Home values keep sinking

I didnt explain something very well...

They go to Volusia County after the 2000 presidential election, cameras on. They hand over a public records request to the head of elections lady for Volusia County. She agrees that the requests are proper and hands them tally sheets dated with the wrong date and with no signatures on them. They ask for the real ones and at first this lady plays dumb. Then she admits they are at a warehouse. So they drive to the warehouse and what do they see upon pulling up?

The janitors throwing black bags in the trash. So they go over and ask what is in the trash. The janitors are defensive so they tear the bags open and what are they full of? THE ORIGINAL VOTING TAPES with blue ink signatures!!!!!!!!! My heart literally dropped. They get defensive, then say those are nothing, then they try and GRAB the tapes from the ladys hand!!! Apparently it is a federal offense to dispose of the original tapes before 22 months from the election. This was 2 months after the election so regaurdless they were committing a federal offense.

So then they go back to the main office and start discussing all of this. Then this lady looking VERY suspicious in the background is carrying a recylce bin full of paper. They follow her outside and she is dumping MORE original tapes with blue ink signatures along with a bunch of other documents.

I mean it was absolutly amazin.

Orange County blues wrote:

<quoted text>I don't want to re-hash history, but I think we learned a lesson in the 2000 election that the popular vote counts for a lot less than it should.
And now the majority of that "majority" who voted for Bush wish they hadn't.
A 27%(or something just as pitiful) approval rating of our Pres speaks for itself.
And not to re-hash history, but Bush WAS appointed in 2000.

Local elections in Orange county are decided at the ballot box..majority wins. So what is your answer to the majority voting back into office people you think are crooks. The majority is right and you the minority are also right ? A Mexican stand off until the next election if good will prevail over evil.

THE SHADOW KNOWS wrote:

<quoted text> Local elections in Orange county are decided at the ballot box..majority wins. So what is your answer to the majority voting back into office people you think are crooks. The majority is right and you the minority are also right ? A Mexican stand off until the next election if good will prevail over evil.

I have no answer regarding the corruption in local politics. I had no answer when the majority of people voted Bush back into office either.

The majority vote doesn't mean people are "right" anymore than it means that the minority vote is "wrong".

It just means that a majority vote wins, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the majority voted for someone who isn't a crook.

Orange County blues wrote:

<quoted text>BTW, where in Manhattan were you? I lived in a lovely brownstone on W. 71 between B'way and West End from 1976 until moving down here in 1995- I had a small but charming one bedroom with a wood burning fireplace, mahogany mantle, shuttered windows and in a great location and a great neighborhood. I also paid very reasonable rent having lived there for almost 20 years and I had a great high-paying job.
No doubt you're wondering what prompted me to move to Orlando- that was due to family issues.
I am still a regular visitor to the city and have many friends who I can choose among to stay with when I am there, and you can take the girl out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the girl!:-)
While I do NOT miss the crowds, the noise, the dirt, I sometimes DO miss the buzz and excitement of having lived in what I truly consider to be the greatest city in the world- warts and all!

I lived in Murray Hill, on 34th Street near 1st Ave. Loved the neighborhood. I lived there from '99 to '07. The MTA had a lot of budget cuts during that time, and service was reduced on three occasions while prices rose, though still affordable. I moved to Orlando for family reasons as well. My ma ain't getting any younger, as they say. I miss playing softball in Prospect Park, playing music in Astoria, brunch in springtime on St. Marks, bicycling over the Brooklyn Bridge, free shows at Battery Park, etc.

Re: MTA. I understand that you can't just fire everybody and say good luck. But it also isn't a viable solution to continue to employ obsolete workers for mere welfare value. There has to be a plan to make the system work, but the union has blocked any long term plan to modernize the system. Can NYC afford to employ so much dead weight while building a Second Avenue line? It won't happen.

And though there isn't a competing subway system for displaced MTA workers to go to, there are plenty of comparable jobs. For example, any business that has a cash register for all the booth clerks. Any maintenance job in the skyscrapers for the maintenance people. And I wouldn't worry about the engineers (the science people, not the train drivers).

Orange County blues wrote:

<quoted text>I have no answer regarding the corruption in local politics. I had no answer when the majority of people voted Bush back into office either.
The majority vote doesn't mean people are "right" anymore than it means that the minority vote is "wrong".
It just means that a majority vote wins, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the majority voted for someone who isn't a crook.

Finally I understand your logic. Everyone you vote against and they win is corrupt.

Orlando wrote:

I think in a perfectly free market business can do a better job at most everything than a union.

Unions ARE the free market solution.

THE SHADOW KNOWS wrote:

<quoted text> Finally I understand your logic. Everyone you vote against and they win is corrupt.

You truly are a master of assumptions, aren't you?

I don't vote AGAINST anyone- I vote FOR a candidate who I think is the best choice. I assume you do the same.

I never said, or implied, that those I do not vote FOR are corrupt, and I also never said, or implied that those I DO vote for are above or beyond corruption.

However, I am less likely to vote FOR someone if I think they represent a lot of corruption.

I vote for who I think is the best candidate for the job, and while ideally I hope they are not corrupt or take any part in corruption, I also know that realistically, that is not always the case.

Politics is a dirty business, and there are very few politicians who I think can claim that their hands are totally clean.

It often comes down to the lesser of two evils, or if you prefer, that which is less corrupt.

Lamar wrote:

<quoted text>
I lived in Murray Hill, on 34th Street near 1st Ave. Loved the neighborhood. I lived there from '99 to '07. The MTA had a lot of budget cuts during that time, and service was reduced on three occasions while prices rose, though still affordable. I moved to Orlando for family reasons as well. My ma ain't getting any younger, as they say. I miss playing softball in Prospect Park, playing music in Astoria, brunch in springtime on St. Marks, bicycling over the Brooklyn Bridge, free shows at Battery Park, etc.
Re: MTA. I understand that you can't just fire everybody and say good luck. But it also isn't a viable solution to continue to employ obsolete workers for mere welfare value. There has to be a plan to make the system work, but the union has blocked any long term plan to modernize the system. Can NYC afford to employ so much dead weight while building a Second Avenue line? It won't happen.
And though there isn't a competing subway system for displaced MTA workers to go to, there are plenty of comparable jobs. For example, any business that has a cash register for all the booth clerks. Any maintenance job in the skyscrapers for the maintenance people. And I wouldn't worry about the engineers (the science people, not the train drivers).

Oh wow- from when I was 12 to about 17, my mother and I lived on 34th and Park- I loved Murray Hill, but once I moved to W. 71st street, I quick became a true West Sider!:-)

About the MTA, you make very valid points- my only real point is that I agree with and understand why the MTA is unionized. I really don't think it would run any more efficiently- and maybe even less efficiently- if it wasn't.

Just my opinion.

And PS- one of the things I miss most about New York- THE FOOD!

Orange County blues wrote:

<quoted text>You truly are a master of assumptions, aren't you?
I don't vote AGAINST anyone- I vote FOR a candidate who I think is the best choice. I assume you do the same.
I never said, or implied, that those I do not vote FOR are corrupt, and I also never said, or implied that those I DO vote for are above or beyond corruption.
However, I am less likely to vote FOR someone if I think they represent a lot of corruption.
I vote for who I think is the best candidate for the job, and while ideally I hope they are not corrupt or take any part in corruption, I also know that realistically, that is not always the case.
Politics is a dirty business, and there are very few politicians who I think can claim that their hands are totally clean.
It often comes down to the lesser of two evils, or if you prefer, that which is less corrupt.

Amen to that, Sister! And in reality, it's not the majority that wins anyway. It's the electoral college that decides for us.

Get back to work, people!

Godsgirl wrote:

<quoted text>
Amen to that, Sister! And in reality, it's not the majority that wins anyway. It's the electoral college that decides for us.

Hey you! And yeah- you're right!

However, I will continue to exercise my privilege to vote, and I'll continue to vote for those candidates that not only do I think are best suited for the job, but who will also cause the least damage!

Happy Friday!:-)

Orange County blues wrote:

<quoted text>Hey you! And yeah- you're right!
However, I will continue to exercise my privilege to vote, and I'll continue to vote for those candidates that not only do I think are best suited for the job, but who will also cause the least damage!
Happy Friday!:-)

Happy Friday to you too! I agree with you. We vote at every single election, no matter how small and "unimportant" it seems. We also always take our daughter with us, who loves to "help" us vote.

Godsgirl wrote:

<quoted text>
Happy Friday to you too! I agree with you. We vote at every single election, no matter how small and "unimportant" it seems. We also always take our daughter with us, who loves to "help" us vote.

Our niece is involved with politics at school- she is running for President of the Student Council- her name is Samantha- and I came up with a campaign slogan for her:

Sam I am the candidate for you!!

Maybe I missed my true career calling?

LOL!!

Orange County blues wrote:

<quoted text>Our niece is involved with politics at school- she is running for President of the Student Council- her name is Samantha- and I came up with a campaign slogan for her:
Sam I am the candidate for you!!
Maybe I missed my true career calling?
LOL!!

Now that is cute!

It's better than She's Saman-for-tha job. It just doesn't make sense.

Lamar wrote:

It's better than She's Saman-for-tha job. It just doesn't make sense.

That's cute too, when you think about it!

Deno wrote:

When everyone says there is no bottom in sight - that's usually the bottom. "Buy when there is blood in the streets, even if its yours" Warren Buffet. 3 houses and 1 vacant lot have sold in my Clermont neighborhood in the last two months; I say we are turning around. But, yes I too would like to know when my taxes are dropping - they are ridiculous.

When is the LAST time you actually saw property taxes go down? The tax assessors office went to too much trouble to get all the NEW valuations when homes were appraised at over inflated valuations. They are NOT about to let go of their windfall. Not now. Not ever.

Lamar wrote:

It's better than She's Saman-for-tha job. It just doesn't make sense.

I don't know- I kinda like that!:-)

Godsgirl wrote:

<quoted text>
Amen to that, Sister! And in reality, it's not the majority that wins anyway. It's the electoral college that decides for us.

When did the Electoral College decide Florida's county commission elections ?

mori wrote:

this article is based on ZILLOW.
and ZILLOW has been proven to be 68% INNACURATE. the further you are from a major city the less accurate it is.
ZILLOW DOES NOT GO BY COMPS, they go by some wacky computer system.
use realestate abc or realtor.com if you want actual comps.

I agree with you on Zillow. I have been watching my house go up and down faster than a yo-yo over the past month. I know that my property is worth much more than Zillow shows it..it has a new roof in 2005, remodeled inside 2005 and freshly painted 2006. Zillow has it at $122,000 while the house next door to me is at $143,000 and currently needs a complete renovation from the ground up. Termites have eaten it up and it really looks like a dump. So don't depend on Zillow for your comps..they are absolutely WRONG.