patrick.net

This is really frustrating --I've even tried breaking it in smaller pieces, but it's failed to post a good dozen times now. I may have to email it to you Peter.

KurtS Says:

"Interesting choice in likening 'left-wing liberals' as some form of Talibanism. I’d happily take that version over the one exercised in Afghanistan."

Interesting indeed. The only people I've ever heard of that advocate
third-trimester abortions--and I won't get into the horrific details of what they do with a pair of scissors to a baby's head because this is a housing blog--are "progressives" or at least secular "Taliban" libs.

If the shoe fits...

This is really frustrating –I’ve even tried breaking it in smaller pieces, but it’s failed to post a good dozen times now. I may have to email it to you Peter.

Yup, please e-mail to me.

God help us if the only choices we have are between an extreme fundamentalist Taliban-style theocracy or an extreme left-wing Leninist dictatorship.

HARM, please replace & with &

God help us if the only choices we have are between an extreme fundamentalist Taliban-style theocracy or an extreme left-wing Leninist dictatorship.

Taliban means no pork. Lenin means no food. Neither is acceptable.

Peter P, tried eliminating ampersands, but still no dice. Emailed you the original post --thnaks.

I'm beginning to think that Wordpress may be filtering for specific keywords. I've literally broken the post down sentence by sentence and tried posting --no dice.

Perhaps...

I won’t get into the horrific details of what they do with a pair of scissors to a baby’s head because this is a housing blog–are “progressives” or at least secular “Taliban” libs.

Please don't. And for that matter, somehow connect liberalism with the Taliban.
Granted, there may be some extreme liberals, but that hardly "fits" the "shoe" of Taliban-style absolutism. The gap here is extreme: one plurality of viewpoints versus general autocracy of ideas.

I realize you're a radio talk host, a medium where words like "Taliban" can be used to touch an emotional nerve in your listeners, particularly towards people, lifestyles, or ideas foreign to them. But, the usage is hardly accurate. The same goes for the overuse of the word "Nazi". And, please let's not exhume that one again.

I suspect WW III will be about fuel, food, and bare necessities.

WW IV will be fought with bare necessities like "sticks and stones".

Please don’t. And for that matter, somehow connect liberalism with the Taliban.

Well, abortion in Taliban is not quite about women's right.

The same goes for the overuse of the word “Nazi”. And, please let’s not exhume that one again.

How about the Soup Nazi? :) Sorry...

How about the Soup Nazi? Sorry…

No soup for you! :)

“Materialism” in a philosophical context, or, specifically the type of materialism that *communism* addresses, is a completely different idea. It’s a philosophy that says, roughly speaking, that physical matter creates all reality. Words, thoughts, ideas, are all derived from the physical world. Do a google search on “dialectic materialism” or “marxist materialism”.

They may be different but they are very much linked. Dialectical materialism is quite similar to darwinism. Perhaps it is useful to see how historical materialism affects the Marxist view of economics and production.

KurtS Says:

"I Please don’t. And for that matter, somehow connect liberalism with the Taliban. Granted, there may be some extreme liberals, but that hardly “fits” the “shoe” of Taliban-style absolutism. The gap here is extreme: one plurality of viewpoints versus general autocracy of ideas."

I'm surprised the metaphor escapes you Kurt. Taliban is a metaphor for extremism. That a "plurality of viewpoints" by both liberals and Taliban lead to the "autocracy of ideas" that make both chopping off adult heads and baby heads possible should be stark.

There isn't much theoretical or practical difference the "plurality of viewpoints" as to when life begins (therefore, when it ends for the liberal abortionist) and the "autocracy of ideas" if the reductio ad absurdem of the ideal is the grave.

But, then again, as I say on my show: liberalism is a psychosis!

There isn’t much theoretical or practical difference between the “plurality of viewpoints” as to when life begins (therefore, when it ends for the liberal abortionist) and the “autocracy of ideas” if the reductio ad absurdem of the ideal is the grave.

Added correction of word "between."

Looks like we have the uncanny ability to stray off topic.

I understand that it is not easy to focus on the bursting bubble when it approaches certainty and immediacy. It is like talking about the sunny weather in early-summer.

I’m surprised the metaphor escapes you Kurt. Taliban is a metaphor for extremism. That a “plurality of viewpoints” by both liberals and Taliban lead to the “autocracy of ideas” that make both chopping off adult heads and baby heads possible should be stark.

Thanks for explaining these stark truths to me; what would I do without you?
The fact that you choose to use Taliban when describing extremes of liberalism makes the comparison accurate only by your viewpoint. I just think it's a nasty-sounding word you enjoy using.

Sorry all for "clogging the blog". I'm done.

Talking about the bubble for a change. As far as I can see, Bay Area is draining fast from buyers. My best engineer just resigned. He's going to Reno. Two of my wife's best friends have moved out to Portland and Wisconsin. Another friend is planning to move to East Coast this March.
It's getting freaking lonely here.

And the main reason to move for everybody is ... HOUSING PRICES.

They do not worship God nor trust in Christ.

Ahh religion, I love religion, makes perfect sense if you are living in the year of our lord 1040 ad. You see, it's perfect, don't worry about the king molesting your daughter, the open sores on your body, your hunger, because, now get this, if you behave and trust in Jeebus, when you DIE, you will go to heaven. Makes perfect sense now too, don't worry about the anal pounding you receive daily, just keep your head down and trust that when you die you and Jeebus will be chillin proper in Heaven, the white heaven that is.

Most people think great God will come from the sky
Take away ev'rything, and make ev'rybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You would look for yours on earth
And now you see the light
You stand up for your right, yeah!

B. Marley.

Suck it long,
Suck it hard.

Surfer-X

Each and every one of us is unique and complex creature.

Does someone need a hug? :)

I think Surfer-X has lost his frijoles.

I simply don't know what to make of his last post, but it's seems pretty zany.

Yawn...num, num, num...I'm sleepy.

East California Says: (quoting me, by the way):

"...'Thou shalt not steal' is a direct reference to Christianity. I don’t see how you can separate Christianity from it’s association with the material world."

"That is because you are an anti-Christian nut case who is fishing for a reason to hate the United States’ founding, historical, and traditional religion."

Wha-?

East Cali, I'm a conservative talk host. I think you read my quote out of context. Scroll up and read my pro-Christian, anti-abortion post, or at least use my quote in context.

We're on the same side, dude.

Makes Surfer-X's ranting post look almost sane.

I think this market is affecting people marbles...people seem to be losing them a bit lately.

Perhaps even me...

That is because you are an anti-Christian nut case who is fishing for a reason to hate the United States’ founding, historical, and traditional religion.

Fuck fuck fuckity fuck, ok for the last time,

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Tradional religion? Kiss my mother fucking ass :) Ok here's how it goes, good for you and your love of Jeebus, that's nice, but just because you're born again doesn't entitle you to twice as many rights.

East California Says:

"I have met conservatives who are against religion; there is much poison in this country and even those who know what ’side’ they are on are not always immune."

Ayn Rand was pretty conservative, but anti-religious. I see your point, but that's not me. I'm for traditional religious belief.

"Either way, I only read the post I replied to, not the previous."

Yes; however, I'm not wholly sure you understood it. Christianity is very concerned with our material world, yet places eternal things above them.

"I want to expand on my previous post regarding commie-libs and their bubble-cult of individuality."

Please do! I don't have any use for lib-commies myself.

"We all recognize that people need to save money; those fools (and especially whole societies) which they can spend every penny ruin themselves, and society as a whole."

It's friggen next to impossible to save money in the Bay Area if you are a common working man with a family. Thank G-d I'm in Phoenix for a while cooling out, and am single still. However, a true capitalist reinvests profits, even at the individual level.

The problem with savings is, B of A is only giving you a few paltry percentage points interest on any residual money you may have been fortunate enough to scrounge after paying off all your Silicon Valley living expenses, etc.

"So it is with anti-religious communists. Folks like Surfer-X believe all life-opportunities should be spent. There should be no ’savings’ based on the orders of a fairy-tale book and some guy named ‘Jeebus.’ Surfer-X is wrong."

Well, I don't know how long you've been lurking before posting, but
Surfer-X is anything but a communist, if that's what you're implying. I've never heard him say party hearty & spend it all. If anything, he's been one of the voices of sanity--notwithstanding his anti-religious rant which I can easily dismiss--against the god-aweful excesses of the hippy-ass Bommer, "Me" generation.

Plus, he's very educated & could possibly hand you your cognitive ass on a platter if he got ruffled up enough to care about making an intellectual statement.

But I want to examine something you said, briefly, if I may:

"...There should be no ’savings’ based on the orders of a fairy-tale book and some guy named ‘Jeebus'..."

What in the fvck are you talking about, dude?

Anyway, back to your other statements.

"The restrained opportunities caused by religion are all ordered to benefit society. The individual restrains himself in the belief of a future pay off. That pay off, of course, may not come. But the benefits to society are there. It is a cosmic game of Pay It Forward. And without it, moral & social decay sets and everyone actually lives a worse life than if they had just ’saved’ a bit."

Ahh...I think it's called "delaying gratification" in psychological parlance.
You put off now for the benefit of the future. Problem is, you've got to have something to "put off." I think putting off buying a house is a matter that's pretty much imposing itself on many people these days.

Whether or not moral and social decay precede, succeed, or transpire concurrent is academic. If you're thrown out on your economic ass and lose your house, your precious savings is going to be eaten up pretty quick.

"It is no different than the greedy boomers who want to Spend the Inheritence rather than let the kids get their hands on it. It leads to bankruptcy, whether financial or cultural."

Ahh...let me ponder those words of wisdom a bit...OK I'm done pondering.

Whatever dude...

does God have a moustache? Personally i think he's (she's?) more of a "soul patch" kind of being, jeebus on the otherhand has got to be a goatee dude.

Mr. Holiday, if you're ever in Santa Barbara, give me a jingle and I'll buy you a cup of your fav Holy Water.

:)

surfer-x Says:

"Mr. Holiday, if you’re ever in Santa Barbara, give me a jingle and I’ll buy you a cup of your fav Holy Water."

:)

Sounds good...mmmake it a Dos Equis.

Amber or the green bottle lager? I like both, mmmmm XX. Must be the beaner in me*

*(Surfer-X is actually half Mexican)**

**Not investment advice.

Ha, ha...

both.

It’s amazing how financial frustration leads some people so quickly to attacking their favorite scapegoats based on race, religion, or ideology.

Huh? I thought it was the boredom of certainty. :)

Face Reality, just because people bring up race, religion, ethics, whatever, doesn't mean they are attacking.

It's called the dialectical process or Platonic Dialog: thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, from which the truth about a topic emerges.

I like spirited debate and getting it all out. Filibuster style. Hate my religion? Fine...let's argue. Don't like my European origins? Fine, fire away. Don't like my military service? Great, kiss my ass. Don't like my politics? Call me whatever you like, just as long as you get my name right. Just don't call me late for lunch.

If people blew off more steam, then maybe there'd be less freakouts.

It’s amazing how financial frustration leads some people so quickly to attacking their favorite scapegoats based on race, religion, or ideology. It’s

Either that or they got tired of Facing Reality,

Suck it long,
Suck it hard.

I guess I'm just a MALcontent (mexican-atheist-liberal). Oh well, back to reality. Wait a minute, FR, what the current reality again?

no house for you

Are you a house nazi? :)

I don’t know if it’s worth mentioning as the tangents are taking over, but the house down the street from me lowered the price again. It started at $520K and it’s now at $475K. This is just the beginning of the new reality.

New housing reality indeed.

Oh, and I’m not the evil creator of this reality, nor do I like it in particular…

Perhaps Face Reality will like this new reality better. :)

Just for the record, California was part of Mexico for a total of 22 years.
People often talk about it like it had always been Mexico before the US bought it for $10 million.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_California

Bring on the housing bust. I love a good wreck. We need some harsh economic realities to hit us. I spend way too much of my time working to make those dollars. My parents were always unemployed during the numerous ressesions. I think my dad was lucky to keep his family together, food on the table, roof over our heads and be out of work for 9 months at a time. I'm not sure spending my life working in front of a computer is so great. What good are all the toys if you dont have time to enjoy them.

I think we are definitely out of the denial stage of the housing bust and firmly into the anger stage. ...What stage comes next?

BARGAINING

"Ok, if you'll take this $hitbox off my hands, I'll throw in the 50" plasma & H2 for free. Fuck, if I can get out from under this IO mortgage with my ass intact, I'll even throw in the wife."

Please don't feed the trolls. Somehow the warmongering, Bush loving, liberal true American value hating sort have found us, but there is no need to encourage them.

San Francisco RENTER, I bought three years ago, after a decade of living like a college student with no car in a communal houshold. At the time, my wife and I both had high five digit salaries.

We got a duplex in Noe Valley and our tenants downstairs pay half the mortgage payments, the boarder upstairs (and old friend) pays another 1/4 of it.

So I know it can be done here, since I have done it.

I am sure we are going to be saving less, probably nothing at all, after the baby comes and my friend moves out.

I was scared the market was at its top 3 years ago but I took the plunge.

Buying almost always beats renting over the long run, which you can prove to yourself with a bit of working with one of the various rent vs. buy calculators on the Net.

But at this point it will probably take a decade or more for buying to make sense, so you better be willing to plop yourself down in the The Mission or The Excelsior for a decade if you are going to buy anything remotely affordable in this city. Bernal or Sunnyside would probably be safer and quieter, if you can afford it.