Here is an update on a previous post

Comparing Various War Expenditures | The Big Picture

I was using my own web research and fuzzy math. But my conclusion was the same.

Changes to the $8,000 Tax credit should help a good number of buyers

I heard a rumor of this type of change last week. It appears to be getting legs with the powers that be. This sort of change would help a lot of people with the initial down payment. Especially when the price point is under $200,000.

Fast $8,000 down-payment assistance for homebuyers - May. 19, 2009

Still greater declines to come? I think so

State home sales, prices, plummet in November - The Connecticut Post Online

This is a nationwide trend

I believe the community is less likely to walk away as well ! I find many families trying to refinance or add renters to make the payments necessary.

Foreclosure Crisis Hits Hispanics Hard | The Big Picture

What about weasels!

I seem to think there has been a significant increase in the number of weasels in these parts.

Wildlife bounds back in state - The Connecticut Post Online

What about weasels!

I seem to think there has been a significant increase in the number of weasels in these parts.

Obama is gonna give me my share, and Lower my Taxes

I am squarely with the rest. I also believe that anyone under $550,000 is part of the rest as well.

Celebrity Deathmatch: Krugman vs. Friedman

 

Ok no head to head right here. I just went for the juicy headline. My objective is more to promote Mr. Krugman and his point of view and observations. The last 6 months have separated the two measurably.

The effects and benefits of a Green Revolution by Mr. Friedman are well articulated and important. The articles come across to me as demagoguery just a little. The forward vision and trying to make a difference with a public voice are all admirable and well intentioned. Point of view can not be separated from Mr. Friedman who I often thought was more pragmatic, as easily as it can with Mr. Krugman, whom I thought more liberal over the years. Now I find myself flipping on the motivations of these two respected journalists. Mr Friedman continually seems to be less able to point out the misdeeds and mistakes by those in power. While Mr Krugmans articles continually seem to point out the obvious hypocrisy in every "new" problem. In the end they are both great minds, with a large forum.

You Sir !!!!! Are no War!

People who call Operation Iraqi Freedom a war, show little respect for Wars of the past.

The cost of the war alone seems to be the first objection.

I just wanted to check for myself how the numbers compared. I am not saying the war is right or wrong, the reaction to it is. Why such an outrage over the cost of the war over 6 years when we have spent 5 trillion on the bailout since May. When there is 3x that amount potentially at default in the credit market. The war is with wall street, they have done more damage in a shorter period of time than George Bush or the Iraq War, and appear completely unaccountable by the public or the press.

By the end of 2007 there were an estimated $45 trillion to $62.2
trillion worth of credit default swap contracts outstanding worldwide.  15.5 Trillion in the United States.



The annual US debt obligation runs around 1 trillion.



The total US Debt is totaled at 10 Trillion.



The Cost of the Iraq War is totaled at 600 Billion and relative cost.



The Current Cost of the Bailout is 5 Trillion.

Regarding the war. The enlistment in WWII seems to have been forgotten by most Americans already. Roughly 58% of Military aged men:

16 million is the normal figure of US men in the military over the
duration of World War II, and the US population was 131 million at the
time of the 1940 census, with roughly 28 million males between the age
of 15 and 40. source

for Iraq the enlistment numbers are harder to find and I just can not keep looking for an up to date source. The only number I have found is 160,000 in 2004, which predated the "surge".

160,000 vs 16 million can you really call both of them the same thing?

This guy will be losing his job soon !

THE SHALLOWEST GENERATION | The Big Picture

Now this is something I have been on a soapbox about with whomever would listen. The problem is they " The Boomers" are non repentant in any way. Exactly how do you get someone to feel bad when they are in denial. The scary thing is that they are now over the top, past the point of no return. The ability to become principled or any less callous as a generation seems to have passed. They have proven their selfishness and will continue to leverage the future for there own "me" generation.

Good Deeds by a good man make sailing in Bridgeport a reality for everyone

Putting wind in Bridgeport's sails - The Connecticut Post Online

Mr. German is without a doubt the fearless leader for community sailing in the city of Bridgeport. I was at a recent board meeting where his passion and commitment impressed everyone that was there. His focus is singular in his offer to teach "any child in the City of Bridgeport the skills of sailing, regardless of their ability to pay". He has committed his own time and money to that end. The more press Mr German can get the better the program will evolve.

I know he is looking for any assistance great or small to reach his goals. The more press the better in my opinion. Keep going Chris!!