From MortgageOrb:
NAR: Home Price Growth Picked Up Steam Again in Q4
The national median single-family existing-home price was $410,100 as of the end of the fourth quarter, an increase of 4.8% compared with the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
That is up significantly from the end of the third quarter when the annual gain was 3.2%.
Regionally, and year-over-year, existing-home prices in the fourth quarter were up 2.1% in the South, 10.6% in the Northeast, 8.0% in the Midwest and 4.0% in the West.
Fourteen percent of the 226 tracked metro areas posted double-digit price gains, up from 7% in the third quarter.
”Record-high home prices and the accompanying housing wealth gains are definitely good news for property owners,” says Lawrence Yun, chief economist for NAR, in a statement. “However, renters who are looking to transition into homeownership face significant hurdles.”
In the past five years, from 2019 to 2024, the median home price rose by 49.9%, according to NAR’s data.
Housing affordability marginally improved in the fourth quarter. The monthly mortgage payment on a typical existing single-family home with a 20% down payment was $2,124, down 0.8% from the third quarter ($2,141) and down 1.7% – or $37 – from one year ago.
Almost 11% of markets (24 of 226) experienced home price declines in the fourth quarter, down from 13% in the third quarter.
“While recognizing many workers may not have the option to relocate, those who can or are willing to move may find more affordable conditions, especially given the wide variance in home prices nationwide,” Yun says.
First.
1
Rats!!!
We just received a tax bill for the neighbor’s house. 9,100€ each both for myself and my wife, which I believe is the fee for the city putting our ownership in the deed book. It is a percentage of the property sales price. The house we live in next door is registered as a ‘KG’ as part of our business. For personal reasons we bought the neighbor’s house in our own names as a couple. I trying to spend a couple hours every evening painting the two bedrooms upstairs which we’ll use for guests. Not much else to do in the evenings anyway as it is cold, rainy and overcast.
In the past five years, from 2019 to 2024, the median home price rose by 49.9%, according to NAR’s data.
Reading it yet again doesn’t distract. That’s just insane. If I was looking for a house these days, even I would wanna off a boomer.
cold, rainy and overcast
Chad, you gave me an idea for my next song. With your permission, I’ll trim the name of the song to “Overcast.” In fact, that’s a pretty good name for a band. Hmm.. The opening of the song could be something of a gentle rain falling as it slides into a dreary blues/fusion sound. I mean, The Doors and The Who used rain to open a song so… we can, too!
“ Regionally, and year-over-year, existing-home prices in the fourth quarter were up 2.1% in the South, 10.6% in the Northeast, 8.0% in the Midwest and 4.0% in the West.”
10.6% in the Northeast
8.0% in the Midwest
4.0% in the West
2.1% in the South
Fast Eddie,
This weather must drive the refugees that came from Africa absolutely nuts. A friend of mine retired in Valencia, Spain which is at the other end of the spectrum. The last few summers in Spain have been really hot and he had to have A/C installed. Electricity in the EU is not cheap nowadays!!!
Highest demand is in liberal, progressive blue Northeast
Lower demand is in conservative Maga territories.
NJ rightwingers hate living in the south and would never move to Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky. They would even prefer Maoist Germany
Very Stable Genius,
I don’t know about Maoist, but Germany is certainly highly regulated. Lots of things can get you in trouble with the law. Saw an article in the local newspaper where a man was cited by the police for doing garden work on a Sunday! Yikes! You also aren’t allowed by law to store anything in your garage other than your car. I have no idea why, but whenever you see an open garage door the inside is totally empty.
That’s to make it difficult to hide Jews in there.
Germany sounds like a giant HOA…
Fast: Median sales price up 50 percent in 5 years, no wonder the young people are pissed.
Chad: Europe in the winter can certainly be dreary, overcast short days with long nights. That said, I know some people who go this time of year because it’s not crowded.
Juice Box,
It is a bit like a HOA. One that got a lot of people in trouble was you couldn’t cut down a tree larger than 20 centimeters without permission from the city. They luckily got rid of that one.
20 centimeters? lol….. the local councils there must be a horror. I have read they routinely decline large home construction or putting in privacy walls or shrubs etc.. Ed Sheeran declined for a swimming pool in UK, Conor McGregor declined for a large new home construction in Ireland. Imagine when the little guy wants to put on a small addition or a patio….
Buddy of mine in Morris county is already on the building and zoning shit list.
Put up a partial fence to block wetlands views, city flipped out, said it would create a flood risk being close to the canal. They told him that vegetative waste, branches, leaves would build up and create an issue.
So he cleaned the whole fucking canal with his bobcat.
City flipped to holy hell that he did it. He asked them when they last cleaned it, they couldn’t answer, he asked when it was scheduled to be cleaned, they couldn’t answer.
Redid the house (with permits), looks 100x better than anything in the neighborhood.
Though they completely flipped out when he reclad the deck – good god no permits. Deck was there, boards were rotted. Tear it down they say! Too close to the wetlands!
Same with a gazebo that was on the property, fixed it up, good god its the f*cking end of the world.
Says that the building department drives past his house every single day now looking for any reason.
He is close to just burning the house down and moving out of town.
grim,
Interesting story, seems to be a common theme in the whole state. I wonder which states are the most lenient. Probably the more rural and desolate, the better.
Ten 464
BREAKING NEWS!
UPDATED WED, FEB 12 20259:33 AM EST
Dow drops more than 400 points after hotter-than-expected inflation report:
Live updates
Pia Singh
Brian Evans
Dow drops more than 400 points after hotter-than-expected inflation report:
It’s almost like we told you this was coming for 12 months
You could always move to Somalia if you find Germany too restrictive
Chad Powers says:
February 12, 2025 at 7:45 am
Very Stable Genius,
I don’t know about Maoist, but Germany is certainly highly regulated. Lots of things can get you in trouble with the law. Saw an article in the local newspaper where a man was cited by the police for doing garden work on a Sunday! Yikes! You also aren’t allowed by law to store anything in your garage other than your car. I have no idea why, but whenever you see an open garage door the inside is totally empty.
Trump took office and inflation immediately went UP.
But instead of fixing the economy, he spent his time banning DEI, renaming water, going to the Super Bowl and trying to put hotels on the Gaza strip.
We have a council that I call the “Council of Tree Elders” that insist you approve any tree to be cut down greater than 10 cm in diameter. They say no to everything. So, I just don’t contact them and do it myself. Supposedly, it’s a $600 fine for each tree you do if they find out. Doesn’t help that there are an entire line of dead ash trees the town planted in the neighborhood. You’d think they would say yes after a falling tree killed a kid this fall but apparently not. Meanwhile, Joe’s former DOE #2 lives behind me on a a “farm” and leveled I’m gonna guess 80 to 90 trees in his backyard last season.
What he should do is get them to fix the Healthcare YOY costs to something like -35% to make the overall rate go down.
Eggflation Is Back
By
Justin Lahart for the Wall Street Journal
,
Reporter
The average price of a dozen grade-A eggs hit $4.95 nationally last month, Wednesday’s inflation data from the Labor Department showed.
That was above the previous record of $4.82, hit in January 2023, and was nearly twice as high as what a dozen eggs fetched a year earlier.
Are we blaming Trump for the shortages of eggs, or is that still on Sleepy Joe?
That was above the previous record of $4.82, hit in January 2023, and was nearly twice as high as what a dozen eggs fetched a year earlier.
I don’t believe I ever used the word ‘fetched’ in a sentence… until now. I think I will dedicate today to using the word ‘fetched’ as much as possible.
Very Stable Genius,
I can’t move at this point as we have a business here and a lot of my money is tied up here. We do have two backups in the US if we would be desperate. We own a short term vacation rental in Florida as well as a house in Hawaii which is rented out long term. The place in Hawaii is a money maker as the rent is $2,700 monthly. The place in Florida is break even so we might sell that in the coming year. Way too much overhead.
But instead of fixing the economy, he spent his time banning DEI, renaming water, going to the Super Bowl and trying to put hotels on the Gaza strip.
What was wrong with the economy?
Some data from CVS, from a guy I follow elsewhere:
CVS Health Corp (CVS)- parent of Aetna – reported Q4 2024 today.
Here are 16 key stats and financial metrics:
1/ Medicare Advantage Membership
-Grew from 3,460,000 to 4,447,000 – year-over-year (”YoY”)
-up 28.5%
(AEP results won’t show here until Q1)
2/ Medicare Supplement Membership
-Decreased from 1,343,000 to 1,282,000 – YoY
-down 4.5%
3/ PDP Membership
-Decreased from 6,081,000 to 4,882,000 – YoY
-down 19.6%
4/ Commercial Membership
-Grew from 18,339,000 to 18,851,000 – YoY
-up 2.8%
5/ Total Revenue
-Grew from $93.8 billion to $97.7 billion – YoY
-up 4.2%
6/ Total Operating Income
-Declined from $3.37 billion to $2.37 billion – YoY
-down 30%
7/ Health Care Benefits Segment Revenue
-Grew from $26.73 billion to $32.96 billion – YoY
-up 23%
8/ Health Care Benefits Segment Loss Ratio
-Grew from 88.5% to 94.8%
-due to increased Medicare utilization, unfavorable impact of 2024 star ratings, high acuity in Medicaid
10/ Health Care Benefits Segment Operating Cost Ratio
-Decreased from 16.0% to 13.4% of revenue
11/ Health Care Benefits Segment Operating Income
-Decreased from $266 million to $(757) million – YoY
-down 385%
12/ Health Services Segment Revenue
-Decreased from $49.1 billion to $47.0 billion – YoY
-down 4%
13/ Health Services Segment Operating Income
-Increased from $1.71 billion to $1.90 billion – YoY
-up 11%
14/ Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness Segment Revenue
-Grew from $31.2 billion to $33.5 billion – YoY
-up 7.5%
15/ Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness Segment Operating Income
-Decreased from $1.96 billion to $1.69 billion – YoY
-down 14%
16/ Valuation Metrics
-Market Cap: $69.2 B
-Price / Earnings Ratio: 13.96
I was planing on taking down a few trees this spring. I”ll risk a fine for no permit it is still cheaper than the tree service. They want like $800 bucks for a small tree and if it”s larger quite a bit more.
FYI Gemini flash 2.0 is out…did not take long for Google Gemini and Azure Copilot to bake in the Ads to the AI searches, several local advertisers on my tree removal search…
Long live the pay per click advertising model. $68 billion in the USA alone spent on PPC advertising.
Juice,
It’s not just eggs. Read the report. When you impose tariffs, American companies raise prices to either make more profit or use the increases to pay the tariffs. After all, very little is made in America.
In other news. The Great one has already begun browbeating Powell into lowering interest rates to align with his tariffs. Clearly Trump does not know a single thing about how the economy works.
And in other news. Since the inauguration, the stock market is down.
Still waiting for the Greatness. Banning pennies and the ten transwomen collegiate athletes from competing with the men hasn’t exactly gotten us there yet, now has it. Oh wait, I forgot about Trump’s other great accomplishments. Renaming a body of water and a military base.
Tl;dr – people signing up for medicare adv. in record numbers. Thank you tax payers. But let us focus on the small potatoes.
Juice;,
On the tree thing. Montclair had one of those ordinances. As long as you replace the old tree with a new one, it’s okay for the most part.
The best way to have a tree removed is to wait for someone else to have one removed in the area. The chipper and chainsaws are so loud, you can’t miss them. Then walk over and ask them if they will do yours for $500. As long as it’s not in a tough to access place, or huge, they will say yes. Tree cutting, like car/matress shopping is extremely negotiable. If the crew and equipment are already there, it’s very simple to do another one if it’s an easy job.
Clearly Trump does not know a single thing about how the economy works.
Thank goodness O’Biden had a handle on the economy, fetched congress and demanded they pass the Inflation Abduction Act.
Juice,
Just be careful taking down your trees. YouTube has a lot of videos of cut trees falling on cars, houses, etc. I had a couple of trees cut down in South Jersey before and it wasn’t cheap.
Princeton has the tree ordinance. In towns that did not have it, like mine, any time a new owner moves in, the first thing the morons do is cut down every remaining tree. The privacy I have from my neighbors is from my trees.. the neighbors all cut down theirs. I can sit in my backyard and not have anyone see me.
For every dead tree you cut down in Princeton, you need to plant 2.
Here you go Juice.
Lot’s of talk about how the tariffs are to blame. A duh….
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/inflation-leaped-3-january-heres-133650875.html
Actually Gary, don’t mean to beat this dead horse again but most attribute Biden’s inflation to the ZIRP prior and the stimulus payments. Even still, inflation was lower both when Biden took office and when he left it, then it is now. And what is the cult leader proposing now? To lower interest rates.
Maybe Trump will suggest we just replace the dollar with $TRUMP meme coins. Hey, it worked for him brilliantly. Want to see inflation? Look at Trump’s bank account. Just don’t look at his tax forms since he claims he loses money every year.
Regarding trees, we held back on major renovations because of trees. I would rather live in a small house surrounded a lot of trees than a big house with no trees around.
They don’t shoot you for eating a hamburger there though. In America, it’s possible, and actually happened.
Chad Powers says:
February 12, 2025 at 7:45 am
Very Stable Genius,
I don’t know about Maoist, but Germany is certainly highly regulated. Lots of things can get you in trouble with the law.
Crime
Fired San Antonio police officer indicted for shooting teen as he ate hamburger in McDonald’s parking lot
December 2, 2022 / 8:01 AM EST / CBS/AP
A former San Antonio police officer who shot and wounded a 17-year-old as the teen put his car in reverse while eating a hamburger has been indicted by a grand jury on two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant and one count of attempted murder, prosecutors said Thursday.
James Brennand, 28, was a rookie officer when he was fired and charged with the two counts of aggravated assault after shooting Erik Cantu on Oct. 2 in a McDonald’s parking lot.
Lib: Let’s keep in mind Trunp has been in office less than a month. Both Trump and Biden are guilty of excessive spending. And, you know well had Trump sat back and did nothing during the pandemic the howls from the left would have been deafening. The pandemic was unprecedented, and I believe had Hillary or any other Democrat been in office they would have done much the same as Trump, and probably even more.
As for rate cuts , there will be none this year. Trump can rage all he wants, but they ain’t happening. In fact Powell should be raising rates.
Shame a stray bullet didn’t hit Donald working the drive thru.
Of course 3b, but I’m gonna keep keeping score because Trump puts on a hell of a show before walking it all back.
So, I read this morning that Serena Williams did a Crip walk at the request of the rap dude who ‘sang’ during the SB halftime? Because both are from Compton? And Serena’s sister got whacked by the Crips but she danced anyway because this was some sort of ongoing feud with another rap dude and is bigger than her sister? Is this some sort underground Cosa Nostra type of thing? The biggest question is whether the NFL knew all this and allowed it anyway?
Lib: No arguments on that.
For every tree I’ve cut down, I’ve put up 10.
The only lifeline keeping the middle class from disappearing was China and places like Walmart that, no matter the fucced up public spending, allowed people to buy things and feel like humans.
Well, that ship has sailed. Not only are they going to have trouble with purchases, they now have massive additional taxes on them from their own stoooopid government.
This is the shite you storm the Capital over. But no, Americans are going to drink, take CBD, and abuse their partners from the stress over this.
America started out as a bunch of energetic patriots trying to start a new country fighing a controlling government.
It’s full of pussies now who f’n whine when someone doesn’t make their fries fast enough at a McDonalds. A country of VICTIMS.
Go to church. God will save you. Or maybe Orange hair guy will. Ask him if you can cut some trees.
Fast: According to some only “ deep thinkers” can appreciate the SB performance by that rapper guy. Also , some say his performance condemned sexual abuse of children. I don’t recall that, but I had no idea what he was talking/ rapping about. I thought the performance was rather gloomy and dull, but I am not up on rap/ modern culture.
Fast Eddie says:
February 12, 2025 at 10:49 am
So, I read this morning that Serena Williams did a Crip walk at the request of the rap dude who ‘sang’ during the SB halftime?
Yup. The whole production had hidden easter eggs, like him having a necklace with an “a” on it.
Get it, “A minor.” Another kick to Drake’s face.
I hope Drake gets him. And there is growing backlash over Kendrick now.
Also , some say his performance condemned sexual abuse of children.
He started that rumor about Drake.
It’s not about that topic in general, it was about Drake.
The biggest question is whether the NFL knew all this and allowed it anyway?
Not a question.
They knew. Drake has sued the UMG over this. It’s not hidden. Geezers might not know this, but it was mainstream knowlege.
They allowed it. The real question is can he sue and win damages over it being “artistic” and kind of allowed legally.
Again, legal allows some people to be abused, like our Morris County tree cutter.
Go ahead, try and sue Morris county. Good luck with that. Or the NFL. OR UMG
I think something has to be done about the amount of spending, corruption and waste coming from the federal government. Can Trump fix this likely impossible situation? Who knows? That being said, Trump will either be a huge success or a colossal failure. There won’t be anything in between.
BRT says:
February 12, 2025 at 10:55 am
For every tree I’ve cut down, I’ve put up 10.
Sell them to the people in California to rebuild their homes. Trump says the best trees come from America. They are the finest trees, the straighest trees, the strongest trees, no one makes a tree better.
Canadian trees used to be okay. Now they are a bit more expensive.
Take that insurance companies, it just cost you more to rebuild your California home.
Oh, and those loser Germans and Poles. I guess you can now sit at home since the auto plants are all shuttered. Soon you can kiss your healthcare and pensions goodbye, high gas prices and Trump’s f you pay me attitude (to be NATO members) is going to make things way more expensive there. You should have bombed Davos when they all landed with their private jets.
My progressive echo chamber friends said I was out of touch when I said the halftime show was the worst ever. Then they said I was racist. Which is strange because I loved last years rap performance with our heroes from yesteryear. I suppose it’s only young blacks that I have an issue with. Even though I like Kendrick’s recorded music. That halftime show was more Def poetry jam from 1989, than it was hip hop.
Chad Powers says:
February 12, 2025 at 11:08 am
I think something has to be done about the amount of spending, corruption and waste coming from the federal government.Can Trump fix this likely impossible situation?
No, he cannot.
You replaced one grifter, Democratic Biden, with another grifter, Republican Trump.
Trump is like the NJ State Trooper that handcuffed an innocent woman with a stroke accusing her of being drunk at 8am while she was going to work.
America was doomed before Trump, before Biden.
Boomer greed put this country in massive debt, and maximum arrogance.
It is both a financial and cultural problem here.
Sadly Phoenix, debt is hardly an American problem. But look how rich it has made all of us (said the Wall Street alchemists).
Make America Great Again- I guess those little fuckers should have gotten a job.
Detroit Police are investigating a tragic story where two children froze to death as they were living in a van at Greektown Casino.
FOX 2’s Jessica Dupnack learned that police are investigating the tragic death of two children – a 9-year-old and a 2-year-old – at Detroit’s Greektown Casino.
https://www.voronoiapp.com/debt/Countries-with-Highest-Debt-to-GDP-2024-Rankings-1833
We’re #6!
Never went to Greektown, though I heard they have a lot of full pay videopoker.
A great country is where American children freeze to death while oligarchs like Musk’s children parade around the White House, and billions of TAXPAYER dollars are given to foreigners to buy weapons like the Green T Shirt.
I guess that is someone’s idea of great.
Lib: That’s how it works today, either confirm or stay silent, and so now you are racist, or MAGA, or whatever. Do not have an opinion different from the what the politburo of the left decides is the correct way to think.
Here’s another interesting one.
https://www.voronoiapp.com/debt/Household-Debt-in-the-US-is-Relatively-Low-2324
Phoenix: You are all up on this Drake rap feud thing, I don’t have a clue about any of it. I just thought the show sucked, as did the football, and the commentary.
3B,
I know. I thought it was good enough to honor the BLM movement and admit blacks were crucial to our development both economically and culturally. But once it pushed into reparations, defunding the police and crazy DEI policies everywhere, I knew things had swung to far. Sadly, my friends swallowed the identity politics hook, line and sinker.
I never did have an issue with affirmative action either, come to think of it. Though, I would always argue against keeping healthy, capable working age people on the dole.
It won’t be long before what was a Constitution is headed into the paper shredder.
Sometimes the pendulum swings a bit too far for the bearing that supports it.
Great job boomer.
So now it’s the blacks fault?
Oh, Snap!!!!!!!!!!
Rapper feuds are as old as rap itself. Just a bunch of nouveaux riche brothas and sistas jealous of each others ability to escape the ghetto. Middle class white rappers like MNM, Beastie Boys and Vanilla Ice stayed out of the hip hop wars. Of course, they all had parents who weren’t living on the dole.
Libturb: About all I know in Rap is Blondie ‘ s Rapture from back in the day. I believe it was the first Rap Video on MTV, but not the first rap song. I think there was one a couple of years before Blondie , Freddy something I believe, I forget it was years ago.
3b says:
February 12, 2025 at 11:28 am
Phoenix: You are all up on this Drake rap feud thing, I don’t have a clue about any of it. I just thought the show sucked, as did the football, and the commentary.
I work with young people. Plenty of surgeons that are younger than me. So we are force fed a bit of each other instead of being segregated. They learn the older stuff, you learn the newer stuff.
The game was awesome if you were an Eagles fan or hate the Taylor Swift/Kelce crowd.
Sucked for KC fans, or anyone who wanted to see a good game. Sucked for the older crowd who doesn’t listen to modern music. Sorry Lawrence Welk fans.
Geezer will move on, and be replaced by the youth. Just as nature intended.
This feud is a bit different though, but yes, rap has taken many out of the gutter. And that is a good thing. No one likes the poor, right?
Plenty of white Americans are just as jealous of the “nouveaux riche brothas and sistas” that blew right past them with rap music instead of going to college.
Money does that to people, doesn’t it? Just has that effect on them.
Libturd says:
February 12, 2025 at 11:32 am
Rapper feuds are as old as rap itself. Just a bunch of nouveaux riche brothas and sistas jealous of each others ability to escape the ghetto. Middle class white rappers like MNM, Beastie Boys and Vanilla Ice stayed out of the hip hop wars. Of course, they all had parents who weren’t living on the dole.
My son, who has excellent taste in music, agreed it sucked. But mainstream American youth thought it was high key, next level, fire and off the hook. Damn, Gina!
Lib: Way too far to the left, it’s a big but not only reason why the Dems lost. I was in favor of Affirming Action too, as a means to try and address the historical wrong inflicted on Black Americans. It then morphed into something else from there. And yes, healthy able bodied people should be working , not sitting home . That goes for all races/ethnicities. I know a few free loaders who have basically never worked for most of their adult lives. I could tell you some things they have done, but too long and too ugly.
I’m watching the Powell testimony. It’s so depressing to listen to all the fawking geriatrics fumble their way through speeches and questions which were clearly written by their staffers.
David Scott who represents Georgia is 79 years old. Seventy nine. He can’t even read a sentence without stopping in the middle to catch a painful wheezy breath. There’s a cause….. wheeze…. to these tariffs… wheeze….and there are other costs….. wheeze…. he tried to say “his decision making process” without stopping and sounded like the life was squeezed out of this.
The United States is as decrepit to its core as the hundred year old infrastructure that it rode into the new millennium on.
Phoenix: Lawrence Welk?? You must be referencing the really old boomers!! I don’t know why Taylor Swift was booed. I am not a fan of her music, but she is an incredible business woman, and supposedly is a good human being in real life.
Lot’s of poor whites in the South and Appalachia living on the dole too. These are the ones who are most afraid of immigration. Not to take their jobs, but don’t want to have to share their ill-begotten bennies.
It was Dre, a black man, that gave Eminem his chance. The big labels snubbed him:
When I was underground, no one gave a fuck I was White
No labels wanted to sign me, almost gave up, I was like
“Fuck it,” until I met Dre, the only one to look past
Gave me a chance and I lit a fire up under his ass
Helped him get back to the top, every fan Black that I got
Was probably his in exchange for every White fan that he’s got
3B,
There’s nothing wrong with Swift besides her music and lack of dancing ability. Otherwise, she checks out in my book.
Just because someone doesn’t like somthing doesn’t mean it sucks. To say so is arrogant, especially when plenty of others enjoy it.
I guess the air is cleaner at higher altitudes.
Some animals are more equal than others.
It’s more that people like what they like. That is the way you approach the subject. I like some rap, don’t like other rap. Doesn’t mean one sucks and the other doesn’t, just means one’s taste for something hits different.
I don’t have to like something to not disparage it. It’s art.
Yes, 13 Management makes it happen for her. Similarly, her legal advisors are the brightest minds in industry who go to bat for her, and their other clients. As someone with decade+ industry experience, it is never the artistic individual.
X Æ A-Xii
I think I might off myself now.
I like some of Swift’s music. She donated thousands of tickets to the Girl Scouts years ago, went to one of her concerts for free in the Meadowlands.
Was dreading that show going in, loved it after I left.
She is a class act. I was pleasantly surprised. A very well run organization.
Tried to like her newest stuff, it “doesn’t suck”, but it is not my taste. Plenty of my co-workers love it. Not for me.
I am not a “Swiftie” but she is alright in my book. I prefer people who try to lift others up rather than tear others down.
Hegseth I Europe says a return to Ukraines 2014 borders is unrealistic. Additionally, he says the Trump administration does see Ukraine joining NATO as part of the solution to ending the war.
3b,
Taylor Swift was booed by Eagles fans. Supposedly she was a former Eagles fan prior to finding the love of her life in KC. Eagles fans are brutal. The worst of the worst. Convicted murderers won’t mess with Philly fans. I remember seeing a little Philly fan on the internet, 8 or 9 years ago giving Santa the finger.
3b says:
February 12, 2025 at 11:50 am
Phoenix: Lawrence Welk?? You must be referencing the really old boomers!!
Lots of talent on that show. No way to hide lack of talent with technology.
The whole world of music changed the day Cher sang the song “Believe”
Trivia, no cheating. What was the thing about that song that changed the history of music forever?
Additionally, he says the Trump administration does see Ukraine joining NATO as part of the solution to ending the war.
No way will Putin allow that.
Heggie best go back to the drawing board.
Lib-
Vanilla Ice was hung over a balcony and threatened to be dropped to his death by Suge Knight until he signed a contract. Dre found and produced Eminem. Beastie Boys were big before that whole rap feud thing really got going in the early 90’s.
I would think someone with your background as an East Coast rapper would know these things. Google doesn’t turn up the video?
My kids make fun of me because I don’t know the new guys, so I make them listen to Rock the Bells on XM when they are in the car with me.
Phoenix,
Cher hated that song more than any other. Even though it restarted her career.
I never paid much attention to the rap wars. Always found them a waste of my limited brain cells.
Oh,
I absolutely adored LL. Forget Oreos, eat Cool J Cookies. I’m Bad!
And Biz Markie –
One night at Latin Quarters I was standin’ at ease
I saw this gorgeous young lady that I wanted to skeez
I didn’t show enough that I really did want it
So, no half steppin’, I pushed up on it
Pulled out the gold cable and a knot that was phat
Had a spotlight beamin’ on my BizMarck hat
But when she stepped in the light and she got real close
I saw a tiny weeny booger on the tip of her nose
She was dressed real def and her body was hooked
But that dried up booger just ruined her look
I wanted to tell her about it but I couldn’t be bold
So I played if off and said “that’s a cute green mole”
I was hopin’ from that she would wipe it away
But she didn’t do nothin’ I guess she wanted it to stay
I said before you get my number, I don’t mean to diss you
But write it in your hand because your gonna need the tissue
Absolute brilliance. Taylor’s got nothing on the Biz.
Lib: I will make a reasonable assumption that many of the poor whites in Appalachia/ South are living in squalor. The ones I know live in a nice comfortable house. They just leased/ bought a new car, neither one works. He just spends his time watching sports all day. The wife is the most stupidest person I have ever known. She has gotten stupider over the years.
Who cares what Cher hated.
Music forever changed with that song. Still no takers on the trivia?
Fine. Go ahead and cheat. Google it.
Gotta watch the angle of attack on that wing:
Credit card defaults are at their highest level since 2010 as consumers feel increasingly stretched.
As the Financial Times (FT) reported Sunday (Dec. 29), card lenders wrote off $46 billion in seriously delinquent loans in the first nine months of this year, a 50% jump over 2023. That’s the highest level in 14 years, the report said, citing industry data compiled by BankRegData.
These write-offs, the report notes, happen when lenders conclude it’s unlikely a borrower will repay their debts, and are considered a measure of major loan distress.
“High-income households are fine, but the bottom third of U.S. consumers are tapped out,” said Mark Zandi, the head of Moody’s Analytics. “Their savings rate right now is zero.”
Eagles fans are brutal.
The old Veteran’s Stadium had a jail.
The NFL had it’s heyday.
The Daytona 500 is this weekend though few here have any interest. Thursday night is two 60-lap duels on FS1 for a shortened taste of vroom vroom. On Sunday, the military will present it’s colors, then the invocation, the National Anthem, the fly over by a few military jets and then the aroma of race fuel and burnt rubber. Way too American for most of you guys here.
Michael Jordan and Brad Daugherty are charter owners, Pit Bull is a partial owner to a part time car and Emmitt Smith is a partial owner of a car in the Xfinity/Busch Series. Daniel Suárez is a Cup driver from Mexico, Eric Almirola is Cuban American from Florida and semi-retired from Cup, Rajah Caruth is a young black kid who drives the #5 Hendrick Truck, Bubba Smith drives the 23 for Denny Hamlin/Michael Jordan and I think Hélio Castroneves (Indy 500 winner) may be an entry this Sunday.
Can’t say there isn’t diversity. Everyone removes their hat and holds their hand over their heart during the National Anthem and reflects during the Invocation. It’s quintessential unity.
You never met my Ex wife. Consider yourself fortunate.
3b says:
February 12, 2025 at 12:20 pm
The wife is the most stupidest person I have ever known. She has gotten stupider over the years.
Eddie,
I drive rt 80 every day.
Going to work is like the Daytona 500 now.
Kinda fun yet a bit unnerving.
Some people on 80 make some amazing lane changes at 100+ mph.
No f’n roll cages either. Job security for me.
And no flag waving bullshite either. Mostly reliable Japanese cars and BMW’s doing the craziest stuff, with the boomers in the Buicks in the left lane.
re: “Ukraine joining NATO”
Was a non starter for Biden too folks. Then there is the rest of NATO. The United States, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Belgium, and Spain all have said in the media when asked NO over the last few years to allowing them to join.
How about Ukraine joining the EU??? They signed an agreement 11 years ago to allow them to begin the process…It’s a big NO right now and for the foreseeable future. Much longer than the bad orange man will be around that is for sure.
Ukraine should probably pivot and go for the Belt and Road instead and sell their mineral rights to China in exchange for protection from Russia. They aren’t going to get it from Europe that is for sure. EU expects the US to deploy their troops. Many European countries have no standing army or infantry with any kind of armor like tanks. They expect the US boys to die in the trenches first.
Eddie,
Watch some dash cam videos, or the PoPo pit maneuver stuff you wanna see real crashes. Eddie you will love this one.
https://ifunny.co/video/be-careful-who-you-cut-off-and-brake-check-when-aNXIrPVJ9
“changed the history of music forever?”
Autotune.
I did like House of Pain from back in the early 90s. I think they only did about 3 albums, but they were unique.
Is the comment section on this site just a message board for 5-10 active people?
Biden and his ilk wouldn’t even talk to Putin. Just spent billons of taxpayer dollars in Ukraine.
Money that could have rebuilt California, North Carolina, and schools everywhere.
President Donald Trump announced he has spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin to start negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump made the bombshell announcement in a lengthy post to his Truth Social account, declaring ‘the war must end.’ The two leaders spoke for 90 minutes on the telephone on Wednesday.
Fabius Maximus says:
February 12, 2025 at 12:40 pm
“changed the history of music forever?”
Autotune.
Bingo.
Agreed.
It kind of makes me think two things.
1. I can appreciate when progs get bent out of shape when Cheeto says something ridiculous, because this hits right in my Baileywick and it’s patently nonsense. That said it’s so off the rails that you just have to ignore it. That’s not an excuse that’s just a prescription.
2. I try to think about what is his motivation for saying this. I guess the idea is he wants to be on record advocating for lower costs which helps the common person as well as his rich benefactors.
Regardless, I want to stay in the position of just observing what’s going on and trying to analyze it, because the second he gets you annoyed or emotional, he knocks you off your game and that’s how he wins
Libturd says:
February 12, 2025 at
In other news. The Great one has already begun browbeating Powell into lowering interest rates to align with his tariffs. Clearly Trump does not know a single thing about how the economy works.
salfasano says:
February 12, 2025 at 12:42 pm
Is the comment section on this site just a message board for 5-10 active people?
Congratulations for being number 11.
the geriatric class loves to write hateful editorials in the WSJ describing Americas young as maoists
Boomer Remover says:
February 12, 2025 at 11:49 am
I’m watching the Powell testimony. It’s so depressing to listen to all the fawking geriatrics fumble their way through speeches and questions which were clearly written by their staffers.
Juice: Montenegro has been on the EU wait list since 2011/12. There are 34 requirements they have to meet before they are accepted into the EU. As of the end of 2024, they have addressed only 2 of the 34 requirements. Montenegro is corrupt so that is a big part of the problem, but it only has a population of 650k, less people than Bergen Co. There is no way Ukraine will be admitted to the EU anytime soon if ever, not to mention admitting Ukraine will bankrupt the EU in my opinion. They simply can’t afford it. Americans won’t put up with young Americans dying in Europe for Ukraine, or NATO, if the majority of the dying is done by Americans. European countries will need to spend more on defense, and the last of the neutral countries in Europe will need to reevaluate their continuing neutrality.
I lived in Germany for 8 months before I came to the US. It was an Interesting experience and I would go back. Renting an apartment was fun and I had to get someone from the IB side of the back to go into a branch with me to get a bank account opened to pay the rent.
The labor laws are nuts. People will get up and leave a meeting at 5pm. There was no overtime for employees. If you need overtime, you are understaffed so you have to hire. If you need to fire someone or reduce headcount its painful. In a strange way, that drives efficiency.
Fab,
That all works well on cheap Russian gas.
yes, about real estate
salfasano says:
February 12, 2025 at 12:42 pm
Is the comment section on this site just a message board for 5-10 active people?
Trivia 2:
What was the original design of AutoTune really made for since it wasn’t music?
spent on Ukraine, yes true but money never left US. Spent on military industrial complex mostly in red states. No problem found by our fallen senator from KY. If that valve is stopped, who is gonna feed them?
I know Pixar was born out of oil exploration. Do I at least get extra credit?
Lib,
Sure. But only because AutoTune was born for the same thing.
Partial credit given.
House of Pain’s Jump Around was mine, and quite possibly, all DJs choice record to get the party hoppin’. Cypress Hill’s, Insane in the Brain was probably my number 2. Tap the bottle and twist the cap was probably my distant third.
What is comical is that the Chinese specifically tariffed things they knew would hurt the Red states.
Not only are they hard workers, make some great food, but are quite comical as well.
njtownhomer says:
February 12, 2025 at 1:18 pm
spent on Ukraine, yes true but money never left US. Spent on military industrial complex mostly in red states. No problem found by our fallen senator from KY. If that valve is stopped, who is gonna feed them?
Libturd says:
February 12, 2025 at 10:46 am
“Shame a stray bullet didn’t hit Donald…”
Seek help. I have no doubt that this is how you honestly feel so congrats on having become a card-carrying leftist loon like Cher and Kathy Griffin. I bet you’d be embarrassed if your children knew that you wrote that.
“Chinese specifically tariffed things they knew would hurt the Red states.”
Donnie is hurting the red states more Alabama is in the FO stage with the impact NIH funding will hit the Crimson Tide. The University is the states biggest employer.
https://www.al.com/news/anniston-gadsden/2025/02/nih-cut-would-cost-uab-70-million-threaten-jobs-and-life-saving-research-in-alabama.html
Fab,
When it folds, Musk will buy the whole industry and call it something like Health-X
Why is no one talking about the Russian crypto guy who was freed?
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/russian-money-launderer-freed-exchange-marc-fogel-rcna191859
In other news, did anyone count how many times Musk said “at a high level”? while his kid trying to distract the world? And wtf is a kid in the Oval Office when there is an announcement that thousands will lose their jobs? Can’t the single dad afford a baby sitter?
Oh, the whole “no line item” thing is a great way to distract the peasants. It seems to have worked beautifully. If there’s a line item payment with no attribution, you explore it and make sure some critical aspect in the govt function is not overlooked. AND THEN, you eliminate it. They even admitted they will make mistakes. I guess we have to see what the mistakes will be. WW3? More planes falling? Another pandemic?
And before you flame me – none of what I said above is untrue. Just questions which you should be asking before you respond.
Can’t the single dad afford a baby sitter?
Sit back and enjoy the show.
RL
There is no blueprint on how an empire dies.
Maybe it starts with a child in the Oval office.
To be sung at Grim’s place at the right time:
Drink with me to days gone by
Sing with me the songs we knew
Here’s to pretty girls who went to our heads
Here’s to witty girls who went to our beds
Here’s to them and here’s to you!
Drink with me to days gone by
To the life that used to be
At the shrine of friendship, never say die
Let the wine of friendship never run dry
This guy has an interesting take. 100k subscribers in 9 months.
https://youtu.be/k9WCpd–l1I?t=1
Check this out
https://balkaninsight.com/2025/02/11/erion-veliaj-rising-star-in-albania-felled-by-corruption-charges/
3b says:
February 12, 2025 at 12:50 pm
Montenegro is corrupt so that is a big part of the problem, but it only has a population of 650k, less people than Bergen Co.
Ukraine is officially sold to Russia now.
So long allies.
I wonder what we gave up. Will we ever find out?
“Sit back and enjoy the show.”
The problem is that they just set fire to the theatre.
Chicago: Corruption seems to be a way of life in that part of the world, and this guy was supposed to be on an anti corruption crusade. I guess the temptation was too great.
The One Thing That Can Save America
By John Ashbery
Is anything central?
Orchards flung out on the land,
Urban forests, rustic plantations, knee-high hills?
Are place names central?
Elm Grove, Adcock Corner, Story Book Farm?
As they concur with a rush at eye level
Beating themselves into eyes which have had enough
Thank you, no more thank you.
And they come on like scenery mingled with darkness
The damp plains, overgrown suburbs,
Places of known civic pride, of civil obscurity.
These are connected to my version of America
But the juice is elsewhere.
This morning as I walked out of your room
After breakfast crosshatched with
Backward and forward glances, backward into light,
Forward into unfamiliar light,
Was it our doing, and was it
The material, the lumber of life, or of lives
We were measuring, counting?
A mood soon to be forgotten
In crossed girders of light, cool downtown shadow
In this morning that has seized us again?
I know that I braid too much on my own
Snapped-off perceptions of things as they come to me.
They are private and always will be.
Where then are the private turns of event
Destined to bloom later like golden chimes
Released over a city from a highest tower?
The quirky things that happen to me, and I tell you,
And you know instantly what I mean?
What remote orchard reached by winding roads
Hides them? Where are these roots?
It is the lumps and trials
That tell us whether we shall be known
And whether our fate can be exemplary, like a star.
All the rest is waiting
For a letter that never arrives,
Day after day, the exasperation
Until finally you have ripped it open not knowing what it is,
The two envelope halves lying on a plate.
The message was wise, and seemingly
Dictated a long time ago.
Its truth is timeless, but its time has still
Not arrived, telling of danger, and the mostly limited
Steps that can be taken against danger
Now and in the future, in cool yards,
In quiet small houses in the country,
Our country, in fenced areas, in cool shady streets.
Phoenix: Or maybe it starts with an old guy with early Alzheimer’s, or the guy before him who was incredibly full of himself, and hung on his every word as a pearl of wisdom. Who also loved lecturing and scolding the American people, or perhaps the guy before him, who got us into the quagmire of Iraq, because of his Daddy issues, he did a helluva job! Or perhaps it’s all of that and a poorly educated ill informed electorate on both sides Democrats and Republicans. As far as empires go, we did not last that long, and we were not all that big.
Last days of Rome. I felt that once. I was standing on roof of an old hospital in Crown Heights BKLN and it was July 4th. The sun was setting and the golden light was descending on the brownstones everywhere. I thought…this it. This is Rome. I shed a tear as I was overcome with emotion. I could hear various sounds coming from the thousands of homes that spread out below me. I wondered, is this what they saw as their empire faded? Thirty years later, I have my answer.
Njtownhome: The U.S. has provided 23 billion in non military assistance to Ukraine since July of 2023.
Cher’s autotuned “believe”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPUnurTrI5s
BREAKING NEWS!
UPDATED WED, FEB 12 20259:33 AM EST
Dow drops more than 400 points after hotter-than-expected inflation report:
Breaking news, dip has been bought, again, just like it has been for 2 years straight
LAX, beautiful. and 3b, I didn’t think I would say this, but yours is a good verse too.
Like I said sometimes before, America is a young country. It’s seen nothing yet. That said, I don’t want to close my eyes to what’s happening…
I do need a good hobby this spring. Thinking of raising some silkies.
In his defense, hot women are expensive. Capital Grille ain’t good enough for the hotties of 2025.
Ajola Xoxa was found to have $1 million in the bank, and nearly 869 thousand euros, undeclared packages, were seized.
Secondly, about $1 million worth of purchases have been found. These are what the media told us: they are dealing with Ajola’s “clothes”
Chicago says:
February 12, 2025 at 1:49 pm
Check this out
https://www.cna.al/english/denoncim/kandidati-i-g99-dhe-ojf-s-se-xoxes-si-e-kapi-erion-veliaj-sistemin-e-dr-i417737
LAX says:
February 12, 2025 at 1:58 pm
The One Thing That Can Save America
By John Ashbery. Oops, I mean SGC, and Fast Eddie.
DONALD TRUMP.
Make America Great Again.
Hehe.
/Exit
Turn off the lights, turn off the lights
https://youtu.be/5GnYtuhZXzo?t=58
“ONLY THE BEST PEOPLE”
The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence, a major win for President Donald Trump as Gabbard had been among the most controversial of his Cabinet picks.
The vote was 52-48 mostly along party lines, though Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky joined Democrats in opposing the confirmation.
Gabbard faced concerns from several Republican senators over her lack of support for Ukraine; her shifting position on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s Section 702, a key surveillance and security tool; her 2017 meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad; and her past support for Edward Snowden.
McConnell appeared to reference some of Gabbard’s positions in a statement he released after voting against her, saying she has “a history of alarming lapses in judgement.”
“The nation should not have to worry that the intelligence assessments the President receives are tainted by a Director of National Intelligence with a history of alarming lapses in judgment,” McConnell said.
However, key swing Republican senators, including Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Todd Young of Indiana ultimately decided to back her confirmation.
Sounds like a ringing endorsement to me. The greatest so far. Well besides the pedophile that Trump backed and failed his background check.
Russian media references Tulsi Gabbard as “our girl”. Probably a coincidence.