Idiocy has consequences, as does brainwashing school children

53% of Democrats admit to “positive feelings” towards socialism, 75% positive towards the federal government, 55% positive towards capitalism.

Maybe she can run for governess?

I won’t go, I WON’T!

Bridgeport Dem urged by some of her fellow pols to step down before she takes office.

BRIDGEPORT — Christina Ayala is due in court on a domestic violence charge the same day she’s supposed to be sworn in as a state representative, raising questions about whether she should be sworn in at all.

The Bridgeport legislator’s mounting problems — this week’s arrest, coupled with hit and run charges in August, and revelations she does not live in the district — have some prominent Democrats urging Ayala to consider resigning from her 128th House District seat.

“I think I would talk to her about it and say it might not be the right thing for her to stay in now because of all that’s taken place,” said Dottie Guman, Bridgeport’s Democratic vice chairman, who had met with Ayala over the summer when the latter was pursuing her candidacy.

Some Democrats have lost the faith, baby, but not all:

[Bridgeport Mayor] Finch Tuesday said it was premature to say whether he or other Democrats should meet with Ayala to discuss her future.

“Let’s see how embarrassing this gets before deciding to throw her overboard”, the Mayor said. [note from our lawyers – that’s a made up quote – Ed]

By God, Dollar Bill was right: there IS no fear of Social Security going bankrupt

Australia’s Prime Minister admits it: the Mayan calendar is correct and the world’s going to end this month. No wonder Dan Malloy put the deficit on the state’s credit card, we’ll never have to pay it off!

Will that be cash or check? Nah, I’ve got plastic, my man – you hep with that?

Suzy Toozy, Ct. Chief Budget Advisor

Malloy puts entire $550 million deficit on American Express. “This way we don’t have to cut spending, so everyone will still like me and golly, do you know what kind of frequent flyer miles I’ll be racking up?”

Profile in courage.

Nice to know that the Hampton rich are as clueless as homeowners here.

According to the Daily Mail, Hampton (US Hamptons, not some English bog) mansion owners are panicking at the thought of paying higher capital gains and there’s a “fire sale” of expensive homes going on before the close of the year. Silly of these people to wait until now to unload their weekend cottages, even to all-cash buyers, and if the article is accurate – a big if- and these homeowners think that dropping $5 million from an asking price of $35 million will stir someone to action well, they’re just wrong.

Overprice a house (and the article notes that some of these houses have been on the market for years) and shave a teensy bit off, leaving it still overpriced, and you aren’t going to find a buyer willing to rush around to free up the cash necessary to save you some capital gains. But cheer up, homeowners, if all goes as I expect it to, you won’t have any capital gains to worry about when you finally unload the ol’ white elephant in 2015. Best hope for some of these people is the return of Sandy.

 

Lorena has a new profession?

Maine: man complains to police that prostitute shorted him. “Full haircut?” “No, just bobbet”.

Feel safer now?

Yet another TSA screener busted for theft.

The bust is the latest blow to the beleaguered agency. Earlier this year, there were as many as 40 TSA screeners dismissed from Newark Airport for failing to properly conduct their screening duties, and in some cases, sleeping on the job.

The sting comes after New York Sen. Chuck Shumer called on the agency to conduct stings and to subject screeners to the same searches as passenger when they leave work to make sure they aren’t looting luggage.

According to Shumer’s office, 381 TSA agents were terminated for theft from May 2003 to December 2011, and FAA figures show the agency received reports of missing items from 206 people last year.

Instances of theft by TSA personnel are becoming “a major problem” nationally and more serious than current statistics indicate, a law enforcement official said.

“This recurring problem we have with dishonest TSA personnel is not only a local problem, but a national problem,” the official added.

Such crimes raised the spectre of terrorism, as well, the source noted: “If unscrupulous TSA personnel are taking out items from airline passengers’ bags, what are they capable of putting in?”

Indeed.

Old Greenwich sale

As envisioned by Photoshop – your results may vary

45 Highview Avenue, $2.795, reports an accepted offer. This is about as typical a new house you’ll find in Old Greenwich, at a typical price, so it provides a good idea of what to expect if you’re looking. 1/4 acre lot, four bedrooms, 3 baths up, nanny room with bath, plus playroom, in the dungeon, and the usual kitchen/playroom/dining room on the first floor. The best thing about one of these houses is that if you come home drunk and wander into the wrong one, you’ll know the exact layout, even in the dark.

The listing claims 4,500 square feet but I’d estimate it at closer to 3,000, with the rest buried underground. Detached garage, as our new zoning laws demand, but at least it’s a real building, with walls and all that, instead of a latticework FARport.

Looking at this house, and knowing all about the convenience of walking to school and town, the family neighborhood and wonderful neighbors etc. etc., I’m not surprised that I’m selling more mid country homes these days than I am in Old Greenwich and Riverside. For the same price, slightly older construction, you can get 7,000 square feet, two acres and a pool. And your neighbors will be just as nice.

But that’s the beauty of Greenwich – something for everyone.

And Riverside continues on its own path

 

Home newspaper delivery, Riverside, CT, 6:00 AM

16 Hendrie Avenue, new construction, September contract, sells for $4.1 million. There have been sales at this price on this busy, hectic street before so this is by no means unprecedented, but Riverside buyers  seem a bit tetched, to me.

Regardless of my opinion, new construction prices in Riverside are back to the 2007 bubble level. Will they continue to climb? I wouldn’t think so but I stand ready and willing to sell such a house to anyone who disagrees.

It’s not their arrogance that’s troubling but the idea that Obama might actually do it

Who wouldn’t want to help this man?

Third World nations demand $100 billion by 2020 to stash in Switzerland. “We’re working on it,” pleads Obama’s man, “please don’t hate us!”

Gambia wants “figures on the table”, eh? Did you know that Gambia is one of the most corrupt nations on this troubled globe? Well it is.

On the redistributionist principles spewed forth by liberals, there is absolutely no reason why our money should not be taken from us and given to Gambians. If it’s unfair for an American  CEO to be paid more than the custodian in one of his plants, how much more unfair is it that that same janitor earns 1,000 X more than an African manioc farmer? Dig deep into your pockets, America, the UN is calling.

Abolish the Department of Homeland Security

Not just the TSA, although that would be an encouraging beginning, but the entire department. Put the Coast Guard back where it belongs (with a huge cut in funding so they stop pursuing drug runners and resume their sea-rescue mission) but send the rest of these people back to the unemployment office.

Unless, of course, you want to continue spending your money on agents receiving zombie-apocalypse  response training. It’s the contempt shown tax payers by this kind of spending that so annoys me. We work hard to earn it, they toss it around as if they were spending other people’s money – duh.

Stocking stuffer for your favorite realtor – I may drop one off at their Christmas party

(Before they send one to me)

From Sportsman’s Guide, if Walt hasn’t purchased their entire inventory:

Sale price reported

565 Indian Field

Not the one I mention below, but an October contract for 565 Indian Field Road (Mead Point) sold today for $3.375 million. This is a very nice house in my favorite of all the gated communities in Greenwich and the buyers did well, but I wish the sellers had been more realistic a year ago, when they priced this at $4.450. On the one hand, placing such an exaggerated price on a property makes it look like a real bargain down the road when the price returns to reality, but I’m pretty sure I had clients for this house back then except that they, and I, were daunted by what the seller seemed to think his house was worth. They chose not to engage in what would probably be fruitless negotiation.

I certainly wasn’t the only agent with clients looking for a house in Mead Point, so the moral is, if you want to sell quickly, set a good price – if you want to convince a buyer down the road that he’s getting a steal, then this is the way to go.

But be prepared to wait.

Not much stirring

Realtors go wild at the Eckman Center Christmas Ball

No news reported on the real estate front today. I’m aware of one large land sale that closed this morning but it’s yet to be reported. This one will not be an official notch in my belt but it’ll spend just the same.

The GAR offices are closing early today, if they even opened at all, so that the staff can get ready to attend the annual GAR Christmas Party. I’m not going, pretty much for the same reason I never attended lawyers’ conventions, and as this story from Long Island reminds us, anything can happen when the Evil Princess appears!

Long Island man shoots girlfriend in fight over zombies.

And Princess Liawatha shall lead the way

Hey, he says he’s Betsy’s grandfather so he gets a White House bonnet – turns out he isn’t, then sioux me

Injun tribes meet for White House pow wow today.