patrick.net

Lowball,

I understand. Even when directed to a single individual this is out of line. I don't know where you're at but I know of no one that's calling for 12% appreciation this year let alone the next 7!

In my business this is a major no-no. We've discussed the utter lack of accountability in RE endlessly. Until we get some measure of ethics installed we can all continue to look forward to these "gunslinger" tactics for some time to come.

Markets in action are a beautiful thing to behold at times.

It is beautiful. From a less efficient state to a more efficient state, some people must be harmed. The market will not listen to their whining.

Speaking of new architecture...

I do not mind a condo in a building like this. My wife will refuse to set foot in it though...

http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2006/10/were_thinking_gehry_no_not_geary.html

That building is begging to be brought down - terrorist, landmark commission, earthquakes...it looks like it's in the middle of an earthquake as it stands.

it looks like it’s in the middle of an earthquake as it stands.

Perhaps The Big One will straighten it.

I have an architect friend who is very much into curves.

I just love the oddity.

It is terrorism-proof because the terrorists will feel sorry for it.

Peter P,

You forget the political market place. Rest assured that the non-share holding "stakeholders" usually find much to complain about.

You forget the political market place. Rest assured that the non-share holding “stakeholders” usually find much to complain about.

We can take away their wooden stakes. All they do is poking around with their stakes.

Markets in action are a beautiful thing to behold at times.
And it can be quite interesting to see where the invisible hand turns up... Since we were talking about reinsurance companies recently, I noted an article a while back that SwissRE was starting to become very interested in global warming and the effects of climate driven natural disasters. Wonder when this will trickle down to the consumer (what does your carbon emissions profile look like and how high will the premium be on your gasoline CO2 emitter...)

I guess I am just odd for liking apartments in cities.

I also love urban high-rise apartments.

My DREAM primary residence is a condo in 4S Tower or something like that. Must be new and modern.

Street level windows in cities are just asking for problems; without a good-sized yard to provide an outer perimeter, they're very insecure. (Which may subconsciously gnaw at people.)

@Peter P,
Sounds like you'd love living in one of those highrises in Vancouver. Ever consider that?

requiem,

Interesting.

WRONG! But.........interesting.

There has never been a documented case of someone being able to commit suicide by throwing themselves out of a street level apt. window!

This accounts for Berwyn Illinois' low suicide rate.

Nah, this doesn't feel like a recession to me. Tech in the Bay Area is screaming hot, I know that for sure. But these kinds of things can turn on a dime, I know.

Right now there is a lot of VC money chasing deals.

Sounds like you’d love living in one of those highrises in Vancouver. Ever consider that?

We have been priced out of that market. :)

I love Vancouver.

Their bubble will not burst until the global bubble bursts. But it will burst very hard. Probably before the Winter Olympics.

It is not a racially diverse place though.

SFWoman Says:

> Yes, there are men for whom dogging after women
> is a vocation. In the 1980s in NYC there were guys
> who we called ‘model humpers’ because all they
> wanted to do was sleep with models.

All men want to sleep with models, but it’s only in NYC (where there are lots of models) that guys actually have much of a chance of sleeping with one.

Guys in the Mid West can only look at pictures of models while (as they said a few years back on Sex in the City) “NYC is like a giant petting zoo where you can see models in their natural habitat”…

DinOR,

You were just waiting to use that, weren't you?

Those people in IL are obviously doing it wrong; the plate glass is much less effective if you open the window before going through it.

Nah, this doesn’t feel like a recession to me. Tech in the Bay Area is screaming hot, I know that for sure. But these kinds of things can turn on a dime, I know.

It was also very hot in 2000.

Right now there is a lot of VC money chasing deals.

Which means they will be less than careful in spending their money. Disaster ahead.

Agree w/Randy on the whole gold-digger/trophy wife mutual attraction phenomenon. Most dysfunctional couples that base a relationship on wealth and/or physical attractiveness generally deserve each other. Of course, sometimes one party or the other may be a decent but naive person who simply gets taken advantage of by the other, resulting in genuine heartbreak, which is sad. Overall, though, viewing the dating scene as an "efficient market" is a healthy way to look at it.

Got super lucky with my wife. Like Randy, we married into early poverty, so our relationship was "stress tested" very early on. Can't think of a more reliable way to prove the strength of a relationship than that. Despite whatever crap life throws our way, at least there has never been any doubt in my mind that she married me for love, not money, and will stick by me. That gives me genuine happiness no trophy wife ever could.

Got super lucky with my wife. Like Randy, we married into early poverty, so our relationship was “stress tested” very early on.

In your case, the stress test would be getting very rich together. :)

“All men want to sleep with models, but it’s only in NYC (where there are lots of models) that guys actually have much of a chance of sleeping with one.”

Is it just me? I think people should only sleep people that they intend to marry.

What I like about models is that they are unusual and in some cases quite exquisite.

I rather eat blowfish.

FAB,

Couldn't disagree more. My broker dealer is in St. Louis (that's the town just won a World Series AND America's most violent city btw) and the gals that work at the corp. office are "da' bomb". Seriously. What makes them even more attractive is the fact that they don't think of themselves as "hot". Why? B/c they look just like all the other gals that work there!

Could ALL of them become "models"? Well I rather doubt that but they are more than attractive and what's more important they absolutely knock themselves out trying to prove their competence to you!

If ever there is a dispute regarding a comm. or registration issue, they are endlessly patient and polite to the point of a fault. I can't imagine getting that level of dedication and service in NY.

Is it just me? I think people should only sleep people that they intend to marry.

Peter P,

Wow, and I thought I was old-fashioned when it comes to relationships! :-) I don't think sex before marriage is so bad, as long as you use protection and/or are in a long-term relationship (assuming your religion permits it, of course). We are only human, after all. When I was in my teens & 20s, I must admit I pretty much wanted to nail anything hot looking in a skirt. Hmmm... come to think of it... :twisted:

According to most Left Coasters, your notions of fidelity is "quaint" and "dated", much like your notions of fiscal responsibility. You should consider a New Paradigm relationship, or at the very least a Trophy Mistress. With upgrades.

FAB,

If your business doesn't take you to Chicago, St. Louis etc. just watch as the camera pans across the crowd at a Cubs or Sox game (preferably a July game) vice the rail thin Sarah Jessica Parker crowd at Yankee Stadium! They all seem to have very pleasant faces. Will the rest of the long time married guys back me up here? Trust me, anyone that's been married a long time will tell you that you spend a lot more time looking at the other person's face than you do their body! (Just kinda works out that way). Oh...... unless you reside in a nudist colony.

I don’t think sex before marriage is so bad, as long as you use protection and/or are in a long-term relationship (assuming your religion permits it, of course).

Well, if you are in a long-term relationship, you do have the presumed bona fide intention to marry, right? :)

Trust me, anyone that’s been married a long time will tell you that you spend a lot more time looking at the other person’s face than you do their body!

I am learning to sense their aura instead.

Hey! I just heard Reese Witherspoon is now "back on the market" for you ambitious and "discriminating" type fellows! Now if we could just get rid of that ninny Matthew Broderick!

Why is crude oil bouncing back? Any ideas?

Why not? They are not making any more oil.

George

Just point out to your wife to be that renting for now could save both of you $30,000 of your hard earned income or how ever much you think prices will drop in your area - when stated like that I'm sure she wouldn't mind renting for a while - tell her to think of all the stuff she could buy for the house etc for that.

Claire,

I'm sure you've just broken some unwritten "code" that women are NEVER supposed to reveal to men! Just another added bonus you can't get anywhere but at Patrick.net!

Actually George should even amplify on that by adding that each dollar they DON'T borrow is 3-4 they don't have to pay back.

Fortunately I did not buy a house, & I have a lot of other investments, but I sure paid the price for it.

I think that's the sad part for me. Even with this soft landing, none of my investments have done even closer to what buying would've done in 2002.

In the last 5 years, my 401k has only appreciated 20% - that's total. Not YoY.

Man I suck at investing/speculating. :(

@eburbed,

Just take ConfusedRenter's advice to heart:

Life is short, got to live it to the fullest! Not in fear or shame, but proud and with destiny!

and everything will work out for you!

SFWoman Says:

> Nah, lots of men don’t like thin women.

Almost all (straight) men like thin women (defined as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition thin, not 16 year old Heroin Addict thin).

The number of men that “don’t like” thin women (as defined above) is unbelievably small (about as small as the as the number of men that are in to amputees).

There are “lots” of men that “say” they don’t like thin women to make the chunky gal they are with happy (since they couldn’t attract a good looking thin gal).

Lots of people get to a point in life where they “say” that what they have is what they really want (but down deep wish they didn’t have a crappy job, a Geo Metro and a chunky wife)…

Life is short, got to live it to the fullest! Not in fear or shame, but proud and with destiny!

I missed that one. :-)

He's right! But I have a better solution than buying a house! I can accomplish all of these goals by strutting down the street naked, proud and with destiny! It will also only take $500 to bail out my ass after I sober up.

Almost all (straight) men like thin women (defined as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition thin, not 16 year old Heroin Addict thin).

Or Vegan thin.

Life is short, got to live it to the fullest! Not in fear or shame, but proud and with destiny!

and everything will work out for you!

... and that's when I bought some shares of SGI thinking they'd come back. Oops.

I actually do not like thin women. They usually do not eat enough. Or they are too many things they do not eat.

The number of men that “don’t like” thin women (as defined above) is unbelievably small (about as small as the as the number of men that are in to amputees).

I think I've read somewhere that "thin" has been redefined in America - due in part to our obesity problem. That "not overweight" is now thin.

Wouldn't surprise me.