Beat And Battered

Hey folks,

Tim and I finally found a good way to share all the code we have been publishing on this blog in a central place as well as making it easy for people to contribute own changes to it. The solution is GitHub, a truly great application when it comes to hosting git repositories in a collaborative manner.

How is this better than a svn project? Well, first of all the distributed nature of git makes it very easy for people to ‘fork‘ any given project, making their own changes to it and then asking the maintainer of the original project to ‘merge’ their changes. Another very neat thing is a feature by Github itself that allows to display the contents of documentation files directly in the repository browser.

So here is the link to the Debuggable Scraps Repository.

At this point we’ve only added the Google Analytics API / data source as well as a jQuery plugin called Expandable that we wrote today and that will be demonstrated in an upcoming post. But over the next 2-3 days we’ll try to add all missing projects as well as a bunch of other previously unreleased snippets.

Hope some of you guys like the idea and will help by forking the project and contributing some changes : ).

– Felix Geisendörfer aka the_undefined

PS: The name ‘debuggable scraps’ was chosen because all of the code in the repository is too trivial to make for an own repository yet may sometimes need some debugging ; ).

La crisi dei mutui? Solo l’inizio di nuova era.
Tremonti ha così risolto il problema di questa crisi.

La nuova era che sta arrivando ha portato con se tutto questo scompiglio ed ha rivoluzionato il mondo finanziario.

”la crisi attuale e’ una manifestazione fuori dai tipici schemi capitalistici’, siamo di fronte a un fenomeno che non si puo’ ridurre solo alla speculazione a all’inflazione ma e’ un fenomeno molto piu’ complesso”.

”Se c’e’ un caso in cui la mano invisibile non si vede - ha ironizzato Tremonti - e’ proprio quella attuale, tant’e’ che e’ stato necessario un intervento della mano pubblica”.

”quello che sta succedendo non e’ la fine del mondo, ma la fine di un mondo. E il mondo che verra’ - ha concluso - sara’ migliore e piu’ normale di quello geroglifico, immaginario, nozionistico e immorale che c’e’ stato fino a qualche tempo fa”

Se il mondo nuovo è quello del precariato, dei “bamboccioni”, della quarta settimana e della paura del domani…bhè forse era meglio il vecchio.

Tremonti a mio parere ha ragione nel dire che la mano invisibile sta agendo, ed insieme a quella pubblica ci sta portando verso il futuro, ma per chi non arriva alla fine del mese, queste mani sono solo schiaffi.
Sente piuttosto la fatica e lo sforzo per poter mandare i propri figli a studiare, per cercare di non rimanere sotto un ponte e dover pagare l’affitto o il mutuo e la fatica per non farsi tagliare la luce.
Ai tempi di Smith le cose erano piuttosto diverse, ogni epoca ha avuto le sue rivoluzioni, ora a noi tocca questa.

Per rimanere in tema “apocalisse”, vorrei dire che sicuramente non è la fine del mondo, ma la fine di un mondo, quello che però ha terrorizzato gli uomini è la fine in della terra….ma la fine di sè stessi in tutti i sensi.
Ed ora quello che fa paura in questa svolta è proprio che fine si farà.

Fonte ilmutuo.myblog

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Per la surroga dei mutui servirebbe la firma di un notaio.
I suo costi li conosciamo (alti), ecco perché alcuni avvocati si stanno battendo per poter lasciare il permesso anche a loro di autenticare quella firma al posto del notaio.

Sicuramente gli avvocati si troverebbero con maggior lavoro, ma la convenienza verrebbe anche a nostro favore, visto anche una probabile gratuità della prestazione erogata, stando alle dichiarazioni fatte.
La legge deve passare in Senato e quindi diventare legge.

Surroga.net riporta la dichiarazione di Michelina Grillo presidente dell’Oua (Organismo Unitario dell’avvocatura italiana).

“La nostra iniziativa – appoggiata dagli Ordini territoriali e dalle Unioni - continua a riscuotere consensi e a raccogliere l’attenzione trasversale delle forze politiche di maggioranza e opposizione.

La prova ulteriore di questo clima è il recepimento da parte del Governo giovedì scorso di un ordine del giorno presentato dal senatore Stiffoni, cui va il merito di aver fatto condividere al Governo questa battaglia, comprendendone le motivazioni e riconoscendo le competenze professionali degli avvocati italiani, troppo spesso ingiustamente mortificate”.

“Ora - ha aggiunto Grillo -chiediamo all’esecutivo di trasformare al più presto questa raccomandazione in atti concreti, estendendo agli avvocati la possibilità di autentica delle firme. Confermiamo, inoltre, la disponibilità a prestare i nostri servizi professionali gratuitamente rinunciando all’onorario sull’autentica delle firme per le surroghe delle ipoteche, dando così il nostro contributo a sostegno di centinaia di migliaia di famiglie italiane contro il carovita sui mutui. Chiediamo poi che gli avvocati italiani siano a buon diritto inseriti nel novero dei soggetti abilitati alla trasmissione telematica degli atti, e quindi anche all’autentica sui trasferimenti di quote delle Srl”.

Il Senatore Stiffoni ha poi aggiunto:

“sta interessando circa 350.000 famiglie italiane, che hanno difficoltà nel pagamento regolare delle rate del mutuo contratto per l’acquisto della prima casa; sono stati avanzati recenti richiami da parte della Comunità europea allo Stato italiano, finalizzati all’approvazione di misure dirette alla semplificazione nel trasferimento degli immobili ed anche l’Autorità garante della Concorrenza si e’ espressa in tal senso”.

Ed ha continuato dicendo che:

“e’ stata, nei fatti, limitata nella sua portata, a causa dei costi ingenti per gli onorari notarili; sarebbe auspicabile abolire alcune restrizioni poste dalle normative in materia di servizi professionali, al fine di promuovere la concorrenza e migliorare il rapporto qualità-prezzo, per offrire ai consumatori e alle imprese servizi di piu` alto valore e maggiori occasioni di scelta. Un passo avanti in tal senso verrebbe offerto consentendo ad altri soggetti la possibilità di autenticare le firme in caso di mutuo, apertura di credito o altri contratti di finanziamento, impegna il Governo: a valutare la possibilità di estendere anche ad altri soggetti la possibilità dell’autenticazione della sottoscrizione degli atti e delle dichiarazioni aventi ad oggetto la costituzione e la modificazione dei diritti sui beni immobili al fine dell’erogazione dei finanziamenti”.

Ora speriamo che la legge passi anche al Senato e diventi legge ufficiale.
Sarebbe un passo avanti per far calare i prezzi notarili, che solitamente hanno alti prezzi.
D’altra tutti sappiamo che la concorrenza (non spietata, ma ponderata) porta al miglioramento della qualità del servizio ed un abbassamento del prezzo del prodotto.
Vedremo i seguiti della vicenda.

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Best home loans are easy to get if you know where to look. Home loans with low interest rates can make a sizeable difference in your savings, both on a long term and short term basis. However in order to get the best interest rate on your new home loan, you need to follow some home loan tips. Listed below are some hot tips that can help you get the best home loan rates.

From Standard and Poor’s:

Record Low Annual Declines Recorded in May 2008 for the S&P/Case-Shiller Composite Home Price Indices

Data through May 2008, released today by Standard & Poor’s for its S&P/Case-Shiller1 Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, show annual declines in the prices of existing single family homes across the United States generally continued to worsen in May 2008. For the second straight month, all 20 MSAs posted annual declines, nine of which are posting record lows and 10 of which are in double-digits. Both the 10-City Composite and the 20-City Composite are reporting record low annual declines.

Data junkies can find the underlying index data here:

S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices - May 2008 (XLS)

From CNBC:

Home Prices Fall in May, Erasing Four Years of Gains

Prices of U.S. single-family homes plunged at a record pace in May from a year earlier, with each of the 20 regions monitored showing annual declines for a second month, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case Shiller home price indexes reported on Tuesday.

From Bloomberg:

S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Home-Price Index Fell 15.8% in May

Home prices in 20 U.S. metropolitan areas fell at a faster pace in May, indicating the three-year housing slump has not stabilized, a private survey showed today.

The S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index dropped 15.8 percent from a year earlier, the biggest decline since records began in 2001, after decreasing 15.2 percent in April. The gauge has fallen every month since January 2007.

Stricter loan rules, rising mortgage rates and an increase in foreclosures are making it more difficult for prospective buyers to get financing, hurting home sales. The prolonged real-estate slump, along with higher fuel prices a shrinking job market, is weighing on consumers and the economy.

“Prices will need to fall further to help stimulate demand,” Joshua Shapiro, chief U.S. economist at Maria Fiorini Ramirez Inc. in New York, said before the report. “With supply overhang still huge and mortgage financing tougher to obtain, home prices are going to decline considerably further in the quarters ahead.”

Home prices decreased 0.9 percent in May from the prior month after declining 1 percent in April, the report showed. The figures aren’t adjusted for seasonal effects so economists prefer to focus on year-over-year changes instead of month to month.

The index was forecast to fall 16 percent from a year earlier, after a previously reported 15.3 percent drop in the 12 months ended in April, according to the median forecast of 25 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. Estimates ranged from declines of 14.8 percent to 17 percent.

From MarketWatch:

Home prices fall 15.8% in past year: Case-Shiller

Home prices in 20 major U.S. cities have fallen a record 15.8% in the past year, as prices fell in all 20 cities tracked by the Case-Shiller home price index, Standard & Poor’s reported Tuesday. Home prices fell 1% in May compared with April. Prices in seven cities are down more than 20% in the past year.

From the AP:

S&P: Home prices drop by record 15.8 pct. in May

A closely watched housing index shows home prices fell by the steepest rate ever in May, as the housing slump continued to deepen nationwide.
The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city index, released Tuesday, is off 15.8 percent for May compared with a year ago, a record decline since its inception in 2000. The narrower 10-city index has fallen 16.9 percent, its biggest decline in its 21-year history.

No city in the Case-Shiller 20-city index saw price gains in May, the second straight month that’s happened. The monthly indices have not recorded an overall home price increase in any month since August 2006.

When it comes to commodities investing there are an unbelievable number of scams out there.

I am not kidding when I say that there are literally hundreds of companies out there just waiting to railroad you through the door, part you from your money, and happily send you straight to the gas chamber.

I know we’ve talked a little bit about how to decide what a good commodity investment might be.

So, I wanted to conclude this series by giving you the information you will need to avoid the evil villains of the investment world, and hopefully, get your financial happily ever after.

The secret to spotting commodity scams:

There is one major test that every single commodity scam will fail:

They will promise to make you a lot of money fast, with little to no risk.

• Penny stocks to make you rich!
• The next Berkshire Hathaway!
• The price of Gold/Wheat/Oil is going to skyrocket, get in on the ground floor!
• They all boil down to one simple thing: Get rich quick! No risk!

Now, frankly we are all smart enough to realize that there is no such thing as “get rich quick”. You wouldn’t be here reading this blog if you weren’t. However, there are not many things in the investment world that are as risky as commodities. Particularly commodity futures. If someone is telling you there is little to no risk involved, turn around and run the other way as fast as you can!

There are also a few other notable ways to spot a scam.

1. Long “squeeze” pages - We’ve all seen these. They are single page advertisements on the internet designed to keep you reading and convince you to act against your better judgment. If you land on one of these pages, click away as quickly as possible. Nothing good can come of it.
2. They are in a hurry to get your money – “Prices will skyrocket in the next few days!” or “Invest now before it’s too late.” Seriously, we’ve probably all bought enough junk off of infomercials that we should know better by now! I still have that stupid Ab belt from the 1990’s. You know the one I mean – the one that delivers low grade electrical shocks and promises a 6-pack. Didn’t work for me! And these basic commodity and futures scams are no different.

   Legitimate companies and investment opportunities don’t need to come and beat your door down to get your money. They are already making enough profit on their own. That brings me to my third and final point.

3. If they appear to “need” your money in any way, shape or form - Run away. Far away. If they are calling you at home, emailing you, or cyber-stalking you in any way, drop them like a crazy ex-girlfriend and head for the hills!

Always take these steps before you invest your money:

• Find a legitimate broker, and make sure that you get a risk disclosure document. Your broker is required to give it to you by law. Anyone who tries to tell you it’s “just a formality” is scamming you.
• Explore your options carefully.
• Sleep on your options. At least overnight, maybe several nights, before you invest your money.
• Only invest in funds that have a minimum of 3-5 years of solid performance.

Follow those rules and you are far less likely to wind up on the bad end of a commodities deal. There is so much risk involved in commodities anyway, why choose a risky company to invest with?

For more information on commodity scams you can check out The U.S Commodity Futures Trading Commission web site.

I hope that you have enjoyed this series on commodity investing as much as I have enjoyed writing it for you. If you liked it, you can offer your feedback here for a chance to win $50. Thanks!

The Princess Bride photo is © Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation 1987.

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Time for another get together. Mark your calendars, cancel your trips, and tell the inlaws to buzz off.

This Saturday, August 2nd at 5pm
Shannon Rose - http://www.theshannonrose.com/
98 Kingsland Road, Clifton NJ

————————————–
From the WSJ:

Amid Housing Slump, Glut Eases Slightly
Rising Foreclosures, Tighter Credit Still Pushing Down Prices; Economists Don’t Expect Big Boost From Congressional Package
By JAMES R. HAGERTY
July 29, 2008; Page D1

The number of homes on the market is finally falling in much of the U.S., but tight credit and a flood of foreclosures are still pushing home prices down.

Making things worse, a sputtering economy is destroying jobs. That means even more foreclosures and fewer potential home buyers.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Corp. Economy.com, says he doesn’t expect a major rebound in home sales and prices before the spring of 2010. “The recovery will vary considerably across the country, with California recovering quickly and Florida much more slowly,” Mr. Zandi says.

“We have the added weight of a recessionary economy” on what was already the weakest housing market since the 1930s, says Jeffrey Otteau, president of Otteau Valuation Group, an East Brunswick, N.J., appraisal firm. He says the market won’t recover fully until employment starts growing again and credit becomes more readily available.

The Wall Street Journal’s quarterly survey of housing data in 28 major metropolitan areas showed that the supply of homes listed for sale declined from a year earlier in 19 of them. (See table on the back page.) If that trend continues, it will signal an eventual rebound. For now, though, supplies remain so ample that potential buyers generally can take their time.
…
Perhaps the biggest factor pushing down home prices is the growing glut of foreclosed homes that banks and mortgage investors must sell. In May, such homes accounted for nearly 22% of all sales nationwide, Barclays Capital estimates in a report released last week. In California, Arizona and Nevada, the share was around 40%.

There are about 721,000 foreclosed homes on the market nationwide, up from 112,000 two years ago, Barclays Capital estimates. Analysts at Barclays expect the total to rise 60% before peaking in late 2009.
…
Many potential buyers are on the sidelines because they no longer qualify for a mortgage under today’s tougher standards. “They’re having to clean their credit up” and save for a down payment, says John Wood, who owns Re/Max Partners, which operates in the Raleigh, N.C., area. “That is certainly hurting our market.”

Those who can get a loan are finding it more expensive. Rates for 30-year fixed loans that conform with the standards of Fannie and Freddie last week averaged 6.69%, up from 6.55% a month before and about even with the year-earlier level, according to surveys by HSH Associates, a financial publisher. For “jumbo” mortgages, those too large to be purchased by Fannie or Freddie, rates last week averaged 7.70%, up from 7.65% a month earlier and 7.02% a year before, HSH says.

As always, the market varies considerably from city to city and even block to block. The most attractive neighborhoods with short commutes and excellent schools are holding up well.
…
Manhattan, a market that until recently seemed immune to the housing slump, is suffering from the loss of Wall Street jobs and expected cuts in bonuses. A modest price fall in 2009 is “a distinct possibility” for Manhattan, says Jonathan Miller, chief executive officer of Miller Samuel, an appraisal firm based in New York. Jeffrey Jackson, chief economist at the appraisal firm Mitchell, Maxwell & Jackson, says prices already have fallen on mediocre Manhattan apartments — such as those that have little natural light or need repairs — and are likely to fall further. “Demand is very weak right now,” he says.

Had a dream last night. And folk here don’t dream much. Don’t know if I was on Meet the Press or at a presidential debate. Guess all yawl folk precariously (depending on uncertain premises) suggesting I be a candidate for the Presidency or even an advisor of some form. Any who, here goes the dream. First shouts out to Pretty Black Gold and At-alien (4 this pic of how I get down- an no I didn’t have my gat, it was at shop, sorry pretty black for when in Rome do as the Romans) for the love – or should I say brain or teeth lust. So there I was.

Soledad O’Brien: Your message is somewhat caustic and direct, how do you expect the electorate to befriend you?

Jones Here mane: Folk, I aint trying to be nobody’s friend, I’m trying to get they kids educated, learn and do math, stack some chump and love they neighbor as themselves, if that’s foul so be it, but best believe folk who out side these boundaries gone know jones here manner and have to deal with folk on the up and up, for real though.

Larry King: Yes Dr. Stephens…

Jones Here mane: T, T-Bone or All-mi-T, my momma aint name me Dr.

Larry King: Well T, to follow Soledad’s question, your message is intemperate. Have you ever thought you may be a little to direct for the voting public?

Jones Here Mane: Jones, mane, first of all, folk here aint steel, aint tempered, no maybe uncouth and uncultured but never tempered. The truth will set u free, free your mind and your ass will follow, and I don’t steal words, that’s from George Clinton

Jonas Goldberg: Dr. Stephens, you have referred to your opponents as having “explicative boy positions on the economy and have referred to their health care plans as being of the female dog gluteus maximus variety”, can you elaborate?

Well it aint rocket science [cell phone rings] Let me get this folk.

Cell Phone Conversation (Jones here Mane): Whad up Folk?……Naw mane, up in this debate folk, whad up though? Well Let me hit you back, I’m on TV mane…..No yawl don’t need to come up her, I’m straight…….Good look folk……Love you Jones.

Sorry, but in esoteric terms, albeit I do not have the desire to provide a locution leaning toward platonic rationalization, I feel that any economic position that does not express or explain why this country is slacking in contrast to other nations is feculent. Moreover, if it does not deal with the tenable interjection of the Amero in our future economy, it is just plane ole fuck boy talk – im sorry. With regards to my solution, you know me mane, education and manufacturing productivity. I have some slides of the stochastic projections of how it may look based on what is transacted in exchange of dollars when the new currency will be introduced but your producers would not allow me to use them or use a chalk board.

And true, all my candidates on this stage to me have never studied epidemiology, let alone public health, in particular as it is a function of the dollar bill and capitated health practices, so in summary if the shoe fits wear it.

Anderson Cooper: Dr. Stephens,….

Jones Here mane: Excuse me, but cant yawl ask these other mother fucas some questions Jones?

Anderson Cooper: If I may continue. With your positions, although believingly pragmatic and workable, how do you expect to carry the white vote, by all accounts you may be too frightening to many.

Jones Here mane: If I may be Anderson, I mean Frank, that’s one of the dumbest queries I have ever had directed to me. First I am a single parent of two and I don’t scare my kids, and Frankly, Anderson, I’d rather be with them if this wasn’t taking longer than your folk told me. Second, I fell the question should be objective, and it should be asked to my white counterparts. I have never heard you ask them about scaring the African American Vote, or about the white vote. What’s next, carrying the male vote. How you get on TV Jones….Don’t make me take my t
eeth out my mouth.

Anderson Cooper: Could you please answer the question?

Jones Here Mane: I answered it twice as well as added some additional innuendo for some sound bites, and I aint cuss.

Larry King: This is my last question. You are critical of the Current wars as well as the current administration how could you assure us that a similar quagmire would not be the legacy of your administration?

Jones Here Mane: Great question. I would like to point out grammatically speaking, could infers the conditional. So conditionally speaking I would take a different approach. Won’t send our folk to fight for us, Im head raw dawg. If we gotta problem with another country, best believe folk her gone represent, or DO his best. I will ask for 20 US citizens to volunteer to have my back, kick where ever we gotta jet to and just trust me, things will be handled for this republic as best I can and as best I see fit. Yo, can I break out in to my final statement? I gotta go get lil momma from the sitter and catch the last of my sons baseball game and cook dinner.

Moderator: If the other candidates don’t mind, we will make this exception.

Jones Here Mane: I would like to thank all yawl for hearing folk out. Especially all yawl news Jones asking me umpteen questions in a roll. Look at the others and look at me. I got your back, it aint about the loot, although I love the idea of free worldly travel, aint bout that either. I can handle mines mentally, astutely and even informed, without advisors unlike top dawgs in the past, but Im still gone have advisors. I aint gone try and hood wink yawl, I can do this, and truth be told, me against them will just be brain cell colliding at a disadvantage, for brain cell against brain cell, Ill smash am mother fucker any day. And I canrock a suit and make hot water cornbread too. Thank you

I woke up had to fix breakfast. We headed to the shop with a desire to sell stuff for dogs. Good lookin’ and thanks for the dream, but I aint presidential material.

Electricity is a great invention, but we have to pay to use it every month. Right now everybody is trying to find ways to save a dollar and your electricity bill is a great way to start. Obviously your largest expense for your electricity is your electric heat and cool pump if you have one, [...]

The man that bought a drill never wanted a drill, he wanted a hole. Understanding this concept can save a consumer a lot of money and hardship. Many people think that just because it says its “insurance” they’ve got coverage. The word insurance tends to give a false sense of security, because we think just because we have it, we have coverage. How often have we found out that’s not the case.

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