patrick.net

Similar to the dome houses, check out these houses made of dirt:

http://www.calearth.org

This place is not far from where I live. I'll have to check it out some time in person.

My guess is that the implied land price is the sale price of a house minus its replacement cost. Since the construction costs is realitvely constant, I would think that loand prices are much more volatile?

If the market crashes badly I assume one can buy at a price that is below replacement cost.

"check out these houses made of dirt

Nice…How do they keep them so clean? "

LOL. I think it's kind of like making a big clay pot that you can live in--pottery making on a grand scale. :-)

Republic of California

Actually it's the California Republic.

it’s a chunk of metal with no inherent value to me, and while I recognize that it has been highly prized for thousands of years by many civilizations, there’s no fundamental reason why it has to be so.

Actually gold does have intrinsic value, it is unique in the world of metals, first of all it is the only metal that exists in nature in its pure state, all others are either oxides or sulfides. Second, golds electronic structure is unique among metals, it is amazingly mallible and perfectly noble. And it is rare. Gold's value can be thought of in the amount of human toil it takes to get a chunk of it. This differs from diamonds which are less rare than high purity quartz, they are just controlled by the DeBeers family. They are a sham, where as gold is the real deal.

Gold’s value can be thought of in the amount of human toil it takes to get a chunk of it.

I heard that many fishermen/divers died harvesting king crabs and abalone. Edible investments with intrisic values!

I am anti-diamonds. People are just brain-washed into buying diamond engagement rings. Thank God my wife is practical.

I am pro-emeralds.

Allah, welcome aboard! Nice rant, could use a tab bit more anger and outrage in my humble opinion though. But nice work.

Thank God my wife is practical.

BTW, she would rather have a stash of devalued dollar than a meaningless diamond.

Does the 5-second rule work in dirt house? Should people who live in dirt houses throw glass?

Hmmm, I took a look on realtor.com and it seems they are up to some pretty good monkey business, there are a ton of properties that are listed several times, each with a slightly different description. Why would they want to do that?

Surfer-X, I've noticed that too about double listings of the same property. I'm not sure what the deal is with that.

My personal favorite realtor flim-flam technique on realtor.com is when they stretch the photo horizontally to make it look like a bigger house or room, LOL. Like, ooh, look at that nice wide house with the really big doors and windows...but hmm, is that a Honda Civic limousine out front on the curb?

"Does the 5-second rule work in dirt house? Should people who live in dirt houses throw glass?"

No, but in a dirt house, heavy rains mean an opportunity for extensive remodeling.

My personal favorite realtor flim-flam technique on realtor.com is when they stretch the photo horizontally to make it look like a bigger house or room, LOL.

HAHAHAHA

Or they should stretch it vertically and say "high ceiling". Perfect for stretched buyers!

Other notables of gold: high conductivity, alloys easily with other precious metals, completely harmless to the human body, almost 100% non-reactive to other elements, etc. Of course, there's a few other native metals, such as copper, silver, mercury.

This differs from diamonds which are less rare than high purity quartz, they are just controlled by the DeBeers family. They are a sham, where as gold is the real deal.

Absolutely! Overvalued chunks of carbon...someday Sibera will bring its diamonds to market and the DeBeers price-fixing ends!

Absolutely! Overvalued chunks of carbon…someday Sibera will bring its diamonds to market and the DeBeers price-fixing ends!

Also, diamonds can be economically made (gemesis.com), but making gold probably requires a huge particle accelerator.

Gold is also edible. It looks good on sushi.

I actually consulted my physics professor friend about gold and diamond because my wife was nagging me about a bigger stone (yuck!).

He said, pal, diamond can already be manufactured fairly easily! Exactly the same thing as what mother nature creates. Gold, forget it, it is an element, we human beings are so far away from manufacturing gold at a cost cheaper than mining. Costwise, it is just impossible to manufacture gold with forseeable technological advances.

Man-made colored diamonds are now artificially marketed at 25% discount from natural ones because DeBeers bought these diamond-manufcaturing technology about 3 years ago. It is just a big pyramid scheme for carbon.

What are the uses of diamonds other than cutting diamonds and making doomsday machines for James Bond villans?

Women seem to have more uses for diamonds than guys, must be good marketing from DeBeers.

Women seem to have more uses for diamonds than guys, must be good marketing from DeBeers.

Once they are brainwashed with "diamonds = love = forever", it is over.

There are also a lot of people dying in Sierra Leone over diamonds. Once I realized how many people were being killed and maimed over the tiny diamond mines there, I told my husband pearls were looking a whole lot better.

I told my husband pearls were looking a whole lot better.

At worst, only oysters are harmed.

At worst, only oysters are harmed.

Well, if you're going to eat them anyway....

"There are also a lot of people dying in Sierra Leone over diamonds"

Also South Africa, The Ivory Coast, and probably other African countries I don't know about.

Those diamond commercials and ads are very effective, it's true.

Well, if you’re going to eat them anyway….

I love seafood, but oyster is one of the few things that I do not eat. I had only two oysters in my whole life.

Those diamond commercials and ads are very effective, it’s true.

They really are. Like Peter P said, once you equate diamonds with love, it's all over. I know a lot of women who insist on having bigger diamond rings at certain anniversaries, and wouldn't think of having had a smaller diamond than a full carat when engaged. What a waste of money.

Those diamond commercials and ads are very effective, it’s true.

I consider diamond as a make-believe currency, just a litter worse than devalued dollar.

I think oysters are nasty, but some people like them. The idea of raw shellfish is also too scary to contemplate.

I know a lot of women who insist on having bigger diamond rings at certain anniversaries, and wouldn’t think of having had a smaller diamond than a full carat when engaged.

The most successful ad campaign in human history. A "marriage tax" indeed.

I think oysters are nasty, but some people like them. The idea of raw shellfish is also too scary to contemplate.

I do like raw shrimps, lobsters, and clams. I do not like raw vegetables though.

Raw shrimp and lobster?? I've never heard of eating them uncooked. Now I like chilled shrimp, but uncooked?

Just about the only way to sell a new build, I’d imagine, when competing existing homes are dirt cheap.

I afraid they will have to further lower the construction costs. This means worse quality.

I think dirt homes will be a luxury. ;)

Raw shrimp and lobster?? I’ve never heard of eating them uncooked. Now I like chilled shrimp, but uncooked?

Yes. In sushi or sashimi. They taste very good.

I love chilled, cooked shrimps though. Best sauce for seafood: mayo!

I've had sashimi, but never heard of raw shrimp. Mayo on seafood! Maybe if you're Irish. ;)

I’ve had sashimi, but never heard of raw shrimp. Mayo on seafood! Maybe if you’re Irish.

Try Amaebi sushi next time and see if you like it. Raw scallop sushi is also good.

Mayo is really good with:

chilled crab
chilled lobster
chilled shrimps
grilled white fish

Especially garlic mayo. Okay I am really hungry now.

Sorry guys, I am turning any discussion into food discussion.

Oysters are good when fried with a thick, crunchy crust on the outside to combat the slime factor. The crust creates a nice texture so that the flavor of the oyster--which is actually quite good--can be enjoyed. At least, that's my theory. But I'm from the South, where everything is considered better fried.

And to make this related to housing...um...ummm....