, I can’t even read those …

  291. Clotpoll says:

    beer –

    Well done. Definitely had the John vibe.

  292. NJl$rd says:

    How do u know Taiwan don’t have plenty of good beers?

    #294 njmentalpatient Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 6:40 pm

    269 njslumlord

    “we have the exact same situation in US.”

    Couldn’t disagree more. There’s plenty of good domestic beer in the US

  293. Essex says:

    This….is…..why……everyone…..thinks……we……suck…..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjLaJO8QEuw

  294. njpatient says:

    302 lord

    “How do u know Taiwan don’t have plenty of good beers?”

    Where did I opine about Taiwanese beer?

    You’ve confused me with you.

  295. willwork4beer says:

    #300 scribe Thank you

    #301 Clotpoll Thanks, means a lot coming from the guy who gets my vote as the best of the “john write alike” entries.

  296. lostinny says:

    Essex
    I posted the same thing earlier but they called it guido beach. :)

  297. njpatient says:

    Lost
    John posted it as well. That’s some hysterical stuff, though – anyone who hasn’t watched it yet is missing out.

  298. bairen says:

    #272 willwork4beer

    Your john entry was beautiful. maybe you can cover for him when he goes on vacation.

  299. lostinny says:

    Patient
    I guess I missed John’s post.
    I’m not missing out. I’m surrounded by that stupidity.

  300. Nom Deplume says:

    [299]

    True that, Henry.

    And yes, I am soooo screwed. Hopefully she forgets.

  301. NJl$ord says:

    njp, sorry for confusion. i’m cheap bud lover no lawyer u know. lol!

    #304 njpatient Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 7:36 pm

    302 lord

    “How do u know Taiwan don’t have plenty of good beers?”

    Where did I opine about Taiwanese beer?

    You’ve confused me with you.

  302. bairen john says:

    i was on a biznes trip to Sydney with one of my buddies. We was in the Fortune of War pub on George St in the Rocks going down on VB like a hotel heiress on a shipping heir. My buddy decided we need more action. So we jump the turnstyles at the Circular Quay station to go ova to Kings Cross. We walk into this jiggly room and see this snaggle tooth broad dancing on stage. my buddy wants to tip her, but austalia has 1 and 2 dollar coins, no way im given this one a fiver. my buddy pulls out a 2 dollar coin and treats the back of the chicks gstring like its a slot machine. He hit the jackpot alright. Next thing i know these 2 guyz toss him out the door into the allee. Well we then go over to a nother joint turns out to be fool service. The guy inside says its a hunnerd an hour. my buddy pulls out a ten and says “Ill be back in 6 minutes” Well he gets bum rushed out the door all the way into the dumpsta. He climbs out peeling spluge crusted trojinz out of his hair. I had enough of this place so we walk down the hill to Woolamoloo to eat at Harry’s Cafe de Wheels, the best place for meat pies in Sydney. i order a Tiger with mashed potatoes and pees. my buddy wipes off his chin and says he wanted to eat a different kind of pie tonite. We start talken to this big guy, claims he’s an actor and a musician. We told him about the time we helped get even for our buddy who got sold some bad blow. We took down the biggest dealer in NYC. this guy starts to ask for my bizness card but the wind changed and he caught a wiff of da funk from my friends clothes.

    Next day we board a plane to LA. The planes tale breaks off in midair and we crash on an eyeland. U wouldn’t believe what happend there. Monsters, other people, tuns of guns, but the honeys were hot and the weed grew like weeds. Maybe we was there 6 months, maybe 6 years, maybe it didn;t happn. All i know is by the tyme I got back to LI sum guy names rusl Krowe made a gansta flick with denzel. They outta make a tv show about what happened on that eyeland.

  303. lostinny says:

    Nice work bairen!

  304. NJl$ord says:

    When my sons grow up, if they tell me to sell out RE portfolio and start a bank, i’ll have to think twice. Priceless!

    #285 grim Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 6:30 pm

    Well, I guess it wouldn’t really be Friday without a bank failure..

  305. NJl$ord says:

    bear you have a serious competitor today

    #312 bairen

  306. bairen says:

    thanks lostinny. john’s so amazing. how can i compete with a future pulitzer prize winner?

  307. lostinny says:

    You mean a fertilizer prize winner? :)

  308. RPatrick says:

    Bairen John

    I googled fool service thinking it was a aussie term.

    As in bottomless clubs in NYC have no booze so you pay alot and dont get slammed like a fool

  309. NJl$ord says:

    everybody want to take a cut now before its ultimate collapse …

    http://www.forbes.com/home/2008/08/01/citigroup-sec-cuomo-markets-equity-cx_cg_0801markets32.html

    It’s not really a good idea to try to take advantage of New Yorkers, who learn early in life how to play tough. The state’s attorney general, Andrew Cuomo, is threatening to wallop Citigroup for its role in selling auction-rate securities, warning the bank that he is readying a suit and suggesting that he won’t be satisfied until it pays back every penny it cost its customers and forks over penalties to the state.

  310. NJl$ord says:

    We’re going to miss John’s authentic posting coming Monday, as he’ll be busy counting the $$$

    http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/08/01/ap5282274.html
    NEW YORK –

    Shares of Ambac Financial Group Inc. skyrocketed Friday after the bond insurer reached a deal to reduce some of its exposure to risky debt.

    Ambac (nyse: ABK – news – people ) shares rose $1.27, or 50.4 percent, to end at $3.79.

    Ambac agreed to pay $850 million to end an insurance agreement covering a $1.4 billion collateralized debt obligation. So-called CDOs are complex financial instruments that combine various slices of debt

  311. willwork4beer says:

    #308 & #312 bairen

    Thanks and good job on the John post.

  312. willwork4beer says:

    R308 & 312 bairen

    Thanks and good job on the John post.

  313. Essex says:

    316…dood….Sorry to share personal info on the web but……John’s last name…….Updike…..

  314. bairen says:

    #318 Rpatrick,

    Not an Aussie term, just a john spelling.

    The other things about Sydney are real. Harry’s Cafe de Wheels is this little place, like a mobile home/grease truck on the water in Woolamoloo.
    http://www.harryscafedewheels.com.au/Home.aspx?element=1&category=1

    The windows are full of celeb pictures eating there.

  315. Mikeinwaiting says:

    Off to work see whomever is coming to GTG at the Rose MMMM…. SCOTCH!
    Lost hope you will be off the wagon. You don’t need a diet anyway. I do!

  316. twice shy says:

    Guys & Gals,

    Your John parodies are hysterical, but there is only one John, and he is an original. I honestly believe the boy has talent, and if I knew where he was lurking, I’d refer him to a literary agent. Something about that wacked energy he’s able to convey in a few short strokes (no pun intended).

  317. lostinny says:

    Mike
    Thanks. But you know us girls. Maybe a drink. We’ll see.

  318. willwork4beer says:

    Grim,

    The report from the hinterlands…

    Hunterdon County Comp Killers:

    MLS#: 2415974

    318 Hackett Road
    Bethlehem Twp

    SLD: 03/30/05 $515,000
    OLP: 06/11/07 $549,000
    SLD: 08/01/08 $410,000
    DOM: 366

    MLS#: 2521576

    21 Alpaugh Drive
    Bethlehem Twp

    SLD: 08/26/05 $720,000
    OLP: 05/27/08 $655,000
    SLD: 08/01/08 $620,000
    DOM: 24

    MLS#: 2514761

    3 Fox Hill Road
    Clinton Town

    SLD: 12/30/04 $525,000
    OLP: 05/04/08 $509,900
    SLD: 08/01/08 $510,000
    DOM: 5

    MLS#: 2508686
    6 Elm Drive
    Clinton Twp

    SLD: 05/26/05 $726,905
    OLP: 04/16/08 $759,900
    SLD: 07/31/08 $700,000
    DOM: 63

    MLS#: 2513209
    204 Reynard Drive
    Holland Twp

    SLD: 09/20/06 $245,000
    OLP: 04/30/08 $228,900
    SLD: 07/29/08 $217,500
    DOM: 68

    MLS#: 2499763
    245 Spruce Court
    Raritan Twp

    SLD: 11/01/06 $265,000
    OLP: 03/19/08 $249,900
    SLD: 07/31/08 $240,000
    DOM: 99

    MLS#: 2496540
    54 Stirrup Lane
    Raritan Twp

    SLD: 10/07/04 $440,000
    OLP: 03/10/08 $464,900
    SLD: 07/28/08 $430,000
    DOM: 85

    MLS#: 2525187
    9 Gephardt Farm Road
    Union Twp

    SLD: 04/25/06 $929,900
    OLP: 06/03/08 $899,900
    SLD: 07/30/08 $865,000
    DOM: 12

  319. Cindy says:

    rgemonitor – Daily Reckoning have run a London Banker 8/1 article “Fisher’s Debt-Deflation theory of Great Depression and a possible revision.”

    Fisher lost a fortune in 1929 and reflected back in 33.

    A new word in coined in the article – “reflatio.”

    “Fisher’s debt deflation theory was little recognized in his lifetime, probably because he was right in drawing attention to the systemic failures that precipitated the crash. Speaking truth to power isn’t a ticket to popularity today either…”

  320. S.S. says:

    If you are thinking about buying a foreclosed home.

    http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2008/082008/08022008/399180

  321. willwork4beer says:

    Grim,

    Another report from the hinterlands…

    Hunterdon County FUTURE Comp Killers:

    MLS#: 2561354

    28 Fairview Avenue
    Clinton Twp

    SLD: 08/05/04 $340,000
    OLP: 07/31/08 $319,000
    DOM: 2

    MLS#: 2558471
    29 La Costa Drive
    Clinton Twp

    SLD: 04/26/05 $445,000
    OLP: 07/31/08 $399,900
    DOM: 5

    MLS#: 2561254
    14 Locktown School Road
    Delaware Twp

    SLD: 04/10/06 $470,000
    OLP: 07/31/08 $429,000
    DOM: 2

    MLS#: 2561850
    71 Fairview Avenue
    Milford Boro

    SLD: 06/29/05 $262,000
    OLP: 08/01/08 $239,000
    DOM: 1

    MLS#: 2561488
    129 East Becks Blvd
    Raritan Twp

    SLD: 06/03/05 $930,000
    OLP: 07/31/08 $910,000
    DOM: 2

    MLS#: 2561634
    901 Spring House Drive
    Readington Twp

    SLD: 05/19/05 $435,000
    OLP: 08/01/08 $415,000
    DOM: 1

  322. willwork4beer says:

    Clotpoll, KL, any other realtors out there – please tell me what you think of these:

    MLS#: 2562010
    MLS#: 2562011
    MLS#: 2562012
    MLS#: 2562013

    Looks like they brought a property with several dwellings and now they are trying to sell them as condos? Is that even legal?

    “Agent is related to seller” = “Seller is an LLC whose address is the same as the agent”

  323. willwork4beer says:

    Grim,

    #333 is in moderation. Future comp killers. Can’t figure out how it triggered mod, I didn’t cuss or anything…

  324. willwork4beer says:

    Re 334

    Guess I answered my own question by finding MLS# 2562006:

    “Rare Investment Opportunity to own a legal multi-family project in Montgomery. Project has been approved by the state & condominium certification has been issued, pending master deed recording.”

    So you could buy each piece for $239K – $350K or $995K for the whole property.

  325. rhymingrealtor says:

    Question for Clot

    I am showing what I think to be a short sale last night- Tax record indicates there is $70,000 more owed than they are asking. It was bought 2 years ago for $30,000 more than they are aksing, I inform my clients that even though it does’nt state it in the listing, it is. We ask the agent who let us in – he says no. So I assume they are bringing a ton of cash to closing. Then I check the agent’s card. It is not the agency that has it listed it is a company called PMF ( property managment fund) on the back of the card it has a picture of hand holding a key and it says: ” The beginning of a fresh start” Have they taken over the property now? They probaly did the short and are renting to owners?
    What do you think?

    TIA

    Karen

  326. Sybarite101 X says:

    willwork,

    I think you’re referring to what is known as condo-conversion. It seemed to pop up more and more over the past few years. Basically I think it involves buying a multifamily property, and then filing paperwork with the municipality to convert the building’s status.

  327. willwork4beer says:

    Sybarite101 X

    I think you are right about that. What threw me off is there are three buildings on the property: a cottage, a ranch and a duplex. All are part of the condo. All in a rural/residential area. Just seemed strange.

  328. Sybarite101 X says:

    Yeah, I’ve always been put-off by such arrangements. I just don’t like the idea, but I can see how someone can turn a quick profit by filing some paperwork. At least during boom-years, that is.

    Not only does the owner get the lump-sums of the condo sales, but I’m a maintenance fee is part of the package.

  329. Sybarite101 X says:

    #339

    Last sentence should have read:

    Not only does the owner get the lump-sums of the condo sales, but I’m sure a maintenance fee is part of the package.

  330. 3b says:

    Hello all. Just back late last night from a wondeful 1 week stay in Ocnan City MD.

    Had a great time, and so did the family. Weather was great!!

    Say what you want about it, but there is much more to do than on the Shore, and all is centrally located.

    On the real estate front down there,well there is tons of innventory for sale, whole condo buildings that are completely empty, and for sale signs every where.

  331. njpatient says:

    3B

    I’m shore glad to have you back, tho

  332. Tom says:

    “If you are thinking about buying a foreclosed home.”

    That sounds like it’s an REO. Banks are having a hard time getting rid of their REO’s.

    By the time the auction comes around, it’s usually been a few months that the homeowner was in default. If they don’t think they’re going to be in the home for a while then they are not likely to put money into maintenance.

    If it doesn’t get bought before or at the auction, the bank usually doesn’t keep the home up either and properties can sit empty for even more months.

    In this market, it’s best to try and negotiate a short sale before it even gets to the auction.

  333. Clotpoll says:

    Sh^t. Cannot make the GTG. Writing an offer and presenting it this PM.

    Drink a Knob Creek for me, gang! Maybe next time…

  334. lostinny says:

    Clot
    Booo!

  335. House Hunter says:

    Question to all…this housing bill seems like a farce to me. If an mortgage holder gets the bank to agree to a write down, let’s say 30,000 and they re-write the loan under the gubmint to stay in the house, ok. Fast forward 5 years and they go to sell, any and all of that 30,000 write down goes back to the mortgage holder. Still no skin in the game and why not walk away if nothing goes back in you pocket? Am I wrong here? Do I not see something?

  336. House Hunter says:

    to clarify above…the borrower….once they sell must give back any profit up to that 30,000 that was a gift in the first place.

  337. willwork4beer says:

    347/348 House Hunter

    I guess its only a farce if you’re the homeowner. Sounds like a great deal if you’re the bank. Instead of a POS you can’t give away, you get a government guarantee plus you get paid most of the loan now and the rest when the property sells.

  338. House Hunter says:

    will work..true, the banks win.

  339. willwork4beer says:

    Obviously I’m still zero for GTGs. I won’t even offer my excuse. Rest assured, its quite feeble. :(

  340. stu says:

    Have fun at the Rose people. I got my tickets for IOUSA so I’m sure I’ll see a bunch of you there. Down a Smithwicks for me will ya!

  341. Young Buck says:

    I have access to GSMLS. I forget, how can I check a listing’s history to see when the price was reduced? Thanks.

  342. Fiddy Cents on the Dollar says:

    GSMLS

    Can you just enter the address and get all the activity in the system??

  343. rhymingrealtor says:

    I can’t make the GTG, I wanted to, strongly to put it midly, it’s so close to me I am however indebted to my SIL for watching my son all day. She is bringing him and my nephew home in a little he wants to sleep over, my husband can’t handle the nephew alone- he’s got some special needs, I am gratefull my son is close to him without regard to that. I am straighting up now and My SIL and I will scrapbook whilst the cousins hang out.

    KL

  344. John says:

    Which word is mispelled?

    njpatient Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 6:35 pm
    “Includes Delapadated Boat House.
    Never seen that word in an RE ad before.”

    Joh, if you’re making fun of someone’s spelling, it’s the surest possible sign that they should retire

  345. alia says:

    i was an ra, too. my thing was, if i don’t smell it, i don’t care. pot fumes give me a headache, though, so i would encourage ppl to put towels under their doors. i also told them that (as some other friends discovered accidentally) “smudging” a room (burning… sage, i think… it’s a wiccan thing) smells just like pot. so please to have some sacred art lying around so if my boss noticed, they could claim they were merely neutralizing the negative spirits.

    the frustrating thing was, the residents were usually pretty stoned by the time i found them, and i don’t think they got i was trying to help them.

    best time was when some frosh see me wooden sword and ask if i did martial arts. i slowly said “a little” as i checked the space for where to fall–my friends, if i said yes, would immediately have tried to throw me and i didn’t want to land on something hard. then he bragged that sometimes, their teacher would make them roll without the mats. i almost busted a gut laughing with relief… i learned to roll on the basement floor. (bruises teach you where not to roll faster, my teacher claimed)
    damn, that came out sounding like john.

    (ps: not sure anything beats the pranks ppl used to play at microsoft. office filled with sand and a surfboard. the fish inside the double glazed window. turfed office-floor desk, filing cabinets, with golf tees.)

  346. Frank says:

    Recent price drops for Westfield:

    TOWN ADDRESS PREV PRICE LIST PRICE
    Westfield Twp. 248 WINDSOR AVE 359,000 333,000
    Westfield Twp. 362 1ST ST 598,000 569,000
    Westfield Twp. 50 Faulkner Dr. 599,000 579,000
    Westfield Twp. 912 RAHWAY AVE 609,900 594,900
    Westfield Twp. 839 WALLBERG AVE 619,000 599,900
    Westfield Twp. 15 Sunnywood 664,500 630,000
    Westfield Twp. 306 N. SCOTCH PLAINS AVENUE 789,000 799,900
    Westfield Twp. 308 N. SCOTCH PLAINS AVENUE 779,000 799,900
    Westfield Twp. 3 Scudder Rd ak 7 Gallowae 899,900 849,900
    Westfield Twp. 1059 PROSPECT ST 1,099,000 850,000
    Westfield Twp. 866 Winyah Ave 999,000 950,000
    Westfield Twp. 247 Sinclair Place 1,195,000 1,075,000
    Westfield Twp. 8 Canterbury lane 1,865,000 1,775,000
    Westfield Twp. 201 Baker Avenue 1,999,900 1,950,000

  347. lostinny says:

    Alia
    The smudging thing is originally Native American. The Wiccans did adopt it though and is practiced often. Word of warning, do not smudge with sage is pregnant. It can cause a miscarriage.

  348. lostinny says:

    I meant to say do not smudge with sage IF pregnant.

  349. Sassy says:

    and, no sage if history of seizures.

  350. njpatient says:

    John
    “Which word is mispelled?”

    LOL

    touche

  351. njpatient says:

    Clot – will have to see you at Nom’s Brigadoon GTG because I missed it, too.

    Good thing, though. I’m in a foul mood. Would probably have gotten in a knockdown/dragout brawl with lostinny, would probably have been in the hospital by now, nursing my regrets.

  352. alia says:

    argh. that would be “some frosh saw my… and asked if”… i blame the latte martini my husband made me drink.

  353. alia says:

    i didn’t know that (about the dangers of burning sage)… i wonder if those friends of mine still… smudge. (did you… inhale? no! i was just smudging!)

  354. njpatient says:

    Alia

    Office full of sand and a surfboard??

    Kinky!!

  355. mctc says:

    i know its late and the weekend but can i get some help with comp killers. Im looking at 2 houses in Harding – similar assessment one in New Vernon, one off 202. almost 200k diff in ask price. Any help greatly appreciated/

    MLS#: 2515994 and MLS#: 2561842

  356. Mikeinwaiting says:

    Here is a good deal, have to see what part of town.
    http://www.pzambelli.remax-nj.com/remaxnj/modules/agent/agent.asp?p=findahome.asp&page=search&search=mlsnumber&selected=mls&listing=true&mlsnumber=2555761&mlsid=203&acc=21982&lwsredirect=1&lwsaccountid=21982&detail=listingdetails

    This one just crushed the bi-level market in my area. As we all have septic new construction is always a better move. Have to put in a pellet stove or change heating, electric that’s going to hurt.

  357. lostinny says:

    Patient
    You and I would never have a fight like that. Some others maybe, but not us. :)

  358. lostinny says:

    Alia
    I don’t know. I’ve never gotten high from smudging. I’d be interested to know if its possible though.

  359. lostinny says:

    Mike stop posting things that make me cry.

  360. Cindy says:

    Good Morning..

    For some reason my post went into moderation…I posted some of the questions(and Roubini’s answers) from the 8/2 Barron’s article “Yes, That’s $2Trillion of Debt related Losses.” by Robin Goldwyn Blumenthal

    The 5 page article is a work of art as far as I’m concerned….

  361. chicagofinance says:

    C: I am off to the Barron’s site thx… :)

  362. njpatient says:

    371 lost

    Of course! That’s why I named you – for the silly factor.

  363. lostinny says:

    Awww Patient *blushes*

  364. Cindy says:

    (376) Chicago..

    Let me know what you think re: the Roubini interview…

  365. mikeymike says:

    Can anyone with MLS access provide sales history, address and tax info on 2829458? Thanks in advance.

  366. Cindy says:

    (376) BTW – I found it on rgemonitor…

  367. reinvestor X says:

    Roubini needs to keep his mouth shut. You know the government has taken action against short sellers. They might need to take action against people like Roubini who are wishing for the downfall of America. This negative talk reinforces negative sentiment.

    The government may need to begn picking up people like this.

  368. reinvestor X says:

    Roubini was asked why he is always negative and he gave some mealy mouthed answer. It’s like he’s yelling fire in a crowded movie theater with the result being someone getting trampled. This negative crap out of his mouth about bank failures and writeoffs is like yelling fire with the result being people’s finances getting trampled. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. HE NEEDS TO SHUTUP AND IF HE REFUSES, THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING. HE’S WORST THAN A SHORT SELLER.

  369. Cindy says:

    Oh my Reinvestor – You are a “wonderment.”

  370. reinvestor X says:

    Jane Fonda spit on by Vietnam vet
    Man calls actress traitor for her actions during war

    Michael Smith

    A Vietnam veteran was arrested in Kansas City yesterday for allegedly spitting on actress Jane Fonda during a book-signing event.

    Michael A. Smith, 54, reportedly waited in line for 90 minutes, passed a book to the Academy Award winner, and then spit tobacco juice into her face.

    http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43901

  371. reinvestor X says:

    What occured with Jane Fonda may happen with Roubini

  372. reinvestor X says:

    Lady, let me tell you something. You’d be wise to watch who you quote and express admiration for.

    Cindy Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 10:28 am
    Oh my Reinvestor – You are a “wonderment.”

  373. Cindy says:

    (387) Reinvestor –

    I am simply “awestruck – you are a “marvel.”

  374. JBJB says:

    Interesting story on what is to become of the old Bell Labs facility in Holmdel. This, along with the re-development of Forth Monmouth, will hopefully have a net positive effect on Monmouth Co. going forward. But given the what we have for state officials, something tells me it will a wasted opportunity.

    http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/abandoned_bell_labs_could_make.html

  375. reinvestor X says:

    Guess what? You’re starting to bother me. First, you come here posting this crap about Roubini and now you take a condescending tone towards me. Lady, I have a list of all the posters here who have run afoul of me and believe me, you don’t want to find yourself at the top of that list.

    Cindy Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 10:40 am
    (387) Reinvestor –

    I am simply “awestruck – you are a “marvel.”

  376. Cindy says:

    (390) Your threat is duly noted.

  377. sean says:

    I am thinking reinvestor should be repatriated, we can rent a plane for about 30k.

    Who’s in?

    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/us/03deport.html?_r=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

  378. Rich In NNJ says:

    Mike (38),

    SOLD: 476 PULIS AVE $170,000 10/30/1992
    SOLD: 476 PULIS AVE $200,000 12/31/1997
    SOLD: 476 PULIS AVE $320,000 4/26/2002
    SOLD: 476 PULIS AVE $430,000 7/5/2005
    Renovated after 7/2005, added 2nd full bath, new siding, roof, porch, driveway

    Orig List: $619,900 9/4/2005
    Last List: $399,000 7/14/2008
    Taxes (’07): $4,744.14

  379. Cindy says:

    (392) Sean Well, I guess you know I’m a shoein.

  380. jamil says:

    Don’t worry. This is not happening in NJ and nationalized health care would not look like this (this is similar to NYT investigation in NY):

    “Medicare fraud rampant in South Florida”
    http://www.miamiherald.com/428/story/627312.html

    “A six-month Miami Herald investigation has found that the corruption has spun out of control during the past decade.. The temptation of health care fraud is great because almost anyone can become a Medicare operator — even a drug dealer..
    Setting up a bogus medical equipment operation to stiff Medicare is perhaps one of the easiest scams in the world, said Castillo, adding that he broke into the business through his drug-trafficking contacts..
    This past week, during a policy forum on the crisis, federal lawmakers estimated that Medicare fraud costs taxpayers nationwide at least $60 billion a year.

    Federal authorities are often unable to track down Medicare fraud culprits who flee the country.”

  381. jamil says:

    Clarification: This is about Medicare fraud ($60B a year). NYT investigation was about Medicaid fraud (up to $18B a year in NY state alone).

  382. Happy Camper says:

    Barron’s: Unfortunately for the rest of us, you have a pretty good track record. How much more misery lies ahead?

    Roubini: We are in the second inning of a severe, protracted recession, which started in the first quarter of this year and is going to last at least 18 months, through the middle of next year. A systemic banking crisis will go on for awhile, with hundreds of banks going belly up.

    The taxpayer’s bill is going to be huge. I estimate this financial crisis will lead to credit losses of at least $1 trillion and most likely closer to $2 trillion. When I made this analysis in February everybody thought I was a lunatic. But a few weeks later the International Monetary Fund came out with an estimate of $945 billion, Goldman Sachs (GS) estimated $1.1 trillion and UBS (UBS) $1 trillion. Hedge-fund manager John Paulson recently estimated the losses would be $1.3 trillion, and late last month Bridgewater Associates came up with an estimate of $1.6 trillion. So, at this point $1 trillion isn’t a ceiling, it’s a floor. And the banks, as I’ve said, have written down only about $300 billion of subprime debt.

  383. Happy Camper says:

    “Some estimates are in the order of between $50 billion and $100 billion of losses associated with subprime credit problems.”
    Chairman Bernanke, July 19, 2007

  384. Cindy says:

    (397)(398) Happy Camper – He just so laid it on the line…

  385. stu says:

    ReInvestors MO:

    Smile and ignore reality.

    The really sad thing is that he truly thinks and feels he is America’s poster boy for freedom and capitalism while with each additional post he emotes feelings and thoughts that are more reminiscent of those of a young Adolph Hitler or Benito Mussolini.

  386. scribe says:

    Reinvestor:

    You said:

    you don’t want to find yourself at the top of that list

    So now you’re picking on the nice lady school teacher from CA?

    You also have a thing for Pat from PA.

    Why don’t you try picking on one of the women who’s closer – me, for instance.

    I challenge you to come to the next GTG.

    Why, I’d just love to meet you.

  387. Clotpoll says:

    sean (392)-

    “I am thinking reinvestor should be repatriated, we can rent a plane for about 30k.”

    Sean, where exactly is Idiotland?

  388. mikeymike says:

    Rich,

    Thanks for the info on that Franklin Lakes house. Seems like a comp killer for sure!

    Mike

  389. RPatrick says:

    Reinvestor 101/x/50.5

    I would like to talk to you too, find out your Axis I and II diagnoses as well.

  390. Everything's Hobroken says:

    re 400

    I too am becoming tired of the boringly repetitious ‘Watch out! My big brother can beat you up’ posts.

    It would be better for the quality of discussion here not to respond to such behavior. Since the intent is to maintain a forum of reasoned discussion focused primarily on local housing and, by extension, the economy, those posts are not germane.

  391. Essex says:

    390….grim….you should log this person’s IP address. Seriously.

  392. chicagofinance says:

    check out the last 3 seconds where he has that satified smirk…..

  393. reinvestor X says:

    Huh? I thought you were one of these radical hard ankles that hang around here. You’re a lady?

    Look, don’t try to hit on me. I’m already taken.

    scribe Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
    Reinvestor:

    You said:

    you don’t want to find yourself at the top of that list

    So now you’re picking on the nice lady school teacher from CA?

    You also have a thing for Pat from PA.

    Why don’t you try picking on one of the women who’s closer – me, for instance.

    I challenge you to come to the next GTG.

    Why, I’d just love to meet

  394. reinvestor X says:

    No, reality is what we make it be. It’s what we believe. People like Roubini are in a battle of ideas with those with positive outlooks. If we were going to lose $ 1.0 trillion in the banking system, the government would tell us that. They’ve not mainly because they’re going to avert that. What interest would the government have in lying or understating the situation? The answer is none.

    The difference between you and me is that I believe in this great nation and what it’s capable of. I have faith in those who lead us. You don’t.

    stu Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
    ReInvestors MO:

    Smile and ignore reality.

    The really sad thing is that he truly thinks and feels he is America’s poster boy for freedom and capitalism while with each additional post he emotes feelings and thoughts that are more reminiscent of those of a young Adolph Hitler or Benito Mussolini.

  395. sas says:

    “Royal Bank of Scotland poised for biggest loss in UK banking history
    Britain’s second largest bank expected to reveal it has lost £1 billion in first half”
    http://tinyurl.com/5sf9bm

  396. sas says:

    “The Real State of the US Economy
    Henry Paulson has lost the control over US finance”
    http://tinyurl.com/6ogd7o

  397. sas says:

    Ann Taylor closing 117 stores nationwide.

    Eddie Bauer to close more stores after closing 27 stores in the first quarter.

    Cache, a women’s retailer is closing 20 to 23 stores this year.

    Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines closing 150 stores nationwide

    Talbots, J. Jill closing stores. Talbots will close all 78 of its kids and men’s stores plus another 22 underperforming stores. The 22 stores will be a mix of Talbots women’s and J. Jill.

    Gap Inc. closing 85 stores

    Foot Locker to close 140 stores

    Wickes Furniture is going out of business and closing all of its stores. The 37-year-old retailer that targets middle-income customers, filed for bankruptcy protection last month.

    Levitz – the furniture retailer, announced it was going out of business and closing all 76 of its stores in December. The retailer dates back to 1910.

    Zales, Piercing Pagoda plans to close 82 stores by July 31 followed by closing another 23 underperforming stores.

    Disney Store owner has the right to close 98 stores.

    Home Depot store closings 15 of them amid a slumping US economy and housing market. The move will affect 1,300 employees. It is the first time the world’s largest home improvement store chain has ever closed a flagship store.

    CompUSA (CLOSED).

    Macy’s – 9 stores closed

    Movie Gallery – video rental company plans to close 400 of 3,500 Movie Gallery
    and Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 locations the video rental
    chain closed last fall as part of bankruptcy.

    Pacific Sunwear – 153 Demo stores closing

    Pep Boys – 33 stores of auto parts supplier closing

    Sprint Nextel – 125 retail locations to close with 4,000 employees following 5,000 layoffs last year.

    J. C. Penney, Lowe’s and Office Depot are all scaling back

    Ethan Allen Interiors: plans to close 12 of 300 stores to cut costs.

    Wilsons the Leather Experts – closing 158 stores

    Bombay Company: to close all 384 U.S.-based Bombay Company stores.

    KB Toys closing 356 stores around the United States as part of its bankruptcy reorganization.

    Dillard’s Inc. will close another six stores this year.

  398. lostinny says:

    So the only place left go shopping is ebay?

  399. Essex says:

    eBay’s earnings took a hit….and the whole scene there is starting to change….but I just sold a buddy’s m/c on there and dumped a bunch of my own stuff….made $$$. Been on there since 1998. It has been very useful for me. Swear by it.

  400. 3b says:

    #409 rediaperwipe:Look, don’t try to hit on me. I’m already taken.

    God Help her!!

  401. stu says:

    ReinHitler (410) says: “If we were going to lose $ 1.0 trillion in the banking system, the government would tell us that. They’ve not mainly because they’re going to avert that. What interest would the government have in lying or understating the situation? The answer is none.”

    http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/otheranalysis/ongr.html

    Now your hero, Bush, is destroying the reputation of our congress for actually trying to abide by the results of this non-partisan analysis by ‘our’ government.

    And you feel your government doesn’t lie to you? Bush is willing to destroy our largest source of tourism income (our coastline) to win an election for his party knowingly realizing that it will have no impact on future gas prices. Of course the dolts who live in the ‘red’ states will buy this bunch of BS since gas prices have become the most popular watercooler topic and will vote for McCain over it.

    As I have stated a million times before, Republicans are the masterminds of lying. They actually have convinced the ‘stupid people’ that they are better for them as they continue to take more and more wealth away from them. Is it any surprise that BI and REinvestor are their biggest supporters here?

  402. njpatient says:

    dear lord please make this call end

  403. njrebear says:

    All store closings are in California.

  404. njpatient says:

    410 reinvestor

    “The difference between you and me is that I believe in this great nation and what it’s capable of. I have faith in those who lead us. You don’t.”

    Easy for you to say – your guy’s in the White House.

    Do you have faith in the other guy? You know, the fella of dusky hue?

  405. stu says:

    Grim 417 in mod.

    How was the GTG?

  406. lostinny says:

    “dusky hue”
    roflmao!

  407. lostinny says:

    Stu
    It was small.

  408. njpatient says:

    396 jamil

    You know what really cheeses me off? When politicians take full Long-Term Disability benefits while working full-time. That’s just wrong.

  409. Commanderbobnj says:

    “…sas Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 1:46 pm
    “The Real State of the US Economy
    Henry Paulson has lost the control over US finance”
    http://tinyurl.com/6ogd7o…”

    Commanderbobnj sez:
    A GREAT link, sas—I’m sending it out to all my friends/family/fans to read ! —-That link combined with the Roubini video should be seen by all– but will they bother to ‘kinda get a glimpse of what most-likely will be in store for us in the near future ?!

    Since I am personally connected with building contractors/suppliers, I can make the statement that ALL business is off approx. 50% from “normal” times.—IF they say anything else, well they are most likely lying !!— As the following quote from the above link reports: The “undocumented” workers ARE returning to their countries. This is also happening in large numbers here in Bergen County…..What “saves” me from this mess is that my business is energy-saving related. That is what I do best: Right time-right business to be in !—-THANK GOD !

    “…The Arizona homebuilder continued, “Today nobody is building. Unsold home inventories are triple that of 2003. Banks no longer give easy credit for home buyers. Many realtors I know have gone two years without selling a home. Empty storefronts are becoming common. In many areas unemployment among construction trades people is 50% or more. Tens of thousands of illegal Mexicans who did most of the manual labor have returned to Mexico to find work. What now? Well, I do handyman projects of all sorts, big or small and make about 70-90% of what it takes to survive with a family of a wife and three young children. My savings make up the rest. That can’t go on for too much longer. We went from affluent and comfortable to nervous and broke with diminished opportunities in just three years. We used to be the middle class…”

    Should be interesting to see what the the little ‘wonder-boy’ corzine has in store for us new jerseyans next year when the state really goes down the “tubes”

    On another note:
    Do you think that Vornado made the right decision to rebuild the old BERGEN MALL into the colossus that is growing larger than life as we speak ??—HMmmmm !?—It is going to take a lot of ‘prodding’ and ‘salesmanship’ to get the ‘big box’ stores to set-up shop in that monster development !!

    Commanderbob

  410. reinvestor X says:

    grim,

    425 in mod

  411. reinvestor X says:

    Be quiet 3bonehead, the babes would like you too if you stop “economizing” with corn cobs and remedied the “gas” issues.

    Look, the babes know a hottie when they see one and that’s why she wants to meet me. I have to fight them off all the time.

    3b Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 2:33 pm
    #409 rediaperwipe:Look, don’t try to hit on me. I’m already taken.

    God Help her!!

  412. Sybarite X says:

    426

    Dude, you’re crazy. STFU and GTFO.

  413. Essex says:

    426….OK, that was funny.

  414. willwork4beer says:

    Well, I believe in the soul. The c*ck. The p*ssy. The small of a woman’s back. The hanging curveball. High fiber. Good scotch. That the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a Constitution Amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core p*rnography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas eve. And I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days…

    OK, now I believe I’ll have another beer.

    reinvestor X Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
    No, reality is what we make it be. It’s what we believe.

  415. willwork4beer says:

    #419 njpatient

    Hail to the chief, he’s the only one we hail to…

  416. Mikeinwaiting says:

    Lost Sorry about the post (rental). You could work up here in a NY minute. Just a thought.
    GTG small, quality not quantity.
    Get your butts in the car folks. Lost from SI NY & no quick hop from the my neck of the woods either. Slackers.

  417. Mikeinwaiting says:

    NJP 419″ Do you have faith in the other guy? You know, the fella of dusky hue.”
    NO & it has nothing to do with his dusky hue. My genetic make up would make that a laugh.
    Not to say that my other choice is making me feel good either.
    We are f**ked.
    Vote Ron Paul, oh that horse left the barn really to bad.

  418. Frank says:

    Hoboken market is still strong, just look at the numbers.

    http://hobokenrealestatenews.com/

  419. 3b says:

    #433 Framk: If you say so.

  420. 3b says:

    #426 rediaperwipe: Your babes are not real, they just exist in cyber space. But hey if you don’t mind paying for it, than good for you.

  421. BC Bob says:

    Frank [433],

    Hah Hah! There are more ads for listings, reduced, in Hoboken, than the # of times Larry Crudelow has uttered goldilocks.

    I ran into Bill Belechik, last night at Foxboro, Bruce show. I asked him about his NFL fines. He said exactly the same as RE? I was a little slow, too many cold ones at the tailgate. He explained, REDUCED!

    By the way, Bruce played one for the Coach, Who’ll Stop The Rain {Fogerty}

    Hoboken is in the process of getting crushed. Many will shake their heads in disbelief; How could I be such a fool?
    800K for a box, with 4 walls and a roof. Not only that, you also are treated to a dolt, drainig his dragon at 2:00 AM at your doorstep.

    Yeah, it’s a bull market in Hoboken; I’d rather buy pet.com.

  422. BC Bob says:

    3B,

    Good to have you back. Did you go to that Irish bar on the boardwalk? Forget the name.

  423. BC Bob says:

    Oh yeah, it’s a romp stomping bull in Boken? 4 bdrm, roof top deck, under 750K?
    HMMM, that 20% pullback in Nasquack.com was also a buy of a lifetime.

    http://newjersey.craigslist.org/rfs/775778651.html

  424. Frank says:

    BC Bob,
    Condos are still selling for crazy prices in Hoboken, that’s bull market to me. You have been predicting gloom and doom for a while now and I still don’t see it in most parts of NJ. In my town homes are still listing and selling for more than 2005 prices. It’s crazy but I love it.

  425. njpatient says:

    Frank
    At this point you have no credibility. You’re like Sally.

    “Houses are selling like crazy at the shore!”

    Keep blowing smoke up people’s asses. They’ll love you for it.

  426. njpatient says:

    432 mike

    You and I may not agree about politics, but I respect you because you would never say anything so baldly stupid as “I have faith in those who lead us. You don’t.”

    If you told me you had faith in Ob*ma, I’d know you were lying.

  427. njpatient says:

    429 Mr. Beer

    If you weren’t taken, I’d marry you.

  428. reinvestor X says:

    You know Inpatient, you bring up something that stops me dead in my damn tracks. I hadn’t fully considered the liberal factor here.

    I put Ob-ma right down there with the Clintons and Jimmie Carter. He’s worst because he’s so arrogant. I have no idea how he gets these damn crowds fawning all over him. I hate that.

    Come to think of it, this election is making my stomach churn mainly because there’s no one to vote for. I don’t fully trust McCain because he’s proven himself not to be sufficiently rabid in his conservatism. His tepid embrace of our causes doesn’t give me a warm and fuzzy feeling. It’s like I’m being forced to choose between the lesser of two evils.

    Ob_ma will be stopped however. We’re just getting the attack machine warmed up and we’re going to wipe that arrogant little smirck off his face. Our party will continue to lead this nation.

    njpatient Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 3:55 pm
    410 reinvestor

    “The difference between you and me is that I believe in this great nation and what it’s capable of. I have faith in those who lead us. You don’t.”

    Easy for you to say – your guy’s in the White House.

    Do you have faith in the other guy? You know, the fella of dusky hue?

  429. reinvestor X says:

    HEY

    This is a forum to discuss real estate and not to don’t promote same sex civil unions. Take it elsewhere. We don’t want to know, see or read about this.

    njpatient Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 8:36 pm
    429 Mr. Beer

    If you weren’t taken, I’d marry you.

  430. RPatrick says:

    reinvestor X

    Yeah don’t want and of THOSE people moving into your neighborhood…right.

  431. sas says:

    come on blokes..
    no more ninny posts. you guys are worse than my 6 grandkids.

    that includes you too reinvestor!

    take the olive branch. we need to start talking about serious stuff here.

    :)
    SAS

  432. sas says:

    you blokes here the latest about Lindsey Williams?

    He is calling $50 a barrel in the next 12 months as a pretext of the US & Europe to strike a major blow to Iran & OPEC.

    but, if thats true? I think that quick a drop would hurt the dollars as Middle East would dump?

    thoughts?

    SAS

    *also, he took down his webpage, says he got too many death threats.

  433. sas says:

    OT: read a good book over the weekend.
    you should read it.

    “Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present”

    http://www.amazon.com/Medical-Apartheid-Experimentation-Americans-Colonial/dp/0385509936

    SAS

  434. bi says:

    where is ms. dina mcgreevey njpatient?

    >njpatient Says:
    August 3rd, 2008 at 8:36 pm
    429 Mr. Beer

    If you weren’t taken, I’d marry you.

  435. Sybarite X says:

    How would any action against the middle east/OPEC lower the price of oil?

  436. Ben says:

    $50 oil is a pipedream. In 2 years, $120 oil will be a pipe dream. The administration has given a million reasons for oil to be up as high as it is. Speculators, war, Iran, etc… Note, they never once mention “weak dollar”. Speculators aren’t a big deal. They can manipulate the market temporarily. When it comes back to sanity, they lose their shirts. War in the Middle East, yeah we shoulda never been over there. Iran? Not a threat to the U.S. Strengthen the dollar, and you have affordable oil again. Unfortunately, they’ve spent the past 20 years setting the stage for the dollar to collapse.

  437. scribe says:

    3b,

    I almost wet my pants laughing.

    But, hey, RE –

    Thanks for calling me a “babe.”

    PS, I’m probably old enough to be your mother, and no, you can’t hit on me for my IRAs, which become accessible in 2 years.

Comments are closed.