patrick.net

Nice to know, my johnson is going to look massive in paris’ tiny hands.

Good for you!

Speaking of Paris and her tiny hands, someone -- I forgot if it was a woman or a man -- made a disparaging review of PH after her sex video got leaked to the net. He/She basically said that Paris, with a waif body, was utterly unappealing as a woman. I think he/she's got a good point. Without that face lift, PH is just a girl next door. You can find the before and after shots (w.r.t. face lift) on the net. Just do a google search. There is this home page that lists tons of celebrities who went through the obligatory process.

woops, I saw some earlier comments. Please delete mine on media room. It might offend some people.

Peter P, I had a very cool model railway once… Hornby HO/OO

Cool. Model railway is always fun.

GC-

You are so right. I always thought that Cindy Crawford was overrated. I mean, she was hot, don't get me wrong. But she wouldn't pass what I like to call the "supermarket test."

The "supermarket test" works like this. Imagine a purported sex symbol actress at the supermarket, without makeup, wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a jacket.

If you saw 9 out of 10 actresses in that situation, you wouldn't pay much mind to them. You might think they were hot, but you wouldn't say, hey, there goes the most beautiful woman in the world! She should be a supermodel, on the cover of every fashion magazine!

That's Cindy Crawford for you. Very attractive, hot, but nothing special. Certainly not the #1 hottest chick on the planet.

There are others, however, who would pass the test. Kim Basinger in her prime. Andie McDowell back in the early 90's (she was HOT!) Catherine Zeta-Jones today.

Then there are women who are very average looking but, for some reason, are always hailed as sex symbols by Hollywood. Julia Roberts comes to mind here. She strikes me as a very classy lady, but in the looks department she's clearly a 6, tops. Guys would not be falling all over themselves to get their freak on with her. Another example of this is Gwyeneth Paltrow. She has looks that only appeal to other women. Dudes don't fantasize about a woman like that. PH is another example of this.

Finally, a lot of Hollywood women/models look pretty tired and used up without the makeup. I saw a Vogue magazine photo shoot one time in NYC's Union Square. The models were not at all attractive. They were like seven feet tall, but attractive, not really. They had bad skin and smoked like chimenys. Some of the other sex symbols also fall into this category.

Joe,

Thanks for the enlightenment. I don't like C. Crawford either. She looks a little grotesque to me. But that rich guy seemed to be fond of her. Perhaps it's the old age. When a man faces declining sexuality, he may overcompensate it by associating himself with an overly buxom lady. As the Delphi admonition goes, "Nothing in Excess."

Andie McDowell is very cute, in her prime years.

Jon,

This Vu guy is pretty funny. Thanks for the video.

Joe,

I want to add one more. Catherine Hepburn in Philadelphia Story.

I forgot one other thing …. a high powered, peak-of-roof mounted, self aiming plasma lazer

just so long as it's solar powered... maybe it could double as a flame-grill BBQ in peace time if you pointed it into the yard...

He/She basically said that Paris, with a waif body, was utterly unappealing as a woman. I think he/she’s got a good point. Without that face lift, PH is just a girl next door.

I think she's an extremely unappealing wanna-be with too much money -- she has 'redefined beauty' and the world of modelling because she is so sad and desperate to fit media imagery she has bought her way into the industry. Even after plastic surgery, she is still not conventionally beautiful or attractive.

@Skibum,

Thanks for the photo, dude --that's even better than what I had in mind! Leaving the inside wall unplastered --say in the drawing room-- would serve both as a nifty conversation piece for guests, and as a welcome reminder of all the greedy fuckwads who gave their lives to make my dream home possible!

I think she’s an extremely unappealing wanna-be with too much money — she has ‘redefined beauty’ and the world of modelling because she is so sad and desperate to fit media imagery she has bought her way into the industry. Even after plastic surgery, she is still not conventionally beautiful or attractive.

Indeed. But I have to say that I respect her guts and tenacity. I do wonder if the confidence she exudes is natural or just an act. You know some people have this natural sense of superiority no matter what.

Even after plastic surgery, she is still not conventionally beautiful or attractive.

Agreed on PH. I have to say you guys are a being a little hard on Cindy Crawford though. In her prime, she would definitely have gotten my attention in the supermarket (or shower, etc.). Come to think of it, I wouldn't have minded being a little hard on her myself [_ducks_].

You know, men like to talk about women. I couldn't care less about a house.

I don't really have a dream home in mind. But whatever that is, I know will soon be affordable.

The stock market tanked today, and Asian markets are still digging deeper. Both Bombay and Tokyo are down around 4%. One day drop equals my CD's interest for the whole year.

And Bernanke was talking something about introducing new guidelines for risky loans and stuff. Is he saying what I think he should be saying ? The man is turning out exactly the opposite of what people thought he would.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060612/bernanke.html?.v=8

Don't know about doom and gloom, but seems like our problems are going to be far more than housing prices. In theory, the coming recession has the potential to be mother of all recessions. Greenspan will rot in hell for this.

-Greenspan will rot in hell for this.
+Greedspan SHOULD rot in hell for this.

Robert Kiyosaki on RE, again.
http://finance.yahoo.com/columnist/article/richricher/5766

He claims he had foreseen this. I claim hindsight is 20/20.

kiyosaki knows everything about property. after all, he's the self-proclaimed 'property guy'. the property guy. he once bought something in phoenix, which is now tanking...

is guy kawosaki the anti-kiyosaki?

john t. reed, a california native (yay), has a page on tom vu, and another page on kiyosaki... www.johntreed.com/Reedgururating.html

"Eat your...house!"

--Surfer-X

"Eat your...realtor!"

--Michael Holliday

"Eat your...Kiyosaki!"

--Anony-mouse :o~~

VA Beyatch,
At least people can actually still buy in VA. here in Cali, there isn't enough money in the avg citizen's pocket to buy what you in VA would call a "small house".

I only offer the "yurt" as a temporary structure and felt they should have a broader appeal b/c every fire season we have to hear about about someone that built exactly where they were told they shouldn't build! If "they" don't get here soon and protect our 4,800 sq. ft. home (that we live in 3 weeks out of the year) we'll lose EVERYTHING!

A temp. structure could be disassembled, hauled off and set back up later. If you look at the way so many of the "Brit's" vacation it just makes so much more sense. I saw a special on their beach huts in Brighton (or some where) and they are like 12 X 20 sheds on the beach that they own/rent or borrow to spend a week at the beach. When it's time to head back to town they swing the barn doors closed and slap a pad lock on it. Thefts are rare b/c there is usually only a tea kettle some deck chairs and a dinghy w/ oars in it. This is a "proper" vacation.

SFWoman,

I'll have to admit to being stumped on Kirsten Dunst's appeal as well. And it's not just her looks. It's the total and complete lack of anything resembling....... uh, talent? Robin Williams (during an interview) seemed to be at a loss for words as to how a 19 year old was "directing" movies after only having been in a few herself? The rise in popularity of talent "reality shows" has forced Hollywood to embrace them quickly b/c the traditional channels for "discovering talent" (having Hollywood parents) simply was not working.

We have plaster walls in the city, and one of the rooms seems to be some sort of fortress against WiFi. Is it something in the plaster?

lead paint?

A buddy of mine does this hilarious schtick about:

Who-lee-uh Row-bertz (Julia Roberts)

Cam-eroon Dee-ahs (Cameron Diaz)

My favorite is his impersonation of that gal "Lizzie" is it on Long Island that ran over all of those people at a night club? Lizzie Grubman? Now there's a "catch"!

SFwoman,
Plaster is actually a somewhat decent semi-conductor of electricity. It also can cause interference. In the old days, electricians would actually run wires inside the plaster- which was bad because the plaster is caustic and will eat right through the insulation, eventually causing a fire hazard.

SFWoman,

To my knowledge they didn't even mention having a bathroom in those "chalets" so I can't imagine that they are that comfortable to begin with! I'm also not so sure how much running around in swim trunks I would be doing in 59 degrees either. But it does appear care free and maint. free so in my mind that cuts to the core of what a vacation is supposed to be about. If the cafeteria has reasonably cold Guiness so much the better. I've heard a lot of my retired clients say that after a few years of travel all "resorts" start to look the same. On the dole or not, I hope the holiday camp continues.

I guess what I mean to say is what fun would travel be if everyone in Rio decided that they could stay home and watch the "festival" on TV?

I confess that I do find Kirsten Dunst attractive, or I would find her attractive if I were not married to the most beautiful woman in the world.

The key to her appeal is that she is a slightly promiscuous version of the girl next door. Accessible. Approcahable. When you watch one of her movies, you can sort of mentally substitue that girl in your Geometry class for Kirsten Dunst. She is also somewhat charismatic. To get her appeal, think of yourself as a sex-starved young guy. In the back of your mind, you know that you're not likely to encounter Jenna Jameson. You never even see women like that in real life. And even if you should happen to run into one, what are the odds that you can talk her into sleeping with you? If she moved in next door maybe you could do it, but if you encounter her while standing in line at Baja Fresh? Not going to happen.

But Kirsten Dunst -- there are women like that in real life. The odds of sleeping with her seem much better. She's sort of like that girl in your Geometry class that you're always thinking about. Now, you've never actually mustered up the courage to ask her on a date, but if you do, the odds that you'll no longer be a virgin seem pretty good as far as you are concerend.

Jennifer Aniston is sort of an adult version of Kirsten Dunst. You're in your early to mid 20's now, you'd be a pervet if you were still fantasizing about sixteen year old cheerleaders, but Jennifer Aniston is like that girl behind the counter at Starbuck's who smiles at you ever morning and occqasionaly gives you an extra shot of espresso. The truth is that she smiles at everyone and has a steady boyfriend, but you don't know that becuase you've never actually tried to chat her up, though you did make a remark about the weather the other day, and she grinned and agreed with your observation! Can yourself living with her, just like those guys who live with Jennifer Aniston? Yes. Yes, you can!

Hanging out with unemployed people can be a problem. A real problem! They (unlike you) have no where to go in the morning! They can stay for last call and then "move the party to the parking lot" when you SHOULD be sleeping it off! Is Brighton high on my list of "must see" places? No, not really but just knowing it's there seems to help. I had heard though that the old pier was taken down for safety reasons.

I would however place a high priority on seeing the upper reaches of the Amazon River and had planned on visiting the "outback" again but not after renting Wolf Creek. Egad!

Joe Schmoe,

"slightly promiscuous"

Uh, how does one become "slightly promiscuous"? Sounds to me like being "a little bit pregnant" no? Just kidding. My big question with her (and many others) is how did she have such a meteoric rise in wealth and fame with such mediocre talents? To answer my own question I believe much of Hollywood "wealth" is nothing more than total fabrication. Hard ball industry execs that have survived a string of bombs seem unlikely to me to part with hard earned money to give it to a 19 year old but that's just me. H'wood had been in a terrible slump until March of the Penguins came along to bail it out. There are so many instances where some of H'wood's most enduring series' "stars" are selling tee shirts out of the back of a van 6 months after their show gets cancelled! So and so just put their 9.4 mil Bel Air estate on the market! "Their" estate? Really?

SFWoman,

Well exactly. My wife and daughters are always on me about this starlet and that and which one do I find the most attractive! It's maddening really (like I would ever answer honestly anyway). My standard response is that she's no prettier than the other 10 girls waiting in the bus line! I mean it! When I hear that she (or he) is being paid X millions of dollars per picture it just makes me want to laugh! H'Wood makes real sure we all read about how much their "stable of talent" is getting paid but when they wind up in re-hab or divirce court we find that the numbers are vastly different than just a few years prior. Where did all the money go we're left to wonder? Well Malibu "digs" and limos run into money so we get this quick and dirty accounting of why so and so had their home broken into and their "home video" stolen! Stolen?

SFWoman said:

> Would someone explain the ‘beautiful Kirsten
> Dunst’ to me?

She is popular since she reminds people of the hottest girl in the trailer park (aka the hot white trash look)...

DinOR,

That is a very interesting observation.

An exception to that rule of thumb is the the rappers. Those guys really are 100% self-made. We represent several of them. I always used to think that they would be even more unbalanced versions of rockers or professional athletes, always drunk or high, etc. Not true.

All of the rappers I have met have been shared the same trait: they are very smart. Those guys may act like crude thugs in videos, but they are all extremely intelligent. With them, it is all business, all the time. They are constantly marketing themselves and looking to build their careers. I have never dealth with a rapper's agent or manager; they might attend a meeting, but the star is there too and personally makes all the decisions. And a rapper's agent or manager generally has good advice and functions in a support role; he doesn't run the show.

I think it is becuase almost all rappers are self-made. They start out as poor teenaged boys living in the ghetto. They don't know anyone at Warner Brothers, industry, and they don't have an uncle who is going to give them a record deal, put them on TV, and send them on tour. The rappers have to build their careers from the ground up. They have to record their own mix tapes and fill the clubs themselves. Only then will they get a record deal with one of the major labels. It is very rare for a rapper to be packaged and marketed, they generally achieve success on their own.

About half of your country acts come up this way too. That is why they can endure for 20 years or more, becuase they have a real fan base with real fans. The other half are the product of marketing.

Different Sean Says:

> Kiyosaki knows everything about property.
> after all, he’s the self-proclaimed ‘property guy’.
> the property guy. he once bought something in
> Phoenix, which is now tanking…

As much as it’s fun to rip on Kiyosaki most of what he says is right on target just a little basic and written in fifth grade English down for a mass market.

> John T. Reed, a California native (yay), has a page on Tom Vu,
> and another page on Kiyosaki…
> www.johntreed.com/Reedgururating.html

John Reed is a super smart guy (I have every one of his self published books) and most of the pot shots he takes at Kiyosaki are about his financial history and military service not what he actually says.

I’ve often thought about writing a book called “Rich Dad, Richer Dad”. I’ve learned a lot from my Dad and John Reed who are both very rich, but I’ve learned even more from a good friend’s Dad (a HBS guy) who is even richer…

She is popular since she reminds people of the hottest girl in the trailer park (aka the hot white trash look)…

So we are now talking about dream human architecture? :)

OT, but I am rarely on topic anyways.

For RE market in BA, May might have turned out to be slightly better than April, at least for the areas I track. If this is a general trend, I expect CAR to tout these MOM gains. YOY picture is still clearly on the downtrend.

Nothing surprising here. The downward path is rarely a straight line.

Joe Schmoe,

"have a real fan base with real fans"

Brilliant! What a concept! True, I don't care for rap music but if these guys are self made hey, whatever right! So much of the "talent" we see in videos, movies etc. are strictly the product of marketing. I'm sure I'm not the only guy that got tired of hearing the recording/movie industry whine for years about how illegal downloading killing their bottom line! Try putting out something actually worth paying for! Which should give all of us cause to question how industries with declining sales, declining revenues and declining stock prices can continue to dole out free money to "manufactured" stars with no real fan base and no real fans!

For RE market in BA, May might have turned out to be slightly better than April, at least for the areas I track.

Which areas?

Those I track range from tepid (e.g. North San Jose) to red hot (e.g. Mountain View).

George,

I just couldn't read all of it. Sorry. Truly a dark day for Harvard.

Re: Harvard's "The State of the Nation's Housing" report...

(*Ahem*) Let's have a look at who's on Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies Policy Advisory Board (their list of financial backers/sponsors):

http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/people/pabmemberlist.html
"Members of the Policy Advisory Board are valued not only for their financial support, but also for their leadership and commitment to strengthening future housing research and for their participation in guiding and providing feedback on the Center's ongoing research.

Policy Advisory Board- Member Companies
--------------------------------------------------
Andersen Windows
Armstrong Holdings, Inc.
Beazer Homes USA
Black & Decker
Boral Industries
The Bozzuto Group
Bradco Supply Corporation
Builders FirstSource
Building Materials Holding Corporation
Canfor Corporation
Cendant Corporation
Centex Corporation
CertainTeed Corporation
Champion Enterprises
Countrywide Financial Corporation
Crosswinds Communities
Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae Foundation
Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston
Fortune Brands - Home and Hardware
Freddie Mac
GAF Materials Corporation
Georgia-Pacific Corporation
Hanley Wood, LLC
Hearthstone
Home Depot
HomeStore, Inc
Hovnanian Enterprises
Huttig Building Products
James Hardie Industries NV
Jeld-Wen
Johns Manville Corporation
KB Home
Kimball Hill Homes
Kohler Company
Lafarge North America
Lanoga Corporation
Lennar Corporation
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
Marvin Windows and Doors
Masco Corporation
Masonite International Corporation
McGraw-Hill Construction
MI Windows and Doors, Inc.
National Gypsum Company
Oldcastle Building Products, Inc.
Owens Corning
Pacific Coast Building Products
Pella Corporation
Pulte Homes
Reed Business Information
Rinker Materials
The Ryland Group
S&B Industrial Materials S.A.
The Sherwin-Williams Company
Stock Building Supply
The Strober Organization
Temple-Inland
UBS Investment Bank
Weyerhaeuser
Whirlpool Corporation