Selected by urbantrekker

• 
  Home & Organizing

• Black Friday Deals on Home Goods

  Nykia Spradley

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  Typically I try to avoid Black Friday at all costs, but this year I'm considering braving the shopping elements and taking advantage of the deals.Considering the economic climate, both shoppers and retailers are looking for ways to recover a bit from the rough year. If there is an item that you've been itching to buy, now may be the time to get it. Stores will be vigorously slashing prices and consumers are ready to cash in on them. The key to surviving Black Friday is to go in with a plan, so I've compiled the list below (with the help of FatWallet.com), of this year's must…

• Streamline Your Holiday Card Mailing Process

  ErinDoland

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

  I'm the strange person who likes to take care of holiday cards the weekend after Thanksgiving. Experience has taught me that if I don't do it early in the holiday season, they just won't get done. As a result, I'm already cleaning up my mailing list and figuring out how many cards I need to purchase. Here is one organized way to get your holiday cards into the mailbox before March 2010: Have a digital address book: I use a Mac computer and Address Book is part of the basic operating system. If you're on a PC and use Windows, the Contacts list in Outlook does the same thing. Over the course of…

• Do You Bring a Hostess Gift to Thanksgiving?

  KristinAppenbrink

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:48 pm

  Since I won't be traveling home for Thanksgiving this year, a friend's family has generously invited me to spend it with them. My mother raised me better than to ever show up empty handed to a gathering, but I'm a little bit stumped on Thanksgiving. It's not technically a potluck, since my only contribution will be pies. (I'll be making the Gingery Apple Crumb Pie and the Bourbon and Orange Pecan Pie from our November 2009 issue.) And I will of course bring a bottle or two of wine. But I need your advice on whether or not I should be bringing a traditional hostess gift.

• Skinnyskinny: Organic Bath & Body

  HollyBecker

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:52 am

  For the next six weeks or so, I'm going to be popping in on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week as usual but with a twist -- I will highlight fab things for gift giving. So let's get started, shall we? Have you heard of skinnyskinny organic bath and body products in Brooklyn? They are my new favorite shop because of their organic goodies -- like lavender eucalyptus soap wrapped in pretty paper. Once you try a bar of their soap you won't be able to stop lathering and oooing and ahhhing -- just like an Herbal Essences commercial. Only you will be using something on your body that…

• Holiday Décor: When do you start decorating?

  Nykia Spradley

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:30 am

  I came home last week to a nice surprise. There were two small plants at the top of my stoop covered in festive red bows. It had my mom's name written all over it. She'd come over while I was at work and set them up. I was the perfect starting point to my holiday decorating. Usually I'm scrambling a week or two before Christmas to pull it all together, but this year I have been determined to get an earlier start. Even though it was two week before Thanksgiving, my mom's gesture was the perfect push toward an early holiday high. While Christmas is more than a month away, and my…

• 
  Cyburbia Forums | Urban Planning Community

• Song, Memory, When

  Bear Up North

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:41 pm

  This thread needs no explanation. Continue your scan..... Hanky Panky Living on the beach. Jennifer. 1966 Nights In White Satin Close to the end of first marriage. Cynthia. 1971 Jesus Is Just Alright Bachelors III Dance Bar. 1972 or 1973 Love Changes Everything Close to the end of another marriage. Carole. 1989. Ghostbusters Theme Detroit Tigers' World Series Championship 1984 (morphed to "Goosebusters") 1984 _____ Your turn. Bear

• Traffic-calming bumpout design

  southern_yank

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:10 pm

  I've started using microstation for some in-house design work. I'm working on a road diet for a residential collector which currently acts as a high speed through street between an urban arterial and our downtown. I've designed about 7 or 8 different kinds of bumpouts, but because the neighborhood blocks aren't a traditional grid, some of the turn radii vary greatly and don't fit a standard bumpout design. Can anyone recommend a design manual for bumpouts? It would be nice to have some templates I can refer to so when I take my designs to our engineers, I can refer to a previously built…

• APA National Conference - April 2010 - NOLA

  RichmondJake

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:48 pm

  Is it too early to start this thread? Very difficult economic times, but is anyone else planning to attend? I received verbal approval to head for the Big Easy and I know a couple of other Cyburbians are making plans to attend. Maybe a Laefest at Acme Oyster House or Larry Flynt's Hustler Club? Both are in walking distance of each other in the Quarter. Just starting the ball rolling.

• hello from florida

  nuHIrail

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:05 pm

  i am going to be a graduate of FSU in three weeks. i did the interdisciplinary social sciences undergrad program, my primary study (21 hours) is urban and regional planning, with a secondary concentration (12 hours) in economics. i became interested in urban planning after i began attending the university, and will be pursuing a path in economic development [preferably] in my next academic venture. however, another path i have recently become interested in pursuing is the planning involved in a high speed rail network president obama is pushing to create. i have discovered a newly found…

• Cheboygan, MI - Planner

  BrianVDB

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pm

  This is a good opportunity for someone with limited experience. The tip of the mitt is a beautiful place to live! :h: PLANNER Cheboygan County, Michigan encompassing 800 square miles of nature's best and strategically located at the tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula along the pristine shores of Lake Huron is seeking to hire a "Planner". Job requirements include: Assisting with amendments to Master Plan, preparing zoning amendments, conducting special planning projects, overseeing planning activities in conjunction with GIS system for the County; maintains, administers and enforces…

• 
  Archinect.com Feed

• New Archinect T-Shirts are almost ready to ship

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:10 pm

  We've received many inquiries about when we'll be re-stocking our t-shirts. The answer is very soon!... in the next few days actually. If you're interested please make sure you're signed up to our mailing list as we'll send out an announcement there first to let those of you that are interested to get the first chance. Some of the designs/sizes will sell out fast. And on a related note, we'll be releasing four more very cool designs in the next week or two. Stay tuned...

• Johnson Haunts Harvard

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:34 pm

  Philip Johnson's first completed project, a modest house not far from Harvard Square where the architect was studying in the '40s, caused a stir when it was built more for what went on behind its 9-foot walls than the building itself. But it continues to rankle today, as the school looks to turn the demure building into a salon for students while Cambridgians cry out. The Architect's Newspaper

• Erosion of Public Education in CA and Nationwide

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:51 pm

  As we hear reports of Alameda County sheriffs entering the Berkeley campus with tear gas today, and (on the positive side) the University of California teams doing very well in the WPA 2.0 competition (winners UCLA's cityLAB as well as Berkeley faculty runners-up Rael and de Monchaux), it's worth listening to this report on Democracy Now. | Don't forget, we're also documenting the contribution of the UCs to the arts and design disciplines here.

• Recent Results

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:07 am

  cityLAB Design Competition WPA 2.0 Rides Perfect Storm in DC WPA 2.0: Working Public Architecture, the design competition organized by UCLA�s cityLAB, culminated with the announcement of �Carbon T.A.P.// Tunnel Algae Park� as the winner of the professional competition and �R_Ignite� and �Aquaculture Canal_New Orleans� as the winners of the student competition... Rietveldprijs 2009 Goes to Business Park in Utrecht Papendorp The design for Papendorp Business Park in Utrecht, The Netherlands, West 8 designed together with Wissing Stedebouw en Ruimtelijke Vormgeving, has won the…

• The Architect as Totalitarian

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:20 am

  The City Journal's Theodore Dalrymple says "Le Corbusier was to architecture what Pol Pot was to social reform."

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  BD Latest News

• Gillespies’ Edinburgh scheme wins top landscape award

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:27 am

  Landscape and urban design practice Gillespies has scooped top prize in this year’s Landscape Institute Awards.

• Gillespies’ Edinburgh scheme wins top landscape award

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:27 am

  Landscape and urban design practice Gillespies has scooped top prize in this year’s Landscape Institute Awards.

• RIBA teams up to produce call climate change 'call for action'

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  The RIBA has joined forces with architecture institutes around the world to deliver a 15 point “call for action” on climate change in Copenhagen next month.

• RIBA teams up to produce call climate change 'call for action'

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  The RIBA has joined forces with architecture institutes around the world to deliver a 15 point “call for action” on climate change in Copenhagen next month.

• Publicist Deborah Stratton dies

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:26 am

  Architectural publicist Deborah Stratton has died after a long illness aged 54.

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  Google News: Architecture

• Transitional design melds with classic architecture for timeless elegance - Naples Daily News

  21 Nov 2009 | 3:19 am

  Transitional design melds with classic architecture for timeless eleganceNaples Daily NewsFor the interior to work with the architecture, they realized they needed the guidance of a professional interior designer. Working closely with Eddis, and more »

• OU's Gould Hall tops out - Norman Transcript

  21 Nov 2009 | 12:37 am

  OU's Gould Hall tops outNorman TranscriptThe action signified the approximate halfway point in the renovation and construction of Gould Hall, the architecture building on the South Oval. and more »

• Oklahoma City architecture firm wins global honors - NewsOK.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:58 pm

  Oklahoma City architecture firm wins global honorsNewsOK.comFive projects designed by Oklahoma City-based Elliott + Associates were recognized this week by the International Architecture Awards in Florence, Italy. and more »

• Architecture students return to share Ottawa's urban designs - MyWebTimes.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:36 pm

  Architecture students return to share Ottawa's urban designsMyWebTimes.comAfter visiting several weeks ago to research plans for downtown Ottawa's future, architecture students of Judson University are returning Monday, Nov. Architecture students to unveil vision for OttawaLaSalle News Tribuneall 2 news articles »

• Animal hospital wins UK's richest architecture prize - BBC News

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:47 am

  BBC NewsAnimal hospital wins UK's richest architecture prizeBBC NewsThe judges said: "This is a highly complex work of architecture which sets new standards in the design of buildings for veterinary medicine. Doolan Prize: Archial's Small Animal Hospital lands £25000 first prizeArchitects' JournalTouch of animal magic as £15m pet hospital named best new buildingScotsmanall 4 news articles »

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  Topix: Business Architecture

• Restoring bridge would cost more than replacing it

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:19 am

  Replacement or restoration are the options for dealing with Greenville's closed Ohl Street bridge, according to an engineer who's examined the 100-year-old span over the Shenango River.

• URS donates $2K to Golden Harvest

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:12 am

  The URS Corporation has donated $2,000 to the Golden Harvest Food Bank, which will provide 200 turkeys to area families in need during the Thanksgiving season.

• New Hwy 178 ramp is 'huge safety issue,' $1 million mistake

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:59 am

  The brand-new never-opened Fairfax Road offramp of westbound Highway 178 must demolished and rebuilt because of a design flaw, the Bakersfield public works department confirmed Monday.

• GE contractor dies after boat tips in Hudson River

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:39 am

  Two General Electric contractors were thrown into the Hudson River after their boat went over an upstate dam, killing 1 of them.

• OHL selects RedPrairie's Warehouse Management and Workforce Management solutions

  17 Nov 2009 | 1:55 pm

  Leading global third-party logistics company cites companya s technology architecture, industry experience and culture as key selection criteria MILWAUKEE, Wis.

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  Architectural Digest

• AD Directory - December 2009

  AchitecturalDigest.com

  31 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Look here for a listing of the designers, architects, hotels, museums, galleries and dealers featured in each month’s issue of Architectural Digest.

• Kelsey Grammer

  Patricia Leigh Brown

  31 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm

  (Slide Show) In Bel-Air, the Actor and His Wife, Camille, Preserve the Legacy of “Henry’s House”

• Brad Pitt Makes It Right: An Update

  AD

  31 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm

  (Slide Show) See what’s happened since AD’s January 2009 story on the actor’s efforts to rebuild New Orleans’s Lower Ninth Ward, hard hit by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

• James Burrows

  Peter Haldeman

  31 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm

  (Slide Show) The Veteran Television Director and His Wife, Debbie, Recast Their Bel-Air Home

• Donna Karan

  Judith Thurman

  31 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm

  (Slide Show) With Local Materials and Tropical Detailing, the Fashion Designer Dreams Up a Family Retreat in the British West Indies.

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  RAOL headlines

• new yale professorship honors charles gwathmey

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

• a trio of new architecture titles, reviewed

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

• urban land institute conference coverage

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

• new funding campaign for fallingwater offers naming opportunity for windows

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

• greenbuild 2009 coverage

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

• 
  INHABITAT

• Studio Lindfors’ Haunting Visual Prediction of Our Flooded Future World

  Moe Beitiks

  21 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

  The phrases “melting polar ice caps” and “rising water lines” are so ubiquitous now that they’ve almost lost their meaning. It’s all too easy to think “it will happen to that city, not mine.” Well to give us a bit more perspective, Studio Lindfors has presented us with these hauntingly realistic post-flood visions of New York and Tokyo. In a future partially submerged by melting glacier water, gondolas reemerge as a form of travel, riverside plants nestle up against neon street signs, and aquaculture blooms under bridges. It’s Water World…

• Polar Bear Robots Replace Dead Bears at St. Louis Zoo

  Beth Shea

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  Officials at the St. Louis Zoo are preparing for their holiday Wild Lights exhibit by installing electronic polar bear proxies in place of the deceased polar bears who died in their captivity. The gesture is rife with social commentary, given the fact that polar bears have become the iconic images of climate change, and our generation could witness their extinction. Could artificial animal zoo exhibits be the reality of the near future? See what PETA proposes and learn more about this new breed of bear at Inhabitots.READ MORE AT INHABITOTS > Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags:…

• Power Your Music Player With Your Running Pants

  Ariel Schwartz

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:32 am

  Instead of just burning calories, why not use all that energy from exercising to power your MP3 player? The Dancepants Kinetic Music Player, a shortlisted entry in Designboom’s Green Life competition, lets you do just that by converting kinetic energy from running, hopping, jumping, etc. into electricity to power an iPod or other music player. According to the Dancepants designers, the product is a “100 percent interactive way to feel the value of energy on your own.”READ MORE AT ECOUTERRE > Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: dancepants, ipod, kinetic energy, mp3,…

• Construction Begins on Amazing Tunnel-Shaped Rotterdam Market Hall

  Bridgette Meinhold

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:56 am

  Imagine having this sweet public market pop up in your town? Well the lucky residents of Rotterdam are actually getting one! This week, the mayor of the city announced the commencement of construction on the huge tunnel-shaped market hall which will flash images of gigantic fresh fruits and vegetables via LCD screens on the inside and be lined with balconied apartments offering killer views on the outside. This true mixed-use development combining residences, shopping, restaurants and a public market will be a central hub of activity for citizens and tourists. The project is being developed…

• Modern Manifesto House Made From Wood Pallets and Shipping Containers

  Bridgette Meinhold

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  While not totally prefabricated, the Manifesto House by Infiniski utilizes pre-made materials like shipping containers and wooden pallets to create a totally rad modern house. Infiniski’s mission is to build homes cheaply and quickly using sustainable materials while incorporating renewable energy systems. They have many designs already available, which can be interchanged and easily modified. Read the rest of Modern Manifesto House Made From Wood Pallets and Shipping Containers Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: Chile, Infiniski, James&Mau, Manifesto House, Prefab,…

• 
  Planetizen

• Competing Technologies Within Hydrogen Car Community

  Tim Halbur

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  Not only is the hydrogen car industry being pressured by outside competition such as electric cars and those that run on biofuels, but there is competition within the hydrogen car industry itself. read more

• Promise Takes Root in Dallas' Newest Park

  Alek Miller

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  A new multiuse park in Dallas, the first of four of its kind, is giving the downtown community a reason to celebrate. read more

• Friday Funny: Chicken Supports Chicken Ordinance

  Nate Berg

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm

  An unidentified person dressed in a chicken costume came out to a recent city council meeting in Durango, Colorado to support the city's recently-passed backyard hen ordinance. read more

• Class Divide in NY Inclusive Buildings

  Tim Halbur

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pm

  At the 101 Warren in Manhattan, developers split the building into luxury and affordable rentals to take advantage of tax breaks. Tensions have resulted, and now a proposed re-zoning would send the affordable residents' kids to a different school. read more

• Alternative Fuels Won't Change the Expense of Driving

  Tim Halbur

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm

  One of the conclusions of a new study in the San Francisco Bay Area is that switching to electric and alternative fuel cars won't reduce the burden on households because ownership is the most significant expense. Thus, density is the only way out. read more

• 
  Green Building : Jetson Green

• Caulkers Cash, Smaller Homes, Green Building Benefits, + Energy Monitors

  Preston Koerner

  21 Nov 2009 | 6:14 am

  Smaller homes are in the ascendant. How to choose energy-efficient windows. Hohm vs. PowerMeter: a side-by-side rundown. A stimulus that could save money: cash for caulkers. Green buildings reduce energy use, lower financial risk. Green buildings: fewer sick days, higher rents. Green building practices expand globally. Also, follow @jetsongreen on Twitter for more news, links, and commentary.

• LEED Platinum Ross Street House

  Preston Koerner

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:27 am

  This is the Ross Street House in Madison, Wisconsin.  It's located just a mile from the University of Wisconsin campus and the first LEED Platinum home in the entire state!  I first noticed the home in an article on Cadalyst, where author Kenneth Wong discussed the use of ArchiCad software to model the home and neighboring properties for context.  Owner Carol Richard, partner in the Atlanta firm of Richard Wittschiebe Hand, also used modeling to optimize the amount of natural light brought into the home.  The front of the house faces south and was designed to capture as much winter sun as…

• SMU Bush Library Goes for Platinum

  Preston Koerner

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:09 pm

  Yesterday, First Lady Laura Bush, architect Robert A. M. Stern, and landscape architect Matthew Urbanski unveiled the design of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas.  Located on the east side of SMU's campus, the design will complement the consistent Georgian architecture of the rest of the university.  And when complete, the $250 million building will be LEED Platinum certified.   Green features of the George W. Bush Presidential Center include locally sourced materials, recycled materials, solar hot water panels, solar photovoltaics, native landscaping, minimal use of…

• Five Unique and Green Home Designs

  Preston Koerner

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:28 am

  Architect and interior designer Johnna Barrett, Barrett Design, Inc., recently launched a set of five modern green home designs ranging in size from 1,800 to 2,500 square feet.  Offered for sale on Sustain House, the designs are contemporary and provide for energy savings of 20-30% above a home built to code.  The plans also include a LEED checklist designed to facilitate the earning of a LEED Gold or Platinum level certification, assuming an optimal site selection.  Check out these five homes in the Modern Forest Series ... do you have a favorite design? Nishiki House (click for…

• Green Clayton i-House Set in Kentucky

  Preston Koerner

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:47 am

  There's been a lot of talk of the i-House ever since Clayton Homes announced its launch in about January of this year.  The home is contemporary, affordable, and energy efficient.  Landowners Bob and Melinda bought a 37-acre swath of land in 2006, hoping to someday build a home on it and live the good country life.  They're 95 miles from Louisville in western Kentucky and had an i-House delivered just about a month ago.  I was able to get in touch with Bob by email and he tells me they're putting the finishing touches on the green, factory-built home.  He should have final interior and…

• 
  TreeHugger

• Houses Get Small (Sort Of) In Response to Recession

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:57 am

  Wall Street Journal Is it just the economy or is there a real change going on? Michael Phillips writes in the Wall Street Journal about how builders are offering smaller houses than they have in years. The Scarlett O'Hara stairs and two storey halls are out, and the plans are simpler, square-er, and way more efficient. Some might say that it is simply a response to the economy; as one commenter said " In a down economy smaller houses sell, and in a good economy bigger houses sell. Unless we have all ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

• Witold Rybczynski On The Four Paradigms of American Cities

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:32 am

  Bettina B. Cenerelli, Trudeau Foundation Witold Rybczynski could be described as a public intellectual, a prolific writer of accessible books about houses, cities and urban design. He opened the Trudeau Foundation's conference Cities and the Public Sphere: Rethinking the Urban Commons. with the remark that "one of the advantages of getting old is that you can look back in horror and dismay at some of the things that we did as architects and planners." He then proceeded to look back at the four parad... Read the full story on TreeHugger

• World Toilet Day - Really? Yes...Really.

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:54 pm

  "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Image credit:flickr, recubejim's photostream World Toilet Day , which happens to be right now, is needed for good reason. Per the WTD website: "2.5 billion people worldwide are without access to proper sanitation, which risks their health, strips their dignity, and kills 1.8 million people, mostly children, a year;" and, "Because even the world's wealthiest people still have toilet problems - from unhygienic public toilets to sewage disposal that destroys our waterways." They ar... Read the full story on TreeHugger

• Sulusso Offers 20% Off Sustainable Jewelry

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm

  Image via Sulusso. Looking for high-end, luxurious jewelry while being sustainable as well? The pieces found at Sulusso are just that, and so much more. Sulusso is an online marketplace featureing jewelry designers that all have one thing in common - a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. Sulusso offers the best selection of beautiful jewelry made with recycled metals, confli... Read the full story on TreeHugger

• Help Wanted: Extreme Green Consultant to Help TreeHugger Founder Renovate 420-square-foot Apartment in NYC

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:18 am

• 
  WebUrbanist

• Amazing Vintage Images from Japan’s Forgotten Master

  Delana

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  Photographs of Japan from the Meiji and Taisho Periods (1868-1926) have captivated viewers around the world since they were first circulated. One photographer in particular captured Japanese life so beautifully that his work has been seen by countless people all across the globe. Until very recently, though, his name was virtually unknown. Now we know that the prolific photographer’s name was T. Enami – or rather, that was his trade name. He was born Enami Nobukuni, and his work made a deep and far-reaching impact on photography. Some of T. Enami’s most popular and memorable…

• 15 (More!) Crafty Metal, Wood & Spiral Staircases

  Delana

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  Stairs aren’t just a boring, utilitarian part of our homes and public buildings. They’re an opportunity for an architect to really make a statement and do something bold and distinctive. From staircases that float to stairs that fit in impossibly tiny spaces to staircases that go nowhere, this often-overlooked part of everyday architecture is being rethought by many designers and architects. You’ll see no beige-carpeted run-of-the-mill staircases here; these are some (more!) of the best, strangest, and most beautiful staircases in the world. Lello Bookshop Stairs These…

• Truly Geeky Gadgets: 15 USB Weapons From FAIL To Fantastic

  Angie

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  We geeks love our gadgets. We get bored with simple office instant messaging to co-workers. We get creative. But of course our creativity ties back into our computers and a USB port. It started with ninja-geeks and weapon-shaped USB flash drives. However, that was not enough to spice things up around the office. The USB arms race began and sneaky office warfare has never been the same. Some USB weapons are fun to shoot at your office buddy, but some are used to strike fear in your cubicle neighbor’s heart. Guard your office, guard your room, guard your computer. Here are 17 USB…

• The Future Sounds Like This: 10 Magnificently Modern Musical Instruments

  Mike

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:24 pm

  The study of musical instruments (’organology’ – no, really) is the study of the human condition. Every culture is defined by its own distinctive set of trills, whistles, parps, honks and beats, and every corner of the world has evolved its own location-specific indigenous instrument to renew a sense of cultural identity through noisy self-expression. And instruments evolve – never more so than now, in the midst of a technological revolution that has opened up entirely new ways to make music. So settle back and compose yourself as we look at ten new instruments that…

• Mod Body Extremes: 10 Male & Female Meta-Modifications

  Marc

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:00 pm

  Body modification is a broad category that covers anything from socially acceptable ear piercings to culturally mandated circumcisions, but there’s a small niche in this category that involves the most extreme manipulation of the human body. Some trendsetters treat their bodies like a work of art and some cultures are simply handing down tradition, but all of the following examples are shocking in their own way, so brace yourself. Here are 10 shockingly extreme body modifications that aren’t for the faint of heart (or stomach). (Images via arkangel666, qeana, renzo_dinali) Society…

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  Art Deco Buildings

• Sherbrooke Hotel, Miami

  David Thompson

  21 Nov 2009 | 12:39 am

  The Sherbrooke Hotel on the corner of Collins Avenue and 9th Street in Miami South Beach is a fine example of streamline design.It was constructed quite late, post WWII, 1947. The architects were MacKay and Gibbs. It is a building as a ship, the corner parapet acting as a bridge. There is even a couple of portholes, one each side of the main entrance.Often streamline buildings have regular, horizontal bands of windows but the Sherbrooke Hotel has an unusual arrangement of different sized windows.As is often the case in sunny climates concrete eyebrows provide shading for the windows.See my…

• Sport @ Gare Centrale, Montreal

  David Thompson

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:16 am

  The Gare Centrale in Montreal was designed by J Campbell Merrett and opened in 1943.The ends of the ticket hall bear large blue and white murals by Charles Comfort depicting all aspects of Canadian life.Today I've picked out some sports that are included such as Ice Hockey (above).GolfLacrosseGridironSkiing and Ice SkatingSee my prints and t-shirts at www.redbubble.com/people/dct66 and tees and other giftware at www.zazzle.com/davidt66*.

• Empress Theatre, Montreal

  David Thompson

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:08 pm

  The Empress Theatre was not part of any of the tours during the 10th World Congress on Art Deco in Montreal in May 2009 but it was mentioned during Dane Lanken's presentation on Montreal Movie Palaces. Despite the rain I was glad I was able to make my own way out to see it.The Empress was designed by Montreal architect Alcide Chaussé with decoration by Emmanuel Briffa. It opened in 1927. Briffa has created a facade made up of Egyptian motifs, reliefs and hierglyphics. Coming just 5 years after Howard Carter discovered the unplundered tomb of Tutankhamun Briffa has included a Pharoah's mask…

• Namaqua House, Cape Town

  David Thompson

  16 Nov 2009 | 3:02 am

  Looking back at this picture of Namaqua House in Cape Town I am amazed at how the colourful the deco building is compared to the later buildings surrounding it.Even on this relatively dull day in 2003 the cream and coral colours stand out.Namaqua House was built in 1929 to a design by architects Roberts & Small. The top floor features a cantilevered balcony on each of the two face of the corner-sited building. The Cape Town Art Deco Architecture Map indicates his is an early use of such cantilevered balconies.The balconies and corresponding sheltering canopies are the most decorated parts of…

• Town Hall Extension, Maryborough

  David Thompson

  15 Nov 2009 | 2:46 am

  In 1939 a new streamline moderne entrance and an additional small hall were added to the side of the 1888 Maryborough Town Hall in central Victoria. The extension was designed by Melbourne architect Harry J Little.See my prints and t-shirts at www.redbubble.com/people/dct66 and tees and other giftware at www.zazzle.com/davidt66*.

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  Freshome

• Thanksgiving Table Decorations : Freshome Facebook Photo Contest

  Michael

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:23 am

  With Thanksgiving coming you’re probably spending tons of time thinking about the menu and all the possible ways to make this day a unique, because in this day we gather with our family and the most close friends right at the table to eat a tasty turkey. If you want to make an impression on your guests you should not only make a delicious but also very beautiful table. Now with this occasion I’ve decided to start a new contest here on Freshome  – we are looking for your best pictures on this theme : “Thanksgiving Table Decorations“. The best ones will be…

• ‘Twilight: New Moon’ Film House for Sale

  Michael

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:12 pm

  Fans of the “Twilight” films and novels will know that Bella, the mortal girl who comes into very close contact with a covenant of “vegetarian” vampires, is utterly fascinated with the house they live in the moment she sets eyes on it. Now for all the Twilight fans I here are some interesting news. The home used in  “Twilight: New Moon” film opening today, as the residence for Edward and the rest of the Cullen family is up for sale for $3.3 million. This is not the Hoke home that was featured in the first movie ( also featured here on Freshome ). The 5,000 sq ft,…

• Rewrite Desk : Designed to Take your Productivity to Another Level

  Michael

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:08 pm

  Sometimes I just want to want to work attentively without any disturbance, and the Rewrite Desk designed by GamFratesi is an awesome place to take your productivity to another level. This desk was awarded with Denmark’s Walk the Plank Award 2009 for excellence and craftsmanship in furniture. Showcased at GamFratesi’s solo show at The Danish Museum of Art and Design, the workstation features a cave-like shield that installs a big screen, upholstered and covered with textile to highlight its visual and acoustic aspects, so it can be used as a satellite desk wherever you like. The…

• Coffee Table that Encourages Clean Surface Space

  Michael

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:22 pm

  The Cornered Coffee Table by Dylan Gold is a coffee table that encourages clean surface space by giving your magazines and table books a home. Here are a few words about this table from the website that sells this coffee table : “Take your average coffee table, construct one leg as a cross-section of a rotated cube and you get a table that values a clean surface area without losing a place to hold your favorite books and magazines. The Cornered coffee table embodies the inherent function of all coffee tables. ” Finally I think that this idea is pretty clever, but not at $1.900.

• Luxury in True Sense : Eterne Bathtub by Pearl

  Michael

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:59 pm

  The Eterne drop-in bathtub by Pearl is an awesome idea that adds a lavish retreat to your master bathroom. The sleek and the finest beauty of the bathtub bestow you in comfort and is irresistibly inviting. As comfort is considered top priority at Pearl, Eterne features ingeniously integrated armrests that are perfectly positioned for extra ease and support. The striking amenities comprise Sleek Integrated Handles and Ozonator Whirlpool System. The handle serves as security when entering and exiting the bathtub and the ozonator purifies bath water, providing a safe and clean bathing…

• 
  New Urbanism Blog

• Park: Milwaukee’s former planner embraces rail as key to urban development

  admin

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:31 pm

  Peter Park has certainly been on the vanguard of Planning Directors in the last decade or so, first in Milwaukee and now Denver. This article profiles his current thinking and what they are doing now in Denver in terms of planning and zoning. Park: Milwaukee’s former planner embraces rail as key to urban development 11/16/2009 By Marc Eisen For WisBusiness.com Peter Park, the star urban planner behind Milwaukee’s downtown revival, returned to Wisconsin Friday to discuss the lessons he’s learned in his new work as Denver’s planning chief. “We need to look at transportation and…

• Eco design compliments green sustainability to the skylines

  admin

  30 Oct 2009 | 10:12 am

  Cities around the world are running into the same problems with their infrastructure: how can we create true eco-friendly living where cars, concrete and metal dominate? Its not simple. Problems of old infrastructure and traditional city planning curb significant efforts to recreate a city’s environment. New urban developments, like Blue Springs’ downtown revitalization, are much easier to reimagine with green living; the upper west side of Manhattan is another thing entirely. What is the answer? Instead of trying to take the cities back into the natural environment, architects,…

• NRDC: Going car-free is the new chic in cities increasing sustainability in urban design

  admin

  27 Oct 2009 | 11:08 am

  This is an excellent post that reveals again how markets and market preferences are not stagnant – they respond to many variables. And, in this case, we see what might be a minor trend for now, but something to consider strongly for the future. Click the screenshot on the left to go to the post from the National Resources Defense Council’s Switchboard blog: “Never mind the Prius – the new chic is going car-free entirely” Related posts:A post from NRDC’s Switchboard: Orenco Station found to have more walking, community interactionA master plan behind covering…

• A post from NRDC’s Switchboard: Orenco Station found to have more walking, community interaction

  admin

  19 Oct 2009 | 12:42 pm

  The following was written by Kaid Benfield and originally posted on the Switchboard, the NRDC blog: As many readers of this blog already know, Orenco Station was built as one of the country’s first new, suburban transit-oriented developments. It’s on Portland’s MAX light rail line in Hillsborough, Oregon, and comprises some 1,850 housing units and a town center that includes 68,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving, ground-floor commercial space (with lofts above) on a total of 190 acres. The now-iconic community was one of the first choices we made while researching…

• A master plan behind covering the Path to Prosperity in shade: Incorporating “street trees” into the urban design of neighborhoods

  admin

  19 Oct 2009 | 11:03 am

  In his seminal book “Great Streets”, Allan Jacobs wrote “given a limited budget, the most effective expenditure of funds to improve a street would probably be on trees.” I couldn’t agree more. This is not simply an exercise in greenwashing or tree-hugging. In fact, when planning for cities one of the more damaging paths to go down is to think that green is always good. It’ll be interesting in fact when the current phase of green fancy dies down so we can start to have more rational discussions of what “green” is appropriate in a walkable environment and how…

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  dornob

• Tiny Camper-Trailer Converts into Huge Mobile Motorhome

  d0rn0b

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  Good building design, to paraphrase, can hide inside very small structures. At first glance it looks just like a full-sized luxury motor home – but the illusion of a large solid volume of spaces comes from a temporary tent-like structure. This layered enclosure folds out of a remarkably sleek, compact and modern-looking trailer attachment many times smaller than the full-scale living-and-dining area that it can convert into. It is aptly named Opera, perhaps for its visual similarity to the famous music hall in Sydney, by designer Axel Enthoven. Built-in cabinetry, hardwood floors, two…

• Seat Back, Rocker On: Modern Curved-Wood Rocking Chair

  d0rn0b

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:45 pm

  Maybe more than any other kind of chair, rockers have certain cultural associations as a furniture type – they are traditionally ornate, featuring turned-wood elements and many pieces cut and fit into one another along mortise-and-tenon conventions. From the narrow profile to the swooping lines and plywood styling, this is anything but your ordinary rocking chair design. And yes, this design rocks. Made of skinny layers of maple and walnut to accent its curves, each bend is clean, crisp and minimal in this somewhat non-traditional approach to rocking chair construction. Moreover, the…

• Cool DIY Design Idea: Big Modular Blocks to Make Furniture

  d0rn0b

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am

  Like LEGOs come to life, it was only a matter of time until somehow thought (literally) big about how to apply similar principles at the scale of real people – modular pieces to make furniture for actual human use. The result? A fantastic set of custom building-block modules for space-saving furniture that you can transform at will made from a combination of soft, hard, transparent and opaque parts that can be reused essentially forever. To be fair: these are colorful, creative and interactive … though anything but cheap. Fortunately, it does not seem to take many to build…

• Real-Life 3D Wallpaper: Off-the-Wall Room Decorating Idea

  d0rn0b

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:15 am

  Wallpaper is supposed to sit flat and blend into the background – a simple decorative surface over otherwise bare walls. Colors and patterns of traditional wallpapering types inform the rhythms of this offbeat design idea but are just the beginning of a unique alternative to boring old wall coverings. A standard stripe pattern ‘lifts up’ from the floor and folds into a series of functional shelving spaces for books and other odds and ends – there is even a ‘blank’ space below where, conceptually, the wallpaper was moved to accommodate this…

• Colorful Ceiling Shower Concept, Seeks Extra-Long Curtain

  d0rn0b

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pm

  Ever see those pictures of perfectly pristine, clean and organized modern bathrooms and wonder if anyone actually lives like that? While this shower is a cool concept fixture, the design seems to leave out the functionally necesary  floor-to-ceiling curtain – along with hooks, rails and rods – and it looks doubtful that the standard 84-inch type will do the trick. Created by Antonio Lupi to be (almost magically) minimalist, a simple square or rectangle ceilings-suspended shower head lets out a broad rainwater-style stream of water designed to drop down into the abstract curved…

• 
  Home Improvement Made Easy on Doityourself.com

• How to Clean a Terrazzo Floor

  21 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  It is important to know how to clean a terazzo floor in order to keep it looking like new as long as possible. Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

• How to Clean a Bearskin Rug

  21 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  Knowing how to clean a bearskin rug will help you to save a lot of money. Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

• How to Clean a Sheepskin Rug

  21 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  Knowing how to clean a sheepskin rug will allow you to enjoy the look and feel of your rug for years to come. Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

• How to Clean a Cast Iron Dutch Oven

  21 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  To use your cast-iron dutch oven most effectively, follow the suggestions below to condition and clean it properly to make it easier to use. Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

• How to Clean an Ice Maker in a Freezer

  21 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  The ice maker is a convenience in a freezer that may be taken for granted-until something goes wrong. Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

• 
  AskTheBuilder.com

• Custom Stairs

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:20 am

  Custom staircases can be made in a variety of styles - custom iron stairs, custom metal stairs or custom wood stairs - to name a few. When building your custom stairs, be sure they meet code and fit into your area.

• Toilet Parts

  13 Nov 2009 | 10:15 am

  Replacing toilet parts is a job that most home owners can tackle. Flush toilet parts are readily available and most use similar replacement toilet parts.

• Tub Faucets

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:53 am

  Selecting the right tub faucet is a major decision. There are antique tub faucets, roman tub faucets, claw foot tub faucets and more. But is the tub faucet the first item to select? Or is it the tub?

• Soapstone Countertops

  30 Oct 2009 | 9:30 am

  A soapstone countertop looks great. However, soapstone kitchen countertops require a lot of care. Here are some of the soapstone countertops pros and cons.

• Fireplace Accessories

  23 Oct 2009 | 9:08 am

  There are lots of wood burning fireplace accessories to pick for your fireplaces. Fireplace tools come in a variety of materials and finishes. Quality should be a major consideration when selecting the proper wood fireplace accessories.

• 
  Bathroom Remodel DIY Tips and Ideas

• Nov 20, General Bath Remodel How To Questions and Answers

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:14 am

  General Bath Remodel How To Questions submitted by website visitors

• Nov 20, What is the sequence for the major parts of a powder room remodel?

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:32 pm

  My initial question was to be, At what point in the powder room remodel do you install the new floor? Overall sequencing could be helpful. The

• Nov 20, Sheet rock

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:25 pm

  The sheet rock under the tiles on our bathroom walls is starting to disintegrate. The tiles are falling off because of it. How do we fix that?

• Nov 20, Sheet rock

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:25 pm

  The sheet rock under the tiles on our bathroom walls is starting to disintegrate. The tiles are falling off because of it. How do we fix that?

• Nov 20, No-Shower tub to a Shower tub

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:17 pm

  My husband and I decided to completely gut our bathroom. There are no walls or ceiling so the plumbing is exposed. Our house was built in the 40's and

• 
  Old House Web Blog

• Old House Blogging Contest Finalists to be Announced

  Lucy O'Neill

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:56 am

  A big thank you to all of the bloggers who entered our Old House Blogger Contest. We will be reading entries this weekend and selecting our five favorites. These finalists will move on the the second round of the competition.As noted in the contest rules, we’ll be judging entries on the following criteria:On Monday, November 23rd, we’ll announce the five finalists and you’ll have a chance to read and rate the entries and vote for your favorite. The winning blogger will win a $250 gift card to Lowe’s and an opportunity to become a paid contributor to the Old House…

• Buying an Old House Now Might Really Help a Family

  Conrad

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:54 pm

  Old House for SaleIt seems like every time I read the financial news there is another article about looming foreclosures. The last several years the big issue was the subprime mortgages, and the damage they were causing. Much of this crisis appeared to be caused by greedy lenders making loans that they should not have been, to buyers who were purchasing houses that were beyond their means, and in some cases to buyers who should not have been purchasing a house of any type.I hate seeing anyone lose their home to foreclosure, although working in the home building business I saw many people…

• Knob and Tube

  Mark Clement

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:40 am

  If you have an old house, you know this refers to the wiring that’s probably coursing current to your lights and plugs.The knobs are ceramic clips (ceramic–imagine the expense installing those today!) that secure and protect the fabric-jacketed wire parallel to the joist and/or serve as a pivot point to change the wire’s direction. The tubes are ceramic sleeves that protect the wire as they pass perpendicular through a joist or stud. Caption: Note the knob on the left, the two tubes in the foreground.The good news is that knob and tube is intrinsically safe because the hot…

• Plaster–Repair What’s There?

  Mark Clement

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:33 am

  We face difficult questions repairing our vintage homes. Should we repair what’s there or replace with new materials and techniques?This question arises in various forms throughout any old house remodel (from molding to appliances to fenestration), I find it often first pops up when it comes to plaster.Generally, plaster performs better than drywall because it is more massive: Three coats of hand-applied material (brown coat, scratch coat, and finish coat) typically deliver rock-solid, sound-deadening walls and ceilings with a glass-smooth finish; emphasis on sometimes. And whether we…

• Old Houses and the Holidays

  Conrad

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:51 pm

  Old House HolidaysThanksgiving is next week, and for me the Thanksgiving Parade in New York has always meant the start of the Holiday Season. I will soon see holiday lighting up in the small town I live in, the town’s decorations on the main road which passes through, and the individual homes decorated for the season. I confess I really enjoy it, and always have. There is something special about the season, regardless of your beliefs, and it always seems magnified when I drive down a street or road, and see old houses decorated for the holidays.Don’t get me wrong, I think the…

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  Home Addition

• Raking Leaves in New Hampshire

  TheBuilder

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:03 pm

  By Mark J. DonovanI spent the better part of today raking leaves up at my home on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. I had been told there were a lot of leaves in the yard, but I was still shocked at just how many were on the ground when I arrived upon the scene today. The entire lawn was completely covered in a dense layer of leaves.As I raked the leaves today, I came to the conclusion that due to all of the rain we had had this past spring and early summer there must have been an increase in leaf production on the trees this year, if not in the quantity of leaves at least in the size of…

• Ceramic Tile Shower Maintenance

  TheBuilder

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:33 am

  A Properly Maintained Ceramic Tile Shower Can Keep Its Beauty IndefinitelyBy Mark J. DonovanInstalling a new ceramic tile shower can really make a master bathroom suite shine. However, regular ceramic tile shower maintenance is crucial for maintaining its beauty. If not properly maintained, a ceramic tile shower can quickly become laced with mold and mildew, showing up particularly on grout lines.Ceramic tile shower maintenance is fairly simple to do, although it does require some discipline. First and foremost, it is imperative to wipe down the ceramic tile shower walls and floor after each…

• New Window Blinds Reduce Home Heating Bills

  TheBuilder

  10 Nov 2009 | 8:49 am

  By Mark DonovanThere is a new window blind on the market today that could potentially lower your home heating bills by as much as 35%, according to the manufacturer SolarChoice Heat.The window blind is a passive heating system that consists of a series of vertical vanes that are actually hollow. As the air is heated in the vanes, it rises out the top of them and draws cold air in from the bottom. In summary, these new window blinds take advantage of the sun’s energy by transferring the sun’s thermal energy to the home.See "Green Window Treatments That Reduce Home Heating Bills" to get a…

• Going Throttles Up on HomeAdditionPlus.com

  TheBuilder

  1 Nov 2009 | 7:41 am

  Starting in November HomeAdditionPlus is Priority One By Mark J. DonovanWell after 5 years of running HomeAdditionPlus.com and HomeAddition.blogspot.com on a part-time basis, I have decided to go full throttle. Starting this month I will be dedicating all of my working days to these two websites in order to bring site visitors more helpful DIY home improvement information.I have been stunned by the rapid growth in site traffic to HomeAdditionPlus.com, particularly over the past couple of years. In addition I have been impressed with the amount and quality of questions coming in from site…

• Installation of Motion Sensor Lights in Anticipation of Halloween

  TheBuilder

  28 Oct 2009 | 9:48 am

  My Home is now Protected and Secured from Midnight GoblinsBy Mark J. DonovanOver this past weekend I installed motion sensor lights on the exterior of my home. The old conventional lights had been looking a little drab and long in the tooth, so I thought in anticipation of Halloween this coming weekend, it was a good time to replace them.Motion sensor lights are great for providing additional security to your home. Though an exterior light cannot prevent an intruder from entering your house it can give them pause when the lights flash on. Typically that pause is long enough to make them think…

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  Home Improvement Blog

• Weekend DIY projects

  Susan

  13 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  image from Sico Paints During these darkening days that more becoming more and more gray and chilly weekends make for more homebodies, it’s the perfect time to get started on perking up the home. Quick & budget Ideas to improve curb appeal: * Paint the front door - A high-gloss bold colour that complements the exterior material or coordinates with the garage door will instantly create a sense of new. Perhaps a perky new welcome mat would be a nice accessory. * Add potted plants around the entrance way. For a greater spruce up, tidy up the landscaping. If you haven’t done so…

• Stay Warm This Winter

  Susan

  13 Nov 2009 | 7:19 am

  Winterizing your home should start with thinking about Safety First, and the best way to ensure the safety of your HVAC system is to get a heating tune-up to be sure its efficient operation throughout the cold season. After that’s accomplished, all you have to do is be sure you’re not wasting additional energy. You can reduce your heating costs further by doing a few simple things yourself that won’t cost a ton. One way to find out if you’re wasting energy is to do your own 5-step Energy Audit: 1.    Take a walk around the exterior of your house and check for cracks around windows…

• Air sealing for Deep Energy Savings!

  Susan

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:01 am

  by Kert Heinecke Green building in its current manifestation is primarily hype. The market, quick to jump on the bandwagon, has focused primarily on tangible products that may draw envy from neighbors, but do little to actually preserve precious resources and reduce your energy bills. The real decision to go ‘green’ should start with the decision to minimize the home energy footprint. Growing consensus among building scientists suggest that the first major step to improving a homes energy efficiency is home air sealing, and it is feasible for all existing homes. When you add the current…

• Want a Dream Bathroom?

  Susan

  30 Oct 2009 | 8:43 am

  image from www.BriarRenos.com Dreaming of a large, luxurious spa bathroom? Or are you an avid DIYer that wants gorgeous results while sticking to a strict budget? Here are some tips that can save you money if you decide to give the bathroom a makeover. 1. Go Green: Yes it’s the trendiest term this year, but it’s a frame of mind that if taken seriously and sensibly (instead of for militant show - you know who what type I’m talking about) it can also save you money. Try to keep your existing materials - that coat of no-VOC paint and finish may make the cheap but cheery…

• Fall Home Maintenance Tips

  Susan

  26 Oct 2009 | 9:19 am

  by Tina Gleisner Keep the Water Out Today’s houses are built with a variety of materials. Vinyl siding won’t rot when exposed to water but many parts of a house are made from natural materials like wood. Wood becomes a food source for mold growth when the moisture level gets too high. Our homes are designed to direct water down and away from your home. Roof shingles overlap to keep water flowing down but when they age (crack, curl, etc) water can get under the shingles and the plywood sheathing can rot. Inspect and Repair Potential Water Leaks You will save time and money if you…

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  The Kitchen Designer

• Kitchen Design Notes And Experiences

  Susan Serra, CKD

  8 Nov 2009 | 12:51 pm

  This post may sound self serving, and, well, it IS, and it is rare that I am quite this direct, but what I want to do is illustrate, specifically, why a client must continue to ask questions of his/her kitchen designer throughout the entire design process, even if you, the client, think it's a question not worth asking, or worse, assume that you instinctively know the answer! Here is the crux of this post: a client, now immersed in the world of kitchens, sometimes, mostly, or nearly always, believes that he/she knows the (sole, and "right") solutions to the issues in his/her kitchen project,…

• Sears Appliances - Kenmore Too!

  Susan Serra, CKD

  5 Nov 2009 | 4:44 am

  Yesterday, just outside of Chicago, I attended a multi-brand appliance event, hosted by Sears. It was quite an eye opening experience, as Sears appliances, quite honestly, have not been on the radar in my business. Exactly why I needed to get with the program increase my awareness, so I welcomed this opportunity. First, my conclusions: Sears understands their appliance-purchasing customer and has responded with an on-target, modern, line-up of appliances as they completely rebrand the 60 year old Kenmore line. They also understand that it is beneficial to interact more closely with…

• Kitchen Design Consulting - Long Island & Metro New York

  Susan Serra, CKD

  1 Nov 2009 | 11:32 am

  Finally! Just what Long Island and metro New York needs: in-person, unbiased, professional kitchen design consulting services. Although the emphasis on the page talks about kitchen design phone consultations, local in-person consultations are available as well. My local area is all of Long Island, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, as fits, regionally, into the "metro New York" region. More information can be found in this post, introducing this service.  My Kitchen Design Consulting service can be helpful if you: are stuck on any one, or several, specific design issues would…

• Kitchen Design Consulting

  Susan Serra, CKD

  1 Nov 2009 | 9:52 am

  I've been offering kitchen design consulting services informally and have not devoted a special page on my blog to this service until now.  I am very pleased to formally introduce the One Hour Phone Consultation! Call me about...well, anything related to your kitchen design project that is just not sitting right with you and for which you need a first OR a second opinion.  I am happy to provide this kitchen design consulting service which can be invaluable to those who otherwise are at a loss as to what decision to make, be it in regard to products, design issues, style issues, or…

• Open Kitchen Floorplan Or Closed?

  Susan Serra, CKD

  28 Oct 2009 | 3:48 pm

  The results are in! Thank you for taking the survey! The topic of the kitchen floorplan survey was spur of the moment for me. I had just finished a marathon session designing my own kitchen (in a dreamlike state as it is at least a year or two off). Suddenly, grappling with issues and questions pertaining to a wide open (to the entire main floor) vs. a partially open floorplan, I thought it would be very interesting to hear what others thought...especially now. So, I put up a quick poll and noted it on Twitter. Now, we are in, what many think, is a different time, a kitchen "evolution". Many…

• 
  About.com Home Repair

• Replacing a Furnace Thermocouple or Electronic Flame Sensor

  14 Nov 2009 | 4:33 am

  When the gas burner in your furnace does not turn on or your pilot light in an older furnace is out, you may find that the problem lies in a little device that controls the gas valve. In an older standing pilot furnace the device is called a thermocouple. In newer electronic furnaces it is called a flame sensor. However they both perform the same basic function, and that is to control gas flow. In the tutorial Replacing a Furnace Thermocouple or Electronic Flame Sensor I describe how to easily replace a furnace thermocouple in an older style standing pilot furnace or an electronic flame…

• Get Your Home Cozy for the Coming Cold Weather

  7 Nov 2009 | 3:56 pm

  Is it really almost dark at 5:00 PM already?! I am always amazed at how fast the Fall season arrives. It's a beautiful season but it is the last window of opportunity to get your home ready for winter if you live in a colder climate. In the Tutorial Easy Home Winterizing I'll walk you through an easy to implement, comprehensive list of things to check. From plumbing systems to your roof, we'll walk through each system and hit the major things to check before winter comes so you can enjoy the snow and not worry about your home. So read on and let Fall, well, "fall in!" 'Cause you'll be ready!

• Review: Energizer Swivel Head LED Flashlight

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:02 am

  This LED Hard Case Swivel Head flashlight by Energizer is part of the Hard Case® Professional® series and is a must have for your toolbox. It's also available in Headlight (head mounted) and small Inspection Light versions. This swivel head version is reviewed by me in Review: Energizer Hard Case Swivel Head LED Flashlight. The flashlight operates on 2-AA batteries and is only 7 inches long but produces a very impressive bright white light surpassing many conventional flashlights. Also gone is the wimpy blue LED light that plagued early LED's. The Energizer unit uses new LED technology and…

• Do You Have a Psycho Shower Head?

  31 Oct 2009 | 12:05 pm

  It's Halloween and one of my favorite horror movies is Hitchcock's Psycho. The shower scene with Janet Leigh (as Marion Crane) is the iconic scene from the classic 1960 film. But you know, as a Home Repair Guide, I have to say the Bates Motel provided pretty nice shower heads for their guests, although they weren't low flow heads. Of course Marion never noticed since she was dealing with other issues in the shower. In the tutorial Replacing a Shower Head, I'll show you how easy it is for you to upgrade to something nicer than what Marion Crane used and definitely make your shower experience a…

• Is Your Furnace Electronic Ignition Out Cold?

  23 Oct 2009 | 9:53 am

  Furnace ignition problems and solutions vary according to the type of furnace ignition system you have. Not all furnace pilot light ignition problems relate to a standing pilot in your furnace as I describe in How to Light a Gas Furnace Pilot. Most all modern furnaces use an electronic ignition system having either an intermittent pilot or hot surface ignition. Modern electronic ignition systems are more reliable than the standing pilot systems of old, but just as your new car has an electronic brain, so do some of these furnaces. And that means you're somewhat limited as to what can be done…

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  Rambling Renovators

• Phone Book, look!

  Wanderluster

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:15 pm

  My name is Wanderluster and I am addicted to my iPhone. There, I've said it. As a new mom, I wonder how I've managed to live without one for so long. Sure, its great for holding a million photos and videos of Chloe, but its even more awesome for storing my To Do lists (pregnancy brain lasts well after pregnancy, I'll tell you!), tracking all of our doctors appointments, playdates, and baby classes, and keeping me preoccupied when those breastfeeding sessions run a little long. And while I've come across some apps meant for little ones (like baby flash cards), I've never really been keen on…

• Etsy Shopping

  Wanderluster

  16 Nov 2009 | 1:57 pm

  Have you started your Christmas shopping? I haven't. But after spying these pretty things on etsy, I may just have to put some things in my cart. Teacher Holiday Greeting by simplesongdesignsPalest pink ring by sweetminiGirl's Christmas dress by HolyCrapClothingPink Lemonade Headband by ummashinCounting Fish set by Heartfelt3Brown silk headband by BeSomethingNewLiterary Journey by almondtreeframes Kids chunky cowl by knittles

• Pecha Kucha

  Wanderluster

  15 Nov 2009 | 5:37 pm

  It's that time of year again when HandyMan and I put together a Pecha Kucha Night. What's a Pecha Kucha you ask? It's a high-energy presentation format. Think of it like the Twitter of presentations - each presenter shows a slideshow of 20 images, each slide shown for 20 seconds. Oh, and its tons of fun for the audience to watch (especially when a presenter looks over their shoulder and realizes they're talking way too long and are 6 slides behind!).As we did last year, we are organizing the Pecha Kucha for Trade Day at the Interior Design Show, Canada's largest contemporary design event. IDS…

• Sarah says...

  Wanderluster

  8 Nov 2009 | 6:24 pm

  This cute pic has nothing to do with today's post :)Lucky me, I had the chance to hear Sarah Richardson speak live and in person yesterday. And I got a free Tassimo at the event, so I was doubly lucky! Sarah was as down to earth, fun and engaging as she is on her shows. During the talk, Sarah mentioned her thoughts on design which I wanted to share with you all:Sarah thinks more traditional kitchens (of which she is a huge fan) are making a comeback. Think stained kitchen cabinetry with rich woods like crotch mahogany and panelled doors.Consider getting kitchen cabinet doors professionally…

• A Modernist Jewel Uncovered

  Wanderluster

  5 Nov 2009 | 3:25 pm

  I really shouldn't be writing this post. Not that it isn't post-worthy - it is - but if anyone should be talking about this house:...its HandyMan. This is the house that started it all. This is the house in which HandyMan grew up. Its the house his parents bought in 1969 and which Mama HandyLuster lived in until we sold it this past June. Its a house filled with memories and experiences, good and bad, as all well-loved homes are. See that iron gate, the large dial sculpture, the fence? HandyMan built them. And he painted the exterior and laid the walkway too. Here's the interior courtyard and…

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  This Old House: How-To And Repair

• How to Winterize Shrubs

  31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm

  Heavy snow and other cold-weather hazards can wreak havoc on yard plantings. Here's how to help your hedges make it to spring damage-free

• 60-Minute Fixes

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:25 am

  The guests are arriving any day now, but the to-do list is endless. Here are 5 simple repairs you can finish off in less than an hour, before the house starts to fill up

• How to Replace a Kitchen Sink

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:05 am

  Installing a new kitchen sink with This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey

• How to Repair a Baluster

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:10 am

  In this how-to video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva mends a busted baluster

• How to Prune and Train Roses

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:10 am

  In this how-to video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook enhances the look and life of a rose bush

• 
  GARDENING - Google News

• Select the right tree to accent your garden - Seattle Times

  Google Inc.

  Select the right tree to accent your gardenSeattle TimesYardsmart: Maureen Gilmer, a horticulturist, offers gardening tips. This week's topic is on accent trees. By MAUREEN GILMER This Japanese maple will become and more »

• Florida aims to boost credit to small businesses with `Economic Gardening' - MiamiHerald.com

  Google Inc.

  Florida aims to boost credit to small businesses with `Economic Gardening'MiamiHerald.comFlorida's Economic Gardening Program -- designed to help high-growth companies with loans and training -- is now taking applications. Get your gloves for some economic gardeningSarasota Herald-Tribuneall 2 news articles »

• Organic Gardening Methods and Techniques Introduced by Native Americans ... - TransWorldNews (press release)

  Google Inc.

  Washington TimesOrganic Gardening Methods and Techniques Introduced by Native Americans TransWorldNews (press release)In his new ebook “Squanto's Secret Garden” Bill Heid, president of Solutions from Science, brings to light the critical role the Native Americans played in Book explains secrets of 1st Thanksgiving to 21st century consumersWND.comall 61 news articles »

• Correa 'Sister Dawn': Subtle Aussie evergreen - San Francisco Chronicle

  Google Inc.

  Correa 'Sister Dawn': Subtle Aussie evergreenSan Francisco Chronicleis a nurseryman, gardening writer and photographer who cares for a sprawling Oakland garden. E-mail comments to home@sfchronicle.com and check and more »

• Michelle Obama visits Va. school, tours garden - The Associated Press

  Google Inc.

  The Associated PressMichelle Obama visits Va. school, tours gardenThe Associated PressFirst Lady Michelle Obama received a few gardening tips from students Wednesday as she toured a Virginia elementary school's vegetable garden. and more »

• 
  WashingtonGardener

• Gather Your Garden Vignettes

  WashingtonGardener

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:53 am

  Yesterday I met with our photo contet judge and a past multiple contest winner for tea, we three discussed possible changes to the Washington Gardener Photo Contest for our next round. We ended up concluding we need to add a fourth category to our Washington Gardener Photo Contest:Garden VignettesThis is a new class for those images that fall between the wide Garden Views (landscape scenes) and the macro Small Wonders (flower or plant part close-ups). Examples of Garden Vignettes include groupings of plants in beds or containers, unusual color…

• Feng Shui, Persimmons,a new Daylily, and a much more

  WashingtonGardener

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:06 am

  The November 09 issue of the Washington Gardener Enews is now out.

• Unusual Colors for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

  WashingtonGardener

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:02 am

  The rains have finally stopped from that darn Nor'easter spawned by Hurrican Ida and I could get out a take some pics for today's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. What I found was lots still in bloom including the Mutabilis (Chinese butterfly) rose, PJM rhododendrons (pictured at left), alyssum, impatiens, lantana, etc. But also lots of interesting colors in plants I don't normally think of for autumn interest, like these:ForsythiaCrape MyrtleLily of the ValleyHydrangeas

• Things I've Dug Up

  WashingtonGardener

  13 Nov 2009 | 1:28 pm

  A couple of days ago I tweeted (and FBed) a question: What is oddest thing you've dug up while gardening? Here are the collected answers from the cute to the macabre to the downright bizarre:TheNatrlCaptl: A Masonic ring. And horseshoes, about 10" deep. tinkhanson: I found a civil war cannon shell digging in our yard, unexploded - still have it bcbolin: We are down the hill from Bunker Hill Road (very old road b/t Bladensburg port & Georgetown) & we've found canister shot Plantweenie: We dug up about 50 pairs of panty hose....so creepy. All while trying to plant one shrub.

• Call me MS. New Regional Director

  WashingtonGardener

  11 Nov 2009 | 2:25 pm

  I'm the new Region II Director for the Garden Writers Association. I join my fellow Region II Directors, Denise Cowie and Steve Maurer, in setting the regional meetings and programs. Region II is compact, it contains the Mid-Atlantic states of DC, MD, DE, PA NJ, and PA, but annoyingly does not include northern Virginia. (That is a long story for another time.) We are the smallest region by land area, though our membership numbers are high and we are one of most active. It doesn't hurt that we are an easy day trip to each other and we host one of the…

• 
  SmartMoney.com - Consumer Action

• Weekend Homework: Financial Reboot

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Set aside time this weekend to look at six ways to refresh your financial life.

• 7 Metro Areas Riding a Housing Bounce

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  New home building may be down but some existing homes are coming back.

• Will There Be Too Many Lawyers in 2013?

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  If the LSAT and applications are any indication, the answer is yes.

• An Investment in Bernard Madoff

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Who turned out for a Saturday auction of the Ponzi schemer's belongings?

• 6 Smart Books: An Economic Roadmap

  12 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Business advice for uncertain times. Plus the new Stephen King.

• 
  Personal finance news - CNNMoney.com

• Best gifts for the outdoorsy type

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:44 pm

  Your favorite nature lover will appreciate these affordable woodsy offerings.

• Black Friday: Best day to buy a car

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:45 am

  When people think of Black Friday shopping, they usually think of things like flat screen TVs, toys and sweaters. Now you can add cars, trucks and SUVs.

• Best gifts for the foodie

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:42 am

  Choose one of these culinary gift ideas for the kitchen lover in your life.

• A brief introduction to bond investing

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:22 am

  Question: I'm 26 and want to set up a diversified portfolio for retirement. I'm almost totally invested in stocks, but I know that I should put some money into bonds. I really don't understand how they work, however, and I don't feel comfortable investing in something I don't understand. For example, I think I get the basic idea of a bond, but when I see bond yields fluctuate, I get confused. Aren't they supposed to have a consistent interest rate? --John, Portchester, New York

• 7 tips for buying foreclosures

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:21 am

  Foreclosures are dominating the housing market. Right now, there are 1.5 million such homes for sale, and more are expected to be available soon. That provides both opportunities and pitfalls for bargain hunters.

• 
  AllFinancialMatters

• Doing the ‘Right’ Thing – A Topic That Will Not Die

  JLP

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:58 am

  Just watched this video clip on Larry Winget’s facebook page: Regardless of what the guy does, he’s in deep doo doo. He paid $340,000 (financing $272,000) for a house that is now worth between $120,000 and $140,000. He can afford the payment but is still thinking about walking away since the purchase is no longer in his favor. I wish I had more details regarding his situation but I don’t. That one advisor who talks about the after-tax cost of the mortgage makes some sense in that the true cost of the mortgage is less than this guy thinks it is. Still, using a current value…

• Addressing a Dave Ramsey Fan’s Comment

  JLP

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:48 pm

  My old Dave Ramsey posts regarding comparisons between the 15-year and 30-year mortgage still receive comments from time to time. This afternoon I noticed the following comment (on this post) that I want to address: In the comparison above the amount in savings is only listed for the 30 year mortgage. Where does this number come from? Multiplying $458 times 180 (months) come to $82440. Nonetheless, one really important peice is missing. If I am in the 15 year category, and I just paid off my last payment of $1696. How’s about I save $1696/mo for 15 years and then let’s compare savings…

• Advice for a Reader with a Really Bad Car Loan

  JLP

  12 Nov 2009 | 8:15 am

  I received this email yesterday: Hello, I am recently divorced and I recently filed bankruptcy and discharged. I needed transportation so I had to take what I could get under my circumstances. This is what I got which is not too good, but I needed something. Loan $23,108.93 APR 19.50% 72 months Payment $546.84 which will make my total of payments $39,372.48 Should I double (or more) up on payments and try to get this paid off sooner? Should I make my payments for awhile (2 years) to build up my credit and then try to get a better loan? Should I put the extra money into some type of account to…

• Taxation of Dividends

  JLP

  11 Nov 2009 | 11:47 am

  BG left the following comment on one of my previous posts: “JLP won’t like me saying it, but even the ultra-rich play this game where their “income” (dividends & investments make up the majority of their income) is only taxed at 15%, whereas I’m in the 25% bracket. That is their gain, my loss.” The reasoning for this is simple: dividends are taxed at the corporate level and again at the individual level. That’s why they are taxed at a lower percentage at the recipient level. If the “ultra rich” are getting all of their income from dividends and…

• Some Pleasant News: The Social Security Wage Base Is Not Increasing for 2010

  JLP

  11 Nov 2009 | 9:39 am

  I was doing some work on the family budget for 2010 and looked up income subject to Social Security taxes in 2010 on the SSA website. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the income subject to social security taxes is not increasing in 2010. That means the amount subject to social security taxes is going to stay at $106,800, leaving the maximum an individual pays into social security at $6,621.60 (twice that when the employer’s amount is included). Of course, this also means that recipients are not getting a raise this year.

• 
  American Consumer News

• Consumers Lose on Hair Loss Company

  tisha

  15 Nov 2009 | 7:58 am

  Hair loss can be a traumatic experience for a man or a woman.  Most people would do anything or spend any amount of money to re-grow thinning or balding hair.  Looking for a natural cure to hair loss, many Illinois consumers turned to the Natural Hair Growth Institute headquartered in Chicago.  The company claims its products can re-grow hair without the use of chemicals, drugs, hair pieces, or transplants.  It uses a combination of laser light therapy, scalp massage, and topical hair products which the company guarantees will grow back hair within 6 months or it will refund the treatment…

• Travel During The Holidays and Pay Double for Your Stuff

  tisha

  14 Nov 2009 | 7:52 am

  With the holiday season already being touted in stores playing Christmas songs, it may be that time to start checking into the travel costs for gathering with family and friends. As travel costs continue to steadily increase, travelers this holiday season can expect to pay double or more just to take their luggage with them. Airlines have found they can earn the extra profit using surcharges during peak travel days surrounding the holidays. Airlines like Northwest, American, Delta and United have now doubled the cost of the ticket surcharges. During such peak travel times, fliers can expect…

• Overuse of Household Sanitizers Could Cause Health Problems

  trisha

  12 Nov 2009 | 8:22 am

  Our homes can never be too clean, right? Thanks to research and technology we now know a lot more about germs, disease and preventing the spread of sickness than generations that came before us. As a result many homes are stocked with sanitizers and disinfectants that can be used to clean all surfaces and fabrics to ensure our environment is free of dirt and germs. In fact, some products contain chemicals that were originally designed to disinfect hospitals and operating rooms. While this may seem like a good thing, recent studies have suggested that these powerful cleaning agents can…

• Worst is Yet to Come With Possible “Double-Dip” Recession

  Debbie Dragon

  12 Nov 2009 | 7:17 am

  The outlook on the recession continues to be bleak. With another 200,000 jobs lost in October, 2009, the unemployment rate now sits at 10.2%. According to the New York Daily News, if you figure in the partially employed and “discouraged” workers, the figure actually sits at 17.5%. The numbers are bleak, and not looking to improve anytime soon. Now, President Obama, according to Reuters, is warning of another financial crisis known as a double-dip recession. While on a trip to China, he warned the United States about the need to control the rapidly rising deficits the country is facing.

• Thanksgiving is the Busiest day for Travel: Here’s How Traveling in 2009 is Different

  Debbie Dragon

  11 Nov 2009 | 5:56 pm

  Thanksgiving is traditionally the most traveled holiday of the year. Digital marketing firm Zeta Interactive conducted a survey and found that 84% of people are positive about holiday travel – with buzz words like “enjoy”, “rest” and “relax” surrounding blog posts about 2009 travel plans. Last year, the same marketing firm found only about 68% of people had positive opinions about the upcoming holiday travel season. Despite the positive outlook, the 2009 holiday travel season will differ from previous years in a variety of ways, including: Traveling because you have to – this…

• 
  Satori Alliance

• The Parade of Administrivia

  Dan Noble

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:29 am

  Even as I’m working on finding prospects who will be passionate about acquiring distressed property, I’m knee-deep in administrative activities to ensure the success of the project. Here’s a progress report of what’s been happening. I’ve sent lists of our properties to a couple of different wholesalers - one in Florida and one in North Carolina - who will post them on their Web site and add their fee to the purchase price. This effort has made me realize that we need to have photographs - not just listings - of all our 33 properties posted on a Web site. But…

• A Different Kind of Due Diligence

  Dan Noble

  10 Nov 2009 | 9:41 pm

  It’s clear from my work on our DBNR project - buying and reselling distressed properties - that the recent meltdown has changed the rules of real estate considerably. If nothing else, the people we’re encountering and the work we’re doing across the country differ greatly from what I’m accustomed to here in the Bay Area. Further, I’m finding that our project requires a different kind of due diligence - one that incorporates judging both qualitative and quantitative qualifications. Take, for example, our property in St. Louis, Missouri. Generally, before any kind…

• Treasures and Troubles

  Dan Noble

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:33 am

  DBNR investment group’s current project - buying and flipping distressed properties - always had a bit of a grab-bag aspect to it. The idea was always to gather up properties (33 of them in 14 states), extract them from the balance sheets of overwhelmed lenders, and sell them to interested and committed buyers. We never had any control of the what and the where, which has yielded some interesting treasures and potential troubles. Cleveland, Ohio We have an old, gabled house sitting on a 6,000 square-foot lot on Church Street in Cleveland. The house is white with vinyl siding, the kind…

• Tripping On The Cords

  Dan Noble

  27 Oct 2009 | 11:07 am

  If that’s true, I think I’m well on my way. Anyone who’s ever started a business will empathize. Entrepreneurs, after all, have to keep their eyes on a goal that’s far out on the horizon. They have to hold a strategic vision for where their company will end up. My goal is to be able to create a real-estate operation for distressed properties and ultimately be able to franchise it. This requires establishing easily replicable systems and processes. I’m finding that Fitzgerald’s opposing idea is a bit more prosaic. That’s a requirement of being an…

• A Beehive Of Activity

  Dan Noble

  20 Oct 2009 | 5:06 pm

  After work being so slow for so long, it is both gratifying and exhausting to have so much going on with DBNR. There have been updates and hiring and even some detective work going on. Every week I compile and send an update to our investors. The first set of financials on our project to buy and re-sell distressed properties is due this week, and it looks like we’re already keeping our costs lower than expected. We were involved in detective work on multiple fronts. The company through which we’ll be ordering credit reports vetted us to make sure we were a real and viable…

• 
  Washington Business Journal

• Global Defense goes public

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:53 pm

  Global Defense Technology & Systems Inc., a defense contractor that focuses on national security agencies, went public Friday on the Nasdaq stock market with an offering price somewhat below expectations. (GTECH)

• Stimulus breaks over for SBA loans

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:10 pm

  Say goodbye to the 90 percent guarantee and reduced fees that sparked a rebound in Small Business Administration lending.

• U.S. High Speed Rail Association names president

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:27 pm

  The U.S. High Speed Rail Association has tapped Eric Peterson to be its new president.

• Washingtonpost.com sheds more jobs as newsrooms combine

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:12 pm

  Several employees at washingtonpost.com have lost their jobs as part of the integration with The Washington Post’s print newsroom in D.C., as first reported by Washington City Paper on Friday.

• Study: University of the District of Columbia should partner with other schools

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:36 am

  The University of the District of Columbia should partner with suburban schools to quickly create an independent community college for D.C., according to a study commissioned by the Brookings Institution and D.C. Appleseed.

• 
  In Shaw

• The roof is leaking and the wind is howling

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:46 am

  Well I got me a roof leak last night. Not my first, I still need to paint over the patch in the kitchen. Luckily I had my cousin in that bedroom and she noticed the first few drops seeping through a seam in the drywall. It appears the AC thingamajigger on the roof needs caulking or something, because that's where the water came from. But last night's rain was like a bucket and my sump pump in the

• Gentrification of Sesame Street

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:59 am

  Sesame Street gentrified and I blame Elmo. Others blame Elmo as well, showing how this annoyingly voiced red hyper monster destroyed SS single-handedly by taking up a huge portion of screen time.When I was a kid, we had two channels, NBC and PBS. So after I got home and Mom finished watching Days of Our Lives, I turned the channel to the PBS station to watch Sesame Street. People walked along,

• Where are the Warrenton Condominums?

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:53 am

  Not too long ago we were informed of the Warrenton Group and their million + contract with the city to assist in the development of Northwest One. Then other bloggers noted that they had listed as their office the shuttered liquor store on 7th and Q here in Shaw. Then their website went down. Well now their website is back up and shiny and telling me to update my Internet Explorer. And they say

• Turnover part 2

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:46 am

  This map is of houses sold on these few blocks between 1999 and this year below $500K. There are still plenty of red stars representing sales. The blue are more than likely houses that sold prior to 1999, or the odd property selling at $500K and above. Since I did throw in the more than $500K on the map (not shown) it seems there were a few but not many. Comparing the map from Turnover part 1 to

• Turnover part 1

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:32 pm

  This was stolen off of the DC government's DC Atlas website and what it shows are houses sold between Jan 1, 1999 and yesterday. More accurately it shows houses sold for more than $1 and below a billion. I had to throw that in when it showed every house with a red star and I discovered the database had some quirky dates of homes being bought by their longtime owners for 0.00, and had to find a

• 
  Frozen Tropics

• WP: 2nd Arrest in Rawlings Shooting

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:35 pm

  The Post reports that a second man (19 year old DeAngelo Edwards) has now been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of George Rawlings (21) as he boarded the X2 bus. Rawlings had just left the funeral of a friend who was murdered on Halloween night. MPD sources have suggested that Rawlings was a person of interest (a possible supplier of the car) in the murder of that friend. Seventeen year old Jeffery Britt has already been charged with first degree murder in the death of Charles Rawlings.

• H Street Shuttle Funding

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:47 am

  The following note from the Atlas has been making the rounds, and I'd be remiss if I didn't post it here:FROM THE ATLAS:Hello Atlas Staff, Arts Partners and Atlas District friends, As some of you may know the funding the free H Street Shuttle is up for renewal.  Our Ward 6 Council Member, Tommy Wells, has been extremely helpful with the shuttle project from the very beginning and he has been working hard to make sure the H Street Cooperative receives the money it needs to keep the shuttles running nightly.If you are not familiar with the H Street Shuttle, it is a free shuttle that runs…

• Where to Buy a Christmas Tree

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:29 am

  A reader wrote in asking where to buy a Christmas Tree in DC. I've honestly not yet had occasion to purchase one in DC, but I've seen them at Eastern Market. If you don't mind a drive to the suburbs you can support Cox Farms. Cox Farms is a family run farm that has donated plants and materials to the Trinidad-Ivy City Garden Club. Here is a link to a company called North Star that will deliver a tree if you buy it from them. Prince of Petworth also has a post on the topic.

• VOH: Humphries to Sell Martini Lounge

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:36 am

  Voice of the Hill is reporting in its Twitter feed that Cliff Humphries plans to sell the H Street Martini Lounge. In the Tweet Humphries is quoted as saying H Street is "just not safe," and that he's witnessed four crimes this week. Wow. Wasn't Cliff on the agenda for an ANC 6A meeting last night? Is this from that meeting?

• 1940s Style Cabaret @the Atlas

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:10 pm

  hosted by ABC7/WJLA-TV & Newschannel 8 anchorCynne SimpsonfeaturingBroadway performerJulia NixonpianistRichard E. PaynedancersWillie Mae and Levet BrownJulia Stewart and Milton Englishfrom the National Hand Dance Associationand a scene fromThe Old SettlerDonors @ $100Priority cafe table seating next to the stageSpecial recognition in the programPatrons @$50Special recognition in the programTicketsOnline: www.boxofficetickets.comPhone: 202.529.5763For more information, please contact jmwilliams@africancontinuumtheatre.com.www.africancontinuumtheatre.com

• 
  DCBlogs

• DC Blogs Noted

  WashWords

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pm

  Spotted: Michelle Obama and Desiree Rogers Dining Out. Thanks DC Fab. Until now, the Homeland Security Video at Ballston Mall was looking like the closest I’d get to a celeb sighting DCstyle this week. We Love DC explains when it IS worth it to spend $300 on something that’s going to disappear - poof! $300, thy name is truffles! That Time I Ate My Words (And Then Got Truffles at 1789) Beyond Bread reminds us about the Help the Homeless Walk — 2 Days Away! Off the Cuff takes you Behind The Scenes: Terra Cotta Warriors at National Geographic. Pamela’s Punch (and friends)…

• DC Blogs Noted

  Foilwoman

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pm

  While Cosmopolitan Conservative is still waiting for her copy of Sarah Palin’s book, she questions the Katie Couric strategy.  Life in the Village describes three WTF moments that its author had in one day and says three WTF moments is a record.  This contributing editor applauds that optimistic spirit and would like to run a contest for how many WTF moments any of us have had on any given day.  Kudos to the blog author for not cutting and running but continuing to fight the good fight. The Passenger, a new bar, is opening (or opened the evening of November 18, but this is written…

• DC Blogs Noted

  RestaurantRefugee

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:40 pm

  The Change I Wish to See’s latest post, Our Promise to You, embodies the title of his blog while reminding us that there are bad people in this world and those who abuse animals are pretty high on the list. Diatribes by Joah offers “5 Things You Won’t Hear (But Must Know) When Starting a Retail Business.”  Having had some experience with the matter, I can tell you that most of the tips apply to restaurants too. Normally we don’t make a habit of highlighting blog recaps of small events to which you weren’t invited (at least, this contributing editor doesn’t.) The Hill is Home…

• DC Blogs Noted

  dcblogs

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pm

  When it comes to hiring, HR departments are ill-treating job applicants, writes Sarah-er Than You. This blogger speaks from experience and offers a code of conduct for HR employees, in the post, If I Ran HR. Fort Totten Transfer Station, how do I love thee? Farm Fresh Meat. Advice on how to get rid of everything with nothing more than a DC driver’s license. The making of a new dance event at the Wonderland told, in part, through some clever and amusing photo work that includes disco ball in a laundromat. BYT and the blog, Pink Sock. Observing life in Dupont Circle, The 42 is moved by its…

• DC Blogs Noted

  dcblogs

  15 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pm

  Fifteen minutes, U Street/Adams Morgan corridor, 3 am, Saturday night. Observed. Momentum. One DC’s older blogs, Throwing Håmmers, has ended his blog. Hammer also leaves with a big damn list of acknowledgements, but it is Hammer, who also edits a post every now then at DCBlogs, who deserves thanks for some six years of entertaining and often heartfelt posts. The unofficial list of Metro rider do’s and don’ts. Both Sides of the Fence. An old silk blouse, at least a decade old, continues to get compliments. In the eye of the superpower. A blogger who is eating on a food stamp budget…

• 
  DCist

• The Saturday Morning Post

  Aaron Morrissey

  21 Nov 2009 | 8:05 am

  Photo by Satirenoir. Good morning, Washington. The Brookland-CUA Metrorail station was closed for about ninety minutes last night after another person intentionally placed themselves on the tracks in front of an oncoming train. Last night's incident pushes the number of suicides in Metrorail stations this year into double digits. WMATA says that at about 9:18 p.m., a man who had gone on to the tracks was struck by a Red Line train heading in the direction of Shady Grove, dying of his injuries. Trains were single tracking through the station for some time last night, but the area is now clear…

• Goals But No Grit Means 3-2 Loss for Capitals

  Elisabeth Meinecke

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:20 am

  Young Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth found himself looking into the back of his net one toomany times Friday night in a 3-2 loss. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez) The Washington Capitals scored first, but the Montreal Canadiens scored more and won 3-2 on Friday night at the Verizon Center. The Caps' Eric Fehr netted the only goal of the first period for either team, but the Canadiens had twice as many shots on goal in the first, only the second time a Washington opponent has done that this year. Even Alex Ovechkin looked off his game, despite registering a huge crowd-pleasing hit in the opening…

• D.C. Insurance Dept. Denies Birth Control Coverage Meddling

  Sommer Mathis

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:20 pm

  The blog RH Reality Check posted an item yesterday alleging that Gennet Purcell, the District of Columbia's relatively new insurance commissioner, had surreptitiously conspired to make it possible for D.C. women to lose their birth control coverage. But the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking, the agency Purcell runs, has since emphatically denied the story. Here's what RH Reality Check reporter Amie Newman wrote on Thursday:Under Purcell's watch, private insurance companies operating in Washington DC are now allowed to opt out of covering contraception in individual plans. This…

• Northeast Post Office Branch Spared From Closure List

  Sommer Mathis

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:45 pm

  The U.S. Postal Service today released yet another revised list of possible branch closures, and one D.C. office has been trimmed. The Northeast branch, located at 1563 Maryland Ave. NE, will stay. In Maryland, two other branches were also spared: the Friendship Heights branch, and the Silver Spring Center branch. The total list is now at only 241 post offices still under review nationwide, down from almost 3,300 at the beginning of the process. That leaves eight D.C. branches remaining on the potential closure list: *Columbia Heights Finance, 3321 Georgia Ave. NW *Fort Davis, 3842…

• Overheard in D.C.: Careful What You Wish For

  Andrew Wiseman

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:50 pm

  Photo by chesapeakelover It can be fun to think about things you'd like in an ideal mate. But sometimes, things sound better than they actually are. Overheard of the Week At Asylum, Thursday night: Female Waitress: "For some reason I have wings coming out my ass tonight!" Male Bartender: "That would be a real selling point for chicks. Dude, if you could shit out buffalo wings, I'd marry you." After the jump, musical instruments, salad, the winner of last weeks' contest, and more. Hear anything funny/weird/insane? Send it to us and be the envy of your friends and coworkers!

• 
  Forbes: Real Estate

• America's Fastest-Recovering Cities

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Diversified industry and relatively stable housing give residents in these metros a measure of economic security.

• Listed: Classic Colonial In Sherborn, Mass.

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  A quintessentially New England home with solid details at a competitive price.

• Celebrity Homes For Sale

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am

  It's a buyer's market for those looking to live like an actor or athlete.

• 
  WorldChanging

• Oceans’ Ability To Absorb CO2 May Be Diminishing, New Study Says

  Yale Environment 360

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:02 pm

  Yale Environment 360: A study of the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the world’s oceans from 1765 to the present shows that as humanity pumps more CO2 into...

• Seattle as North America's First Carbon-Neutral City

  Alex Steffen

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:01 am

  Alex Steffen: Last week, I stood on the stage at Seattle's Town Hall and called on Seattle to become North America's first carbon-neutral city, dropping its per...

• Companies Increase Commitment To Tackling Climate Issues, Report Says

  Yale Environment 360

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:58 am

  Yale Environment 360: Major corporations in the U.S. have shown an increased willingness to voluntarily reduce their impact on climate change despite a sluggish economy, according to...

• A Womb of One's Own

  WorldChanging Team

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:31 am

  WorldChanging Team: by Anna Fahey The womb is not free of toxic pollution. This week, the Washington Toxics Coalition released a study that should raise the ire...

• How Carbon Markets Work in Europe

  WorldChanging Team

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:28 am

  WorldChanging Team: by Eric de Place In spite of what you may have heard, Europe's carbon market is working beautifully. The EU's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)...

• 
  Environment News Network

• US Army Corps Found Negligent in Katrina Floods

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:04 am

  A US judge has ruled that negligence by the US Army Corps of Engineers led to massive floods in parts of New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. It was the first time a US court has found the federal government directly responsible for some of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.

• "Extinct" Crocodile Claws Its Way Back to Survival

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:11 am

  Conservationists searching for one of the world's most endangered crocodile species say they have found dozens of the reptiles lounging in plain sight at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center in Cambodia.

• Melting sea ice dilutes water, endangers sea life

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:33 am

  Melting of the Arctic sea ice due to global warming is diluting surface waters and this is endangering some species of shellfish which need minerals in the water to form their shells and skeletons, scientists have found. In a paper published in Science, they warned that this has serious implications for ecosystems in the Arctic.

• Armed With Many Weapons, We Are Killing Our Oceans

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:58 am

  It's not just ruthless whaling and foolhardy fishing practices that are plaguing the world's oceans. Underwater, things are bad all over — from the acidifying Atlantic to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. A perfect storm of climate change, pollution, and rapacious global fishing practices has the potential to gravely imperil Earth's oceans and their intricate, highly sensitive ecosystems.

• Smart Grid Riding On the Information Superhighway

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:08 am

  If Internet companies and some utilities have their way, the smart grid will rely on the existing infrastructure of the information superhighway in order to function. They argue that by relying on existing standards like Internet Protocol (IP), the smart grid will grow faster and more organically than if utilities adopt an assortment of proprietary methods.

• 
  NYT: Environment

• Hacked E-Mail Is New Fodder for Climate Dispute

  By ANDREW C. REVKIN

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:45 pm

  Private messages hacked from a British university are causing a stir among global warming skeptics, who say they show a climate science conspiracy.

• Industrialized Nations Unveil Plans to Rein in Emissions

  By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL and NEIL MacFARQUHAR

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:55 pm

  Prior to a climate change meeting scheduled for Copenhagen, industrialized countries, except the United States, are offering targets to curb greenhouse gases.

• Paying More for Flights Eases Guilt, Not Emissions

  By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:37 pm

  The sheer size of the airline industry’s emissions makes it hard to judge the effectiveness of carbon offset programs.

• Business of Green: Storm Over the Chamber

  By JOHN M. BRODER

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:43 am

  Thomas Donohue, the United States Chamber of Commerce’s president, expressed hostility toward climate legislation, which led several businesses to resign in protest.

• Seas Grow Less Effective at Absorbing Emissions

  By SINDYA N. BHANOO

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:57 pm

  The Earth’s oceans have recently grown less efficient at sopping up carbon dioxide from fuel emissions, new research suggests.

• 
  GreenBiz.com Green Business News

• Kraft Trims Millions of Shipping Miles Through Smarter Logistics

  GreenBiz Staff

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:50 pm

  A focused effort on making its distribution network more efficient has allowed Kraft Foods to save more than 50 million miles since 2005.

• How Silver Can Bring a New Element to Green Chemistry

  Michael L. Krall

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:54 am

  A number of innovative bio-technologies are on the market today that offer highly effective alternatives to traditional chemical formulas, proving that products don't need to be toxic to be effective. Case in point are silver-based technologies.

• Wells Fargo Expands Green Financing with Cleantech Practice

  GreenBiz Staff

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:37 am

  The banking giant's new commercial banking group focused on clean technology firms will add to the $600 million the company has already dedicated to the market.

• Climate Counts and the Green Race to the Top

  Marc Gunther

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:17 am

  If climate regulation will burden businesses or increase costs, then why are so many companies strengthening their voluntary response to the climate crisis in the midst of an economic downturn?

• New, Green 'Safe Spoon' Goes Where Normal Utensils Can't

  GreenerDesign Staff

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:12 am

  SpoonLidz has developed a new, paperboard spoon touted as an alternative to plastic or bio-based spoons and which cannot be used to cause harm.

• 
  GreenerBuildings

• Wells Fargo Expands Green Financing with Cleantech Practice

  GreenBiz Staff

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:37 am

  The banking giant's new commercial banking group focused on clean technology firms will add to the $600 million the company has already dedicated to the market.

• US Uses Less Water Than It Did a Generation Ago As Global Concern Grows Over Scarcity

  GreenBiz Staff

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

  The United States is using less water than it did 35 years ago, which is a good thing given the rising concern about water issues among investors and stakeholders worldwide, new information released this week shows.

• AU Optronics Helps Create a Frisbee-Shaped Solar Roof at Taipei Playground

  GreenerBuildings Staff

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:15 am

  AU Optronics Corp., Taiwan's largest manufacturer of thin film transistor liquid crystal display panels, has helped craft a “Solar Frisbee Roof” to canopy playground equipment at a Taipei schoolyard.  

• 'Super Star' Green Label Proposed

  Chris Cheatham

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:22 am

  A major overhaul to the Energy Star program, which currently certifies and labels products that are energy efficient, is imminent. But how this overhaul occurs remains to be seen.

• US Army's Pacific HQ Cuts the Ribbon on National Green Building Pilot

  GreenerBuildings Staff

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:39 am

  Local and federal dignitaries celebrated the opening of a development at Fort Shafter, the U.S. Army Pacific Headquarters, that's being hailed as the greenest neighborhood on a military installation and the largest project of its kind for the Army.  

• 
  How can I recycle this?

• How can I reuse or recycle expired fruit juice?

  louisa

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

  We’ve had an email from Catherine: I can compost out of date fruit juice right? Right! Fruit juice can go straight into the compost heap – just be careful not to make the compost heap/bin too soggy (it needs to be damp, not too wet or too dry, to optimise the composting process). Before you throw it on there though, make sure it’s really gone off – don’t trust dates on packaging and don’t forget the difference between “use by”, “sell by” and “best before”. All the fruit juice cartons we’ve got to hand – both…

• How can I reduce my addiction to cheap clothes?

  louisa

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

  Confession time: I’ve got an awful cognitive dissonance thing with buying cheap clothes – I know about the horrific conditions in sweatshops, I know how cotton production is incredibly damaging to the environment, I know how the clothes produced in sweatshops are (understandably) far from good quality and liable to fall apart quickly, I know how much energy is wasted transporting them around the world and I know that shop employees, especially in the cheapest pile ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap shops, are treated poorly and paid badly – and yet… I think I got…

• How can I reuse or recycle fake flowers?

  louisa

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

  We’ve had an email from Marisa: A bit of a weird one for you! My MIL is redecorating her living room and that means replacing her huge collection of fake flower bouquets to match the new colour scheme. I hate fake flowers but would like to save them from landfill if possible. Any suggestions? If the flowers aren’t too discoloured or dusty, offer them to your local charity/thrift/op shop for resale. If they are a bit too dusty for that, you could try cleaning them first – there are a variety of different ways to do it apparently, just be careful not to use hot water in case…

• Interesting Reusing & Recycling links

  louisa

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  More and more people seem to be using the patterns from security envelopes for crafts these days – check out these kitchen roll tube & security envelope napkin holders by maya*made. Lindsey from SwirlyArts also uses them for gift tags and Design*sponge have turned them inside out for use as better-than-boring-white envelopes. Moving onto more fabricky pursuits, CraftyNest have a follow-up tutorial making headbags from the band of fabric leftover from making tank top totes. Speaking of using things efficiently, I like how Sadge at Firesign Farm’s pillowcase-into-an-apron…

• How can I reuse or recycle plastic pet food bags?

  louisa

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

  We’ve had an email from Alana: The kibble I get my dog has switched from being in paper bags to plastic ones. What can I do with them now? You may still be able to recycle them – the plastic cat food bags we’ve got are labelled as recyclable (although not actually saying what type of plastic they are, just that “most councils accept them for recycling” – a great example of the unhelpful lack of information that Simon was complaining about the other day – I suspect they’ll be LDPE, ie number 4 plastic). Check the packaging for similar (although…

• 
  World Resources Institute: Earthtrends

• Population and Consumption

  Richard Kahle

  13 Nov 2009 | 2:36 pm

  The air is full of carbon dioxide and other pollutants; The ocean is emptying; We have observed record setting harvests over the last few years, and yet chronic hunger persists and has recently been increasing; The planet is experiencing the 6th great extinction; All of these are the result of human activity. This evidence illustrates that we have not responsibly managed, neither through governance nor technology, our environmental resources. In the absence of finding a sustainable relationship with our ecosystem, we might conclude that we have reached Earth's carrying capacity.read more

• Sanitation: Access and Health

  EarthTrends

  5 Nov 2009 | 8:12 am

  Human waste may be a topic that people generally do not or prefer not to think about. However, its capture and disposal (often referred to in terms of sanitation) play a vital role in human health and development. The importance of sanitation as a basic human need has made it an international development priority and a key target in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Even though since 1990 the percent of the global population with access to improved sanitation has increased (see Figure 1.), lack of improved sanitation still threatens human health and development particularly in…

• Piracy and Governance in the Gulf of Aden

  EarthTrends

  19 Oct 2009 | 9:01 am

  The number of piracy attacks reported this year have already far exceeded those of last year. According to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), as of September 23, 2009, 294 piratical incidents have been reported, with 97 occurring in the Gulf of Aden and 47 off of the remaining coasts of Somalia. Figure 1 shows the placements of pirate attacks within the Gulf of Aden from July to September, 2009.read more

• Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Factoids

  Samah Elsayed

  15 Oct 2009 | 4:49 pm

  Today is Blog Action Day, an annual event where bloggers worldwide combine their energies to highlight a specific issue. Over 10,000 sites from more than 150 countries, are participating in this years discussion on climate change. As part of EarthTrends contribution we will be highlighting a few key climate change trends and statistics. read more

• The 6th Extinction and Protected Areas

  Richard Kahle

  2 Oct 2009 | 9:34 am

  The 6th Extinction A mass extinction is under way. Human activity, not natural phenomenon, is the difference between this extinction and the five previous big extinctions that have occurred in Earth's history. The current extinction is driven by habitat loss, overexploitation of species, invasive species and pollution. All of these, the result of humans. The current extinction rate is between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than the natural rate. (International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN) Current estimates put the extinction rate at roughly 30,000 species per year which is about…

• 
  Consumer Reports: Home & Garden

• In this turkey trot, TurboChef is faster than Electrolux Wave-Touch range and NuWave oven

  Consumer Reports Home & Garden Blog

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pm

  As cooking appliances get faster, records continue to fall in our labs. The video (right) shows how the TurboChef 30" Double Wall Speedcook oven, using "Airspeed Technology," cranked out a nicely browned 13-pound turkey in a record 53 minutes. So if time is really of the essence—you'll have to shell out about $8,000 for a TurboChef—this dual oven could be for you.No oven or range we've tested is as fast as the TurboChef, though the Electrolux Wave-Touch smoothtop electric range wasn't that far off—and costs about $6,000 less. With its Perfect Turkey setting…

• Home-use fire extinguishers are key safety gear, especially over the holidays

  Consumer Reports Home & Garden Blog

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:37 pm

  With Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year's upon us, the risk of a fire at your home could be higher since you're likely to be cooking more, using holiday lighting (especially on Christmas trees and the like), and perhaps even burning candles more frequently.The best way to avoid fires is to be safe; check out our safety advice for the kitchen, holiday lights, and candles. Still, you should have fire extinguishers on hand, keeping one each in the kitchen, garage, workshop, basement, and on every living area of the home—and have one nearby when grilling or…

• Tip of the Day: Get rid of roof algae, which can damage shingles

  Consumer Reports Home & Garden Blog

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:28 am

  Rooftop gardens have been touted as a type of cool roof that can help reduce energy use and costs. But one plant life you don't want to see on your roof is Gloeocapsa magma, a blackish algae that thrives on moisture seems to have an affinity for material used in some roofing products. When left unchecked, it can damage shingles.This algae creeps its way upward on roofs, gradually turning shingles dark brown or black. It's easy to spot along some east-west streets with lots of trees, and sometimes it's present house after house.My wife and I recently noticed Gloeocapsa magma algae…

• Learn more about the Amish heater and EdenPure space heater

  Consumer Reports Home & Garden Blog

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:35 pm

  The calendar indicates that heating season is  upon us, but the Home & Garden blog team doesn't need to look at a thermometer or watch the Weather Channel to know it's starting to get colder here in the New York City metro area and elsewhere around the country.Nope, all we've got to do is look at the traffic to and comments about heating appliances on the Home & Garden blog and ConsumerReports.org. Specifically, readers are looking for information about the Heat Surge Roll-n-Glow Electric Fireplace (aka the Amish heater), EdenPure space heaters, and pellet stoves.

• Some celeb chef kitchen knives, like those from Paula and Martha, don't make the cut

  Consumer Reports Home & Garden Blog

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:46 am

  You might enjoy watching the many celebrity chefs who perform culinary magic (and, sometimes, mayhem) on TV, but based on the results of our tests of kitchen knives, you'd be better off learning a technique or a new recipe from them than buying the kitchen knives that bear their names.The video (right) details why knife sets from Paula Deen and Martha Stewart are near the bottom of our ratings of more than four dozen different sets of kitchen knives (available to subscribers) and those from Rachael Ray and the Culinary Institute of America might not be a sharp buy. If you're in the…

• 
  Sustainablog

• President’s Environmental Youth Awards Recognize Green Student Leaders

  Jeff McIntire-Strasburg

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:40 am

  How many of the environmental education initiatives that you know of were started by teachers, parents, or non-profit organizations? That’s typical: from artistic approaches to rainwater harvesting to solar boat building, most efforts at teaching kids about environmental issues start with adults. But students often come up with their own programs, too, and the President’s Environmental Youth Awards aims to highlight those efforts that start with schoolkids. Started in 1971 by the EPA, this awards program “…recognizes young people across America for projects which…

• When it Comes to Food, Concern is Good - But Action is Better

  Steve Savage

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:06 pm

  The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has developed a career-long role that entails finding issues to worry about and writing about them.  That can be a good thing because science is definitely about asking the hard questions.  Sometimes however, these well-intentioned folks can let their biases and presuppositions get in the way. UCS has just released a report linking increased pesticide use to the adoption of biotech crops.  Their presuppositions are that both of these are bad things - GMOs and chemicals.  Their logic flaw is that even though they note that the biggest increase was in…

• The Ethics of Selling Crop Seed: Part 2 - GMO Seed

  Steve Savage

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:12 am

  This is a followup post that will attempt to address some additional, wide-spread myths about the commercial sale of seed.  In this case the topic with be “GMO” seed improved through genetic engineering (an industry that is now 13 years old and which has been planted on well over 2 billion acres cumulatively, much of it in the developing world). As someone with substantial direct experience with this industry over the years, I’d like to try to speak to some distorted perspectives on this technology. The First Biotech Crops The four earliest commercial biotech crops…

• The Ethics of Selling Crop Seed: Part 1

  Steve Savage

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:18 pm

  There is a lot of confusion and disinformation circulating today about seeds and the ethics of their commercial sale.  Actually a healthy, commercial seed industry is critical for agricultural sustainability.  Because seeds are such a fundamental component of the sustainability of our food supply, this area deserves careful thought and accurate information even if you are never going to farm or even garden. I’ll try to address some of the modern “myths” about this.  I’ll talk about “farmer-saved seed,” and “hybrid seed.” In a later post…

• Revenge of the Angry Mermaid

  Tom Schueneman

  17 Nov 2009 | 11:39 am

  Copenhagen is a water town, and the iconic symbol of Denmark’s capital city is the Little Mermaid silently standing watch over the harbor. Next month the Little Mermaid welcomes the global community coming to negotiate at least the foundation of an international treaty at the COP15 climate conference to carry beyond the Kyoto Protocol expiring in 2012. The Little Mermaid takes her role as a symbol of climate change seriously. And she’s angry. Angry because also coming to her town are thousands of lobbyists and business (as usual) representatives intent on holding back progress for…

• 
  All MNN Content

• High lead levels found in popular holiday toys

  Jenn Savedge

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:03 am

    The Center for Environmental Health has recently announced that many popular toys (some carrying the Barbie and Disney logos) have dangerously high levels of lead in them.   Wait ... didn't we already hear this story? No, you're not experiencing a case of déjà vu.

• '3D solar' panel works underground

  Karl Burkart

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:59 am

  November has been a breakthrough month for the solar industry. On the heels of an announcement by an Australian research team that broke the 43 percent efficiency barrier in solar PV technology, another team at the Georgia Institute of Technology headed by Dr.

• Japan resumes whale hunting, claims scientific motive

  Stephanie Rogers

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:48 am

    Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama ran his campaign partially on the promise to fight the waste of taxpayer money. Yet, a fleet of highly controversial, taxpayer-funded whaling ships has left port, headed toward Antarctica to initiate this year’s hunt – and Greenpeace is determined to remind Hatoyama of his oath.

• Al Gore's new '30 Rock' cameo

  MNN User

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:43 am

  Related on MNN: Watch Al Gore's recent Daily Show appearance.  

• U.S. looks to Italy for electrifying advice

  Jessica A. Knoblauch

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:40 am

  Politicians and utilities in the U.S.

• 
  Triple Pundit

• EcoFactor and the Truly Smart Grid

  Paul S

  21 Nov 2009 | 3:55 am

  Technology works best when it’s least intrusive and does the heavy lifting for you. Apple understands this. And so, it seems, does EcoFactor, the winner of the recent Clean Tech Open. What it does behind the scenes is fairly complex, but for the user, easy and out of the way: It keeps your home at an [...]

• Sustainability and Employee Engagement: Anything Goes

  Jennifer Elder

  21 Nov 2009 | 1:21 am

  Engaging employees through sustainability is not a one size fits all approach.  From Walmart’s Personal Sustainability Project to  Sodexo’s Corporate Citizenship Program to Intel’s intranet to FMYI’s online collaboration, the variety is endless.  Each of the four members of the Net Impact Conference 2009 panel on Sustainable Innovation Through Employee Engagement, had differing approaches on [...]

• Doing a World of Good for Fair Trade Artisans

  Mary Catherine O'Connor

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:38 pm

  The term “fair trade handicrafts” summons images of wicker baskets and hand-dyed sarongs. But the business side of the fair trade marketplace is getting a little less old-world, thanks to World of Good, an organization that connects artisans in developing countries with mainstream retailers (including eBay and Whole Foods). The organization—comprised of a wholesale business, an [...]

• SABA Motors Vision: an Exotic Electric Sports Car for the Masses

  Steve Puma

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:22 pm

  Ever since I was a kid, when my father used give me Matchbox cars he bought on his way home from work, I’ve been crazy about cars. So I was extremely excited to have the opportunity to speak with Simon Saba of Saba Motors, whose EV vision is something any gearhead can get jazzed about: [...]

• Innovators Honored for Applying Technology To Brighten People’s Lives

  Dev Crews

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:49 pm

  Boats outfitted with solar panels have become “floating classrooms” for children in the low-lying regions of Bangladesh, where floods have destroyed crops, schools, roads and infrastructure. They are among the more than 20 million people who became displaced last year due to climate change. In the past decade, Bangladesh has experienced 70 climate-related natural disasters. [...]

• 
  Green Living

• What does your workplace do to be green?

  GreenLiving

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:13 am

  * Sustainable systems from top to bottom - solar panels to reclaimed wood floors. * The office had an eco-audit and change is underway * Well we recycle...

• Sustainable Offices 101

  GreenLiving

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:04 am

  Workplaces everywhere are adopting sustainability as an office necessity.read more

• Cap Your Computing Emissions

  GreenLiving

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:49 am

  Did you know?read more

• What does environmental leadership look like to you?

  GreenLiving

  12 Nov 2009 | 11:24 am

  * Businesses generously supporting environmental conservation programs. * Communities organizing around a central issue. * Individuals making changes to their lifestyle and encouraging their friends and family to follow.

• Top Fuel-Efficient Cars for 2010

  GreenLiving

  10 Nov 2009 | 11:58 am

  Discover the leading hybrids on the market read more

• 
  Go Green: DIYs, How-tos and Recipes - Editorial Staff Picks - SustainLane

• Recipe for Swedish Ginger Spice Cookies

  SustainLane

  Vegetarians avert your eyes - the secret ingredient is... Active Time: 20 minutesTotal Time: 3 hoursPeople who like spice cookies love them - people who like bacon devour them!Ingredients3/4 cup bacon fat, cooled (from 1 1/2 - 2 pounds of lean bacon)1 cup sugar1/4 cup dark unsulfered molasses1 large egg2 cups all purpose flour3/4 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons baking soda1 teaspoon ground ginger1 teaspoon ground cloves1 teaspoon ground cinnamonDirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.Place bacon fat in large mixing bowl and add the sugar, molasses…

• Winterizing Container Fruit Trees

  SustainLane

  For deciduous fruit trees to break dormancy and produce flowers in spring, they must be winterized properly. The following guidelines on fertilization, watering, pruning, chill hours, and freeze protection will ensure your tree wakes from its winter slumber next spring. Winterizing Fruit TreesFor deciduous fruit trees to break dormancy and produce flowers in spring, they must be winterized properly. The following guidelines on fertilization, watering, pruning, chill hours, and freeze protection will ensure your tree wakes from its winter slumber next spring.Fertilization:It's time to wean…

• How to make delicious chocolate honey lip balm

  SustainLane

  I used to wait till my kids were sleeping to slather vaseline over their chapped lips because they hated any kind of moisturizer. So I invented this recipe to tempt them into voluntarily using lip balm, but it's so tasty and moisturizes so well I now make it for myself. The kids love it too. Step 1: What you'll needBeeswaxFor this batch I bought 2 oz from the farmer's market for $1.75 -- definitely get the freshest wax you can, the difference in flavor is stunning!Cocoa butterThis can be found in any pharmacy. I've seen it at Rite Aid, Duane Read, etc, usually near moisturizers. This 1oz…

• 
  TreeHugger

• Rolls Royce Could Launch an Electric Phantom In a Year

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:36 pm

  Photo: Rolls Royce Does It Matter? Depends How You Look at It... Autocar reports that a source inside the company told them that Rolls Royce could have an electric version of its Phantom super-luxury car on the road by the end of 2010: "Internally it's thought that the near-silence of electric propulsion, and the fact that full torque is available from a standstill, would align perfectly with Rolls-Royce's core values. Engineers are currently hard at work making this a reality, although a running prototype has yet t... Read the full story on TreeHugger

• Supermarket Launches City-Wide Electric Vehicle Charging

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:58 am

  Image credit: Webecoist From turning waste food into energy to delivering food by barge, UK supermarket Sainsbury's has been exploring alternative energy and transportation for some time. They even recently unveiled "people-powered" checkouts, though on closer inspection they appeared to be gasoline driven... Read the full story on TreeHugger

• Video Game Developers Want Authentic Electric Sports Car Sound, Record Tesla Roadster in Action

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:06 pm

  Photo: Tesla Motors Roadster #203 Got Quite a Workout Making a video game used to be all about a few guys writing code. But as the the industry grew into a mammoth, the production of games turned into huge enterprises employing tons of people and requiring more and more realistic sounds and images. O... Read the full story on TreeHugger

• CycleTracks iPhone App Tells San Fancisco TA Where Bike Paths Should be Built

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:05 pm

  Image: CycleTracks iPhone App from Apple App Store Crowdsourcing Bike Path Planning People don't always go where you think they will. You can try to predict the best places for foot paths and bike routes, but you'll never be able to know for sure if they are located optimally... Unless there's a way to know where people are naturally going (the path of least resistance). That's exactly what the new free iPhone app by the San Francisco Transportation Authority is trying to do. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

• EPA Proposes First Toughening of Air Quality Standards for Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Since 1971

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:08 pm

  Source: EPA About Time It's been almost 40 years since the EPA's SO2 standards were strengthened. Sounds like a tightening was overdue... Until now. The EPA is look at a proposal to establish a new national one-hour SO2 standard, between 50 and 100 parts per billion (ppb). "The existing primary standards were 140 ppb measured over 24-hours, and 30 ppb measured over an entire year. The Agency also is taking comment on alternative levels for the 1-hour standard up to 150 ppb."... Read the full story on TreeHugger

• 
  WSJ.com: Commercial Real Estate

• Morgan Unloads Crescent

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:41 pm

  Morgan Stanley closed the book on its disastrous $6.5 billion acquisition of Crescent Real Estate Equities by handing the keys to lender Barclays.

• Morgan Unloads Crescent

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:41 pm

  Morgan Stanley closed the book on its disastrous $6.5 billion acquisition of Crescent Real Estate Equities by handing the keys to lender Barclays.

• General Growth in Mortgage Pact

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:42 am

  General Growth Properties said it reached a deal to restructure $9 billion in mortgages on 77 malls in hopes of removing them from bankruptcy protection by the end of the year.

• Starwood to Relocate Its Headquarters to Connecticut

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:35 am

  Starwood will move its corporate headquarters to Stamford, Conn., from New York's Westchester County, after receiving state government incentives worth as much as $89.5 million.

• Starwood to Relocate Its Headquarters to Connecticut

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:35 am

  Starwood will move its corporate headquarters to Stamford, Conn., from New York's Westchester County, after receiving state government incentives worth as much as $89.5 million.

• 
  WSJ.com: Real Estate

• Morgan Unloads Crescent

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:41 pm

  Morgan Stanley closed the book on its disastrous $6.5 billion acquisition of Crescent Real Estate Equities by handing the keys to lender Barclays.

• General Growth in Mortgage Pact

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:42 am

  General Growth Properties said it reached a deal to restructure $9 billion in mortgages on 77 malls in hopes of removing them from bankruptcy protection by the end of the year.

• Starwood to Relocate Its Headquarters to Connecticut

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:35 am

  Starwood will move its corporate headquarters to Stamford, Conn., from New York's Westchester County, after receiving state government incentives worth as much as $89.5 million.

• New York Landmark Burns Its Investors

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:26 am

  The U.S. real estate arm of Africa Israel Investments has tentatively agreed with creditors to restructure its disastrous acquisition of the former New York Times headquarters in a deal that will wipe out $400 million in debt.

• Trump Drops Casino-Control Bid

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:49 am

  Donald Trump and his daughter, Ivanka, have reached a settlement agreement with a group of creditors in the bankruptcy battle over control of Trump Entertainment Resorts.

• 
  Wash Post Real Estate

• Housewatch: How to pick the most environmentally friendly countertops

  Katherine Salant

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Want the greenest countertop on the market? You're going to have to do a bit of research.

• Featured Advertiser

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

• Trendy now, but not by accident

  Mark Wellborn

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Mark Milibrand is a rare breed among District home buyers. Before buying a two-bedroom condo in a renovated Victorian rowhouse in Logan Circle at the end of October, he lived in a 4,000-square-foot home in Fairfax. His decision to reverse the traditional migration from city to suburb was driven by a...

• Do-It-Yourself: Fixing a drafty window on the cheap

  Gene Austin

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Our house is about 60 years old and has the original wooden, double-hung windows. Several of the windows are drafty and loose, and they rattle when the wind blows. A few won't stay open unless I prop them with a stick. I can't afford new windows and wonder whether there is a less expensive way to...

• 20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Post

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Mark Wellborn is editor and co-founder of UrbanTurf, a Web site that covers condominiums and other homes in the District and close-in suburbs. This issue of Where We Live was produced in collaboration between The Washington Post and UrbanTurf.

• 
  NYT > Real Estate

• Big Deal: Lots to Spend, Little to Buy

  By JOSH BARBANEL

  21 Nov 2009 | 1:06 am

  Brokers say more wealthy buyers have come back to the table, looking for fabulous apartments at a bargain. But there are precious few listings.

• Habitats: Where Punchlines Pay the Rent

  By CONSTANCE ROSENBLUM

  21 Nov 2009 | 12:21 am

  This couple, both New Yorker cartoonists, live in a sunny three-bedroom apartment in Inwood with enough room for his-and-hers studios.

• In the Region | New Jersey: No Coffee Breaks for These ‘Doormen’

  By ANTOINETTE MARTIN

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:43 pm

  Hoboken recently got its first virtual doorman service, at the 16-unit Vesta, which opened on Observer Highway in September.

• Mortgages: Reaching Out to Condo Buyers

  By BOB TEDESCHI

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:38 pm

  Industry executives say the F.H.A.’s new rules will open an important lending option to condo buyers, especially those with weak credit.

• Big Deal: A Partly Cloudy Resolution

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:37 pm

  A developer of a new condominium in SoHo is declaring victory over reluctant buyers.

• 
  Commercial Real Estate Industry News Headlines | Bizjournals.com

• Boston Scientific to leave Doral

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:49 am

  Medical products company Boston Scientific Corp., which has more than 1,200 employees working out of a 14-acre plant in Doral, is relocating its operation to Costa Rica over the next three years.

• Office leasing expected to remain stagnant through 2010

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:52 pm

  Office leasing demand will hit its bottom this quarter and remain stagnant throughout 2010, while asking rents will still decline another 5 to 7 percent in 2010, according to a new national forecast by Jones Lang LaSalle.

• MacAulay-Brown to expand Beavercreek presence

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:18 pm

  A local defense contractor has inked a deal to expand.

• Pizza Hut incentives on Plano's agenda

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:14 pm

  Pizza Hut is considering building a new corporate headquarters in the Legacy business park in West Plano, moving at least 450 high-paying jobs to a city that's been highly successful at luring corporations in the past year.

• U.S. Century Bank seeks foreclosure on Coral Gables apartments

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:58 pm

  U.S. Century Bank wants to foreclosure on an apartment building in Coral Gables that was proposed as an office building redevelopment.

• 
  Smartbrief: International Council of Shopping Centers

• Government sources: TARP may get a new lease on life

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  The Obama administration is close to extending the life of the financial bailout program, the Troubled Assets Relief Program, -More- 

• Commercial real estate's problems: Beyond any rescue?

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  The U.S.  -More- 

• Westfield Group revamps Florida mall

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  The Westfield Group completed a $12 million renovation of Westfield Countryside mall in Clearwater, Fla.  -More- 

• OSHA advises retailers on Black Friday safety

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Stores should outfit themselves with bullhorns and barricades for crowd control on Black Friday, advises the Occupational Saf -More- 

• Developers Diversified closes first CMBS offering under TALF

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Developers Diversified Realty successfully sold $400 million of debt backed by shopping centers under the Term Asset-Backed S -More- 

• 
  msnbc.com: Real estate

• Forbes: World's most expensive homes

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:53 pm

  Prices have dipped, but some sellers are certain their nine-figure properties will attract buyers. Forbes - Business - Real estate - Construction and Maintenance - Residential Housing

• Replacing a real estate agent with a Web site

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:21 am

  Selling a home without a real estate agent can save thousands of dollars in commission fees, but it can also be a painstaking, confusing task. Foregoing an agent, however, is easier these days thanks to Web sites that help homeowners advertise their properties. Real estate broker - Real estate - Business and Economy - United States - Property

• Video: Video: Tips to find great real estate deals

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:30 am

  Nov. 20: TODAY’s Al Roker talks to TODAY real estate expert Barbara Corcoran about some great deals for homes across America that cost between $200,000 and $500,000. (Today Show) Today - Real estate - Al Roker - Barbara Corcoran - United States

• Rates on 30-year loans still below 5 percent

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:24 am

  Rates on 30-year mortgages stayed below 5 percent this week but remained above the record set earlier this year, Freddie Mac said Thursday. Freddie Mac - Mortgage - Loan - Macintosh - Apple

• Mortgage delinquencies hit record high

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:37 am

  A rising proportion of fixed-rate home loans made to people with good credit are sinking into foreclosure, adding to concerns about the strength of the economic recovery. Mortgage - Foreclosure - Business - United States - Financial Services

• 
  Residential Real Estate Industry News Headlines | Bizjournals.com

• Dayton home building permits climb 11%

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:31 pm

  The number of residential building permits in the Dayton area continued to rise last month.

• Scott Brenner loses $23M foreclosure judgment

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:47 pm

  Veteran real estate developer and broker Scott Brenner lost a $23.6 million foreclosure judgment over a planned residential development site in Oakland Park.

• Wells Fargo CEO sees hope in Atlanta

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:59 am

  The CEO of Wells Fargo & Co. sees hope, and a little pain, in the Atlanta market as early signs point toward a long and slow economic recovery. (WFC) (WFC) (STI)

• RealSTATs: October home sales up in Pittsburgh region

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:34 am

  The number of homes sold in the Pittsburgh region rose in October, spurred by first-time homebuyers taking advantage of the federal tax credit, according to a report from real estate information company RealSTATs.

• First-time buyers account for nearly half of home sales

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:43 am

  Thanks in part to an $8,000 tax credit, first-time buyers accounted for a record 47 percent of all home purchases this year, according to the National Association of Realtors.

• 
  Bubble Meter

• Housing starts fell significantly in October

  James

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:46 am

  Month-over-month housing starts fell in October:In a blow to the optimism that had surrounded the U.S. housing sector in recent months, housing starts fell a sharp 10.6% in October, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.New construction on housing units dropped to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 529,000, the lowest level since April. The 10.6% drop was the biggest percentage decline for starts since January.Both single-family homes and multifamily units declined last month.Prior to the October decline, housing starts have been flat for four straight months, on the heels of a big…

• Five myths about homeownership

  James

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:21 am

  Joseph Gyourko, chairman of the real estate department and the director of the Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, lists five myths about home ownership:Housing is a great long-term investment.The homebuyer tax credit makes buying a house more affordable.Homeownership is good for society because owners make better citizens.It's safe to buy a house with a very low down payment.Owning a home is cheaper than renting one because you save on rent.For his explanation of why they are myths, click here. I don't necessarily agree with all of his…

• When did the housing bubble begin?

  James

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:56 pm

  The Wall Street Journal asks when the housing bubble began:Why should we care when it all began? It’s politics. If the housing bubble began during the Clinton administration, it can be blamed on the Democrats and their efforts to expand homeownership to people who, in some cases, may not have been quite ready for it. If it began under George W. Bush, then it can be imputed to the Republicans’ love of deregulation.Of course, as we all know, the causes of today’s mess are far more complicated than either of those hypotheses allow. But nuance rarely figures in the debates of our age.Edward…

• Why eminent domain should be used sparingly

  James

  14 Nov 2009 | 2:40 am

  This is karma:The private homes that New London, Conn., took away from Suzette Kelo and her neighbors have been torn down. Their former site is a wasteland of fields of weeds, a monument to the power of eminent domain.But now Pfizer, the drug company whose neighboring research facility had been the original cause of the homes' seizure, has just announced that it is closing up shop in New London.To lure those jobs to New London a decade ago, the local government promised to demolish the older residential neighborhood adjacent to the land Pfizer was buying for next-to-nothing. Suzette Kelo…

• Jeffrey Sachs: How to stimulate the economy

  James

  13 Nov 2009 | 3:57 am

  Columbia University economist Jeffrey Sachs criticizes the Democratic and Republican ideas for stimulating the economy:Following a Keynesian approach, the Obama administration has focused on restoring consumer spending. They have gone about this with a combination of near-zero interest rates, massive Fed financing of mortgages and various consumption incentives, such as rebates for new homebuyers and cash for clunkers.During the previous bubble, the US consumer was encouraged to over-borrow. Recreating a new bubble is like offering just one more drink, on the government’s account, to…

• 
  Paper Economy - A US Real Estate Bubble Blog

• Two Great Bounces! - November 20 2009

  SoldAtTheTop

  21 Nov 2009 | 12:32 am

  The following charts provide a simple comparison between the big stock bounce that occurred in the wake of the DOW crash of 1929 and the bounce we are seeing today in the S&P 500 index.The method of alignment was simple… take the first definitive up trading day off the bottom of the preceding bear market low and set that as the start of the series… then simply re-base both series to a value of 100 so that they can be compared side-by-side.The lower bar chart plots the cumulative percentage change since the start of each bounce.The S&P 500 is up over 51% in a little over 160…

• Massive Unemployment: Mass Layoffs October 2009

  SoldAtTheTop

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:54 pm

  Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released thier latest installment of the Mass Layoff Report showing continued weakness in nation’s job market with 2127 mass layoff events resulting in 217,182 initial unemployment claimants on a seasonally adjusted basis.On a seasonally un-adjusted basis, the mass layoff events totaled 1934 with 193,904 initial claimants.The BLS considers a mass layoff event to be a condition where there are at least fifty initial claims for unemployment insurance originating from a single employer over a period of five consecutive weeks.

• Sinking Ships – MA vs. RI October 2009

  SoldAtTheTop

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:20 am

  Subtitle: MA Unemployment … At The Peak?!As I had noted in my original post, historically it has been very unusual for there to be more than a 1.5% difference (either more or less) between the unemployment rates if Massachusetts and Rhode Island.Recently though, we have seen a historically unusual spread between Rhode Island’s high rate and Massachusetts’ far lower rate.In fact, the latest 4% spread now exceeds ALL spreads seen in at least 40 years.This indicates that either Rhode Island’s current rate would need to fall dramatically or the Massachusetts rate would need to increase…

• Philadelphia Feeling: Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Business Outlook Survey November 2009

  SoldAtTheTop

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:24 pm

  Today, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia released the results of their Business Outlook Survey for November showing a slight increase in manufacturing activity with the current activity index still indicating expansion with a reading of 16.7.Also, today’s results show that any recent parallel to the stagflationary eras of the 70s and early 80 which had given way to a stronger stag-deflationary force, and then mildly inflationary inline with the government stimulus now appears to be, at least temporarily, looking marginally double-dipish as latest release shows predictions on future…

• Follow The Leader: Index of Leading Economic Indicators October 2009

  SoldAtTheTop

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:36 am

  Today’s results of the Conference Board’s Leading Economic Indicators showed another monthly increase climbing .3% compared to September bringing the annual increase to 4.22% and leaving the index at a level of 103.8.On the face of it this is clearly a Bullish “Green Shoots” development as this series (an aggregate of 10 component leading indices) is signaling a clear shift from leading contraction to expansion though the leading index is strongly influenced by stocks (i.e. the inclusion of the S&P 500 as one of the leading indicators) and the pronounced “V”-shaped bounce…

• 
  Home mortgage rates and real estate news - CNNMoney.com

• Most affordable city to buy a house

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:47 am

  Here are the 5 metro areas where the average American family can afford to purchase a median-priced home -- and the 5 where they can't.

• You don't have to be a millionaire to buy a house

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:01 am

  The Great Recession has ravaged savings and boosted unemployment rates, forcing people become more conservative with their cash. It has also made homes a lot more affordable -- at least for those people still working.

• Mortgage loans: Record number are late

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:38 am

  Mortgage borrowers are still falling behind on their payments in record numbers, despite the many foreclosure prevention efforts initiated by the government and non-profits.

• Buy the house Twilight was filmed in

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:38 am

• Rebuilding from real estate rubble

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:47 am

  Semper fidelis, the U.S. Marine Corps motto, means "always faithful" in Latin. As a young grunt serving at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Duane Draughon learned to remain loyal to the mission -- "whatever the cost," he says.

• 
  Yahoo! News: Business - Real Estate

• New Hampshire AG seeks bankruptcy for mortgage co. (AP)

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:59 pm

  AP - The New Hampshire attorney general's office wants to force a mortgage company that closed suddenly into bankruptcy.

• D.R. Horton sees 26 perecent spike in 4Q orders (AP)

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:20 pm

  AP - Homebuilder D.R. Horton Inc., saw new home orders spike 26 percent from a year ago in the latest quarter as buyers raced to close deals and take advantage of a federal tax credit. But a wider-than-anticipated loss fueled by write-downs sent shares tumbling more than 15 percent Friday.

• Business events scheduled for the coming week (AP)

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:24 pm

  AP - WASHINGTON — National Association of Realtors releases existing home sales for September, 10 a.m.

• Real estate agents see return of foreign buyers (AP)

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:25 pm

  AP - Canadian investor Arthur Wong is buying condos in Las Vegas and Phoenix like a shopper at Costco: In bulk, with slashed prices.

• 13 charged with mortgage and loan fraud in Oregon (AP)

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:26 am

  AP - A federal grand jury in Eugene has indicted 13 people on mortgage and loan fraud charges arising from the collapse of a central Oregon development company.

• 
  Real Estate Investing For Real | A BiggerPockets Investment Property Blog

• Google Street View: Virtual Tours your competitors don’t use

  Justin McClelland

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:47 am

  Google has come a mighty long way regarding innovations pertaining to the World Wide Web.  They are much more than a search engine.  Thus far, I’ve divulged tips using Google applications such as Google Voice and Google Earth. Today I’m going to focus on how you can utilize Google Maps when showcasing properties online. These days it is typical for a property, especially one that is listed with a Realtor, to have a virtual tour of the interior of the house.  Google Maps will allow you to go one step further and create a virtual tour of the exterior of the house and it’s…

• Foreclosures and Mortgage Delinquencies: A Tale Of Opposites

  Tom Koziol

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:30 am

  Today’s news seems to bring us a tale of opposites every time they report on the real estate market as it exists at this point in time. For example, an article by the AP just the other day said “the pace at which people fell behind on their mortgages slowed during the summer for the third quarter in a row. The bad news is the overall delinquency rate hit another record.” I don’t know about you but a guy could go goofy if he just took what he read at face value. On the other hand, if a guy looked at these reports and decided to sift out the silver lining he could get by…

• Invest on the Ground Floor

  Winston Westbrook

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  My grandfather was born in Guayaquil Ecuador in 1906. He came to America in the 70’s and would tell me stories about his business in Ecuador exporting bananas to the United States. He loved America and all it stood for; he wouldn’t drive anything but American made cars. Chevy to be exact, lol. He stated that he got into the business when exports to America were just beginning to take off, and got into the business on the GROUND FLOOR. After getting into the banana exporting business the industry took off with the economic expansion of America after World War II. He was in the game…

• What Realtors Should Put on Their Blog

  Christian Russell

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:25 pm

  A good number of Realtors are getting on the ball and putting up a blog. This is smart. It’s a powerful communication tool. It’s a powerful way to build your presence online. However keep a couple important points in mind: It will only serve as a powerful communication tool if you actively use it to communicate. It’s an ongoing process! It will only build your presence online if you actively build it! In other words, a blog doesn’t build itself. Putting it up is step one. Step 2 through to step 10 million-bazillion are all up to you. And if you don’t do it, who’s gonna? To put it…

• Wait! Before You Buy That Real Estate Course or E-book…

  Shae Bynes

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:05 pm

  Before you get the wrong idea about this post, let me start by saying that I am a huge advocate of learning both before and while doing anything new with real estate investing.I’ve invested plenty of dollars on solid education and mentoring over the years and will continue to make these investments for years to come. There are unlimited options available for e-books, home study courses, systems, and mentoring programs.Many of these products are excellent and will provide you with enough education to get started and be successful. Other products? Well, perhaps not so much. With these…

• 
  Construction Industry News - Construction Industry News Headlines | Bizjournals.com

• Boston Scientific to leave Doral

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:49 am

  Medical products company Boston Scientific Corp., which has more than 1,200 employees working out of a 14-acre plant in Doral, is relocating its operation to Costa Rica over the next three years.

• Office leasing expected to remain stagnant through 2010

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:52 pm

  Office leasing demand will hit its bottom this quarter and remain stagnant throughout 2010, while asking rents will still decline another 5 to 7 percent in 2010, according to a new national forecast by Jones Lang LaSalle.

• MacAulay-Brown to expand Beavercreek presence

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:18 pm

  A local defense contractor has inked a deal to expand.

• Pizza Hut incentives on Plano's agenda

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:14 pm

  Pizza Hut is considering building a new corporate headquarters in the Legacy business park in West Plano, moving at least 450 high-paying jobs to a city that's been highly successful at luring corporations in the past year.

• U.S. Century Bank seeks foreclosure on Coral Gables apartments

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:58 pm

  U.S. Century Bank wants to foreclosure on an apartment building in Coral Gables that was proposed as an office building redevelopment.

• 
  Top News

• Mortgage Industry Leads Accountability and Transparency Reform

  Frank Ceizyk

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm

  Posted To: Community CommentaryTransparency is the new buzz word in the financial world, especially in the mortgage industry. W hile government officials and financial pundits pay "TRANSPARENCY" plenty of lip service, those of us working on the front lines of origination live with it on a daily basis. I would go as far to say, from a point of sale perspective, MORTGAGE ORIGINATORS HAVE QUICKLY BECOME THE MOST ACCOUNTABLE MEMBERS OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY. Imagine the potential protection consumers might benefit from if all commission based financial services professionals…

• MBS CLOSE: Extremely Flat, Range-Bound Week

  Matthew Graham

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:01 pm

  Posted To: MBS CommentaryDespite the 4 tick improvement on the day that leaves MBS just about as close to all time highs as we could ask for, the lack of excitement this week is a bit of a let down. Sure, there was plenty of chopatility earlier in the week in MBS, but not only was it mostly confined to the range, prices actually ended exactly where they started on Monday! At least the boring and range-bound nature of the week made for plenty of predictability as the only real technical levels worthy of mention played important roles throughout the week. 101-21 became eerily supportive as the…

• MBS AFTERNOON: Grinding to the Right

  Adam Quinones

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:28 pm

  Posted To: MBS CommentaryIts 430 on a Friday afternoon. The market is resting after a week's worth of grinding to the right. (Note sarcasm.) It was exciting when the week began...but it sure did fizzle out into the close. Everything we watch turned a profit this week. We hope you followed the crowd and booked a few extra bps yourself. Gobble Gobble. I can smell the mashed potatoes.... Enjoy the weekend PS. Smash someone up Tucker. go 44...(read more)Forward this article via email:  Send a copy of this story to someone you know that may want to read it.

• MBS LUNCH: Uneventfully Coasting Into The Weekend

  Matthew Graham

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:15 am

  Posted To: MBS CommentaryWith absolutely no exaggeration, all but one, maybe two of the times I've looked at my screens before writing this week MBS have been between -2 and +2 ticks on the day while changes in tsy's have been more pronounced. Same story today, at least on a price level, as 4.5's are up 2 ticks to 101-23 whereas 10's are down 6 ticks, bringing the yield up to 3.362. Neither of those levels are especially interesting as they both lie above levels that have supported 99% of the trade this week. For MBS, the level is obviously 101-21, which has received more than…

• MBS MORNING: Reminder of Rates Reality

  Adam Quinones

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:23 am

  Posted To: MBS CommentaryMuch of our analysis this week has focused on the technical dynamics of range limits and the interconnected relationship between the market's perception of fundamentals and trader's ongoing short term profit churning positional tactics. While some of the explanatory logic we have provided was mere exploratory reasoning based on the speculative maneuvering and strategery (been waiting to use that one) of performance driven traders, we have continued to rely upon the same concepts and indicators that have driven price action for the majority of 2009: the Federal…

• 
  Homes101 Real Estate News

• Green-building Growing, More Jobs, More Buyer Interest

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  According to a new study from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Booz Allen Hamilton, construction in the green-building industry will support 7.9 million jobs over the next four years while pumping into the American economy $554 billion. Currently, 2 million American jobs are supported by the same industry and more than $100 billion in gross domestic product and wages is generated.

• 15-Year FRM Drops to Lowest Ever Recorded in Freddie Mac Survey Hi

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  McLean, VA -- Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.83 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending November 19, 2009, down from last week when it averaged 4.91 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.04 percent.

• Investor Report: HUD's Condo Rules

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  HUD just changed its condominium rules again, and there's both good news and sobering news for investors and developers tucked away in the revisions.

• Overcoming Five Common Investing Mistakes Made by Property Owners & Managers

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  [Note: To follow is an excerpt of a radio show interview conducted by Peter L. Mosca, host of Income Property Investment Talk, with Robert Cain, who since 1987 has been publishing information, giving speeches and conducting seminars and workshops for landlords and investors on how to buy, rent and manage property more effectively. Cain talks about avoiding five common investing mistakes. To listen to the show archive or download an MP3, go to www.IncomePropertyInvestmentTalk.com/102109.]

• Low Interest Rates Spur Refinancing, Buying Interest

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  If you purchased a home a year ago and have the equity and creditworthiness to swing it, a refinance today could save you hundreds of dollars a month.

• 
  Trulia Blog - Real Estate Blog

• Kirk Hammett & Curt Schilling - celebs looking to sell

  Sharon, Marketing Coordinator

  12 Nov 2009 | 3:39 pm

  No strangers to the real estate market, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett and retired Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling have lowered their asking prices in hopes of finding a buyer sooner than later. Kirk Hammett has once again re-listed his property located at 2505 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA 94115 in San Francisco’s Pac Heights district where he lives with his wife and two young sons. Billed as the “historic Georgian mansion,” the four-story mansion looks like it got a huge green blanket of leaves draped all over it with a few holes for sunshine. The 9,000 sqft…

• Trulia on CNBC - Price Reductions, Bernie Madoff and Toll Brothers

  Rudy, Social Media Guru

  11 Nov 2009 | 8:25 am

  CNBC’S Diana Olick talks about Trulia’s price reductions, Bernie Madoff’s price reduction of $1,000,000 from $9,900,000 to $8,900,000 located at 133 East 64th St New York NY 10065 as seen on Trulia and Toll Brothers news of Q4 orders jumping 42% from a year ago. Related PostsPrice Reductions - Hedge Fund Homes - CNBCMadoff scandal and real estatePrice reductions to help attract buyersTrulia CEO Pete Flint on CNBC - Report Card on Home PricesTrulia CEO Pete Flint on CNBC Talking about Increased Home Buyer Interest in Foreclosures

• Trulia’s November Price Reduction Report - Home Sellers Cut $28.1 Billion off Asking Prices

  Rudy, Social Media Guru

  11 Nov 2009 | 8:01 am

  photo credit: lepiaf.geo Our November home price reduction report shows 25.6% of U.S. homes as of November 1, 2009 have experienced at least 1 price cut of their original asking price during the last 12 months. The total amount slashed off of active for sale listings by home sellers is $28.1billion. The average national price reduction remains 10%. Over 40% of the top 50 metros around the U.S. have price reduction levels above 30%, much higher than the national average. November Price Reduction Highlights 25.6% of U.S. homes as of November 1, 2009 have experienced at least 1 price cut of…

• What city data is most important to your home search?

  Emily, Community Moderator

  9 Nov 2009 | 12:09 pm

  That’s exactly what San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom wanted to find out to support the launch of DataSF.org. The new site publishes data from the City & County of San Francisco and provides access to everything from police records to restaurant inspection reports. With DataSF the city aims to increase the transparency of government data and to foster innovation in the bay area. And so when Mayor Newsom wanted to find out which data should be included on the site, he turned to the Trulia Voices community with his inquiry: The Mayor’s question received answers from almost 100…

• Senate and House Approve Tax Credit Extension

  Heather, vp of marketing

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:50 pm

  Here are the details of the tax credit extension/expansion that the House and Senate have passed (HR 3548) First-timers: Extend the $8,000 homebuyer tax credit to contracts signed by April 30 and closed by June 30. Previously was set to expire after Nov. 30.First-time homebuyer is defined as someone who has not owned a residence within the past three years. Existing owners:$6,500 credit for those who buy a home after living in their current house at least five of the last eight years. Extension:Contracts signed by April 30 and closed by June 30. Home requirement: principal residences priced…

• 
  The Real Estate Bloggers

• Are FHA Loan Limits Increasing $100,000?

  Tom Royce

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:11 am

  Buried at the bottom of a New York Times article on the trouble FHA housing loans are in is this tidbit, Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts wants to raise the lending limits of an FHA loan $100,000. A few weeks ago, Congress extended the higher lending limits for another year. Representative Barney Frank, the Massachusetts Democrat who is chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said in an interview that he planned to introduce legislation next year raising the maximum F.H.A. loan by $100,000, to $839,750. via the NY Times Now I do not know about you, but this is another…

• Top 10 Most Affordable Real Estate Markets in 2009

  Tom Royce

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:37 am

  If you are looking to move to someplace affordable, we have the list for you. The criteria that the National Association of Home Builders uses is if the home is affordable for families living at the median income of $64,800. So while these cities are not the top of most folks hit parade, they do provide the ability to live within ones means. Top 10 Most Affordable Real Estate Markets in 2009 1. Kokomo, IN 96.7 2. Springfield, OH 96.1 3. Bay City, MI 96.0 4. Mansfield, OH 95.7 5. Elkhart-Goshen,IN 95.2 6. Indianapolis-Carmel, IN 94.5 7. Canton-Massillon, OH 94.4 8. Youngstown-Warren-Boardman,…

• 7 Million More Foreclosures To Hit The Market?

  Tom Royce

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:11 am

   How scary is that number, 7 Million. If it was the deficit, it would not even scratch the surface. But it is the number of homes that are essentially in a foreclosure backlog. These 7 million foreclosures represent those that are being negotiated, ones lenders are just plain ignoring, ones that are being worked out, or those that because of different moratoriums are not being acted upon. Now we all know that they will not hit the market at one time, but they are the ticking time-bomb of the housing industry. These homes largely represent loans that are delinquent but have not yet…

• Lowes See Home Improvement Market Improving In Hard Hit Areas

  Tom Royce

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:14 am

  The housing downturn also took a big chunk out of the profitability of the home improvement stores. Think about it, who wants to invest in a home that is losing value or that you may have to turn over to the bank. When you can not pay the mortgage, preventative maintenance is not a priority. That is why today’s announcement that Lowe’s is seeing a turn around in the hard hit areas of the country shows that people are reinvesting in their home. A small sign maybe, and perhaps an optimistic reading of the tea leaves, but still a hopeful sign. If people are investing in their homes,…

• Commercial Real Estate Seeing Bottom

  Tom Royce

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:37 am

  After a few years of following real estate, it is interesting to see the difference between the residential real estate market and the commercial markets. For the residential market, real estate is home, a major investment, personal, and passionate. Decisions are not logical and are driven by status and desire. The commercial market is all about the money, with a dash of prestige thrown in to make people stupid at the top end. But these same people know that when the going gets tough, they get out quickly. That is why the commercial market rose quickly, prestige and the chance to make a…

• 
  Square Feet

• The $9B Check

  squarefeet

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:07 pm

  That’s a lot of cheddar! [via Business Insider]

• Heading North – CA Unemployment Up To 12.5%; Santa Clara County 11.9%

  squarefeet

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:45 am

  The EDD released unemployment figures today, and the rate was up to 12.5% in October, a 20 basis point increase from September’s 12.3%. Last year, it was 8% in October signalling a 50% year-over-year increase! In raw numbers, year-over-year, we’ve shed nearly a million jobs in California alone total, nearly 700K if you look at [...]

• Crescent Down, San Francisco EOP Assets To Go

  squarefeet

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:21 am

  In the news today is Morgan Stanley’s handing back of the keys on the Crescent Real Estate nightmare they acquired two years ago. The nightmare wasn’t that they were bad assets, the nightmare was the price paid for the portfolio and the subsequent fall in the market. We were out in front of the Crescent deal. [...]

• Round Trip For 17M SF of Property as Morgan Stanley Hands Back The Keys

  squarefeet

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:18 am

  Morgan Stanley has officially handed the keys back on the Crescent portfolio we posted on last month. Including debt, Morgan picked up Crescent Real Estate Equities for $6.5B. The portfolio consists of some 17M SF of commercial and hospitality product. After providing Morgan with a 3-month extension back in August, the calling for the portfolio [...]

• Announcement: The Square Feet Blog Holiday Mixer

  squarefeet

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:10 pm

  Join Us For The Square Feet Blog Holiday Mixer Wednesday, December 9, 2009 12-2PM – Downtown Palo Alto It’s the holidays and Square Feet Blog would like to extend a warm holiday greeting by hosting a Holiday Mixer! We’ve never attempted anything like this before, and we’re not event planners, but we think we can pull this off. [...]

• 
  About.com Real Estate Business

• C'mon Trulia, Zillow, NAR and Now Google - Make My Day!

  21 Nov 2009 | 12:50 am

  It's all about national search engines for real estate, and Google is easing its way into the fray. NAR has just announced their new Realtors Property Resource national database. Google is releasing "place pages" for every property in its maps database, and growing Google's presence in all areas of real estate marketing. There is a lot of worry out there about the dilution of the Realtor's control of information. Actually, destruction is a better word than dilution. As I like to work with buyers more than deal with holding the hands of over-priced listing clients, I find that I'm not at all…

• PPC & Organic Search Play Well Together

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:09 am

  Thanks for a tweet by Tim O'Keefe about a study at New York University of the interdependence of paid click advertising and organic search results. It looks like they're using some very sophisticated models to look at one retail advertiser's results when they have both paid and free organic listings for certain keywords and phrases on the first page in a Google search. They found that the presence of both paid and organic listings improved overall performance of the ads, including CTR (click through ratio) and other ad success measurements. I think I understood correctly that the free organic…

• Where's That Credit Card I Hid?

  13 Nov 2009 | 8:45 am

  Well, it's going to be a great Christmas, because I can go into a bit more debt. At least that's what Lawrence Yun at NAR says. My income, and yours by the way, is going up 20% next year! I really need to find that credit card I hid from myself. Of course, my income's been down about 60%, but up is good right? I'm already feeling richer. It might have been better if I hadn't read that article till I got back from my wife's school conference this weekend at a Casino hotel. Then again, it sounds like my luck is changing, so look out blackjack tables! Where's That Credit Card I Hid? originally…

• Missing the Point of Social Media

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:26 am

  Social media is a sinkhole that absorbs time, effort and money that could better be spent on finding listings and selling houses. Powerful words from Mike Parker, and you should read the article. But, as someone who spends less than an hour a week on all my Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts combined, I can't agree with all of his statements. I also don't spend any money on social sites, though I tried a paid upgrade to LinkedIn that I'm not going to renew. First, I've helped a lot of people to buy and sell homes and land in my market. Note that I didn't say I sold them anything, and…

• Tax Credit Close to Extension

  5 Nov 2009 | 6:18 am

  Realtor.org's article released today, says the home buyer tax credit is close to final approval and signing. The Senate has passed the new version, and the House and President are expected to approve it as well. Here are the high points: Extended to May 1, 2010 $8000 for first time buyers $6500 to repeat buyers with limitations on time of residence Home price capped at $800,000 Income limits now $125k individuals and $225k joint filers Reduced credits for $145k individuals and $245k income joint filers Contracts in place by April 30 will get 60 days to close May the next flurry of activity…

• 
  Blown Mortgage

• Details on the Home Buyer Tax Credit Extension

  Blaughridge

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:39 pm

  Home sales got a needed boost because of the Obama administration’s $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers. With the national economy and housing market still fragile, the government recently decided to extend the tax credit through June 2010. The government also rolled out a new tax credit aimed at existing homeowners. Currently in effect, the $6,500 “move-up” tax credit would apply for eligible homeowners who purchase a new permanent residence in the coming months. Housing experts hope the two tax credits can help the struggling housing market rebound in 2010. “The new version…

• Is Strategic Foreclosing The Best Loan Modification For You

  Andrew

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:08 pm

  Last week I received a very interesting comment on one of my articles on loan modifications. The comment claimed that for most underwater borrowers (homeowners that owe more on their property than it is worth) a “strategic default” is smartest way to go. I had some months ago written an article claiming along similar lines that in many cases foreclosure is the only logical conclusion when homeowners had overspent on their homes and could no longer afford the overpriced luxury homes they had unwisely bought at the crest of the housing boom. Readers response ranged from claims that greedy…

• Loan Modifications: 3 Reasons They Are So Slow

  Andrew

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:51 pm

  The Mortgage Crisis or Credit Crisis as many are more accurately describing it has left millions of Americans (and Earthlings worldwide for that matter) in or at the brink of foreclosure. Banks and Government have launched an ongoing set of increasingly aggressive programs to solve this terrible problem. Not all the help is coming from the Government either. One association of banks which call themselves the Hope Now Alliance assures they have helped keep over 2 million troubled borrowers in their homes by changing the terms of their loans. Similarly the Government is proud to say they have…

• Loan Modifications: The Loan Workout Formula To Accelerate Your Modification

  Andrew

  15 Nov 2009 | 4:47 pm

  The News is littered with horror stories of homeowners that have been taken for a red tape ride, paperwork is lost, or applications are dropped because a vital piece of paperwork that was never actually requested is missing, all while homes are ultimately and tragically lost. What can be done to accelerate this process and avoid being a main character in one of these horror stories. The truth is that there are no magic solutions, in some cases loan modifications are simply not an option. That said, lenders have come up with a kind of formula to speed up loan workouts. If you fit these…

• Loan Modification Companies, Why Doesn’t Government Want You To Use Them

  Andrew

  14 Nov 2009 | 2:39 pm

  One of my latest articles suggested that the best advice you can get on loan modifications is free and supplied by  the Government and that the Government has a vested interest in loan modifications to work, that is to stop families from losing their homes. This elicited an anonymous comment that I feel can be helpful as I believe it touches on many of the issues people are thinking about. The comment is copied in full even though some of the sentiments expressed may have hurt my fragile ego. The readers’ comments are in italics. “The best advice comes from the government and…

• 
  Lanser on Real Estate

• What to be thankful for in real estate

  Jon Lansner

  21 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am

  The federal tax credit extension, lower foreclosure rates, rising home prices, increased revenue and some rosy forecasts. Has real estate — after four years of slumping sales and prices –  hit bottom? These thoughts may be some of the things evoking smiles on the recession-weary faces of real estate types this year. Insider Q&A asked some real estate insiders what is there is to be thankful for this in the real estate business this Thanksgiving … “We are thankful for the message the consumer has provided to us as an industry and as a company.  As a 33-year-old…

• Really? Detroit stadium a 99% loss

  Jon Lansner

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:00 pm

  Real estate news and views from around the globe that make you go, “Really?” Where else but … FUMBLE: Football stadium near Detroit a 99% loss for city (istockanalyst) MORE HERE! OUCH! GM job shift would add to downtown Detroit woes (Detroit Free Press) MORE HERE! SUPPLY: Fewer homes unsold in Detroit area (Detroit Free Press) MORE HERE! BETTER: Michigan foreclosures decline slightly for October (MLive.com) MORE HERE! PUZZLE: Michigan’s young people: To stay or not to stay? (MLive.com) MORE HERE! Post from: Lansner on Real Estate

• Property tax fights up 8% this year

  Jeff Collins

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:53 pm

  Leonard Ortiz/The Register About 17,520 Orange County property owners have signed up this year to fight the county’s assessment of their real estate’s value in an effort to lower their property taxes. That compares to 16,231 as of Nov. 19 last year, said Pat Martinez, head of the county’s assessment appeals division for the county Clerk of the Board of Supervisor’s Office. The increased pace of tax appeals likely reflects the dismal state of home prices at the start of the year. This year’s tax assessments are based on property values on or around January, when…

• Police raid Surf City rental service

  Jeff Collins

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am

  Huntington Beach police are conducting a felony investigation of Golden State Rentals, a troubled rental listing service that’s accused to giving out bogus listings and failing to refund customers’ money. Investigators served a search warrant on Golden State Rentals in early October after an undercover officer posed as a customer to gather intelligence about the business, according to a search warrant return filed in West Orange County Superior Court. On Oct. 2, officers found Golden State’s Beach Boulevard office abandoned. Police seized customer files left behind, the…

• O.C. home price seen rising 10.9% in year

  Jon Lansner

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:02 am

  September sales: Click for details! $532,000 $613,000 $1,450,000 First American CoreLogic’s computers say … Orange County homes prices, in the year ending September 2010, will appreciate 10.94%. Last month, First American projected a 9.53% annual again for year ending August 2010. Orange County homes prices — including distressed sales — declined 6.74% in the year ended in September vs. 7.92% rate of annual decline in August. Excluding distressed transactions, Orange County homes prices year-over-year fell 6.14% in September vs. August’s -7.07%. California…

• 
  L.A. Land

• L.A. Land is moving to Money & Company

  LATimes

  16 Nov 2009 | 1:19 pm

  LA Land has moved to a bigger, brighter, newer home. You can now find it in our Money & Company blog. You will still be able to find all the real estate news, foreclosures, and Hot Property pieces, but now in our uber-business blog.  Before you click the link, make sure to bookmark the new url: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/real_estate/File photo by Boris Yaro / Los Angeles Times

• Tree of the Week: The picturesque Aleppo pine

  Nancy Rivera

  14 Nov 2009 | 6:06 am

  Aleppo pine -- Pinus halepensis Tough and rugged as a movie outlaw, the Aleppo pine's asymmetrical shape, leaning habit, sparse foliage, haphazard branching pattern, and grayish branches and needles contribute to a picturesque image. But it isn't a pretty pine tree. Native to coastal areas around the Mediterranean basin, the tree historically was more abundant on the west side (Spain, Morocco, Algeria) than around the Middle East, even though its name derives from the Syrian city of Aleppo. It thrives on thin soil and steep slopes, and prefers deserts and seacoasts, where it develops…

• Report: Entry-level home buyers make up biggest share of market ever

  Alex Lazo

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:27 pm

  First-time buyers made up a bigger share of the housing market in 2009 than any other year on record, according to a study released this afternoon. The number of first-time home buyers rose to 47% of all home sales from 41% of transactions in last year’s study, and was the highest on record dating back to 1981, according to the Washington-based National Assn. of Realtors. Home sales have been fueled in recent months by cheap foreclosure properties. Both investors and first-time buyers have jumped into the market to snap up these heavily discounted digs. For first-time buyers, one major…

• This weekend: A flurry of condo and townhome auctions

  Alex Lazo

  13 Nov 2009 | 2:07 pm

  Still sorting out your weekend plans? Maybe it’s time to snap up that discounted downtown loft. Beverly Hills-based auction company Kennedy Wilson is closing out 55 units in the Market Lofts building with a session Saturday. The auction is part of a trend playing out across the region as fancy edifices put up during the boom years are now sitting vacant. From The Times’ May 18 story on the subject: Across Southern California, projects conceived during the housing boom, but completed after the bust, are sitting largely vacant. Developers are desperate to unload these units, but they face…

• Real estate roundup: Californians in foreclosure limbo

  Alex Lazo

  13 Nov 2009 | 11:07 am

  A rising number of Californians are finding themselves in financial limbo, having defaulted on their mortgages but still living in their homes, a new report has found. The report by Foreclosureradar.com (registration required) found that while the number of properties scheduled for foreclosure sale increased last month, lenders continue to postpone the sales rather than foreclose. After three months of declines, the number of houses taken back by banks in October rose by 22.2% from September and 20.95% from October 2008. Despite that jump, the number of foreclosures remains 42.6% below a peak…

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  Realty Times

• 15-Year FRM Drops to Lowest Ever Recorded in Freddie Mac Survey Hi

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.83 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending November 19, 2009, down from last week when it averaged 4.91 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.04 percent.

• Green-building Growing, More Jobs, More Buyer Interest

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  According to a new study from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Booz Allen Hamilton, construction in the green-building industry will support 7.9 million jobs over the next four years while pumping into the American economy $554 billion. Currently, 2 million American jobs are supported by the same industry and more than $100 billion in gross domestic product and wages is generated.

• Investor Report: HUD's Condo Rules

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  HUD just changed its condominium rules again, and there's both good news and sobering news for investors and developers tucked away in the revisions.

• It's Not What Happens, But How You React That Counts

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  A Champion realizes it's not what happens but how they react to it that counts.

• 
  Inman News

• The flood-zone deal-breaker

  Inman_News

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:10 pm

  Letter to the Editorread more

• Tight lending remains elephant in room

  Lou_Barnes

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:13 pm

  Commentary: Bernanke's speech casts shadows on recoveryread more

• Google makes yet another big move into real estate territory

  boerob

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:56 am

  Perspective: From 1000Watt blogread more

• Google adds detail pages for listings

  Inman_News

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:49 am

  Search, listings display continues to evolve at Google Mapsread more

• Casualties of bidding wars

  Tara-Nicholle Nelson

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:05 am

  Home Sale Hindsightread more

• 
  WSJ.com: Developments

• Tom Clancy’s $12.6 Million Condo Buy Boosts Baltimore Market

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:25 pm

  Evan Joseph Prices are ’stratospheric’ at the waterside condos. Tom Clancy has given a bit of a boost to the battered condominium market – at least in Baltimore. The novelist this week paid $12.6 million for three condos that will be combined to create an 11,959-square-foot penthouse in the Ritz-Carlton Residences in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, according to published reports and people familiar with the matter. The price amounts to $1,054 per square foot. That’s a stratospheric price tag for gritty Baltimore, where average condo sales run in the range of $300 to $500 per…

• October Home Sales May Look Unseasonably Hot

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:14 pm

  There’s been a lot of negative housing news lately, but some analysts say existing home sales for October, due to be reported Monday morning by the National Association of Realtors, will be strong, partly because buyers lunged after tax credits. Let’s hear from three of the most respected gurus: Tom Lawler, an independent economist who tracks sales from hundreds of local sources, expects a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.82 million units, up 4.5% from September. Ivy Zelman, CEO of Zelman & Associates, forecasts 5.72 million but says she wouldn’t be surprised by numbers in the…

• Builders’ Dream Home: A McMansion-Sized Nightmare

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:13 am

  RM Design Studio A rendering of the “New American Home” With all the talk about American preferences shifting to smaller homes, we were surprised that this year’s “New American Home” measures a whopping 6,800 square feet, much larger than the national median of 2,219 square feet. So, for that reason (and many others) it’s hardly surprising the Las Vegas address has fallen on hard times. As we wrote in today’s WSJ, construction has been halted on the showpiece. Crafted to capture emerging trends in residential building and the shifting lifestyles of…

• Luxury, High-Rise Condo Auction…In The Bronx

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:33 am

  Peter Rymwid The Solaria’s glassy exterior belies a mostly-empty interior How do you get skittish buyers to sign deals on newly constructed condos in a down market? Joseph Korff, a New York City developer thinks he has the answer: Auction. On Sunday, 54 out of the 64 condos at Mr. Korff’s Solaria in the Bronx’s Riverdale neighborhood, hit the block in what will be New York City’s first auction of luxury high-rise apartments. Other city developers, lenders and auctioneers are watching closely, as the Solaria’s success could help determine how others try to unload their…

• Friday Diversion: Hilfiger Sells in Greenwich, ‘Twilight’ House For Sale

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:21 am

  Sotheby’s International Realty The home in Greenwich that Tommy Hilfiger recently sold The “New American Home” becomes a poster child for the building industry’s woes. Meanwhile, here’s a look at some high-end finished homes making news this week: Fashion mogul Tommy Hilfiger sells his home in Greenwich, Conn., for $20 million. He first listed the four-acres estate more than a year ago for $27.9 million and cut the price earlier this year to $21.9 million. Known as Stone Hill, the eight-bedroom, nine-bathroom mansion measures 20,000 square feet. It includes a…

• 
  WSJ.com Video - Real Estate

• News Hub: Signs of Trouble for Housing Rebound

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:41 pm

  WSJ's Bob Hagerty discusses disappointing data on October housing starts and whether expectations of a rebound may have been premature.

• Why Housing Won't 'Crater'

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:03 am

  Industry consultant John Burns talks to reporter Nick Timiraos about where the market is headed and the significance of low mortgage rates, the home buyer tax credit and the FHA, which he calls the "new subprime."

• News Hub: Trump Decides to Fold 'Em

  17 Nov 2009 | 2:34 pm

  The "News Hub" panel discusses Donald Trump's decision to end his bid to regain control of some Atlantic City, N.J., casinos.

• PM Report: Another Housing Bailout?

  12 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pm

  The U.S. Federal Housing Administration's cash reserves drops well below the congressionally mandated level. The News Hub discusses whether we should expect another housing bailout. Plus, military prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for alleged Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan.

• Viewpoints: Laurence Fink on Real Estate Sector

  10 Nov 2009 | 9:40 am

  In the latest Viewpoints Breakfast series, Laurence Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock Inc. says that although commercial real estate took quite a blow during 2006 and 2007, he still likes the sector.

• 
  BBC News | In Depth | mortgages | World Edition

• Low rates hit Nationwide profit

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:06 am

  Nationwide reports a big slump in profits and delivers a gloomy forecast for the UK economy and the housing market.

• 'Fee-free' bank account unveiled

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:50 am

  A current account that does not charge for unauthorised overdrafts is unveiled days before a major court judgement.

• Seasonal rise in lending

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:48 am

  UK mortgage lending rose by 5% in October compared with the previous month, according to a lenders' group.

• Re-mortgaging

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:09 pm

  Getting a new mortgage deal from fussy lenders

• Negative equity escape deal offer

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:41 am

  The Coventry Building Society offers existing customers in negative equity a mortgage escape route if they need to move.

• 
  NYT > Foreclosures

• Home Builder D. R. Horton Narrows Its Quarterly Loss

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  The home builder D. R. Horton said that its quarterly loss narrowed despite a decline in revenue as its inventory write-down costs fell.

• With F.H.A. Help, Easy Loans in Expensive Areas

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  An effort by the F.H.A. to prop up real estate prices amid rising defaults has put taxpayers at risk.

• U.S. Mortgage Delinquencies Reach a Record High

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  The Mortgage Bankers Association’s quarterly survey found that one in seven homeowners was either late on payments or was already in foreclosure.

• Philadelphia Gives Homeowners a Way to Stay Put

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  A program in Philadelphia has enabled hundreds of troubled borrowers to retain their homes.

• More Foreclosures to Come

  11 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Unless the Obama antiforeclosure plan is modified, it has little chance of making a meaningful dent in the housing crisis.

• 
  Real Estate Q&A

• When Co-op Units Are in Poor Condition

  By JAY ROMANO

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:50 pm

  If an apartment in a co-op building has fallen into serious disrepair, should a prospective buyer worry that there are other such apartments in the building?

• The Right Time to Show an Apartment

  By JAY ROMANO

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:50 pm

  My landlord has become demanding about showing my rental unit to prospective tenants. When I refused, he accused me of being uncooperative. I am afraid that if I don't comply with his demands, I may not get back my security deposit. What should I do?

• Knowing Your Delinquent Neighbors

  By JAY ROMANO

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:49 pm

  My condominium recently circulated a list of all owners who are delinquent in paying common charges. Is this legal?

• Rent Stabilization Tied to Tax Abatement

  By JAY ROMANO

  13 Nov 2009 | 8:22 am

  We are thinking of renting in a new co-op building. We have been told that after the two-year lease ends, we will become rent-stabilized tenants. What would happen if the landlord lost the building or it was sold to someone else? Would we have to move?

• Individual Meters in a Rental Building

  By JAY ROMANO

  13 Nov 2009 | 8:22 am

  Our landlord is installing individual electric meters in each apartment in our building, which has a mixture of regulated and nonregulated tenants. Each tenant will be paying for his or her own electricity, but at a lower-than-normal rate because of the large total consumption. Is this legal?

• 
  Housing News

• D.R. Horton sees 26 perecent spike in 4Q orders

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:40 am

  In this May 7, 2009 file photo, homes built by D.R. Horton Inc. are shown in Cahndler, Ariz.D.R. Horton Inc.

• Real estate agents see return of foreign buyers

  21 Nov 2009 | 1:38 am

  Canadian investor Arthur Wong is buying condos in Las Vegas and Phoenix like a shopper at Costco: In bulk, with slashed prices.

• NH Housing Market In Recovery Mode

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:14 pm

  New statistics show that New Hampshire's real estate market is in the midst of a slow and steady recovery.

• Housing Recovery in U.S. Is Set Back to 2010 With Market on `Life Support'

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:55 pm

  A recovery in U.S. housing will have to wait at least until next year. The outlook for the home market dimmed this week as residential construction and mortgage applications fell and loan delinquencies reached a record.

• A home is for sale by owner is seen in Clarence, N.Y.

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:51 pm

  Selling a home without a real estate agent can save thousands of dollars in commission fees, but it can also be a painstaking, confusing task.

• 
  Foreclosure News

• D.R. Horton sees 26 perecent spike in 4Q orders

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:35 am

  In this May 7, 2009 file photo, homes built by D.R. Horton Inc. are shown in Cahndler, Ariz.D.R. Horton Inc.

• FHA feeling the heat to pump up its reserves

  21 Nov 2009 | 3:28 am

  For the past several years, the Federal Housing Administration has been the go-to financing resource for cash-strapped homebuyers who can't come up with a big down payment.

• Agencies to receive $18 million for ...

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:11 pm

  Housing agencies and developers in five Arkansas cities will get nearly $18 million in loans from the Arkansas Development Finance Authority to build more than 200 homes for low-income households.

• Ohio AG sues credit agencies for public pensions

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:59 pm

  The three major credit ratings agencies gave mortgage-backed securities unjustifiably high ratings in return for lucrative fees, losing at least $457 million for five Ohio public employee pension and retirement funds, the state's attorney general alleged in a lawsuit filed Friday.

• Housing Recovery in U.S. Is Set Back to 2010 With Market on `Life Support'

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:53 pm

  A recovery in U.S. housing will have to wait at least until next year. The outlook for the home market dimmed this week as residential construction and mortgage applications fell and loan delinquencies reached a record.

• 
  HUD Press Releases

• Statements by DHS Secretary Napolitano and HUD Secretary Donovan On Today's Disaster Recovery Stakeholder Forum in Salt Lake City

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  SALT LAKE CITY-The Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group held its fourth of five planned stakeholder forums today in Salt Lake City-designed to encourage stakeholders to provide direct input and ideas for disaster recovery

• President Obama Establishes Interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force

  11 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  WASHINGTON - Attorney General Eric Holder, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairwoman Mary Schapiro today announced that President Barack Obama has established by Executive Order an interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to strengthen efforts to combat financial crime. The Department of Justice will lead the task force and the Department of Treasury, HUD and the SEC will serve on the steering committee. The task force's leadership, along with representatives from a broad…

• Long term Disaster Recovery working group holds inaugural stakeholder forum in New Orleans

  4 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  NEW ORLEANS-The Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group held the first of five planned stakeholder forums today in New Orleans. The Working Group, co-chaired by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and comprised of the Secretaries and Administrators of approximately 20 departments and agencies, will provide President Obama with recommendations on how to improve long-term disaster recovery with a particular focus on catastrophic disasters.

• HUD takes action against reverse mortgage lender in Hawaii

  30 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am

  WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that its Mortgagee Review Board (MRB) is proposing to permanently withdraw the HUD/FHA approval of Financial Mortgage USA, Inc., a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM or reverse mortgage) lender based in Honolulu, Hawaii. HUD's MRB alleges the Company failed to implement an FHA-required quality control plan; separate its lending operations from those of its affiliated insurance company; conform to prudent lending practices; and properly provide borrowers with housing counseling services.

• Administration calls on Congress to approve key housing measures

  29 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am

  WASHINGTON, DC - Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan called on Congress to approve three important measures to improve housing and the housing market for Americans: extension of the First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit for a limited period, extension of higher loan limits for home mortgages, and secure funding for the Housing Trust Fund.

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  Planetizen - Urban Planning, Design and Development Network

• Competing Technologies Within Hydrogen Car Community

  Tim Halbur

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  Not only is the hydrogen car industry being pressured by outside competition such as electric cars and those that run on biofuels, but there is competition within the hydrogen car industry itself. read more

• Promise Takes Root in Dallas' Newest Park

  Alek Miller

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  A new multiuse park in Dallas, the first of four of its kind, is giving the downtown community a reason to celebrate. read more

• Friday Funny: Chicken Supports Chicken Ordinance

  Nate Berg

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm

  An unidentified person dressed in a chicken costume came out to a recent city council meeting in Durango, Colorado to support the city's recently-passed backyard hen ordinance. read more

• Class Divide in NY Inclusive Buildings

  Tim Halbur

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pm

  At the 101 Warren in Manhattan, developers split the building into luxury and affordable rentals to take advantage of tax breaks. Tensions have resulted, and now a proposed re-zoning would send the affordable residents' kids to a different school. read more

• Alternative Fuels Won't Change the Expense of Driving

  Tim Halbur

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm

  One of the conclusions of a new study in the San Francisco Bay Area is that switching to electric and alternative fuel cars won't reduce the burden on households because ownership is the most significant expense. Thus, density is the only way out. read more

• 
  Housing Wire

• House Amendment Allows Dismantling of ‘Too Big to Fail’ Firms

  AUSTIN KILGORE

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:48 pm

  A House Financial Services Committee amendment that passed this week would empower federal regulators to dismantle financial firms considered “too big to fail.” The amendment, authored by House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises chair Paul Kanjorski (D-PA), was included to the Financial Stability Improvement Act with a vote of 38-29. The [...]

• Fed Buys Another $16Bn of Agency MBS

  DIANA GOLOBAY

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:01 am

  The Federal Reserve Bank of New York bought another $16bn of agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS) in the week ending November 18. The Fed’s gross weekly purchases totaled $17.2bn. The Fed bought $5.9bn from Freddie Mac (FRE: 1.14 -1.72%), $4.55bn from Fannie Mae (FNM: 1.02 -0.97%) and $6.77bn from Ginnie Mae. The Fed also sold $1.23bn of agency [...]

• ABCP Outstandings Slip 35% in 2009

  DIANA GOLOBAY

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:06 am

  Total US asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP) outstandings were at $455bn as of November 4, a 35% decline from the beginning of 2009, according to market commentary by Fitch Ratings. The fall in ABCP outstandings comes at a time when the industry is anticipating financial accountancy changes in January and the effect of global risk management regulations [...]

• FHA Condo Financing Evaporating

  JON PRIOR

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:55 am

  [Update 1: clarifies time line of the new guidelines] In a letter to lenders, the Federal Housing Agency (FHA) produced new guidelines that would constrict financing for condominiums. Since then, brokers and condo owners report that FHA financing for condos is going from a flood to a trickle. In a letter released Nov. 6, the FHA provided [...]

• PMI Group Sees Mixed Housing Activity in September

  AUSTIN KILGORE

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:59 am

  Housing activity was mixed in September, with existing sales up sharply, new sales down modestly, and starts about unchanged, PMI Group (PMI: 2.12 -0.93%) said in its monthly housing report. “We continue to project modest increases in home sales over the course of this year and next in response to high levels of affordability, investors and [...]

• 
  Housing Market

• Behind the Home Building 'Shocker'

  The fitful nature of the housing sector's healing process was apparent Wednesday when a government report on new-home construction came in much weaker than economists had expected. The Commerce Department reported that October housing starts dropped nearly 11 percent from September and almost 31 percent from a year earlier. "The headline number is a shocker," Patrick Newport, U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight, said in a report. Here are four things you need to know about the development: 1. Single and multifamily drop: While single-family housing starts dropped nearly 7 percent…

• Cheaper Prices—More Than Tax Credit—Motivating Home Buyers

  As the deadline approached, the National Association of Realtors urged lawmakers to extend the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit, insisting that the perk had played such a vital role in the housing market's recent stability that its expiration was too risky. "Without congressional action now, the market and our national economy may freeze again—possibly as soon as this month," Ron Phipps, NAR's first vice president, told a Senate panel on October 20. Congress complied, passing bills to generously extend and expand the credit. The legislation—which President Obama…

• What's Behind the Foreclosure Decrease

  Even as the housing market continues to stagger, foreclosure filings in October declined for the third month in a row. Foreclosure filings were reported on 332,292 properties last month, or 3 percent fewer than September's tally, real estate firm RealtyTrac said today. Even though filings remained 19 percent higher than a year earlier, "[t]hree consecutive monthly declines is unprecedented for our report," RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio said in a statement. But with unemployment busting through the 10 percent threshold and a slew of state and federal initiatives against foreclosures…

• 10 Tips for Selling Your Home in the Sluggish Winter Months

  While many Americans can't wait to cook their turkeys and decorate their Christmas trees, anyone trying to sell a home in the coming months will have an entirely different perspective of the holidays. More than three years after home prices peaked, sellers are still facing an unaccommodating market. On average, it takes between seven and eight weeks to sell a home these days. That's up sharply from four to five weeks back in September of 2005, according to the National Association of Realtors. But the real estate market's seasonal pattern will insert an additional hurdle in front of home…

• 4 Reasons Your Retirement Is at Risk

  Whether it's over or not, the recession has made retirement at age 65 more difficult. New analysis from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College found that 51 percent of Americans have a high risk of not being able to maintain their current lifestyle in retirement, up from 44 percent in 2007. "If they retire at age 65, they will not be able to maintain the same standard of living as they did before," says the center's director, Alicia Munnell, about the households at risk. These Americans will have to significantly cut their expenses when they leave the workforce at age…

• 
  The Business Insider: Housing Crisis

• FHA Loans Help Three Broke Dudes Buy A Million-Dollar Building In San Francisco

  Joe Weisenthal

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:41 am

  The NYT brings us yet another lovely story about the FHA's relentless drive to create a new bubble in housing, by returning to the worst of the pre-bust practices. This story takes place in San Francisco In January, Mike Rowland was so broke that he had to raid his retirement savings to move here from Boston. A week ago, he and a couple of buddies bought a two-unit apartment building for nearly a million dollars. They had only a little cash to bring to the table but, with the federal government insuring the transaction, a large down payment was not necessary. “It was kind of crazy we…

• Yow! One In Seven Homeowners With Mortgages Are In Trouble

  John Carney

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:07 pm

  The Mortgage Bankers Association released a grim report today revealing that nearly one in seven households with mortgages is behind on payments or already in foreclosure.Last year, only one in 10 were behind. Two years ago, the number was just 7.3%.We’re now in what is clearly the second leg downward of the mortgage mess. While the early days of the mortgage crisis were driven largely by people saddled with complex mortgages they couldn’t afford to pay, now even homeowners with relatively sane mortgages are running into trouble as unemployment soars into the double digits.In a…

• The Most Important Housing Chart Shows Things Are Still Getting Worse

  Henry Blodget

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:39 am

  Bulls are beside themselves about the recent housing recovery in house prices: It's off to the races again! This is a happy theory, but the trouble with it that the fundamental problem in the housing market is still getting worse, not better.  To wit: In the bubble years, we just built too damn many houses. This overbuilding has led to record vacancy rates, both in rentals and in rentals plus owner-occupied (not) housing.  This situation is not getting better.  On the contrary, it is getting worse. This chart from Calculated Risk tells the story.  The red line is…

• The Housing Double Dip Has Arrived

  Joe Weisenthal

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:09 am

  After publicly doubting recovery all through the summer and early fall, the housing bears are definitely getting their moment, after two key numbers (mortgages and starts) came in particularly weak yesterday. Today the WSJ adds some further evidence that the much-feared "double dip" is happening. On Wednesday Pulte Homes Inc., the nation's largest home builder, warned investors of a grim outlook. "As we look out to 2010, we are expecting difficult conditions to continue," said chief executive Richard Dugas. Meanwhile, more Americans who bought homes during the boom are falling into mortgage…

• Bob Toll: FHA Lending Is A "Train Wreck"

  Vince Veneziani

  18 Nov 2009 | 1:48 pm

  Robert Toll, CEO of Toll Brothers (TOL), the largest luxury homebuilder in the U.S., is cautioning that the Federal Housing Administration is going to end up as the next subprime mortgage crisis. And with good reason, too: Bloomberg: “Yesterday’s subprime is today’s FHA,” Toll said today at a New York conference for builders sponsored by UBS AG. “It’s a definite train wreck and the flag will go up in the next couple of months: Bail us out. Give us more money.” Toll Brothers is largest U.S. luxury homes builder. Alas, Housing and Urban Development…

• 
  Housing Crisis

• The Fix Housing First Job is Not Done Yet

  jmcmanus

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:18 am

  When Raleigh, N.C.-based St. Lawrence Homes executive Rich Ohmann speaks, we know we have to listen. Yesterday, it was what Rich made of the media’s take on housing starts, which portrays home builders collectively as a villainous drag on a fragile economic recovery. Here’s Ohmann’s reaction: I love this story. It blames housing for dragging down the ‘budding economic recovery’.   I would submit that the prior turns of homebuilding were fueled by the creation of new homebuilding firms (we were one of them in the mid 1980’s). Today’s languishing condition is only…

• Housing Heads Up

  jmcmanus

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:35 am

  As localized as residential real estate is, it should come as no surprise that there are as many views on the timing and shape of a housing recovery as there are people in the room. We’re with those who feel that volatility and uncertainty will figure powerfully into the next 12 to 18 months as people’s resilience and resourcefulness counter the heavy weight of foreclosures, a commercial real estate meltdown, and a 21st century economy that to date is very unsure of its footing. What is clear is housing is an economic issue, but one where politics and policy are involved at…

• The Big Builder ‘09 Virtual Program Line Up

  jmcmanus

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:40 pm

  Click image for registration site. Big Builder Week is set to kick off Monday, Nov. 16. All in the home building community are invited to participate in this five-day event, which offers a rich educational program that will help event participants from up and down the management ranks at home building organizations nationwide sharpen their skills. Through live seminar events, online collaboration, and on-demand learning, this multimedia program teaches participants how to detect opportunity in a market, better reach target home buyers, manage more meaningfully and measurably, and get on plan…

• Get Ready for BB09 Virtual, Get Ready for 2010

  jmcmanus

  12 Nov 2009 | 12:47 pm

  The news, you all know by now is that Bob Toll is starting to feel better about things in the home building business. Still, sales trends won’t feel comfortable as they knife up and down and everybody overreacts to immediate, short-term data, volatility reigns, banks continue to fail, consumers continue to owe more than they can spend, and people keep on getting pink-slipped. The headlines will report glowing recovery tidings one week, and two weeks later will be blasting out word of sputtering gains and imminent relapses into the worst of times. It won’t be true, but it will be…

• Housing Policy Places a Big Bet on Home Builders

  jmcmanus

  9 Nov 2009 | 12:57 pm

  An extended, expanded home buyer tax credit and an expanded Net Operating Loss tax carryback measure last week rode the coat tails of the passage of law adding to the benefits period for those who are unemployed. Don’t think this outcome is not a triumph for those who fought for every Congressional vote, and don’t think for a moment that all this government beneficence was a given. Many, many other advocates and champions lobbied hard to have their respective proposals and resolutions bolted on to the freshly signed Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009. The…

• 
  Credit.Com News Feed: Housing Market

• Foreclosure, delinquency continue to increase for home loans

  According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the number of delinquencies on home loans, which are a precursor to foreclosures, hit a record high during the third quarter.

• Drop in housing starts may mean fewer home buyers

  Recent numbers from the government indicate there may be fewer home buyers out there, which has led to a decline in the number of housing starts the country saw in October.

• Economy continues to fuel credit delinquencies

  The economy has been showing improvement in a variety of ways, but that doesn't mean people are finding it much easier to make ends meet.

• October sees decline in foreclosure rate

  It would seem as though some consumers are having a better time with debt, given that the number of foreclosures saw a drop from September to October.

• Thousands finding foreclosure assistance through federal program

  A report regarding a government program designed to provide foreclosure assistance to consumers shows that more than 650,000 loan modifications are underway.

• 
  Wash Post Housing Market

• Real Estate Matters: There's more than the rate to consider in a refinance

  Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Mortgage interest rates below 5 percent, combined with the recent extension and expansion of the home-buyer tax credits, give buyers a unique opportunity to purchase a home. But if you have enough equity in your property, it may also be a great time to lock in a lower interest rate and refinance...

• Color of Money Book Club

  Michelle Singletary

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am

  Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary hosts a discussion with Lynn Jimenez, author of "¿Se Habla Dinero? The Everyday Guide to Financial Success," a personal finance book geared toward multigenerational Hispanic families.

• The FHA's nose dive

  Post

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  THE COST of the housing bailout continues to rise. The government-run mortgage giant Fannie Mae requested another $15 billion from the Treasury this month, to help cover a loss of $19.8 billion in the third quarter. That brings the total tab for rescuing Fannie to $60 billion so far. Fannie's twi...

• Joseph Gyourko -- 5 myths about homeownership

  Joseph Gyourko

  14 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  Even as we wade through the wreckage of the housing collapse, Americans remain a staunchly house-proud people. And our government is apparently determined to encourage us: This month, President Obama signed into law an extension and expansion of the popular homebuyer tax credit, which had been...

• A Brookings index of 'How We're Doing'

  Post

  14 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  The economy's expansion last quarter, for the first time in more than a year, has prompted much speculation that the recession is over. This turning point, however, simply marks an end to the decline in activity. The unemployment rate is at the highest level since the early 1980s, and full...

• 
  iNET Property - Colorado Real Estate Blog

• Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended, Includes Current Homeowners!

  Rich Barnhart

  5 Nov 2009 | 3:10 pm

  In a long awaited move, the Senate and House voted in favor of extending the first-time homebuyer tax credit. President Obama is expected to sign the bill tomorrow. The amount of the tax credit to first time home buyers remains the same at $8,000. However, the bill includes some interesting amendments that are beneficial to first time homebuyers and current homeowners. All amendments and updates to the current bill become effective immediately when President Obama signs the bill. Here are some highlights of the new bill:First Time Homebuyer UpdatesTax credit remains the same at $8,000Property…

• Last Chance to be Heard - Extend the Home Buyer Tax Credit!

  Rich Barnhart

  30 Oct 2009 | 10:15 am

  OK, I've blogged about the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit before and I have asked Congress nicely to extend it on several occasions. But, one more time is not going to hurt and it just might make a difference. I'm not going to rant about it; I'll just ask that you reach out to Congress and be heard. This is not just about getting money in the hands of first time homebuyers, but more about the housing recovery and our economy. Whether you are buying, selling or not even involved in the real estate market right now, this is important for you and for your country. We need the stimulus, we need…

• Are Loan Modifications Working?

  Rich Barnhart

  1 Oct 2009 | 5:58 am

  Mortgage Metrics ReportLast March the Obama administration announced the Making Homes Affordable (MHA) program to help as many as 9 million households struggling with their mortgage payments, primarily utilizing loan modification or refinance. The success of the program has yet to be determined, but yesterday the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) released their Mortgage Metrics report that, depending how you look at it, could be good news or bad news.To fully understand the OCC report, you have to first understand their definitions. The…

• The Housing Recovery Needs Your Help

  Rich Barnhart

  13 Sep 2009 | 9:07 pm

  I tend to be an eternal optimist. I believe the housing market is going to rebound sooner than most people because I believe that most Americans truly want to own a home (or stay in their home). I also believe that we are seeing strong signs of a housing market recovery here in Denver, Colorado. The fact is that we are luckier than many parts of the country and no matter what happens, Denver will likely rebound faster than most. However, I also believe that we could rebound much faster as a nation if our government could act faster to save our economy. Everyone agrees that without a housing…

• First Time Homebuyers On the Sidelines?

  Rich Barnhart

  27 Aug 2009 | 4:18 pm

  We hosted a First Time Homebuyer seminar last week and the majority of our audience was primarily interested in the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit of $8,000. I can't say I blame them either. After all, $8,000 is real money and not just for first timers. Without getting too political I think it is safe to say that most people agree that government stimulus is getting mixed reviews - some of it is working and some of it, well, not so much. Listen up Congress: This $8,000 tax credit is something that is working and needs to get extended. Now, most people agree that will happen, but when will it…

• 
  NHC Open House Blog

• New $500 Million Goldman Sachs “10,000 Small Businesses” Initiative Addresses Rising U.S. Unemployment that is Fueling the Foreclosure Crisis

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:14 am

  Statement by Conrad EganPresident and CEO of the National Housing Conference"We applaud Goldman Sachs for the launch of their new ‘10,000 Small Businesses’ initiative – a $500 million investment in jobs and economic development nationwide. Rising unemployment is fueling the current foreclosure crisis, devastating American families and communities. Small businesses employ more than half of U.S. workers and play an integral role in economic growth. Yet, only half of small businesses survive the first five years.This new initiative is an unprecedented investment in small businesses, our…

• NeighborWorks Partners to Help Combat Mortgage Loan Modification Scammers

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:45 am

  Today's Columbus Dispatch highlights a new, nationwide initiative led by NHC Housing Leadership Support Program Partner NeighborWorks America to combat scammers preying on homeowners seeking mortgage loan modifications.Launched in October 2009, the Loan Modification Scam Alert Campaign was created to empower homeowners to protect themselves against loan modification scams, find trusted help and report illegal activity to authorities. NeighborWorks is working with national, state and local partners on the ground and 235 community-based affiliates to combat this issue.The campaign's roll out in…

• Guest Blogger Judy Jacobson: Making NSP Effective

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:07 am

  When Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) first said that he’d advance legislation to stabilize neighborhoods through the acquisition of foreclosed properties, those of us in Massachusetts working on this issue were thrilled. In Massachusetts we had already organized ourselves into a state-wide task force focused on all aspects of foreclosed properties: acquisition, funding, holding properties for redevelopment, and exit strategies. The task force resulted in products such as a $22 million revolving Neighborhood Stabilization Loan Fund and a statewide lender-owned properties REO clearinghouse…

• Live at the Forum: The Impacts of High Housing and Transportation Costs in the San Francisco Bay Area

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:46 pm

  This Thursday, November 19 from 2-4 p.m., the Center for Housing Policy will host its next "Live at the Forum" event to learn more about a new report from the Urban Land Institute's Terwilliger Center for Workforce Housing and the Center for Housing Policy, based on data from the Center for Neighborhood Technology, Bay Area Burden: Examining the Costs and Impacts of Housing and Transportation on Bay Area Residents, Their Neighborhoods, and the Environment. In addition to describing key findings from Bay Area Burden, this two-part event will allow you to get answers to your questions from the…

• WSJ Letter-to-the-Editor: FHA Will Not Need to Ask the American Taxpayer for Assistance, Agency's Role is Integral to the Housing Recovery

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:25 am

  On November 5, NHC President and CEO Conrad Egan submitted the below Letter-to-the-Editor to the Wall Street Journal in response to an article entitled, "FHA Digging Out After Loans Sour." "In recent testimony before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Commissioner David Stevens emphasized that “based on current projections, absent any catastrophic home price decline, FHA will not need to ask Congress and the American taxpayer for extraordinary assistance [and] will not need a bailout” (“FHA Digging Out After Loans Sour,” Nov. 4).In…

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  Oh My Apartment

• Pest Control Solutions for Your Container Garden

  Lisa Bernstein

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:55 am

  Like it or not, pest control will be part of your container garden. Fortunately, pest control is easier when gardening in containers. By understanding how plants become infested, and your options for dealing with infestations, you’ll be able to keep the situation under control. Avoiding Pest Infestations Do a little research. Choose plants resistant to pests. When buying plants from a garden center, inspect them carefully to ensure that they’re healthy and free of pests. To keep your plants healthy, always use sterile potting soil and sterile containers. Thoroughly wash and…

• The Benefits of Dating Your Neighbor

  Staff Writer

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:45 am

  Dating a neighbor can be a very smart move. Your date certainly never has to go far to pick you up. People have been singing the praises of dating those nearby since long before Judy Garland sang its praises in her famous ballad, “The Boy Next Door” in “Meet Me In St. Louis.” Although it can have the potential downfall of many inevitable awkward moments if things don’t work out, the benefits of dating your neighbor far outweigh the risks. Some say that dating your neighbor is similar to actually living together, but there are things that are special to this…

• Summer Celebrations: Utilizing Your Apartment’s Recreational Facilities

  Rachael Weiner

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:38 am

  If you’re looking to make use of the amenities available with your apartment, especially during the summer, consider using your your complex’s recreational facilities. Your apartment complex’s recreational facility is an excellent place to host a large party or gathering that wouldn’t necessarily fit in a small apartment setting. Ready to begin planning? Not only is the process of using your apartment’s recreational facilities simple, it opens up options for your summer party plans.Make the Reservation First When you’re looking to use the recreational…

• Unique Apartment Pets: Reptiles

  Staff Writer

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:26 am

  Reptiles may not be traditional apartment pets, but they’re perfect for the smaller home environment because of their size, habitats and relatively simple care. While every kind of reptile requires individualized care, there are some basic facts about caring for reptiles that anyone considering reptile pets should know. Types of Reptiles for Beginners The best apartment pets for first-time reptile owners include: Bearded dragon lizards Blue-tongued skinks Box turtles California kingsnakes Corn snakes Leopard geckos Slider turtles These reptiles are relatively inexpensive, easy to find…

• Choose the Right Los Angeles Neighborhood for You

  Staff Writer

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:22 am

  Los Angeles is a melting point of cultures from all over the country and world. Oftentimes a Los Angeles neighborhood reflects a rainbow of diversity, and there’s a lot of neighborhood hopping in this sprawled-out city where heavy traffic is simply a way of life. Where you’ll want to live depends on why you are here and what parts of the city you plan on working and playing in. Area Codes Some observe that L.A. is divided by its varying area codes. The area code 323 includes Hollywood and the Mid-Wilshire area (south of Hollywood). The 213 area code includes downtown Los Angeles,…

• 
  Google News: Climate Change

• Cooking the Books on Climate? - PoliGazette (blog)

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:55 am

  The Money TimesCooking the Books on Climate?PoliGazette (blog)Climate change has been a contentious subject for the past forty years. Back in the 1970s the outrageous theory was that we would suffer global cooling, Climate Change Debate Heats Up as Emails HackedBefore It's NewsClimateGate emails provide unwanted scrutiny of climate scientistsExaminer.comClimategate: how the MSM reported the greatest scandal in modern scienceTelegraph.co.ukNPR -Washington Post -Habledash (satire) (blog)all 158 news articles »

• UN report adds dimension of gender to climate change discussions - Baby Chums

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:45 am

  Ghana Broadcasting CorporationUN report adds dimension of gender to climate change discussionsBaby ChumsA new UN report has stated that women are most likely to be affected by climate change, but it stopped short of directly encouraging population control. UNFPA Nepal Calls For Women's Empowerment In Climate ChangeBernamaWomen Will Be Hit Hardest By Climate ChangeUN DispatchChildren are the cause of climate change says the United NationsMercatorNetFirst Things -Telegraph.co.uk -The Copenhagen Postall 385 news articles »

• Shocker: Climate scientists are petty, vindictive - Baltimore Sun

  21 Nov 2009 | 6:22 am

  guardian.co.ukShocker: Climate scientists are petty, vindictiveBaltimore SunClimate-change deniers will make much of the hacked emails at the University of Anglia showing global-warming researchers deprecating their opponents and Climate change denial MEP attacks churchguardian.co.ukThe Day Global Warming Stood StillKevin Sites in the Hot ZoneParade of environment-friendly vehicles in QCInquirer.netPR Web (press release) -East Oregonian -Telegraph.co.ukall 19 news articles »

• United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen - HealthNewsDigest.com

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:35 am

  NewsweekUnited Nations Climate Change Conference in CopenhagenHealthNewsDigest.com international gathering of the Conference of the Parties (COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change—is the world's next big What Does Your House Have to Do With the COP15 Climate Change Conference?Energy Collective (blog)African Leaders Agree On Compensation Demand For Climate Change ImpactTripoli PostTop UN Scientist Laments US Pace on Climate ActionsNew York TimesChicago Daily Herald -Newsweek -Beliefnet.comall 204 news articles »

• Defiant Turnbull to face climate backlash - Daily Telegraph

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:20 am

  Sydney Morning HeraldDefiant Turnbull to face climate backlashDaily TelegraphLiberal Leader Malcolm Turnbull says there'll be no leadership spill at a coalition climate change meeting. Turnbull quiet on talk he'll sack dissentersABC OnlineClimate change negotiations hit stumbling blockCourier MailAustralia Should Wait on Climate Laws, Senator SaysBloombergSydney Morning Herald -AZoCleantech -The Australianall 261 news articles »

• 
  Accuweather.com: Global Warming

• Speak Your Mind

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:01 am

  Open forum on climate change today. Feel free to speak your mind on anything that is related to the science of climate change or policies. Keep in mind, name calling and obscenities will not be tolerated. The floor is yours today! ----------------- Update Joe Bastardi just gave me a heads up about this story. Supposedly, the Climate Research Unit (CRU) was hacked and many files/emails were released. I will stop there for now, since there are still a number of unanswered questions in regards to what was released and whether some of the emails are legit. We will not be posting any of the emails…

• Mini Ice Ages can happen Fast!

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:29 am

  Mini-ice ages can happen fast. Maybe not as extreme as a recent Hollywood movie, but close enough, according to new research. A slowdown of the Gulf Stream led to a sudden "Big Freeze" across Europe about 12,800 years ago. This event was known as the Younger Dryas Mini Ice Age. Climate changes associated with the Younger Dryas, highlighted here by the light blue bar, include (from top to bottom): cooling and decreased snow accumulation in Greenland, cooling in the tropical Cariaco Basin, and warming in Antarctica. Also shown is the flux of meltwater from the Laurentide Ice Sheet down the St.

• Greenland Ice Sheet Losing Mass at an Accelerating Rate

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:32 am

  The Greenland Ice Sheet is losing mass at an accelerating rate, according to the University of Bristol study which used satellite observations and a regional atmospheric model to come to the conclusion. Greenland from above. Image courtesy of NASA. During the period from 2006 to 2008, the ice sheet experienced an accelerated mass loss to 273 Gt per year (1 Gt is the mass of 1 cubic kilometer of water). This is equivalent to 0.75 mm of global sea level rise per year, according to the EurekAlert article. The combination between increased iceberg production, driven by acceleration of Greenland's…

• No Surprise, GISS says October was Relatively Warm

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:05 am

  The Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) has just released their combined, global land(actual surface stations)/ocean temperature anomaly data for October 2009. To no surprise, the month was warmer than normal, with a global temperature anomaly of +0.66 C or +1.19 F. The last time GISS had a global land/ocean temperature anomaly that was colder than normal was back in February of 1994. Satellite measurements of the lower troposphere that I recently blogged about put October 2009 at +.28 C or +.50 F. Keep in mind, the satellite record only goes back to 1979, while GISS goes back to 1880.

• Ratio between the airborne and the absorbed fraction of CO2 basically constant since 1850

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:27 am

  A new study from the University of Bristol suggests that terrestrial ecosystems and the oceans have a much greater capacity to absorb CO2 than had been previously expected. Popular, scientific opinion has been stating that the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems and the oceans to absorb CO2 should start to diminish as CO2 emissions increase, letting greenhouse gas levels skyrocket. The research, which is based on measurements and statistical data, not complex climate models, show that the balance between the airborne and the absorbed fraction of carbon dioxide has stayed approximately constant…

• 
  WSJ: Real time economics

• Dodd: Bernanke Confirmation ‘Not Necessarily’ a Foregone Conclusion

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:57 pm

  Sen. Chris Dodd (D., Conn.) today announced that Ben Bernanke’s reappointment hearing will be held on Dec. 3, the same day as President Barack Obama’s jobs summit, and said the Federal Reserve chairman’s confirmation isn’t necessarily a foregone conclusion. Bernanke’s reappointment has been widely expected to move through the Senate fairly smoothly. In August Sen. Dodd issued a statement supportive of the Fed chairman. “Chairman Bernanke was too slow to act during the early stages of the foreclosure crisis, but he ultimately demonstrated effective…

• TARP’s Capital Purchase Program: In With a Bang, Out With a Whimper

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:07 pm

  Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said this week that he’s working to put TARP “out of its misery” and the government will move one step closer to that goal on Saturday, when the deadline for banks seeking to access government funds expires. After funneling more than $200 billion into 690 financial institutions, the Treasury will stop taking applications for firms that want government funds. Treasury has extended the deadline in the past but officials believe the markets have strengthened enough that banks in need of capital can now raise it from private sources, rather than the…

• Mass Layoffs Slow, but Remain High

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:28 pm

  The number of workers fired in mass layoffs dropped for the second month in October, the Labor Department said Friday. A total of 217,182 people lost their jobs last month as part of a mass layoff of at least 50 people, 30,824 fewer than the previous month, adjusted for seasonality. The number of laid off workers also fell by 13,148 year over year. Layoffs remain high, though. The number of people let go in mass layoffs since the beginning of the year reached 2.6 million, the highest since the department started recording the data in April 1995. The manufacturing sector counted for 36% of…

• Geithner Not the First Treasury Secretary to Spar With Lawmakers

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:42 am

  Thursday’s shouting match between Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and lawmakers on the Joint Economic Committee raised eyebrows but Mr. Geithner isn’t the first Treasury Secretary to find himself publicly sparring with a Senator. In 2002, then-Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill got into a tense, emotional exchange with West Virginia Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd over, of all things, which of them grew up in a ditch. The volley began when Mr. Byrd suggested that Mr. O’Neill, who had come to Treasury from aluminum giant Alcoa Inc., was not looking out for the interests of those less…

• Axel Weber, Unplugged

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:58 am

  European Central Bank watchers have been buzzing in recent months about Bundesbank President Axel Weber as one of the potential successors to Jean-Claude Trichet in 2011. Bundesbank President Axel Weber. (AFP/Getty Images) Weber’s appearance on a banking conference panel Friday offered some clues what ECB meetings might look like under a Weber presidency. He gives as good as he gets. And ECB press conferences would never be the same. Weber repeatedly blamed the financial crisis on lax risk management at banks, and was equally forceful in stressing that monetary policy was not to blame.

• 
  NYT: Paul Krugman

• Interest rates: the phantom menace

  By PAUL KRUGMAN

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:44 am

  What I think lies behind the surprising deficit squeamishness of the Obama administration, and why it's wrong-headed.

• Exterminate! Exterminate!

  By PAUL KRUGMAN

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:59 am

  Daleks and EU foreign policy.

• Invisible bond vigilantes

  By PAUL KRUGMAN

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:39 pm

  It would be a very, very bad thing if the administration is intimidated into passivity -- or, worse, into neo-Hooverism -- by the threat from invisible, probably imaginary enforcers.

• The AIG report

  By PAUL KRUGMAN

  18 Nov 2009 | 1:21 am

  By itself, the AIG story would be damaging enough. But it's part of a pattern -- and that pattern has ended up undermining the economy's prospects, big time.

• The madness of the inflation hawks

  By PAUL KRUGMAN

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:59 am

  Monetary tightening shouldn't be on the agenda for a long, long time.

• 
  Calculated Risk

• FDIC Bank Failure Update

  CalculatedRisk

  21 Nov 2009 | 8:01 am

  Note: The FDIC will probably release the Q3 Quarterly Banking Profile next week. The report will show the number of banks on the problem bank list, and the status of the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF). The FDIC closed another bank on Friday, and that brings the total FDIC bank failures to 124 in 2009. The following graph shows bank failures by week in 2009. Click on graph for larger image in new window.Note: Week 1 on graph ends Jan 9th.The bank failures seem to come in bunches, and with 6 weeks to go it seems 140 to 150 or so bank failures is likely this year.The 2nd graph covers the entire…

• Fed Watch: "The Fed in a Corner"

  CalculatedRisk

  21 Nov 2009 | 6:02 am

  From Tim Duy: The Fed in a Corner Over the years, I have warned a seemingly countless number of undergraduates that Fed's hold on monetary independence was tenuous at best. Independence is not guaranteed by the Constitution. Congress made the Fed, and Congress can unmake the Fed. The Fed could only maintain the privilege of independence if policymakers pursued policy paths that fostered maximum, sustainable growth. Deviating from such paths would have consequences.The Fed is quickly learning the extent of those consequences, as Congress launches an assault on the Fed's independence. ...The…

• Jim the Realtor: Trustee Sale

  CalculatedRisk

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:30 pm

  Jim is featuring a few trustee sale opportunities recently ... the total loan on this one is about $650,000 and the opening bid is $331,500 for a 2100 sq ft house on over 4 acres in a remote area of San Diego:

• Unofficial Problem Bank List Increases to 513

  CalculatedRisk

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:03 pm

  This is an unofficial list of Problem Banks compiled only from public sources.Changes and comments from surferdude808: The Unofficial Problem Bank List increased by a net six institutions to 513 while aggregate assets declined to $302.3 billion from $304 billion. There were 12 institutions added to the list with an average asset size of $194 million. The largest among the new faces include Modern Bank, National Association, New York, NY ($601 million); Eagle National Bank, Upper Darby, PA ($284 million), and The First National Bank of Wynne, Wynne, AR ($275 million). The OCC issued a Prompt…

• Bank Failure #124 in 2009: Commerce Bank of Southwest Florida, Fort Myers, Florida

  CalculatedRisk

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:04 pm

  Turkey on table Carved up by the Central Bank MMMM Commerce Bank, Yum!by Soylent Green is PeopleFrom the FDIC: Central Bank, Stillwater, Minnesota, Assumes All of the Deposits of Commerce Bank of Southwest Florida, Fort Myers, FloridaCommerce Bank of Southwest Florida, Fort Myers, Florida, was closed today by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. ...As of August 28, 2009, Commerce Bank of Southwest Florida had total assets of $79.7 million and total deposits of approximately $76.7 million. ...The FDIC…

• 
  Econbrowser

• China, the Renminbi, and Global Imbalances: A Quantitative View

  Menzie Chinn

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:45 pm

  President Obama's trip to China has returned to scrutiny the role of China's currency and macroeconomic policies in perpetuating global imbalances. [0] [1] [2] Figure 1: Log real value of RMB (blue, left axis), and Chinese trade balance in billions USD at annual rates (red, right axis) from Chinese statistical sources, and twelve month trailing moving average (maroon). Source: IMF, International Financial Statistics, ADB, NBER and author's calculations. Various observers have continued to ascribe a central role to real RMB appreciation to effect global rebalancing. I think it's useful to…

• GDP: Revisions and Forecasts

  Menzie Chinn

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:41 pm

  There's been some discussion of how the GDP estimates for 2009Q3 might be revised downward in light of the September trade release [1]. e-Forecasting has presented its latest estimates up to October, and Macroeconomic Advisers through September. Macroeconomic Advisers writes: ...The increase in September was more than accounted for by a large positive contribution from nonfarm inventories (slower inventory paring in September than August). The level of monthly GDP in September was 0.9% above the third-quarter average at an annual rate. Average monthly increases of 0.3% per month during the…

• Receiver operating characteristics curve

  James Hamilton

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:36 am

  Travis Berge and Oscar Jorda of the University of California, Davis have an interesting new paper on statistical criteria for distinguishing economic expansions from recessions. Berge and Jorda evaluate rules of the form that would declare the economy to be in a recession when some indicator Yt falls below a specified threshold c, for example, saying that the economy is in a recession whenever GDP growth comes in below -0.6%. For any choice of the threshold c, there is some observed fraction of observations for which the economy wasn't in a recession and yet Yt was less than c (the false…

• Assessing the Impact of Government Policy on Widget Consumption and Widget Sector Capital Usage

  Menzie Chinn

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:50 pm

  Let supply and demand for widgets (y) be given by the following two equations, respectively: (1) yt = αt + β x t + ε t (2) yt = γ + δ x t + Γ z t + u t Where x is the relative price of widgets, z is a government procurement policy for widgets, and ε and u are serially uncorrelated mean zero errors, E(ε u) = 0. Note that there is a time varying constant in the supply equation, α t. How would one analyze the impact of a public policy, such as an increase in government procurement of widgets to place in public places, on the total number…

• The Global Surface Temperature Anomaly

  Menzie Chinn

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:37 am

  From NOAA's National Climate Data Center: larger graph From Temperature Anomaly FAQs: The term "temperature anomaly" means a departure from a reference value or long-term average. A positive anomaly indicates that the observed temperature was warmer than the reference value, while a negative anomaly indicates that the observed temperature was cooler than the reference value. The reference value used to create this graph was the average over the 1901-2000 period.

• 
  Topix: Virginia News

• Va. officials seek parks status for Fort Monroe

  21 Nov 2009 | 3:01 am

  The group that will manage Fort Monroe after the Army leaves wants sections of the post to be designated as a unit of the National Park Service.

• Kaine Asks for Disaster Assistance Following Nor'easter

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:41 pm

  Gov. Timothy M. Kaine requested federal disaster assistance Friday for localities in Virginia that suffered damage from the Nora easter that occurred November 11 through 15.

• Virginia tax collections reflect struggling economy

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:02 pm

  Virginians are taking home less pay, spending less in stores and still are getting hit on their investments, new state tax-collection statistics show.

• Miley Cyrus' Tour Bus in Deadly Crash

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:38 pm

  One person is dead and at least one more suffered minor injuries after Miley Cyrus ' tour bus crashed and flipped onto its side in Virginia this morning.

• AUDIO: Analyzing Virginia's Mexican Population

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:15 am

  Sixty percent of Mexicans living in Virginia are actually American citizens. Mexicans living in Virginia also are more likely to have a job than Virginians overall.

• 
  The Virginia Pilot

• 'Real Pirates' storm the Nauticus

  HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  NORFOLK About a century after Shakespeare wrote "all the world's a stage," a bunch of pirates in the Caribbean got reality and stagecraft truly confused. The crew of the Whydah, in the early 1700s, put on a play about a pirate trial for their own entertainment. A few drunken men stumbled in late, just as an actor was being sentenced to death for piracy. In the actor's defense, they threw hand grenades into the gathering and drew their cutlasses. They broke an actor's leg, cut off the playwright's arm and killed an audience member, according to the catalog for…

• Norfolk retreats on petition change

  HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:18 pm

  That Norfolk's government considered making it more difficult to overturn City Council decisions or recall elected officials raises questions about the judgment in City Hall. That such substantial changes appeared on the City Council's docket without sufficient public notice or discussion inspires doubts about intentions and oversight. Early this week, word started circulating that the council was eyeing edits to the City Charter that would double the minimum number of signatures needed on a petition initiative. The changes - which would have required General Assembly blessing -…

• This season for the CAA men in college basketball

  HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

  14 Nov 2008 | 9:50 pm

  fhe favorite VCU is coming off back-to-back regular-season CAA titles and features reigning CAA Player of the Year Eric Maynor. PG Maynor and F Larry Sanders, who blocked a league-high 95 shots as a freshman, anchor a team with 10 underclassmen. the top contenders Northeastern welcomes back all five starters from a squad that finished 14-17 last season. Old Dominion is one of the league's youngest teams, but the Monarchs return F Gerald Lee and a host of players who saw significant playing time as freshmen. the darkhorse George Mason, the defending conference tournament champ, has three…

• This season for the CAA women

  HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

  13 Nov 2008 | 8:07 pm

  5 impact newcomers JoNiquia Guilford, 5-10, fr., G, Old Dominion A preseason knee injury was hardly the start to her career she wanted, but given time, the dynamic scorer from Wilson High will add more athleticism to an already athletic Lady Monarch perimeter. Sarah Williams, 6-0 jr., G, James Madison She transferred from Richmond after being part of the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team in 2005-06. Katrina Wheeler, 6-3, jr., C, Towson Wheeler is a huge addition, having started 51 of 53 games at Georgetown, where she averaged 8.1 points and 8.1 rebounds her sophomore year. Asia Jenkins, 5-9, fr.,…

• This season in the MEAC

  HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

  12 Nov 2008 | 9:21 pm

  Ready for tipoff The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's unofficial award for best overall job of scheduling goes to Hampton University. The Pirates put together a nice blend of challenging but winnable games, including several on their home court: - vs. George Mason, Nov. 20 - vs. Georgia State, Dec. 3 - vs. Delaware, Dec. 10 - at Virginia, Dec. 23 - at VCU, Dec. 27 - in Great Alaska Shootout,Nov. 26-29 What third-year coach Kevin Nickelberry says: "A big reason this job was attractive to me was the commitment from higher up to try to be a mid-major power, along the likes of VCU, ODU…

• 
  alextimes.com Latest News

• School Demands Outweigh Supply

  Austin Danforth

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:18 am

  Short- and long-term projections create tough choices for ACPS<br>

• Jaycees’ Christmas Tree Sales Benefit Underprivileged Children

  Times Staff

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:28 am

  The Alexandria Jaycees will again sell Christmas trees and wreaths this season, with proceeds to benefit the Holiday Shopping Tour for underprivileged children. The Holiday Shopping Tour gives area kids a fun shopping day — shopping funds provided and pizza party to follow — so they may purchase gifts for their families.&nbsp;

• Parent Leadership Training Begins Fourth Year

  Times Staff

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:27 am

  The Parent Leadership Training Institute kicked-off its fourth year of operation with a day-long retreat on Saturday, November 7. The retreat is built into the 20-week PLTI program as the first exercise in building community and trust among participants. &nbsp;

• MY VIEW | Mayor Bill Euille

  Mayor Bill Euille

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:26 am

  Tough Budget Decisions Loom<br>

• YOUR VIEWS | Taxes To Solve the Budget Gap? Cut It Out.

  Bud Miller

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:24 am

  It is good to see that City Manager Jim Hartmann is instituting a program of “collaborative realignment.” In private business, we would likely skip the fancy words and simply call such a program “common sense.”

• 
  Falls Church News-Press

• F.C. Council Mulls Election Shift May to November

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:31 pm

  Tempers Flare in Sharp Divide Over Proposal A hot and controversial issue will come before the Falls Church City Council Monday night, as it will consider an ordinance to change the date of municipal elections in the City of Falls Church from May to November.

• Shields Spells It Out: FY11 Budget Shortfall $7.6 Million

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:28 pm

  Preliminary projections show that the City of Falls Church will face a whopping $7.6 million shortfall in the coming FY11 budget, City Manager Wyatt Shields told the City Council at its work session Monday.

• Falls Church News Briefs: November 19 - 25, 2009

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:22 pm

  F.C. May Push Gay Job Protection At its work session tonight, the Falls Church City Council took under consideration making a "top priority" in its wish list for the Virginia General Assembly in January legislation outlawing discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation.

• Mass H1N1 Vaccination Clinic Open Saturday

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:24 am

  The Fairfax County Health Department will operate a mass vaccination clinic open to Fairfax County and City of Falls Church residents on Saturday, November 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center at 12000 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax.

• F.C. City Seeks Volunteers to Serve on Council Fiscal Advisory Board

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:14 pm

  The Falls Church City Council is soliciting City residents to serve on the newly created Long Range Financial Working Group to assist City Management and the City Council with long range financial planning.

• 
  InsideNova.com

• Neighborhood news: Pay it forward

  InsideNova.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:54 pm

  Students at Beville Middle School serve their community throught community service.

• Neighborhood news: Sounds like Christmas

  InsideNova.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:50 pm

  The Woodbridge Community Choir and the Prince William Community Band will perform two Christmas concerts on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5.

• Troubadours take their voices West

  InsideNova.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:43 pm

  Chorus is one of only 12 in the country selected to sing at a national festival in San Francisco.

• Community notes

  InsideNova.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:41 pm

  The Manassas Chorale will perform "Sing We Noel"—its Christmas concert——twice on Dec. 5 at 5 and 7:30 p.m.

• Woman sentenced for embezzlement

  InsideNova.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:30 pm

  Area woman sentenced to 18 months in prison for embezzling more than $500K.

• 
  This Old House: Kitchen And Bath

• How to Replace a Kitchen Sink

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:05 am

  Installing a new kitchen sink with This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey

• How to Repair a Pressure-Assisted Toilet

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:10 am

  In this toilet repair how-to video, This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey silences a noisy toilet

• How to Repair a Kitchen Sink Sprayer

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:10 am

  In this how-to video, This Old House plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey fixes a faulty sink sprayer

• How to Refinish a Cast-Iron Tub

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:10 am

  In this how-to video, This Old House host Kevin O'Connor reveals tub-refinishing techniques

• Handsome Face-Lift for a Dated Bath

  11 Nov 2009 | 9:05 am

  A Craftsman-inspired redo gave this room's old layout a whole new look

• 
  Apartment Therapy Main

• Fantastic Guest Rooms & 2 New York Tours New York Hot Posts

  Aaron Able

  Click to view these New York Hot Posts in bold below • Bushwick House Tour: Jessica's Vintage Vibe • SoHo House Tour: Vero & Thierry's SoHo Chalet • Best Throw Pillows 2009 • My Childhood Home: Growing Up Around Great Design • Russel Brand's London Boudoir For Sale • Fantastic Guest Rooms More Top Posts from past weeks below...Read Full Post

• Luciano & Marzia's Labor of Love House Tour

  Sarah Coffey

  Name: Luciano, Marzia, and Margherita Location: Modena, Italy Size: 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom condo Years lived in: 28 Modena, an ancient city in Emilia-Romagna, is home to the Ferrari company, Italy's best balsamic vinegar, and this incredible pre-war apartment, shared by Luciano, his wife Marzia, and their daughter Margherita. The building dates back to 1906, and the first thing you notice when you walk through the door are the hand-painted walls and ceilings, which Luciano and Marzia had restored to their original colors and motifs. Read Full Post

• Bryan's Fashionable Statement House Tour

  Gregory Han

  Name: Bryan Boone Location: Downtown Los Angeles, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1/2 year Situated at the heart of Los Angeles' bustling downtown fashion district, Bryan's impeccably decorated small space is a Jonathan Adler-ish oasis of calm and comfort. Despite luxurious appointments, the space was furnished with a keen eye for good design at reasonable prices, tapping into what Bryan described as an obsessive focus for Craigslist deals, decorating the majority of the 650 square feet with vintage and future design classics bought at a fraction of retail prices. From the…

• Round Up: Nesting Tables

  Leah Moss

  With the holidays quickly approaching, I've been thinking about all our guests who are bound to be balancing their tiny hors d'oeuvres plates on their knees if we don't come up with a better plan quickly. While researching my options, I've become quite smitten with a few of these lovely nesting tables. Check them out after the jump.Read Full Post

• Tips and Inspiration: Decorating With Candles

  Susie Nadler

  No Thanksgiving table—or any dinner table, for that matter—is complete without candles. The soft, flickering light from candles sets an instantly intimate mood. My husband and I often light candles on random old weeknights, just to make our meal that much more relaxing. As you prepare to set your holiday table, consider these candle-related tips.Read Full Post

• 
  Business and financial news - CNNMoney.com

• Dirty secrets of Black Friday

  21 Nov 2009 | 9:06 am

  Here's a Black Friday reality check: Of the hordes of pre-dawn shoppers who line up for hours outside stores on the day after Thanksgiving, most will not bag the best bargains that appear in merchants' circulars.

• What wowed the crowd at Web 2.0 Expo

  21 Nov 2009 | 8:45 am

• How to make money in 2010

  21 Nov 2009 | 8:04 am

  Take action to safeguard your investments, land a raise, nab the best rates, and profit from the housing recovery.

• CNN.com: Senate to vote on health care debate

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:54 am

• How an ex-con got a job

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:45 am

  Gregory Headley got himself a job.

• 
  Reuters: Business and Finance News

• Bank of America CEO Lewis may delay retiring: report

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:33 pm

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis has said he would consider postponing his retirement if directors need more time to find a successor or smooth the transition to the next CEO, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

• Delta says SkyTeam could invest more in JAL: report

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:13 pm

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The chief executive of Delta Air Lines Inc says the SkyTeam alliance of global carriers would be willing to invest more than its proposed $1.02 billion in Japan Airlines , the Wall Street Journal reported.

• Time Warner, News Corp reported interested in MGM

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:03 pm

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - News Corp, Time Warner Inc and Qualia Capital LLC are interested in buying Hollywood's Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio, home of the James Bond movies, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.

• GE-Vivendi talks over NBC Universal stalled: report

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:38 pm

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Talks between General Electric and Vivendi over the future of NBC Universal have stalled, the New York Times reported on Friday night.

• Stocks could sputter with Black Friday eyed

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:14 pm

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks could sputter next week as volumes dry up in holiday-shortened trading and with a slew of economic reports likely to illustrate the recovery is still fragile.

• 
  U.S. News - Money & Business

• Quick Restart of Atom Smasher Stuns Scientists

  21 Nov 2009 | 8:05 am

  Scientists were caught off guard by how quickly beams of protons began to flow once again.

• Can a Culture War Manifesto Reach a New Generation of Evangelicals and Catholics?

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:03 pm

  Chuck Colson, Tony Perkins, and other Christian right leaders have released their "Manhattan Declaration."

• Obama Fails to Wow on the World Stage

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:59 pm

  Zogby says Obama's China trip was at best ho-hum.

• Today's Picture: Pakistani Private Schools as Alternatives to Madrassas

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:51 pm

  Private schools in Pakistan are growing as parents seek alternatives to public schools and madrassas.

• Congress, Pentagon Look for Answers After Fort Hood

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:48 pm

  Warning signs of the shooting that left 13 dead went unshared.

• 
  MarketWatch.com - Top Stories

• Market Snapshot: Investors may turn defensive as fizz leaves stocks

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:30 am

  Some of the fizz has left the stock market as investors reassess hurdles facing consumers and lock in gains from an eight-month rally. That defensive posture may color trading in the upcoming week.

• Senate to hold key vote on health bill Saturday

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:16 am

  Senators are set to take a key procedural vote related to a sweeping bill to overhaul the U.S. health-care system, a critical step for President Barack Obama's drive for comprehensive health-care reform.

• NewsWatch: Hershey may go alone in Cadbury bid: report

  21 Nov 2009 | 6:05 am

  Hershey reportedly is weighing a $17 billion bid that would consist of more cash for Cadbury than the hostile offer from Kraft Foods.

• Personal Finance Daily: The week's 10 best Personal Finance stories

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  In case you missed them, here are the top 10 Personal Finance stories from MarketWatch for the week of Nov. 16-20.

• Auto Review: 2010 Ford Taurus: The new SHO is a go

  21 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  The 2010 Ford Taurus looks nothing like the egg that set the world on fire in the late '80s, and in my opinion is one of the best-looking cars on the road -- inside and out. In fact, I would bet that few non-auto buffs would guess it is a Ford, albeit the top-of-the- line now.

• 
  USATODAY.com Money - Top Stories

• Stocks fall for 3rd day as traders cash in gains

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:29 pm

  The stock market is losing ground for a third straight day as investors grow uneasy about a rising dollar and spiking demand ...

• Unemployment rates rise in most states in October

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:28 pm

  Unemployment rates rose in 29 states and the District of Columbia in October from September, the Department of Labor said Friday.

• Small Florida bank shuttered, 124th this year

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:31 pm

  Florida banking regulators on Friday shut down Commerce Bank of Southwest Florida, marking the 124th U.S. bank to succumb this ...

• Strategies: Small businesses can get Black Friday bargains

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:25 pm

  Going shopping on Black Friday the day after Thanksgiving is a tradition in my family. No, we don't get there at 4 a.m., and ...

• Natural gas plunges 12% this month

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:02 pm

  Natural gas prices have dropped more than 12% in the past month as the country continues to sip at its energy reserves and a ...

• 
  Finance News Pro

• Refinancing Your Home Loan

  Charles

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:22 am

  Refinancing involves taking out a new home loan to pay off an existing one. Refinancing is done primarily for two reasons: to save money through a lower interest rate, or to exchange a property’s equity for cash. Say you have an adjustable rate mortgage and mortgage rates are beginning to rise. Refinancing (ideally to a fixed rate) would be the most sensible course of action as this would allow the borrower to avoid the high monthly payments associated with higher interest rates, as well as allow the borrower to move to a lower-risk loan. This can be a good idea regardless of what kind of…

• How to fix bad credit?

  Charles

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:28 am

  People with bad credit often face difficulties in every phase of life when they are looking for any new credit from potential lenders. There are ways to improve the credit ratings and you need to take positive actions and change your attitude towards money. Here are some good tips on the road to debt recovery. The first thing that you need to do is to order a latest credit report from the credit bureau. Look for any inaccurate items on your credit copy and get it fixed immediately with the credit grantor or the credit bureau. You need to take immediate actions because inaccurate items…

• Credit repair is within your power

  Charles

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:21 am

  A number of people are falling behind in their monthly payments to different creditors because of the rising costs in gas, food and also due to increasing unemployment. With the recent stressed economy, many people are finding hard to make ends meet. They are continuously missing their monthly payments, thereby causing havoc in their credit report. Although credit repair can be quite a challenging job, but it’s not at all impossible as many people think so. There are legal law firms that specialize in credit repair services and improve your credit ratings. If you are getting late on your…

• Falling into the CIC Triple Advantage Scam

  Charles

  29 Oct 2009 | 7:46 am

  The CIC Triple Advantage Scam has stirred up a scene with regard to faulty credit reports. The company and its other aliases — freecreditreport.com, and creditreport.com, and Experian Free Credit Report — have been extorting money from those who registered on the online services the company offers; mainly, a supposedly free credit check to people who wish have a copy of the report. Little did everybody know that they were in for quite an extremely inconvenient surprise. I am one of the victims who got duped by the CIC Triple Advantage Scam. The biggest mistake I made was not to do…

• Understanding the Mortgage Forgiveness Act

  Charles

  14 Oct 2009 | 7:50 am

  There are many of us who do not have adequate knowledge about the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act that allows taxpayers to eliminate up to $2 million of mortgage debt on their principal residence in 2007, 2008 or 2009. Mortgage forgiveness is quite a familiar term in the real estate market. Due to a person’s financial problems, when a mortgage lender has agreed to accept less than the full amount of the debt, the difference between the amount payable and the amount accepted is “forgiven”. When the mortgage lender has agreed to waive off a certain portion of the loan, they will send…

• 
  WSJ.com: US Business

• Exxon Renews Leases in Nigeria

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pm

  Exxon ended months of negotiations with Nigeria by renewing three oil leases for fields the company operates in the country.

• AIG Trustee Sought Exit, But Will Remain

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:59 pm

  One of the three trustees who oversees U.S. taxpayers' nearly 80% stake in AIG recently said he wanted to quit his post, but was persuaded to stay on. Separately, the government is seeking possible candidates to add to the insurer's board.

• Hershey Trustees Back Cadbury Bid

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:48 pm

  The trust that controls Hershey is pushing it to launch a rival $17 billion bid for Cadbury that would include more cash than Kraft's offer.

• Morgan Unloads Crescent

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:41 pm

  Morgan Stanley closed the book on its disastrous $6.5 billion acquisition of Crescent Real Estate Equities by handing the keys to lender Barclays.

• Weak Power Demand Dims Outlook

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:13 pm

  Electricity sales remained weak in the third quarter, prompting speculation that the sluggishness could persist even after the U.S. economy rebounds.

• 
  WSJ.com: Markets

• ECB Takes Step Toward Crisis Exit

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:00 pm

  The European Central Bank announced its first active step to unwind the stimulus measures it has used to support the financial sector since the global crisis last year.

• More Stocks May Not Make a Portfolio Safer

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:36 pm

  Not putting all your eggs in one basket is the most basic principle of investing. It also may be the hardest to get right.

• Looking to Energize Returns?

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:22 pm

  Share prices have plunged and payouts have slowed, but some analysts say investors should reconsider jumping back in.

• Dollar Revels in Continued Risk Aversion

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:09 pm

  The euro recouped some of its overnight losses against the dollar late Friday morning as investors adjusted positions ahead of the shortened U.S. Thanksgiving holiday week.

• Penn Virginia, MTS Systems Fall

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:06 pm

  Small-cap stocks fell for Friday and the week, led downward by the energy sector. Among Friday's decliners were Penn Virginia, MTS Systems and Wet Seal.

• 
  Smartbrief: The Financial Services Roundtable

• Mortgages in trouble reach 14% in U.S.

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  About 14% of U.S.  -More- 

• Treasury to sell warrants in Capital One, JPMorgan Chase

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  The Treasury Department plans to auction off its remaining investments in JPMorgan Chase, Capital One Financial and TCF Finan -More- 

• How do you think the housing market will perform in 2010?

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Check your inbox for the Financial Services Roundtable SmartBrief Year-End Report on Dec. 8 and 15.  -More- 

• BofA's CMBS touted as another positive sign for market

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  A recent $400 million sale of commercial-mortgage bonds by Developers Diversified Realty helped reopen the securitization mar -More- 

• Buffett turns to Wells Fargo, JPMorgan to fund railroad takeover

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway turned to JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo to arrange an $8 billion loan for its bid to tak -More- 

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  TRANSPARENT REAL ESTATE

• Virtual Real Estate BarCamps should happen monthly

  Pat Kitano

  17 Nov 2009 | 1:27 pm

  Kudos to Jim Cronin's @retomato and their crew for a successful Virtual REBarcamp. Webinars are a convenient and efficient way to get social media education out to the community and I'm hoping it becomes a monthly institution! ...

• Special Offer - Inman Connect NYC + One Year Social Media Education

  Pat Kitano

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:44 am

  We've created a Social Media Training Center for Active Rain members that provides continually updated social media education. You can see details at my Active Rain blog.Special offer: If you're going to Inman's Real Estate Connect NYC January 13-15, please register at http://www.inman.com/conferences/real-estate-connect-new-york-city-2010/register. In the discount code box, add "Domus" and you'll receive one year subscription to the Social Media Training Center. Let us know you did that (@pkitano, comment here, email) and we'll register you in the Active Rain Social Media Training…

• Too busy for social media marketing?

  Pat Kitano

  9 Nov 2009 | 6:29 am

  Pew Internet research says 49% of internet users are on social networks. 25% of total US pageviews are now concentrated on Facebook alone.The tipping point has been reached where social media marketing has become the standard for reaching your community. But social media marketing is much more complex than buying a lead or placing an ad. Domus Consulting Group is offering a new service for brokerages and agents who are just too busy to manage their social media marketing.Full service social media management servicesView more presentations from Pat Kitano. ...

• Swanepoel Social Media Report 2010

  Pat Kitano

  22 Oct 2009 | 8:26 pm

  I just received Stefan Swanepoel's Social Media Report 2010 in the mail (tx S.); it's a definitive guide to learning about the social media landscape and how to participate in it. I recommend it, particularly for beginners; you can order the publication at www.swanepoel.com/publications/social-media-report.aspWith the ubiquity of the Internet on mobile devices, I notice I read the Report as a publication more like a magazine than a reference resource. When I need to figure out something about social media quickly, the Internet serves up the answer efficiently. A publication can be used as a…

• The Twitter List for Real Estate

  Pat Kitano

  15 Oct 2009 | 10:06 pm

  Twitter Lists are live now. Apparently only a certain percentage of Twitterers can see and build lists.I just put together a general list of real estate twitterers at twitter.com/pkitano/realestate. The page won't appear if you can't see the lists yet.And you can follow any list: The list is certainly not complete so please @pkitano me or follow me to get included if I missed you.#followfriday will never be the same. I predict an explosion of lists that will simultaneously 1) filter the Twitter feeds so one can see Twitterers categorized and 2) add more noise in the form of lists into the…

• 
  Today's Real Estate News

• Tight lending remains elephant in room

  Lou_Barnes

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:13 pm

  Commentary: Bernanke's speech casts shadows on recoveryread more

• Google makes yet another big move into real estate territory

  boerob

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:56 am

  Perspective: From 1000Watt blogread more

• Google adds detail pages for listings

  Inman_News

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:49 am

  Search, listings display continues to evolve at Google Mapsread more

• Get dizzy on AVMs

  FrankLlosa

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:45 am

  The Wheel Estate Cam, Episode 4read more

• 10 ways to get more from Gmail

  JosephFerrara

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am

  Tech Tool Shedread more

• 
  National Commercial Real Estate News From CoStar Group

• Investors Bullish on Health Care Real Estate as Reform Showdown Draws Closer

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:38 pm

  With the mammoth health care reform package hanging in the balance, medical real estate companies will enter 2010 in the throes of debate over the legislation's potential impact on their business, especially those owning and occupying hospitals and hospital...

• Developers Diversified, Goldman Sachs Put CMBS Deals Back in Action

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:17 pm

  The first new-issue commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS) supported by brick-and-mortar properties in nearly two years successfully sold this week. DDR Depositor LLC Trust 2009 Commercial Mortgage Pass Through Certificates, series 2009-DDR1...

• Office Delinquencies Latest Driver of CMBS Troubles

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:15 pm

  Job losses and subsequent office loan defaults, coupled with continued hotel underperformance, resulted in another monthly increase in U.S. CMBS delinquencies. And new matured balloons and past due loans secured by interests in non-traditional assets...

• Starwood Property Trust Begins Investing $900 Million Slowly, Selectively

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:13 pm

  In its first quarterly report as public entity, Starwood Property Trust posted a net loss of $1.9 million. The results were affected by the recognition of $800,000 of non-cash, stock-based compensation in the period. "We are generally pleased with...

• Bank Watch: U.S. Steps Up Efforts To Seize Iran-Controlled Bank Melli's U.S. Properties

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:11 pm

  The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York is looking to take over control of the 36-story, 336,000-square-foot 650 Fifth Ave. high-rise in Midtown Manhattan, as well as other properties across the country, together totaling hundreds...

• 
  The Cash Flow Mercenary

• Michigan Real Estate Investing TV: Life is GREAT, but Lulu Sucks

  Dennis Fassett

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:52 am

  Had a great meeting this morning with a great friend and colleague about raising private equity to buy commercial investment real estate; I’m meeting with my banker this afternoon because they want to host a wine and cheese book signing with me and their high net worth clients; and I’m meeting with another small group of investors this afternoon to talk about raising private equity. So life is great! And then there is Lulu.com. Ugh.

• Michigan Real Estate Investing TV: Confusing Activity with Accomplishment

  Dennis Fassett

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:48 am

  More and more in the workplace I’m seeing activity take the place of accomplishment. We have meetings where nothing gets decided and no conclusions are reached. I’m fighting this in my real estate business as well, and it’s a constant battle, because these social media tools can be a waste of productive time if not used effectively.

• Michigan Real Estate Investing TV: I’d Rather Be the USC Trojans Than the Detroit Lions

  Dennis Fassett

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:40 am

  Although my USC Trojans are having an “off” year on the gridiron, I LOVE the fact that they consider a 3 loss season a complete and utter failure and a “rebuilding” year. Contrast that with the Lions that have been complete and utter failures for 50 years, and they would think that a 3 WIN season was a success. Who would you rather emulate in your business?

• Michigan Real Estate Investing TV: Mr Worf – Lock on Photon Torpedoes

  Dennis Fassett

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:39 am

  The plot thickens with the Westland Housing Commission tenant. Yesterday I received a fax from someone claiming to be a “paralegal” representing the tenant DEMANDING that I release her from all present and future claims BEFORE she moves. Guess what? The guy who sent the fax was really the pastor of her church!

• Michigan Real Estate Investing TV: You Need to Finish

  Dennis Fassett

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:09 am

  Finishing is the most important part of the process, because you don’t get paid until the job is completely done.

• 
  Zillow Blog - Real Estate Market Stats, Celebrity Real Estate, and Zillow News

• Spencer Rascoff on Fox Business Today

  Jill Simmons

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:22 pm

  Zillow’s COO Spencer Rascoff weighed in on the state of housing on the Fox Business show ”Countdown to the Closing Bell” this afternoon. Watch Spencer discuss how the tidal wave of foreclosure inventory coming in 2010, negative equity, and vacancy rates continue to dampen the housing sector.

• Lots of Zillow Love at the NAR convention

  Sara Bonert

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:12 am

  Thanks to all who stopped by our booth and helped make the NAR convention so successful for us; we appreciated getting to speak to so many agents who are using the site regularly to help grow their business. Below are a few words from agents and brokers we spoke with at the show! Click here to view the embedded video. Click here to view the embedded video. Click here to view the embedded video. Click here to view the embedded video. While at NAR, Spencer Rascoff, our COO, delivered a fantastic presentation about the Internet Buyer. He posted his powerpoint and video of the presentaiton on his…

• Top 5 Most-Viewed Celebrity Homes in October

  Sarah Greenleaf

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:45 am

  In looking at our blog posts from October, the top 5 most-viewed celebrity home blog posts on Zillow ranged from a multi-millionaire’s mansion to Whitney Houston’s circular pad. 1. “Ira Rennert’s mansion is largest home in U.S.” See Ira Rennert’s home (photo below) See more Sagaponack, NY real estate. 2. “Haunted Houses in Hollywood” See the Pickfair estate (photo below) See more Famous Scary Homes 3. “Michael Jackson’s “Wonderland” Compound” See the Las Vegas home Michael Jackson almost bought (photo below) See more Las Vegas,…

• Twilight New Moon Home For Sale

  Whitney Tyner

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:09 pm

  Twilight New Moon fans! Are you looking to expand your Twibrary?  For a shy $3.3 million you can own the on-screen family home of Twilight vampire Edward Cullen in Vancouver, BC. For millions of fans with OCD (Obsessive Cullen Disorder — the term used to describe anyone who is overly obsessed with Robert Pattinson/Edward Cullen) the multi-million dollar price tag is but a nominal fee to pay to be one step closer to the vampires. So, what home amenities do vampires like?  If the Cullen home is any indication, they have an affinity for 20-foot ceilings, Koi ponds, granite countertops,…

• Boston.com Now Using Zillow API to Power Recent Homes Sales Functionality

  Drew Meyers

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:17 pm

  We’re pleased to announce that Boston.com, the website of the Boston Globe, is now part of the Zillow API program and is using it to power their recent home sales functionality on their real estate landing page. Though our recent sales data is part of the Local Market Explorer WP Plug-in, Boston.com is the first member of the Zillow API program to build a custom integration utilizing our recent sales data. In each region, transaction data for the 20 most recently sold properties can be retrieved and displayed. For example, here are recent sales transactions in Boston, Brookline,…

• 
  Real Estate Investing For Real | A BiggerPockets Investment Property Blog

• Google Street View: Virtual Tours your competitors don’t use

  Justin McClelland

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:47 am

  Google has come a mighty long way regarding innovations pertaining to the World Wide Web.  They are much more than a search engine.  Thus far, I’ve divulged tips using Google applications such as Google Voice and Google Earth. Today I’m going to focus on how you can utilize Google Maps when showcasing properties online. These days it is typical for a property, especially one that is listed with a Realtor, to have a virtual tour of the interior of the house.  Google Maps will allow you to go one step further and create a virtual tour of the exterior of the house and it’s…

• Foreclosures and Mortgage Delinquencies: A Tale Of Opposites

  Tom Koziol

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:30 am

  Today’s news seems to bring us a tale of opposites every time they report on the real estate market as it exists at this point in time. For example, an article by the AP just the other day said “the pace at which people fell behind on their mortgages slowed during the summer for the third quarter in a row. The bad news is the overall delinquency rate hit another record.” I don’t know about you but a guy could go goofy if he just took what he read at face value. On the other hand, if a guy looked at these reports and decided to sift out the silver lining he could get by…

• Invest on the Ground Floor

  Winston Westbrook

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  My grandfather was born in Guayaquil Ecuador in 1906. He came to America in the 70’s and would tell me stories about his business in Ecuador exporting bananas to the United States. He loved America and all it stood for; he wouldn’t drive anything but American made cars. Chevy to be exact, lol. He stated that he got into the business when exports to America were just beginning to take off, and got into the business on the GROUND FLOOR. After getting into the banana exporting business the industry took off with the economic expansion of America after World War II. He was in the game…

• What Realtors Should Put on Their Blog

  Christian Russell

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:25 pm

  A good number of Realtors are getting on the ball and putting up a blog. This is smart. It’s a powerful communication tool. It’s a powerful way to build your presence online. However keep a couple important points in mind: It will only serve as a powerful communication tool if you actively use it to communicate. It’s an ongoing process! It will only build your presence online if you actively build it! In other words, a blog doesn’t build itself. Putting it up is step one. Step 2 through to step 10 million-bazillion are all up to you. And if you don’t do it, who’s gonna? To put it…

• Wait! Before You Buy That Real Estate Course or E-book…

  Shae Bynes

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:05 pm

  Before you get the wrong idea about this post, let me start by saying that I am a huge advocate of learning both before and while doing anything new with real estate investing.I’ve invested plenty of dollars on solid education and mentoring over the years and will continue to make these investments for years to come. There are unlimited options available for e-books, home study courses, systems, and mentoring programs.Many of these products are excellent and will provide you with enough education to get started and be successful. Other products? Well, perhaps not so much. With these…

• 
  Appraisal Scoop

• FHA Drops Two-Appraisal Requirement in Declining Markets: FHA Mortgage Letter 09-48ml

  Brian Davis

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:56 am

  A second-appraisal requirement that had been issued by the Federal Housing Administration at the height of the housing crisis has been repealed for loans that exceed $417,000 in declining markets and for cash-out refinances. A second-appraisal requirement will remain when a property is resold between 91 and 180 days following acquisition by the seller, if the resale price is 100 percent (or more) higher than the price paid by the seller when the property was acquired.   The policy changes can be found in FHA Mortgagee Letter 09-48, which rescinds two previous Mortgagee Letters on the…

• Federal Regulators Issue Final Model Privacy Notice Form - Must Appraisers Comply?

  Brian Davis

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:14 am

  Eight federal regulatory agencies today released a final model privacy notice form that will make it easier for consumers to understand how financial institutions collect and share information about consumers. Under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB Act), institutions must notify consumers of their information-sharing practices and inform consumers of their right to opt out of certain sharing practices. The model form issued today can be used by financial institutions to comply with these requirements.  In a previous Appraisal Scoop article, I asked: What does G-L-B have to do with ME?

• FHA boss: FHA is not the new subprime

  Brian Davis

  15 Nov 2009 | 8:29 am

  Federal Housing Administration Commissioner David Stevens said Saturday that concerns the agency is headed for the same financial trouble that snared Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the subprime sector are unwarranted. Stevens made the remarks during a speech at the National Association of Realtors' annual conference and expo in San Diego. His comments come days after the agency revealed its financial reserves have fallen to a dangerously low level due to more homeowners defaulting on their loans. The FHA does not make loans, but rather offers insurance against default.Source: Business Week

• Stigmatized Homes - Why Did Nicholas Cage Buy Haunted Houses

  Brian Davis

  15 Nov 2009 | 8:23 am

  According to the Examiner.com in Chicago (full article) "It is believed that Cage bought the homes specifically due to their spooky past. Apparently he thought it was a good idea at the time or else he would not have done it." [Cage claims a poor financial advisor directed him to buy the property selections he did, but most people would not follow advice on buying a home that they would always feel uneasy setting foot in due to claims of haunting.] "However, as now evidenced by the current market value, buying stigmatized properties is seldom a good idea if you ever plan to resell for…

• NovaStar narrows loss, but liabilities outweigh assets - Counting on AMC StreetLinks

  Brian Davis

  14 Nov 2009 | 8:55 am

  NovaStar Financial Inc. greatly reduced its third-quarter loss compared with the same period last year, but its shareholders’ deficit reached more than $1 billion, and the company said its “ability to continue as a going concern” is in doubt.In a Friday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Kansas City-based NovaStar (Pink Sheets: NOVS) reported a loss of $17.6 million, or $2.29 a share, for the quarter that ended Sept. 30. This is an 87 percent improvement from a loss of $142.8 million, or $15.81 a share, last year.The company said it plans use its cash on hand to develop…

• 
  Financial Times - US homepage

• Medvedev criticises United Russia political practices

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:35 am

  Russian president Dmitry Medvedev harshly criticised Russia’s hegemonic United Russia political party for allowing dirty election practices at the party’s annual congress in St Petersburg, calling its methods ‘backwards’ and saying it must ‘get rid of bad political habits’

• Hershey weighs $17bn bid for Cadbury

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:24 pm

  The charitable trust that controls Hershey has encouraged the US confectioner’s management to pursue a $17bn bid for Cadbury, topping Kraft Foods’ hostile $16.2bn offer

• Barnier set to win EU financial role

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:30 pm

  Michel Barnier, former French foreign minister, is set to be put in charge of the EU’s single market, in a contentious move that followed a night of political horse-trading over top jobs in Brussels

• Arrests made in €10m match-fixing probe

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:39 pm

  Police and sport officials have dismantled a criminal ring suspected of unprecedented match-fixing and betting in European professional football

• Closing credits roll for Oprah

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:05 pm

  A tearful Oprah Winfrey said she had decided ‘after much prayer and months of careful thought’ that the Oprah Winfrey Show would finish in 2011

• 
  naked capitalism

• Antidote du Jour

  Yves Smith

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:30 pm

  Apologies for absence of links! Hope to be back to closer to usual programming early next week.

• Stop the madness now!

  Edward Harrison

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:08 pm

  By Edward Harrison of Credit Writedowns. A reader at Naked Capitalism asked us to respond to a recent article from the Christian Science Monitor asking Does US need a second stimulus to create jobs? Marshall Auerback has already done some heavy lifting – and taken all of the heat in the comments. He says emphatically yes. Now I want to take a crack at this. My short answer is no. But before I go into this, as an aside, I wanted to mention Marshall’s new smiling, happy picture up at the great blog New Deal 2.0 where he now writes.  Earlier, when Credit Writedowns was hosted at…

• Dodd: Bernanke Confirmation “Not Necessarily” a Foregone Conclusion

  Yves Smith

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:06 am

  This clip is from an interview with blogger Mike Stark. Apologies for the poor sound quality. While Dodd indicates that he is “inclined to be supportive” of Bernanke, he is surprisingly cautious about making a broader statement, a sign of a shift in sentiment.

• Ivy Zelman: “Home prices are going back down”

  Edward Harrison

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:59 am

  By Edward Harrison of Credit Writedowns. Yves is stuffed again today, so I am going to post at least once or twice. Hopefully, we will also see something from Jesse or George as well. This is a post I wrote overnight about rising delinquencies and shadow housing inventory. I am not convinced house prices in the U.S. are headed higher permanently and this post points out why. The Mortgage Bankers Association is reporting that nearly one in ten households with mortgages are at least one payment behind.  That is a record, my friends. And it certainly means we cannot believe house prices…

• Links 11/20/09

  Yves Smith

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:02 pm

  the price of water Archein Lions kill rare white tiger at Czech Republic zoo BBC (hat tip reader Steve L) Moira man fights off deer attack Press Republican (hat tip reader John L) Cinema popcorn is nutritional horror show: US study Raw Story (hat tip reader John D) The jobless rate-interest rate conundrum Tim Iacono Canada’s sub-prime mortgage time bomb Rabble Goldman Holders Miffed at Bonuses Wall Street Journal White House Rebuke: Angry Dems Shut Down Vote Huffington Post (hat tip DoctoRx) Easy Loans in Expensive Areas New York Times Leading Economic Indicators Losing Strength…

• 
  alpha.sources

• Random Shots

  CV

  13 Nov 2009 | 4:09 am

  As I am preparing for a tournament this weekend in Sweden I only have time for some random shots, but then again; taking random shots seem to be exactly what the markets are all about at the moment. The first such random shot came from today's release of the GDP figures from Europe which showed, with much fanfare, how the Eurzone (and Europe) is now effectively out of recession. (quote Bloomberg) The euro-area economy emerged from its worst recession since World War II in the third quarter as exports from Germany and France helped compensate for households’ reluctance to increase…

• The IMF on Asia's Recovery and its Sustainability

  CV

  8 Nov 2009 | 9:13 pm

  Update 2: Mr Singh has left a comment below in response to my piece. Go check it out. Update: Mr. Singh posts the third and, as far as I know, last installment in the series on Asia's outlook written on the basis of the Regional Economic Outlook for the Asian and Pacific Region. The topic is perhaps the most interesting of all aspects of Asia's aggregate economy, the high prevalence of savings and its excess over investment which produces a corresponding external surplus which, I'd might add, is structural at this point. See below for more comments. In case you had not noticed, the IMF is…

• Too Much of a Good Thing in Australia?

  CV

  5 Nov 2009 | 4:51 am

  (click on pictures for better viewing) It is indeed an old adage that while goods things are to be preferred over bad things it is possible to get too much of the former. Looking at recent comments from the governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia it is not difficult to imagine how these, albeit old and worn, pearls of wisdom may well have inspired Mr. Stevens in his effort to tiptoe the thigthrope between signalling the intention to raise rates into an expected economic recovery on the one side and trying to prevent the Aussie shoot of on helium into the sun with wings of wax on the other.

• Japanes Companies, Exports and the Current Account

  CV

  2 Nov 2009 | 8:54 am

  (click on pictures for better viewing) Last week, we learned that industrial production rose yet again in Japan clocking in at 1.4% month-on-month in September after having increased by 1.6% in August. Companies said they planned to increase production in October and November as well, indicating the recovery from a record export collapse in the first quarter is holding up. Growth in China is generating sales for manufacturers including Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., which this week said it has worked off stockpiles that piled up during the recession. “The pace of the recovery is…

• Are Americans Becoming Less Nomadic?

  CV

  25 Oct 2009 | 10:53 am

  As a puny yet honest attempt to show you that I actually read other things than plain economics I thought that I would share this piece with you on declining nomadism amongst Americans; it is written for Newsweek by author Joel Kotkin. I am not quite sure whether he believes the ageing of the population to be the decisive factor contributing to the rise of localism which he speaks about or just a factor among many. I would presume that sociologists and historians could find an explanation for this development in their distinct theoretical tool kits too without invoking the demographic…

• 
  Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

• Beware The Ice Age Cometh: Hackers Prove Global Warming Is A Scam

  21 Nov 2009 | 3:06 am

  It's now official. Much of the hype about global warming is nothing but a complete scam.Thanks to hackers (or an insider) who broke into The University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit (CRU) and downloaded 156 megaybytes of data including extremely damaging emails, we now know that data supporting the global warming thesis was completely fabricated.Inquiring minds are reading Hacked: Hadley CRU FOI2009 Files on The Reference Frame by Luboš Motl, a physicist from the Czech Republic.The University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit (CRU), usually working together with the Hadley…

• Time Lapse Unemployment Visualization

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:48 pm

  Inquiring minds are watching The Geography Of A Recession, a time lapse unemployment visualization from the start of the recession until now.Click on the link to play. This is undoubtedly my shortest post ever.Mike "Mish" Shedlockhttp://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.comClick Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post ListMike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit…

• Disingenuous Credit Card Whining And Questionable Risk Policies At Citigroup

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:37 am

  Citigroup is whining that new regulations eliminate pricing for risk. So what does it do? Jack up rates is the answer. To lower interest rates, Citi customers must spend more.For Citibank credit card holders, there is one way to escape the bank's rate hikes currently under way: Meet a monthly spending requirement.Those who meet the spending minimum -- in some cases $750 a month -- will be able to get a rebate on their total interest charges for that month. The rebate could cover some or all of the interest rate hike. Customers also need to make payments on time to qualify for the…

• California Students Protest 32% Tuition Hike; State Budget Gridlock II Coming; Massive Deficits In San Francisco

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:35 am

  Massive fiscal problems confront California once again. Let's start with a look at California students hit with 32% hike in tuition.California undergraduates and their parents just got hit with a 32% increase in tuition by next summer.With hundreds of angry students chanting outside their meeting at UCLA, the California Board of Regents approved the $2,500, two-step fee hike, which will raise the basic tuition at the 10-campus University of California system to $10,300 a year. That's three times what it cost a decade ago. Other fees, books, and room and board adds an additional $16,000.With…

• Ron Paul, Alan Grayson Audit The Fed Bill Approved In House Finance Committee

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:37 pm

  Chalk up a rare victory for the little guy (and the nation itself). The Bill To Audit Federal Reserve Passes Key HurdleIn an unprecedented defeat for the Federal Reserve, an amendment to audit the multi-trillion dollar institution was approved by the House Finance Committee with an overwhelming and bipartisan 43-26 vote on Thursday afternoon despite harried last-minute lobbying from top Fed officials and the surprise opposition of Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who had previously been a supporter.The measure, cosponsored by Reps. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), authorizes the…

• 
  Seeking Alpha

• 25 Reasons We Will Not Have a Depression

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:49 pm

  One particularly vitriolic reader of my last article on The Distorted Shape of the Recovering Economy seemed to think I was predicting a doomsday scenario. I was not at all. Richard Duncan’s tentatively predicted Fall of Rome scenario is a true doomsday scenario, not mine.My focus of late has been much more on the need for transparency and candor from our government on TARP I and II and the stimulus program results, as well as, more importantly, on getting the stimulus infrastructure program facilitated, expanded and working much better. The Administration needs to confess errors, fix…

• The Gap: In Line, But Q4 Might Disappoint

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:43 pm

  Brendan Wagner submits:The Gap (GPS) reported earnings of 44 cents for the fiscal third quarter, right in line with the guidance they updated back on November 5th. They also announced a $500 million stock buyback.Gross margin was up almost 4% versus a year ago thanks to better inventory management and less markdowns. The Street seems to expect fourth quarter gross margin improvement to be as impressive as this quarter's was, butmanagement guidance in the press releasesuggests that they may be a bit more promotional in an attempt to grab market share. If that's the case, actual earnings may…

• Stock Market Optimists Revisited: This Is Not Your Father's Stock Market

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:29 pm

  Joe Eqcome submits:Having the privilege to have met Sir John Templeton, the founder of The Templeton Funds, I was stuck not only by his crushing intellect but also by his sense of optimism regarding investing. Warren Buffett, a fellow optimist, who upon acquiring Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. (BNI) for $26.3 billion said, “It was a bet on America”. Optimistic Investing: Being an unblinking optimist has been a helpful personal affliction for successful investing post-WWII. The S&P 500 is up 65 times since 1950. On a weekly basis it has advanced 56% of the time. Prior to…

• Synovus: A Beat-Up Bank to Bet On

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:05 pm

  Tom Brown submits: If you want to know which beaten-up bank stocks will provide the most ample returns from here, go back and look at what happened last cycle. Back in 1990, after bank stocks bottomed in November, the charge was led by those banks that still had significant credit quality problems and were still reporting quarterly losses. Then, as the cycle rolled on, the companies steadily managed through their credit issues and eventually returned to normalized profitability—and their stock prices zoomed. Two of my biggest winners back then were Barnett Banks, at that time the…

• The Problem with Geithner: David Brooks Misses the Point

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:44 pm

  Gary Weiss submits: David Brooks' New York Times op-ed column today on Tim Geithner (mentioning in the lead my Portfolio cover story) misses the point, I think.The problem with Geithner's approach is not whether or not the banks are recovering because of the TARP program, but the degree to which the profits of the biggest banks have not been matched by a commensurate ability to lend.Complete Story »

• 
  Slate: Moneybox

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• 
  Dollars & Sense blog

• Growing CA Student Protests Over Tuition Hikes

  Dollars and Sense

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:42 am

  Student protests against the decision to hike student fees by 32% have spread from UCLA across the University of California system.The Indybay citizen media site has some of the most up-to-date info on the protests:11/20 7am: At least 40 students have occupied Wheeler Hall on the UC Berkeley campus and are asking supporters to come out to the hall to show support. UC Police have surrounded the building as a "crime scene".On Thursday, November 19th, the University of California regents approved a 32% increase in undergraduate fees, pushing fees to over $10,000 a year for the first time.

• UCLA Students Protest 32 Percent Tuition Hike

  Dollars and Sense

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:37 am

  Students at UCLA have taken to the streets and occupied buildings in protest of an announced tuition hike of 32 percent. At least 14 protesters have been arrested so far.Several students report being tased by police, according to the Daily Bruin.

• WTO Says Brazil Can Saction US Over Cotton

  Dollars and Sense

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:52 am

  The World Trade Organization has ruled that Brazil may impose trade sanctions against a variety of U.S. exports in a 9-year old complaint about U.S. government subsidies for cotton farmers.From the wires:The formal move at the WTO's dispute settlement body (DSB) brought Brazil one step closer to retaliating against the United States, the world's biggest cotton exporter, in the highly sensitive 9-year-old row.The reduction of rich countries' cotton subsidies is seen by developing countries as the litmus test of efforts to reform the world trading system in the WTO's Doha round, with African…

• A Better Way to Regulate Financial Markets

  Dollars and Sense

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:18 pm

  From sometime D&S author Thomas Palley, in the Financial Times's Economists' Forum series:A better way to regulate financial markets: Asset based reserve requirementsBy Thomas Palley | November 10, 2009There is widespread recognition that the financial crisis which triggered the Great Recession was significantly due to financial excess, particularly in real estate lending. Now, policymakers are looking to reform the financial system in hope of avoiding future crises. But like the drunk who looks for his lost keys under the lamppost because that is where the light is, policymakers remain…

• The Worst Is Yet to Come (Nouriel Roubini)

  Dollars and Sense

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:18 am

  From RGE Monitor and yesterday's NY Daily News, Nouriel Roubini tells the unemployed to "hunker down":The Worst is yet to Come: Unemployed Americans Should Hunker Down for More Job LossesNouriel Roubini | Nov 15, 2009Think the worst is over? Wrong. Conditions in the U.S. labor markets are awful and worsening. While the official unemployment rate is already 10.2% and another 200,000 jobs were lost in October, when you include discouraged workers and partially employed workers the figure is a whopping 17.5%.While losing 200,000 jobs per month is better than the 700,000 jobs lost in January,…

• 
  Block's Indicator of Sustainable Growth

• Algae biofuel commercial in five to 10 years

  by Ray Block Although a commercial outcome of producing algae at comparable prices to oil is five to 10 years away, there is a great volume of research proceeding at a fast clip. For fans of algae as a future transportation fuel, it is highly significant that the longest ranking researcher of algae, the National ...

• 40 % increase in energy demand by 2030?

  by Ray Block The World Energy Outlook 2009  released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) is quite stark in its projections of energy growth over the years ahead to 2030. In a continuation of a high carbon business as usual scenario, world   electricity demand would rise by 2.5 per cent a year to 2030, of which 80 per cent will ...

• Think Big (4): new energy R&D in the US

  By Ray Block ARPA-E is the acronym for Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, the funding vehicle for new energy research and development (R&D) in the US. A concept co-conceived  byNobel laureate in Physics, Steven Chu in 2006, when he was director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,   that there should be a resource, whereby researchers could develop new concepts in advanced energy.  The ...

• Think Big:Why not nuclear in Australia?

  by Ray Block   Australians have always looked on themselves as the lucky country. First,  it was a case of riding on the sheep's back. Now, it is the same with abundant minerals and natural gas in great demand by Asia. With coal, the largest export earner,  which in turn provides approximately  75 per cent of the ...

• Think Big (2) solar power from outer space

  by Ray Block Think Big (1) was about the Desertec concept, where concentrating solar thermal power arrays in the Sahara regions of Algeria and Morocco would supply potentially 15 per cent of Europe's energy needs by 2050. The Sahara was the first of the Desertec plans. But equally it could apply to other deserts in the tropical zone between the ...

• 
  NYT > Business

• An Unsteady Future for Broadcast

  By TIM ARANGO and BILL CARTER

  21 Nov 2009 | 6:53 am

  Analysts and executives are wondering if the economic model of broadcast television, which is more heavily reliant on advertising than cable, is irreparably broken.

• In Britain, Visions of Japan’s Decade of Stagnation

  By LANDON THOMAS Jr.

  21 Nov 2009 | 2:27 am

  Even as the British economy seems to be improving, some analysts worry that its underlying structural flaws could mean the country won’t be able to sustain its recovery.

• New Consensus Sees Stimulus Package as Worthy Step

  By JACKIE CALMES and MICHAEL COOPER

  21 Nov 2009 | 2:08 am

  A variety of economists say that stimulus legislation is helping an economy in free fall a year ago to grow again and shed fewer jobs than it otherwise would.

• Cadbury Bid Under Study at Hershey

  By MICHAEL J. de la MERCED and ANDREW ROSS SORKIN

  21 Nov 2009 | 1:55 am

  Any Hershey offer would need to be at least $17 billion and would break from the financial conservatism that has long defined the American chocolate giant.

• State’s Credit Rating Could Be Lowered, Investors Service Says

  By JEREMY W. PETERS

  21 Nov 2009 | 1:32 am

  Moody’s warned Albany that significant steps must soon be taken toward closing a $3.2 billion budget gap, saying, “The next three months will be critical.”

• 
  Bank-O-meter

• Bank Failure

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:32 pm

  The over/under on bank failures is 4; if you picked under, you are apparently a winner. Commerce Bank of Southwest Florida falls to Central Bank. What exactly is the connection between a Stillwater Minnesota bank and a Fort Myers Florida bank? Deductible business trips, baby (all winter long). The incredible recovery continues with 9 bank failures so far in the month of November. I’m counting on the after-Christmas Commercial Real Estate Collapse to really spike the bank failure Friday.

• Lloyd's Prayer

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:47 am

  This one came from Richard Ambrose and it’s worth repeating. THE LLOYD’s Prayer Our Chairman, Who Art At Goldman, Blankfein Be Thy Name. The Rally’s Come. God’s Work Be Done On Earth As There’s No Fear Of Correction. Give Us This Day Our Daily Gains, And Bankrupt Our Competitors As You Taught Lehman and Bear Their Lessons. And Bring Us Not Under Indictment. For Thine Is The Treasury, The House And The Senate Forever and Ever. Goldman.

• Tax Cheats Get Amnesty

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm

  The US sued UBS to get the names of tax cheats. UBS fought for a while, then relented and agreed to turn over more than 4,450 names. The US government then offered amnesty to tax cheats who agreed to confess their sins and pay their fines – 14,700 took advantage.The IRS says most of the tax cheats were in Switzerland and Europe, but now they will open offices in Asia and elsewhere to continue their hunt. Meanwhile, the names that UBS is going to turn over have been doing bad things. UBS says 4,200 of those accounts involved “advanced and serious fraud” and 250 involved lesser offenses,…

• Bernanke is an Idiot

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:15 am

  Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, speaking to the Economic Club of New York, "We are attentive to implications of changes in the value of the dollar and will continue to formulate policy to guard against risks to our dual mandate to foster both maximum employment and price stability."

• Bank Failures

  13 Nov 2009 | 4:25 pm

  The over under for Friday the 13th is 4. We start the festivities in Florida. IBERIABANK gets a two-fer – Century Bank in Sarasota and Orion Bank in Naples – and Spain reclaims a chunk of Florida. Actually, IBERIA (all caps, very aggressive) is based out of Louisiana. The good people of San Clemente, California, won’t have Pacific Coast National to kick around anymore. ** More updates as requires