Quirk said...
What the shit!
I saw it last night but thought it merely an ill-omened, booze-induced dream.
Bob's back.
And in the dream he came walking
Out of the mists and crags of eldritch Ideeho
Still carrying the reeking stench of corruption and despair
The shadow walked, bruised and gaunt
Towards the light.
Wearing chains of recrimination and regret
The great self-emulating giant, Bobbo, came forth
Seeking acceptance and forgiveness
and one last chance.
But barring his way at the silken covered chains to the EB
Stood the Gatekeeper, the dour Whit,
Unsmiling and unmoved.
“What do you seek?”
“I seek redemption and the light,” quailed Bobbo.
“That is beyond my power”, spoke Whit. “Talk to the mutt.”
Bobbo faltered, knowing what awaited him at the door to the EB
For there stood the three-headed monster Cerberus.
Bobbo, shaking with fear, began self-emulating again
And the first great head, White Fang, said “Stop that."
"Whatta want?”
“I wish to enter the EB”
“And what oath can you offer me?”
“That I will be a good boy.”
“You may pass,” boomed White Fang.
Then Bobbo approached the second head, Black Tooth, the cunning one
Somehow more frightening than White Fang even though he spoke with a decided lisp.
“What do you seek?”
“I seek the light and warmth of the EB.”
“What oath can you offer?”
“I love Israel”
White Fang frowned. “True, you already have an attitude. And if we hack off another inch of your dick you might just make it into Israel. But that doesn’t cut it here Jocko.”
“What oath can you offer?”
The question boomed (albeit with that same annoying lisp) and Bobbo quailed.
In abject terror his answer poured forth
“I am a conservative. I will fight the subtle one from the great white north and the fearsome rodent from the southwest”
The great head Black Tooth relaxed and then weaving to the sultry rhythms of the hustle said
“You may pass.”
And Bobbo approached the third head, Bear Claw.
“What do you seek?”
“I seek admittance to the light. I seek admittance to the EB.”
And Bear Claw inched forward until his foul breath poured over Bobbo and made him cower.
“And what of the woman?”
“The wom…?”
“Yes, the woman. The innocent, Dante’s Beatrice, Quixote’s Dulcinea, Paris’ Helen, the lady you have tormented, the lady who you have forced others, others who are not really pompous and pretentious but only drawn that way, others who are really good guys, others who are clever and smart and would never do such a thing on their own, to consider her as collateral damage while trying to make an innocent jest even though they know that she like all women will never forgive and never forget and will compartmentalize this incident forever so as to bring it up on occasion to punish the poor guy even though he is very sorry and will never do it again.”
And Bobbo’s eyes glazed over and he said “What woman?”
And Bear Claw said, “You may pass.”
And as Bobbo approached the swinging doors to the EB he noticed the missive carved in stone
"Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate."
"All hope abandon, ye who enter in."
And Bobbo pushed through the swinging doors and was flooded with the light
And looking up he saw another sign
“You can check out any time you want, but you can never leave.”
And Bobbo wanly smiled.
And behind the polished long-bar the voice of the Deuce bellowed to the assembled patrons
“Bring forth the fatted lamb. The prodigal has returned.”
And as the patrons feasted, a voice was heard from above, high in th ether
parsecs into hyper-space, a laughing T (Lilith, et al) shouted
“I told you Deuce would let him back in around March. You all
owe me a buck.”
And confusion once again reigned at the EB to the sounds of 'socialist running dog' and 'pineapple doo doo head'.
Why not clean the place up and kick out the socialist running dog?
ReplyDeleteSocial Security Payout to Exceed Revenue This Year
ReplyDeleteThis year, the system will pay out more in benefits than it receives in payroll taxes, an important threshold it was not expected to cross until at least 2016, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
No problemo, according to the running dog socialist.
Right wing rag NY Times cannot be relied upon.
CBO?
Full of John Birchers!
Looks like time to cash in a couple of them bonds. You know, the money Soc Sec loaned to the Gummint so it wouldn't have to tax pineapple doo doo head on the interest on his house payment in paradise.
ReplyDeleteYeah, those bonds.
Then we can cash in a couple a' those bonds that made up for the shortfall when some of our resident republicans were allowed to pay for their employer-provided health insurance with Before Tax Money.
ReplyDeleteYou remember Them bonds, right?
To all,
ReplyDeleteIf anyone failed to see my comment on the last lede, I think Quirk wrote a very clever (indeed, hilarious) piece of work - the subject of this lede.
Now, Quirk, you have had your pat on the head.
You know, there really is no good reason to persist in your feud. On any number of occasions, I have found myself in agreement with you and your thoughtful commentary.
Allen,
ReplyDeleteWhile usually assiduously avoiding re-posting from one stream to another, I make the exception here and re-submit my last post from the previous stream.
" Quirk said...
If I misread the tone and content of your post, Allen, apologies.
Mea Culpa
Mea Culpa
Mea Maxima Culpa"
.
Quirk,
ReplyDeletePlease accept my apology for ill- tempered snark.
You are a very talented and thoughtful man. I look forward to many future, gentlemanly debates and conversations.
I am deeply concerned about bob. For years, he has been a regular and bright correspondent. His recent deterioration of thought, coupled with ill-disguised suicidal ideation is worrisome.
The plight of Melody also bothers me. No one should have to fear participating in our little unstructured gangbangs.
At any rate, best, and thank you.
boobie?
ReplyDeleteBack?
Rejoice!
The show's entertainment value will improve.
Just open up that "Lock Box", doug-o.
ReplyDeleteAll the money in the whirled is in there.
"The plight of Melody also bothers me. No one should have to fear participating in our little unstructured gangbangs."
ReplyDeleteExuse me? Where do you get that idea?
As to depression, it is easy to see how the Great GW Bush Recession of 2008 could be considered depressing.
ReplyDeleteA cause for mental depression.
Even distress.
G.W.Bush Recession?
ReplyDeleteUnless you're calling it that merely in a nominal sense because his name was on the White House stationary at the time it happened, I assume you jest.
Surely, there is enough blame to go around to call it the "Great D.C.-Wall Street-Speculator Greed Fest Co-dependant Recession".
While Bush deserves any blame heaped upon him, it's silly to blame it all on him. Can anyone doubt that we would be in the same boat today if the other guy had won in 2004?
.
Especially if one's life estate was real estate based.
ReplyDeleteWith "Capital Gains" from new development being projected as providing that down stream revenue.
I certainly do understand the kick in the balls that GW Bush and his cronies delivered, directly to that part of their electoral base.
Could be bewildering, to a real partisan.
We complain about the GOP and Dems but I guess things could be worse.
ReplyDeleteIraqi election results remain unclear.
"The latest figures put Mr Maliki’s State of Law alliance a few thousand votes behind Mr Allawi’s Iraqi National Movement, known as Iraqiya. A Shia religious alliance that includes followers of a populist cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, was coming third, with a strong showing in the eastern slums of Baghdad and in three southern provinces. A Kurdish alliance, the fourth main block, swept the Kurds’ three provinces in the north.
"After the full result is known within a few days, the parties may have to wait several more weeks while voting disputes are resolved and seats in parliament allocated.
"A complex formula will boost representation for women and minorities (including Christians) and award extra seats to the largest parties. Only then will the winner be revealed. The group with the most seats will not necessarily have won most votes…”
-or-
”…the two men may consider forming a government of national unity. Their views are much closer than their fierce and rhetorically exaggerated campaign rivalry suggests. Together they would have a comfortable majority—and a chance to reconcile Iraq’s two main Muslim sects. The trouble is that neither man can abide the idea of playing second fiddle. In the end, one of them—or both—may have to be shoved off the stage by ambitious lieutenants capable of reaching across the aisle.”
May Be Weeks Before a Government is Formed
At least things look better than the last election in terms of full participation.
.
The buck stops, at the Resolute Desk, Quirk.
ReplyDeleteSo in that regard it is Mr Bush's.
Could just as easily, even more accurately, be described as the Phil Gramm Recession. Though Mr Gramm was out of office, the results of his handy work with regards derivatives, done while his wife was employed at Enron, are with US, today.
A fool and his money are soon parted.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who didn't learn anything from the dot.com bubble could easily succumb to the allure of the real estate ponzi bubble.
There were enablers on both sides of the aisle eager to help the fools along.
Before the dot.com bubble burst,I was a buy and hold investor. I rode some of the hot ones right down to bancruptcy.
I learned my lesson and gained humility. I also no longer have any emotional attachment to any of my investments.
The speculators and flippers in real estate were too busy getting rich to worry about bubbles.
Unfortunately, there were a lot of regular Joes out there that are now suffering and out of work as a result of the greater financial crisis generated by the incompetance in the FED, the regulators, the government (GOP and Dems), the rating companies, Wall Street, and the speculators.
Shit happens.
(About once every decade it seems now.)
.
This is a great article, giving insight into why the mortgage meltdown remediation plans are not working and will never work.
ReplyDeleteHalf of U.S. Home Loan Modifications Default Again
Having just gotten off the phone with a broker friend, the article was particularly striking.
I posit that there are going to have to be some major "out of the box" strategies developed and applied. Otherwise, this catastrophe will go on for at least a decade longer.
Among other things, I would like to see legislation authorizing accelerated depreciation and major reductions in the principle amounts owed. Additionally, I would like to see Senator Isakson's $15,000 tax credit offered to ALL buyers on any number of properties purchased.
There is plenty of money out there to be invested. All that is lacking is incentivization to bring it to the market.
If property begins to sell, even in bulk to investment groups, construction employment will rise dramatically, among other things. On the retail supply front, suppliers of building materials and sundry accessories will also take on additional help to meet the demand.
Anyhow, I would like to see some serious discussion take place on this issue.
melody,
ReplyDeleteI got the idea from your LENGTHY posts. Unless I misjudge, you are troubled by unwanted attention. You did also, I believe, mentioned having discussed your problem with friends. You certainly did lay out a strong indictment for those at the EB.
If you do not wish to communicate with someone, and have made that point crystal clear, you have the legal right not to be stalked or harassed.
Now, I have said all I intend to say on the matter of bob and melody. It was, for a season, good natured fun. That time is over.
You don't understand, Quirk:
ReplyDeleteTwo of the posters here believe since the MSM is stacked in the Dems favor, it is their responsibility to balance the "news" by blaming Pubs for everything, even when the Democrat controlled Congress was far more responsible for the Real Estate Fiasco than GWB.
Likewise, Big Govt in General.
Rufie additionally believes that money, and free loans from our children do indeed grow on trees.
Bibbi got the treatment you joos deserve, Allen.
ReplyDeletePBUBHO!
doug,
ReplyDeleteRe: BiBi
Doug, it's all a show at the moment.
There can be no peace with a man who will be content with nothing less than your death. Islam will not permit the Palestinians to leave the Jews in peace.
One day we are going to discover the same sort of problems in American cities, just as the Canadians and French have learned. You see, wherever a Muslim sets his foot becomes part of their territory. Islam teaches that the entire world must be ruled under the tenents of the faith.
I didn't say BHO is a Muslim.
ReplyDeleteHe just hates Jews and loves Muzzies.
The ins and outs of these government programs on real estate are a little complicated for me to struggle with, especially since I really don't have much skin in the game.
ReplyDeleteWhat I do know is that the banks got into their current problems through greed and incompetance. I suspect we will only come out of the problem because of greed on the other end.
The banks are currently offering plans that merely stretch out the barrower's payment horizon. They are doing this becuase the real market value of the homes is so low and they don't want to take any major write offs (for obvious political and market reasons).
However, at some point the costs of holding these properties (foreclosures and carrying costs) will exceed the costs of keeping them and the banks out of self-interest will begin lowering the principle amount. (I think someone recently posted an article about BofA getting ready to start doing this.)
On the other side, I doubt that people losing their homes in foreclosure are primarily motivated by the fact their properties are underwater. Of course, I'm assuming that most of them realize the impact of the foreclosure on their credit and also the fact that in most states after the foreclosure, the banks have five years or more to go after the homeowner to collect on any losses associated with the loan.
This leads me to believe that this will be a long drawn out process. There are 8 1/2 months of inventory out there right now and its going to take a while before prices drop low enough to move that inventory.
I'm not sure how much good these government programs are going to be in terms of solving the problem.
.
8.5 months is optimistic, as seen from here, to sell off the existing inventory, let alone those homes that will be entering the market, during that time.
ReplyDeleteNever seen so many empty houses, not even during the Keating Five Savings and Loan debacle.
A 4/1, 1964 built, house near mine, in Phoenix, just sold for $32,000. The plumber that owned it, previously, owed $178,000. It was and still is a livable "fixer upper".
The lot used to be worth $45,000.
Never seen the like.
Britain expels top Mossad agent over 'intolerable' passport cloning
ReplyDelete"Mr Miliband told MPs that he had demanded, and received, an assurance from Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli Foreign Minister, that Israel would never again be party to a similar abuse."
Baloney! The Foreign Minister made no such statement.
O, and Mr al-Mabhouh, a self-confessed kidnapper and murderer, remains dead.
I live in a decent area and we have foreclosures here.
ReplyDeleteI have relatives that have lost homes.
It's pretty bleak.
No light at the end of the tunnel yet.
.
Los Angeles Times -
ReplyDeleteThe administration will push for three-month breaks for some jobless and give lenders incentives to reduce the principal on delinquent loans.
Quirk,
ReplyDeleteHere in Georgia, Atlanta is the 800,000lb gorilla in need of sedation.
Fully 20% of commercial property is going begging. In desparation, developers are doing short term leases (something once unheard of) below cost.
Several days ago, the MLS systems of Atlanta had close to 67,000 homes listed for sale. That number is about 3,000 more than the previous month. Zillow.com reported today that about 10mil homeowners would like to sell. Moodys recently reported that the foreclosure pipeline has about 2.5mil homes that will become REOs; it's just the matter of time. When this enormous volume of property begins to hit the market, prices will plummet.
What began as the collapse of the subprime market has now moved into the middle and upper end markets. A house known to me that was purchased for $1mil and change two years ago, sold short for less than half that amount, recently.
By the way, I put up the BoA link earlier, reporting that bank's principal reduction program. The article named three or four other major players taking the same route. Unfortunately, it is not going to work because of the size of the eligible inventory and the new concept of strategic foreclosure.
Strategic foreclosure operates along the same lines used by stock investors in ridding themselves of under performing stocks. It is a rational process, if of dubious morality. Essentially, if you are a home owner under water, with no hope of regaining your lost equity for at least a decade, you simply walk away from the non-performing asset. Many of those using the strategy have had the foresight to purchase far more afordable second homes beforehand.
Unless we are corporately ready to die the death of a thousand small cuts, we have got to get aggressive and market this property by any means necessary. At the moment, the tax credit only applies to those who promise to establish residence in a home. Sadly, the number of such buyers is far to small to absorb the glut.
Not surprisingly, the most valuable commodity today is a buyer. There just are not enough of them.
All these factors indicate that we must radically change the model. Monied investors offer the answer, given generous incentives. Trillions of dollars are going to be needed. This money is not going to come from a public suffering unemployment/underemployment of 17%.
"What I do know is that the banks got into their current problems through greed and incompetance. "
ReplyDelete---
Actually, banks were just doing business prior to being FORCED by Dems/ACORN/ACLU to lend to people unable to pay the loans.
Greed, Speculation, Opportunism, and Corruption ON ALL SIDES inevitably moved in to take advantage of the new reality.
Allen,
ReplyDeleteDoctor Housing Bubble has been way ahead of the curve documenting and predicting all of the realities you describe.
The same dynamic is burning it's way through SOCAL, and most of the rest of California.
P.S. Believe nothing coming from any government or quasi-government entity. This applies to debt, deficits, foreclosures and HC.
ReplyDeleteI find myself having to be as cynical with reports in trade publications as well. For example, every week the chief economist for the NAR confidently holds forth on a glowing future, just around the bend. The accuracy of his prognostications are on par with those of my college student son (although my son has the good sense not to prognosticate).
far "too" small
ReplyDeleteCase not closed.
ReplyDeleteJust for the record I wasn't afraid to say anything a month ago I did it out of respect for Whit and Deuce with the advice of a friend. I just wanted it to end and we all know half the guys at the bar feed on...well just about everything and can't let things go. You all formed your opinions a month ago and I wasn't going to let that happen again. Now you know the truth. And for those of you who are hoping I go away think again. Just keep scrolling.
Case closed.
Doug,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to Dr. Housing Bubble...great site!
Amazingly, while the economy continues to tank, the President has nothing better to do than be in a snit with BiBi over a small piece of land in Jerusalem, purchased fairly on the open market some 23 years ago. Oh, I think this parcel will hold about 20 apartment buildings. Amazing!
melody,
ReplyDeleteRe: And for those of you who are hoping I go away think again.
???
Has someone asked that you go away? I am unaware.
Shrinking Detroit
ReplyDelete.
Allen,
ReplyDeleteI haven't followed up on it yet, but Prager says the WaPo describe the property the Israelis purchased belonged before to
"An Islamic Scholar"
but that when you google his name, you find that he was a notorius terrorist, and murderer of innocents!
"...trying to make an innocent jest even though they know that she like all women will never forgive and never forget and will compartmentalize this incident forever so as to bring it up on occasion to punish the poor guy even though he is very sorry and will never do it again"
ReplyDelete---
Another thing heard on Prager:
He had a lady guest, possibly a shrink, certainly a student of male/female relationships, who said to tendency to hold onto things forever is associated with brain morphology differences. (than men)
Specifically, a larger Hippocampus.
So, there you go.
uh oh trish, ya better watch what you say, who you quote or....
ReplyDeleteThu Mar 25, 05:50:00 PM EDT
Or I'll lose my fellowship at AEI?
From unshakeable to unbreakable in two weeks.
ReplyDeleteHaaretz:
Nearly 300 Congress members declare commitment to 'unbreakable' U.S.-Israel bond
Up next: Unsinkable.
P.S. Believe nothing coming from any government or quasi-government entity.
ReplyDeleteAhh, yes, that US Government report on the Israeli attack upon the USS Liberty, on the high seas, not to be believed, as it was a political whitewash, back in 1967.
Glad we finally agree.
After forty years of subsidy and sustenance provided by the Federals, allen realizes his life's work has been spent in the service of liars.
ReplyDeleteLittle wonder he is irritated.
Today Paul Ryan wishes to make one thing perfectly clear:
ReplyDelete"(A) serious fix for what ails health care in America will entail far more than merely tweaking the new law of the land; we will need to repeal the entire faulty architecture of the government behemoth and replace it with real reform."
So much for nuance and ambiguity then.
They're gonna go for the full monty.
Gonna be a truly awesome campaign season.
As to occupied Jerusalem, it is not a question of who owns the land, but who can legally provide the permit to build upon it.
ReplyDeleteFor the Israeli to issue such a permit, clearly in violation of the Geneva Accords, per the United States statements to the General Assembly of the UN.
Like it or not.
Israel is a criminal Nation, in that it occupies and administrates, along with settling people on occupied territory, in and around Jerusalem.
As was exemplified by the Swiss banks, those stealing the accounts of Holocaust victims, the passage of time does not mitigate the crime of theft.
ReplyDeleterat says: Israel is a criminal Nation, in that it occupies and administrates, along with settling people on occupied territory, in and around Jerusalem.
ReplyDeleteSpoken like a true nazi....
We heart Israel:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrO4YZeyl0I
No, spoken like George HW Bush.
ReplyDeleteNow, if George HW Bush is to be considered to be a Nazi, by our lifelong Democrat friend from Ohio, then that is telling.
ReplyDeleteTo Man of Misdirection
ReplyDeleteGeorge HW Bush = Hitler.
Republicans = Nazis
And, it seems, so does Obama, equal Hitler.
ReplyDeleteAt least in the eyes of our unshakable Democrat poster from Ohio.
Makes the United States a menace to the whirled, if he is correct in his beliefs.
Is the United States really ruled by "Little Eichmann's", as wi"o" claims to be the case?
ReplyDeleteSound off, if you have a pair!
"then that is telling."
ReplyDeletenope. what is telling is you constantly putting jews and israel under the microscope. you are an inciter of hate. typical of your ilk.