When is owning property a good idea?

Looking to buy or sell property? Buying and owning property comes with some complications. You may have noticed some the news lately.

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Confiscation of property by government

Above the fold in J.J. Sefton's Morning Report yesterday was this:

NJ smirks and cites 'eminent domain' to seize a 175-year-old farm so it can build welfare housing

Per a report at Fox News, township officials in the unincorporated community of Cranbury, NJ are in the process of seizing a historic family farm that has been under the family’s ownership for 175 years—that means since 1850—because they want to use it for a welfare housing project. . .

I absolutely hate this.

The report above is timely, because Monday was the 20th anniversary of one of the worst Supreme Court Decisions ever:

20 years ago today, SCOTUS ruled 5-4 that the government could legally take a person's property and give it to a private company using eminent domain.

The case arose when a city took Suzette Kelo's home to transfer the property to Pfizer, under the guise that doing so would… pic.twitter.com/xqBS9wakBM
— Connor Boyack 📚 (@cboyack) June 23, 2025

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Some pointed comments and additional information on KELO to bolster a reversal. What's your favorite point for discussion?

Information from 2010 on the case from representatives of the loser. It just looks worse and worse the more you learn:

In 2001, Pfizer, Inc., moved to New London, Conn., as part of a project that involved massive corporate welfare and led to the abuse of eminent domain, culminating in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, Kelo v. City of New London. This past November, however, Pfizer announced it will close its New London research and development headquarters. This marks the end of an eminent domain error.
New London created a redevelopment plan that gave land to Pfizer at a nominal cost and provided free environmental cleanup to the site. The plan also called for redevelopment of an area called Fort Trumbull, a working-class neighborhood adjacent to the Pfizer headquarters. It housed approximately 70 to 80 homes, as well as a few small businesses and an abandoned Navy base. The plan called for this area to be replaced by an upscale hotel, office buildings and new housing. This redeveloped area would “complement” the new Pfizer facility, leading to increased taxes and job growth for New London—or so the city promised. The state agreed to provide $78 million for the project. Pfizer received an 80 percent tax abatement for 10 years.

Keep in mind, when the five justices of the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against our clients—holding that taking property for “economic development” does not violate the U.S. Constitution’s Takings Clause—the justices stressed that there was a plan in place, and that so long as lawmakers who looked to use eminent domain for someone’s private gain had a plan, the courts would wash their hands. Now, nearly five years after the redevelopment scheme passed constitutional muster, the plant that was the magnet for the development is closing its doors just as its tax abatements expire. The very land where Susette Kelo’s home once stood remains barren—home to nothing but feral cats, seagulls and weeds.
For years, the disastrous Fort Trumbull project will be Exhibit A in demonstrating the folly of government plans that involve corporate welfare and abuse eminent domain for private development.

What does this do to quality of building?

Because you don't build for the future when the state can nuke your equity at any moment by throwing up some Affordable Housing next door
Nobody owns anything, so nobody bothers building anything
It's the same reason the Borderers lives in sod huts

This brings up another point.
Why didn't the "white flight" era just result in the building of new high quality cities by the flighters?
Because that civilization was already over by the 60s.
The old cities were actually a zero sum, non-renewable, resource by then.

Any ideas about how to improve those old cities or suburbs?

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The Magical Mayoral Candidate in NYC

This guy openly says he wants to tax "whiter" neighborhoods at a higher rate. I guess he fits right in with the race-obsessed Democrat party. (NY Post article) https://t.co/ldgwK7TsZI
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) June 28, 2025

cut.jib.newsletter:

Can't wait to see what he has planned for Crown Heights, Borough Park and Williamsburg. A torchlight parade with Al Sharpton as grand cyclops, er Marshal!. Protected as free speech by the ACLU, of course!

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Corporate Involvement

Grab a beer, we are going to talk markets and people who put their finger on the scale of them. (And no, this isn’t a thread about the small hat people, so just stop)

Almost all of Salt Lake City’s housing woes can be told in the story of this one house. pic.twitter.com/4UuXdkbIhS
— Voödoo 6 von Inyanga (@6Voodoo) June 21, 2025

The American residential real estate market used to be pretty simple. I invest in my house, hoping the market goes up and when it is time to sell, I sell it for a profit. Homes were huge purchases. The biggest most people made.
But somewhere along the line, corporate entities big and small learned they made pretty good investments. So the corporate entities started buying houses, in speculative neighborhoods, and just sat on them. Maybe they rented them, maybe not. But that decreases the supply.
Because supply requires the desire to sell at a fair market value. Think of it like a stock. You buy a stock and sit on it. But if that was the only stock you could buy, and had to sell it to buy another, you would accept a lower price for that stock. Same with houses.

But it has been on the market over 100 days. If you were selling your house, would you let it sit? No, you would lower the price again and again until it sold. . .
No, you would lower the price again and again until it sold. But that’s not what Carl did. They bought the house, and sat on it. Sure they tried to sell it, but no one paid the price they wanted, so they just sat. And over time, their estimated gains went up with the neighborhood
And in that time they rented it out, which doesn't help people improve, and you may say “hey Voödoo, I can’t just sit on this property for a decade, I’d go bankrupt.” You would, yes, but Karl won’t. Because he is paying on average $800 a year in taxes.

So if they bought the house for 120k, and plan to sell it for 320, they could hold it for 250 years before they lost money. That’s right.

Ideas for fixing this are proposed. What do you think?

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Could you build a new small community?

How about your own home in which you could move away from some of the government and corporate complications, with room for dogs, a hydroponic garden and a pet spider?

I’ve been on many school buses, but never one like this. It’s incredibly beautiful! 🚌 pic.twitter.com/CtQu2HSVjI
— Trump Girl (@TrumpGirlLove) June 26, 2025

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WEEKEND

The Week In Pictures: Bombs Away Edition

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Music

Sal's got mud between her toes

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Hope you have something nice planned for this weekend.

This is the Thread before the Gardening Thread.

Serving your mid-day open thread needs

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Posted by: K.T. at 11:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good morning KT

Posted by: Skip at June 28, 2025 11:01 AM (+qU29)

2 You will own nothing and like it

Posted by: Skip at June 28, 2025 11:03 AM (+qU29)

3 All the Boasberg memes I’ve seen are funny. I wonder if that piece of work is aware of the contempt in which he’s held by millions of Americans

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at June 28, 2025 11:06 AM (6RwsA)

4 I don't understand what the point of the post is, specifically the SLC house.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:06 AM (Riz8t)

5 That seems like a lot for a clapboard shack.

Posted by: Boss Moss at June 28, 2025 11:07 AM (P389G)

6 Bo Snerdley - I miss the official obama criticizer and his wonderful host.

Posted by: Smellslikevictory at June 28, 2025 11:08 AM (jPdyB)

7 4 I don't understand what the point of the post is, specifically the SLC house.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:06 AM (Riz8t)
5 That seems like a lot for a clapboard shack.

I'm from the DC housing market. A lot is usually more than that.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:08 AM (Riz8t)

8 Also, just because a corporation chooses to invest in a sector doesn't mean they'll do well in it. I seem to remember that Black Rock was losing their shirt.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:10 AM (Riz8t)

9 Any ideas about how to improve those old cities or suburbs?

----

I would say blow them up, bulldoze the whole lot, salt the earth, and then blow up the salted earth, but then the people who currently live THERE might come HERE.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:10 AM (J4UmJ)

10 Syrian National Charged in Foiled ISIS Terror Plot Targeting Taylor Swift Concert

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I guess she's right. Men are scum.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:10 AM (L/fGl)

11 The whole thing with Kelo wasn't just that it was an absurd, abusive, government seizure of private property claiming that it was in 'public interest'.

It's that 20 years later, the property the government seized IS STILL A FUCKING VACANT LOT.

The government forcibly took a woman's house claiming it was for 'economic development', only to turn it into a vacant lot.

No matter how much you think you hate government, it's not enough.

Posted by: DudeAbiding at June 28, 2025 11:11 AM (setIA)

12 ***But somewhere along the line,...***
---

Donald Trump was elected and started moving the economy in one direction then J. Bidet Biden stole an election and whipsawed the economy all to hell. Blew up any form of traditional housing market he did.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 11:11 AM (ytCg4)

13 So no motive?

Posted by: Boss Moss at June 28, 2025 11:11 AM (P389G)

14 I don't understand what the point of the post is, specifically the SLC house.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:06 AM (Riz8t)
5 That seems like a lot for a clapboard shack.

I'm from the DC housing market. A lot is usually more than that.
Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:08 AM (Riz8t)

You not understanding the point... is the point.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:12 AM (J4UmJ)

15 No matter how much you think you hate government, it's not enough.

I have to save SOME hate for the media.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:12 AM (Riz8t)

16 The old cities were actually a zero sum, non-renewable, resource by then.

Matt Taibbi on the current state of New York, before the Jew-hating socialist takes over:

That’s what I was going to say. I had never seen padlocked soda before, like individual sodas in a chain drugstore, were now padlocked. So I guess we are now at a state where we must take preventive measures to prevent people from shoplifting even things that are essentially valueless. Right?

---

I just saw it. I’m, I’m used to having to ask to unlock, I don’t know, a razor, or I don’t know, a bottle of Listerine, or something like that, but a single can of Coke, that was new for me.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at June 28, 2025 11:14 AM (xTIDn)

17 New York Post@nypost
Trump administration pushes back on NJ town moving to seize 175-year-old family farm via eminent domain

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Trump is like a buzzsaw cutting through bullshit.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:14 AM (L/fGl)

18 No matter how much you think you hate government, it's not enough.
Posted by: DudeAbiding at June 28, 2025 11:11 AM (setIA)

Yeah, it's probably useful to say the worst part is the taking of private property in the first place, but the second worst part is the realization that the government never does anything to ever make anything any better.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:14 AM (J4UmJ)

19 This brings up another point.
Why didn't the "white flight" era just result in the building of new high quality cities by the flighters?
Because that civilization was already over by the 60s.
The old cities were actually a zero sum, non-renewable, resource by then.“

Actually it did result in new cities, but these are even more wealth focused and wealth conscious than the old ones, and are pretty exclusively limited to mostly the corporate class, or the independently wealthy.
As examples I’d say the Southlake area in Dallas, or the Alito area to the west of Fort Worth, the The Woodlands north of Houston (which has an astounding number of corporate HQ’s). Every one of these cities requires a healthy 6 figure income to live there, unless one can find a way to be a part of the servile class to the wealthy.

The old cities with a mix of classes were far healthier.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 28, 2025 11:15 AM (HEGiN)

20 No matter how much you think you hate government, it's not enough.
Posted by: DudeAbiding at June 28, 2025 11:11 AM (setIA)

Yeah, it's probably useful to say the worst part is the taking of private property in the first place, but the second worst part is the realization that the government never does anything to ever make anything any better.
Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:14 AM (J4UmJ)

------------------

And giving it to PFIZER is the icing on the cake. Sheesh. And surprise, surprise, they moved out when the tax breaks ended. What a coinkydink.

Posted by: haffhowershower at June 28, 2025 11:17 AM (144I4)

21 before the Jew-hating socialist takes over

It is now evident that October 7th was a huge defeat for Iran and its proxies in the Middle East, and a huge victory for Iran and its proxies in the West.

Without October 7th, Mamdani wouldn't have gotten close to winning the Democratic primary.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at June 28, 2025 11:18 AM (xTIDn)

22 Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:06 AM

Maybe you have some corporate owners sucking up inventory in the DC area, too if prices are escalating quickly.

Posted by: KT at June 28, 2025 11:19 AM (xekrU)

23 Seattle did an eminent domain thing some years ago along a street that held the monorail. New expansion!!!
Years later it never happened.
Original owners could buy their spaces back...with a tidy mark up for the city.
You can't hate them enough.

Posted by: Diogenes at June 28, 2025 11:19 AM (AxrOQ)

24 The old cities with a mix of classes were far healthier.

That requires the societal will to enforce the laws.

Without that, you want to move as far away from the underclass as possible.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at June 28, 2025 11:19 AM (xTIDn)

25 I guess he wants some of that sweet, sweet LA vibe.

Western Lensman@WesternLensman
Mamdani reacts to clip of Tom Homan, promises to “stand up and fight back” against ICE should he become mayor.
“That means standing up for the laws of this city, like our sanctuary city policies."
Openly defiant. Surge deportations in NYC.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:21 AM (L/fGl)

26 Put my house up for sale last year. Sold within 48 hours and got ten thousand more than what I was asking.

I hated selling it though. It was fully paid for. It was my own, my spot of refuge.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at June 28, 2025 11:22 AM (g8Ew8)

27 Gold, Jerry, gold!

@LeadingReport 40m
BREAKING: Democrats float the idea of a Tim Walz/Zohran Mamdani ticket in 2028.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at June 28, 2025 11:22 AM (mlg/3)

28 Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:06 AM

Not mentioned in the X post, but BlackRock is buying up a lot of the rental market on the Wasatch Front. Small landlords are being pushed out by the giants.

Posted by: KT at June 28, 2025 11:23 AM (xekrU)

29 I needed funnies
Make Òcasia- Cortez bartend again

Posted by: Skip at June 28, 2025 11:24 AM (+qU29)

30 Without October 7th, Mamdani wouldn't have gotten close to winning the Democratic primary.
Posted by: The ARC of History! at June 28, 2025 11:18 AM (xTIDn)

Agreed; and I think the left is now Ghost Dancing.
At the end of the Indian Wars in the 1880’s, when all the hostile Tribes had been confined to reservations, a Ghost Dancing cult became wildly popular among the remaining young fighters. It told them that hat if they would go through the rituals and be True of Heart and in Purpose, the bullets would not harm them and they could defeat the evil US Cavalry. A number joined up, left the reservations and attacked any outposts they could find, believing they were now invulnerable - with sadly predictable and tragic results.
And thus ended the Indian wars.

The Left in this country is now on that same trajectory. Their dedication to irrationality is taken as a sign of the Purity of their Faith.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 28, 2025 11:25 AM (HEGiN)

31 Kelo was a taking.

Now do Oregon not allowing people to build on land purchased long ago for retirement living, yeah another taking.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 28, 2025 11:25 AM (//7/7)

32 Gold, Jerry, gold!

@LeadingReport 40m
BREAKING: Democrats float the idea of a Tim Walz/Zohran Mamdani ticket in 2028.
Posted by: weft cut-loop at June 28, 2025 11:22 AM (mlg/3)

Please oh please yes. Popcorn futures would soar!

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at June 28, 2025 11:25 AM (i5Vkf)

33 BREAKING: Democrats float the idea of a Tim Walz/Zohran Mamdani ticket in 2028.
Posted by: weft cut-loop at June 28, 2025 11:22 AM (mlg/3)

---------------------

Proving yet again the democrats are stupid. Mamdani isn't a natural born citizen and thus ineligible for VP.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at June 28, 2025 11:26 AM (2UnvF)

34 Rachel Zegler Admits She Took Anti-Axiety Pills Because She “Wasn’t Functioning” After “Snow White” Backlash

-
Her brain wasn't functioning long before that.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:27 AM (L/fGl)

35 Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:06 AM

Not mentioned in the X post, but BlackRock is buying up a lot of the rental market on the Wasatch Front. Small landlords are being pushed out by the giants.

What that says to me is that housing was undervalued, and the current owners will get more like the actual market value when they sell. If the giants take the same risks as the littles, I'm not sure what the problem is.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:27 AM (Riz8t)

36 Maybe you have some corporate owners sucking up inventory in the DC area, too if prices are escalating quickly.
Posted by: KT at June 28, 2025 11:19 AM (xekrU)

I suspect it's more of a frog in the frying pan scenario.

People don't realize they're boiling.

Corporate reavers wouldn't have as much success, sucking up properties all over the place, if the cities themselves hadn't jacked up property taxes so high, that people are paying almost as much in taxes as they are for their mortgages.

I bet those corporate rapists are getting sweetheart deals on the property taxes THEY pay to their complicit toadies in city hall.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:28 AM (Vksce)

37 Proving yet again the democrats are stupid. Mamdani isn't a natural born citizen and thus ineligible for VP.
Posted by: Duke Lowell at June 28, 2025 11:26 AM (2UnvF)

Neither was Barky.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at June 28, 2025 11:28 AM (g8Ew8)

38 The Left in this country is now on that same trajectory. Their dedication to irrationality is taken as a sign of the Purity of their Faith.

Mandami and AOC are the future of the Democratic Party.

Either the New Democratic party gets crushed, and it eventually gets reformed; or it wins, and America enters a new Dark Age.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at June 28, 2025 11:28 AM (xTIDn)

39 Proving yet again the democrats are stupid. Mamdani isn't a natural born citizen and thus ineligible for VP.
Posted by: Duke Lowell

No matter idiocy of the DemDems, the GOP reigns supreme. I fully expect a Mitt Romney / David Fwench challenge in 2028.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at June 28, 2025 11:29 AM (mlg/3)

40 Rachel Zegler Admits She Took Anti-Axiety Pills Because She “Wasn’t Functioning” After “Snow White” Backlash

-
Her brain wasn't functioning long before that.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:27 AM (L/fGl)

Anti-anxiety pills are the crack of the 21st century.

Except instead of the CIA giving it away to poor black people, the Pharmaceutical Industrial Complex is giving the pills to middle class white girls and failing Hollywood "stars."

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:31 AM (Vksce)

41 That converted school bus is pretty impressive but I still don't get the attraction of huge RV's for traveling. If you want to camp, go camping. If you want glamping, just stay in a luxury hotel in remote area, it would be cheaper than owning and operating those behemoths. Although I could see it being worth the trouble for people staying at remote campgrounds for extended periods.

Posted by: Ripley at June 28, 2025 11:32 AM (Q7i6X)

42 What that says to me is that housing was undervalued, and the current owners will get more like the actual market value when they sell. If the giants take the same risks as the littles, I'm not sure what the problem is.
Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:27 AM (Riz8t)

I think the theory is that if the big guys like Black Rock come in with their deep pockets they artificially inflate the little guy out of the market. If so not good…. I can’t bid successfully against Black Rock for my dream house seems unfair

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at June 28, 2025 11:32 AM (ANuwa)

43 AP Gives Advice on How to Manage Anxiety from "Emotional Toll" of ~~Climate~~ Sky Is Falling Panic

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:32 AM (L/fGl)

44 >>>Mamdani reacts to clip of Tom Homan, promises to “stand up and fight back” against ICE should he become mayor.
“That means standing up for the laws of this city, like our sanctuary city policies."
Openly defiant. Surge deportations in NYC.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into
-----------------------------

That may work out well. Madmani gets elected, implements his cause, Tom Homan arrests and puts him in prison. Example set and made.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 11:33 AM (ytCg4)

45 One very important thing to remember in the Kelo SCOTUS case is the fact that it was not the city of new london, CT doing the dirty dealing, it was the New London development corporation, a private entity that did all of this using city resources and lawyers.

claire guilian was the president of the NLDC and also the president of connecticut college at the same time. It just was a coincidence that her husband was a senior VP with pfizer and he had nothing to do with the deal according to the press releases. Between the both of them they made a couple of million from the deal.

That deal was dirty and should have never happened. And it should have been a slam dunk shut down by scotus but they chickened out. And pfizer bailed the second the tax deals expired leaving the city of new london holding the bag.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at June 28, 2025 11:34 AM (e5NfL)

46 Easy, forbid corporate ownership of residential land.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at June 28, 2025 11:34 AM (0eaVi)

47 Proving yet again the democrats are stupid. Mamdani isn't a natural born citizen and thus ineligible for VP.
Posted by: Duke Lowell

Hey! (Wait for it.) Let’s not lower ourselves to textualism!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:35 AM (L/fGl)

48 I'm sure this is oversimplification, but the housing market at some point became a lot of pretention for people who thought they were "worth it." McMansions etc. instead of ranchers and starter homes, with the possibility of moving up to a raised ranch or split level as the family grew.

In the town where I grew up, there were some old Victorians, as well as some "mansions" ie with pillars in front and semi-extensive grounds, for the factory owners and bankers and whatnot. Their children, for the most part, went to school with the rest of us. There were those whose families lived in apartments, too, and they were good-sized (no idea what that cost back in the 70s).

Here in semi-rural SC I see many modest homes of the 50s, 60s and 70s, some well-cared for and others seemingly resigned to the fact that no one but the owners want to live there. The thing is, home ownership was the rule rather than the exception in those years, and it was affordable to the large majority of those who aspired to it. Because you're building a family and you want a yard for the kids etc.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at June 28, 2025 11:36 AM (w6EFb)

49 Per a report at Fox News, township officials in the unincorporated community of Cranbury, NJ are in the process of seizing a historic family farm that has been under the family’s ownership for 175 years—that means since 1850—because they want to use it for a welfare housing project. . .

Never forget Marvin Heemeyer & Killdozer.
When good men are pushed past their limit.

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 11:36 AM (LA0fN)

50 Small landlords are being pushed out by the giants.

Just don't sell.
You can't be pushed out unless there is a gov taking.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 28, 2025 11:36 AM (//7/7)

51 43 AP Gives Advice on How to Manage Anxiety from "Emotional Toll" of Climate Sky Is Falling Panic
---------------------------

The predictable 30% read and believe, another 10% read it a worry that the remaining 60% may believe it.
Not a chance. They are fed up to the gills with that bs. They are so fed up they wouldn't believe it even if it were true.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 11:37 AM (ytCg4)

52 They're going to kill the zombie plane. This time for real!

U.S. Air Force Looks to Retire All A-10 Warthogs By 2027

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:37 AM (L/fGl)

53 Perfect weekend music this morning. Thank you KT!

Posted by: Huck Follywood at June 28, 2025 11:37 AM (fA91Z)

54 Hey! (Wait for it.) Let’s not lower ourselves to textualism!

The "natural born citizen" clause in the Constitution is irrelevant legal verbiage and should be ignored!

Listen to me - I have two degrees from Harvard!

Posted by: Justice Autopen! at June 28, 2025 11:37 AM (xTIDn)

55 Small hat people?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at June 28, 2025 11:38 AM (63Dwl)

56 I think the theory is that if the big guys like Black Rock come in with their deep pockets they artificially inflate the little guy out of the market. If so not good…. I can’t bid successfully against Black Rock for my dream house seems unfair
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at June 28, 2025 11:32 AM (ANuwa)

Two houses ago, when I put it on the market, I had two offers within 24 hours. I was told the one offer was cash, that the buyer was not going to be living there, and he was offering $1000 over asking price.

The other offer was at asking, and it was a couple moving into town, one of them having just gotten a job in the medical field.

I took the second offer. I don't know that the first was a corporate buyer, but screw him, whoever he was.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:38 AM (Vksce)

57 I moved to an active 55+ community. Currently there are about 500 built homes with the goal of about 3000 in the next ten years. I assume a lot of the these homes will be mortgage free. I kid and say I live in the poor section where they build the models that are well under 2000 sq ft.

What's happening now is that premium lots and their prices have tripled in the last 2 1/2 years that this development began. People are paying six figures for some of these lots.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 11:39 AM (VofaG)

58 I can’t bid successfully against Black Rock for my dream house seems unfair
Posted by: LinusVanPelt

So.. You want the gov to limit the property values so you can afford something?

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 28, 2025 11:39 AM (//7/7)

59 Small hat people?
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at June 28, 2025 11:38 AM (63Dwl)

The J word.

You can't say it, because war starts up again if you do.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:39 AM (Vksce)

60 I know Secretary of Ag has contacted them about that farm. They consider it prime farmland and federal restrictions kick in if any federal programs are involved. Also Harmeet Dhillon issued a warning about the plan to tax white neighborhoods higher property taxes.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at June 28, 2025 11:40 AM (AcTAo)

61 U.S. Air Force Looks to Retire All A-10 Warthogs By 2027
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:37 AM (L/fGl)

---------------

Give them all to the Marines.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at June 28, 2025 11:40 AM (2UnvF)

62 So.. You want the gov to limit the property values so you can afford something?
Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 28, 2025 11:39 AM (//7/7)

Because Black Rock got where it did without ANY help from the government.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:41 AM (Vksce)

63 They're going to kill the zombie plane. This time for real!

U.S. Air Force Looks to Retire All A-10 Warthogs By 2027
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:37 AM (L/fGl)

Don't we do this every couple years or so?

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:42 AM (Vksce)

64 There is no friggin way to get thru this shithole airport (Seattle )without coming to the gate dripping in sweat. This place is a zoo.
Ugh.
Where's the whiskey???

Posted by: Diogenes at June 28, 2025 11:42 AM (AxrOQ)

65 Neither was Barky.
Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at June 28, 2025 11:28 AM (g8Ew

I actually believe he was. I think the actual secret they always wanted to hide, which was on that missing birth certificate, is that he was originally listed as just some white kid named Barry Dunham. The “Barack Obama” personality was always just a carefully created myth.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 28, 2025 11:42 AM (HEGiN)

66 Humanoid Robots Guided by AI Set to Compete in First 3-On-3 Soccer Game

-
Next, humanoid robots found passed out in brothel.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:43 AM (L/fGl)

67 I can’t bid successfully against Black Rock for my dream house seems unfair
Posted by: LinusVanPelt

So.. You want the gov to limit the property values so you can afford something?
Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 28, 2025 11:39 AM (//7/7)

No definitely not. But I don’t like the idea of a huge corporation buying up significant numbers of residential properties… it does distort the market and make prices higher for the average person. Don’t have a solution but I don’t have to like it

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at June 28, 2025 11:43 AM (i5Vkf)

68 Here in semi-rural SC I see many modest homes of the 50s, 60s and 70s, some well-cared for and others seemingly resigned to the fact that no one but the owners want to live there. The thing is, home ownership was the rule rather than the exception in those years, and it was affordable to the large majority of those who aspired to it. Because you're building a family and you want a yard for the kids etc.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist
----------------------------------------

Same here. Apartments were for transients and careless people.
No one wanted and apartment near the neighborhood. Actually, in my childhood days, apartments were unheard of. It was a rent house no one wanted near. Unstable people.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 11:43 AM (ytCg4)

69 63 They're going to kill the zombie plane. This time for real!

U.S. Air Force Looks to Retire All A-10 Warthogs By 2027
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:37 AM (L/fGl)

Don't we do this every couple years or so?
Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:42 AM (Vksce)

... and one of these times they're gonna be successful (unfortunately).

If so, I'm with Duke: Give them to the Marines.

Posted by: browndog likes the sound of BRRRRRPPPP at June 28, 2025 11:44 AM (TTAGa)

70 Afew years back, I listened to a presentation from the fellow who was mayor of New London in the Kelo days. Very bitter man, at least on the subject of Pfizer. They never fully occupied the space and all the high earning scientists lived elsewhere, Old Lyme or Mystic, so New London made a big economic bet, destroyed the trust of an old local family whose land they stole, and got nothing in return

Posted by: Huck Follywood at June 28, 2025 11:44 AM (hu5YG)

71
U.S. Air Force Looks to Retire All A-10 Warthogs By 2027
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:37 AM (L/fGl)

*starts Christmas list for 2027*

Posted by: Diogenes at June 28, 2025 11:44 AM (AxrOQ)

72 They are full timing in that bus. The ones that get me are those giant fifth wheels, twice as tall as the truck and look like an accident waiting to happen. I like my teardrop.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at June 28, 2025 11:44 AM (AcTAo)

73 I remember some broad back in the 1980s bitching and moaning because she couldn't buy a house at the time as doing so was out of her income range. Some people shouldn't buy houses, have kids or pets. But they do because they "think" they are supposed to have them, without realizing the costs, heartache, work, sweat and blood that goes into such things. Can't sit around all day smoking weed and playing with yourself thinking someone or the gubmint is gonna buy you a house.

Posted by: Fannie Mac And Freddie Mae, Closeted Homosexuals at June 28, 2025 11:45 AM (R/m4+)

74 God blessed me and gave me a buyer for my house before I even put it on the market. That relieved a ton of stress.

My good friend is currently feeling that stress . Unfortunately it's a buyer's market right now and I don't think he's going to get what he calculated prior to the dip and what he would have to put against the house he is building. He's going to have to dig deeper into his savings or get a mortgage.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 11:45 AM (VofaG)

75 No definitely not. But I don’t like the idea of a huge corporation buying up significant numbers of residential properties… it does distort the market and make prices higher for the average person.

No, a market distortion is when the government says "corporations can't participate in the market".

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:45 AM (Riz8t)

76 The report above is timely, because Monday was the 20th anniversary of one of the worst Supreme Court Decisions ever:

Try Poletown.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 28, 2025 11:45 AM (/lPRQ)

77 starts Christmas list for 2027*
Posted by: Diogenes at June 28, 2025 11:44 AM (AxrOQ)

Hah I was about to snark with something similar.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 11:46 AM (VofaG)

78 I remember reading an article about how private equity has pretty much ruined all small businesses.
It was talking about veterinary offices but the principle applies across industries.

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at June 28, 2025 11:46 AM (XMeop)

79 and are pretty exclusively limited to mostly the corporate class, or the independently wealthy."

Sure - and they are "monocultures", and as such, safer and nicer. I have friends and relatives in two of the locations mentioned, and I can leave my car unlocked on the street with no issues whatsoever. Porch deliverys aren't stolen, windows aren't broken, and mailboxes remain upright. If that's the price for "diversity", then I'm all in.

As to "takings" (Kelo) - this is idiots believing in 10th century economics (build a market town, become rich).

As I said... Idiots.

Posted by: man at June 28, 2025 11:46 AM (tubbA)

80 >>>No definitely not. But I don’t like the idea of a huge corporation buying up significant numbers of residential properties… it does distort the market and make prices higher for the average person. Don’t have a solution but I don’t have to like it
Posted by: LinusVanPelt
-------------------------

Big corporations buying significant numbers of residential properties
rhymes with MBAs bankrupting business because their authority comes from the spreadsheet not the customer.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 11:47 AM (ytCg4)

81 There aren't any more battleships either.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at June 28, 2025 11:47 AM (63Dwl)

82 U.S. Air Force Looks to Retire All A-10 Warthogs By 2027
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:37 AM (L/fGl)
---------------
Close air support is icky and dangerous!

Posted by: the Air Force at June 28, 2025 11:47 AM (hu5YG)

83 U.S. Air Force Looks to Retire All A-10 Warthogs By 2027

How many times is this? How f there’s a chance of conventional war it should remain.

Posted by: Unkaren at June 28, 2025 11:47 AM (LPL2Y)

84 No, a market distortion is when the government says "corporations can't participate in the market".
Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:45 AM (Riz8t)

It is a distortion just like Soros trying to corner markets or manipulate economies.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 11:47 AM (VofaG)

85 Bring out your dead!

George J. Marlin: Mamdani's Victory: Death Knell for NYC

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:48 AM (L/fGl)

86 They are full timing in that bus. The ones that get me are those giant fifth wheels, twice as tall as the truck and look like an accident waiting to happen. I like my teardrop.
Posted by: Notsothoreau at June 28, 2025 11:44 AM (AcTAo)

I've driven one those. They handle really well. And there's also the fact that we don't hear of them having many accidents.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at June 28, 2025 11:49 AM (g8Ew8)

87 Poletown - cities of Detroit and Hamtramck relied on eminent domain to relocate the 4,200 people who lived in the area, along with their 1,300 homes, 140 businesses, six churches and one hospital.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 28, 2025 11:49 AM (/lPRQ)

88 85 Bring out your dead!

George J. Marlin: Mamdani's Victory: Death Knell for NYC
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:48 AM (L/fGl)

Blue Horsehoe says sell NYC ...

Posted by: J.T. Marlin at June 28, 2025 11:49 AM (TTAGa)

89 The Duke of New York.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at June 28, 2025 11:50 AM (63Dwl)

90 It is a distortion just like Soros trying to corner markets or manipulate economies.

Other than the fact that you don't like either Soros or BlackRock, what numbers can you provide that show that BR has cornered the RE market?

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:50 AM (Riz8t)

91 ... and one of these times they're gonna be successful (unfortunately).

If so, I'm with Duke: Give them to the Marines.
Posted by: browndog likes the sound of BRRRRRPPPP at June 28, 2025 11:44 AM (TTAGa)

Oh yeah, that's usually why the AF changes their mind, when someone else asks for them. Usually the Marines, but I think the Army has asked for them before too.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:50 AM (SfHnh)

92 Because you don't build for the future when the state can nuke your equity at any moment by throwing up some Affordable Housing next door

Nobody owns anything, so nobody bothers building anything

As long as there is property tax, you'll never own your home.

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 11:51 AM (LA0fN)

93 89 The Duke of New York.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at June 28, 2025 11:50 AM (63Dwl)

A man whose Time has Come.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 28, 2025 11:51 AM (HEGiN)

94 Other than the fact that you don't like either Soros or BlackRock, what numbers can you provide that show that BR has cornered the RE market?
Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:50 AM (Riz8t)

I'll have my white paper on your desk by tomorrow morning!

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 11:51 AM (VofaG)

95 NYets don't be shocked when Mamdini does what he says he will do

Posted by: Skip at June 28, 2025 11:51 AM (+qU29)

96 Afew years back, I listened to a presentation from the fellow who was mayor of New London in the Kelo days. Very bitter man, at least on the subject of Pfizer. They never fully occupied the space and all the high earning scientists lived elsewhere, Old Lyme or Mystic, so New London made a big economic bet, destroyed the trust of an old local family whose land they stole, and got nothing in return
Posted by: Huck Follywood at June 28, 2025 11:44 AM (hu5YG)

Do they still vote for Democrats?

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:51 AM (SfHnh)

97 >>>If so, I'm with Duke: Give them to the Marines.
Posted by: browndog likes the sound
-------------

Army asked for them several years ago. It said, we know where we need support, they should be part of our team instead of going through channels.
Smores for Army and Marines.
Dumping utility is stupid.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 11:52 AM (ytCg4)

98 "Any ideas about how to improve those old cities or suburbs?"

I can't speak for suburbs, but as a long-time resident of Chicago, I can offer a few ideas.

The problem for cities is that they've driven out the middle class: There's wealthy neighborhoods now, and impoverished ones, and nothing in between. And much of this is due to over-regulation by local government. I'd change local zoning laws in two ways:

First, I'd promote mixed usage. The "15 minute radius" is condemned on the Right; but having raised a family in it, I can say that while nobody should forced into it, it's my preferred style of life.

Second, I'd change zoning to allow more construction. More construction will help to contain housing costs and bring more customers for local businesses.

Third, contain crime. Implement a "broken windows" policy.

Finally, scale down local government in order to reduce taxes, or at least cap them.

Most people (including us) don't leave the city voluntarily: they're driven out. Contain taxes, reduce crime, let the market contain housing costs, and promote mixed usage - which is the principal attraction of urban life - and the city will come roaring back.

Posted by: Nemo at June 28, 2025 11:52 AM (4RPgu)

99 I knew a woman who had a teardrop, she called it the Canned Ham. It was really quite nice, she went a lot of places in it.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 28, 2025 11:52 AM (HEGiN)

100 The Duke of New York.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at June 28, 2025 11:50 AM (63Dwl)

The Duke got him. Everybody knows the Duke's got him. You don't have to put a gun to my head. I'll tell you. The Duke? The Duke of New York, A-Number-1, the Big Man, that's who! You can't meet the Duke! Are you crazy? Nobody gets to meet the Duke. You meet him once and then you're dead!

Posted by: Cabbie at June 28, 2025 11:53 AM (R/m4+)

101 ]i\ Other than the fact that you don't like either Soros or BlackRock, what numbers can you provide that show that BR has cornered the RE market?
Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:50 AM (Riz8t)

I'll have my white paper on your desk by tomorrow morning!

Okay, but be aware I'll be looking for evidence of ChatGPT usage.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:53 AM (Riz8t)

102 Good morning morons!

Off to the range to meet with MAE and LazyMessenger.

Going to put some holes in paper.

Cheers!

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 28, 2025 11:53 AM (YJQ8M)

103 God blessed me and gave me a buyer for my house before I even put it on the market. That relieved a ton of stress.

My good friend is currently feeling that stress . Unfortunately it's a buyer's market right now and I don't think he's going to get what he calculated prior to the dip and what he would have to put against the house he is building. He's going to have to dig deeper into his savings or get a mortgage.
Posted by: polynikes

We put ours up on a Monday. Had four or five lookers. I was sweating bullets by Thursday. Friday evening we had an offer.

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 11:53 AM (LA0fN)

104 Just 70 degrees, kind of humid outside

Posted by: Skip at June 28, 2025 11:54 AM (+qU29)

105 No, a market distortion is when the government says "corporations can't participate in the market".
Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:45 AM (Riz8t)

Suddenly everyone's a libertarian again?

I say again, WHO DO YOU THINK GAVE THOSE CORPORATE RAIDERS A LEG UP ON TAXPAYING CITIZENS IN THE FIRST PLACE???

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:54 AM (SfHnh)

106 what numbers can you provide that show that BR has cornered the RE market?"

That's over. Large scale investor groups stopped buying last year or so, especially as the Obama era support for rentals has vaporized (that's why one can find any number of less than full rental "units" in and around ever US city. Only so many Sec 8 "renters" out there...

Posted by: man at June 28, 2025 11:54 AM (tubbA)

107 Ideas for fixing this are proposed. What do you think?
* * * *

Zoning Laws, Baby !

It is zoned Residential, not Business.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 28, 2025 11:54 AM (/lPRQ)

108 84 No, a market distortion is when the government says "corporations can't participate in the market".
Posted by: Archimedes
========
Purist in economics always come a cropper because you must always take into account facts on the ground rather than lofty principles.

FWIW, Blackrock relies upon direct access to the Fed in part for its big pool of cash. It has become a vampire company that subsists on rents rather than creation.

So it literally distorts any market that it enters into by simply size. In practice, they are a piss poor landlord as well with many of their rental houses falling apart and plenty of unsatisfied tenants and property holders around those homes. That leaves out Section 8 home rental subsidies that Blackrock gobbles up.

Posted by: whig at June 28, 2025 11:54 AM (ctrM5)

109 Polymarket@Polymarket . Jun 26

NYC Mayor Eric Adams now has a 22% chance of winning reelection.

— up 20 points after Mamdani’s primary win.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 11:55 AM (ytCg4)

110 He's a moderate.

Viral News NYC@ViralNewsNYC
Mayor Adams Adds $41M to Fight Migrant Deportations in New NYC Budget
Today, New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed a new budget bill, which includes over $41 million for legal services to help migrants fight deportation. Additionally, $12.5 million will be set aside specifically to provide lawyers for unaccompanied minors facing removal proceedings.
The other week, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that $50 million would be allocated to cover attorney fees for migrants.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:55 AM (L/fGl)

111 The problem for cities is that they've driven out the middle class: There's wealthy neighborhoods now, and impoverished ones, and nothing in between."

But think of the vibrant diversity, you H8ters!

Posted by: man at June 28, 2025 11:56 AM (tubbA)

112 The problem for cities is that they've driven out the middle class: There's wealthy neighborhoods now, and impoverished ones, and nothing in between. And much of this is due to over-regulation by local government. I'd change local zoning laws in two ways:

I think it's even simpler. Do what NYC did in the 90s, and reduce crime sharply. That was enough to rejuvenate the city. But no, we can't do that, because too many of the people we depend on for votes go to jail.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 11:56 AM (Riz8t)

113 Around here the big housing projects are all multi-family units, apartments mostly. Thousands of units. My theory is that they were for the millions of illegals that would have been made legal if the Democrats had stolen another election. Then we'd have seen another 20M or so flood into the country, thus the need for housing.

But... it's government subsidized housing. Units that could rent for $1200 would be rented to immigrants for half that or less. And, these are being built in traditionally red states. Replacement theory in real life, unfolding.

The kicker? Trump. Developers who sunk millions into the land, the services and the construction of these massive apartment complexes who are just now breaking ground or nearing completion? They're going to lose a shit ton of money when there's no takers for their cheap government housing.

The building slowdown is already here. Oh... they'll finish the ones already started, but they're going to have to totally re-think their going rental prices.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 28, 2025 11:56 AM (Q4IgG)

114 I'll have my white paper on your desk by tomorrow morning!
Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 11:51 AM (VofaG)

Now we know what business Archi's in.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 11:57 AM (SfHnh)

115 @Polymarket . 23h

Trump says he will bomb Iran again "without question" if they continue uranium enrichment.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 11:57 AM (ytCg4)

116 I think the last I read , all companies that buy up single family rental properties control about 10% of that market. Admittedly that was over a year ago .

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 11:57 AM (VofaG)

117 The teardrop is great! Easy to tow and hitch up. You are actually camping, since the kitchen is outside and it's basically a bedroom on wheels with AC.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at June 28, 2025 11:58 AM (AcTAo)

118 "As examples I’d say the Southlake area in Dallas, or the Alito area to the west of Fort Worth,"

Aledo, northwest of Fort Worth. We had land there when I was little, and it was eminent domained to a power company. Paid pennies on the dollar for it. I think that was the beginning of my dad's health decline, because we were preparing to build and move there. He loved that place.

Posted by: moki at June 28, 2025 11:58 AM (wLjpr)

119 The teardrop is great! Easy to tow and hitch up. You are actually camping, since the kitchen is outside and it's basically a bedroom on wheels with AC.
Posted by: Notsothoreau

Truck House Life on YouTube.

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 11:59 AM (LA0fN)

120 The building slowdown is already here. "

Indeed. Large scale materials project purchases are down. Funny, that...

"they'll finish the ones already started, but they're going to have to totally re-think their going rental prices."

No, they totally renig on their promises to locals about "low income housing" and lobby state/local govs for subsidies. Welcome your new neighbors - you're about to get enriched.

Posted by: man at June 28, 2025 11:59 AM (tubbA)

121 The A-10 kills everything it sees with brute force, and it doesn't mind being shot at.

Seems to fit the Marines perfectly.

Posted by: PabloD at June 28, 2025 12:00 PM (Hx4C/)

122 Purist in economics always come a cropper because you must always take into account facts on the ground rather than lofty principles.

FWIW, Blackrock relies upon direct access to the Fed in part for its big pool of cash. It has become a vampire company that subsists on rents rather than creation.

So it literally distorts any market that it enters into by simply size. In practice, they are a piss poor landlord as well with many of their rental houses falling apart and plenty of unsatisfied tenants and property holders around those homes.

As I said initially, " If the giants take the same risks as the littles". I don't think of "keep the government's corrupt snout out of it" as a lofty principle; it's common sense. Case in point, selective access to the Fed. Stop doing that.

If BR is as bad a landlord as you say, then they will lose money on their RE investments eventually. As long as we don't bail them out (always a concern), I don't care if they go OOB.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 12:01 PM (Riz8t)

123 Most people (including us) don't leave the city voluntarily: they're driven out. Contain taxes, reduce crime, let the market contain housing costs, and promote mixed usage - which is the principal attraction of urban life - and the city will come roaring back.
Posted by: Nemo
========
City life is dead because of diversity which is the same reason that urban centers in the EU that were functional are no longer so.

Diversity, proximity, means low level conflict and part of that can be seen in crime rates, substance abuse levels, and all around asshole behavior by the public which then translates to that behavior by politicians.

Posted by: whig at June 28, 2025 12:01 PM (ctrM5)

124 I've lived in a schoolbus, thanks. I prefer to have my tow vehicle separate, so that my entire rig doesn't wind up in the shop. Almost over shingles, so I may get to camp yet.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at June 28, 2025 12:02 PM (AcTAo)

125 I could easily walk to the Salt Lake City house, strange to have news so close to me.

I have a little experience both buying and selling around here, as well as apartment living

What I have seen: ten years ago a fixer-upper in Tooele (about 40 minutes from downtown Salt Lake) was about 120 grand, with about $700 for the mortgage. Took a year and 10 grand to get it up to snuff, but we could afford that with two incomes.

Then after getting divorced, I lived in an apartment in South Salt Lake, much closer to downtown as well as my work at the time further south (the commute had been an hour from the house). That apartment was a one bedroom for about $800 a month, not brand new, but up to date and with some amenities.

Then I bought a house with the new wife. It was 420 grand, almost brand new in a nice neighborhood, and most of the other houses were bigger and more like 500 grand. It was about 30 min north of downtown Salt Lake, in an area with massive growth. While looking there were cheaper, closer options but they were older and not as nice, though all the livable ones were still in the high 300 grand range. The mortgage was 2200, with really low interest rates.

Posted by: Charlie the Capitalist at June 28, 2025 12:03 PM (1oTt5)

126 My Gawd, there's a giant ball of fire in the sky. I'm scared.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 12:03 PM (Riz8t)

127 >>>The building slowdown is already here. Oh... they'll finish the ones already started, but they're going to have to totally re-think their going rental prices.
Posted by: Martini Farmer
--------------------------

Along with that, taxes, insurance, and rent control.
With sane government de-regulation it could be a win win.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 12:03 PM (ytCg4)

128 We have 55 rentals and they are usually rented out before they come empty.
We don't rent to California's.
The price of properties has tripled since covid or we would buy more. Nothing is slowing down in idaho.

Posted by: Elrond Hubbard at June 28, 2025 12:04 PM (P0m9n)

129 New blades! Grass cut before 85 degrees, actual cool breeze.

Posted by: Eromero at June 28, 2025 12:04 PM (LHPAg)

130
Good morning. One of these stories came into my aggregator this morning. TL;DR: eminent domain as a means of rent control when a 30-year covenant expires and the tenants (non-white, low-income) just don't want to hold up their end of a deal that has been coming for 30 years.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 12:05 PM (HuRzZ)

131 I left Houston because I could after I retired. If I was still working I would not have minded still living there. That said I don't think I moved far enough away ( 60 miles) . Seems like everyone had the same idea and where I moved is becoming as busy as where I lived in Houston.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 12:05 PM (VofaG)

132 Black Rock is like Mortimer and Randolph Duke trying to corner the frozen orange juice market. They have their own Beeks

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at June 28, 2025 12:05 PM (WnEm5)

133 124 I've lived in a schoolbus, thanks. I prefer to have my tow vehicle separate, so that my entire rig doesn't wind up in the shop. Almost over shingles, so I may get to camp yet.
Posted by: Notsothoreau .
-----

Sorry about the shingles glad you're getting clear. Benadryl helps my hives.
I like towed one's too. Except I want that shower etc. indoors.
That teardrop is cute.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 12:07 PM (ytCg4)

134 Powerline Week in Pictures:

https://is.gd/9pfsE6

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 12:08 PM (Riz8t)

135 I get offers in the 400 thousand range all the time.
"$400,000 for this dump? You're nuts. Try a million and I'll think about it."
My part of town is large 1/2 to 1 1/2 acre subdividable lots. I know what they are up to and plan on profiting handsomely from it. They want multi family 3 or 4 story apartments as there really isn't a whole lot of room left in town. I own 1/2 an acre on the back side of a culdesack that I know a developer has bought 3 properties on and is renting.

Posted by: Reforger at June 28, 2025 12:09 PM (LgDgc)

136 Archimedes your doing it wrong
There is a ball of fire in the sky, you should be afraid. Pay me and I will fix it

Posted by: Skip at June 28, 2025 12:09 PM (+qU29)

137 329k for 825 sq ft.

Damn.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at June 28, 2025 12:09 PM (bss/y)

138 Owning a house is all fun and games until you have to start breaking out the power tools. Trust me on this.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at June 28, 2025 12:10 PM (snZF9)

139 136 Archimedes your doing it wrong
There is a ball of fire in the sky, you should be afraid. Pay me and I will fix it
Posted by: Skip at June 28, 2025 12:09 PM (+qU29)

You mean the giant thermonuclear explosion up there?

*looks up, shading eyes*

Seems fine.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at June 28, 2025 12:10 PM (bss/y)

140 Look into T@b by Nucamp. That is the travel trailer by the company that makes my teardrop. Some have bathrooms and indoor kitchens. Still small and easy to tow.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at June 28, 2025 12:10 PM (AcTAo)

141 Purchased our house, a three bedroom ranch on a 1/2 acre (only 4 of us on the block) in 1974 for 39K. Now worth $460K. At 78, wife 76, it's cheaper to stay put. Our son will get it after we're gone.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at June 28, 2025 12:11 PM (5xuJ/)

142 >>> I know a developer has bought 3 properties on and is renting.
Posted by: Reforger
----

And the more rentals indicate either a freeze or diminishing property value.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 12:13 PM (ytCg4)

143 Continued,

That house sold for 440 or 460 after two years, just enough to have enough equity to roughly match my original down payment after the realtor and splitting profits with the ex. Maybe could have found a better price if not in the middle of divorce.

Now in an apartment in Salt Lake, very close to the house in the article, which is 5-10 minutes from downtown Salt Lake, very convenient for things like night life. My current apartment is not quite as nice as my previous one, but I have easy access to downtown and also my work near the airport--I have a ten minute commute door to door, with traffic. When I found this apartment I considered my old one, since they are the same price range. Both were now about 1000 dollars for rent.

These days I make enough by myself to pay comfortably for my apartment, even with my rent going up for going to month to month. I should be able to have a decent time paying 1300 for a two bedroom once I marry my fiancee with her two kids, but I have no idea what we will do if we want to get a house with current interest rates, which have doubled from what I had before, so even a cheap 300 grand house will be pushing 3 grand mortgage.

Posted by: Charlie the Capitalist at June 28, 2025 12:13 PM (1oTt5)

144 I own three properties. None have a "nice" house on them. They're all garbage houses... modulars. But two of the properties are desirable for their location and acreage. One has water frontage that leads to the Ohio River, another one is in rural farm country. The other is a house we purchased for our daughter and family when the fled California last year.

Today I think the payoff for all is around $250K

3 homes.
10 + acres total.
2 states.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 28, 2025 12:15 PM (Q4IgG)

145 >>>At 78, wife 76, it's cheaper to stay put. Our son will get it after we're gone.
Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy
---

That's where I am. Moved here with a 3 yr exit plan then everything changed. Even though the the value of my house has increased demonstrably I can't afford to move.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 12:16 PM (ytCg4)

146
Syrian National Charged in Foiled ISIS Terror Plot Targeting Taylor Swift Concert

_________

Tay Tay seems to have disappeared. A year ago you couldn't go five minutes without seeing or hearing TayLuv. Now? Silence.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 28, 2025 12:17 PM (/HVsR)

147 Heh.

https://is.gd/FjK9IP

Posted by: Archimedes at June 28, 2025 12:17 PM (Riz8t)

148
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Well, This Is Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into at June 28, 2025 11:55 AM (L/fGl)

=============

So much for that. I wonder if Texas has another couple thousand to send him.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 12:17 PM (HuRzZ)

149 Long ago before bought the house looked at renting like burning money.

Posted by: Skip at June 28, 2025 12:18 PM (+qU29)

150 [ii]Tay Tay seems to have disappeared. A year ago you couldn't go five minutes without seeing or hearing TayLuv. Now? Silence.

Been there, done that.

Posted by: Pet Rock at June 28, 2025 12:18 PM (Riz8t)

151 Mel Brooks is 100 today.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at June 28, 2025 12:18 PM (CHHv1)

152 Unrelated to anything, after I accumulated most of the baseball cards I want, I started in on football. A few thousand cards into that, the pickings get slimmer every day.

However, I still go through the available cards online, and focus primarily on 60s and 70s.

There's a guy, Jerry Smith, he was a tight end (heh) for the Redskins in those years, and well after his playing career was over, it was revealed he was gay. I believe he died of AIDS, but I'm not certain of that.

However, now that I come across his cards from various years... oh yeah, he gay.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 12:18 PM (RNrRd)

153 What's really crazy is the price of "tiny houses". Most are glorified sheds from Loews or Home Depot. A person could go out and buy a lightly used 28' mobile home/camper for a third or less of the tiny home cost and get more amenities.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at June 28, 2025 12:18 PM (gm9Sb)

154
Today I think the payoff for all is around $250K

3 homes.
10 + acres total.
2 states.
Posted by: Martini Farmer

=================

Wild. Is the property in rural farm country what one might call idyllic, or potentially so? A person could build something small but very nice there?

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 12:21 PM (HuRzZ)

155 Just started my big generator. Let it run til out of fuel.

Posted by: Eromero at June 28, 2025 12:22 PM (LHPAg)

156 What sucks for me now is I need to root for the multi millionaire developer to become even more rich and have his development become a jewel . I got in basically on the ground floor so of course I don't want the development to fail . I've seen what happens to failed developments/ developments that stopped half way through.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 12:24 PM (VofaG)

157
We have 4 acres south of Houston in 2009. It was all rural until a couple of years ago when an enormous residential development started north of us.

There's a large corn field across the road from us. One day we saw a surveyor there. "Are they going to make this a four-lane road?" I joked, sort of. No, they're looking to put in a subdivision. Great. Just great.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 28, 2025 12:24 PM (/HVsR)

158 Tay Tay seems to have disappeared. A year ago you couldn't go five minutes without seeing or hearing TayLuv. Now? Silence.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

Tour's over. Until she needs more money.

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 12:24 PM (LA0fN)

159 Mel Brooks is 100 today.
Posted by: BeckoningChasm at June 28, 2025 12:18 PM (CHHv1)

99.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at June 28, 2025 12:24 PM (5xuJ/)

160 Also not seeing signs of a housing slowdown around here. My rent is going up 50 bucks per month, and everywhere you go there is new construction. Downtown has many new 4 or 5 story apartment boxes, literally next door to my apartment complex over here on the wrong side of the tracks we have a 100 or something set of condos going in (literally seven blocks from the house in the article). 20 minutes out there are still while neighborhoods going in.

Posted by: Charlie the Capitalist at June 28, 2025 12:24 PM (1oTt5)

161 >
Wild. Is the property in rural farm country what one might call idyllic, or potentially so? A person could build something small but very nice there?
Posted by: Blonde Morticia
----------
It's got a 3/2 modular on it with a covered front porch, a large deck off the back and an aboveground pool. Detached shop/garage. Perched on a knoll, mostly open but ringed with trees. Some vistas. Neighbors are chickens and cows. A few people too.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 28, 2025 12:25 PM (Q4IgG)

162 U.S. Air Force Looks to Retire All A-10 Warthogs By 2027
=======================
And, replace it with what?? I know! Let's have a design comp. between Boeing, General Dynamics and Grumman, and award the contract to all 3!
(It'll be great, watch.)

Posted by: Brave Sir Robin at June 28, 2025 12:26 PM (lPeS+)

163 There's a large corn field across the road from us. One day we saw a surveyor there. "Are they going to make this a four-lane road?" I joked, sort of. No, they're looking to put in a subdivision. Great. Just great.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

We got lucky. National Grasslands on three sides of us. Neighbor across the road isn't selling.

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 12:26 PM (LA0fN)

164 Tour's over. Until she needs more money.
Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 12:24 PM (LA0fN)

She's got money that could last her 10 lifetimes. She better get married soon so she can have kids. But maybe that's not what she wants. Women have changed a lot in that aspect.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 12:26 PM (VofaG)

165 USA Today has an article telling me that not receiving Trump's desired, 'no taxes on SS', may actually benefit me. Really.
Really?

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 12:28 PM (ytCg4)

166
Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 28, 2025 11:56 AM (Q4IgG)

==============

I think your theory is dead-on. I wonder whether builders figured out the windfall of illegal alien tenants on their own or the Biden administration let them know with a wink and a whisper.

And now, oh dear, no subsidies for the prospective tenants so the landlords will have to charge market value for the rents in a low-demand market? I bet they wind up getting those rents subsidized by their states or cities.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 12:30 PM (HuRzZ)

167 Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 12:28 PM (ytCg4)

One good thing in Romney's economic plan that wish they would implement is no taxes on personal savings /CDs.

Since our savings rate is dangerously small you would think they would do things to motivate increasing personal savings.

I hate paying taxes on the interest of my savings accounts.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 12:31 PM (VofaG)

168 Enjoy NYC!
Zohran Mamdani’s ‘tax whites more’ is pure racism

He’d “shift the tax burden from overtaxed homeowners in the outer boroughs to more expensive homes in richer and whiter neighborhoods,” his campaign platform says.

How will he do this?

But never mind that!
Next, King Mamdani would “adjust rates up” — based on the racial makeup of a neighborhood.

https://tinyurl.com/2xnr2tuz

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 12:32 PM (LA0fN)

169 What's really crazy is the price of "tiny houses". Most are glorified sheds from Loews or Home Depot. A person could go out and buy a lightly used 28' mobile home/camper for a third or less of the tiny home cost and get more amenities.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at June 28, 2025 12:18 PM (gm9Sb)

I couldn't fit my frigging tools in a tiny house. I'll never understand that tiny house thing.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at June 28, 2025 12:34 PM (snZF9)

170
No visible signs of a housing slowdown in California.

I don't get it.

You keep hearing about the exodus, but competition for apartments and homes in San Diego is so fierce you have to place a phone call within 45 minutes of a rental or a sale -- a rental! -- hitting the market or you're out. I don't know how people are gonna do it. I don't know how I'm going to do it if Carl DeMaio's warnings of $10/gal gas come true.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 12:36 PM (HuRzZ)

171 Off topic: I listened to Tucker Carlson’s conversation with Marjorie Taylor Green (on YouTube)…. For me it was hard to listen to; MTG comes across as not very smart. She says the word “literally” about every other sentence. It’s off putting

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at June 28, 2025 12:37 PM (ANuwa)

172 On the other hand, I have a guy who works with me who just bought a house. He is a year out of college. How is this working? Well, we make decent money, and his wife is a nurse, so also decent money, and they do not have kids yet. Also they have been living in his parents basement for the past year, presumably saving up for a good down payment. That is one of the challenges of the Utah housing market, since about a third of the population is going to do the same thing with their 4-6 kids each, and with the local economy doing well they are staying here instead of moving away for jobs. Plus you have the California refugees, and it is hard to keep up with the population growth.

Posted by: Charlie the Capitalist at June 28, 2025 12:38 PM (1oTt5)

173 158 Tay Tay seems to have disappeared. A year ago you couldn't go five minutes without seeing or hearing TayLuv. Now? Silence.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh
===========
All infotainment careers are limited and audiences simply move on without much of a notice and the act slides into nostalgia tours.

That being said, geriatric rockers show vast revenue can be made from these tours into their eighties as the faithful come to watch the has beens to relive their youth.

Posted by: whig at June 28, 2025 12:38 PM (ctrM5)

174 > What's really crazy is the price of "tiny houses".
---------
You also run into zoning issues with those. In a lot of places they're considered "mobile homes" or campers, because they can be moved and thus are not permitted in certain areas.

I seem to recall when they first became "a thing" some guy told about his woes after buying a plot in a development and they wouldn't let him put his new "tiny home" on it.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 28, 2025 12:39 PM (Q4IgG)

175 I couldn't fit my frigging tools in a tiny house. I'll never understand that tiny house thing.
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division

Only thing they own is a laptop. Hell, I couldn't get all my guns/ammo/ammo cans in one, let alone tools.

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 12:39 PM (LA0fN)

176 Off topic: I listened to Tucker Carlson’s conversation with Marjorie Taylor Green (on YouTube)…. For me it was hard to listen to; MTG comes across as not very smart. She says the word “literally” about every other sentence. It’s off putting
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at June 28, 2025 12:37 PM (ANuwa)

Yeah, she's not very bright. I know she gets a lot of flack around these parts, but I believe she's generally right about the issues of the day.

Which, frankly, shouldn't require all that much intelligence. Just common sense.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 28, 2025 12:40 PM (Vksce)

177
I bet they wind up getting those rents subsidized by their states or cities.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 12:30 PM (HuRzZ)

=============

Ah, found the horde mind at #120. Yup.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 12:40 PM (HuRzZ)

178 Florida Man builds Alligator Alcatraz.

Posted by: Boss Moss at June 28, 2025 12:41 PM (P389G)

179 On the gripping hand, when I did find my apartment I had several options to choose from that had immediate availability. There were lots of move in specials, first two months free, that type of thing. But now my rent is going up, so it seems that they are not that worried about filling up.

Posted by: Charlie the Capitalist at June 28, 2025 12:41 PM (1oTt5)

180 > Off topic: I listened to Tucker Carlson’s conversation with Marjorie Taylor Green (on YouTube)
---------
He had one with Liz Collins, a reporter from MN. Had some stories about the riots, Walz, etc. Pretty wild stuff.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 28, 2025 12:42 PM (Q4IgG)

181 Alligator Alcatraz has a 10,000 foot runway.

Posted by: Boss Moss at June 28, 2025 12:42 PM (P389G)

182 171 Off topic: I listened to Tucker Carlson’s conversation with Marjorie Taylor Green (on YouTube)…. For me it was hard to listen to; MTG comes across as not very smart. She says the word “literally” about every other sentence. It’s off putting
Posted by: LinusVanPelt
==========
Expecting intelligence in politicians is unrealistic. About the best you can hope for is that they vote correctly and do no harm. Tricky Dick was one of our smartest pols and ended up kicked out of office. In sheer IQ, Adlai Stevenson was probably 'smarter' than Ike. And so on. Most of the truly successful pols have animal cunning and the ability to put two words together like a news reader rather than 'smarts'. Billy Jeff is a good example of that.

MTG pretty much votes the right way so I could care less about whether she speaks well.

Posted by: whig at June 28, 2025 12:43 PM (ctrM5)

183 Stated many times worked as a weapons mechanic on A-10s in England. Somehow as it seems a lifetime ago maybe time to wrap them up. They certainly earned their worth

Posted by: Skip at June 28, 2025 12:43 PM (+qU29)

184 181 Alligator Alcatraz has a 10,000 foot runway.
Posted by: Boss Moss at June 28, 2025 12:42 PM (P389G)

And I believe will be open next week...

Posted by: It's me donna at June 28, 2025 12:46 PM (VE6XX)

185
Bring out your dead!

George J. Marlin: Mamdani's Victory: Death Knell for NYC
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks

=============

Naaa. New York will stagger on, everyone blaming Trump for any visible degradation, and Mayor Mad-manny will tinker with his failures and rally everyone with his smile, his hairline, and his Obama-like life story. It's like Pam Bondi prosecuting criminals. A dream.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 12:49 PM (HuRzZ)

186 One good thing in Romney's economic plan that wish they would implement is no taxes on personal savings /CDs.

Since our savings rate is dangerously small you would think they would do things to motivate increasing personal savings.

I hate paying taxes on the interest of my savings accounts.
Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 12:31 PM (VofaG)

Taxes on savings interest began under the JFK administration. I remember my mom being really pissed about that.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at June 28, 2025 12:49 PM (5xuJ/)

187 >>>She's got money that could last her 10 lifetimes. She better get married soon so she can have kids. But maybe that's not what she wants. Women have changed a lot in that aspect.
Posted by: polynikes
----------------------

She's filling out like a woman - can't hide it from the kids any longer.Womanhood takes over sooner or later. It's time to make a career move.
The problem is that she's a mediocre singer.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 12:49 PM (ytCg4)

188 Eminent Domain is becoming a weapon of the Left. It was, actually, the topic of a panel at the World Economic Forum led by a number of financial companies. The summary disappeared from the internet almost immediately.

Eminent Domain is being used in the midwest US right now to install "carbon capture" pipelines on generational farmland. Last count, about 80 farms in the Dakotas alone had received notices to give up portions of their land.

The next evolution of eminent domain will confiscate farmland for solar farms. Count on it. It will be done under the guise of "emergency" and based on the "benefit" of all humans.

Posted by: Orson at June 28, 2025 12:50 PM (dIske)

189 181 Alligator Alcatraz has a 10,000 foot runway.
Posted by: Boss Moss at June 28, 2025 12:42 PM (P389G)

They built a huge airfield back in the 70's there to fly old farts into so they bus them to Miami Beach before they died to spend their retirement years in the land of death, South Florida. It did not work out but the airfield is still there and manned during the day by one fella in case they need to land something there in an emergency. I think he goes home at 5. A nice sinecure.

Posted by: Old Fart Boomer at June 28, 2025 12:51 PM (R/m4+)

190
Alligator Alcatraz has a 10,000 foot runway.
Posted by: Boss Moss

==============

I wonder if the press will be allowed a tour. We need to see the cages, the toilets that double as face-washing stations, etc.

By the way, this place is a detention center for border crashers, right? Just whoever ICE rounds up, regardless of whether they've committed additional crimes? I fvcking love it.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 12:52 PM (HuRzZ)

191 Do you know who else loves eminent domain?

Posted by: Maj. Healey at June 28, 2025 12:55 PM (/U5Yz)

192 Thx K.T. Hope you are doing well.
The only good thing to come out of Kelo was that 43 states tightened up their eminent domain rules as to what can be taken.
The land that was taken in Kelo and the houses that were torn down has been replaced by a vacant lot. The pFizer plant was never built. Spit

Posted by: Smell the Glove at June 28, 2025 12:56 PM (eBgDF)

193 117 The teardrop is great! Easy to tow and hitch up. You are actually camping, since the kitchen is outside and it's basically a bedroom on wheels with AC.
Posted by: Notsothoreau at June 28, 2025 11:58 AM (AcTAo)

I grew up tent camping, a lot. DH did not. He is also a very big man, very tall and takes up a lot of space. We do not fit on a queen size bed together, and he cannot even stand up in most travel trailers, let alone get dressed in one. His back requires an actual mattress.

There are reasons to get a larger camper. Ours is very nice, with an RV King bed, two nice recliner chairs, an excellent kitchen, solar panels, auto-level, all the things that make it easy to get out to a campsite without making DH miserable.

It's a win-win since I still get to go camping and hiking and he gets to not be an agony.

Posted by: tcn in AK at June 28, 2025 12:58 PM (1Gsou)

194 176 Off topic: I listened to Tucker Carlson’s conversation with Marjorie Taylor Green (on YouTube)…. For me it was hard to listen to; MTG comes across as not very smart. She says the word “literally” about every other sentence. It’s off putting
Posted by: LinusVanPelt
----------------------------

She's not very smart as Trump is not very smart.
She came up in and ran/runs the family construction business.
That's the language she speaks and the way she reacts in congress. She's business/country first, politician second.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 12:58 PM (ytCg4)

195 That’s what I was going to say. I had never seen padlocked soda before, like individual sodas in a chain drugstore, were now padlocked. So I guess we are now at a state where we must take preventive measures to prevent people from shoplifting even things that are essentially valueless. Right?
.
Posted by: The ARC of History!

-----------------

I wonder if Mayor Mad-manny's grocery stores will have padlocks like that.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 12:59 PM (HuRzZ)

196 I think "Alligator Alcatraz" is a holding facility for illegals prior to processing. At around 5000 that can be held there, I'd expect a high turnover.

Hope the have a immigration judge or 20 there too.

Plus they go straight from detention to a waiting C-130 or C-17 for a one-way ride to elsewhere.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 28, 2025 12:59 PM (Q4IgG)

197
Gold, Jerry, gold!

@LeadingReport 40m
BREAKING: Democrats float the idea of a Tim Walz/Zohran Mamdani ticket in 2028.
Posted by: weft cut-loop

=================

Eh, have they forgotten that the VP has to have all the qualifications to be president? Mad-manny is not a natural citizen of the US.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 01:00 PM (HuRzZ)

198 ==============

I wonder if the press will be allowed a tour. We need to see the cages, the toilets that double as face-washing stations, etc.

By the way, this place is a detention center for border crashers, right? Just whoever ICE rounds up, regardless of whether they've committed additional crimes? I fvcking love it.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia
----------------------------------

Do they transit to and from the facility with airboats?

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 01:01 PM (ytCg4)

199
Plus they go straight from detention to a waiting C-130 or C-17 for a one-way ride to elsewhere.
Posted by: Martini Farmer

================

"Your carriage awaits."

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 01:02 PM (HuRzZ)

200
Harmeet Dhillon issued a warning about the plan to tax white neighborhoods higher property taxes.
Posted by: Notsothoreau

=================

Darn. I wish she'd let them commit su!cide by vote.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 01:05 PM (HuRzZ)

201 For some reason, Alligator Alcatraz sounds a lot like words of advice from our Senior Drill Instructor at Parris Island.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at June 28, 2025 01:05 PM (gm9Sb)

202 193 117 The teardrop is great! Easy to tow and hitch up.
Notsothoreau at June 28,
---
There are reasons to get a larger camper.
It's a win-win since I still get to go camping and hiking and he gets to not be an agony.
Posted by: tcn in AK
--------------

Sounds like cousins.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 01:05 PM (ytCg4)

203
Do they transit to and from the facility with airboats?

Posted by: Braenyard

=============

10,000 foot runway.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 28, 2025 01:06 PM (HuRzZ)

204 Proving yet again the democrats are stupid. Mamdani isn't a natural born citizen and thus ineligible for VP.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at June 28, 2025 11:26 AM (2UnvF)

Yeah, but a judge can fix that little problem with an injunction you silly rabbit.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at June 28, 2025 01:07 PM (C4BAC)

205 Stated many times worked as a weapons mechanic on A-10s in England. Somehow as it seems a lifetime ago maybe time to wrap them up. They certainly earned their worth

Posted by: Skip at June 28, 2025 12:43 PM (+qU29)

I think ICE could make good use of them. Nothing solves the illegal immigrant problem better than the GAU-8 with depleted uranium rounds.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at June 28, 2025 01:09 PM (C4BAC)

206 171 Off topic: I listened to Tucker Carlson’s conversation with Marjorie Taylor Green (on YouTube)…. For me it was hard to listen to; MTG comes across as not very smart. She says the word “literally” about every other sentence. It’s off putting
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at June 28, 2025 12:37 PM (ANuwa)

She sounds unpolished. It doesn't make her wrong.

Posted by: CaliGirl at June 28, 2025 01:14 PM (gpah0)

207 MTG pretty much votes the right way so I could care less about whether she speaks well.
Posted by: whig at June 28, 2025 12:43 PM (ctrM5)

I agree; but I had to roll my eyes when I heard her say recently that she had never heard of any Americans that had been killed by Iran.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 28, 2025 01:14 PM (HEGiN)

208 201 For some reason, Alligator Alcatraz sounds a lot like words of advice from our Senior Drill Instructor at Parris Island.
Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at June 28, 2025 01:05 PM (gm9Sb)

Sounds like a reality show or a comic book location.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at June 28, 2025 01:15 PM (bss/y)

209 Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 12:58 PM (ytCg

She does herself no favors expressing her thoughts on various conspiracy theories and aliens.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 01:17 PM (VofaG)

210 Sounds like a reality show or a comic book location.
Posted by: Aetius451AD
------------------------------

Stay close to the tent. Those gators will come up and get you.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 01:18 PM (ytCg4)

211 Stay close to the tent. Those gators will come up and get you.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 01:18 PM (ytCg4)

Confessional Tent:

Karen got eaten by a gator while she was taking a dump. I hate to admit it, but I won't miss her voice.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at June 28, 2025 01:19 PM (bss/y)

212 207 MTG pretty much votes the right way so I could care less about whether she speaks well.
Posted by: whig at June 28, 2025 12:43 PM

I agree; but I had to roll my eyes when I heard her say recently that she had never heard of any Americans that had been killed by Iran.
Posted by: Tom Servo at June 28, 2025 01:14 PM

I'd sound worse than her, if I get wound up the valley girl accent comes out strong. But I have heard of the American's killed and maimed by Iran but I'm just a tad older than she is.

And if a leftist sounded like her I'd make fun of them too but I don't care what she sounds like and no one can know everything all the time. Or regular people can't.

Posted by: CaliGirl at June 28, 2025 01:19 PM (gpah0)

213 MTG was a big defender of Kevin McCarthy and held a grudge against those that voted to remove him.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 01:20 PM (VofaG)

214 >>>She does herself no favors expressing her thoughts on various conspiracy theories and aliens.
Posted by: polynikes
----------------

Ha! Those times it sounds as if she's on the balcony with Dennis Kucinich and Shirley MacLaine watching flying saucers.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 01:20 PM (ytCg4)

215 Proving yet again the democrats are stupid. Mamdani isn't a natural born citizen and thus ineligible for VP.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at June 28, 2025 11:26 AM (2UnvF)

Yeah, but a judge can fix that little problem with an injunction you silly rabbit.
Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at June 28, 2025 01:07 PM (C4BAC)

Not anymore.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at June 28, 2025 01:21 PM (g8Ew8)

216 Alligator Alcatraz

To make the Alligators effective they need to chum the nearby waters... or schedule fun runs for the detainees.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 28, 2025 01:24 PM (//7/7)

217 *perks up.
Valley girl accent?..

Err.. Nevermind.

Posted by: Reforger at June 28, 2025 01:24 PM (LgDgc)

218 Norwegian Crown Prince charged with multiple rapes.

The dude is a Prince and has the GQ look. Why in the world would you need to rape someone?

Yeah I know perverted sickness can be present in anyone because this guy could get laid twice a day every day if he wanted to.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 01:27 PM (VofaG)

219
She does herself no favors expressing her thoughts on various conspiracy theories and aliens.
Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 01:17 PM )

I picture her aides cringing watching that. If I were her assistant I'd be doing the finger across the throat motion like let's not talk about that on camera.

Posted by: CaliGirl at June 28, 2025 01:28 PM (gpah0)

220 Yeah I know perverted sickness can be present in anyone because this guy could get laid twice a day every day if he wanted to.
Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 01:27 PM (VofaG)

Yeah. Only twice wasn't working out.

Posted by: Norwegian Crown Prince at June 28, 2025 01:29 PM (LgDgc)

221 Man, I don't what the chances for Alberta's independence are, but the Resistance is pushing out some boss videos:

YT LINK: https://tinyurl.com/cpdm92v4

Posted by: mrp at June 28, 2025 01:30 PM (rj6Yv)

222 Re using bus as home.
Youtube Bus Grease Monkey has the 411 on repair of them.
Very expensive and BGM has horror stories of dangerous work done by 'expert' shops at huge prices. People get ripped off by criminal repair places all the time.
Examples: the wheel nuts get over torqued and fly off on the road smashing our windshields. Hair raising stuff.

Posted by: torabora at June 28, 2025 01:31 PM (BqIti)

223 Norwegian Crown Prince charged with multiple rapes.

The dude is a Prince and has the GQ look. Why in the world would you need to rape someone?

Yeah I know perverted sickness can be present in anyone because this guy could get laid twice a day every day if he wanted to.
Posted by: polynikes

Doing it the right way is boring. Honestly.
They get bored because they don't work or want for anything.

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 01:32 PM (LA0fN)

224 "There is no friggin way to get thru this shithole airport (Seattle )without coming to the gate dripping in sweat. This place is a zoo.
Ugh.

Posted by: Diogenes"

I had the pleasure of going thru Spoke airport a few months ago. It was small, easy to navigate uncrowded. A true pleasure compared to big city airports

Posted by: Ripley at June 28, 2025 01:34 PM (Q7i6X)

225 Doing it the right way is boring. Honestly.
They get bored because they don't work or want for anything.
Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 01:32 PM (LA0f

I reminded myself with your assistance the movie The Lincoln Lawyer. Another Matthew McConauhey movie I really liked.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 01:37 PM (VofaG)

226 Turley: The Chilling Jurisprudence Of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

https://tinyurl.com/mwx5wnp7

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 01:38 PM (ytCg4)

227 I am not sure we could buy the house we have now today, and we built it 3 years ago.

Posted by: Piper at June 28, 2025 01:39 PM (p4NUW)

228 The American residential real estate market used to be pretty simple. I invest in my house, hoping the market goes up and when it is time to sell, I sell it for a profit.

Actually it used to be a HE** of a lot simpler than that!
It used to be that you bought your house so you could LIVE IN IT for the rest of your life. Maybe you would move to a better house if life blessed you with a better income or such. It used to be you didn't buy a house in order to sell it. Yes, you had equity in that house that made it part of your wealth, but that was for the far future when maybe your kids had kids and their own houses and you would go ahead and move into something much smaller - but it wasn't an "investment" other than in the broadest sense. And it definitely wasn't a place to be the basis of perpetual loans so you could get some quick cash.

Not everything has to be a "market" like that.

Posted by: GWB at June 28, 2025 01:41 PM (PkFyV)

229 Posted by: GWB at June 28, 2025 01:41 PM (PkFyV)

Agree. My parents lived in my childhood home for 35 years until my Father passed away and I moved my mom to Texas.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 01:43 PM (VofaG)

230 I reminded myself with your assistance the movie The Lincoln Lawyer. Another Matthew McConauhey movie I really liked.
Posted by: polynikes

The movie was really good. Wife & I also like the series on Netflix.

Hollywood is looking to make decent movies? Look to established authors. Dark Winds from Tony Hillerman. Go back to old westerns from Zane Grey or Louis L'amour in the style of Lonesome Dove.

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 01:46 PM (LA0fN)

231 YT LINK: https://tinyurl.com/cpdm92v4
Posted by: mrp at June 28, 2025 01:30 PM (rj6Yv)

Very nice. The AI is a little off-putting, but it's a very modern Texas/Mountain West up-yours sort of video. I'd happily welcome those folks.

Posted by: GWB at June 28, 2025 01:46 PM (PkFyV)

232 That 6% total commission a seller pays is most times way over the services you received. Theses days though the commission rate is negotiated rather than just accepting it as something set in stone which it never has been.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 01:47 PM (VofaG)

233 Go back to old westerns from Zane Grey or Louis L'amour in the style of Lonesome Dove.
Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 01:46 PM (LA0fN)

Tom Selleck made some good ones. I think mostly made for TV.

Speaking of Tom Selleck. I recently watched Mr Baseball again after over 20 years and it holds up really well.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 01:50 PM (VofaG)

234 Tom Selleck made some good ones. I think mostly made for TV.

Speaking of Tom Selleck. I recently watched Mr Baseball again after over 20 years and it holds up really well.
Posted by: polynikes

Crossfire Trail, Last Stand at Saber River, Shadow Riders, The Sacketts& Quigley Down Under.

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 01:54 PM (LA0fN)

235 Gardening Thread is up.

Posted by: rickb223 at June 28, 2025 01:55 PM (LA0fN)

236 Tom Selleck made some good ones. I think mostly made for TV.

Speaking of Tom Selleck. I recently watched Mr Baseball again after over 20 years and it holds up really well.
Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 01:50 PM (VofaG)

Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott, no? Sacketts? My dad was/is a fan. Both the tv shows and the books.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at June 28, 2025 02:11 PM (bss/y)

237 "Grab a beer, we are going to talk markets and people who put their finger on the scale of them. (And no, this isn't a thread about the small hat people, so just stop)"
- - - - - - -
Something not mentioned, but probably bears investigation: How much of those corporate interests are actually Chinese and/or CCP?

They've gotten a LOT of money over the past few decades, so they can (and have) bought a lot of properties. Some near military bases which is its own brand of double-U tea eff. But buying large quantities of homes, renting out, and pricing them out of the market except for the occasional high-roller with low-sense? They get a bit of income from rental, decrease supply, and cause agitation in a non-friendly country (the USA).

And China is likely involved in a lot of policy implementations that are harmful to the US, like Climate Change Control. Stuff they NEVER do in their own country, but push over here because it's cheap to do - there are millions of useful idiots that would do it for free, just with a suggestion. So less property, and a third party that prevents building new ones (NIMBYs, and even BANANAs).

Posted by: Another Anon at June 28, 2025 02:19 PM (4h45B)

238 That 6% total commission a seller pays is most times way over the services you received. Theses days though the commission rate is negotiated rather than just accepting it as something set in stone which it never has been.
---------------
The commission is "over the services you received" because most people pick terrible Realtors. The NAR spent 50+ years collecting dues without ever bothering to educate the public about what the value of a good Realtor is, and as a result most who hold a license are just abjectly poor at what they do.

The good ones are worth every penny.

Posted by: Crusader at June 28, 2025 02:26 PM (TN0g+)

239 1h
Eco-Hypocrites Take Hundreds Of Private Jets To Bezos Wedding

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 02:28 PM (ytCg4)

240 Trump validates bitcoin.
Trump wants cash transactions of $200.00 reported.

This is going down the Nixon road. An outcome desired decision resulting in the long term support of autocracy and the loss of privacy.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 28, 2025 02:34 PM (ytCg4)

241 My mom keeps talking about downsizing to a smaller home, but the property values in her area are horrendous. She could sell her home for 5 times the value of what they bought it for (yay capital gains taxes) and move into a smaller home in a nearby retirement community for $150k more. I don't see the value of it, but she's felt lonely in her much too big for her by herself home since my dad died.

Posted by: Farquad at June 28, 2025 02:41 PM (YkGND)

242 Because you don't build for the future when the state can nuke your equity at any moment by throwing up some Affordable Housing next door

Nobody owns anything, so nobody bothers building anything
---------------
He learns that regardless of what he does—whether his action is right or wrong, honest or dishonest, sensible or senseless—if the pack disapproves, he is wrong and his desire is frustrated; if the pack approves, then anything goes. Thus the embryo of his concept of morality shrivels before it is born. He learns that it is no use starting any lengthy project of his own—such as building a
castle out of boxes—it will be taken over or destroyed by others.

Posted by: Ayn Rand at June 28, 2025 03:01 PM (TN0g+)

243 U.S. Air Force Looks to Retire All A-10 Warthogs By 2027
=======================
And, replace it with what??

Probably nothing. Or drones. What the military industrial complex wants would be an extremely expensive overly complicated plane that would be too valuable to expose to ground fire unless its WW3 or complete air supremacy and air defense suppression were already attained. But most of all big money for everyone involved.

Posted by: azjaeger at June 28, 2025 03:18 PM (3/XaG)

244 U.S. Air Force Looks to Retire All A-10 Warthogs By 2027
=======================
And, replace it with what??

Probably nothing. Or drones. What the military industrial complex wants would be an extremely expensive overly complicated plane that would be too valuable to expose to ground fire unless its WW3 or complete air supremacy and air defense suppression were already attained. But most of all big money for everyone involved.
Posted by: azjaeger at June 28, 2025 03:18 PM (3/XaG)

At one time I saw that there were two prop driven planes in the running. Yeah I know.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 03:22 PM (VofaG)

245 Posted by: Farquad at June 28, 2025 02:41 PM (YkGND)

You shouldn’t have to worry about taxes especially if she plans on buying another house.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2025 03:25 PM (VofaG)

246 On "Alligator Alcatraz"

“Donald Trump, his Administration, and his enablers have made one thing brutally clear: they intend to use the power of government to kidnap, brutalize, starve, and harm every single immigrant they can — because they have a deep disdain for immigrants and are using them to scapegoat the serious issues facing working people,” Frost said in a statement.

- Florida Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost

The enemy within.
An "immigrant", a legal term, is one who enters the country through legiitimate means on a valid immigrant visa.
Not an invader waved through by the Biden Coup.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 28, 2025 03:35 PM (/lPRQ)

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