Does that balanced budget include the $90 trillion we owe Medicare and Social Security? That being said, I agree the Republican party has blown completely off the top of the charts when it comes to borrowing money and spending. The record speaks for itself:

National Debt

But now you’re getting into the lessor of two evils argument in a world where only black-and-white exists (i.e. rigged 2-party election). And that’s not exactly the fix I’m looking for.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

after a 5 year development cycle and a year and a half on the shelves the fact that we are talking about “fixing Vista” illustrates it’s failure. I hope MS is moving on. The damage has been done and enterprise deployments are waiting on Windows 7. Best to focus the efforts there in my opinion. I’ll just go back to my earlier statement that there is no compelling reason to go with Vista.

Oh and XP was pretty widely praised if I remember correctly.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Tim: hope you don’t work at MS because if that is the line coming out of Redmond it validates much of the criticism of how MS operates. More importantly, I think that will have to be one hell of a must have application if it justifies breaking many of the existing apps.

You don’t think MS will fix Vista? Of course they will. That’s a service pack, if not already done in the existing one. Your criticism of Vista was repeated by the masses for every one of the Windows OS’s. But most were ultimately very successful for MS.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

I hope you don’t work at MS because if that is the line coming out of Redmond it validates much of the criticism of how MS operates. More importantly, I think that will have to be one hell of a must have application if it justifies breaking many of the existing apps. MS should just let Mac be Mac and keep Windows as the dominant business computing platform. Most corporate users don’t want to learn a new interface and be bothered with unecessary features for the fun of it.

Rate this comment: 0  0

http://www.king5.com/business/stories/NW_091708BUB_housing_construction_plummets_JM.8533e5f0.html

Rate this comment: 0  0

Tim: I’ve worked in two corporate IT shops since Vista came out and I can tell you there is no way in hell it will be deployed in either enterprise.

Until some app comes out that that the upper management must have, that works only on Vista or later, even if that’s 5 years out. IT departments can only delay buying upgrades. The don’t call the shots.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Interresting idea but I htink it’s a stretch. If you as a foreigner buy land in the US you do not control laws on that piece of land. It’s still US territory. I doubt we will see the US government selling land to other countries or to individuals or corporations for them to create new countires.

Rate this comment: 0  0

MS could have left Seattle, like so many other companies do, for a cheaper city/state to operate in. I think it would be nice to appreciate all they bring to the area.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Mom: “I’m still having issues with printing”

Linuxophile: “RTFM, mom, RTFM”

Mom: “I don’t know what that means”

Linuxophile: “Cat this CUPS howto, and educate yourself for a few hours before you consider yourself able to print. Jeez, you’re so entitled”

Mom: “I’m buying a Mac”

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

So much for the de-coupling theory (i.e. that foreign markets will do well even as the US economy suffers). I wonder how Peter Schiff is feeling these days?

Of course, Seattle is “special”. Foreigners will want to buy lots of software and airplanes even if their economies are facing major recessions.

http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/2008/09/russian-stock-market-crash-continues.html

Rate this comment: 0  0

(Reuters) – The collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc and takeover of Merrill Lynch & Co Inc will cause liquidity in the credit market to shrink, resulting in lower home prices, prominent U.S. banking analyst Meredith Whitney said.

The Oppenheimer & Co analyst also expects fewer mortgages to be available for prospective homeowners, as she sees no hope for the return of the mortgage securitization business.

“All this creates a recipe for meaningfully lower U.S. house prices,” Whitney said.

The magnitude of houseprice declines in the next few years could likely exceed expectations of both the markets and the companies, she wrote in a note issued late Monday.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

But Seattle is “special”. So what if China, India, Japan, Australia, Canada, Russia, Brazil, Europe, and the US slip into recession? Everyone will still need to buy more airplanes and software than ever!

http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/2008/09/russian-stock-market-crash-continues.html

Rate this comment: 0  0

State’s jobless rate 6%, a 4-year high
200,000 find no work; number likely to grow

By ANDREA JAMES AND HECTOR CASTRO
P-I REPORTERS

Washington’s unemployment rate last month reached its highest level in nearly four years, and the number of people looking for jobs is only expected to grow.

More than 200,000 people unsuccessfully sought work in August, as the jobless rate reached 6 percent. The last time Washington’s unemployment rate was this high was in October 2004, according to figures released Tuesday by the state Employment Security Department.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

greenthum: Do you actually think the Republicans are solely responsible for this financial mess? Unbelievable!!!!!!!!

No, maybe only 80% responsible, enough to focus the blame on them. I support preferential voting so liberals can work to oust the other 20%.

Rate this comment: 0  0

jonness: Politicians are in the game of life to fulfill one goal , and only one goal–to get elected–which furthers their careers and brings them much fame and validation. In order to get elected, they have to get the money to finance their campaigns.

You had me until this point. I don’t believe that all politicians are in it merely for those reasons. You think Carter, who has worked his post-presidency butt off in relative obscurity for the downtrodden, was president just for fame & validation? Clinton fought an epic battle to create budget surpluses, and then had to fight even harder to keep at bay the Republicans who were furious that he wouldn’t spend the “found money” (with $6 trillion in debt outstanding!) on their pork projects.

Now we have Obama, whose record to date looks just like another tireless public servant. Yet people summarily lump him in the same boat with those who sold their souls. Disgusting. Rent No End in Sight and watch the true liberals in Congress, one by one making their stand against the impending Iraq war–watched by only a few hardy souls on C-Span–angrily cut off after a few seconds by a gavel-wielding Republican whose ill-gotten campaign loot is threatened.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Do you actually think the Republicans are solely responsible for this financial mess? Unbelievable!!!!!!!!

Rate this comment: 0  0

Many years went by, and I didn’t think about economics again until last December when I became hooked on the amazing situation currently unfolding with our country’s financial system. On my way back into the game, the only thing I clearly understood was supply and demand have an affect on price and you can understand a whole lot about macro economics by reducing all problems to the micro level.

So nobody should be surprised that I believe the average citizen doesn’t need more than a 5 minute prep on economics to understand the implications of electing officials to manage the finances of the country. But IMHO, that 5-minute lecture is a guarded secret in America. Because if the people were ever taught about the simple 5-minute concept, the corporations would lose control of America’s tax dollars. Thus, the people are brainwashed to believe that macro-economics is so difficult to understand, they need to close their eyes and let the government do as it sees fit with their money.

Much the way a myth began in housing that “house prices always go up,” there is currently a political myth that “the govt. can always borrow more money, and that borrowing money is good for the health of the nation.” Unfortunately, this myth makes for a very dangerous situation.

Politicians are in the game of life to fulfill one goal , and only one goal–to get elected–which furthers their careers and brings them much fame and validation. In order to get elected, they have to get the money to finance their campaigns. This requires becoming a pawn for the corporations and special interests that pay for their campaigns. So once the politicians are elected their focus shifts primarily to servicing corporate sponsors; thus, the average citizen hasn’t much skin left in the game.

Average citizens are also pawns. Our role is to pay taxes and vote for the politicians who service the corporations and special interest groups. To get our votes the politicians appeal to our spiritual beliefs, morals, sense of values, and our emotions. In truth, politicians are nothing more than corporate salesmen selling us their best vision of what they think we want to hear. Behind the scenes their campaign officials develop a game-strategy by studying human nature in an attempt to gain the majority support from the tax slaves. In exchange for the tax slave’s votes, the politicians get to control something very important to them–all of the money in the tax pawn pool!

But the situation is messy, because politicians’ toolkits contain the tools to get them elected and little more. Although they are experts at brainwashing and manipulating tax pawns for votes, they are clueless about managing finances and efficiently running super-power economies. So, once elected, they do their best to serve the interests of their corporate sponsors. This is accomplished by spending tax pawn money on things that fulfill corporate agendas.

In contrast, the politicians serve the tax pawns’ best interests by issuing propaganda sound bytes to sooth the tax pawns’ fragile emotions. On top of this, they give a small portion of the massive loan they borrowed in the tax pawns’ name back to the tax pawns so they can feel like they saved a lot of money that year (please forgive me, but I find that last line very humorous).

It’s all a very fragile choreographed system. The tax pawns need to stay emotionally distracted and have their spiritual beliefs tickled so they’ll continue to pay taxes without questioning authority and demanding political accountability. The corporations need to stay far enough in the background to remain mostly subliminal in the tax pawns’ minds. The politicians need to sell the tax pawns emotional support in exchange for political fame, power, wealth, and validation. The foreign investors need to retain enough belief in the fragile system as to keep lending money they might not ever get back. And the tax pawns have to have enough faith in the system to believe a $50 billion I.O.U. that is nothing more than a piece of paper with a number written on it can cover a national bank run by fear-stricken tax pawns whose eyes got opened up to a tiny piece of the truth.

But other than that, Seattle is in great shape!

Rate this comment: 0  0

Unlikely. 50% of the population is currently amped up to vote for making the tax cuts for the rich permanent, and borrowing more $trillions to expand needless war. They blame Bill Clinton for any consequences.”

…But it doesn’t take a majority of the population to have a successful revolution. Just ask V.I Lenin.
Certainly we’re not there yet, but if the government is only going to bail out big corporations while letting the people suffer, well, things could start a percolatin’.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Jonny: i am no alarmist, but i now think a financial failure sufficient to spark mass social unrest and possible revolution is no longer impossible.

Unlikely. 50% of the population is currently amped up to vote for making the tax cuts for the rich permanent, and borrowing more $trillions to expand needless war. They blame Bill Clinton for any consequences.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

MS is going to be fine, just fine.

Rate this comment: 0  0

John: Now that Merrill Lynch and AIG are saved, there are still WaMu, Wachovia, Citibank. FDIC is running low. I don’t know how they are going to handle hundreds of bank failures. A big one like WaMu is going to destroy whatever FDIC has.

Simple: just borrow more. What’s another $4 trillion in debt on top of $4 trillion borrowed in the last 7 years? As long as the rich don’t have to cancel their Gulfstream orders, it’s all good.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Chris: Speaking of being off-topic, the Fed now has an $80% stake in AIG! Good times!

Republicans continue to privatize the gains and socialize the losses. Love the quote from the article: “And if AIG rebounds, taxpayers could reap a big profit through the government’s equity stake”. Suuure they’ll rebound, that explains why no one else would take them over. Make no mistake, most of us will be delaying retirement to keep the rich fat on this one. Yet 50% of the voters will still want Palin for prez.

Seattle might weather the recession better than most, but it’s all relative. Bush/Cheney still have time to put us all on the hook for a couple $trillion more of their buddies’ losses.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

word. never thought I’d agree with anything losh said, but he’s right. First amendment and all that.

Now that that’s out f the way, please take a moment to visit http://peckhammer.blip.tv

We don’t pretend to know a golly thing about real estate. You’ll only be treated to a couple of new media millionaires travelling about the country teasing out the stories that every motorcycle racer and rider holds close to their hearts.

Next Time…. The Final Chapter….

Paul Friebus gambles with his life…

Families will do battle…

Paul and his father race on the same salt, millions of years old…

Life-Altering changes will take place…

Pauls Visa card will be used…

A surprise run…. A shocking revelation… And, lines drawn in NaCl crystals.

Lives will be changed… Forever.

It’s all next time…. In the final episode of “The Bonneville Salt Flats.”

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Here’s the link:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122156561931242905.html

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

If I was a Mtg Rep my website would be plastered with 500 Realty , Red Fin, and an assorted variance of other major Brokerages. On that site would be a full explanation of what the Brokerages do and what to expect. It would educate every buyer and seller!

EVERY CLIENT would know the TRUTH behind Real Estate. This sham is coming to an END with or without me. Soon everyone will be asking their agent “How much will you give me for helping you find my home?” Nobody would pay more then 500 or 1% to LIST their property based on needs……….

A group of friends pushing each others practices in hoping to get a few nibbles is my analysis of RCG. . Throw some companies up on the site that will actually give back to the consumer and educate.. Imagine that..What a concept.

Jill there are nurses around who could care less and just draw a paycheck. In they come, and out they go. No compassion. Nothing. The public needs this money more then ever. To even argue this is futile. When was the last time you truly educated someone?

I know I know everyday in class.

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

/emacs
//os x

Rate this comment: 0  0

Rate this comment: 0  0

I always thought it made more sense for the agents to advise sellers to lower their prices. Instead they had been exhorting buyers that it was a good time to buy. Because the agents make their money on transaction VOLUME, not VALUE.

It’s in their interests to have sellers who price their homes correctly.

Rate this comment: 0  0

A mortgage loan originators responsibilities are outlined by federal law and the laws of each state. We can start with the state of Washington. LOs who work for a broker are licensed under the Mortgage Broker Practices Act. Their duties are outlined here:

http://dfi.wa.gov/cs/mortgage.htm#laws
See RCW 19.146 and
WAC 208.660

It is my opinion that LOs have a duty to first learn their state and federal laws that govern the practice of loan origination before educating consumers on real estate business models.

Anytime we use the words “should” or “ought” we’re talking the language of ethics and not law.

There is no mandatory code of ethics for lending workers in the United States. What codes exist for their national trade groups are vague and not very prescriptive or helpful.

I agree with you that a highly educated loan originator may know about various real estate business models and could, when asked, recommend different companies as examples of those who offer homebuyers different options.

However, it’s not a duty or a law but merely a subjective choice for each LO, and then it would be just your or my opinion whether or not this “should” happen. We are all entitled to our own opinion.

LOs must also be mindful of any state or federal law violations concerning the practice of “advising” their clients of “alternative ways of earning money when buying a home that is listed on the MLS.”

Maybe a good way to pitch this is for the homebuyer to learn how to “save” money.

Rate this comment: 0  0