Nobody Lives There Anymore, It's Too Expensive

I just love the first comment to this post.

The Stupidest Fucking People On The Face Of The Planet

This is totally random, but I was thinking of the tribe of blithering idiots who helped bring us the Iraq war. Sure there were the people who knew what they were doing, who wanted war for various reasons, but then there were the people who managed to be conned by those people.

Sorry about all the dead people! Oopsie. Now let me get back to writing my column about The Arab Street and all their crazy conspiracy theories...

Very Serious People

Think that worry about a potential future small tax increase on some rich people is more damaging to the economy than current mass unemployment.

Facts Are Stupid Things

Fortunately people get to just make them up these days.

Book

Shit is fucked up and bullshit.

But public documents show that in 2010 and 2011, Freddie Mac set out to make gains for its own investment portfolio by using complex mortgage securities that brought in more money for Freddie Mac when homeowners in higher interest-rate loans were unable to qualify for a refinancing.

Those trades "put them squarely against the homeowner," PIMCO's Simon says.

Freddie Mac's trades came at a time when mortgage rates were falling to record lows. Millions of homeowners wish they could refinance, but their lenders tell them they can't qualify for today's low rates because of tight rules. Freddie Mac is one of the gatekeepers with the power to set those rules, and lately, it has been saying no more often to homeowners.

That raises concerns among some industry insiders who see a conflict: Freddie Mac's own financial health improves when homeowners can't refinance.

Simply put, "Freddie Mac prevented households from being able to take advantage of today's mortgage rates — and then bet on it," says Alan Boyce, a former bond trader who's been involved in efforts to push for more refinancing of home loans.

Where Have They Been

I admit one thing I've been a bit surprised about is the rather inept fake scandal machine on the Right. They used to be so good at it.

But no one should be surprised when the impeachment machine cranks up.

Monday Morning

So If He Doesn't Go Galt

Then maybe that wasn't a credible threat? Wow, I'm totally shocked. Here's my shocked faced: :|

RBS boss bows to pressure and gives up £1m bonus

Thanks, Idiots

For all you have done.

BRUSSELS — Bowing to mounting evidence that austerity alone cannot solve the debt crisis, European leaders are expected to conclude this week that what the debt-laden, sclerotic countries of the Continent need are a dose of economic growth.

How about maybe resigning in shame?

Our media, not theirs

Stuart Zechman and Digby will be tonight's panelists on Virtually Speaking Sundays. Listen live or later at the link.

Signed,
Not Atrios

Because I Love You

Here is a pro-Gingrich rap song entitled "Hoot Hoot for Newt."

Happy Hour

The 99%

I've said this before (I've said everything before), but one divide (not the only one) is between people who live paycheck to paycheck most of the time and people who don't. Some people who live paycheck might be living pretty well, at least until they lose their job or have a health care event, but the point is that they're always living a bit on the edge, just one bad event away from trouble.

Most highly paid people on the teevee long ago forgot what it was like to count down the days until the next paycheck, and increasingly most of them probably never knew, especially as they now seem to be hereditary titles.

Wanker of the Day

Dancing David Gregory.

MR. GREGORY: Why doesn't that appear to be a more poll-tested position, which is if you really want shared sacrifice, then the middle class should pay taxes, too. I mean, roll back the Bush tax cuts for everybody rather than looking at the, you know, just having the rich pay more, which you look at polling and see that you have some political for. If it's shared sacrifice, why not say to everybody, everybody's going to have to do with less in terms of a social safety net, in terms of taxes and all the rest.

Hurray!

Double down!

While talks with private creditors appear to be on the right track, Papademos concedes in his statement that "deviations" from agreed targets and "delays that are piling up" have led the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to ask for additional, painful austerity measures.

Memories

SOTU 2010.

Starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze government spending for three years. Spending related to our national security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will not be affected. But all other discretionary government programs will. Like any cash-strapped family, we will work within a budget to invest in what we need and sacrifice what we don’t. And if I have to enforce this discipline by veto, I will.

...


I know that some in my own party will argue that we cannot address the deficit or freeze government spending when so many are still hurting. I agree, which is why this freeze will not take effect until next year, when the economy is stronger. But understand – if we do not take meaningful steps to rein in our debt, it could damage our markets, increase the cost of borrowing, and jeopardize our recovery – all of which could have an even worse effect on our job growth and family incomes.

We had recovery summer and then it was all better.

Sunday Bobbeleheads

Meet the Press has an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN. Also FRED THOMPSON, RICK SANTORUM, JOE SCARBOROUGH, david axelrod, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Chuck Toddler.

Face the Nation has REINCE PRIEBUS, MICHELE BACHMANN, DONALD TRUMP, ALLEN WEST, MARIO DIAZ-BALART, debbie wasserman schultz, John Dickerson, Scott Conroy, and Marc Caputo.

This Week has NEW GINGRICH, JOHN BOEHNNER, GEORGE WILL, donna brazille, austan goolsbee, and LAURA INGRAHAM.


document the atrocities