patrick.net

Unemployment numbers are way high since they now pay for 2 years vs used to be 6 months.

THUS these numbers can only be compared to the 'since it was raised to 2 years' which was what 08?

rowemoore says

My brother is very conservative - not quite tea party or libertarian conservative, but close. He is 57 and retired last year with 2 pensions from larger CA cities. One city he worked for about 20 years and took an early buyout so he could head the dept (civil engineering) in the other city. He makes more money now than he ever did and has gone back to work part -time(w/o) benefits to city #1. BTW, he is not in a union.

If he lives as long as our father did, he will collect >$200k for the next 38years (with cost of living increases) And although he understands how this may be perceived as not fair you'd never get him to give up a penny of it.

So for all those conservatives here who want to point to government pensions as a big problem our country faces, you are right. But don't try to demonize the folks who are getting these because many of them are just like you. Hypocrite comes to mind, but human is more accurate.

There is no demonization of folks, its disdain for the system that has been destroying and looting the private sector.

FortWayne says

There is no demonization of folks, its disdain for the system that has been destroying and looting the private sector.

There are boatloads of demonizing folks - plenty for everybody.RentingForHalfTheCost says

tiny tina says

All I ask is for you to go to an open house in Cupertino this weekend. Let me know how many people you see there. Then tell me the supposed "high unemployment" is keeping housing down.

That is not a good metric. I have gone to many in Cupertina/Saratoga/etc. with absolutely no intention of buying. I eat the cookies and talk crap to the realtard. The fact that I am there should not be reason for people to buy. Please don't add me to your stat cause I am there for free cookies only and the watch realtors start to shake when I ask how much I should overbid to win the bidding war.

Are you really that bored, or are you, like many here, secretly dying to buy a home?

Of course I'm kidding. Or am I?

Bravo, bravo ABBOTT and COSTELLO, well said!

1sfrenter says

Another $600 month goes straight out of my paycheck into the State Teacher's Retirement System.

The key problem with the pensions is that they assume the fund will get some 8.5% return every year. If that happens, great.

If it doesn't then either the recepients or the taxpayers or both will have to be screwed. It is happening all over the country right now.

Pensions need to be converted to defined contribution, or at the very least get a transparent mechanism for what they will do if returns are lower than wished for.

bmwman91 says

Friends that went to Apple, all with 3-5 years of EE experience, are pulling a base salary of around $125k, and stocks and bonuses bring the annual gross compensation to more around $160k. Google is a similar story.

By who ? A hiring manager who took nearly 20 years getting up to 100K himself. And now all of sudden little Tommy with 3-5 years gets the same amount or more ($125k)... for doing what?
not likely... LOL! sorry the payroll records dont show salaries being that high.

It wasnt that long ago, Google itself admitted they were infact underpaying their people...thus get a catch-up increase.

RentingForHalfTheCost says

COSTELLO: So there are two ways to bring unemployment down, and the easier of the two is to just stop looking for work.

LOL

I think the point has been made. Bravo RentingForHalfTheCost.

Goran_K says

Anyone here feel cheated?

Uhuh I don't. Cheat'em back Goran. I don't find any solace in Socialism cause well they own that to. Or anytime they promote or give attention to anything for any length of time look out, cause their in it in some way. Take a grocery store. They own the paper. They own the goods in the store. They also own the labor that produced the goods, picked it, boxed it, warehoused it, trucked it, shelved it, checks it out.

Socialism don't mean anything but sport to these guys. Now if say in France (which I adore by the way). If they own the only legal means of trade (Euro). Whats the difference? Same as here. See they have to keep labor working or workers, working. That builds assets and keep the food rolling in to feed there workers. So now they own the paper, assets, goods and labor. Could lending? Could usury snowball into something like what you have today? They can get away with just about anything so I would say so.

Your thing is your lost in the system. Your a nice guy Goran I can tell. Your staring at the empire saying WTF? Its all so confusing and HUGE. Don't let them scare you with the basics. People know how to get food without using paper. Or being very clever with it. I'm not here to argue but to help. Don't ever look or wish for nirvana in their systems. Let them scare you with the basics your going to wind up in Wal-mart at 8 bucks an hour.

Goran I have seen so many guys like you say fuck them and wind up on top. You can't count them. You have to hate them. You have to hate having a boss. You have to hate the for all their fixed prices and owning the only legal means of trade. Goran when you see someone living in a 400k house with a 27k car. With a swift job. Don't ever think hey hes got it made. Think that nitwits up to his hairline in debt. Not only that they can take his jobbie and he's lost everything. Rather think that ain't the way to go. If I go to a university. I'll wind up being trained for them and they lose their jobs Goran. Don't forget that. Thats the real world. Now plot your course. I will help.

Goran guys like me hate these MF's so bad. You don't even know. See we get it. Guys like me that understand what their complicated swindels are about. We look at guy like you and say yea he's for equity and likes people. He's not out to run the world or screw the guy next door. He's not some cheese eating guy thats going to rat us out. I'm like you. But I got smart. The shear magnitude of their empire means they have so much. It has to be managed. However they put everything in compartments with Corporations. They don't even know who's who or everything they have. Thats where you get them Goran. When its gone they don't miss it or ever know its gone. Would I take from them? Do trees grow in the woods? Yep I sure do.

So some very simple thought. Don't ever believe what they say. Don't believe in government its a bear trap. If you don't believe in religion and that its a fucking waste of time that goes triple for the governement. Fractional reserve. Your whole fucking monetary system is lending. The entire thing. That adds up to beaucoup assets. Assets that are also being repossesed for non-payment on a daily basis. Forget the GD paper. Thats a trap also. You can't eat it, drink it, live in it or drive it. You understand those things. You won't waste your time in useless endevor's. Add to that the basics are very easy and obtainable. Your starting to get the idea.

FortWayne says

If he lives as long as our father did, he will collect >$200k for the next 38years (with cost of living increases) And although he understands how this may be perceived as not fair you'd never get him to give up a penny of it.

he has at most 2-4 yrs before his pension is dramtically reduced. fair, probably not, but thats where we are headed. and his SS, means testing will stop him from ever getting anything out of that by the time he is 67

Those who can grow a tomato or butcher a chicken are the new rich. The police & military will not contain the masses as the fabled institutions collapse. Think self reliance. Good Luck!

Supply and demand and feeling cheated -> Because of super low inventory, prices are crazy.

Because of the trailing information that the market is bad for sellers (ie you won't get a good price) then sellers hold off on selling if they can.

...which...contributes to low inventory. Lagging indicators are a bitch when humans react according to those lagging indicators. Risk takers jump in or out ahead of herd...just like the stock market.

I recall a few years ago asking this board about what are we going to do when the market dips low enough, and all the people who have been sitting on the sidelines with money to put down on a house all want to jump in at the same time? They will create a flurry of demand at the same time. Maybe that is what is happening with nice properties in some markets.

My parents are friends with Mayors, doctors, attorneys, CEO's of corporations but the richest friend they have is a retired math teacher who coached sports...

RentingForHalfTheCost says

That is not a good metric. I have gone to many in Cupertina/Saratoga/etc. with absolutely no intention of buying. I eat the cookies and talk crap to the realtard. The fact that I am there should not be reason for people to buy. Please don't add me to your stat cause I am there for free cookies only and the watch realtors start to shake when I ask how much I should overbid to win the bidding war.

I think someone else said this on a different thread: you need to get a hobby. Didn't you also say you have a baby? What are you doing eating cookies with people you hate instead of spending time with your child? I mean this in the nicest possible way - I think you are full of a lot of crap.

* Own a bank, and own a few senators too, to protect your bank from any possibility of losing money due to free market forces. If you own the government, the free market doesn't apply to you.

That's by-far the best strategy. If you can pull it off...

1sfrenter says

FortWayne says

In a private sector folks are stretched out to pay for healthcare costs

Uh, sorry, no.

I pay $700 month for health insurance, which increases yearly.

Another $600 month goes straight out of my paycheck into the State Teacher's Retirement System.

In CA, teachers do not pay into nor do we receive Social Security.

We spend more of our tax dollars PER PRISONER than we do PER STUDENT and the United States currently incarcerates a higher percentage of its population than any other civilization in history (including during Stalin's reign in the Soviet Union).

You aren't paying the $700/month for health insurance. This is paid to you by the taxpayers, you are merely aware of the amount. If the number is that high it proves the point that tax payers are paying your entire premium for a Cadillac healthcare plan in a high risk pool.

$600 Retirement system, darling what do you think everyone else does? And if you are a small business or in a private sector taxpayers do not guarantee and often do not provide any kind of match. Especially when the widespread practice is to goose the pensions with overtime pay and saved up vacation.

The only way CA will get back on track where perks and benefits it promised to the public sector can be sustained is with health job growth in the private sector and a modest pension reform to eliminate spiking and fraud. We don't have that. What we have is a growing welfare state pretend and extend system. You as a working bee are like to be getting some sort of pay cuts in near future with more students per classroom because the state is broke and is moving in a wrong direction both socially and financially. Without any sort of bold change in direction there will be exodus of businesses out of CA. Even AAPL started moving to Texas, an Iconic CA entity.

bmwman91 says

Just keep in mind how marketing works. It operates by making you UNhappy with your life as it is now by promising greater happiness via whatever they are trying to sell. Think about all the fantasies that most of us have in our heads about how great a house will be. When emotions get put down and we actually THINK about it, it only looks like a pile of trade-offs. In some cases it is worth it, and in others it isn't. Just remember, the way things get sold is by spurring discontent in the consumers so that they come seek happiness in your product, with open wallets. Most stuff is shrouded in a disguise of why you "need" it, but a moment of rational thought will quickly show that there is in fact zero NEED involved, just want, usually driven by emotions. Keep those particular emotions under control!

We really are living in a toxic culture, aren't we?

Are we now talking about the goldbricks who work for public entities and make a fortune?
My old friend is retired from a guard at the Q and he also sold his Berkeley house around 2007. Bailed out with his pockets very full. He is probably the wealthiest guy I know who never graduated from college. He's a nice guy so I can't hate him.
Another guy I know worked in San Diego and was able to "buy" 10 years of pension for about $40,000 in cash. I don't know how they even allowed this. So, in due time, San Diego was considering bankruptcy and they "retired" him. He is getting a nice pension and health care and he's about 56. His pension should never end, so he's essentially a millionaire several times over also.
I can't prepay a pension so I had to shove some more dough into AAPL recently.
Save dough, invest it in a true investment, wait till it's giant then decide later.
The other reason I love AAPL and stocks in general is they are focused on making profits.

Reducing the amount of mortgage lending would be hard to pull off though, since that means all house prices would fall a lot, and there are huge political and powerful consituencies that DO NOT want falling prices:
* everyone who indebted himself at current prices
* old people who want to sell and downsize
* banks, because high prices are the main assets on their balance sheets

Pretty much.

Old people vote. And we all know that the Big Banks own the federal government.

ArtimusMaxtor says

Uhuh I don't. Cheat'em back Goran.

I see what you're saying Artimus. I hate the current system and the way it's been rigged to destroy the middle class in a little over a decade. Your post is a good read, I suggest others read it.

But I don't want to get put into prison, or ruin my credit. I'm just not sure how else to cheat them besides possibly doing harm to myself.

Ok Goran you don't want to go to prison. I understand that. Its not a formula. Ok. Nor anything specific. Look closer at what was written. The bad guy always gets caught Goran. The empire is far to flung not to have it any other way. Asset managment is laughble. Its called a homeowner with a mortgage. Want a job in asset managment that get a mortgage and a home. Thats even more-so for a commerical building. You might think your a big deal to the thug department. However the guys that own the assets are the really big deal. Guess who's side they are taking first. That gives you the scope of things. Don't start small. See. I have given with all my writtings a really good description of the situation. It's seamless for the most part and I won't back down. Ask Frodo up there. You want to learn how to really steal give him a call.

The way I'd rather "cheat" them is just not to participate in their gamed system. Passive resistance like Ghandi, but less altruistic.

tiny tina says

I think you are full of a lot of crap.

I love you too tina tina. :)

Amen Frodo. No one should let these guys make a fool out of them. Is basically what I am saying. Its like Rupert Murdoch. Found not fit to run a business. A guy that publishes the Enquirer and other tabloids. That has Zombies, Werewolves and Vampires. Not to mention alien abductions and all the other bullshit he publishes. They finally figured that out. Its a game of course. Very simple. People get wound up when they throw the raw meat in front of the two opposing sides. I don't care for him any more than I do Anderson Coopers 360 revolutions or Wolf Blister. They are owned. Simple. They don't do it right they get everything taken away from them when they get fired.

We might have a side here. Not the 99 percent vs the 1 percent thats way to vague. Its more like everyone vs a monetary system thats nothing but loan cash both to us and the government they own. With that cash they own us for a lifetime not to mention the government which has never been out of debt to them EVER.

In today's rigged system, the gamers sit in wait like lions by the watering hole. They know you need houses, medical insurance, college, gas, etc. They know you're coming, and they're ready to gouge you. Their goal is to live off your labor for as long as you'll produce for them. And then when there is nothing left of you, they'll kick you over the cliff and laugh.

Save as much as you can. Then get off their treadmill.

For inspiration try listening to the old Lou Rawls classic "Natural Man" or even Johnny Paycheck's "Take this job and shove it".

See theres a lot of consideration here for parents, grandparents etc. children. Even your grandparents can be afraid for the little they dole out. You know that. They are careful for these bastards. Loan nazi's or paper despots. They could have taught kids how to be self sufficent. Instead of learning the basics of running there empire. In their very own privately owned monetary system of nothing but loans. Which means you have to pay and pay and pay back.

They taught you how to spell, grammer, writting, math (guess for what purpose) science, geography how to read. The 3 r's. Nothing about being self sufficent again. Which both you and I know they could put together if they are that technologically proficient . Shouldn't be a problem. Little children they are doing this to. Know what you were one of them. Sad part is many people don't think that what is imparted to kids is done on purpose for their own benifit. Know what it very much is.

People are afraid of these GD people. Believe me I know it. Not stripping me of my being a man fuck frodo up there in the corner. I don't need him. Funny part is the ole Wizard of OZ there. No one ever stops to think he's hiding from you and not the other way around. Oh hes got his managment, however he don't want to be known you can be sure of that.

When I get into discussions about the current Peak Civilization situation, people often wonder about what we should do for a place to live. I think the main factor in the decision (whether to buy or rent; whether to stay in a place or find another; whether to buy gold or guns; etc) is always money. In that context, as the Barbarians cause disruption to civilization (sometimes the barbarians are within the system..bleeding off the value of things), the worst places to be will be those where people lose the most perceived value. In our current society, the perceived value is based on prices and cash on hand, rather than social capital or living skills. It's kind of a given that living skills will determine one's ability to cope, but the conflicts will be determined by the attitudes of those around us. When the Big Bust occurs (2008 was a warning shot across the bow), it will be easier to live without money near people who are accustomed to living without much money than to try and survive near those who have grown accustomed to too much of it.
If you can tally up the comforts you have, and decide how to live without most of them, then you might have a shot at understanding where you will want to be. Whether renting or buying, very few will have any money at all when the fed gets done, but food will still be needed, skills will still be useful, and people will still want to live. The houses will mostly be standing there, and it will be up to communities to decide how to employ them usefully. We can already see some cities where houses are being removed to plant gardens. If we think in terms of villages (local economics), it might be time to consolidate them into apartments, too. Owning the right house in the right place just might be your ticket to being Mayor of SurvivalTown.

A semite in a bunker. Archie Bunker. Look I'm no good at barracades. If self-suffiency were taught in the schools know what would happen? The teachers would dissapear. They would say know what. Fuck this. I can do it all. Who needs anyone.

APOCALYPSEFUCK is Tony Manero says

It's CASH or FUCK YOU, AMERICA!

That should be the new Pledge of Allegiance. The kids could recite it every morning before classes start.

FortWayne says

You aren't paying the $700/month for health insurance.

$700 month comes right out of my paycheck (yes, pretax) and affects my monthly net. It does indeed come directly out of my paycheck.

im pretty sure any country where 'you cant get any kind of loan' is like somalia.

PockyClipsNow says

im pretty sure any country where 'you cant get any kind of loan' is like somalia.

I think AF Tony Monero would like Somalia. ;-)

tiny tina says

What are you doing eating cookies with people you hate instead of spending time with your child?

Maybe his baby likes cookies.

Mmmm...cookies...

APOCALYPSEFUCK is Tony Manero says

The schools need to teach It's CASH or FUCK YOU, AMERICA! - and that every dollar of debt is a knife in the back of liberty.

Thats true Tony. The fucking bastards. Probably true you have to move to one of the "Commonwealth" countries where they have everyone on the hook. Then again the pricks will never advertise or show you if theyre is any paradise. If they ain't lending in it. Then again you may be living in one who knows.

1sfrenter says

FortWayne says

You aren't paying the $700/month for health insurance.

$700 month comes right out of my paycheck (yes, pretax) and affects my monthly net. It does indeed come directly out of my paycheck.

Just curious - but how is it that you post here during school hours?

Ladies and Gentlemen. I give you Singapore. Member of the Commonwealth.

The port of Singapore, one of the world's five busiest, with the skyline of Singapore in the background.

Sometimes China makes it. Singpore manages and ships it a lot of times.

1sfrenter says

FortWayne says

You aren't paying the $700/month for health insurance.

$700 month comes right out of my paycheck (yes, pretax) and affects my monthly net. It does indeed come directly out of my paycheck.

Are you a substitute? What district are you in? What carrier are you using? $700 is a very high premium, this is the entire Cadillac premium.

FortWayne says

Are you a substitute? What district are you in? What carrier are you using? $700 is a very high premium, this is the entire Cadillac premium.

No, regular certificated teacher. Kaiser. It's cheap if you are just insuring yourself, but if you add a kid, they get you. And you can't put your kid on your insurance unless you also have it yourself.

rowemoore says

Just curious - but how is it that you post here during school hours?

Lunch break I check my email and the news while eating at my desk, then take a break when school ends before grading papers.

1sfrenter says

FortWayne says

Are you a substitute? What district are you in? What carrier are you using? $700 is a very high premium, this is the entire Cadillac premium.

No, regular certificated teacher. Kaiser. It's cheap if you are just insuring yourself, but if you add a kid, they get you. And you can't put your kid on your insurance unless you also have it yourself.

$700 is a very low premium if you're trying to get insurance for a family of four. I have an $8000 deductible with Blue Shield and it costs us $770/month. There is nothing cheaper.

Insurance in the US is complely f'd up compared to everywhere else on earth, because a lot of those premiums go to pay lobbyists in DC who make sure that premiums stay high no matter what.

The only thing the insurance companies fear is the public option, because insurance is one thing that government does far more efficiently and with lower overhead that the private insurance price-fixing cartel. So the public is never allowed the option to escape to a cheap government insurance plan.