From the Philly Inquirer:
In Burlington County, a 458 percent tax hike with Christie’s blessing
When two New Jersey towns asked voters to approve a property-tax hike last month, Gov. Christie scorned them.
The state’s other 564 municipalities didn’t seek permission to exceed the 2 percent cap on tax increases. Didn’t Medford and Lawrence Townships know how to cut spending?
But Christie was mum a few days later when his administration quietly gave Chesterfield the go-ahead to raise municipal taxes a whopping 458 percent. The average tax bill in the tiny rural Burlington County community will jump nearly $1,000.
“Wow, whew,” Medford Mayor Randy Pace said last week, as budgets across the state were being finalized, when he learned about Chesterfield’s numbers. Medford voters agreed to a 30 percent tax increase after painful debate.
“We were vilified for what we did,” Pace said, referring to Christie’s lambasting town officials on radio broadcasts. But if Chesterfield needs to raise its tax that much, there must be a reason, Pace said.
Like Medford, there are special circumstances at work in Chesterfield. Neither town has raised taxes for about five years and both now face fiscal challenges. But unlike Medford, Chesterfield didn’t need voter approval to fix its finances.
Chesterfield is one of 18 municipalities statewide that enjoy a little-known exemption to the tax-hike cap. Towns and boroughs are exempted when they have a tax rate of less than 10 cents per $100 of assessed real estate value, according to the Division of Local Government Services, which approves municipal budgets.
Most are tiny and offer few services.
Chesterfield, whose population of 4,600 enjoys no municipal trash collection, adopted a $4 million municipal budget last month that called for the tax rate to jump to nearly 30 cents from 5 cents. For property assessed at the township average of $396,900, municipal taxes will go up $961, to $1,171. County and school taxes are still being calculated, but the average overall tax bill last year was $8,623.
Good Morning New Jersey
Morning, Mike
good Morning Mike Good Morning NJ
This is turning into a Python skit, mourning Mike.
Krugman on Zakaria effectively arguing for printing. Yeah, that will end well.
[3] funnel,
Mind if we call ya Mike ta keep it cleah?
Krugman also claiming a debt crisis unlikely because one hasn’t happened yet. I like how they identified him as a columnist and not as a Nobel winning economist. Truth in media
Krugman is a damn tax and spend liberal. I hate how the stinking liberals have infected the news media and the damn culture. Hell, they’ve even infected the republican party as evidenced by Romney being nominated. He’s nothing but a stinking liberal. The only way I’m voting for him is if he puts Palin, Bachman or Santorum on the damn ticket. His failure to do that means I stay the hell home.
Looking to clean out my gun safe, no time to go to the range lately. Nom – You buying? I’ve got a Sig 9mm Blackwater and a Sig Custom Shop Equinox (.40 compact) that I’m looking to part ways with.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/05/20/america-s-best-high-schools.html
Best High Schools NJ
Grim is there a baby on the way? Need to keep those for the coming zombie apocalypse. too bad I don’t have any money the sig blackwater is a nice gun
They haven’t seen the light of day in more than a year. If I happen to ever find a free afternoon again, I’ll hop on the bike instead. Both are pretty trick guns, the Blackwater is discontinued and something of a collectors item I suppose.
NJ has only one single public school with open admissions policies in the top 1oo. The rest are selective charter schools. That is not not much for an entire state.
By comparison Long Island alone has 8 open admission public schools in top 100. New York State has 13 open admission public schools in top 100.
My personal Favorite is the Bronx has one open admission public schools in the top 40. While NJ has only one in the top 100 which is Milburn at 83. So apparantly the Bronx has better schools than New Jersey. Bronx High School of Science came in at number 50. So the Bronx has two public schools in the top 50 schools in USA>
NJ is funny, school taxes are outrageous, the gov wont send his kids to public schools. With all that spending you would not think the Bronx would have better schools?
Fb below IPO price.Down 3.8% before the bell,when futures are up.
14 Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) faced a $15 billion lawsuit on Friday from its subscribers. The complaint filed on 17 May in a Federal Court at San Jose, California, accuses the company of infringing on users’ privacy by tracking their Internet usage
I always argued with folks in the blue ribonny schools about their high property tax is due to their great schools.I have not seen a NJ public school in the top 50 in the national list.Talking to my BIL,he makes it alright to pay high property tax in West Windsor for having the best school.I showed him the national list.Is it the Realtors that vote in this schools?
freedy [10],
How come I don’t see Clifton HS on that list? My taxes tell me it should be in the top ten. :o
Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.
Oscar Wilde
yo,
Look at the public sector salaries, plus benefits and the obligation you have for paying their pension for 40 years post retirement. That pretty much answers that question.
3b #40 from yesterday: I have a Kenmore grill that just needs some cleaning up, I think. It was a great grill, probably still is….Want it to tide you over till you buy a house?
I sent DH out last year to buy a new one, told him to get a GOOD one and he came back with the $179 Char-Broil K-Mart special…and then messed up putting it together, so it’s been sitting in our basement half-assembled. That’s why I do the handy stuff around the house….
Medford voters agreed to a 30 percent tax increase after painful debate.
And for those who bought a home between 2002 and 2008 and are now selling, have fun bringing a check to the closing table.
#20 Jill: Thanks for the offer. I am OK with lugging the new BBQ, it is all the other stuff I need to get rid of. Amazing how much you collect over the years. The Kenmore I have is basically all corroded. I guess it is about 12 years old or so. The replacement parts are so expensive, it does not make sense to repair it. I think I will treat myself to the Weber, although I understand there are cheap Weber’s and the better ones. I will have to do some checking around.
19. Aw quit bleating — no one promised that your IT skillz would hold up. It’s simply market forces crushing your dreams. Take the police exam, get a cert to teach. And maybe by the time Christie leaves office you will have the chance at some of those benefits. My guess is that it is a watered down version for new hires. Cause everyone knows that spending time with kids or putting out fires is nothing compared to the ability to write decent code.
I never bought a grill. So, I can’t speak to whether or not its worth the money. My first grill I inherited from my neighbor, who was from England, who bought it because that’s what everybody in America did. He used it once then gave it to me when he moved out of his apartment. It was a Kenmore, albeit the super cheapo model, and it did the job while I lived in my apartment for two years.
Then, my FIL gave me his Weber. He lived in a Townhouse and the HOA was bugging him to get rid of it. I think they made propane grills illegal in condo/townhouses or something. So I went to pick it up, same situation, he used it several times then neglected it and left it sitting outside uncovered for five years.
I cleand it up, slapped on a new propane tank, and it fired right up first click on the electric ignitor and has everytime since I inherited it six years ago. It cooks really well too. It’s easy to clean, easy to control the temperature, and heat is really evenly distributed.
I remember making fun of my unlcle many years ago because he paid like $500 for a new Weber. My father always used to get the cheap model at the hardware store ever few years and haggle with the guy and get him to throw in free assembly. Usually walked out of there spending $100 or so. Many years later I went to my uncle’s house for a barbaque and he was still using that old weber he bought years ago. Still works great and parts are still readily available. Just easier to cook on too. Sometimes, I guess it just makes sense to go for quality.
20.Jill says:
May 21, 2012 at 9:14 am
3b #40 from yesterday: I have a Kenmore grill that just needs some cleaning up, I think. It was a great grill, probably still is….Want it to tide you over till you buy a house?
I sent DH out last year to buy a new one, told him to get a GOOD one and he came back with the $179 Char-Broil K-Mart special…and then messed up putting it together, so it’s been sitting in our basement half-assembled. That’s why I do the handy stuff around the house….
A few weeks ago I mentioned an open house that I went to; it was listed at $790K. It had sold for $800K in 2006 and I asked the agent why they thought the house had only lost 1% in value in a RE market that suffered 20-30% losses nationwide…she said “it’s worth what someone is willing to pay for it.”
Well…I now have it on good knowledge that someone was willing to pay $721K for it.
Essex [23],
Constantly upgrading my skills… unlike the doughboys licking the bottom of the Nutella jar. I get enough contract offers… I guess that’s why I’m working right now. I worked for a municipality for 5 years… no thanks, I’ll pass. I was tired of turning into a vegetable.
Here you go. This is another reason below why prices are not done falling. This 3 bed 1 bath gem, can be yours at a delightful asking price of 342K. Of course there is the small matter of the numbing taxes, which are a staggering $12, 400.00 per year!!!!
But the high school did rank like 752 out of the nations top 1000 best high schools, so you know that means a lot. Or at least that is what the Realtors will say,
http://www.njmls.com/listings/index.cfm?action=dsp.info&mlsnum=1218631&dayssince=&countysearch=false
F propane, Real Men play with fire, I only grill on Charcoal.
Snapshot:FB
FACEBOOK INC
34.32Down -3.9118 (-10.23 %)a
re # 29 -JJ – is MS gonna take a bath, didn’t they use about 2 Billion to prop it up on Friday?
#24 My BIL swears by his Weber, I am going to price both and than make a decision. I will of course get free assembly thrown in for free wither way I go. I don’t have the patience to put things together any more.
Been watching that JJ , FB getting taken out to the wood shed.
3b you catch my post last thread on grills, love the radiant.
JJ and still heading south.
27,
I though i saw Abe Lincoln on the porch of that POS cape.
Facebook is past prime. Classic pump and dump. Id rather buy shares in Pets.com.
Check out Craigslist for grills, every once in a while I see a top-end Weber Genesis that looks damn near unused for the price of a low/mid-range (usually out behind a stucco McMansion). Although like Mike said, ain’t the season.
Nope. MS as lead underwriter oversubscribed facebook by that two billion. Meaning, MS sold two billion of facebook stock that did not exist at 38. Then MS entered a buy limit order at 38 to buy two billion in facebook stock. This is normal as it helps protect IPO price during lock up period. Trouble is face book is such a dog they blew threw it on day one. MS aint risking its own money on this. In fact MS took on a big risk on Friday if they could not protect the 38 floor which they barely did. Stupid Zuckenburg who fleeced retail investors should himself buy one billion worth back at 38 if he had a soul. Help prop price up for long enough so at least some retail investors could get out.
Juice Box says:
May 21, 2012 at 9:44 am
re # 29 -JJ – is MS gonna take a bath, didn’t they use about 2 Billion to prop it up on Friday?
Krugman – Since about from 1980 until today the USA has never grown more GDP than we have increased our debt. He clings to a Keynesian economic lie that we can pay down our debt when the economy is positive again, which we have never done in the modern era since we have no political will or financial restraint (like the gold standard).
We should print and spend when what we should be doing is restructuring the debt. It will all end in a currency war and not just a war of words either.
Stupid Zuckenburg who fleeced retail investors should himself buy one billion worth back at 38 if he had a soul. Help prop price up for long enough so at least some retail investors could get out.
Silly muppets. Shh!!! I hear Krispy Kreme is ready to sky rocket. Wink! Wink!
FB is no Krispy Kreeme, that stock is up today.
KKD — KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS INC
6.3400
Change +0.330 (+5.49%)
Re SX [23];
19. Aw quit bleating — no one promised that your IT skillz would hold up. It’s simply market forces crushing your dreams. Take the police exam, get a cert to teach. And maybe by the time Christie leaves office you will have the chance at some of those benefits. My guess is that it is a watered down version for new hires. Cause everyone knows that spending time with kids or putting out fires is nothing compared to the ability to write decent code.
The best plan you can come up with is sucking on the gubmint teat? You’re not alone, though the advice I’ve seen in that direction tends to be marinated in sarcasm, not sincerity.
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/187362/get-government-job/john-derbyshire
Grim 37 so true stole mine, floor model end of Sept.
3b take Jill up on her generous offer and vulture buy a Weber after summer as you are going high end it is the move.
In part,I agree with Krugman.Again,It is the Military and healthcare cost that is brings the most deficit not SS or other safety nets.
That is what he told us in his New York Times column that was ostensibly about out of control Social Security and Medicare spending. Emmanuel begins by telling readers:
“If nothing is done about entitlement spending, and if our current tax breaks continue, then by 2025, tax revenue will be able to pay for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, interest on the debt and nothing else.”
There are two big problems with this story. First there is the old trick of conflating Social Security with Medicare and Medicaid. This is a great trick for those who want to deceive people into believing the budget problem is primarily a demographic story. However, it is highly misleading. The retirement of baby boomers is projected to increase Social Security spending by 0.9 percentage points of GDP or roughly 20 percent between now and 2025.
By comparison, military spending increased by more than 1 percentage point of GDP between 2000 and 2005. In other words, the projected increase in Social Security spending over the next 13 years is relatively modest and easily affordable. It also is fully covered by projected Social Security revenue and assets in the trust fund.
The projected increase in health care spending is considerably larger, however this depends on using the Congressional Budget Office’s “alternative fiscal scenario” rather than the baseline projection. The difference is that the baseline projection assumes substantial cost controls that were in the Affordable Care Act. These cost controls, if left in place, would substantially reduce the rate of growth of Medicare costs.
This point is important for two reasons. First it shows directly that the issue is not primarily one of demographics but rather one of exploding health care costs. Second, it is principle possible to control these costs if the political power of health care providers can be held in check.
Per person health care costs in the United States are hugely out of line with costs anywhere else in the world. If our costs were comparable to those in any other wealthy country we would be looking at long-term budget surpluses rather than deficits. If it is too difficult politically to directly fix the U.S. system we could achieve enormous savings simply by allowing more trade in health care services. We will only see the explosive growth in health care costs described in the alternative fiscal scenario if health care providers and insurance companies are both powerful enough to prevent domestic reform and to maintain protectionist barriers that prevent people in the United States from taking advantage of lower cost care elsewhere.
It is also worth noting that Emanuel’s proposed cuts in these programs would hit people with average lifetime earnings of $40,000 and above. It might make more sense to place more burden on people earning $250,000 and above by raising their taxes.
[10] freedy – Best High Schools. I think there is at least one problem with that list. Boston Latin (#63 in last years list) is not even in the top 1000 this year? I don’t think so. Here’s the 2011 list:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/features/2011/americas-best-high-schools.html
#37 grim: Thanks. Good idea.
Yo- Krugman with another little fallacy.
“assets in the trust fund”
You mean those special IOUs UST in the file cabinet?
http://www.fatwallet.com/static/attachments/32084_bush_holding_ss_bond.jpg
#33 Mike: I saw it, thanks. I may just do that. Once I actually see the price of a Weber, I may not want to spend the cash; I am cheap.
3b the spirit model comes in at $400 that is there low end one ,every thing else north of 6.
I have never bought a BBQ in my entire life, other than two mini ones I bought for tailgating. Really, only a fool would buy a large BBQ. Want a BBQ best way to get one is go to Shore, Long Beach or Hamptons the Tuesday after Labor Day scores of them are out on curb. I also see tons of people put them out when they just need two new grills and four new burners. It is crazyness. Some grills even have 800 numbers engraved on them from manufacturer, owner could have just called number and they would have shipped it same day. A grill is just a large metal box, nothing more. The four burners are the important part. Just pick one off the curb next time you see it. One grill I got I was really shocked was thrown out tank and all. I refilled tank for 20 bucks and was set to do my repairs when I go WTF only problem with grill was it was out of gas. This grill I got from a sr. citzen condo complex with an outside area for each tennant, apparantly when they die and units get cleaned out kids are too lazy to take a dirty grill just push them to the curb. With a few hundred units pretty much a grill is at curb everyweek.
Free Weights, timeshares, Threadmills, BBQs, only fools buy new. Go to freenet, or look under craigs list for free. I actually miss my old beat up wagon I drove to train. At least once a year I would find stuff. Throw it in and keep moving. Maybe rich folk buy new grills, but most middle class folk making 100 to 900K a year cant afford that type of expense.
Mikeinwaiting says:
May 21, 2012 at 10:08 am
Grim 37 so true stole mine, floor model end of Sept.
3b take Jill up on her generous offer and vulture buy a Weber after summer as you are going high end it is the move.
[9] grim,
Might be interested. I’ll probably sell my Mak to upgrade. Problem is Jersey—would not want to jump thru hoops just to get permission from our protectors. May wait till I cross Delaware and find a shop to help.
If you believe SS trust funds are not Federal bonds owed by the federal government to its citizen,you are correct.Will it be safe to say Treasury bonds owed by the Fed are not to be paid too?
http://www.freecycle.org/group/US/New%20Jersey
Spirits are the “made in China” grills. Meant to lure people too cheap to go for the Genesis line. If you’re going to do it, my feeling is do it right and get a Genesis (even the base model is great). Otherwise, just get your Charbroil or Kenmore with all of the bells and whistles.
49.Mikeinwaiting says:
May 21, 2012 at 10:19 am
3b the spirit model comes in at $400 that is there low end one ,every thing else north of 6.
Brian 54 agreed.
re: # 52 – Yo chickens come home to roost eventually, the boomers are in big trouble if they think they are going to live another 40 years of leisurely golf, yoga, with bone*R pills and joint replacements every few years.
yo [44];
It is also worth noting that Emanuel’s proposed cuts in these programs would hit people with average lifetime earnings of $40,000 and above. It might make more sense to place more burden on people earning $250,000 and above by raising their taxes.
Why does soaking the rick “make more sense”? Why are people making $40,000 a year (median household income is ~$50,000) too good to pay something for being Americans — not to mention the govenment cheese financed by all these taxes on the “rich”, of which the “rich” are specifically excluded from taking part?
There are no second-class votes at the ballot box; why is there second-class status at the revenuer’s office?
30% here. 458% there. Just shut up and pay.
I concur. I’ve owned and repaired a few, but never purchased one new or used. For the last 10 years I haven’t had to do either; Our association buys us a nice one for the back lawn every 2-3 years. We only have 50 owners and it seems like only 3 or 4 of us use it. It stays chained to a tree (so no BC students walk off with it) from May until October and our maintenance staff makes sure the propane is always filled with a spare where we can get at it.
JJ says:
May 21, 2012 at 10:20 am
I have never bought a BBQ in my entire life
Moose [57],
There are no second-class votes at the ballot box; why is there second-class status at the revenuer’s office?
It’s all for the children… and for fairness and equality.
Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now
JJ said: “I also see tons of people put them out when they just need two new grills and four new burners. It is crazyness.”
Is it? When a new grill is $300 and it costs $200 to get new burners, smoke plates and venturi tube? Might as well save the scrubbing and buy new. I hate to think this way, but after having spent over 5 years something like $300 on two refurbishments of a $200 grill about 15 years ago, I’d never do that again, unless it was a Weber.
Actually, I have a nice little Chris Freytag indoor electric grill that works just dandy. Propane is like cooking indoors.
Of course what I’d really like is to make jerk chicken on real pimento wood in an old oil drum like they do by the side of the road in Jamaica. Mmmmm…
“why is there second-class status at the revenuer’s office?”
The only fair tax is a flat tax. When we try to allocate taxes in any other way what we end up doing is trying to get something on someone else’s dime, which just leads to excess effort to game the system. I understand the intentions behind various efforts to encourage certain behaviors via the tax code, I am no longer persuaded that such efforts really work or benefit the nation. Find a percentage and tax all income earned (at least that above the poverty line) regardless of source, at the same rate. If we did so, we would go a long way towards eliminating the resentments that our current tax code promotes.
Where the heck do you buy burners? I get them at home depot or internet. Smoke plates rarely go neither does tube. The local BBQ store usually vastly overcharges. I went to one and he was charging 300% over the internet price. but said he would put them in for free!! What put in for free it is a two second job. Well mine was a bit more than two seconds as I had to hacksaw out some burners.
With sheet metal you can make the smoke plates yourself in a few minutes, and screw replacing grill, just throw another grill on top. Or just go to Giants game and take as much grills as you want while game was on. I would say do it at a Jets game but those white trash fans might hit you with a crowbar if they catch you. A Giant fan what are they going to do, throw a white wine spitzer in your face.
Is it? When a new grill is $300 and it costs $200 to get new burners, smoke plates and venturi tube? Might as well save the scrubbing and buy new. I hate to think this way, but after having spent over 5 years something like $300 on two refurbishments of a $200 grill about 15 years ago, I’d never do that again, unless it was a Weber.
Jill,
What JJ is trying to say is that these things lose their value so quickly that it is nonsense to buy one at full value. I would like to add motor homes and jet ski’s to the list of things you should never buy new.
As an example here is a few listings of the grills available in my area on the first page of results from Craigslist.
— We have an old gas grill and a rain cover we looking to give away to anyone who wants to come pick it up. Also a propane tank is available for $15 if interested.
— Weber Q140 electric grill in perfect condition. It has been barely used and now we have a house and a charcoal barbecue so we don’t need it. This electric grill sells new for $240 on Amazon.com. Asking $150.
— Big Boss Grill (used only once) *Has all parts and booklet* (15$)
— GEORGE FORMAN INDOOR GRILL – $40
— LIKE NEW Aroma Sam the Cooking Guy Dual-Flip Grill. Used 4 times only. Great condition. electric griddle on one side. grill on the other. What i liked most about the grill is that it is very easy to clean. Selling because I don’t have space for it anymore . Original box still available :) (20$)
JJ [53];
Thank goodness Montclair isn’t listed on that site! Lots of other haughtyville train towns that are likely paying tribute to keep their good names from being sullied by association with something as gauche as “Freecycle”.
Here it comes, the other, tick, tick, tick…
“207 colleges and universities—31 percent of the 678 institutions in the database—have, under at least some circumstances, more debts than cash and marketable investments. I designate them “at risk.” In the model these 207 inadequate-capital institutions have projected net financial asset balances ranging from a negative few hundred thousand dollars to nearly a negative $400,000,000. More than half of the 205 had negative projections from ($10,000,000) to ($100,000,000).”
http://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-crisis-why-so-many-colleges-may-fail-2012-5
http://curbed.com/archives/2012/05/10/utter-genius-offers-furniture-from-bedbug-infested-rental.php
worst apt for rent in Montclair NJ
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/zip/3027323860.html
Crazy free listing in Montclair.
#66 Colleges spend like the government and invest like hedge funds. Who would have thought this might end badly?
Shore [62];
If we did so, we would go a long way towards eliminating the resentments that our current tax code promotes.
+1
I am no longer persuaded that such efforts really work or benefit the nation.
Coase Theorem – If trade is possible and there are no transaction costs, bargaining will lead to an efficient outcome regardless of the initial (legal) allocation of property rights.
Example – If it is more efficient to prevent cattle trampling a farmer’s fields by fencing in the farm, rather than fencing in the cattle, the outcome of bargaining will be the fence, regardless of whether victim rights or unrestricted grazing-rights prevail.
I remember a classmate commenting on this theory, in these words, “So what? What’s the big deal about this idea?”; response: “Well, it did win the Nobel Prize…”
Poor people don’t pay nearly enough in taxes. Been saying it for years.
Things would be a lot different if everyone had skin in the game. First thing to go would probably be out of control military spending and idiotic entitlements.
Easier to control people by keeping things status quo. Disenfranchisement- either at the tax office or the ballot box- is effective crowd control.
Now, off to eat another two dozen doughnuts.
#68 Stu, what brand are the diapers if they are not Depends?
New York City parking spot goes for $1 million
http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/21/11791721-new-york-city-parking-spot-goes-for-1-million?lite
#62 Shore “Find a percentage and tax all income earned (at least that above the poverty line) regardless of source, at the same rate. If we did so, we would go a long way towards eliminating the resentments that our current tax code promotes.”
Let everyone have skin in the game.
I meant:
#62 Shore “Find a percentage and tax all income earned (
at least that above the poverty line) regardless of source, at the same rate. If we did so, we would go a long way towards eliminating the resentments that our current tax code promotes.”Let everyone have skin in the game.
I dunno man, I’m with you on the saving money thing but sometimes, it just gets old. I suffered under the el’cheapo mentality for years. My father rarely bought anything new. It was always wheeling and dealing trying to get stuff on the cheap. After a while you get tired of your deck collapsing, crappy used lawn chairs busting under the weight of a 115lb person, and screwing around fixing your grill when you should be spending your time grilling. Anytime anything was broken around the house with my dad it was like bust out the duct tape and the zip ties and the two by fours here we go i can fix anything…..
I can tell you stories about hammers that he bought that the handle bent when you used them, drills and bits that break and snap, our lawnmower was decades old and it was anybody’s guess if it would start every year. I mean, isn’t your time worth money? So many times I’ve made multiple trips to the hardware store to actually buy the decent tools because I listened to my Father and bought the cheap crap wasting so much time. I end up buying the quality stuff anyway.
By the way Nicholas, all of those grills suck.
50.JJ says:
May 21, 2012 at 10:20 am
I have never bought a BBQ in my entire life, other than two mini ones I bought for tailgating. Really, only a fool would buy a large BBQ.
From “Mish”
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-majority-of-the-unemployed-have-some-college-education-2012-5?utm_source=readme&utm_medium=rightrail&utm_term=&utm_content=4&utm_campaign=recirc
“Those who think the answer to the unemployment problem is more education might be surprised to learn the Majority of Unemployed Attended College.
For the first time in history, the number of jobless workers age 25 and up who have attended some college now exceeds the ranks of those who settled for a high school diploma or less.
Out of 9 million unemployed in April, 4.7 million had gone to college or graduated and 4.3 million had not, seasonally adjusted Labor Department data show.
Grills –
QUALITY – Weber, but only if it’s all steel. Don’t get the ceramic unless your prepared for replacing those parts (with the steel) in a few years. Also, there’s a standard for the steel to use. Many cheapo grills use cheapo steel. I think the steel to use is 304 grade. Do some research and only get the quality stuff.
http://askville.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Gas-Grills-kind-stainless-steel-304-grade-340/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=2579938
Be careful – sometimes only part of the grill is quality steel. Don’t get those.
Also, assembly should be easy. I’ve had Weber – easy to set up if you can screw and use a mallet for emplacing the caster wheels.
There are a couple of Canadian brands that are of quality, too.
http://napoleongrills.com/
Bottom line:
All grills disgustingly overpriced (50% increase in price for same grill, burners, valves, etc manufactured for at least the last 10 years).
Suggest you open a PO Box and get a 10% off mover’s coupon for HD, use it at Lowe’s with price matching if you have to. Else wait ’till Sep for grill clearance and late Dec for accessory sales (Sears).
Use a gold/platinum card to double the warranty to a max of 2 yrs.
Let us know how it works out (model, price, where you got it).
B2
A little more from the piece, I think we have beaten these points up here on more than one occasion.
“Five Solutions
1. Kill the federally funded student loan program entirely. Student loans do nothing but drive up the cost of education. Anyone can get a student loan because the loans are guaranteed and cannot be discharged in bankruptcy. The beneficiaries of this horrendous setup are teachers and administrators, not the kids receiving loans.
2. Kill state aid to colleges as well
3. Increase competition by accrediting more online universities, even foreign universities. This will drive down costs immensely.
4. Public unions are a huge part of the reason for driving up teacher salaries, so collective bargaining (collective coercion actually), must end.
5. High school counselors and parents must educate kids that there simply are no realistic chances for those graduating with degrees in political science, history, English, art, and literally dozens of other useless or nearly-useless majors.
The deflationary overhang of student debt is enormous. Those in debt will postpone buying homes, getting married, starting families, and spending money in general.”
You guys year Zuckerberg got married? I would not invest in that company for that reason alone.
http://www.bloomberg.com/video/93088279/
“Let everyone have skin in the game.”
I suspect that the idea of “taxing poverty” would be a hard sell; however, applying the flat tax rate to the first dollar earned and then up to some arbitrary number, say first $1,000 earned and then exempting the next, say, $20,000 would make everyone have some stake in spending and yet not hammer those who society is spending money to support via social welfare programs.
We have an entitlement bloc of voters that essentially guarantees the continuing existence of a major political party (btw, this is no endorsement of Rethugs). The Dumbocrat party, as a result, continues the bread/circus idiocy. It’s a feedback loop that ends in total annihilation…unless we remove the incentive to vote yourself entitlements by taxing every single person who generates income. In fact, I’d tax the indigent homeless, too.
#78 BBQ Bob: Thanks for all the detailed information. Looks like I can get the Weber Spirit at Home Depot for $400.00 (with steel burners) , The last Sears Kenmore I got was around $200.00, funny thing is the outside looks new, just all the burners/grill falling apart. $400.00 appears to be a decent price. The Genesis is $700.00, no way I pay $700.00 for a BBQ. If I order on line, I get free assembly.
Taxing the poor is not demeaning or unfair. Taking away their God-given right to fail is.
[80] – I think she love him short time.
84 – yes…we can only take away the prospect of failing for the rich!!! (goldman, citi,, etc, etc,)
76 – Brian…I agree. Your time is worth something and often times you end up spending more because you have to replace crappy items. Always needing to nickel and dime, buy cheaper items, looking on the scrap heap, making sure you get the lowest price, etc can be fun at times and a bit of a game people like to “play” but many times it is also exhausting and the result of a mental issue more so than a monetary issue.
Dont know but apparently Adult Diapers are big sellers in Montclair as you need to put a pair on before you look at your latest property tax bill.
xmonger says:
May 21, 2012 at 11:39 am
#68 Stu, what brand are the diapers if they are not Depends?
Something has to change to encourage everyone working to somehow get to $60K and beyond. As things stand now, someone working full time at minimum wage, with two dependents at home, has more disposable income than someone making $60K. Why? Because the family making $60K qualifies for no programs and the person making minimum wage qualifies for virtually every program. When the working poor finally figure that one out, guess which one they’ll choose? How about some significant income tax for families up to $60K and then zero income tax for the next $40K of income? Maybe do that at every $100K tier, taxed on the first 60, nothing on the next 40. You’d see a whole bunch of businesses and married households form right quick with that formula.
#84. In America 2.0 failure is a shared burden and success will continue to become a bigger liability as time wears on.
I go for expensive things cheap, my neighborhood is heavily jewish and they dont know how to do any home repairs. For instance I found a pair of adroinak chairs, real wood the type that sells for like $700 each on curb that only needed a paint job. I only stop if it is something that is a no brainer. Usually maybe once every 3 years. Goes to show how lazy kids are today. In my day I would have snagged chairs, painted put on front lawn with a for sale sign for $400 for pair.
seif says:
May 21, 2012 at 12:34 pm
76 – Brian…I agree. Your time is worth something and often times you end up spending more because you have to replace crappy items. Always needing to nickel and dime, buy cheaper items, looking on the scrap heap, making sure you get the lowest price, etc can be fun at times and a bit of a game people like to “play” but many times it is also exhausting and the result of a mental issue more so than a monetary issue.
#88, LMAO, JJ.
Waiting for Stu, as the local Montclair representative, to chime in. What the heck is happening there? The ad has to be code for something even better.
Stu is out picking up the free adult diapers, next property tax bill he is prepared. He may need to double bag when he sees the new school budget.
JJ says:
May 21, 2012 at 11:31 am
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/zip/3027323860.html
Crazy free listing in Montclair.
I am not representing that there exists a connection, but note that AAPL is having an unexplained outsized upside rally today…..
chicagofinance says:
May 18, 2012 at 1:28 pm
? seif: I heard the same thing from multiple sources; you may not appreciate the style of JJ, but his real value is that he speaks the unvarnished truth….
seif says:
May 18, 2012 at 9:07 am
21 – all the fundamentals you list are true, plus the technicals of AAPL were ripe for a drop (that’s why I own the puts)….yet, all of that is independent of FB. I don’t disagree with the things you state but I think “selling their Apple so they have money for FB” is not the case.
I picked up a Weber Spirit last fall at Home Depot for about $300 after a sale and the 10% lowes coupon. I’ve been very happy, after owning a cheapo grill for about 5 years prior. I notice the cooking temps are MUCH more even across the whole grill, i.e. no hotspots.
Note, even most of the Genesis parts are made in China, then shipped to Indiana for assembly. The Home Depot version of the Spirit has the same grill surface as the Genesis (this is a big upgrade). Weber parts are available many, many years after manufacture. Many of the Genesis parts seem mostly interchangeable with Spirit, so at replacement time, you can upgrade. Also, get a cover. I made this mistake with my first grill, and probably cut its life by 50%.
I don’t think Weber dealers can discount their grills in the fall. Weber is pretty tough on their dealers and everyone should have the same pricing.
Love my Genesis 720 . The new models also now have the knobs in the front instead of the right side which opens up the other side shelf.
I use mine for quick grilling during the week .
I prefer to cook over wood or use an offset smoker.
X (72):
“#68 Stu, what brand are the diapers if they are not Depends?”
This pales in comparison to a recent Freecycle from another Montclair family offering used cloth diapers. They said they were definitely not knew, but still had a lot of life left in them. I wonder what else was left in them?
In our local Watercooler (Yahoo Group), someone was requesting the name of a local pet masseur. Besides a handful of recommendations for such a thing, one neighbor suggested they seek a pet acupuncturist. Where did we go wrong???
Pet accupuncture?
I’d suggest Dr. Winchester.
Actually, it seems like you ARE trying to represent that there is a connection. Check out SWKS, SHLD and URI…all having “unexplained” outsized (made up word) rallies…up at least as much as AAPL. Is all the FB money going back into those stocks? Or could it possibly be that this is explained…by the fact that most of these stocks took a 10-20% haircut in the last 14 days while we experienced a market that was only up one or two days, and they now currently represent great entry points?
chicagofinance says:
May 21, 2012 at 12:58 pm
I am not representing that there exists a connection, but note that AAPL is having an unexplained outsized upside rally today…..
Don’t forget a pilates class for Fifi.
Speaking of grills, does anybody use Natural Gas grills anymore? Growing up we had a double Gas grille out back. It had an underground gas line that ran from the gas meter on the side of the house and there was a valve at the meter to turn it off during the Winter.
#95 Thanks. I am going to go with the Weber Spirit, and will invest in the cover.
appl had some good news about the Apple 5 phone today. Plus it sold off a lot last few weeks. Plus you exit facebook money has to go somewhere.
Come June 1st to July 15 we have expected heavy muni bond calls/maturities. Ton of bonds have that set as a prerefunding date or call date. Muni have been issuing bonds the last few weeks for sole purposes of paying off callable higher coupon bonds.
The ebbs and flows of money is interesting. With the money markets and savings at zero when one gets cash it has to go back out to work.
Hughesrep,
They do discount last year’s model, at least they did at the Home Depot where I picked up my Genesis Silver C almost eight years ago. I got it in the middle of the winter when the new models came out. Those extending tables are the best feature of all. One can never have too much table space around the grill as just grilling dogs and burgers require space for the plate the meat came out on, the plate the meat will return on (don’t use the same one folks), rolls, cheese, beer for refreshment, etc.
This Weber of ours got smashed by a tree during Irene last year and an axle broke as well as the welds to the side burner, but I just cooked up some fantastic burgers on it this week. :) The insurance company gave me $700 to replace it. May just get the side-burner rewelded. And yes, spring for that $60 Weber cover. The cheap covers don’t last. Our Weber cover looks as good as the day we bought it and the grill has been either outside or in a screened gazebo for over eight years.
BTW – Weber grills do get discounted by Home Depot at the end of the season, but they go very, very fast. It’s about a 2 day window, and you have to stay on top of the deals sites to see when it happens.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-21/new-jersey-revenue-miss-credit-negative-moody-s-says.html
85 LOL
#1 don’t put words in my mouth;
#2 forgive me for questioning your clear eminence in this (and all) matters
seif says:
May 21, 2012 at 1:13 pm
Actually, it seems like you ARE trying to represent that there is a connection. Check out SWKS, SHLD and URI…all having “unexplained” outsized (made up word) rallies…up at least as much as AAPL. Is all the FB money going back into those stocks? Or could it possibly be that this is explained…by the fact that most of these stocks took a 10-20% haircut in the last 14 days while we experienced a market that was only up one or two days, and they now currently represent great entry points?
chicagofinance says:
May 21, 2012 at 12:58 pm
I am not representing that there exists a connection, but note that AAPL is having an unexplained outsized upside rally today…..
Phil is en fuego this week:
http://hodgen.com/living-with-capital-controls/
Now somewhere in the deep archives of this board I think I projected that capital controls would be the last canary in the coal mine to drop. I think that is actually not correct. By the time we introduce capital controls, the mine would have already filled with gas.
Could someone post the rundown on 106 Adams court ,Edgewater. It’s a condo.
My understanding is it went for 825k ,which i find hard to believe
More classic Phil:
http://hodgen.com/more-self-inflicted-damage-from-the-senate/
I especially love the quote about how if we insulate ourselves from the rest of the world, our economy will take off. There is a very clear movement toward segregating our financial system from the rest of the world’s in a kind of de facto currency control structure. I guess the thinking is that if we keep the slaves on the plantation, they will till our crops and not those of the neighbor who whips less and gives out more food.
I also see this as a variant of my oft-made premise that the only way Obama succeeds is through protectionism. Of course, that depends on your definition of success. An economy where we are only selling to ourselves. Yeah.
So this Facebook marriage, I just dont get it. Guy has billions, superfamous can have pretty much any girl on earth. Yet he picks a girl, quite honestly back when I was his age I could have slept with after two dates at Five dollar noodle soup places. Seriously. I dont get it. And he met her at school. Am I to believe a billionaire is sleeping with a average looking girl for past 9 years. Really, is she his “beard”. I mean also she was in Med School busy all time, coming home smelly and stinky and tired. Not attractive at all. Plus that whole doctor thing is a crazy crazy turn-off. I briefly dated someone in that field. She was hot un-like Zuckenburg. One Valentines day I was going to take her to a restaurant over on 2nd or 3 ave when she got off her shift at Beleview. Of course dont hear from her for three hours later. Turns out there was a gun fight between drug dealers and one came in DOA she told me how she was there when they cut oper his chest and was masaging his heart by hand as they were yanking bullets out of him, he was bleeding everywhere and somehow they brought him back and he lived. I am like how do you know if he has aids or hep c or something, well she goes I did not at time know. They are running tests. I am like yuk we ended going to an Irish bar for food as all was open, then she was totally jack from the rush of the surgery and amped up she yadda yadda yadda for like two hours, I was like no way the rest of my life with this yadda yadda yadda. So how did Mark end up with something like this. I dont get it.
chi (108)-
seif is a tool. No need to apologize.
jj (112)-
So did you tap it, or what?
Come on Meat you need to ask that it’s JJ.
Who will fix this problem gets my vote
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-21/health-care-costs-rise-faster-than-u-s-inflation-rate.html
Doctors, hospitals and drugmakers raised prices faster than inflation in 2010, driving U.S. health costs higher as fewer Americans sought care after the recession.
Spending on workers covered on the job grew 3.3 percent per person in 2010, twice the general inflation rate, according to a report today from the Health Care Cost Institute, a Washington group that examined data from insurers including UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) and Aetna Inc. (AET) While costs increased, enrollment in employer-sponsored plans declined, the researchers said.
U.S. medical spending almost doubled in the last decade, reaching $2.6 trillion in 2010, according to federal government statistics. Today’s data suggest policymakers may have to consider the market power of hospitals and doctors to try to tame that growth, said Martin Gaynor, an economist at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh who helped write the report.
“Most of the increase was driven by increases in price,” Gaynor said in a telephone interview. “We see utilization falling moderately and the spending is still going up.”
Paul Donnelly, in a 2002 article in Computerworld, cited Milton Friedman as stating that the H-1B program acts as a subsidy for corporations. Others holding this view include Dr. Norman Matloff, who testified to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration on the H-1B subject.
Matloff’s paper for the University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform claims that there has been no shortage of qualified American citizens to fill American computer-related jobs, and that the data offered as evidence of American corporations needing H-1B visas to address labor shortages was erroneous.
The GAO report’s recommendations were subsequently implemented. High-tech companies often cite a tech-worker shortage when asking Congress to raise the 65,000 annual cap on H-1B visas, but according to a study conducted by John Miano and the Center for Immigration Studies there is no empirical data to support that claim.
Gee, you don’t think corporations are trying to take advantage now, do ya? Gee, like, you mean, they’re only supposed to use H-1B visas when they can’t find U.S. citizens to fill the role?
108 – forgiven
Imagine how much she downloaded for him
Sadly of course I did her, my apt used to be right there. I was even nice enough to walk her to bus afterwards. The sadly part was I asked her about the whole blood thing and she told me the test was not normal for a few days, so here I have a girl who had her hands in a drug dealers chest four hours earlier and of course I cant help myself.
But then again my friend slept with a women whose jealous husband was in prision for murder. He also used I cant help myself defense. My other friend slept with the finance of a NotreDame line backer. My third friend slept with a girl the night before her wedding and went to the wedding!! Next to them I show great restraint.
New Improved Meat says:
May 21, 2012 at 2:16 pm
jj (112)-
So did you tap it, or what?
#112. Conversely, when my wife saw the news her first reaction was what the hell is she doing marrying that dweeb.
My wife is the best. She is such a non-typical female. If it wasn’t for living in NJ, I would be the luckiest guy alive.
JJ: Here is further evidence as to why Sanchez has not developed at all as a QB….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlKs0Goy71A
Est Cls Dt: 7/31/2012 UCD: 5/18/2012 DOM: 37
another one snatched up in my target area under contract after just a month. listed at $799K
Chifi I think Sanchez has clearly developed into the best back up QB in the NFL. Plus when he is traded to the Dolphins as their new starting QB he can use his spanish in the night clubs to pick up the ladies
#101 I just replaced the dual gas valve in mine, Model is a CC1 Charmglow – built in 1968 still have original manual and all.. Guess what…. works like a Charm!! :-)
#125 – I would have never remembered, that’s the brand we had. A 1965 Charmglow. Don’t know the model, but it had two separate lids, each the same size as the single in most other houses on our side of the street with level back yards. All those houses were built in 1965 and most had NG grills.
Yep, the CC1 post model on the left. That’s exactly what we had:
http://www.grillparts.com/model.asp?Model=CC-1
Here’s a great scatter chart, all the debt circles are clickable showing the college:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/05/13/business/student-debt-at-colleges-and-universities.html?ref=business
This one blows me away:
Luther Rice University
2010 average graduate debt $50,400
2010 tuition and fees $5,232
Chart pr0n:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/05/13/business/student-debt-at-colleges-and-universities.html?ref=business
Ho-hum 155+ m shares traded today FB. Perhaps tomorrow short sales will be allowed, gonna be an ugly week for FB.
facebook ipo:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/9277128/Banks-move-in-after-shaky-start-to-Facebook-IPO.html?source=Patrick.net
The underwriting banks bought 86%
FB has had a look all day like someone’s paying for a floor at 34. The Fed?
Facebook is just as ugly a stock as his wedding pictures will turn out.
#131 – FB = TBTF?
#127 Big Smile that’s the one, and that is exactly where i ordered my parts from too. Proof that they made things to last back in the day. I just threw a new coat of paint on the buckets & it looks like a brand new grill.
“Taxing the poor is not demeaning or unfair. Taking away their God-given right to fail is.”
Thats what the lottery is for. We just need to make it harder to win the lottery. Maybe offer some other goodies to the poor. Perhaps free GMO food?
We could also bring back debtors’ prisons and slavery. Those would work well, too.
Look what slavery has done for China.
buh, buh, Drogs:
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1075845/didier-drogba:-i'm-leaving-chelsea?cc=5901
Gary
brother in laws email is bpechter@yahoo.com if you want to also send a resume directly to him. Marilyn
Marilyn,
Thank you!!
Yo – #44 here is a link to AmericaInc – this presentation was put together by Mary Meeker as one of the early projects she did when she went to Kleiner Perkins – the big silicon valley venture capital firm. They got their data from the GAO I believe. Its 266 pages but the first 45 or so give you a good picture of where a lot of the problems are. There is also a 40 min video version of it for those who don’t want to go through the entire 266 pages.
I think the partisan thing is just two parties lobbing smoke bombs at one another to cover up the fact they they do not know what to do or that they don’t have the stomach to do what needs to be done.
http://www.kpcb.com/insights/usa-inc-full-report
#117,
Gary,
Some of my Indian colleagues are very open about the abuse of the visa program. They understand that their skills can be easily found among the US working population. It is a ruse for wage suppression and indentured servitude. Our corporate sponsored congress will talk about shortage of engineers but never mention that many Indian engineers end up in finance, not improving society through science or innovation.
speaking of abuse, it seems that Florida is trying to outdo New Jersey . . . .
“A U.S. District Court in Florida convicted a former Florida postal worker of health care fraud after she was caught participating in more than 80 long-distance races, including the Boston Marathon, all while taking workers’ compensation for a back injury.
Jacquelyn V. Myers, 55, was also convicted of making false statements and faces up to 15 years in prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for July 25.
In May 2009, Myers claimed to have a lower back injury that prevented her from delivering the mail as part of her job. She was relieved of her mail carrying responsibilities and put on “light duty.”
However, photos and videos emerged showing Myers participating in the races, including a triathlon. And in what would ordinarily be considered good news, her race times actually improved after she made her initial injury claim. . . .”
[141] drachma,
“I think the partisan thing is just two parties lobbing smoke bombs at one another to cover up the fact they they do not know what to do or that they don’t have the stomach to do what needs to be done.”
Pretty much.
[141] drachma
There is only one takeaway from that presentation: If ya got it, hide it.
As expected . . .
I went to www. whitehouse.gov and ran the following search term: Saverin
This is what I got:
“Sorry, no results found for ‘saverin’. Try entering fewer or broader query terms.”
Crickets.
Usually people don’t know how much time and efforts it takes to bring such an excellent posting. But I do! And I appraiseyour efforts!
112. The world is full of guys who marry the first woman that returns their calls..
2, cheap elimite,