30 days in the hole

[jefhatfield]

one month vacation!

the president is going to take a one month vacation

what do you think?

i like the idea because:

1) it sets a good example because americans can use more time off which actually helps productivity with a fresher work force

2) i trust dick cheney more...more gravitas

3) and being a democrat, i kind of like the idea of not having to see w's face on tv so much:p

[teabgs]

I think he should go on vacation permanently...


:D

[Backtothemac]

I think that the timing is a little wrong. Personally I would like to think that he is there doing what needs to be done. I don't like it at all. Then again, if we are going to go into Iraq later in the year, then this would be the best time to take one, and lets face it the first year has been a little much on the fella. We forget that Congress only really works about 7 months out of the year, but the Pres is there all the time. Who knows, we do know that Tommy will have something to say about it.:p

[iH8Quark]

Originally posted by teabgs
I think he should go on vacation permanently...


*hopes*

That would be better than quad-processor 5GHz G5's. ;)

[jefhatfield]

tom daschle?

we are definitely going to do something with sadaam...it's just a matter of when

does anybody really think afganistan had anything big to do with 9/11? those attacks have sadaam written all over it with bin laden as the pawn

we killed five percent of all iraqis in 1991 and depending on which side of the battle you were on, it's seen as a revenge move (9/11)

so it's washington's move now, and i think we will put sadaam out of power...if it was legal, we could have him in handcuffs in DC by this time tomorrow...just give delta force or the sas the OK and it's done...but we don't work that way since we are a democracy

we would be no better than sadaam if we used the incredible power of delta force to remove every dictator we didn't like and supplanted him with one we did like

sure, there are some instances of our destabalizing governments in the past, but considering our power, we have been very, very restrained

if we were like the british empire in the old days, we would have taken over the whole darn world (like they did for a long time)...but that is not our job in the 21st century

[Mr. Anderson]

Being from DC, I know for a fact that most of the city slows down during August - all the Senate and House take the month off as well, so nothing really goes on.

And even though he's on vacation - that can change if something important comes up.

I'm looking forward to the less crowded roads on my comute to and from DC - August is the best month to drive around town :D

D

[jefhatfield]

i heard DC was the most expensive big city in the united states up there with new york

could 29,000 a year work for me there?

...govt job offer given to experimental students of the local navy school where i live...they are offering free master's degree and two years guaranteed work at dc or alexandria and pay is 29k for two years as student and two years as civil servant

[whfsdude]

DC isn't that expensive. I live 6 blocks from the capitol and you just got to know where to shop. The only thing that costs a lot are the houses we are house is worth 700 thousand but the thing is, it's so small :( other than that it isn't too expensive ;)

[coolocity]

3) and being a democrat, i kind of like the idea of not having to see w's face on tv so much

Don't tell me you honestly think we won't be seeing his face on tv so much. Remember last time he was at his ranch? We saw him more than ever, all those interviews, it's pathetic. You see him less when he's in office! Heh, he looks funny in shorts. :D

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by whfsdude
DC isn't that expensive. I live 6 blocks from the capitol and you just got to know where to shop. The only thing that costs a lot are the houses we are house is worth 700 thousand but the thing is, it's so small :( other than that it isn't too expensive ;)

the housing is what scares me

29k a year after taxes and a decent uprated medical plan (a must for civil servants) leaves me with 19k for rent, car, food, and entertainment

even silicon valley does not have average 700k houses and anybody who makes less than 50k really struggles...really...it's that hard..it sucks big time

[iGav]

Originally posted by jefhatfield
one month vacation!

the president is going to take a one month vacation

what do you think?


So long as he doesn't come over here for his vacation it's fine with me........ ;) :D :p

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by iGAV


So long as he doesn't come over here for his vacation it's fine with me........ ;) :D :p

uh, london?

i think it's likely sometime in his administration...very much so

now monterey, ca or sand city (pop 125)...now that is so unlikely that i would more expect to see bin laden shopping at kmart here before i could see W walking around here with his secret service men:p

[Rower_CPU]

Originally posted by jefhatfield
uh, london?

i think it's likely sometime in his administration...very much so

now monterey, ca or sand city (pop 125)...now that is so unlikely that i would more expect to see bin laden shopping at kmart here before i could see W walking around here with his secret service men:p

Bin Laden in Sand City? Now that's funny!

I can just see him wandering around on the dunes out there...surreal!:D

[voicegy]

Big whoop, take a hike, go have fun. Big crisis will occur, he'll come "back" from vacation to handle it, look more like hero. (you honestly think that he's going to let the VP take care of the big issues?)

[mcrain]

Originally posted by jefhatfield
[Bthe president is going to take a one month vacation[/B]

I have to point out that the subject of this thread sounds like the name of a bad/good? porn movie.

Anyway, intellectually speaking, the white house won't be much different from when he's there, so I'm not too concerned. :D

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by jefhatfield


the housing is what scares me

29k a year after taxes and a decent uprated medical plan (a must for civil servants) leaves me with 19k for rent, car, food, and entertainment

even silicon valley does not have average 700k houses and anybody who makes less than 50k really struggles...really...it's that hard..it sucks big time

you would be struggling - even if you bought a house and could write off the morgage. I would recommend that if you're going to be comfortable in DC you need to make around 50k - and even that is pushing it. Rent in the city is skyrocketing, and its not much better in VA and MD.

Are you still a student? What's the deal with the job?

D

[Rower_CPU]

SD is about the same, ~$50K/year to do OK...

...and my rent is going up in September, from 1370 to 1550, and that's still not "market" for my apartment.:eek: :(

[Backtothemac]

Originally posted by Rower_CPU
SD is about the same, ~$50K/year to do OK...

...and my rent is going up in September, from 1370 to 1550, and that's still not "market" for my apartment.:eek: :(

1550! How many square feet is that! Me and the Mrs. have 1500 square feet in a two story town house, and pay 675 a month. Man, I hope you have the Taj Mahal otherwise man, must stay in Alabama.;)

[Rower_CPU]

Originally posted by Backtothemac
1550! How many square feet is that! Me and the Mrs. have 1500 square feet in a two story town house, and pay 675 a month. Man, I hope you have the Taj Mahal otherwise man, must stay in Alabama.;)

Dude, I so want to move somewhere cheaper...but school and all is keeping me here for a while.Oh well.

My place is a two floor townhome, 1082 sq ft...2 bed, 2.5 bath...

[Mr. Anderson]

Almost any place in DC with 2 beds and baths will run you 1500 a month - there are exceptions, but few, and most of the people who have cheaper rent are the ones who have lived in the same house for 10 years.

At that price its much better buying a condo or small house and at least get a break with the morgage.

D

[Rower_CPU]

Yeah, we've considered buying, but that's even worse here...average home prices are high $300s. Plus, I'm not sure about staying here long-term and would prefer not to commit to anything long-term.

At least I have room to grow in my salary.:)

[Pepzhez]

One month holiday ... plenty of time for the Hypocrite in Chief to get drunk on, er, "pretzels".

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by Rower_CPU
Yeah, we've considered buying, but that's even worse here...average home prices are high $300s. Plus, I'm not sure about staying here long-term and would prefer not to commit to anything long-term.

At least I have room to grow in my salary.:)

One the things I tell my friends here is that if you play the "I'm not going to buy a house becuase I'm not going to stay here long, blah, blah, blah" Buy something, anything that you can use to write off the morgage. My wife is a tax geek - mcrain and her would get along great - and she showed me how much money you save, its crazy. For what you're paying on rent, you could buy a $300,000 house and spend the same amount of money.

And if you don't like that, buy a condo or something similar to save money, but at least you're not throughing the money away.

D

[Rower_CPU]

Originally posted by dukestreet
One the things I tell my friends here is that if you play the "I'm not going to buy a house becuase I'm not going to stay here long, blah, blah, blah" Buy something, anything that you can use to write off the morgage. My wife is a tax geek - mcrain and her would get along great - and she showed me how much money you save, its crazy. For what you're paying on rent, you could buy a $300,000 house and spend the same amount of money.

And if you don't like that, buy a condo or something similar to save money, but at least you're not throughing the money away.

D

Hmmm...food for thought.

Although paying down my student loan debt might take precedence ($35K).

[G4scott]

once again, I bring up this question.

If you don't want Bush in office, who do you want instead?

And don't tell me clinton or gore. If it wasn't for them, the country would be doing much better right now...

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by Rower_CPU


Hmmm...food for thought.

Although paying down my student loan debt might take precedence ($35K).

pm DutchessStreet and she'll give you a fast analysis of how much you'd save - you'll be amazed.

D

[Rower_CPU]

Originally posted by dukestreet
pm DutchessStreet and she'll give you a fast analysis of how much you'd save - you'll be amazed.

D

Will do...

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by dukestreet


you would be struggling - even if you bought a house and could write off the morgage. I would recommend that if you're going to be comfortable in DC you need to make around 50k - and even that is pushing it. Rent in the city is skyrocketing, and its not much better in VA and MD.

Are you still a student? What's the deal with the job?

D

it was just a cheapie option to finish my graduate studies in CS

i hate the idea of a student loan hanging over my head ten or twenty years after i graduate...it sucks and i have never seen anybody successfully pay off a stafford loan

the free master's degree comes with giving uncle sam two years of slave labor...now if i could work in guatamala for 29k a year usd, then i would be set, but DC, the most expensive of the most expensive in a country which has its own congressmen and women bounce checks?

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by dukestreet


For what you're paying on rent, you could buy a $300,000 house and spend the same amount of money.



D

in california, mortgage with the standard california 20 percent down requires about 1 percent (in and around silicon valley) per month of the value of the house

take a standard 500k house in santa clara...mortgage is 5 grand a month...a couple, after california and federal taxes, needs to average three or four times that to do it ok...overall household income well over 100k min./200k preferred...those are numbers only self employed business owners can handle

i heard in some states you can almost buy a house with combined 25k a year...one client of mine bought this huge, huge house for 35k in maine...it would easily get 1.5 mil where i live

a semi ok one room condo in nyc can be 4 mil but in hong kong right before the take over, it garnered 30 mil...it's all the market and what it can bear

a van gogh can sell for 30 mil, but back in van gogh's day, no way...he sold two paintings in his life...both to his brother theo:p

[Taft]

Originally posted by dukestreet
Almost any place in DC with 2 beds and baths will run you 1500 a month - there are exceptions, but few, and most of the people who have cheaper rent are the ones who have lived in the same house for 10 years.

At that price its much better buying a condo or small house and at least get a break with the morgage.

D

The impression that I got from when I've visited is that there is too little of DC that is safe and nice place to live. So the small part of the city that is good to live in has very high housing costs. And the rest of the city is far more reasonable, but far worse neighborhoods.

Do you find that to be the case, Duke??

But my friends who lived there last summer seemed to find a reasonable place with 2 bedrooms and a bath for under a thousand a month or so.

Chicago has a similar situation for housing. Apartment size 1 bedroom condos go for 200k in the popular neighborhoods. 1 bedroom atps. go for around 1000.

But the cool thing about Chicago is that there are a variety of good areas to live with a variety of price ranges. In Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan's Square, Hyde Park or even Lincoln Square or Printers Row the rent is much more reasonable. And they are all good neighborhoods--they just aren't the most "hip" of neighborhoods.

Its nice to live in a city with tons of housing options. I'd say just about anyone could make ends meet in Chi-town. Its all about adjusting your lifestyle choices to your budget.

Taft

[topicolo]

1) why is bush announcing that he's going on vacation? Why? He's basically been on vacation since he took office.

2) Attacking Saddam might be a pretty bad move. Why? Saddam's currently surrounded by arab countries that hate him and if he's left alone, he'll just wither away because he wouldn't dare to try to invade his neighbors again. If he's attacked, he's going to unleash all of those chemical and nuclear weapons he has stockpiled on Saudi Arabia and Israel out of suicidal desperation. That would not be a good thing.

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by Taft


The impression that I got from when I've visited is that there is too little of DC that is safe and nice place to live. So the small part of the city that is good to live in has very high housing costs. And the rest of the city is far more reasonable, but far worse neighborhoods.

Do you find that to be the case, Duke??

But my friends who lived there last summer seemed to find a reasonable place with 2 bedrooms and a bath for under a thousand a month or so.

Chicago has a similar situation for housing. Apartment size 1 bedroom condos go for 200k in the popular neighborhoods. 1 bedroom atps. go for around 1000.

But the cool thing about Chicago is that there are a variety of good areas to live with a variety of price ranges. In Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan's Square, Hyde Park or even Lincoln Square or Printers Row the rent is much more reasonable. And they are all good neighborhoods--they just aren't the most "hip" of neighborhoods.

Its nice to live in a city with tons of housing options. I'd say just about anyone could make ends meet in Chi-town. Its all about adjusting your lifestyle choices to your budget.

Taft

new york has just surpassed DC as murder capitol of USA (counting 9/11 since that was murder)...i heard that on abc news

detroit, oakland, nyc, and DC always top the list (oakland only once and the gang bangers here on the west coast were stupidly proud of it...LA and SF are nowhere close though they make for goop cop shows:p

[Mr. Anderson]

Like all big towns (well, DC isn't that big) there are some sections you really don't want to frequent. But on the whole, the city is being rejuvinated and there is a mini renaissance going on. Neighborhoods have been cleaning up and there has been some significant incentive for businesses and home owners - something like 10k tax deferment for new home owners.

So its a bit relative, but its not really all that bad a place to live, and where I am, Old Town Alexandria, is fantastic. The metro area has a huge diversity of cultures, food and art - its a great place - and for a techie, not a bad place to be.

Look at the jobs on www.washingtonpost.com under employment, you'll find tons of things to apply.

D

[jelloshotsrule]

ha. i lived in harlem last summer with my brother. 839/month plus utilities... there were 5 rooms. a bathroom. a kitchen. and 3 rooms. one was about the size of a table. one was about the size of a desk and a dresser. and the third was about the size of 2 twin mattresses next to each other on the floor.

ps. 839 was "dirt cheap"....

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by dukestreet
Like all big towns (well, DC isn't that big) there are some sections you really don't want to frequent.
D

that is very true, it's just that DC's "bad" neighborhoods have often led the nation in homicide...our nation's capital...the lawmakers!

it just confuses me

when our school visited DC in 8th grade in the 70s, the tour buses went way out of their way to avoid going thru bad areas so we took some strange paths to get to our landmark destinations

there is this famous picture where it shows a fork in the road where one fork goes to the mostly white, upper middle class and rich neighborhoods and the other fork goes to the place where 85% percent of the city's citizens, mostly african american, live

and in this picture, there are just one or two cars headed into the rich area while there is a traffic jam of cars and buses headed into the ghetto area

i wish i had a link...it's a compelling black and white photograph

[Mr. Anderson]

see if you can dig that picture up - I'd love to see it and find out where it is - there aren't that many places where that could have been shot.

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by dukestreet
see if you can dig that picture up - I'd love to see it and find out where it is - there aren't that many places where that could have been shot.

there was this european photographer who decided to go to the worst areas in and around DC and he shot some powerful and disturbing photographs

though he was white, he was not american/local so he got deep into the ghetto life and brought back photos of children who were viciously attacked by rats

also in his pictures was a cardboard house with the poorest of the poor with the capital building in the distant background...this photo essay was done in the early 80s or the 70s

the black on black violence was so bad there and it forshadowed what would later happen in other large american cities

during the height of the somali war lords/gangsters, an african american male in a dangerous american city, like DC, had a life expentancy lower than that of a male in the somalia torn warzone

though i would like to help uncle sam again, i think it would be foolhardy to try to live on less than 20k (net) in an area such as washington DC...the nsa and other DC agencies have lost a lot of their techie types to private industry since people often go where the money is and uncle sam, for high tech, is not where it is at

[dynamicd]

it's interesting that bush is announcing this vacation and making it such a long one. A few months ago in my ap european class we were having a discussion about some leader, and i think it might have been a past u.s. president, but its happened before that a country attacks an enemy when its least expected. it's all about having the surprise.

[Hemingray]

Originally posted by topicolo
1) why is bush announcing that he's going on vacation? Why? He's basically been on vacation since he took office.

Oh brother. :rolleyes:

Personally, I don't see the point of always heckling the president that's in office. Does it make us feel better of ourselves or something? No president will ever meet our expectations or meet our standards. I think it's just a waste of energy.

(My God, I just got the Apple parallel in that! :eek: :eek: :D ;) :p )

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by jefhatfield
though he was white, he was not american/local so he got deep into the ghetto life and brought back photos of children who were viciously attacked by rats


now that sounds like an urban legend! i want to see those pics - find them if you can

D

[Backtothemac]

Rower, I can tell you, although some would not believe me, Birmingham Alabama is one of the nicest cities that I have ever been to or lived in. It is clean, safe, great income potental, growing by leaps and bounds. Is the largest city in the US without a pro sports team, and is 25th or 26th largest media market in the country. Cost of living is low, real low, and the people are, well, what you would expect from Southerners. Southern hospitality to the max. You should check it out. If you do, look in the over the mountain areas of Hoover, and Inverness.

[wake up Jobs!!!]

I can not beleve you guys are still gripeing about President Bush. He has done a good job in office, but some may think he has not done enough. This is because all of his wartime ideas have been hit with major opostion in the house and senate. How is he suposed to do whats best for the country when every democrat in the cpitol is aposing him. So before you point the finger at President Bush, you should be pointing the finger at your democratic senators and representitives for stalling everything that goes on in D.C.. Also, you you have realy wanted Al gore to be president? I personally would no have wanted to have higher tax rates because the goverment wanted to give money to the people who refuse to work, so they can get a free ride in life, and I have to work my ass off.
Can't we all just get allong? (Do Not spam my post with all that yelling ************)

Gabe-

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by dukestreet


now that sounds like an urban legend! i want to see those pics - find them if you can

D

this is many years before the internet, so i will go on google and do a search...someone, illegally though, may have some of the pictures posted

[Backtothemac]

Wakeupjobs. Well said, well spoken.

[jefhatfield]

bush does need support on the war on terrorism

it's a long, un-winnable war like the war or drugs or teen pregnancy

it's also not a war that can have it's results displayed on cnn

unlike conventional wars of the past, this is not a military operation, it is a war being carried out by the intelligence community...cia, fbi, nsa, coast guard (dept of transportation), homeland defense, and delta force (not a military entity but some say a secret branch of intelligence with military components)

some websites state delta as a three pronged attack...fbi/cia component, army ranger/green beret component, and navy seal/marine recon component

one of the first deaths in this war was a cia agent working for delta in afganistan

this type of covert war does not do well with politicians since good results are never known and there is no accountability to the public...it has to be secret and run non militarily so the enemy can't see our moves

every now and then, we will make a public show of force with a carrier or a raid displayed on cnn, but realize the real ground work of this war is being done by people nobody knows exists and believe it or not, but a lot of people following paper trails and computer trails...not glamorous but the spear's point in this battle