From the Record:
N.J. commercial property owners filing in record numbers
In 2007, the Shanahan brothers who own Washington Garage, a small auto repair shop on Main Street in Bergenfield, paid $22,107 in property taxes.
After the town conducted a revaluation two years later to bring its property assessments in line with market values, Washington Garage’s yearly property tax bill shot up 70 percent to $37,520. The revaluation shifted tax burdens from residents to commercial property owners.
Higher property taxes have squeezed the business, whose annual revenue has fallen from $1.4 million in recent years to about $900,000 annually and its profit margin has fallen below 1 percent, according to Brian Shanahan, who along with his brother Tim run the repair shop their grandfather founded 80 years ago.
“They’re bleeding us to death,” Shanahan said. “It’s just too much of a burden.”
As commercial real estate owners deal with the recession’s lingering effects, record numbers of them this year are expected to appeal the assessed values of their properties, which determine how much property taxes they pay to municipalities.
The appeals, if successful, could shift tax burdens and add to municipalities’ financial strain in a year in which employee pension costs are rising and as a 2 percent cap on property taxes goes into effect.
…
Multiple appeals for single properties build up over the years, and eventual settlements can clear multiple cases. For example, Elmwood Park-based paper products maker Marcal Manufacturing LLC recently settled six years’ worth of tax appeals with the town. This month, Elmwood Park sent Marcal two checks worth a total of $649,996, Borough Clerk Keith Kazmark said.
…
“This is the toughest year yet since the recession began,” said Julie Beglin, a vice president on the public finance team at the bond rating agency Moody’s Investors Service.
From the WSJ Developments Blog:
Are Home Price Declines Easing?
Don’t look now, but home price declines could be moderating.
Home values fell by 1.1% in February down from a 1.3% decline in January, according to Zillow.com research published on Tuesday. Zillow also reported a decline versus a year ago in the share of homes listed for sale that had a price reduction, at 25%, down from 32% last year.
To be sure, no one is suggesting that prices have stabilized. A 1.1% decline is not good news. Zillow reported that just two of 132 markets saw an increase in values in February. If price declines are moderating, it’s likely because the share of distressed sales is falling and not because of a firming up of demand (mortgage applications remain mired at weak levels).
Still, the speed with which prices are declining is worth keeping an eye on. One of the most popular gauges of home prices, the Case-Shiller home-price index, last week showed that home prices in 20 major metro areas fell by a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in January from December. While this was the sixth straight monthly decline, the seasonally adjusted numbers point to a pattern: December was down 0.4%, November fell 0.5%, and October and September were each down 1%.
While it’s closely watched, Case-Shiller is also quite backwards looking because it is a three-month moving index that measures recorded sales. As a result, numbers reported in March look at home sales that closed in the November-January period. Those sales could have gone under contract as early as September.
The upshot is that any moderation in price declines won’t be observed by Case-Shiller until several months later. Lee Adler, an independent housing analyst who publishes a housing newsletter, notes that home prices declines have been closely correlated listing prices in recent months. Indeed, listing prices compiled by the website HousingTracker.net have helped to predict the decline in the Case-Shiller index over the past six months.
…
It’s also probable that the housing market won’t hit a single “bottom” point. Instead, it may look more like a jagged line, moving up during seasonally stronger sales periods and then turning down when traffic cools off.
Good Morning New Jersey
From CNBC:
US Apartment Vacancies Fall; Rents Edge Up
The vacancy rate for U.S. apartments posted a steep decline in the first quarter and rents crept higher as the job market improves and many Americans remain unwilling or unable to buy a home.
Reis’s quarterly report showed the vacancy rate dropped to 6.2 percent in the first three months of the year, down from 6.6 percent in the fourth quarter. It was the steepest fall since the commercial real estate research firm began tracking the market in 1999.
Increased employment, especially for 20- to 34-year-olds, is spurring demand for housing.
Many of those newly employed younger people, however, cannot come up with the tens of thousands of dollars often needed for down payments, turning them into renters.
“All of those things are reflecting in the home ownership rate that is still somewhat declining, and it’s generally favoring the rental market,” Victor Calanog, Reis’ vice president of research and economics, told Reuters.
New renters plowed into an apartment market where supply grew by only a net 44,184 units.
From Bloomberg:
Portugal Seeks Bailout From EU After Failing to Stem Crisis
Portugal is set to start hammering out a bailout package that may total 75 billion euros ($107 billion) as it becomes the third euro-region country to seek European Union aid.
Just heard on the news about the “looming government shutdown”.
I figure if they shut down they cannot spend anymore money.
Of course if they come to an agreement they will applaud themselves for
avoiding a shutdown and vote themselves a raise, and we are to be thankful.
Re#4 $ 107 billion to bail out Portugal, sh1t we spend that on a
Congressional luncheon!
Isn’t there a looming shutdown every year?
Yes Grim and we are to be grateful when they avoid it.
“They” are all crooks, and no matter what “they” do, “we” seem to get the shaft.
From the WaPo:
Federal examiners protested help for politically connected bank, e-mails show
A decision in late 2008 by top officials of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to help a politically connected bank in Boston left federal bank examiners there angry enough that some called it a “travesty of justice,” according to internal e-mails obtained by The Washington Post.
The chairman of OneUnited Bank, a friend of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), had rendered it insolvent through lavish spending and bad investments, according to the examiners’ written accounts. But by the end of that year, after Waters arranged a key Treasury Department meeting for the bank, it had won a bailout loan and a unique exemption from the FDIC’s accounting rules.
“There are some really good people expressing very strong opinions regarding what they view as a travesty of justice regarding the special treatment this institution is receiving,” acting regional director John M. Lane warned in a March 2009 e-mail to Christopher J. Spoth, a senior FDIC consumer protection official.
The claim that OneUnited benefited from assistance organized by Waters — whose husband held substantial stock in it — lies at the heart of unresolved House Ethics Committee charges. A special subcommittee alleged last spring that Waters’s actions related to the bank had brought discredit to the House, a claim that she has rejected.
I guess I’m just jealous that I’m not big enough to fail or politically connected enough to get some perks. Where’s my fk’n bailout?
Shut the mf’er down, and walk away from DC. Shut the mf’er down forever.
Time to fight this thing out in the streets and begin capping some of these crooks.
Maybe Lautenberg will die and Menendez will get arrested robbing a bodega or something.
Debt Supernova the racist? “Maybe…..Menendez will get arrested robbing a bodega or something”.
What’s the motivation to connect a man of Cuban decent with a J.D. from Rutgers to robbery? And why did you use the word “bodega” for example and not a “gas station” or “7-11”?
Menendez has 2 kids, 1 graduated from Harvard, the other U of North Carolina. I dare say he and his family are far more distinguished and accomplished than you, your family, and probably anyone you know, you racist.
13 EY. Lighten up Francis.
“They’re bleeding us to death,” Shanahan said. “It’s just too much of a burden.”
Now the sweet bells of mercy
Drift through the evening trees
Young men on the corner
Like scattered leaves,
The boarded up windows,
The empty streets
While my brother’s down on his knees
My city of ruins
My city of ruins
Why does The Boss get stuck in mod yet Lautenberg and Menendez have a free pass?
Goodnightt nj
First ,last and everthink else
Hi fiveeeee
Menendez?
What was the outcome of that long term rental deal with a nonprofit group that received millions in federal funding while he was a House member?
Mikeinwaiting, I simply asked Debt Supernova 2 simple questions. Debt Supernova has no problem “dishing it out”, does he? But can he ‘take it’? Being exposed….
ECB raises rates by 25 bps. Ok Bernank, what now?
Exposed [13]
Menendez has 2 kids, 1 graduated from Harvard, the other U of North Carolina. I dare say he and his family are far more distinguished and accomplished than you, your family, and probably anyone you know
The flagship of an industry living off the public teat sucks up by babysitting their masters’ kids? I’d be surprised if the president of Hah-vard didn’t wipe the kid’s a$$ and shine his shoes too.
exposing (13)-
Menendez has been a thug machine politcal hack since day one. He has been implicated in all kinds of shady campaign financing and quid pro quo of the worst sort. You don’t come from his part of NJ without learning how to swim in sewage.
I will give him credit at being able to attach his wagon to sure winners and other types of feel-good, camera-friendly issues. However, he has a long way to go to catch Schumer, the poster boy for dominating the camera and microphone when nothing of real substance is on the line.
I am a lot of things and have a lot of faults, but racism isn’t one of them. I’d love to have a black, hispanic, Chinese or man from Mars representing me in DC…as long as he didn’t walk under a constant cloud of integrity issues. Unfortunately, integrity issues is pretty much a job requirement in that line of work these days.
ranger (15)-
Lautenberg and Menendez cut a deal with the owner of the intertubes.
Anon E. Moose,
I know this may p1ss some people off here, but I agree with a lot of your observations. You summarize concisely and don’t mince words. If there was no opposition, then what’s the point?
EY 20I have to echo Moose the elected elites kids go to the best school the rest of us well whatever. He is a public servant as one should not be able to afford to send his kids there. He is also a crook, he is a Hudson county politician, enough said grew up there.
As far as Debt he can defend himself but I do not think he is a racist, more like they all su*k. Off color remark yes but nothing to get your panties in a bunch over.
anyone can go to Harvard as long as they study night and day, have a tiger mom and loads of cash. I am not every jealous of them as I hate school
non E. Moose says:
April 7, 2011 at 8:06 am
Exposed [13]
Menendez has 2 kids, 1 graduated from Harvard, the other U of North Carolina. I dare say he and his family are far more distinguished and accomplished than you, your family, and probably anyone you know
The flagship of an industry living off the public teat sucks up by babysitting their masters’ kids? I’d be surprised if the president of Hah-vard didn’t wipe the kid’s a$$ and shine his shoes too.
I am also not a racist, I will sleep with black, hispanic, chinese, indian, russian or any other type of women. Me and Charlie Sheen are equal opportunity layers.
Debt Supernova says:
April 7, 2011 at 8:17 am
exposing (13)-
Menendez has been a thug machine politcal hack since day one. He has been implicated in all kinds of shady campaign financing and quid pro quo of the worst sort. You don’t come from his part of NJ without learning how to swim in sewage.
I will give him credit at being able to attach his wagon to sure winners and other types of feel-good, camera-friendly issues. However, he has a long way to go to catch Schumer, the poster boy for dominating the camera and microphone when nothing of real substance is on the line.
I am a lot of things and have a lot of faults, but racism isn’t one of them. I’d love to have a black, hispanic, Chinese or man from Mars representing me in DC…as long as he didn’t walk under a constant cloud of integrity issues. Unfortunately, integrity issues is pretty much a job requirement in that line of work these days.
JJ 28 Gotta love JJ. Equal opportunity play-a.
Santelli’s head just exploded. Lies-man now trying to appear to be the voice of reason by engaging in deep denial.
Santelli just gutted the whole f*cking place!
Of course, all pre-market indices are green.
The race to the bottom continues, unabated.
And yet, the real debate continues to be avoided.
Doom & Gary:
What got Santelli all worked up? Was it the unemployment numbers or the whole economic mess in general?
Hype,
It was about the looming governement shutdown. Santelli’s rant was basically: let it all burn to the f*cking ground and start over and the Liesman and his lackies were throwing out the liberal talking points: old people will die, the troops will die and a meteor will hit the earth. Santelli slayed them all.
Gary, the real debate will never occur. One day soon, we will wake up to another Lehman-type cataclysm that “no one could’ve seen coming”. This event will force upon us a reckoning far worse than what would’ve happened had we just honestly confronted our economic challenges.
It may even take more than one Lehman-type event (with whole countries and/or continents experiencing a full economic seizure) for the goofs in charge to be stripped of all the available artificial devices that can be put to cover-ups and patchwork “fixes” to long-term, structural failures.
Hopefully, one or two more black swans will render J6P insolvent enough and hungry enough to focus on matters of real substance rather than the NFL and network TV:
“There are two problems with the consumerist paradise that is the foundation of the U.S. economy. One is that people slowly awaken to the realization they don’t really need additional goods and services, as their attention becomes focused on preserving their access to those they suddenly value, such as shelter, food and electricity. In moving (out of a foreclosed house or on to another job, etc.) they suddenly feel the great freedom of no longer being enslaved to all their stuff; they realize it owned them, not the other way round. In having to come face to face with their mountains of “cute blouses,” old electronic toys, busted Ikea furniture, bicycles nobody rides, etc., then they slowly realize the return gained from buying all that stuff was increasingly marginal. They might also awaken to the reality that partly why they have no capital or assets is that they squandered much of their income on instant gratification and marginal-return toys of various sizes and shapes, and costly “experiences” such as fine dining and cruises.”
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/guest-post-devolution-consumer-economy
#31 gary: what was the topic??
“What got Santelli all worked up?”
Just a guess; employment, today, is lower than it was in 2000? Despite pie in the sky birth/death, we have only brought back 17% of the jobs lost during this blow out? Then again, maybe the fact that close to 20% of present day employment are part-time or temp jobs?
If none of the above, there are a zillion other possibilities.
Can’t start my day without…..
Mike says:
April 7, 2011 at 6:01 am
Good Morning New Jersey
3b,
See my post #35
gary (35)-
We’ve got to go further that letting it all burn to the ground and starting over. Those who created the mess and have the know-how to build the doomsday machine all over again have to be liquidated.
ranger (38)-
Do all those possibilities come with fries?
#5 Serenity –
“looming government shutdown”
I don’t even know what that means. Will they really shut down? As in, the soldiers will put down their guns, and the Federal Reserve stop handing out money? Think of how much money that would save – something I’d heartily approve.
More likely they’ll close the National Parks and stop issuing passports, just enough to annoy voters. Like they did the last time they “shut down.”
#40 gary: (from yesterday) I guess you ar not moving to Oradell
Expose: charge of racism aside….Menendez is a very bad guy. I used to live in Hudson County and was aware of his act in the early 90’s. Brian Stack is just a provincial version of him.
ExposingYou says:
April 7, 2011 at 7:14 am
Debt Supernova the racist? “Maybe…..Menendez will get arrested robbing a bodega or something”.
What’s the motivation to connect a man of Cuban decent with a J.D. from Rutgers to robbery? And why did you use the word “bodega” for example and not a “gas station” or “7-11″?
Menendez has 2 kids, 1 graduated from Harvard, the other U of North Carolina. I dare say he and his family are far more distinguished and accomplished than you, your family, and probably anyone you know, you racist.
Debt,
Like that zero hedge article says, when the masses begin to fight for food and shelter, then you’ll see the real debate kick in.
It’s possible that Menedez could make Frank Hague appear to be Mother Teresa?
Entire Charles Hugh Smith piece referenced in #36:
http://www.oftwominds.com/blogapril11/consumption4-11.html
grim From yesterday. What are the njmls stas for River Edge that you posted for Oradell yesterday evening.?
3b,
I can’t move to Oradell. I don’t own a whale pen1s leather sports bag to put my Hogan running shows in and don’t have a Boston Red Sox cap… which we all know is very edgy. :)
Mother Teresa was an attention wh0re, too.
Best thing to come out of Oradell was Bill Parcells.
A lifelong Hudson County Dem gets his kid into Harvard. Just an amazing accomplishment.
BTW: If I were a college placement counselor and all options were on the table, I would honestly advise the father of Clayton Ellery Toddwirth III to buy a pied-a-terre in North Bergen and use that as the home address on all college applications. Further, enroll the kid in that local cesspool of a high school for his senior year. It would boost the chance for admission by 3x-4x. Let’s leave the ethnic issue out of it.
ExposingYou says:
April 7, 2011 at 7:14 am
Menendez has 2 kids, 1 graduated from Harvard, the other U of North Carolina. I dare say he and his family are far more distinguished and accomplished than you, your family, and probably anyone you know, you racist.
“Best thing to come out of Oradell was Bill Parcells.”
Debt,
Don’t forget Timmy Higgins. Sorry RU fans.
gary: The listing below closed in March fro 315K, flipper bought, and renovated the inside (nicely IMO)> Now back on the market at 445k, with an annual tax bill of 13K, that thirteen thousand dollars a year, or just under $1100 a month, before the mtg.
http://www.njmls.com/listings/index.cfm?action=dsp.info&mlsnum=1112944&dayssince=&countysearch=false
ChiFi [54].
Brilliant! :)
#50 gary: Well there is always Ridgewood.
Trust story: when I first heard the word Oradell in 1990 I thought someone was going to Duane Reade for their dentures. Oradell is Bergen-New-Jersey-speak for Not-rich-enough-to-back-up-my-inflated-ego.
3b [56],
I’ve been told it’s very competitive here and if one can’t afford to live here, one needs to consider looking out of state. Besides, there’s a price to pay for attractive teachers and great parks. You know… it’s for the children. (snark)
#60 I have to figure out where I am moving too. Soon last kid will be out of HS, so time to go. The listing i posted would be prefect for me, but with 13k a year in taxes and no end in sight, and potentially even more with the Oradell battle, than its time to go.
Newsday today report 10% off mortgages on LI are 90 days or more late. To me that seems like a lot.
3b (56)
Is that a Fisher Price sink? I see a lot of these Lowes out of the box renovations and wonder, does no one ever use a frying pan anymore? That sink is suitable for a wet bar, not a kitchen.
Really didn’t see much debate on it yesterday but you have to love Il Duce having his Jimmy Carter moment on Gas prices.
Oradell and Old Tappan, are the places the people I grew up with in Garfield aspire to, chew on that for a little bit. Should give you a little insight on the IQ and exclusivity of those locales
jj (62)-
Nah. Just the new normal.
Besides, only idiots pay.
Pain [64],
Nobody listens to Barry Soetoro any longer. Eventually, someone will go down to the beach where he’s napping on his hammock under the palm tree and will let him know.
250k About ready to replace the sink in my rental (at my expense). Micky Mouse sinks can’t fit mt pots & pans drives me crazy.
(13, 20) exposed,
Was there anything approaching an argument in that lame attempt at a smear? That guilt by word association play was so weak, even the NYT, MSNBC, schabadoo or fabius wouldn’t use it.
Not too many fellow travellers here. Try firedoglake.com. It’s more your speed.
Menendez is more Commie than Castro, he voted to suspend Habeas for GWB and Rumsfeld. As far as Hudson county goes he was the Boss of the Hudson County Democrats for a while and was able to extricate himself by moving up to the Federal Level before The FBI and Dweck came along to expose how things always have been done meetings in Diners and envelopes passed in parking lots. no hard proof he is a crook, however he did not turn in the other crooks who were wheeling around campaign money for Quid Pro Qo deals all those crooks his former fundraisers in the Democratic party are going to jail now aren’t they?
#63 Oh I assume I assume it was a cheap redo, it just looks nice;especially considering how bad it was before the renovation.
aah Nom, good morning Mr Mom. No negative intended I had the opportunity with my last one. Missed a lot working 12 hours a day on the first two, enjoy it!
#64 Not having growing up in Bergen Co, I always find it funny how the natives, and some of the converted transplants fight over whose town is better.
Eat your heart out Brigadoon. I bet you don’t have a realtor named Muffin either.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704013604576246932531454612.html#articleTabs%3Dcomments
Re: 62 – JJ -allot? 10% is a leading or trailing indicator?
3b 445 for that,I’ll pass. Nice enough reno but to much money plus taxes, well just forget it.
Ooops heres the article
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704013604576246932531454612.html#articleTabs%3Darticle
73 3b They do that. What a joke.
Hudson transplants fight over which town was worse, street cred.
Marion section vs. the Heights, Jersey City in the late 70s and early 80s: we didn’t have guns, just stick ball bats and torching each others cars.
Captain Cheapo deal of the year:
http://networkedblogs.com/gldWU
Spend $30,000 annually on this $95 annual fee British Airways credit card and you will receive what amounts to 237,500 air miles. If you like to travel in business class, this is the deal of the century, especially when you consider that these miles are good on American Airlines. That’s $4,750 worth of miles since miles are typically valued at 2 cents per. Multiple card holders can household their miles too to make booking easier.
Here’s the strategy I’m employing. Gator and I will each get our own card. She will spend $2,500 within the first three months which will earn her 103,125 miles. I will get a card too and will add her as an authorized user to mine. This will be the card we will spend the $30,000 annually on. This will earn us 137,500, plus if you hit $30,000 you get a 2-for 1 companion voucher good even on reward travel. So essentially that’s 237,500 miles. So $190 in annual fees will yield us 340,625 miles with a value of $6812.50. That’s 20% back on everything. See you later blue cash Amex.
And my friends wonder how we can afford to travel so much. Best of all, I’m frequently offered free European cruises from the casinos, but I always turn them down due to the airfare. Next year we’ll fly business class to our free European cruise. Huzzah!
#76 mike; Oh I agree the price is too high and it will not IMO sell for that. My point was that type of house at X price would work for us. The 13k in taxes kills it.
But hey it was all done for the children. Except the children are growing up now, and cannot afford to live there.
I guess kettle is working so Japan is safe. Not that I doubt that the Japs are lying through their teeth & a good portion of the country is going to be hot for many years. It is nice to read some hard science to back up my position. Exposed is “Japs” OK, not racist just a bit lazy on the keys.
Here you go. Asking price is $829,000 and taxes at $21,000. The plateau just above absurd is called comical:
http://www.trulia.com/property/3046619165-118-Lowell-Rd-Glen-Rock-NJ-07452
Gary , The Slope , The Moon, I’m sure you have been.
Mikeinwaiting,
The Slope, the Moon, Shillelagh pub, Narrowbacks, One Block Inn and about 50 others! :)
Gary 84 can’t figure where they are getting that est. payment from, taxes not included?
I forgot to mention that the card has no foreign transaction fees, which is also huge.
Gary what was that one in Union City by transfer station Ichiban, got into some brawls there.
So what, I grew up in what is arguably the worst town in Bergen county short of Hackensack, education wise, crassness of the population, corruption (two of the PVWC guys christie canned Garfield scum who I have known for years), and overall low quality of life. I think I have a unique perspective un the upward mobility towns in the county. When the above moronic population of my birthplace thinks they are having a Jeffersons’ moment moving into a town, the town is probably better from whence they came, but worse for them inhabiting it. By the way, I hate going back because I have to put on this psuedo Italian respect bullspit for my family, when I rather the place and the population were sucked into a hellmouth and forgotten about.
Muffin Dowdle uggh not quite the tart, I would decline if she offered benfits for closing
http://www.ginnel.com/flash#our_company/21/
Mikeinwaiting,
The Ichiban was on, I think 9th street somewhere between Central and Summit. It was a biker bar and we used to go there after the bars in JC closed at around 2:00 AM. If you knew somebody, you knocked on the door and they let you in after closing. :) Guttenberg was another great town for afterhours because it was so small and there were only two patrol cars in the middle of the night and they “looked” the other way. lol!
#90the town is probably better from whence they came, but worse for them inhabiting it.
??
Mike
The bright side of global economic collapse and radioactive Japanese plumes is that we might actually accelerate the process of human evolution. Unfortunatly that doesn’t bode well for you and me. X-men here we come!
embrace the chaos!
In other words Garfield is such a hole to them Oradell looks like pardise, but them being there turns it to $hit
Mike
everything I know about nuclear reactors I learned by reading Tom Swift novels!
30-yr [96, prev thread]
Take a salesperson at their word while spending hundreds of thousands of dollars? You wouldn’t trust your own mother for $50 bucks! What I wrote is just common sense. No wonder you don’t get it!
Don’t get it? I’ve been right about the duplicity of used house sales hacks for as long as I’ve paid any attention at all to real estate. And as soon an one of them is engaged in discussion beyond mindless plattitudes and loses control of the conversation, they themselves admit it. E tu, Brute?
Besides, the point is not even whether the salesperson is to be trusted, its whether they are trustworthy. Доверяй, но проверяй (“doveryai, no proveryai”) If they are trustworty, I only have to spot check to verfy that they are. If they are not trustworthy, I have to verify everything, and they are therefore worthless. I needn’t recount my experiences to date.
The government spends a lot on contractors, which a nytimes 2007 article named “the fourth branch of government”.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/world/americas/04iht-web.0204contract.4460796.html
In general, if these are time and materials contracts then you cannot bill to the government time or materials spent during a government shutdown. If you hold a delivery contract then you are not in so much trouble because you usually get paid at regular intervals and unless your pay interval appears right in the shutdown window then you shouldn’t notice an impact.
I think that you are probably waaaay underestimating the impact of a government shutdown on the US economy. Everyone from landscaping companies, electricians, plumbers, roofers, engineers, and janitors will be affected. There are 800,000 government employees, but that doesn’t include the contracting force so you could probably double or triple that number. You would add 1.6-2.4 million unemployed people through a government shutdown.
There are several states that rely pretty heavily on government and government contracting. Virgina, Maryland, North Carolina, etc have very large vested interests in government. A shutdown for even a week will hurt these state economies.
I love when I hear them talking about how you wont be able to visit a national park on Saturday when you know someone out there is going to crap his pants when the check doesn’t come for landscaping services that are not needed during a government shutdown.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/opinion/05munnell.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
To Cut the Deficit, Look to Social Security
WHILE Washington wrangles over how much can be cut from a sliver of the federal budget — the 12 percent that makes up nondefense discretionary spending — responsible politicians from both sides of the aisle know that the real issue is entitlement programs like Social Security.
Solving Social Security’s problems would not only reduce the long-term deficit, but also improve the future security of retirees.
That view might surprise analysts who point out that Social Security has not contributed to the deficit in the past, because it’s been financed by payroll taxes, and technically cannot in the future because, by law, it cannot spend money it doesn’t have.
But in reality, scheduled Social Security benefits and current payroll taxes are included in long-term deficit projections by the Congressional Budget Office, the Office of Management and Budget and the Government Accountability Office.
snip
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/03/us-bank-mexico-drug-gangs
How a big US bank laundered billions from Mexico’s murderous drug gangsAs the violence spread, billions of dollars of cartel cash began to seep into the global financial system. But a special investigation by the Observer reveals how the increasingly frantic warnings of one London whistleblower were ignored
snip
Gary 92, yes that was the place open after hours, also did the Guttenberg thing lived on 70th on the NB side so was there often. There were many bars on the corners in my part of NB then (mid 70s) just belly up to the bar like 35 cents a beer. Boys from like 14 15 could get a beer not many no hard stuff but if wanted a couple of beers no problem.
Sorry ladies no girls getting any thing let alone allowed in.
Kettle 96 worse than that everything I know about nuclear reactors I leaned from you lately!
Nicholas,
The SPOs at DoD are filled with contractors.
Lib
The downside is you have to fly BA or AA. I swore I would never fly BA again, but terminal 4 in LHR is nice. No foreign transaction fees might make the $95 palatable.
I just dumped my Chase Continental and I am looking for a replacement. I already have a boat load of Continental miles I always have trouble using. I flew Mrs Fabius First class to Ireland and she was treated so badly, they refunded the miles back to us. I try and book flights but between black out dates and taxes, its better to fly a different way.
I’m looking at the Capital One Venture where they will let you transfer 100K miles from a compeitor.
#95 That is what I thought you meant. Jeez you are a tough one.
2 NJ Chaperones Charged With Student Sex on TripBy THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: April 7, 2011 at 9:47 AM ET
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HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) — Two Roman Catholic school workers from New Jersey have pleaded not guilty to charges of having sex with female students during a high school’s class trip to Germany.
Thirty-one-year-old Artur Sopel was vice president of operations at Paramus Catholic High School and 27-year-old Michael Sumulikoski was a substitute teacher and assistant football coach until they were suspended last month.
Sumulikoski is accused of have sex with one female student on the February trip.
Sopel is accused of engaging in sexual activities with two female students in Germany and having sex with another female student in 2010.
snip
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/04/07/us/AP-US-School-Trip-Sex.html?_r=1&ref=us
Mikeinwaiting,
There was this place called Buffs on the Boulevard around 22nd Street, NB. It was a dive, a pole dancer place but I can’t begin to tell you the freak shows that went on in this joint. The only thing available in the place was 7 ounce tall neck beers of Pabst and one other, that was it. The place didn’t stick around very long. lol!
FabMax (103):
Continental is the worst major airline for using reward miles. They essentially give their miles away and everyone who does as little as fart in one of their hubs obtains silver making elite status nearly worthless except for the free bag, which you get anyway with their credit card. It will only get worse with United. I’ve always done better with booking FF miles with anyone else besides Continental. Lufthansa’s American office is the best I’ve ever used. They once put me on a direct flight since Gator was booked with Continental reward mileage on a one-stop flight that was cancelled and then rebooked direct. That is customer service. Especially considering that Continental was not a partner of Lufthansa at the time. Either way, at 20% back, I’ll deal with BA and AA’s lousy shortcomings.
AA means LaGuardia, you will spend more time in traffic than the duration of the flight. I will stick with Continental they cover all of my US an European destinations.
AMR is the worst. Last week was the last straw. Flying with them is like being a hostage.
#5 Serenity: You do realize, I hope, that in a “shutdown”, congressional staffers, all of whom have been designated by their bosses as “essential”, will continue to be paid (as will Congresscritters), but the troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya won’t. This “shutdown” is largely symbolic.
Also…if you are unemployed, you might have problems getting your check (especially if you are on extended benefits, which are funded by the federal government).
Need a passport renewal? Too bad. VA or FHA mortgage? Tough luck.
But Darrell Issa’s entire staff will be paid.
Gary [25];
Thanks. When asked to name my weakness I always say I have a low tolerance for bull$h!t.
JC [110];
VA or FHA mortgage? Tough luck.
Bring on the shutdown.
Rut Roh!
TOKYO — A magnitude 7.4 earthquake has hit off the coast of Japan, and authorities have issued a tsunami warning for the country’s northeastern coast, which was already ravaged by last month’s devastating quake and tsunami.
The warning is for a tsunami of as much as four feet, NBC News reported.
The quake hit 73 miles from Fukushima, where workers are still trying to contain the damage at a stricken nuclear plant, and 207 miles from Tokyo, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42473172/ns/world_news-asiapacific/
7.4 earthquake rattles Tokyo. Tsunami warnings posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-07/earthquake-of-7-4-magnitude-hits-215-miles-northeast-of-tokyo-usgs-says.html
(TEPCO brass high fivin’ each other?)
first!
#107 Lib
I had elite status with Lufthansa back in the 90s. I flew about 30 flights with them one year about half in business class. It was back in the days you could smoke in business, but not in coach. I had the the miles all lined up for a day at the BMW test track and the company put me on a plane to San Francisco. I tried again for a helicopter trip to the Monaco Grand Prix, but that fell through as well. By the time I came to try again to use them, they had all expired.
It’s unfortunate that only a few realize that the tsunami hit us a few years ago.
#97 Moose – I’m done with sparring with you. Said what I’ve got to say and am comfortable with it. I’ll never convince you of anything. Don’t matter if I am right or wrong in your eyes…
Uncle Arnie Gunderson explains how truly screwed the people of Japan really are. The level of decit and lies by TEPCO and the Japan & US Gubbmints is hits a new high (or low)……
http://fairewinds.com/content/closing-ranks-nrc-nuclear-industry-and-tepco-are-limiting-flow-information
Just out from NHK: Two of three power systems out at TEPCO Onagawa plant.
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/two-three-power-systems-out-tepco-onagawa-plant
I hear Mexico also just got rocked. Did not hear details. The pacific plate is doing a little dance, it seems.
Tepco makes “Heck-of-a-job-Brownie” look like the disaster manager of the year.
Shore #99: The only reason Social Security is a “problem” is because withholdings that were doubled in 1983 specifically to handle boomer retirement were stolen by successive presidents since Reagan to pay for tax cuts and war. Some Republican congresscritters have even admitted this, but they say “Too bad, we stole the money and we’re not putting it back.” It’s a loan default, plain and simple.
The only reason there’s a need for a “trust fund” is to get the boomer elephant through the societal snake. Once the boomers leave this mortal coil, the system can go back into balance as a pay-as-you-go system and social contract.
So the minute you see an article like this, it’s propaganda for those who want to see Social Security eliminated and social Darwinism to rule: “If you’re not rich, die quickly.”
Anyone ever eat at the French Laundry?
Earthquake about to hit Washington DC
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0411/GOP_lawyer_circulates_Obama_impeachment_articles.html?showall
Anyone ever eat at the French Laundry?
Shore, sounds like a place for swingers! :)
There is no trust fund, there never was a trust fund, and people were nuts to rely upon the trust of congress to fund their retirement. It may be criminal that congress used overfunding of Ss for current expenses over the years but, the bottom line is that SS overstated inflation over the years and we also just have 2-3 workers funding each current retiree’s SS. We can’t afford the current levels of benefits and, in an age when workers have gotten wacked by the economy, it is unreasonable to think that retirees should get a pass.
Frankly, I think that SS should be funded through general revenue and not just payroll taxes. If we had a flat tax and funded EVERYTHING through it, we would create a tax system that is much more rational and fair and we would improve the debate ofer what we should fund and what we just cannot afford to fund.
over, even
That Glen Rock house, I wouldn’t give anyone $200m for it.
It is up in Napa and supposed to be good, but, no swingers, at least to what I have heard.
“withholdings that were doubled in 1983 specifically to handle boomer retirement were stolen by successive presidents ”
Actually, they were stolen by weak-willed congresses. Presidents can propose a budget, hence the PBR each year, but the House (Deomcratic control most of the past 60 years) originates all budget bills and congress as a whole controls the budget, not the president.
Hype,
The Japanese economy is toast. Their nuclear industry is infamous for covering up papering over problems. On top of that they are heavily dependent on their nuclear generation for a non trivial % of their energy supply. You cant replace GW of lost generation capacity overnight. And the current mess could well open pandoras box on the japanese nuclear industry and force them to air their dirty laundry which would force the shut down of additional reactors.
Just wait until japan has to shift a substantial portion of their nuclear generation to fossil fuels. They also have a mess with their grid being divided between 50hz and 60Hz systems with minimal transmission between the 2 readily available.
Gaddafi Starts Bombarding His Own Oil Fields
This should help oil prices.
124 Shore – Why even ask me that question. Don’t you remember who I am married to?
Ket trade in your sequoia Il duce said you must it is your patriotic duty. Get a clown car instead. It is good on mileage and defies the laws of physics
30 year (118)-
An idiot and a troll. Won’t disclose who he is or what he does, because his thin shred of credibility here would be shot.
Another piece of meat taking up space and consuming food and water. Nothing more.
Shore
there are now reports that more then 1 of the reactors reached 5,000 F / 2,800 C after shutdown. As I am sure you are aware, that is hot enough to liquefy all reactor core components,from the fuel rod cladding, the oxides created at lower temps, and the fuel elements themselves.
I wonder when we get to see the pictures of the fukushima version of Chernobyl’s “Elephant Foot”.
What appears to have stopped the fission reactions at Chernobyl was the sand jacket around the reactor emptying into the liquid fuel and allowing the radioactive magma to dilute itself below critical concentrations as it melted through successive concrete floors. I wonder what would act to provide a similar dilution effect here?
Perhaps they get radical and stop cooling to promote melting and start dumping in “low” melting point inerts ( assuming you could get close enough). Of course if the resulting magma hit a large mass of water you have a problem. (not really serious about that, more tongue in cheek)
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/04/wells_fargo_bank_in_verona_is.html?utm_source=twitterfeed
Shore,
Fire up a few portable electric arc furnaces and start pumping in liquefied silica into the core. You get dilution and containment through vitrification. The neat thing is as soon as pull out any water cooling to prep for the silica flow, the core should rapidly heat up enough to keep the silica liquid as it enters the core. There is also the side benefit of the vitrified material being relatively stable in contact with water / salt water.
– I thinkI read this in a Swift novel. ;)
freedy [138],
That sort of thing would never happen in Ridgewood, everybody is bleeding wealth there. A realtor told me.
“Anyone ever eat at the French Laundry?”
No, but I read the book.
we can all make fun of the “blue ribbon” towns as much as we want, but answer me this:
if I were an eccentric wealthy person who was going to give you, for free, a 2,000 SF house in either:
A “blue ribbon” town like Ridgewood
or something more hoi-polloi like say Lyndhurst
both properties have same selling price, which one would you take?
#42 The issuewith so called Blue Ribbon is two fold.
1. In many cases they are no better than non blue ribbon schools.
2. The blue ribbon program ended in 1998, and schools were never awarded a Blue Ribbon, they applied for it.
Most home buyers are not aware of that
Debt [136];
Now that you’re drummed out of business, I guess you’re safe openly talking about potential clients that way.
Gary know Buff’s, enough said.
Shore heading to Napa I gather, enjoy. Never been but sure would like to try.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxvaELRL77Q&feature=related
I’ll take the house in Lyndhurst, wait for three years while the pretenders get crushed, sell the Lyndhurst house and make an even swap for the house in Ridgewood. The Lyndhurst house has already experienced it’s decline; the Ridgewood house has another 20% to go.
I don’t even know what a blue ribbon is? I would think that the best way to judge a school system is by the income level of the local residents. I know it sounds sad, but the average household income probably has a much closer correlation to school performance than any BS certification. Someone want to run the numbers? Kettle?
BTW, the price of gasoline has jumped from $1.83 a gallon when the Annointed One was sworn in to $3.70 today. Yes… We… Can.
Gas hasn’t gone up. The dollar has really just been diluted. This is why Bernanke says there’s no real inflation.
I go for lunch and looks like Japan is going the way of Atlantis or worse.
Hell of a cheese burger anyway. GODZILLLA………………………..!
The big guy getting aerial support from Rodan.
http://www.godzillatemple.com/photos/gzilla66.jpg
“blue ribbon” as shorthand for excellence goes back way before they started applying it to schools, so I doubt the fact that the blue ribbon program ended makes any difference. In fact, until your post, I didn’t realize there was an actual program.
And I can’t wait for the next Republican to get in to the white house in 2012 so all will be better.
The partisan thing is so lame. Both parties suck. End of story. Just concentrate on getting the F out of dodge.
I though the blue ribbon was awarded to the sea vessel that could cross the Atlantic the fastest. When did it get adopted by schools who could afford to apply for it the quickest?
David W. Kirkpatrick, the Senior Education Fellow at the US Freedom Foundation, noted in an editorial titled, “Awarding Blue Ribbons: Recognizing Schools or Students?” that criteria for the awards do not take into account the socioeconomic status of the students and that studies show that students who come from homes with higher income and better educated parents do better than students without these advantages by virtue of their backgrounds. Thus, the award is usually given to schools with students from wealthy backgrounds. As evidence to support his case, he pointed to the distribution of awards given in Pennsylvania one year; of eight schools receiving the award, only one was in a district whose income level was near the state average, and the rest went to districts with above average income, including two in the wealthiest community in the state.
#48libtard: if you compare the BR schools in an area with some of the surrounding schools in the same area, the test scores are in many cases around the same or somewhat better than the non BR schools; certainly not IMO to justify the added premium. The BR in many cases gives the illusion of better or the cachet.
Of course I am not comparing the low income/inner city towns.
But hey what do I know, I went to an NYC Catholic school where some years we had 37 kids in a class, but in the end we could all read and write, and many of us went on to college and beyond.
#52 As for schools you cannot claim BR unless you have one. For home buying purposes only school that applied for and got the BR can be called BR schools.
However there are schools out there now touting their BR status, even go they may have applied for and got their BR 15 or 20 years ago. I would bet that more than a few home buyers do not know this, and assume the BR designation is more recent, or requires some kind of yearly update/confirmation.
If I’m paying a premium for a BR school then test scores is the de minimis requirement. I’m looking at athletic facilities, extracirriculars etc.
Awards mean nothing. We are all idiots, equally lobotomized by the state.
I will still say that it’s more about the parenting and less about the schools. Which is whay Abbott is such a failure. They really should take half the money and use it as incentive for low-income parents to do homework with their kids. Then and only then, will you see results and the break down of the stigma that maintains being studious is totally uncool.
If you need to be paid as an incentive to help your kids, you should be deported.
Libtard, its more than that. Just with vocabulary and subject/verb agreement, those low income kids are, on average, miles behind when they start. Of course it doesn’t have to be that way even if they are low income. Look at the success of low-income asian immigrant’s children. I do not see this probelm getting solved anytime soon.
truth is, whe I said Blue Ribbon, was really trying to elude to the more “smarmy” towns, where you might get a ticket for not driving a German car.
I’d also guess that 80%+ of parents in Abbott districts are functional illiterates, anyway.
ricky (163)-
In the “better” towns, it’s not your car that gets you tickets. It’s your skin color.
I thought you got tickets for being selfish enough to not drive Swedish moose-proof cars.
One could wonder if the impending government shutdown will have any effect on high taxes for commercial sales.
Shore:
French Laundry – Three Michelin Stars – impeccable reputation and artfully displayed meals go along with a big price tag. That place is a foodies dream – meats, herbs and vegetables are either grown on the grounds or sourced locally – everything prepared from scratch, on-site – bread through desserts. It’s tough to get a reservation so if you can get one and can swallow the dime(s) then go for it. I would not be surprised if the meal cost $250/person not including the wine (of course).
Thomas Keller is the chef/owner and also runs Per Se, which is in the Time Warner building. Also very highly rated.
Sorry I cannot speak from experience, I haven’t been to either place. Of course I also don’t want to “entice” you to buy into an experience that is entirely subjective especially considering the cost, but if you love good food and wine you could do a lot worse. THEN AGAIN – if you are “into” food and wine you should already be familiar with The French Laundry – at least by reputation. There’s tons of info on the web about it.
Bon Appetit!
#62 You should see more than a few of the kids from the so called better schools.
#58I’m looking at athletic facilities, extracirriculars etc.
Funny I am more interested in goving kids a real education. That IMO comes first, not test scores, not athletic facilities.
Real educations only exist in a handful of places and are only available to the ultra-wealthy.
Or, the real education is available in one of the Marva Collins-type schools and you have to be dirt poor to qualify to access it.
“#62 You should see more than a few of the kids from the so called better schools.”
And so what? Its a population v population comparison, not individuals. As for your passive-agressive teenager comment “I’m concerned about giving the kids a real education” concentrating on test scores is missing the piont, your kids aren’t getting a real education if thats all it is. Your kids – test scores. My kids – test scores, extracirricualrs and athletics.
Debt supernova – you’re talking abunch of hogwash too. I’ve got a PhD and a JD. Neither cost me a penny. Neither of my parents graduated from high school, and they certainly weren’t wealthy enough for me to go private.
Libtard 148
here is a rough chart of the relation to school ranking and income:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?hl=en&hl=en&key=0AihJfz4n6jQndFhMeWhKUmVjcFRJcEJ1dWhmd3NTTXc&output=html
Note that there is also the unspeakable correlation between race and school performance. It would be interesting to see which is a stronger correlation, race: school performance or income:school performance. Race and income stats are probably codependent variables in relation to education outcomes.
Libtard
I will still say that it’s more about the parenting and less about the schools. Which is whay Abbott is such a failure.
Parenting/ parental involvement correlates well with income. Correlation Causation.
Once again we hit one of those taboo subjects of parenting outcomes / income/ race.
ditto, see #172. Gotta be superrich or dirt poor to access real education.
Denial of real education to the middle class is another way in which the gubmint wages war against it.
Natch, it’s not like the middle class has raged for access to real education within the past 40 years or so…
Ditto 173
Just because you have some letters behind your name doesn’t exclude you form being an idiot. It reduces the odds, but i know more then a few idiots with fancy degrees. Secondly, if you achieve something like you describe you are probably in the top 1% achievement wise. You cannot apply that to the masses.
“Just because you have some letters behind your name doesn’t exclude you form being an idiot.”
Yes, but an educated idiot nevertheless.
Interesting Kettle.
It looks like Ocean County gives the middle income folk the best bang for the buck. Middlesex blows!
I’m not asking you to do it, but this would be much more interesting at a town level rather than county level.
#73 Not sure what your point is. I stated that IMO there is too much emphasis on test scores, and not enough on a real education.
But hey what do I know, I am only finish up with my 3rd kid graduating from a BR HS. My kids did well because of us, not becaause of the BR nonsense.
Debt,
i dont know about super rich, but it isnt cheap.
On a related note, it is interesting to see how quickly the knowledge/achievement differential has grown between my son and his peers that entered Montessori pre-school and those who went the traditional routes. In the course of 1 year the gap is very obvious.
Lib 180
I am curious as well about the town level, but that is a substantial hunk of data to process and will have to do it at a later date. I ran a quick average to get the county level data. It is important to note that place like middlesex have a high level of disparity between rankings while place like Hunterdon county towns are pretty uniform.
once again i must stress AVERAGE.
“that entered Montessori pre-school and those who went the traditional routes. In the course of 1 year the gap is very obvious.”
What about the creativity gap?
libtard,
from the average county data, Sussex county seems to give the best bang for the buck over all when you consider how much it would cost to live there compared to other high ranking places.
Ditto,
My view is limited and obviously biased, but i think that on average the group who went montessori instead of main stream surpass in virtually all aspects. The montesorri group are taught how to learn, not taught facts. Relativly speaking, they are allowed to explore the world on their own terms, at their own pace not herded into an overly rigorous predefined education track.
I am not saying montessori is the end all / be all solution but in my situation I think it is one of the best available.
But there’s nothing to do in Sussex but hang out at the DD and go cow tipping. At least Ocean County has, well, the ocean.
Kettle – thanks for your thoughts. My thinking is the success of such a pedagogical technique will be significantly influenced by the teacher’s approach – do montessori “teachers” go through montessori training, if thats not oxymoronic, or can any Joe just set up a montessori?
Keep in mind Ket, any kids who went the Montessori route, obviously had parents who cared about their educational upbringing. This may contribute to your anecdotal findings. My sister was a Montessori teacher and she spoke to the parental involvement frequently. Although, critical thought is a much better educator than a lecture and a Scantron form. Do they still use them?
WTF, first of all no one pays attention in public schools and most teachers are idiots, therefore the students have to teach each other and be creative as you have tests to pass and a useless blob as a teacher. I would say the montesorri method was practiced regularly in my public school experience.
If you left me alone in kindergarten to be creative I would have burned the whole damm school down, burned the teachers cars and spitballed half the NYPD NYFD to death when they arrived on the scene. Leaving boys alone to be creative is an incubator for future criminals. They need to be beaten with sticks.
Kettle1^2 says:
April 7, 2011 at 2:16 pm
Ditto,
My view is limited and obviously biased, but i think that on average the group who went montessori instead of main stream surpass in virtually all aspects. The montesorri group are taught how to learn, not taught facts. Relativly speaking, they are allowed to explore the world on their own terms, at their own pace not herded into an overly rigorous predefined education track.
I am not saying is the end all / be all solution but in my situation I think it is one of the best available.
is this pro or anti Montessori?
Lib plenty to do in Sussex, just kidding. We are #3 yea! Kettle you want to post the race percentages for Sussex or is it best left unsaid. It is what it is.
Libtard,
From my experience so far, a successful montessori experience requires active parental involvement.
Ditto.
“Real” montessori teaching requires a fair amount of training. I was observing my sons class this morning, and it was clear that it is a skill and not something easily replicated without effort.
Through various colleges and universities, the Association Montessori Internationale offers full-time, nine-month courses for college graduates that are the hallmark of Montessori-ness.
See there is a school to learn it.
ditto
any Joe just set up a montessori yes. But, there are 2 major accreditation groups for Montessori in the US. you definitely want to research the available schools before just diving in.
Mike
from US census:
Sussex:
White persons, percent, 2009 (a) 94.6%
Middlesex:
White persons, percent, 2009 (a) 67.6%
NJ ave:
White persons, percent, 2009 (a) 75.8%
Do not infer any meaning on my part from this. i am simply posting stats that have little significance in a vacuum.
Sussex is pretty white yo.
Ditto
good Montessori schools in the northeast are not cheap. Fulltime preschool is 10k+ per year. The price only goes up from there.
“any Joe just set up a montessori yes. But, there are 2 major accreditation groups for Montessori in the US. you definitely want to research the available schools before just diving in”
Thanks, I’ll get the wife to do the homework on this one. 10k isn’t so bad if you’ve only got one,with multiple kids it gets a bit hair-raising.
Any system of teaching that forces a kid to take a task, break it down into components, think things from point a to b and involve more than one discipline is going to help form the intellectual basis of an educated person.
Scantron tests, memorization, social promotion, “diversity” programs and other forms of mind pablum help to form the cashiers of the future.
STERLING,
I know it by reputation, that is all. Someone suggested a meeting there.
“A “blue ribbon” town like Ridgewood or something more hoi-polloi like say Lyndhurst”
I’d take Lyndhurst, fish and chips at Thistle.
Kettle [196];
What does the census have to say about average number of teeth per adult in Sussex?
Debt,
As politically incorrect as it may be, Diversity as advertised by the montclair school system is an INVERSE indicator of performance.
_once again stats in a vacuum cannot speak to causation.
A real, methodical, disinterested investigation of the link between income and race would be very interesting, very controversial and politically untouchable.
isn’t a blue ribbon something you put on a pig?
Does the downtown disctrict in Ridgewood still exist or is the congregation gone?
“isn’t a blue ribbon something you put on a pig?”
Yes, if you go ugly early.
“very controversial and politically untouchable.”
Sound like a job for Clotpoll.
(197) libtard,
Exposing says you are a racist.
Lib in Ocean there is nothing to do but hangout at the windmill and dip toes in the ocean.
hung out in both sussex (high school) and ocean (college) experience the same drugs different
McDonalds in Sparta, one of a kind; all the employees speak English and all are blonde.
Moose,
I could also point out that cape may county is 92.5% white but 20 of 21 in education ranking and median income.
The education, race, and income are all dependent variables.
Nom,
We are all racist. A politician could never say this because all politicians lack any semblance of having a back bone. A braindead jellyfish does not control which direction it moves in. All politicians are braindead jellyfish.
Debt,
you would HATE Montessori. They are big on nonviolence. I got a phone call from the school for my son repeatedly playing “superheros & badguys” with his buddies
Kettle (211):
Well then it’s completely obvious that the brothers down in Cape May County are much stupider than those in the rest of Jersey.
Let’s try this again;
McD*nalds in Sparta, one of a kind; all the employees speak English and all are blonde.
McD’s puts you in mod?
Oil tops $110 after Japan suffers another blow
Oil prices jumped above $110 a barrel, a fresh 2-1/2 year high, after Japan was hit with another major earthquake.
May oil futures settled up $1.47, or 1.4%, to $110.32 a barrel. Prices had jumped as high as $110.44 — a level not seen since September 2008.
The gains came after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake occurred around 10:30 a.m. ET, near the same location off the coast of Japan as the March 11 earthquake
Libtard,
I know you know this, but to re-iterate, these are all stats in a vacuum and casual conclusions based on them are dubious at best.
And besides, Lyndhurst still has Italian deli’s and restaurants where they actually speak Italian.
213.Kettle1^2 says:
April 7, 2011 at 3:08 pm
Debt,
you would HATE Montessori. They are big on nonviolence. I got a phone call from the school for my son repeatedly playing “superheros & badguys” with his buddies
One has to wonder who will serve in the Army in the future?
Libtard,
these stats are at population scale as well and cannot be applied to the individual level.
I know that Kettle!
Just having some fun. I’m using statistics the same way leaders, financial advisors and most realtors do.
Confused,
My wifes response was that we should send him in with an airsoft glock for the letter “G” day.
http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/airsoft/ReviewDetail?reviewID=40
Shore,
I’m just envious. It’s a foodies Mecca. I can’t really say I’m a “huge” foodie although this is one place that I would love to experience. If you do get the opportunity to go please fill us in as to whether or not it lives up to the hype. I’ll keep in mind that this is a business event which naturally has it’s pluses and minuses. I’m curious, are we talking about a large event (20+ people) or a small group meeting over dinner?
Confused
One has to wonder who will serve in the Army in the future?
Brazilification! The poor prols that cannot afford 10K+/yr/child for private schooling will be the army grunts.
Ranger,
D*nald D”uu”ck was a moderation term due to a spat way back.
Libtard
I know that Kettle!
Just having some fun. I’m using statistics the same way leaders, financial advisors and most realtors do.
Yep, hence why Abbott is a complete failure and money pit. Its not the money but the social and parenting skills that are making the difference. The parents that tend to exhibit the more successful parenting skills tend to make more money. It is also a matter of socioeconomics. Its hard to be a part of your kids education in a single parent family on an average income or less, or if you make minimum wage and have to work 2 jobs.
Kettle [211];
My question is equally applicable to Cape May County. Got Lima Beans?
lib (189)-
My daughter’s Blue Ribbon (vomit) skool relies almost exclusively on Scantron tests…even in honors and AP courses.
mikey (192)-
A better study in Sussex would be determining what percentage of the population has three chromosomes.
“Kettle you want to post the race percentages for Sussex or is it best left unsaid. It is what it is.”
Gary, I luv Appetizzio’s. Get any number hero. They’re all great!
I am finding that the “parental involvement” mantra is quite hollow. Maybe some others have experienced the same. Its a ploy. Sounds good, everybody nods their heads and it makes the school appear to be accountable. Until you actually get involved….
vodka (213)-
The new Amerikan Super Man should be a sophisticated, Montessori-educated killing machine.
ranger (215)-
Feh. Sounds like Kansas to me.
Babs (231)-
In your burg, the only thing that would improve the schools would be burning them down.
Sterling,
Just meeting a guy about a thing, having a meal to discuss the issue at hand and then melting into the crowd, as it were.
Great. Mr. Wiki-steroid has chosen Montessori education as today’s point for pontification, based on his parent-teacher conference and a marketing brochure from his son’s school. Feh….
Libtard says:
April 7, 2011 at 2:21 pm
Keep in mind Ket, any kids who went the Montessori route, obviously had parents who cared about their educational upbringing. This may contribute to your anecdotal findings. My sister was a Montessori teacher and she spoke to the parental involvement frequently. Although, critical thought is a much better educator than a lecture and a Scantron form. Do they still use them?
Speaking of hanging out and blue ribbons:
I don’ t know where you’ve been lad, but I see you won first prize.
clot: feh for posting your feh right before I posted my feh…..
“Sounds like Kansas to me.”
Replace the hills with the Plains and replace the leased SUV’s with John Deere’s and it’s the same.
So if there is no SS trust fund will it be safe to say there is no Treasury bonds.It says on the trust fund,it is fully guaranteed by the US treasury earning interest just like US treasury bonds.If my elected official will say I will not pay you for there is no money in the fund but he gets paid with his million dollar holdings with treasury bonds.Do I just bend down?
The main reason Reagan udjusted SS and extended retirement age was to make sure there is enough money for baby boomers that are retiring.Because of that move the Republican President was applauded and a 2.6 trillion dollar surplus that was bought into Government bonds that is called a Trust fund came to exist earning interest.It has enough money to pay full amount until 2036 and 3/4 after that.Now the same party the Republican are telling you the people there was never a Trust Fund.
“It says on the trust fund,it is fully guaranteed by the US treasury”
Good faith and credit? Yes, bend over.
You may have a better chance landing a subway ride with a token.
Wait until they start raiding your 401K/IRA’s. Don’t worry, you’ll have the option of “investing” your money in good faith and credit; the only option.
Good faith and credit? Yes, bend over
Treasury bond buyers,yes bend over but we have to screw our own people first fall in line
Wait until they start raiding your 401K/IRA’s. Don’t worry, you’ll have the option of “investing” your money in good faith and credit; the only option.
Was that not a Republcan’s idea?
Gary, I really think that you should look into one of these places to live.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/04/maine-ranked-most-peaceful-state-while-louisiana-comes-in-last/1
226.Kettle1^2 says:
April 7, 2011 at 3:40 pm
Libtard
I know that Kettle!
Just having some fun. I’m using statistics the same way leaders, financial advisors and most realtors do.
Yep, hence why Abbott is a complete failure and money pit. Its not the money but the social and parenting skills that are making the difference. The parents that tend to exhibit the more successful parenting skills tend to make more money. It is also a matter of socioeconomics. Its hard to be a part of your kids education in a single parent family on an average income or less, or if you make minimum wage and have to work 2 jobs.
Neither of my parents attended High School (Elementary only), yet I graduated Brooklyn Technical High School which served me well. They couldn’t help me with my work, and I would never have thought to ask, as School was My Job & Responsibility. At that time Brookly Tech (Brooklyn), Stuvesant (Manhattan) & Bronx High School of Science (Bronx) were the best in the City & in the top 10 nationwide. I was able to succede because it was my responsibility, and my parents income (low) and formal education (low), were not relevant factors. Back then people had personal responsibility. There was also less crime, even though every kid played War, Cowboys & Indians, or Cops & Robbers, with realistic looking cap guns. Of course Religion back then wasn’t banned by the Government, you even still had prayer in school, at least elementary. My PS172 6th Grade teacher Mrs Natali use to take us to religious instruction after school, and to church on Feast Days.
If by trust fund you mean treasuries in a file cabinet, okay
If you mean real money that would not require the treasury to float more bonds to cover, it does not exist.
Democrats on congress spent it.
much better Mormon than Romney, he will bring lots of Big Love to the White House if elected.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/52724.html
Shore-
While in Napa, head out to etoile, the restaurant at Domain Chandon. Yum.
236 hillarious when you two bicker. The education discussion comes up every three months here like clockwork. The only problem is that its the exact same conversation. I promise not to get sucked in. I promise not to get sucked in.
#215… no Mickey D’s in Sparta.
I find it interesting that nobody is taking notice of the alternative/renewable energy revolution that is occuring as we speak. This will transform our entire economy. Check out GEs announcement today to create a $6b solar panel factory in america.
Re: 254 – without tariffs that factory subizdied by the taxpayer is as doomed as the Chevy Volt.
Juice volt is not doomed. Its cutting edge. Govt will subsidize during incubation.
Have you seen the tax credits nj is giving businesses to implement solar?
Those tax credits are HUGE. My accountant has clients whose only business right now IS the tax credit, and they are making money.
“Check out GEs announcement today to create a $6b solar panel factory in america.”
Oh, so they will spend $6B tax-payer money and this is called victory? As the evidence from Spain showed, every green job destroys 4 real jobs. For some reason, White House stopped speaking about Spain’s green economy recently..
“Democrats on congress spent it.”
That is what bonds are for,to pay for projects.Just like treasury bonds.I don’t think the American people will be that easy to take “there was never a trust fund” and let the rich take away their 18% of their lifes work.(6% employee 12% employer contribution) When the population has almost zero savings.
What is the Social Security contribution rate, or tax rate, for 2011?
The 2011 tax rate is 4.2 percent for employees, 6.2 percent for employers, and 10.4 percent for self-employed people. These rates apply to earnings up to the maximum taxable amount ($106,800 in 2011).
The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 reduced 2011 Social Security tax rates for employees and self-employed people by two percentage points, from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent for employees and from 12.4 percent to 10.4 percent for self-employed people. Without further changes in the law, these tax rates will return to 6.2 percent and 12.4 percent, respectively, beginning in 2012.
#161
The reason alot of people got a tax refund
“every green job destroys 4 real jobs.”
Yes and three of the four jobs destroyed are in china. Until this announcement, all solar panels would be made by chinese children for at least the next ten years.
I got pulled right into the middle of one project. It is not just NJ. I will give an example: $7M project. 90 days from flicking the switch, the Federal Goverment cuts you a check for $2.1M. Then they have this currency they created called “REC'”s”, which is essentially legislated extortion of the local utilities. It creates a $1M revenue stream that degrades over about 12-15 years to zero. Oh yeah….these monstrosities create about $100,000 of electricity a year……what a boondoggle……and you have to finance the project somehow……
Neanderthal Economist says:
April 7, 2011 at 9:10 pm
Have you seen the tax credits nj is giving businesses to implement solar?
http://www.njcleanenergy.com/renewable-energy/programs/solar-renewable-energy-certificates-srec/new-jersey-solar-renewable-energy
Within 10 years, almost all new roofing shingles and siding sold will be made of flexible solar panels. America has some of the best sun and wind exposure on the planet. Plus we have a saudi arabia of nat gas. This is very big.
Almost all public school roofs will be covered in panels over the next five years.
interesting day.
US general testifies that ground troops for Libya operation on the table.
govt shutdown likely, but gov parasites paid unemployment benefits (essential service?)
1.5M votes in Wisconsis State Supreme Court election. Unions and George Soros spent millions on that. On election night, conservative candidate leading narrowly. Then, in the morning left-wing activist laywer ahead by 200 (!) votes (out of 1.5M) and she declared victory. State Media declared that it was massive rebuke to GOP and Gov Walker. After all canvassing finished, conservative candidate now leading by 7,000 votes. As you can expect, heads exploding in PMSNBC, State Media, DU.
#268 Jamil
Again your navel gazing misses the point. Prosser had a 30point lead in the November primary and Walkers actions blew it. He might scrape over the line, but the damage is already done.
I want a bumper sticker that says “GOP 2020, their next credible shot”.
#267 Neth
My daughters school have set up their own Solar company (funded by the foundation). First client, the high school, followed by the middle school and then the elementary. 2.5mil project with profits to be ploughed back into the foundation.
WSJ
MARKETS
APRIL 7, 2011, 9:12 P.M. ET.
Muni Salesmen Fight Gloom
By MICHAEL CORKERY
MIAMI BEACH, Fla.—Few people used to worry much about the humdrum municipal-bond market.
Then prices dropped last fall, and pundits from all corners suddenly offered predictions, some dire.
Now, after months of assault and an investor exodus, the muni business is fighting back. Marketing materials for an industry conference at a beachfront resort last week insisted: “The Spin Stops Here.”
“Nothing ever happened in our market, good or bad,” said Ben Watkins, director of Florida’s division of bond finance, as he left a conference luncheon where speakers warned of threats to the market’s main attraction, the federal tax exemption on muni-bond interest. “Is there now a lot of angst out there? Heck, yes.”
The gloominess extends to Wall Street, which is suffering a sharp decline in fee-generating muni-bond deals. Issuance of new bonds dropped to an 11-year low in the first quarter, and some analysts predict this year could see less than half of last year’s total of $431 billion.
Muni-bond mutual funds logged their 21st consecutive week of net outflows in the week ending March 30, according to the Investment Company Institute, a trade group. The bleeding, about $40.4 billion since early November, has erased many of the new investments muni-bond funds attracted in 2010.
In a recent brochure, the Bond Dealers of America, the conference co-host, said “undisciplined statements” about state and local finances were hurting the market.
The leading voice for such statements, conference attendees agreed, was Meredith Whitney, an analyst who predicted in December that there would be hundreds of billions of dollars of municipal defaults.
“The chances that ‘she who shall not be named’ will be correct are slim to none,” said James Lebenthal, an 82-year-old municipal bond salesman.
Others said the damage has been done. “What she said is permanent,” said Richard Larkin, a credit analyst at investment banking firm Herbert J. Sims & Co., speaking of her influence on the muni market.
One banker referred to Ms. Whitney as the “black swan,” the rare bird that has come to symbolize improbable events in the financial markets.
Ms. Whitney declined to comment.
States face the deepest budget gaps in decades and long term pressures from underfunded pension systems. They also are tackling fiscal issues without the federal assistance that the 2009 stimulus law gave them for a couple of years.
People at the conference acknowledged stresses on municipal finances. But, they said, pension funds aren’t going to run out of money. And most important, they said, borrowers have a will to make bond payments to keep their credit record clean.
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.For many, their frustration boils down to this view: Analysts with little prior experience in the muni-bond market have unnecessarily stirred default fears. If their predictions are right, they look prescient. If they are wrong, ultimately no one will remember it, the long-timers say.
Until recently, the industry generally operated as a well-oiled machine in which cities and states issued bonds and their bankers easily sold them to institutional investors, mutual funds and individuals, many of whom want the federal tax exemption on interest payments.
Some muni players say the industry is partly to blame for its current woes. In recent years, they say, it’s strayed from its roots of buying and selling plain-vanilla bonds that finance schools and roads by expanding into derivatives and other fancy financial instruments.
To entice investors into municipal bonds, they said, they need a new sales pitch.
“We have to sell the project, not just sell the paper,” Mr. Lebenthal said. To that end, years ago, he filmed a television commercial at a power plant, with his hair standing upright.
The municipal bond market generally lacks the star power to get its message across, said Paul Rosenstiel, a principal at municipal investment-banking firm De La Rosa & Co. The nearest it has to nationally recognizable names, he said, are people like Mr. Lebenthal and California Treasurer Bill Lockyer.
There is one possible problem with the industry making the case for munis.
“I am not sure it doesn’t look self serving,” said Mr. Rosenstiel.
Write to Michael Corkery at michael.corkery@wsj.com
how about painting their tanks red or something?
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-libya-airstrikes-20110408,0,753244.story?track=rss
fabius: Earlier that was non-partisan low-profile election (that most people could not care less), until unions made it 100% referendum on Walker. See union’s own statements. In the end, it was really unprecedent election and really a referendum on WI policies. 1.5M votes in Supreme Court election (!)
In the end, unions lost. Taxpayers still outnumber parasites.
There is hope for this country. Soros and unions outspent conservatives massively and they still lost.
After all the energy that parasites had, it turned out that outside of gov worker ghettos, voters rejected the thuggery. Higher turnout in union stronghold, but elsewhere Prosser performed better than Gov Walker in his winning campaign.
O is in real trouble here in 2012.
#273 Jamil
O is on cruise control for a win in 2012. The chance of the GOP fielding a winnable candidate is slim.
As for the Wisconsin unions, I will leave comment to the great l1beral voice of the WSJ
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/03/02/wsjnbc-poll-strong-support-for-bargaining-rights/
Excellent tips! I have been looking for something such as this for a time now. Thanks for your insight!
As if we don’t pay enough…
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