text:
Legal Status
Document Details
Published Document
United States Section, International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC).
Notice of Availability of Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.
Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the United States Section, International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) has prepared a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for future improvements to three Rio Grande Flood Control Projects (FCP) operated by the USIBWC along the Texas-Mexico Border: The Rectification FCP, the Presidio FCP and Lower Rio Grande FCP. The PEIS, prepared in cooperation with the United States Bureau of Reclamation, United States Fish and Wildlife Service and United States Army Corps of Engineers, analyzes potential impacts of the No Action Alternative and three action alternatives for future FCP improvements under consideration.
Because several measures under consideration are at a conceptual level of development, the USIBWC has taken a broad programmatic look at the potential environmental implications of measures identified for future implementation. The USIBWC will apply the programmatic evaluation as an overall guidance for future environmental evaluations of individual improvement projects whose implementation is anticipated or possible within a 20-year timeframe. Once any given improvement project is identified for future implementation, site-specific environmental documentation will be developed based on project specifications and PEIS findings.
The Final PEIS will be available to agencies, organizations and the general public on January 8, 2008. A copy of the Final PEIS will also be posted in the USIBWC Web site at http://www.ibwc.state.gov.Start Further Info
Mr. Daniel Borunda, Environmental Protection Specialist, Environmental Management Division, USIBWC, 4171 North Mesa Street, C-100, El Paso, Start Printed Page 1366Texas 79902 or e-mail: email@example.com Further Info End Preamble Start Supplemental Information
The PEIS analyzes potential effects of the No Action Alternative and three action alternatives for future improvement of the Rectification, Presidio and Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Projects located along the Texas-Mexico border. Potential improvements were organized in three action alternatives: (1) Enhanced Operation and Maintenance Alternative, focusing on engineering improvements; (2) Integrated Water Resources Management Alternative, integrating additional water conservation and quality measures to the projects' core mission of flood control and water delivery; and (3) Multipurpose Project Management Alternative incorporating, in addition to engineering improvements and integrating water management, additional measures for multiple use of the floodway and environmental measures supporting initiatives by federal agencies, local governments, and other organizations. These additional measures would be conducted largely under cooperative agreements with the proponent agency or organization. The PEIS evaluated alternatives for each flood control project in terms of potential effects relative to those of the No Action Alternative, in the areas of water, biological, cultural and socioeconomic resources, land use, and environmental health issues. The Multipurpose Project Management Alternative was selected as the preferred option for implementation of improvements to the flood control projects as it supports improvements in water quality and water conservation, and is consistent with the core project mission of flood control and water delivery. Public participation in the PEIS development included scoping meetings, a 45-day review period of the Draft PEIS, and Public Hearings held at the Cities of El Paso, Presidio and McAllen, Texas, on August 21, 22, and 28, 2007, respectively.
Copies of the FEIS have been sent to agencies, organizations and individuals who participated in the scoping process and to those who have requested copies of the FEIS. A limited number of Final PEIS copies may be obtained upon request from the contact person identified above. A Record of Decision will be issued after a minimum of 30 days following the filing of the Final PEIS. Any comments on the Final PEIS must be received no later than 30 days after the date of publication of the notice of availability by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Federal Register. No action will be taken on the proposed action before 30 days following publication of the notice of availability of the Final PEIS by EPA.Start Signature
Dated: January 2, 2008.
Susan E. Daniel,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E8-37 Filed 1-7-08; 8:45 am]


text:
By Paulr999
Leicestershire, United Kingdom
When do slugs & snails become active ?
Is it too soon to be putting down my bird & environment friendly pellets ?
- 17 Feb, 2011
When they are hungry!!!
They are temperature driven, so warm days in winter can see them having a good old munch.
17 Feb, 2011
Thanks Jason,
For some reason I thought they did the slug equivalent of hibernating...time to get the gloves on and pick em out
17 Feb, 2011
One of my large plants has loads of small and large snails. In london, the temperatures seem to be just about warm enough for them.
So, I would guess it was time to get going.
17 Feb, 2011
19 Feb, 2011
Previous question
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Well this is a bit of a flashback... a video I filmed, edited and uploaded before Christmas but never set to public. Here is it, at long last. Just an empties video, nothing spesh but I thought, I've done the work and my opinions are the same so why not set it free into the world.
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Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water (Shop)
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Good Things Deep Clean Blackhead Exfoliator (Shop)
L'Oreal Hair Expertise Ever Riche Super Smooth Mask Pot (Shop)
I'd love it if you could give my video a watch and a thumbs up!


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text:
Once you are in the Sydney market, you are set for life!Written by admin on February 25, 2017 – 2:32 pm
"Once you are in the Sydney housing market you are pretty well set then for the rest of your life,"
It's the claim of New South Wales Housing Minister, Anthony Roberts.
The Sydney property market is one of the most expensive in the world, and with Australia also having the highest level of household debt to GDP, many argue it is the world's largest debt-fueled housing bubble. It makes you wonder then, if you were to get into the Sydney market, would you actually be set for the rest of your life?
Robert's comments were made at the opening of a new apartment development in Olympic Park on Thursday. He helped the developer preach the word of perpetual house price growth, irrespective of serviceability or debt levels.
"We are not dealing with a bubble in the Sydney market," he said. "There is no bubble here."
"What I want to do is to get people into the market place and then they can be beneficiaries of the increase in the value of their property."
Housing affordability is expected to be the number one election issue and has been hotly debated while Susan Ley has been using tax-payer funded travel to purchase her investment properties.
Robert's comments is just one of many that show how out of touch, if not comical, Australian politicians are.
Here are some of the "practical" solutions being offered by our political elite:
Get wealthy Parents
When Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was challenged by the housing affordability debate on ABC radio in Melbourne, his only suggestion was to get your wealthy parents to shell out for a house. Turnbull told ABC host Jon Faine, "You can provide a bit of inter-generational equity in the Faine family," and a "wealthy man" like Jon Faine should "shell out" and buy his kids a home.
I've since written to Malcolm and Lucy asking for adoption.
Move to Tamworth
When Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce was interviewed by ABC radio, he told young Australian Dream hopefuls to move to Tamworth.
"We believe that houses will always be incredibly expensive if you can see the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, just accept that," Mr Joyce remarked to ABC listeners.
"What people have got to realise is that houses are much cheaper in Tamworth, houses are much cheaper in Armidale, houses are much cheaper in Toowoomba."
Get a highly paid job
Federal MP Michael Sukkar, Assistance Minister to the Treasurer, says getting a "highly paid job" is the "first step" to owning a home.
"We're also enabling young people to get highly paid jobs which is the first step to buying a house, it's not the only answer but it's the first step," Mr Sukkar told Sky News.
If the Liberal Party really wants to win the next election, they need to brush up on their macroeconomics. They are coming across just a bit incompetent.
Are these people really running our country?
Posted in Australian Economy, Australian Housing | 90 Comments »
90 Comments to "Once you are in the Sydney market, you are set for life!"
average_bloke Says:
February 25th, 2017 at 2:48 pm
"They" – the NSW housing political complex, will shut schools and hospitals before they let this Sydney-Jing housing bubble burst.
Clueless Politicians Says:
February 25th, 2017 at 4:16 pm
These responses reflect a complete ignorance and the obvious. These people who are the so called politicians and guardians working for the Australia people who have absolutely no clue what is going on or what they are doing. They have no solutions and are complicit bystanders to an unfolding debt crisis which they supported all the way. These people shove problems under the carpet and act like ostriches putting their head in the sand. It is an absolute embarrassment and these people are not leaders, but takers worried about their own back pocket. Leaders confront reality and take massive action to work for the Australian people. As a foreigner to this country myself this country has become very complacent and is running this country into the ground whilst on autopilot. A complete disgrace.
Jamie Says:
February 25th, 2017 at 6:06 pm
@ average bloke you forgot Mumbaibourne.
Not sure how many options there are left, things just keep getting more hairbrain by the day.. The desperation and propaganda is strong.. FHBs are the last hope.. The lambs being led to slaughter.
How much steam though is left in capital gains speculation, surely must be near up, we're approaching Denmark levels of debt.
56 Says:
February 25th, 2017 at 6:10 pm
The biggest problem is that these politicians fail to grasp basic arithmetic , or they do but deny themselves and everyone the truth in order to spin the lie that shackles people to a lifetime of debt .
For the real workers , in the rain today , wages have been stagnant for thirty years . Our leaders seem to think that it's ok for would be homeowners to pay 50 to 60 years worth of full income to pay for a basic house . This is worse than Dickens England . The FIRE corporations that are the major banks have run this nation into the ground .Maybe they don't need bail-outs (what a joke ,
they have actually become so wealthy that their profits are reaching beyond calculation) but we the people most certainly do . They would still make good profits if they charged 5% for the whole loan but what do they do they charge that interest per every year of the loan so that it becomes 150% minimum .
Jamie Says:
February 25th, 2017 at 11:17 pm
@56 they won't need bailouts when they've got bail-ins!
Damian Says:
February 25th, 2017 at 11:48 pm
Reminds me of this comment from the biggest dickhead pollie in Ireland, just before the biggest Irish property crash in living memory.
Gavaroo Says:
February 26th, 2017 at 6:58 am
Another big black duck on the horizon?
"One way lenders could deal with higher funding costs is to pass it on to the nation's $1.2 trillion mortgage holders, increasing expenses for borrowers in a heated property market."
Nexus789 Says:
February 26th, 2017 at 10:14 am
It should be borne in mind that the useless Federal politicians between them have a combined property portfolio of over $300m.
"The trends in the data suggest a sizeable majority of federal politicians have a vested interest in maintaining high housing prices, particularly since most have mortgages over their own investments. A fall in housing prices may cause many politicians to fall into negative equity, providing a strong incentive for politicians to enact legislation which has helped fuel a housing bubble, enriching owners".
Pete Says:
February 26th, 2017 at 11:01 am
How many investment properties does Anthony Roberts own?
Do you know where I can find the Member's Interest disclosures for NSW Parliament?
Skichaser Says:
February 26th, 2017 at 11:02 am
I don't know many FHB's whom could realistically entertain the $575K-$749K (according to AFR) price tag at Olympic Park even with just 5% down. Sadly to me, just demonstrates how severe the problem is if this the best they can come up with.
Luck n Leverage Says:
February 26th, 2017 at 1:54 pm
To digress a bit from the article, I recently read Flight Centers 2016 Annual report, interestingly they are seeking "solid future growth prospects" by new business offering 'home loans' among other things (p.11)
Now I have learned the supermarkets such as Woolies are doing the same.
But of course "there is no bubble here"!
Chris Says:
February 26th, 2017 at 2:09 pm
Firstly, I disclose I am a disillusioned Liberal supporter. Roberts' comments are somewhere between deplorable and ridiculous. Housing is a consumer item, not a casino chip. I hoped the Libs would have learned something form various educational sources (including this site) but judging by the obtuse and ignorant remarks of the overpaid NSW minister, alas, it is not so. If this MP is any guide, the Libs have learned nothing and forgotten nothing. Some Liberal MPS do not conceal their complacency and satisfaction with rising prices. No surprise – they all have property interests. Moreover, Roberts is appallingly typical of the Libs, I am afraid. His dangerous attitude is part of the problem, not part of the solution. Roberts is touting housing as an appreciating investment. If he does his job well, he should be announcing that houses are becoming cheaper. They are not and he does not. Values are as out of touch with reality as the Liberal party is out of touch with the ordinary person. Price rises in Sydney (the national hot-spot since 2009) are completely unsupported by all the fundamentals except the price of money. Prices do not reflect inflation, rents, wage growth or construction costs, all of which have been subdued. They do reflect, though, government policies contributing to scarcity. The most powerful fundamental remains interest rates, but a small rise in rates will only be enough to stifle growth; it will take a sustained high level of building, plus a sharp fall in immigration to drive down prices in Sydney. It needs to happen. Everywhere, there is too much hubris among the property coalition. e.g. this recent little comment about low rates: "if you put your money into the bank you must be lazy and inept". That sneer refers to the fact that real estate valuations, especially east-coast residential property , outpaced bank interest by factors of seven to ten during the past 4 years. When a housing minister tells you a house is as good as gold, be ready for a change. It will be a welcome change, too.
scared Says:
February 26th, 2017 at 7:59 pm
the thing that disturbs me the most is the lengths that they will go to to keep this going,and the insidious ideas they might actually employ. When you have MP's Andrew Broads suggest banks should forgo a deposit from first home buyers who have a strong three-year rental history or that FHB's should access there super for a deposit…. I thought they were running out of ammo to keep kicking this down the road…
Annoying Old Fart Says:
February 26th, 2017 at 8:10 pm
Guess it's good that I'm already in Toowoomba. Indeed, decent houses are significantly cheaper than in bubble territory, though the raging unit construction is looking like a bubble of its own, with many remaining unsold or unrented for years.
These clueless government members are really part of the problem. At least the ALP has a halfway decent policy on negative gearing. The government is almost as much on the nose as in Abbott's day (doesn't he do a great impression of a zombie!) and won't last the full term. One Nation and other crossbenchers will hold the balance of power after the next election. Speed the day.
Chockolate Says:
February 27th, 2017 at 8:21 am
So once all these apartments are sold they owners will have to pay rates. Rates which per square metre are way higher if the apartments reach to the sky as opposed to a free standing house. Rates which are to be paid even if the places are empty. Rates that don't guarantee the quality of infrastructure that will be delivered.
Everyone loves some income that's guaranteed with no actual work required.
Theo Says:
February 27th, 2017 at 11:18 am
We all deserve them and not just the Liberal party. We voted for them.
leno Says:
February 27th, 2017 at 11:18 am
Gday Folks
IMO this is all possible because the majority of Aussie, NOT just pollies still believe in this story. Im guessing most of us didnt but lets face it … if we had all started buying property back in 2005 ..we all might feel differently about this, right?
Of course GREED is god down under. Sadly the consequence are a dumbyed down, obedient,homoginize herd of sheeple who cant think and are unwilling see / understand the consequences of there actions. I suppose if the majority of their little free time is spent watching stupid reality TV what can you expect!?
Its crazy minning is winding down and all our money goes into cookie-cutter sized houses that produce NOTHING. This is so dumb. I honestly feel pretty #$@ing embarassed being an Aussie.
We chose to sit on the sideline. Build a very small house. Use tank water .. compost toilets .. vegi patch … orchards … livestock. .. solar power … etc. Good choice? I dont know. Maybe when / if the bubble should burst we will know.
In the mean time my wifes mates perpetuate the story suggesting we jump on board like them. One of them, a young family, has five houses – all owned by the bank. I have been telling her for 10 years now NO WAY. Maybe we should have got in early and back out again BUT SURELY its too late now right?
The mind boggles.
Lara de Vries Says:
February 27th, 2017 at 12:53 pm
I take Labour's policy on negative gearing with a pinch of salt. I would have been impressed if they had moved to abolish negative gearing while in power but they only supported policies to continue house price inflation. Waiting until the party was in opposition reeks of desperation. In either case, it looks like the housing party is on the way to ending: http://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/buying/mum-and-dad-investors-lose-hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars-as-mining-downturn-continues-to-bite/news-story/46af565a981f797f2554b98fb88821ee
Jas2u Says:
February 27th, 2017 at 2:05 pm
Annoying Old Fart Says:
February 27th, 2017 at 7:42 pm
Lara, quite right. While the ALP policy is a step in the right direction, however small, it remains to be seen what they will actually do when they form a minority government in the next year or two.
Chockolate Says:
February 27th, 2017 at 9:00 pm
Is this not subprime?
Bubby Says:
February 28th, 2017 at 11:11 am
Love the title of the article "Mum & Dad investors lose…". As if to make out how vulnerable and unfair the situation is. But nobody put a gun to their head and made them do it. They themselves walked into the bank and borrowed ridiculous amounts of money to buy a shit boxes out in the middle of nowhere in the hopes of getting rich quick buy ripping off someone else who comes into the market later on.
Bubby Says:
February 28th, 2017 at 11:14 am
@ 21 Chockolate, definately shows signs of desperation to sell those apartments. They claim its all about helping the poor first home buyers when in reality its because they want to shift those properties lest prices drop.
Pete Says:
February 28th, 2017 at 6:03 pm
Hey fellas,
Why does no one ever talk the elephant in the room – the monarch that might pass away any day?
You do realise Sydney is copying London letter by letter – does the link not strike you as obvious?
Jas2u Says:
March 1st, 2017 at 2:21 pm
Once you are in the Sydney market, you are 'set-up' for life!!!
Jamie Says:
March 1st, 2017 at 3:15 pm
So we dodged a 'technical ' recession, but check out these trends.
Notice something? Same figures, were at GFC levels of investment.
2016-17 Total is $27 393 million
2009-11 Total is circa $27 000 million
Very little in the media on the bigger picture here.
Matty Says:
March 1st, 2017 at 7:18 pm
@ Jamie
That doesn't surprise me. Most of my mates have closed up shop, only the dedicated remain.
Ask people on the street the two (three here in sa) big worries:
A: Jobs
B: House prices
C: Will the air con work tonight…..
We are in for funny times.
Jamie Says:
March 1st, 2017 at 9:04 pm
@ Matty the government came to the party last time we were at these levels, the private sector was in alot less debt too.Pretty shitty, 8 years on, back at the same spot and the people have become debt mules in lieu of the government opening the purse
Chockolate Says:
March 2nd, 2017 at 8:07 am
Borrow and spend your way out of this debt pickle folks!
Damian Says:
March 3rd, 2017 at 2:58 am
email@example.com Says:
March 4th, 2017 at 8:30 am
Give it time guys, it will catch up. May not look like it now but it will happen.
Tony Says:
March 4th, 2017 at 10:55 am
Panic buying has just begun. The last stage of this 30 year bubble (blow off). Just take a look at the Corelogic index. As of 04.03.17, Sydney's running at 18+ percent y/y, and climbing quickly. It won't be long, before we learn a very costly lesson, as to whether we are truly different. Seriously? 18%, these are the returns, you get trading futures, not houses.
Jamie Says:
March 4th, 2017 at 4:51 pm
Bondi 3 bedroom house asking prices up 130 % in 3 years
No bubble.
Steve Says:
March 4th, 2017 at 7:12 pm
re: Tony…"Seriously? 18%, these are the returns, you get trading futures, not houses."
And lose. Lets hope quickly.
Danny Says:
March 4th, 2017 at 7:32 pm
I have been bearish on Sydney house prices since around the GFC.Still proven wrong amongst family and friends who are sydney diehard property punters. I've learnt to shut up now, Sydney is different I'm told, different from all the cities in the world. Anthony Roberts comments will be the famous last words of a debt inflated bubble. No one can say when or how, but eventually all bubble bust. It just those inside it usually don't want to see it!
Damian Says:
March 4th, 2017 at 10:29 pm
I hate to break it to you but when Tokyo went bust the average house price was US$2,000,000. Sydney has a long way to go if cheap credit continues to be readily available. Where the hell are Aussie banks getting the money from to lend to investors?
56 Says:
March 4th, 2017 at 11:46 pm
@Damian ,
They punch the numbers in the computer and the debt is created out of thin air then serviced at
around 200% over thirty years .
Jamie Says:
March 5th, 2017 at 9:15 am
@ Damian , were already at Tokyo levels
Rupert Says:
March 5th, 2017 at 9:17 am
@36 – Out of thin air. It's called Fractional Reserve Banking, and is the biggest con-job perpetrated on the world ever.
email@example.com Says:
March 5th, 2017 at 10:30 am
I understand your point and you may be right…..who knows and it could go to 3 million, with all the sheep in Australia I believe it could but its irrelevant when you consider it will only come down. The problem is a smart person would cash out, profit at the peak which could be higher and then make a life elsewhere or wait and buy when it drops. The problem is these sheep just think it keeps going up and they don't want to sell because they think that they have to get back into the market that keeps going up. Its like a positive or negative feedback loop depending how you look at it. Australia my friends is on its knees and I'm proud to say I'm happy to wait while I keep my money elsewhere.
Gavaroo Says:
March 5th, 2017 at 11:25 am
I'd have to agree, that the Government will stop at nothing to stop the Housing market from collapsing. It will have to be an outside force that pops it, such as interest rates rising in the U.S. March 15 will be interesting.
This is from December 2016, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-15/federal-reserve-rate-rise-why-does-it-matter/8122662
"If Australian banks are offering higher interest rates to depositors, they have two choices: cut profits or raise lending interest rates.
From your experience of how Australia's banks operate, which option do you think they will take?"
And to quote Kyle Bass "Noting that Italy went into full crisis with only a 100 basis point shift"
Jamie Says:
March 5th, 2017 at 2:56 pm
@ 40 John, what you mention is sometimes referred to as crowd and anti crowd behaviour. Anti crowd typically make first move and crowd join to perpetuate momentum. Anti crowd always act first, crowd second. When both move together in same direction you have a price run.
Jamie Says:
March 5th, 2017 at 3:11 pm
My feel is anti crowd are already out of Sydney and Melbourne, the crowd are still in and to make it more complex theres a subset within the crowd driving momentum well past the conventional point of fear.. It's the Chinese, the biggest most naive crowd type gamblers out.The effect is such that it all looks bull, so crowd and even anti crowd join back in, no one really knows who's in and for how much. The logic behind the agents behaviour remains true though, when both move in the same direction, the price run occurs with momentum. That run has been up for 4 years now. Let's see how it looks when both crowds act in the same direction. i suspect we will see it in Sydney first, on prestige homes and within 18 months.
More on this, from James Rickards
Scientists have conducted experiments using these same crowd-anticrowd dynamics. A group of individuals begin with a preference in their forecasting model. Through experience and feedback they self-organize into crowds, anticrowds, and random actors. The crowd and anticrowd attract the vast majority of participants in roughly equal numbers, while the random actors represent a small minority. This illustrates one of complexity's most powerful traits: emergence. Well-defined opposing groups emerge without force or prearrangement from an undifferentiated mass through the workings of feedback and memory. Emergent behavior is well documented in complexity science.
It makes intuitive sense also. A Wall Street cliché says, "For every buyer, there's a seller." In a bull market, buyers are a crowd who believe the future resembles the past. Sellers are the anticrowd who believe that the future will be different. With both in equal proportions the markets can function.
Panic arises when the crowd and anti-crowd act as one. A completely ordered market system is one in which there are all sellers and no buyers. Such a market would instantaneously collapse and prices would go to zero.
Antony Says:
March 5th, 2017 at 6:03 pm
Melbourne 1% vacancy tax….
Matty Says:
March 6th, 2017 at 8:03 am
@36 Damien,
the guys are generally right re: money to loan.
The currency system we use, is fiat currency, coupled with a fractional reserve lending banking system.
Henry Ford says: It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.
The currency that the reserve banks print and 'sell' to governments is created out of nothing, but a debt plus interest. Hence, at the central banking level, there is always more debt than actual currency (except for when a country has continual trade surplus's, as Howard did, and was able to have negetive net debt, as costello told it…. negative net debt, that's a very telling term, the central banks expect debt)
Then we move to the banks, who are allowed to lend more than they have in reserve. Yes, that means they are trading insolvent. If a business does that, the directors face jail. If a bank does it, it makes a profit and is celebrated by politicians……..
Some of the banks in USA pre-GFC had $1 in deposit's for every $100 they had lent out….
This currency the banks 'lend' you doesn't exist, they literally create it, again with loan plus interest. Again, more debt than currency…..
We know this is true, the size of debt obligations and derivatives, is many, many times larger than the entire global GDP or currency pool…….
Many are now waking to the fact that paying interest on a loan that was created from nothing is the greatest scam of our lifetime. It's nothing new, fiat and fractional reserve lending are very old systems, that always fail, in doing so they empower the elite and impoverish the middle class and the poor.
So, where are the banks getting their currency they lend out??? Most of it is simply new, created, made up….
Doesn't this make sense? When you step back, and look at housing and asset prices (more so in the NYSE than the ASX) these prices being paid, are NOT being paid for with EARNED money, for no-one spends money they EARNED this easily and freely. All these million dollar dog boxes are being paid for with money that didn't exist, it was created specifically for that 'asset'.
This is why the world is so unstable. Those with access to new currency are on an asset binge, while those who can't access credit are on the breadline struggling to pay the cost of living.
We are at the point, where some of the banks are now admitting they have loans that will never be paid back in the borrower's life time. We have governments that can never pay back their bond owners.
This will end the same as always, history repeats. Technology changes things, but the core problems remain.
Jamie Says:
March 6th, 2017 at 10:20 am
Has anyone seen the growth in selected financial aggregates for 2017 ? (RBA D01)
Personal credit and Business credit negative(-1.3 / – 0.3)
Housing FHB and Investor just ticking over. (0.6 / 0.5)
That's GFC levels of housing credit demand (before the stimulus)and credit contraction in real sectors. The total credit growth for the month was 0.2 , the only credit growth for January was from housing!
The only other comparable business credit result like this was the month leading up to the election. Prior to this it was 2013 , when rates were over 4%. The Recession masking is in full effect.
I really don't want this place to turn into Japan.
AuHomeProspector Says:
March 6th, 2017 at 9:54 pm
Hi all,
Long time reader first post. I have been waiting like everybody else here on the forum. However, one goes through life stages and needs a permanent shelter. The burning desire is to move closer to work/school and drive less (much less). This is going to be the last move in the foreseeable future. We have accumulated so much stuff that moving house one more time is unfathomable.
Current rental is fantastic and the landlord is happy to have us for the next x years. Rent has not increased in the past 11 years. I don't think I will be able to find a better rental like this in the desired location. As such, either stay put and keep driving or buy and hope for the best.
Did the sum last night and reckoned I can handle the crash, if it happened, like Mike Tyson getting hit on the face and lost eyesight momentarily. Not nice but with the other hedge play, I might still come out ahead.
I have a question for the board. When SHTF such as an external shock that will eventually come, which of the following scenarios is likely to play out.
1. House price crash 40+ % due to lending / credit freeze
2. Australian government/RBA throws in everything it can including the kitchen sink and cuts the interest rate to -1000%, trashing the aussie dollar but manages to keep the house price intact
3. US/China comes in and save the brother's life but asked for kidney as repayment
4. Alien invasion or other unlikely events that distracts us from the reality
average_bloke Says:
March 7th, 2017 at 7:43 am
Sydney is done for non-investors.
Max D. Leverage Says:
March 7th, 2017 at 12:23 pm
Want a house but you do not have a deposit? Never mind the Victorian Gov't will help you by becoming a 25% co-owner. How insane can this Nanny State become? You know this will end in tears when you let our corrupt pollies get into the mortgage industry.
56 Says:
March 7th, 2017 at 12:45 pm
@ Jamie ,
At least Japan has strong manufacturing . Here , our high tech industry is veneer housing that's
assembled , after it comes off the truck , with a nail gun . With a two year warranty ( changed from 7 ) and a lifetime of debt , that can never be payed for .
Jas2u Says:
March 7th, 2017 at 6:04 pm
Alice Springs house prices have recently crashed at least 20%.
Damian Says:
March 7th, 2017 at 6:38 pm
Co-ownership and 100% mortgages smells of desperation to keep things going. The banks did the same thing in Ireland just before the big property crash in 2007/8. History repeating itself.
Chockolate Says:
March 7th, 2017 at 8:32 pm
Fiddle faddle, the government just can't help but 'fix' the housing situation (which they damn well created), and so we are seeing every more convoluted distortions to the market. Make no mistake, we are in a centrally controlled economy now, and we all know how that ends up.
I hear about how we are supposed to 'innovate' our way out of this, but given the treatment of Uber here (who operated completely legally), it's hard to find anything the government wouldn't meddle with if it took off.
Better to stick to buying and selling houses, it's a sure thing.
Luck n Leverage Says:
March 8th, 2017 at 8:16 am
@ 53
Yes, the Govt is trying to herd peoples economic choices like cattle via these tax payer funded incentives.
The same thing happens with near zero interest rate cuts; encouraging people into economic choices they otherwise may not make.
Morally abhorrent.
Antony Says:
March 8th, 2017 at 1:26 pm
In response to your question:
(2) first then (1).
Stomper Says:
March 10th, 2017 at 3:25 pm
9. Pete
How many investment properties does Anthony Roberts own?
He owns his permanent place in North Ryde – no mortgage
Do you know where I can find the Member's Interest disclosures for NSW Parliament?
Pages 194 – 203
Chockolate Says:
March 12th, 2017 at 9:10 pm
Obviously this bloke's problem was too much smashed avo, holidays, and not enough overtime. Lazy sod he is.
Matty Says:
March 12th, 2017 at 10:29 pm
It's a misleading pile of dog do-do that article. It's $60k take home after taxes, the lying prick's earning fine. Move to a regional town, on a nurses salary he would be in the top 5% of income earners.
The article, no doubt funded by the union.
A: Get the workers a raise
B: Get/keep state labor in power
C: keep distorting the economy
The real problem is, of course, too much easy credit, too much foreign cash, and a belief by the masses that property is a bonza investment….
Just let it crash already.
email@example.com Says:
March 13th, 2017 at 10:56 am
Agreed Matty,
Thanks chockolate, just an article to make the idiots piled up in debt feel better. Everyone just stop for one second and just utter these words to yourself without knowing what you know now…. utter "Ive made it cause I have a house"
Pleeeeeease, it does not even sound right and its because it isn't right. Where do these people think they will be in years from now ? In tears and saying I could of sold and moved to ABC and owned my home. I am happy to watch it keep going on and I say and let these debt junkies learn a hard lesson. I'm still happy to wait and I am getting on with life. All the best. Cant wait to read more articles!!
Pete Says:
March 13th, 2017 at 12:18 pm
The Liberals will have to get rid of Scott Morrison prior to the next election – he had no idea.
Scott Morrison just suggested people should move to regional cities like Tamworth if they want to buy a house
He told 2GB that removing negative gearing will push up rents and told everyone they need to move to Tamworth.
Exannuc Smith Says:
March 13th, 2017 at 2:01 pm
I've said it before and I'll say it again: while there probably is a bubble, at least in Sydney and Melbourne, I cannot see any major collapse happening.
There is a vast array of vested interests involved such as:
– pollies (all parties – don't be fooled by any public socialistic leanings)
– laywers / RE Agents
– Govt "Mandarins" and their consultant mates on big $$ (Fed, State and Local)
– Various others on big $$
Many of these people are able to control such things as release of land, tax/property rules, by-laws, immigration outcomes etc, that effect housing prices.
Personally, I think that IF (not when) things start to look bad, "they" will take actions such as stopping land release and possibly tweaking various other factors they have control over (eg Immigration intakes).
Let's face it, in a country that has a land area we do, with the population we have, one would exepect that, with proper strategic planning (in the interests on the people, not the "elite"), we could have a reasonable balance.
While I agree with Prof. Steve Keen, I think the fundamental flaw in his reasoning was that he may have presumed we have a "free" property market here in Australia. It is far from that.
Declared interest: ONE property, with mortgage. NO investment properties.
Mark Tomarket Says:
March 13th, 2017 at 3:32 pm
Exannuc @61, that's still arguing that we're different. So none of those other multiple first world nations that suffered a property crunch had pollies, lawyers, RE agents etc etc, heavily invested in their bubbles? Enough to force them into making decisions that would benefit themselves and to hell with the rest and the wider economy? None of these bubbles operated in a 'free' property market, they are simply operating in a historic boom/bust cycle, just like we've had for thousands of years.
You're spot on, they will and have been throwing everything within reach at the problem, including the kitchen sink. But like Governments of all persuasions, they are a bunch incompetents and fail more often than not.
Declared Interest: One too, no mortgage. Take 60% of the value off it tomorrow and I couldn't give a toss. Didn't earn it.
Matty Says:
March 14th, 2017 at 8:02 am
"Take 60% of the value off it tomorrow and I couldn't give a toss. Didn't earn it"
Bingo! Didn't earn it.
No offence meant to anyone, but Mark is 100% right here.
This isn't American Pickers, where you have to know what the market wants.
This isn't Pawn Stars where you need to be able to sell it.
Hell, it's not even like you're job review where you need to justify your position.
This is 100% pure bigger idiot syndrome. Yes, some have renovated or developed for profit, but often no. I find the modern styling ugly and short lived anyways.
We have a whole nation that now BELIEVE that working 60hrs a week is no good, small business is too risky (and that's a whole other discussion, the government simply see small business as GST generators) and the path to wealth is property flipping.
They honestly think they've 'earned' their property valuations. That they are better than those who distrust or are wary of the market.
It's sickening.
But the good news is, no other country has done what we've done. We killed the free market cost of money (all central banks do this)
We killed free market banking competition.
We then guaranteed the banks via tax-payers
We then got mortgage brokers, bankers and accountants to convince people that overpaying for investment properties is awesome because you can get a tax refund (on the loss)
We then got the media and building/construction suppliers to create entertainment that shows how easy you can make profits (except 'The block' often runs at a loss, it's only the advertising income that makes it profitable)
We then have governments giving bonuses, breaks, exemptions to property owners.
So now for the bad news (it's actually good depending on how you see it)
Four banks make up 20% of our ASX.
Our banks are valued higher than genuine companies with real tangible assets
Most of bank 'assets' are mortgages
Mortgages are > 30:1 in terms of median price to median wage in many parts of the country
Our private debt is amongst the highest in the world
We have the lowest manufacturing base in the OECD (that is the scariest figure of them all, we have no means to dig out of this hole)
I could go on, but what should be very, very clear (but almost no-one will agree, because the blinders from the housing bubble completely destroys peoples rationality) is that this country is going to self implode into an economic black hole, where assets half in prices, debts remain fixed, while interest rates skyrocket due to international borrowings.
We are not Japan, which has now slipped down to the 3rd largest economy. We are Australia, other than Iron ore, and some hydrocarbons, we have nothing the world wants, no products, no services, nothing. We will not be able to print to infinite to keep rates low, our dollar would hit 20cents and imports would cripple us. No, we will watch the USA dictate to us what our interest rates will be.
So Mark, you're right. Didn't earn it. Look around Australia, there's now over $6trillion of debt in Australia…. Think about that, we've spent $6 trillion more than we have!!! Where's the productivity gains? The return on investment? $6trillion dollars!!!!!!! Is the country any better than 10 years ago? 15 years ago? 20 years ago??? 25 years ago?? 30 years ago??
Seriously, where has that $6trillion gone??? Educations a joke, hospitals are bursting, jails are full, full time jobs keep shrinking, government deficit's getting bigger, failing and/or privatised infrastructure.
What has $6trillion really got us???
How are we ever going to pay that back with interest????
Guard your super, they will come for that.
I suggest learn to manage people, it's hard and expensive at present, but I have NO DOUBT that in years to come, people will be begging for jobs at discount rates….. The trend has already started, contractors, franchisee's etc all work for below minimum wage with no annual leave, sick days, super, work cover etc. etc.
5 years ago we could have saved this country, now it's just a shell with a few landlords showing how great they are…. Once they're gone, there will be nothing for the common man.
Rupert Says:
March 14th, 2017 at 7:08 pm
@ Matty – YES! I love you. Hit. Nail. Head.
Capitan Rex Says:
March 14th, 2017 at 7:41 pm
@Matty, you nailed it!
I couldn't have said it better myself.
You missed on one thing trending in the latest news though. (not that is a news really, but finny being openly acknowledged)
Because of this unprecedented bubble, couples postpone having kids – not enough disposable income left for raising new generation after paying of the mortgage / rent.
So, we got to the point that even having babies in this country became an issue. My, oh, my!
Then again, few things far and between can be found with "Made in Australia" this days anyway, one more add to the list.
But, no fear knowing Australian ingenuity, we can rest assured our government will find solution to this.
Peter Dutton, or whoever his next successor might be (Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) will come up with something to solve this problem.
And that truly will be the end of Australia.
Jamie Says:
March 14th, 2017 at 8:14 pm
@ Matty any idea in what our banks are geared at? (equity /debt)
Bears Stearns blew up around 30:1 from memory
firstname.lastname@example.com Says:
March 15th, 2017 at 3:05 am
Nice work Matty,
What do you mean we don't have anything to offer ?
We're Australia mate, it'll be right '
had to say it. 🙂
The sad thing is that everything you pointed out is absolutely spot on and if you raised these points at work at morning tea, people would look at us as if we are the weird ones. That's the part I find amazing. No body has the ability to think critically of for themselves.
Drizz Says:
March 15th, 2017 at 10:08 am
@ Matty -I've been a long time reader and appreciator of this site but never comment as I feel i don't know enough to warrant contribution but, your post right there… Marvelous. I was literally clapping after reading it. I feel like copying, pasting and sending out to everyone in my address book. SICK of being made to feel less worthy in this society because I don't own property. Apparently all my friends are now millionaires.
56 Says:
March 15th, 2017 at 2:40 pm
@ Capitan Rex
Interesting that you mention "Made in Australia". About 25 years ago I was doing some carpentry and cabinet work in a warehouse in Annandale . When there I noticed that , early in the week , a semi would bring linen ware in boxes marked "Made in China" . Then , for 2 or 3 days , three guys from Indonesia would put the linen ware in new boxes marked " Made in Australia" . Then another semi would come collect and distribute .
Patrick Says:
March 15th, 2017 at 6:26 pm
@ Matty,
Gold mate. This could be soon now, like you stated before the maths is fucked and the Fed rises are a delicious mix.
Capitan Rex Says:
March 15th, 2017 at 7:17 pm
@56, and let me guess the boxes with "Made in Australia" on them were probably made in China.
leno Says:
March 15th, 2017 at 8:10 pm
Matty … you have very clearly stated the problem (more than once) BUT from a personal perspective what do you do about it? How does one respond in a global state of economic .. ecological & energy decline?
Maybe a 10 point list? Let me make a start.
1. Get out of debt asap
2. Cut back on money going out.
3 … 4 …5 … ?
Do we simply hold out … buy up when things go pear shaped and then become the new suburban overlords?
To have grumbled over this for 10 years … is it worth grumbling for another 10 years?
Would i / you / we feel any different if we bought up big early like everyone else?
More questions than answers really.
Jamie Says:
March 16th, 2017 at 11:31 am
Two words..
Basel Four
Danny Says:
March 16th, 2017 at 7:40 pm
Matty for PM!
I've been a keen reader of this site for several years after seeing a politically charged disconnect in house prices and wages. It seems by the comments this time that a lot of us feel the same way. I'm glad I'm not the only one to see a debt induced bubble!
Matty Says:
March 17th, 2017 at 7:48 am
@74 Danny
Sorry, I'm a sociopath, narcissist and very, very anti-social. I value a Friday night in front of the TV far more than any PM salary or pension package.
I once had a very wealthy self made boss, the State lib's hounded him to become a MP. He always laughed, why would he become a public figure, 24/7 for a few hundred grand a year??? Seriously, why? He worked out how business worked, how to shift money from the customers to his bank account and was more than happy with his lot in life.
Truth be told, I could never be political. I'd offended way too many people, and meet JFK's ending.
So all you can do, is try to lead your closest family and friends on an enlightened path. Even then, many of those will never see your point of view. How the world really works, is very, very wrong and unfair, and most humans will simply never, ever allow themselves to see the world that way: They want to believe we are all created equal, and treated fairly. This is complete BS.
So, I been toying with writing a book for some time. Thought about a blog, but never committed to it. But a book, yeah I could do that. To offset the time away from my business I'd think about crowdfunding it, is that something anyone would be interested in?
In Vino Veritas Says:
March 17th, 2017 at 8:47 am
@ Leno
You really should get out more. Your solutions would no doubt lead to an early grave.
My solution is to be counter-intuitive and play the banks at their at their own game. Max out all your credit cards then get some more and with the proceeds buy Bitcoin. Then take a trip to Tahiti. I guarantee you will come out ahead and have fun doing it.
Jamie Says:
March 17th, 2017 at 2:44 pm
Signs of Dutch disease emerge..
Media headlines beginning to talk stories of pensioners pouring in all their retirement funds simply to rent.
leno Says:
March 18th, 2017 at 7:53 am
Vino … emty response mate. Simply said it is easy enough to state the problem. It has been regugitated now for years on this blog BUT nobody here seems interested in talking about how to respond personally in the here and now. Ask a difficult question and the room goes quiet. The mind boggles.
Patrick Says:
March 18th, 2017 at 12:58 pm
I have few choices. Run my own micro small business (lawn mowing) I have zero savings/assets. I am also debt free. I'm fortunate to reside in a family owned property. A robot can't do my job and I'm hedging a bet that when this goes belly up, I might get busier. I might be working for banks.
I've had ex wife issues over the last 10 years. The more I earn, the greater share of my pie she revives. I've had to play poor through this boom. If I did have savings, I'd be more eager for this BS to end. Good stories of ppl who paid 1 pound for a Sydney CBD block during the depression. Yes a block.
All I can say is I'm glad for help revived and that I'm quite content with happy healthy kids, my stuff and music. We are dry from rain and have food in our tummies. I wasn't dumb enough to borrow just cause I could. Wasn't that stupid to buy boys toys and just wack it on the family credit tab.
We are about to see who was swimming naked. Some started by simply skinny dipping.
firstname.lastname@example.com Says:
March 18th, 2017 at 4:46 pm
Good on you mate. Good too see some people humble and appreciate the simple and real things in life.
leno Says:
March 18th, 2017 at 9:38 pm
Nice Patrick
I think ya on the right track. Its when the flow of money and /or resources slows down (NOW) that the jack of all trades, renaissance types who can tinker in difficult circumstances find thier place in the world again.
In such times there is a decrease in efficiency,increase redundancy resulting in greater resilience.
The last thing our over-regulated dumbied down culture wants is folk who can think for themselves and just do shit.
I think ya on the right track. As long as the tummy is full and the bed warm?
Jamie Says:
March 19th, 2017 at 7:35 am
Given the majority of credit growth for banks at the moment is investor loans, when this tanks and the uptake drops there will be a dive in bank profits. This I feel is why they're hiking rates on OO Loans, they're drawing blood from those who are committed , lol… The genuine mortgage holders will pay the price of speculation even though they themselves didn't speculate. More so , FHBs who entered 2014-17 are being leaned on , the debt mules who will now carry the burden of speculation.
Add to this banks will dodge any speed limits on IO loans enforced by APRA by allowing reclassification of IO loans to OO.
When the term is up on theses reclassified loans the magnitude of this problem will really be evident. Assuming these people can even hold on that long I don't see them being in a good position when their rate ends and they need to resign at a new one.
Tell me, someone here must know- what does a bank do to a customer who is outside the original loan LVR requirement when they're at the end of their interest term and is up to sign for a new rate ?
LVR top up, foreclosure?
Matty Says:
March 19th, 2017 at 1:59 pm
@82 Jamie
Yes: Mortgages ARE a margin loan. So a loan holder CAN get that phone call. One of my staff's brother got that in the UK in 2009. He had quit his job, owned 7 or 9 places and was a 'property developer' (aren't they all? lol). He had 14 days to come up with 50k pounds… Couldn't be done. He lost all properties, as the equity got wiped out so their sales didn't cover the loans. It's only recently he was able to leave sleeping on his mates couch.
So yes, if there's a significant drop in valuation, coupled with questions about their ability to service the debt (service is the key word) then they will need to pay down some principal, or the loan wont be rolled over, or it'll hit the variable rate, or the bank will repossess it.
Just think, with over half of all loans now Investors, and at the same time over half of all loans being interest only, there must be millions of properties that have never had any principal paid in the last 3 years…. Outside the rampant Sydney and Melbourne CBD, there would be millions of interest only loans that are still hovering around their max allowed LVR. A 10% fall will be enough to trigger all hell.
Haha. What a frigging disaster.
david Says:
March 19th, 2017 at 6:36 pm
Many wants the propety bubble bursting… but very unlikely…
Politicans in Aus. are hopeless…u know that..
Pete Says:
March 19th, 2017 at 7:37 pm
@David. Not sure if our pollies can control international interest rates and the bond market. We borrow approximately 33% from overseas to fund the housing bubble, and that portion of funds could dry up or get really really expensive. We also have an oversupply of apartments that is already putting pressure on property investors.
Brace for the sell-off: property market at a tipping point
Jamie Says:
March 20th, 2017 at 12:59 pm
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
Nothing will change after this corrects. People are people, will remain who they are.
Jamie Says:
March 20th, 2017 at 3:06 pm
@ Matty 83 , from the ABS….
Jul-2015 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $0.4 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Aug-2015 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $7.7 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Sep-2015 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $5.2 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Oct-2015 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $17.3 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Nov-2015 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.9 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Dec-2015 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.5 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Jan-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.4 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Feb-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.9 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Mar-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.4 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Apr-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.2 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
May-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.1 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Jun-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.3 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Jul-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.0 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Aug-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.0 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Sep-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.0 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Oct-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1.0 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Nov-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $0.9 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Dec-2016 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $0.9 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Jan-2017 B All series
Adjustment for changes to loan purpose: Owner-occupied housing credit increased, and investor housing credit decreased, by approximately $1 billion due to net changes to loan purpose.
Matty Says:
March 20th, 2017 at 6:57 pm
Huh, nice find. That's a freaking disaster.
In Vino Veritas Says:
March 21st, 2017 at 9:37 am
@ Jamie
APRÈS MOI, LE DÉLUGE. Famous words from the French Revolution. Things do change its just takes a few heads to roll at the top.
Gavaroo Says:
March 22nd, 2017 at 4:52 pm
Martin Armstrong


text:
Apple and Bulgar Salad
If you like it, save it!
Save and organize all of the stuff you love in one place.Got it!
If you like something…
Click the heart, it's called favoriting. Favorite the stuff you like.Got it!
Author Notes: This Fall salad is a perfect way to highlight the delicious apple. Make it ahead and let all the flavors come together. It's even better the next day. —Maria Reina
Serves: 4 - 6
cup Bulgar wheat
Lemon, zested and juiced, divided
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
cup Shallot, cut in half and very thinly sliced
Garlic clove, very thinly sliced
Avocado or canola oil
1 1/2
cups Gala or Fuji apple, 1/4" dice
tablespoon Fresh thyme, roughly chopped, divided
cup Arugula, plus more to add at serving
cup Hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
- In a large mixing bowl combine the bulgar wheat, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper with 1 1/2 cups of boiling water in a bowl. Wrap tightly with plastic and set aside for about an hour.
- In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, sweat the shallot with 2 tablespoons of oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper for about 3-4 minutes Add the garlic and soften for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the apple and juice from half of your lemon. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then turn off the heat, leaving the pan on the burner. The goal is to warm the apple through, keeping the integrity of the texture. You don't want then to get mushy. Mix in 1/2 of thyme and let the pan cool.
- Fluff the bulgar with a fork. In a small bowl whisk the juice of the other half of the lemon (about 2 tablespoons), and 3 tablespoons of the oil, remaining thyme, 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine. Pour over the bulgar and toss.
- Add in the cooled apple mixture and toss gently. Taste for seasoning. Add the nuts and arugula and toss gently. Serve at room temperature over additional arugula, if desired.
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Savory Apples
More Great Recipes:
Fruit|Grains|Salad|Make Ahead|Vegan|Vegetarian|Fall


text:
We're counting down the Top 10 Dramas of 2011. Each pick will be revealed on Hulu's homepage every day of this week. Selections 10-3 can be viewed here.
2 – Breaking Bad
My journey with the greatness that is "Breaking Bad" didn't begin until about two months ago. I know, I know. I'm an idiot, but it's not like I didn't try.
For years I have been badgered about just how good this show was, and how I needed to watch it. I was told by friends, family, and even random people at various bars in random cities. It was just one of those shows that I never got around to seeing.
Finally, after getting over my subconscious confusion of Hal from "Malcolm in the Middle" being a baker of meth, I gave it a shot in the VOD world—and boy was I in for a wild ride. Immediately, I was hooked. It really was that good, if not better.
I made it to the most current season, partially out of breath, but definitely wanting more. The world of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman became a world I was in the middle of (no pun intended). Every plot twist, and every action by each character was inspired by an action of another. Plotlines were ending and beginning all the same, and it all made sense. Rarely do you see that in a hard hitting drama nowadays. Although fantastical in nature, the matchup of Walter White and Gus "Los Pollos Hermanos" Fring became the realest and heaviest of heavyweight battles. Their continued distrust, codependence on the once-tweaker Jesse, and lust for power snowballed into a giant tumbleweed of mayhem, thrusting the life Walter had always tried to hide into the forefront of reality.
Needless to say this fourth season of "Breaking Bad" pulled no punches and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout, leading up to what I would call one of the best season finales of all time. Also needless to say, I am now one of those characters who tells every friend, family member, and random person at a bar (and on a blog) to watch the show ASAP.
With awards snubs for the show (ahem, Golden Globes, cough cough) actors Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, along with an outstanding supporting cast, writers, directors and crew deserve some major recognition for making this show what it has become today. One can only hope the final season (set to air sometime in mid 2012 on AMC) gives the show the sendoff it deserves.


text:
Warriors for the Human Spirit
Training to be the Presence of Insight and Compassion
We need leaders who recognize the harm being done
to people and planet through the dominant practices that
control, ignore, abuse, and oppress the human spirit.
We need leaders who put service over self,
stand steadfast in crises and failures, and
who display unshakable faith that
people can be generous, creative, and kind.
Margaret Wheatley
Warriors for the Human Spirit are leaders, activists, and citizens who want to make a meaningful contribution in this time of increasing assaults on the human spirit and all life. To serve well, to be effective with their energy and influence, they train with discipline and devotion to refrain from fear and aggression and to embody the best human qualities of generosity, insight and compassion. They are already skilled leaders and activists: they know how to create engaged and productive workplaces and healthy communities. They know how to advocate for their causes and to work well in networks of diverse people. Yet their hard won skills and valuable experiences are not enough in this darkening time. A different category of skills and capacities is needed so they can act wisely and well, persevere, and use their influence and power to offer sane, life-affirming responses even as threats to people and planet intensify.
Warriors for the Human Spirit are awake human beings
who have chosen not to flee. They abide.
They serve as beacons of an ancient story that tells of
the goodness and generosity and creativity of humanity.
You can identify them by their cheerfulness.
You will know them by their compassion.
When asked how they do it they will tell you about
discipline, dedication and the necessity of community.
Warrior in Training
Who is a Warrior?
A Warrior is a decent human being who aspires to be of service in an indecent, inhumane time. We want to be of service without adding to the confusion, aggression and fear now so prevalent, so we train ourselves well and form as a strong, supportive community. Through discipline and dedication, we develop our confidence, skillful means, and compassion. We learn to see clearly into the nature of situations and practice to cultivate our own wakefulness with enthusiastic perseverance.
Warriors do not leave the scene. Our commitment is to stay engaged with those in power, to work inside our organizations, communities, and families. We are committed to act in ways that make it possible for people to experience the fullness of their humanity, no matter what is happening. We aspire to be a sane presence in the most difficult circumstances. And we also realize that no matter how much mastery we have attained in our professional and personal lives, we need different skills and perspectives to meet the ever-increasing challenges we face. This is why we dedicate ourselves to training.
Throughout history, and in most cultures, warriors appear as a highly specialized group of people who commit themselves to defending the kingdom, the faith, the tribe. They train with great discipline and diligence to develop their skills which they willingly offer in selfless service. As Warriors for the Human Spirit, we cultivate unshakable faith in people's capacity to be generous, creative, and kind, even in the worst circumstances. We know we are taking our place in a long lineage of brave people who always appear when the people need protection. We also recognize that within our own families and traditions there have been many brave warriors from whom we have benefitted.
Now, it's our turn.
A Warrior is a person who has the courage
to face the dark forces threatening our world
and to grieve for what is being lost
especially for future generations.
Her insight into the present world situation energizes her,
deepens her compassion for those suffering from oppression,
and motivates her to live in a way which
brings peace into each situation she encounters.
She is strengthened by comradery with her fellow warriors.
Warrior in Training
How the Warriors Train
There is no other way to prepare oneself
for the difficulties, tragedies, and insanity
that will continue to escalate.
We can't change this world,
but we can change ourselves
so that we can be of service to this world.
Margaret Wheatley
A Warrior's primary intention is to be a peaceful, compassionate, and uplifting presence in situations where there is conflict, anger, loss, grief, fear, stress. To develop compassionate abiding and clear insight, Warriors train with discipline in four core areas:
1. Stable mind. The preeminent warrior skill is to be awake and present, to trust ourselves in difficult situations, and to be of true service. To be this for others, we must know ourselves. We need to be aware of our reactions—physical, emotional, mental– and how they color our perceptions and actions. We need to be able to respond rather than react, to be aware of those situations which trigger us, and to gradually reduce our reactivity. These skills are a direct result of meditative practices, where we learn to watch our thoughts rather than be controlled by them. With practice, we become more open and patient, no longer victims of our reactions. As we develop the capacity to pause, to consider what response best serves, we become ever more useful to others when they are caught in strong emotions and confusion.
Meditation practice and instruction play a central role in this training. We practice together morning and late afternoon in the retreat gatherings. We practice together in our small groups and Zoom calls. We require a personal daily meditation practice while in the training program.
We also support developing a stable mind with physical practices that synchronize mind and body–Qigong and/or Tai Chi.
2. Direct Perception/Clear Seeing. Every one of us constructs a world and then lives inside our personal creation. Without training, we cannot see the richness of information that the world offers us. With practice, we learn to experience moments of direct perception, free of our filters and bias. As we take in more of the world, our habitual filters lose their grip. We see with greater clarity and we also experience the world's innate beauty and luminosity. Our actions become wiser, our compassion deepens, and our commitment strengthens.
3. Skillful Means. Most leaders who train as warriors are familiar with a variety of good tools, such as systems thinking, conflict resolution, constellation work, critical thinking, Art of Hosting processes, etc. In Warrior training, we amplify and strengthen these processes with our capacity for direct perception and the increased information we have available to us. As we work with any process, we are committed to remaining vigilant for when aggression and fear arise–ours and others. We train so that we can offer an atmosphere of confidence and possibility. Through how we act, without naming it overtly, we want people to feel our presence, to know that there's a warrior in the room.
4. Community. We train in community rather than as individuals because we know we need one another. We need to be able to call on one another for support, consolation, ideas, and humor. We aspire to achieve the level of commitment to one another described by General Sherman in a letter he wrote to his superior General Ulysses S. Grant at the end of the Civil War. He reflected on why they had won the war: "I always knew you thought of me and, if I got in a tight place, you would come if alive."
Community is created through the structure of the program in large retreat gatherings, in monthly small group video calls (via Zoom), and occasional all Warrior Zoom calls. Also, Warriors themselves organize into interest groups and accountability partners. These multiple means create deepening relationships and the trust that "if I call you, you will come."
For some time now I have felt alone and unsure about
whether I can continue my justice activism;
I know it is time to make a shift and I long to do this with others
in a supportive, trustworthy, sustained community.
I believe we are consoled and strengthened by being together, and
I am committed to staying in the world as a spiritual warrior.
Warrior in Training
Design of the Training Program
Between October 2015 and June 2017, three cohorts completed one year of training: 81 people from 19 different countries, ranging in age from 35 to 86. This next program is based on experience with these first cohorts: it is designed to be more intimate, focused, less costly financially but requiring more time and dedication of effort. It also engages those who completed the first trainings and are continuing on in a facilitator/guide role.
The initial training occurs over eight months, with two primary elements:
- Two group retreats of entire cohort: month one (5 days), month eight (6 days).
- Small groups of five meet at least once a month via Zoom video calls for two hours/month. These groups follow a set curriculum for study and contemplation. They are facilitated and led by Warriors who have completed their first year of training and are participating in advanced training with the core faculty.
2018: Two Cohorts
- Crestone Colorado, Blazing Mountain Retreat Center blazingmountain.org
Session One: March 15th arrive – March 22nd depart (Six days, seven nights)
Session Two: October 18th arrive – October 25th depart (Six days, seven nights)
- Tuscany Italy, Abbey at Spineto www.abbaziadispineto.com
Session One: April 28th arrive – May 4th depart (Five days, six nights)
Session Two: November 8th arrive – November 15th depart (Six days, seven nights)
The commitment to learn to cultivate a breaking heart surrounded by community
is a level of vulnerability, surrender and commitment
I am eager to bravely face.
My definition of Warriors is that we cultivate the courage,
through sustained discipline,
to bear the enormous tragedy we are facing in the world today,
while at the same time bearing the enormous beauty of everything humans can be.
Warriors are committed to cultivating the right conditions for
true humanity to arise but are completely free of ambition.
Warrior in Training
Core Faculty, all programs:
Meg Wheatley, Jerry Granelli, Ulrike Ebert
Guest Faculty:
Crestone Colorado: John P. Milton
Tuscany Italy: Chris Grant, Richard Olivier


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The Witch of Izalith attempted to duplicate the First Flame from a soul, but instead created a distorted being of chaos and fire. Its power formed a bed of life which consumed the witch and her followers: The Bed of Chaos, source of all demons.
The Bed takes the form of a huge, gnarled tree, with a humanoid body shape. It attacks with two arm-like limbs, and eventually sprouts flaming limbs that resemble wings from an apparition on its back, with which it also attacks. An insect-like creature is seen to scuttle into the tree upon the player's approach, and must be slain to defeat the boss. The insect-like creature contains the Lord Soul belonging to the Witch, suggesting it is what remains of her after millenia spend in the Bed.
LocationLost Izalith
- Killing this boss will prevent Quelana of Izalith from appearing. If you want to upgrade your pyromancy to ascended, you have to do that before killing this boss.
- This fight works purely in phases, rather than incremental damage, and dying during it will not reset the phase.
- Dying will not restore the glowing roots, they are permanently destroyed, so you can destroy one root, die, then come back and destroy the other, die again, and then kill its heart. Quitting the game and reloading works too, you can simply kill one root, quit the game and, when you reload, you'll start outside the white light door again.
- After you defeat the boss, a Bonfire will appear which will allow you to warp out.
Attack Patterns
- Attacks with its hands in a horizontal direction.
- After destroying one object, a large appendage will appear on the boss's back, this has a longer range than the boss's hands and will attack the player with vertical swings.
- After destroying both objects, the two appendages that appeared can surround the player on both sides and create a flame pillar between them.
- After destroying both objects sporadic pillars of flame will burst from the ground. The location of these pillars is telegraphed by glowing orange circles appearing on the ground prior to activation. This attack is of particular noteworthiness as it may hit the player even inside the path to its "heart".
- The boss may occasionally rain many small fireballs from the sky
- An attack similar to the Demon Firesage's magic area of effect attack. It will activate when the player is standing in the area outside of the branches leading into the Bed of Chaos' heart.
Dodging and Blocking
The main attack is the horizontal sweep attack, usually followed up by another attack in the opposite direction. This can be blocked with a high-stability shield, it can be rolled through but you run the risk of it dragging you with it (you will not take damage or be staggered).
The scythe-like arms are best avoided, make note of where they are hitting as they can only hit certain spots. Watch for orange circles on the ground to avoid the fire pillars. Note these may appear anywhere on the map but only after both glowing roots are destroyed.
Whilst inside the glowing orbs surrounding each root you are safe from harm.
General Strategy
There is three stages to this boss, you first need to destroy a glowing root either side of it, each in a glowing sphere, and then drop into a hole in front of the boss to approach and kill its core, a small insect. A glowing scythe-like appendage will grow as you kill each root, and after the second root is destroyed the boss gains extra abilities. The core of the boss will not damage you and will die to most attacks (Will take more than one hit on ng+6 and beyond, on sl1 with the bare fist).
Morriss' strategy
Things you'll need: A shield with 95-100% physical block and a decent poise, although not completely necessary. Also, a decent portion of stamina and some experience defeating Bed of Chaos.
This is a strategy I've discovered after killing this boss about 30 times. On it's first phase, run to the left orb and attack it as usual. This is the easiest part of this strategy as the likelihood of being killed here with experience is little to none. After this, reload the game and you'll be outside the boss gate. Then, slide down the slope and then equip your shield. Then, put your shield up and slowly walk around to the second orb. The reason you walk is because I've personally found through a really long and boring process of killing Bed of Chaos 10 times, that he doesn't do the bullshit side push attack that pushed you into the gaps in the ground. Destroy the orb and then reload again. Slide down the slope and then when you're on the ground be sure to avoid Bed of Chaos' Fire Tempest, which you can spot by the glowing orange dots on the ground. This next part is a bit luck but that's Dark Souls for you. Run close to the centre and the floor should fall. Tank the two sideways swipes Bed of Chaos will do and run and jump onto the centre branch below the collapsed centre tiles. Run up it and destroy all the branches in your way and kill Bed of Chaos.
Once you destroy a glowing root, the floor will begin to give way, sticking to the non-tiled band is a good rule of thumb to avoid falling. You can try to make your way back or immediately quit the game and reload it to be placed back outside the fog gate. The root will still be destroyed upon re-entering. This can be repeated for the second glowing root.
There really isn't much to say here. Run up to each glowing orb, roll or hack your way through the roots to get to the glowing root and hit it. If you intend to melee both roots, killing the left one first may be a bit easier.
Note it is preferable to do the quit-load technique to avoid having to navigate your way across the crumbling floor as falling will mean a long run from the bonfire.
The left glowing root can be destroyed with a bow and the Hawk Ring - as you will not have to travel the distance to get to it this is preferably done after the right root is destroyed. Run along the wall towards it, you will pass under a root and come to a point where another root is blocking your path. From the corner before that point, you can take out your bow and shoot the root. View an image here.
Approaching the Heart
Getting to the heart of the boss is the trickiest part of the "fight". You need to fall into the hole directly in front of the boss onto a narrow root-path that leads up to the core. The boss will attempt to knock you off as you are falling with its sweep attack, and as it repositions its right appendage (on your left) it can knock you off as you approach the entrance to its core.
- The standard technique is to approach head-on, run as far up as you can (not too close to the edge) and block or dodge the two sweeping attacks. You may have to wait for a second pair of attacks if you did not make it close enough the first time. If blocking you will need to turn to block each attack.
- Once you are close enough and have just blocked or dodged the second sweep, roll onto the branch below. This is easiest to judge by running off the little platform of tiles sticking out just to the right.
- Wait a moment for the second sweep to finish, you will note its right appendage will brush over the top of the path and will knock you off if you are too far up.
- Proceed into the heart of the boss.
- Another approach is to use the big root as cover first.
- From where you land at the beginning of the fight, look to your left, there is a big root coming out from the ground. Run for it and stay behind it, the boss can't hit you here.
- Wait for the scythe attack and run forward, once the boss starts swing his arms get back a little, once she is done with the arms swing attack, sprint forward (aiming for the root inside the hole) and jump. You should land right on the root that takes you to the boss's heart.
Sometimes the game freezes when trying to jump down to the branch to get to the heart. Whenever you go back to fight it, there is still a hole in ground but the game doesn't fully register it so when you approach the boss at the point where the floor is supposed to break, you can see debris falling (although the floor has already collapsed) and the game freezes.
To fix this problem, go back to Firelink Shrine then warp back to Daughter of Chaos and make your way back to the boss. This seems to reset the floor, so when you go back the hole is sealed, and then collapses successfully with no freezing and you may continue the game.


text: Careers at the RTA The RTA is continually seeking talented employees to help us fulfill our commitment to the people of New Orleans. If you would like to pursue a career at the RTA, you will find current job openings and application instructions on this page. Transdev, a private company, manages all daily operations of the RTA on behalf of the publicly appointed RTA Board of Commissioners. Transdev conducts the hiring process, and when you accept a job at the RTA, you will actually become a direct employee of Transdev. With 17,000 employees in more than 150 locations in the U.S and Canada, Transdev is the largest provider of bus, rail, paratransit, shuttle and taxi services in North America. At Transdev we believe that our most valued asset is our employees. In our human resources policies, our aim is to: Create an inclusive work environment Champion diversity within our locations Recruit, hire and retain a dynamic, diverse workforce Provide a work environment that allows all employees to develop their talents to the fullest potential We offer advancement opportunities and many training programs to help employees build their capabilities and careers. Our salaries and benefits packages are competitive in the local economies where we operate and compare favorably to our industry's standards. To learn about career opportunities with Transdev in New Orleans, as well as in Transdev's other 150 locations in the United States, click here: Transdev Careers


text:
A Blot On Careers, Sanctions Can Haunt Lawyers
In a bid to have the $64,000-plus sanctions eliminated, the plaintiff's three attorneys reached a settlement with the defendant based on the condition that the Second Circuit agree to vacate the order....
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text:
Sleek design for new Focus
The new Ford Focus elevates the world's best-selling nameplate with a bolder, more emotive exterior design, a finely crafted, intuitive new interior, a suite of life-enhancing new technologies and major fuel economy improvements.
The new Focus's sporty character and driving appeal is burnished by a striking horizontal grille, a cockpit-inspired interior and available paddle shifters. The new Focus also marks the European debut of SYNC 2, Ford's advanced in-car connectivity system, as well as the new 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol and TDCi diesel engines.
Ford first launched the Focus in 1998 and since then more than 12 million have been sold worldwide, including 6.9 million in Europe. The current Focus was confirmed last month as the world's best-selling vehicle nameplate based on Ford's analysis of the Polk registration data for the first nine months of 2013. Ford estimates Focus sales globally reached 1.1 million in 2013, including more than 300,000 in China, making it the best-selling passenger car in the fastest-growing new car market in the world.
Ford has crafted a more sophisticated and advanced Focus with a redesign that reflects the One Ford global design language that carries through the new Mondeo and Fiesta.
The new Focus has a lower, wider stance, with a new bonnet, front fascia and grille. The bonnet is sculpted with a dynamic shape from the front pillar to the corners of the upper part of the inverted trapezoid grille to deliver a strong, proud look.
The new Focus will be the first vehicle in Europe to offer SYNC 2. Ford's advanced in-car connectivity system features a high-resolution, 8-inch colour touch screen and advanced voice control for easier access to audio, navigation, climate control and compatible mobile phones.
SYNC 2's navigation system also offers for the first time in Europe a split-screen display with detailed intersections, spoken street names, 3D highway junction and landmark views, and the Michelin travel guide. SYNC 2 enables drivers to issue simpler "one-shot" navigation destinations, and to ask the system to "play" a desired artist. Simply pushing the voice control button and saying "I'm hungry" will bring up a list of local restaurants, which you can then get directions to.
The new Focus takes the model's acclaimed fun-to-drive DNA up a level with enhanced handling and steering. Ford engineers have delivered a more solid, responsive and connected-to-the-road feel by increasing the structural stiffness at the front, revising the suspension geometry, increasing lateral stiffness of "steering-relevant" suspension bushes, retuning the shock absorbers and incorporating a new Electronic Stability Programme.
The new Focus is the first Ford to offer Perpendicular Parking, a new hands-free parking technology that helps drivers reverse into spaces alongside other cars.
The current Focus introduced parallel parking aid Active Park Assist that, at the push of a button, uses ultrasonic sensors to locate parking spaces and steer the vehicle while the driver controls the accelerator and brake. The addition of two new sensors to the rear of the new Focus enables Perpendicular Parking to operate in the same way.
The new Focus offers significantly improved fuel efficiency on many versions compared to the current model thanks to new powertrain options. The most improved diesel model will offer a 19%drop in fuel consumption, while the petrol model will offer a 17 %improvement.


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WASHINGTON — The government's controversial financial bailouts of automakers, major banks and other industries could cost taxpayers $87 billion when all is said and done, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Friday.
That's far less than expected; the price tag for the original bank-bailout legislation alone was $700 billion. However, many banks have since repaid their loans, with interest. The new bailout cost projections, if they bear out, could mitigate the public anger toward Washington that the bailouts generated.
"The cost of stabilizing the financial system is likely to be significantly lower than previously expected," Geithner said in a letter Friday to congressional leaders.
The biggest change in Geithner's estimates involved the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which was set up in 2008 to help rescue the collapsing American banking industry, and later expanded to help the auto industry and troubled insurance giant American International Group.
"Lower utilization, faster repayment and improved financial conditions have already reduced the program's impact on deficits and debt," Geithner said.
TARP losses should total about $117 billion, Geithner said in his nine-page letter.
That includes $48 billion that went to AIG, $28 billion to General Motors, Chrysler and their financing firms, and $49 billion to help homeowners facing foreclosure. Offsetting those losses somewhat are projected net gains of $9 billion from several Treasury TARP programs aimed at helping banks recover.
Separately, help for mortgage finance titans Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, now in government conservatorship, should account for $85 billion in other losses.
However, earnings on the Federal Reserve's creative finance programs not only saved many banks from going under, but they're also now projected to earn $115 billion more than they cost.
A year ago, the Obama administration figured the total cost of all the recent bailouts could be more than $500 billion, or 3.5 percent of the gross domestic product.
"We now expect that the direct costs of all our interventions will cost less than 1 percent of GDP," Geithner wrote. "This means that the federal deficit and debt will be substantially lower than previously expected."
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the deficit for the current fiscal year will wind up at around $1.5 trillion, while next year's figure should reach $1.34 trillion.
Geithner's report came at a strategically important time for the administration, as the Senate prepares to take a test vote Monday on legislation to overhaul how the nation's financial institutions are regulated, a plan that includes a new process for dissolving troubled institutions.
Republicans charge that it's a bailout bill, but Democrats and independent analysts say the bill contains no such provisions.
Geithner made it clear that the bill is something different from the controversial bailouts of the past few years, calling the legislation the "next steps in repairing our financial system through comprehensive financial regulatory reform."
Democrats also have been trumpeting other recent good news concerning past rescue efforts. Earlier this week, administration officials hailed General Motors' announcement that it was repaying $8.1 billion in loans to the U.S. and Canadian governments five years ahead of schedule. GM is running an ad thanking taxpayers for the help.
Congressional Budget Office deficit projections
Obama challenges Wall Street to work with him for change
Goldman's offshore deals deepened global financial crisis
Message to Wall St. in Goldman case: SEC 'back on the job'
For more McClatchy politics coverage visit Planet Washington