patrick.net

I was unaware that there was any significance to 6/6/06. It's strange b/c I consider myself something of a an expert in theology. Well, I've seen all of the "Exorcist" movies and a great many of the "Omen" franchise as well.

"The BA area is far more progressive on every dimension than Toledo."

That depends on your standard of measurement. If your benchmark is having more German cars, Mexican busboys, and designer Italian sunglasses than Toledo, then the Bay Area is most definitely more progressive and diverse.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Right, no one in Palo Alto, Los Altos, Menlo Park, Atherton, etc. etc. has even SEEN a black person except on the WB. They love to brag about how racially progressive they are, but then scurry behind their gate and start fretting when one actually walks by. They love diversity — just not in THEIR neighborhood.

This is definitely a fair charge. Coming out here from the east coast, I was shocked at how white everyone was (although you have to confess that Asians and Indians are pretty well integrated).

The big difference is the automobile and NIMBY property rules. People can get in their car in their white neighborhood, drive to their white workplace and never engage with the invisible latino population. In the denser east coast cities where it's easier to get around in mass transit than in cars, people don't freak when they see a black face in their neighborhood.

At least out here, they freak and then feel bad about it. Everyone from every race has latent racist tendencies; the degree with which you fight to keep yours in your ID and out of your actions can be thought of as "progressive". Anti-development NIMBY rules qualify as non-progressive by this metric.

The only black community south of SF was East Palo Alto, and the last time I drove by Whiskey Gulch it had been bulldozed in favor of luxury condos with BIG GATES around them, and some sparkling new big box stores.

Palo Alto Diversity = Having both Best Buy and Circuit City.

Were they as freaked out in DIES IOVIS A.D. VIII ID. IVN. MDCCLIX A.U.C.?

For those unfamiliar with the Roman style Julian Clandar, that would be in Latin:

Dies Iovis vi Junius MVI.

newsfreak,

Toledo is just a real bad example. Race riots there just a couple months ago. Lots of rural farmers who are up in arms about invading foreign immigrants.

They're talking about Dutch farmers. But they don't blame anyone but those "Dutch", who must be ethnically and morally inferior to themselves.

if you are married, how many kids, which to my mind is illegal.

It is. Report them.

Red Whine,

I'll go the mat with you on Toledo. Pick another example. Either you are a proud Toledan, or you have never spent any significant time there.

Newsfreak,

quick seach:

http://www.workplacefairness.org/index.php?page=file_CA&agree=yes

How will he get his if nobody slaps him silly?

"I’ll go the mat with you on Toledo. Pick another example. Either you are a proud Toledan, or you have never spent any significant time there."

I'll go to the mat with you, but not over Toledo. I've got to pick my battles. I'll concede this round -- and I'll even let you pick the replacement. Pittsburgh, or Wichita?

newsfreak,

No, real live just landed Dutch. They are moving into many rapidly depopulating Midwestern Counties, buying the land up cheap, and setting up large dairy farming operations. It's a long, complicated tale, but my wife's home county (outside of Toledo) is the 2nd largest recipient of these newcomers. Google it, you'll see there's a whole "thing" going on, and that the response from locals is pretty openly bigoted.

Randy H,

I had a client in "Cincy" and a few years back they actually had to enforce a curfew or some kind of marshall law. Ugly stuff. This much I can tell you is that I have cold called all over the U.S and no where are they more rude than in the BA! Well except maybe Seattle.

Red Whine,

I’ll concede this round — and I’ll even let you pick the replacement. Pittsburgh, or Wichita?

I'm ambivalent about either of those cities. I can only speak authoritatively about the Ohio cities, and I would have even let you slide with Cleveland.

Let's pick Pittsburgh, and I'll say: "Your charge is a fair one".

DinOR,

Cincinnati is a pretty scary place, with some of the nastiest racial problems in the country. And I'm saying that as someone with fond memories of going to Riverfront Stadium with my grandfather once a week every summer to watch the Big Red Machine.

newsfreak,

So then we have 09/09/09 up to 12/12/12? Man, that is freaky! None of this was ever mentioned in the Exorcist or the Omen. Are you telling me I wasted my time? I'm certainly not prepared for this. What is it exactly that I should be doing?

Randy H,

Yeah, the guy was one of those pawn shop owners that paid for everything in cash and was used to carrying it. I'm sure his wife didn't know about the account. He was a pretty tough guy but after those riots he talked about moving some of his shops.

newsfreak,

Yes I suppose that's true. It would only follow reason that at the start of each century this strange occurence would take place. But is there any chance that it's different this time? Hmmm.

Newsfreak,

I was just trying to be "cute". My views on illegal immigration by now are well established (I'm definitely NOT in favor of importing unlimited wage-undercutting, infinitely exploitable, social services free-riding, illiterate peasant labor).

New thread: Helpful Post-Bubble Negotiating Tips

I prefer class segregation to racial segregation any time. Race is something you can't change, money is something that can be made with enough effort paid.

John Haverty and Jon,

I was gone for most of the evening so missed most of your "spirited" exchange, which I deleted beyond the point where the debate degenerated into childish name-calling.

Please refrain from engaging in personal attacks and/or responding to personal attacks from others. Violating this rule in the future may lead to having your posts quarantined in moderation or banned altogether. Consider yourselves warned.

If you both wish to continue your flame war, please consider a more appropriate venue for this sort of thing, such as Craigslist.

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

At what point do all of you who predicted a 25%+ downturn for 2006 throw in the towel? Is this it?

Home prices have held steady, and even gone up a bit this spring in Noe Valley and Rockridge, in Oakland.

This is a soft landing, just like I predicted. From where I am standing it is not even a landing at all, just a slow down, but I understand that some places like Sacramento are really experiencing home price deflation.

newbietobayarea I am not really willing to repost all of my analysis as to why you should be willing to spend a larger portion of your income on housing here than you would in other places, but you can google for it if you are interested. You can certainly afford a starter home in a nice neighborhood on that salary. A 3/2 is not a starter home.

The secret to happiness is lowered expectations 0:-)

@Kerry Beauechrt,

Ahhh... another perma-bull/troll. Welcome to the blog. Your "points" are so original.

--More straw-man arguments: (we are all hoping that "Armeggen [sic] is coming"; we all "WANT some sort of economic catastrophe", etc.)
--More Gratuitous, baseless personal insults ("Creepy people. Sleazebags to be sure.")
--More complete falsehoods and made-up "facts" pulled out of your ass: ("Well, those who advised people to rent because rents were so low can’t use that argument anymore. Rents are increasing at rates larger than the increase in hosuing [sic] prices ever did. They’re topping 13% so far this year and there’s no end in sight... Only during very short periods over the last century did it make economic sense to rent if there was a choice.)

*Yawn*. Whatever dude...