Please California, Keep Your Eyes on Fucking Road

As a citizen of California, I'm pleased with the new law SB1613 banning cell phone use while operating a motor vehicle. Unfortunately, this new legislation signed into law in September 2006 by our state Governor Aww-nold Schwarzeneggar will not go into enforceable effect until January 1, 2008.

For this reason, we can all expect another 13 months of needless roadway deaths, delays and general traffic mayhem in Orange County, California due to the insistence and "positive me-enforcement" of Orange County's finest and most selfish of citizens and their failure to keep their fucking eyes on the road.

Let's all grasp the truth of the following equation:

Cell phones + Driving = Death and Destruction

Hey dumbass, put down your goddamned cell-phone and drive!

The Human Factors and Ergonomical Society claims that 2,600 deaths and over 330,000 injuries are caused by cell phone using drivers in the U.S. each year.

Why is it that the upright-walking citizens of the United States seem to be the last to "get it"?

Most nations around the world have wisely banned the use of cell phones while driving all together.

In the progressive, cutting-edge, forward-thinking, United States of America, however, only 4 out of 50 states have legal bans on cell phones, and several states have tried to introduce legislation only to fail to get the votes:

California (starting in January 1, 2008)
Connecticut
New York
New Jersey
District of Columbia

Orange County Gas Prices Since November 7

Can somebody please explain to me - as if I were a 4 year old - why gasoline prices in Orange County declined from June 8, 2006 at a high of $3.17 per gallon by a total of $0.89 cents per gallon to a low of $2.28 per gallon on November 5, 2006, and have since that date risen back to $2.40 per gallon (rise of $0.12 in just 25 days)?

Housing affordability in Orange County: Nothing to see here. Move along.

Like we really need reports from the California Building Industry Association to tell us these things, but OK, here it is. California is the state with the second least affordable housing.

Of the total housing on offer in Orange County, only 3.8% is considered "afforable".

Now, let's see... I'd like a single-family, 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bathroom house with a front and backyard, and two car garage in Orange County, California.

Well, how much should I expect to fork over?

Depending on the area and age of the house, prepare yourself to cough up anywhere between US$650,000 to US$775,000!

And before you start thinking to yourself: "Jeeze, that must be a mansion"!, forget about it!

You'll have to sift through a long inventory list of tiny stucco shitboxes with no basements. You put the same OC home on the market in Indianapolis, Indiana your talking $115,000 tops!

Think I'm joking? Well alright, go ahead. I challenge you to find one cheaper.

Bush Approval Rating at 31%

Can things get much worse for the President of the United States?

Look, if I were George, I wouldn't let that new 31% approval rating get him down.

I mean, come on! There is plenty of time and opportunity for American opinions to hit record rock bottom as the Texan originally planned.

Just consider this:

• The Republican has lost majority in the U.S. Congress. Time to say goodbye to sensible border control and immigration reform. Amnesty for all awaits.



• The war in Iraq has degenerated into a full scale civil war, American casualties are mounting, and the military OSTs (Objective, Strategy, Tactics) are seemingly unknown.



• The U.S. housing market is imploding.



• 2006 Inflation in the United States remains unchecked - CPI at 202.9.



• Nuclear proliferation by North Korea and Iran remains unchecked and unconfronted.



• Gasoline prices just increased by $0.07 per gallon since the Nov. 7th elections (OC, Southern California)



• Terrorist are gaining strength and attacking NATO in Afghanistan. Women still wearing burkahs.



• 5 years after September 11, 2001 - Osama Bin Laden is still on the loose.



• At posting time, the U.S. National Debt has risen to $8,608,413,824,530.00. George, just ask each American citizen to write a $28,700 check and get it over with.



• At posting time, the September 2006 U.S. Trade Deficit has risen to $64.4 Billion U.S. Dollars.

What's the hurry, George?

You've got until inauguration day January 2009 to make it happen.

Plenty of time, my friend. Plenty of time.

Countrywide Says: Expect 12 More Months of Bad Shit Happening

CEO Angelo Mozilo (a.k.a George Hamilton) of Countrywide Financial Corportation, predicts hard landing for housing market and another 12 months of "market adjustment":

"We have another year of adjustment, or transition" in the industry until consumers believe home prices won't decline. Various events will make the change take place and one of them is "a decline in available homes".

A decline in available homes?

OK, but ah...wait a minute. For a decline in available homes, we need to sell those available homes, so that they're not available anymore. Right?

How does one sell available homes when they are perceived to be overpriced and consumers consider home values to be on the verge of even greater decline in the future?

Since inflation remains pretty much unchecked, what happens should the Federal Reserve raise rates in the future?

O.C. Home Mortage Defaults over 5,000 Year-to-date

More foreshadowing of a future economic “Alptraum” for Orange County, California?

Prices remain high at an average of $625,000 per home, but the trend is slowly declining.

But how much longer can such high price points be sustained?

According to Mark Mueller of the O.C. Business Journal: "The number of homes sold in the county dropped 24.9% to 2,715 in October from a year earlier. It’s the 12th straight month of year-over-year declines in sales."

.....Did you hear that?

Where is that scary music coming from...?