Real Climate

As an observer who is neither a) a scientist or b) an armchair scientist, I find the sharply divided politics of climate change quite fascinating. For the life of me, (or the life of us) I just can't figure out why We as a People, can't get on the same page regarding the good of our planet.

That being said, the latest global warning (ahem) discussion beating a path throughout the blogosphere is atmosphere is mostly water vapor, so it can't be CO2.

I'm thinking the opposite--that CO2 and water vapor both tuck a way-too-warm blanket around the Earth--but hey, what do I know? So, I visited the blog of those who do.

The climate scientists over at Real Climate.

Upon review of the study "Anthropogenic greenhouse forcing and strong water vapor feedback increase temperature in Europe", conducted by Rolf Philipona et al. (GRL, 2005), this is what those in the scientific know had to say regarding the media's interpretation of the Greenhouse Gas Wars: water vapor vs. CO2.

(...)

"The accuracy of the media coverage of Phillipona et al. is decidedly mixed. The BBC got the scientific story straight (warming due to water vapor amplifying anthropogenic effects, everything working as it should, no worries about the physics, mate.), but their otherwise sound article was published with the unfortunate sub-header, "Water vapour rather than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the main reason why Europe's climate is warming, according to a new study." This gives the casual reader the erroneous impression that the study concludes CO2 is unimportant. It feeds the old, discredited skeptics' notion that the water vapor greenhouse effect is so dominant that there's no need to be concerned about CO2.

National Geographic is a little breathless: " The latest villain on global warming's most-wanted list is all wet—and a little surprising. Water vapor, experts say, is the culprit behind Europe's rapidly rising temperatures." However, they get the basic scientific story straight, quoting Philipona as saying "It is an experiment that clearly shows which factors are driving the higher temperatures. It is not the clouds, not the sun, not the aerosols. It is the increased greenhouse gases and the strong water vapor impact."

UPI is probably the worst of the bunch. They state "Swiss scientists say Europe's recent rapid temperature increase is likely due to an unexpected greenhouse gas: water vapor." Unexpected?

If they were readers of Real Climate, they'd know better."

And now, We in Brevard County do.

Bookmark Real Climate here.

Insuring Sookie Stackhouse

Sookie Stackhouse is one girl in serious need of health insurance.

The heroine of the hit HBO series True Blood finds herself bludgeoned, bleeding or attacked physically at least once a week. As a waitress for a local watering hole, it's doubtful her employer offers a company health plan or that on her earnings, she herself could purchase health insurance.

But let's say, Sookie waitresses for kicks and pays for her own coverage with money from her trust fund. At this point, her meanderings between the worlds of vampire and human are causing the plucky Louisiana native to look a bit high risk. And we all know what health insurers think about risk.

If it's not safe for them, no insurance will be sold.

Sounds like Sookie's night life is about to get her health insurance canceled.

Speaking of blood-sucking creatures....

America's Health Insurance Plans--the chief lobbyists for this country's health insurers--recently did an about face regarding coverage for the high risk who dwell among us. As reported by The Economist (6/27-7/3/09), insurers are willing to accept "taking all comers", a reform targeting the unfair burden placed on firms that attract old or sick people, if....

...the reform is accompanied by a requirement that all Americans must purchase coverage.

What's your "stake" on such a counter?

Talk to Me.

Weekend Zen

These are the days it never rains but it pours....

Queen. 1986.

Under Pressure.

Ozzy and the Jackson 5

My mother once surprised my brother and I with a Jackson 5 album.

Just cutting my rock and roll teeth via Black Sabbath, any music played over traditional airwaves was considered in teen circles, as most definitely uncool.

I took in the album cover, featuring the pudgy cute kid face of Michael Jackson, and just cracked up. My brother--a future Kiss aficionado (funny in itself)--laughed right along me, not really sure why but sure enough to remember that his older sister sometimes allowed him to play her what-are-now-considered-classic-rock-albums upon the condition he agreed with everything she did or said.

Which--in this case--included hurting our mom's feelings.

Immediately feeling guilty--after all, mothers do trump Ozzy--we took the Jackson 5 for a spin. I dropped the teen cool at my bedroom door and before too long, my brother and I were Goin' Back to Indiana, cutting the rug right along with this kid prodigy and his own brothers.

Just like I did last night when MTV replayed the old clip.

Historically, the 1970 Jackson 5-Third Album, proved quite the commercially successful pop album.

Proving yet another point.

Mothers are always right.

Farewell, Michael.

Michael Jackson

The website TMZ (owned by Time Warner) is reporting that Michael Jackson has died.

The post in its entirety.

***

Michael Jackson Dies

Posted Jun 25th 2009 5:20PM by TMZ Staff

We've just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50.

Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.

A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived.

Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.

We're told one of the staff members at Jackson's home called 911.

La Toya ran in the hospital sobbing after Jackson was pronounced dead.

Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.

***

UPDATE

The LA Times is reporting his death.

Farrah

Charlie's Angels is likely one of the most politically incorrect shows to ever air on television.

But that didn't keep us from watching.

The show (and a certain red swimsuit poster) catapulted unknown Farrah Fawcett into that section of the stratosphere known as iconism.

If reports from the entertainment world are accurate, those same heavens wait to receive the 62-year-old actress as she approaches the end of her battle with cancer.

Life--even the lives of those society deems larger than those of us ordinary mortals--has a way of coming back full circle.

Farrah had planned the re-release of the red swimsuit poster to raise money for cancer charities. Should that wish come to fruition...

...get four thumbtacks ready for a good cause.

As we look back, our thoughts are with families everywhere who have lost a loved one to terminal disease.

Political Squawk: Mark Sanford: "Honey, I'm Home!"

South Carolina's governor sounds a lot like a teenager who told his parents he was sleeping over at a friend's house, only to learn the next morning that Mom and Dad had called said friend's parents to check up on him.

(Ah, the good old days before cell phones.)

Where in the World is Mark Sanford? has been the guessing game of the press over the past few days. Even his wife was unaware of his whereabouts.

The best rumor of a Sanford sighting? Hiking the Appalachian trail nude on Naked Day.

Anyway, the Governor is no longer AWOL. Returning today from a "secret trip to Argentina", his explanation sounded much like, well...a teenager.

Per Reuters, 6/24/09:

(...)

Sanford flew to Atlanta early on Wednesday and told reporters for The State, South Carolina's biggest newspaper, he had decided at the last minute to go to Argentina and drive along its coastline.

"I wanted to do something exotic ... to get out of the bubble I am in," he told the paper, adding he had traveled alone.

And the dog ate his homework.

Pop! goes Sanford's 2012 Presidential aspirations.

Smoke That Cigarette

A smoker himself, President Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law Monday afternoon.

Among the regulations granted the FDA is the authority to order "...manufacturers to reduce — though not eliminate — the amount of the addictive chemical nicotine that's in cigarettes."

I'm no chemist, but that sounds like a lot less kick in the habit, a lot less bang for a smoker's buck.

Speaking of bucks...

Much like the old cartoon where a smoker lights up several cigarettes simultaneously to ease the incessant gnaw of nicotine addiction, I suspect the hopelessly addicted will purchase more packs to procure the much-needed punch, passing off their hard earned bucks into the deep pockets of Big Tobacco.

Which would be their choice. I'm no fan of smoking, but last time I facetiously looked, it's as legal as its sister vice--drinking alcohol.

On that note, Steve Chapman of the Chicago Tribune may or may not be a smoker, but he's fairly clear on what he thinks of this law.

Butt Out!

(...)

An individual decision to take up cigarettes is a private event, not a public one, and its health effects are almost entirely confined to the individual making the choice. Swine flu warrants government intervention because it is transmitted to people without their consent. Not so with tobacco addiction.

That's not the only Orwellian touch in this measure. It is called the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which raises the obvious question: What does "family" have to do with it? Answer: nothing, but doesn't it sound sweet?

Like many intrusive government actions, this law is supposed to protect children. That's the pretext for telling tobacco companies, in exhaustive detail, how and where they can communicate with consumers, actual and potential -- allegedly to prevent the contamination of young minds.

So: Cigarette-makers are forbidden to use color in ads in any publication whose readership is less than 85 percent adult. They are barred from using music in audio ads. They are not allowed to use pictures in video ads. They may not put product names on race cars, lighters, caps or T-shirts. From all this, you almost forget the fleeting passage in the Constitution that says "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech."

When it gets in a mood to regulate, Congress doesn't like to trouble itself with nuisances like the 1st Amendment. In 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional for Massachusetts to ban outdoor ads within 1,000 feet of any schools and playgrounds. So what does this law do? It bans outdoor ads within 1,000 feet of schools and playgrounds.

The court said the Massachusetts law was intolerable because it choked off communication about a legal activity. "In some geographical areas," complained Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, "these regulations would constitute nearly a complete ban on the communication of truthful information about smokeless tobacco and cigars to adult consumers."

(...)

You know what they (whoever they is) say.

Passing a law is easy.

It's the overturning part that proves tricky.

Talk to Me.

Smoke Smoke That Cigarette--Tex Williams

***

"Smoking is one of the leading causes of statistics."
--Author Unknown

Back Paging North Korea

I completely detached from 24/7 news coverage during my vacation from the keyboard.

Well, that is, until my cousin lobbed North Korea into a kitchen table discussion of family gossip.

I let it drop. Flat. "Sorry. On vacation."

Impressed by my complete disconnect, he totally ignored me and proceeded to catch me up on reports of NK's intent to test-fire a missile with a 4,000-mile range toward Hawaii around July 4.

Concerned that another cousin had landed on the islands just that morning for two weeks of fun in the sun, I begrudgingly picked up the local paper. The headlines screamed discontent alright, but locally, not globally.

Nothing on Page 2. Or 3.

Thumbing through, I eventually located the AP story on Page 14. The very last page.

Where to place news within the black and white is a sort of media caste system of journalistic perspective, an assignation of rank to stories considered important (or immediate) enough to headline while relegating others of secondary interest to the inner--or in this case--the outer sanctum.

Online, all stories--whether a face-snatching chimp or civil discontent in Tehran--roll on the fast break of look look look read read read now now now important important important....

Discerning which news goes where carries a powerful implication of what's hot--

and, as evidenced by the exile of the North Korea story to the back page Netherlands of what will soon face the working end of many a parakeet...

...what's not.

Weekend Zen

For what it's worth...

Buffalo Springfield. 1967.

On the Back Forty

I've hightailed it out of Dodge.

After two and half years of straight shooting for the ole FT Corral, I'm away on vacation.

It's the sun and the moon and the skies up above for me this week.

For those who cross my path during my idle perusal of the back pasture, I'll throw them this piece of hardtack:

How can We as Citizens work together to term limit members of Congress?

I've already reshoed the horse with a couple of folks, nailing down a couple of good ideas, but as always, I want to hear from you. I'll peek through the fence during the week to see what ideas you're kicking around.

Meet me back here at High Noon next Monday and we'll line 'em up, shoot 'em down and see which viable ideas remain intact.

See you next week.

Happy Trails.

Weekend Zen

Gary Wright. 1976.

My Love is Alive.

Political Squawk: Letterman

Would someone please talk to David Letterman?

As if we needed to hear anymore from Alaska's governor, Dave crosses over and way beyond the line of his Top Ten list, making a crack about Sarah Palin's daughter that caused every parent in America to wince. (Read what he said here).

Palin proved herself every bit the self-described pit bull, chewing up Letterman over his ill-considered commentary like a copy of The New York Times.

Big Hollywood made lemonade out of the public's sour reaction to the Willow Palin hit way below the belt by contributing a Top Ten List of Possible Letterman Rebuttals.

10. Listen, I didn’t know Willow Palin was 14. She was born in 1995. I thought she was still 13.

9. Why’s everyone so mad? I wasn’t making fun of Barack…?

8. I understand some offense was taken over my remarks last night. If that’s the case, I’d like to offer an apology to A-Rod. Tonight on the show, we have…

7. Careful buddy. You’re criticizing the guy who almost got the “Tonight Show.”

6. I’m a comedian and therefore not responsible for anything I say … ask Jon Stewart.

5. See, you all spoiled it. The plan tonight was to come out and tell a similar joke about Barack Obama’s daughters. But you can forget it now…

4. Everyone just needs to relax. Page, six, paragraph seven of the “Democrat Handbook” clearly states Republican children are fair game. Or is that the “Mainstream Media Handbook” … I get them confused.

3. It’s just been brought to my attention that during the campaign Barack Obama declared Sarah Palin’s children off limits. So, I would just like to say that this will never happen again and I hope the President will accept my apology.

2. Would you believe I was hoping to be Keith Olbermann’s “Worst Person in the World”?

1. If what I said was so wrong, why haven’t feminists complained?

In the end, Letterman apologized (sort of) and invited Ms. Palin and the First Dude out to NYC to appear on the show.

Best policy? To quote Pink Floyd...

...Dave, "leave those kids alone."

Lifeguard on Duty

I am no fan of the Atlantic.

Yet, I hold a deep respect for the old girl.

As did my parents.

Although my brother and I were both strong swimmers, our mother and father did not allow us to wade in the surf past our ankles.

One ridiculously hot beach day, the heat (or our incessant nagging) finally got to them both as the gift of the sea was bestowed upon us. We plunged into the water, two deliriously happy specks engulfed by a glorious expanse of teeming life.

Mom used lunch to lure us back and I didn't need to be asked twice. My brother needed more than a peanut butter sandwich to drag him out of the water, so I headed in to get back-up in the form of our father.

Three steps out of the water, I noticed my mother scramble off the blanket, stand and point toward the water. Her face is contorted. She is screaming. My eyes follow my dad as he screams by me, yelling my brother's name over and over.

A shark swims between my brother and shore. Caught in the tide, this bad boy cut the surface with razor precision, back and forth, back and forth as my father paces the beach, back and forth, back and forth, never taking his eyes off my bobbing brother.

A small crowd gathers. One bystander smacks the water further down the shoreline, successfully attracting the shark's attention. My dad seized the moment. Swimming furiously to my totally unaware brother, he pulls his first born son safely past the shark and into our mom's frantic grip.

That was the last time we ever swam in the ocean as children.

My parents let their guard down that long ago day on Canova Beach.

With no lifeguard on duty, not such a great decision.

I think it pays to have a second set of eyes.

Support keeping lifeguards in the big chair.

The North Korean Exchange Program

Most everyone remembers attending high school with an international exchange student.

After heading home at the end of semester or school year, many stay in touch with their host families, both having established bonds that span a lifetime.

North Korea has initiated an exchange program of sorts. Criteria for inclusion is more of the we snatch, we grab world media spotlight variety. Those who manage to survive their stay, never look back with fond memories.

San Francisco journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee--sentenced by their host country to twelve years hard labor on unspecified "grave" (trumped-up) charges--are new members of North Korea's most recent authoritarian exchange.

The question being...

...in exchange for what?

Read more over at the LA Times.

Opinion Matters

Gabe over at Right Turn and I must be doing something right.

We're about to have company.

Beginning today, Florida Today will launch Opinion Matters, an online opinion page blog featuring the viewpoints held by a fresh cadre of community bloggers. At last count, sixteen Brevard County residents will log in to "...jumpstart a discussion of the issues facing our community, state and nation."

Anyone boasting an opinion is invited to "... join the conversation."

Hmm. That phrase sounds vaguely familiar.

But then, you know what they say.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Head on over and introduce yourself to the new voices on the block, each who bring an area of subject specificity to the keyboard. Look who's talking here.

Go on. Go make your voice heard. To quote the old skating rink stand-by, the Hokey-Pokey, that's what it's all about.

Communication. It's a beautiful thing.

Weekend Zen

Lynyrd Skynyrd. 1975.

Every Mother's Son.

Political Squawk: Cairo

"I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo..."

And with those words, President Obama delivered his much-anticipated remarks to the Muslim world while the rest of the planet listened in.

I offer these highlights for discussion:

• On Afghanistan:

Make no mistake: we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. We seek no military bases there. It is agonizing for America to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict. We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can. But that is not yet the case.

• Iraq:

Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded America of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve our problems whenever possible. Indeed, we can recall the words of Thomas Jefferson, who said: "I hope that our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be."
Today, America has a dual responsibility: to help Iraq forge a better future – and to leave Iraq to Iraqis. I have made it clear to the Iraqi people that we pursue no bases, and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq's sovereignty is its own. That is why I ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next August. That is why we will honor our agreement with Iraq's democratically-elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July, and to remove all our troops from Iraq by 2012. We will help Iraq train its Security Forces and develop its economy. But we will support a secure and united Iraq as a partner, and never as a patron.

• On torture and the abuse of detainees at GuantÁnamo:

And finally, just as America can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter our principles. 9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable, but in some cases, it led us to act contrary to our ideals. We are taking concrete actions to change course. I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States, and I have ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed by early next year

• The Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

For decades, there has been a stalemate: two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. It is easy to point fingers – for Palestinians to point to the displacement brought by Israel's founding, and for Israelis to point to the constant hostility and attacks throughout its history from within its borders as well as beyond. But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth: the only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security.

That is in Israel's interest, Palestine's interest, America's interest, and the world's interest. That is why I intend to personally pursue this outcome with all the patience that the task requires. The obligations that the parties have agreed to under the Road Map are clear. For peace to come, it is time for them – and all of us – to live up to our responsibilities.

Palestinians must abandon violence. Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and does not succeed. For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights. It was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America's founding. This same story can be told by people from South Africa to South Asia; from Eastern Europe to Indonesia. It's a story with a simple truth: that violence is a dead end. It is a sign of neither courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children, or to blow up old women on a bus. That is not how moral authority is claimed; that is how it is surrendered.

At the same time, Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel's right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine's. The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.

Israel must also live up to its obligations to ensure that Palestinians can live, and work, and develop their society.

On nuclear weapons:

I understand those who protest that some countries have weapons that others do not. No single nation should pick and choose which nations hold nuclear weapons. That is why I strongly reaffirmed America's commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons. And any nation – including Iran – should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That commitment is at the core of the Treaty, and it must be kept for all who fully abide by it. And I am hopeful that all countries in the region can share in this goal.

On democracy:

I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years, and much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq. So let me be clear: no system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other.

That does not lessen my commitment, however, to governments that reflect the will of the people. Each nation gives life to this principle in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its own people. America does not presume to know what is best for everyone, just as we would not presume to pick the outcome of a peaceful election. But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere.

On religious freedom:

Among some Muslims, there is a disturbing tendency to measure one's own faith by the rejection of another's. The richness of religious diversity must be upheld – whether it is for Maronites in Lebanon or the Copts in Egypt. And fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well, as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.

Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which we protect it.

(...)

Indeed, faith should bring us together.

On women's rights:

Our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons, and our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity – men and women – to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice. That is why the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls, and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams.

On economic development and opportunity:

"...no development strategy can be based only upon what comes out of the ground, nor can it be sustained while young people are out of work. Many Gulf States have enjoyed great wealth as a consequence of oil, and some are beginning to focus it on broader development. But all of us must recognize that education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century, and in too many Muslim communities there remains underinvestment in these areas. I am emphasizing such investments within my country. And while America in the past has focused on oil and gas in this part of the world, we now seek a broader engagement.

(Read the full text of the President's speech HERE.)

Talk to Me.

Sniff Paddy Sniff

During these dog days of the world economy, every penny counts.

As long as Paddy the "anti-piracy dog" is on the prowl, the profits of "Terminator Salvation", "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian", "Angels and Demons" and "Star Trek" are secure.

Over in Malaysia, the black Lab recently sniffed out chemicals in the discs to uncover 35,000 illegal DVDs. Games and software were also found among the booty.

(...)

"Paddy led enforcement officers on a successful weekend operation to shut down the supply lines of pirated movie DVDs in the Malaysian state of Johor," the MPA (Motion Pictures Association) said in a statement.

"This is a clear signal to the pirates that we will not waver in our efforts to shut them down," said Mohamad Roslan Mahayudin, director-general of enforcement with the Malaysian ministry.

The MPA said its member companies lost 6.1 billion dollars to worldwide piracy in 2005. Of that lost revenue, about 1.2 billion dollars came from piracy in the Asian region.

At this writing, illegal copies of Marley and Me were not among the findings.

Read more about Paddy--and his partner, Manny--here.

Home Sweet Home Appraisal

Low mortgage rates and an $8000 federal tax credit for first-time buyers tends to motivate many towards home ownership.

Per Market Watch, pending home sales of existing homes is up for the third straight month.

But many who intend to purchase a home in Brevard are finding the wait in "pending" mode a bit longer than expected.

Appraisals are coming in lower than seller asking prices and super-cautious underwriters are unwilling to assume any risk associated with clearing such loans to close.

Sounds a lot like what goes up must come down...and especially so for the local market.

As reported by Florida Today, 5/31/2009:

At an average price of $129,400 for the fourth quarter of 2008, Space Coast home prices were undervalued by 19.3 percent, according to IHS Global Insight. That's outside the plus or minus 14 percent range that the Lexington, Mass.-based company considers fairly valued.

Brevard prices fell within the fairly valued range the previous two years, and were overvalued during the housing boom earlier in the decade, the study said.

To determine where prices should be for an area, IHS analysts consider home prices, interest rates, household incomes, population density and any historical premiums or discounts areas have shown over time. That might include factors such as weather or quality of school systems.

And comparable home sales.

This stroll around the market, it doesn't pay to own the most valued house on the block. If the comps don't back up the sales price (and word on the street is, we're talking comp sales over the past three months, ouch) , the underwriters won't either. (Which could explain all the "For Rent" signs firmly planted in the front yards of beachside luxury homes).

I've taken a number in the "pending" line as the appraisal for my home of interest moves forward for review. The home value is there, but the comparable sales are not.

It may be a buyer's market, but it's oh so hard to stop during the shop while waiting around for a price check.

The GM Catch-22

We all knew GM would file for bankruptcy. It was just a matter of when.

Why not just liquidate the company? Put the company--and the American taxpayer--out of their misery.

As reported by the New York Times, the liquidation of GM "...would send the unemployment rate soaring over 10 percent and would radiate damage throughout the economy."

It all boils down to a Solvency Catch-22. Either restructure this company and keep American workers on the job or...

...pay their unemployment.

On a way minor scale, it's sort of like the recent decision made by the Brevard County School Board to raise revenue via a temporary tax. Invest now in annual contract teachers or pay later when the full ramifications of the class size amendment hits the fan in 2010.

Yet, regardless of the investment, the hit gets personal anyway. No matter the actions taken by school board members, some annual contract lost their jobs at the conclusion of this school year. On a much grander scale, 21,000 union workers will find themselves without work while 12 to 20 factories will close under the GM bankruptcy.

And that's a mere scratch of the paint job.

Forty percent of the company’s 6,000 dealers will close, the workers’ union will be forced to finance half of its $20 billion health care fund with stock of uncertain value in the restructured G.M., and bondholders, including many retirees, will be forced to take stock worth 10 cents for every dollar they lent the company.

Us non-auto worker types--aka the consumer--also find ourselves shifting in reverse. I'm in the same driver's seat as over thirty years ago. This trip around, instead of waiting in a gas line to quench the very expensive thirst of my father's Cadillac, I'm the owner of a Saturn.

And GM's Saturn is scheduled to "phase out" by 2012.

Although objects in the hindsight mirror are much larger and clearer with many years under the proverbial seat belt, the late seventies should have taught the auto industry one lesson.

The time to fix the sunroof is when the sun is shining.