The below was written by Catherine Austin Fitts, * Founder and managing member of Solari Investment Advisory Services, LLC.
* Entrepreneur: President of The Hamilton Securities Group, investment bank and financial software developer.
* Government Official: Assistant Secretary of Housing - Federal Housing Commissioner, Bush I.
* Investment Banker: Managing Director and member of the board of Wall Street firm Dillon, Read & Co. Inc.

From the viewpoint of the neighborhood there are six ways to centralize local
capital:

First, you consolidate all retail sales into a few large corporations,including franchise operations, cutting out local small business.

Second, you outsource ("privatize") all local government functions to a few large corporations or subject them to such an overwhelming
amount of federal regulation that they can be controlled and managed for the benefit of a few large corporations and their investors.

Third, you buy up all the land and real estate, or encumber them
with mortgages in a way that is as profitable as possible and allows
you to get control when you want it.

Fourth, you finance the entire process with the profits from narcotics and organized crime that you market into the neighborhood. This enables you to finance your expansion in a manner that lowers your cost of capital in a way that conveniently lowers the initial price of your investment and/or weakens your competition.
I buy your business and land with your money at a fraction of the cost. No one sells her home faster and cheaper than a mother trying to make bail or pay a lawyer to save her family from jail or
death. That is why narcotics trafficking is the ultimate form of neighborhood leveraged buyout.

Fifth, you leverage all of this with tax shelters, private tax-exempt bonds, municipal bonds,government guarantees,and government subsidies, all protected with complex securities arrangements.

Sixth, you ensure that the only companies and mutual funds
allowed meaningful access to capital are those run by syndicate approved management teams. To raise significant campaign funds candidates for political office appoint syndicate-approved management teams. Investment syndicates define the boundaries of managed competition that cycle all capital back through their pipelines. That means the only local boys who can make good are those who play ball with the syndicate. In this way the private equity in a community can be extracted at a near infinite rate of return to investors and a highly negative rate of return to taxpayers.

God Bless the Whistle Blowers

***JOE FROM BROOKLYN***

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 19, 2009 9:37 AM in response to Open Thread

Joe from Brooklyn, years ago an anonymous poster (back when those existed) suggested an offshoot blog to be called "Vinylsider" for the demographic you mention. I nearly fell off my chair laughing. But thought it a really good idea actually. Jon, maybe there's franchise blog potential.

Posted by: traditionalmod at November 6, 2009 1:39 PM

There are plenty of cute houses in southern Brooklyn that are within the price range of an "accountant married to a cop", etc. The last time I checked there were many houses in so-called "brownstone Brooklyn" with ugly ass vinyl siding. I would suggest when you move to a new place, especially a blue-collar mecca like Brooklyn you check your funky Westchester attitudes at the door. Median per capita income in Brooklyn is $32,135 btw.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 6, 2009 3:46 PM in response to The Albemarle Renovation Blog Launches!

If I may make a recommendation for the next renovation blog...
How about a modest place in say Bensonhurst, Seagate or Marine Park purchased by 2 teachers or some type of middle income couple. I'm sure there are some normal people of relatively modest means that are buying older homes out there. I would like to see a focus on the budgeting as it would be a working couple with a modest budget. I think this would be a good way to add some diversity to this sight as well as an alternative to apartment living for readers of relatively modest means.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 6, 2009 12:57 PM in response to The Albemarle Renovation Blog Launches!

Something tells me I am not invited...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 5:04 PM in response to Open Thread

That's a little unfair bxgrl, no one was talking about Cheney.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 4:52 PM in response to Open Thread

“I am a skeptic…Global warming has become a new religion.” - Nobel Prize Winner for Physics, Ivar Giaever.

“Since I am no longer affiliated with any organization nor receiving any funding, I can speak quite frankly….As a scientist I remain skeptical.” - Atmospheric Scientist Dr. Joanne Simpson, the first woman in the world to receive a PhD in meteorology and formerly of NASA who has authored more than 190 studies and has been called “among the most preeminent scientists of the last 100 years.”

Warming fears are the “worst scientific scandal in the history…When people come to know what the truth is, they will feel deceived by science and scientists.” - UN IPCC Japanese Scientist Dr. Kiminori Itoh, an award-winning PhD environmental physical chemist.

“The IPCC has actually become a closed circuit; it doesn’t listen to others. It doesn’t have open minds… I am really amazed that the Nobel Peace Prize has been given on scientifically incorrect conclusions by people who are not geologists,” - Indian geologist Dr. Arun D. Ahluwalia at Punjab University and a board member of the UN-supported International Year of the Planet.

“The models and forecasts of the UN IPCC "are incorrect because they only are based on mathematical models and presented results at scenarios that do not include, for example, solar activity.” - Victor Manuel Velasco Herrera, a researcher at the Institute of Geophysics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico

“It is a blatant lie put forth in the media that makes it seem there is only a fringe of scientists who don’t buy into anthropogenic global warming.” - U.S Government Atmospheric Scientist Stanley B. Goldenberg of the Hurricane Research Division of NOAA.

“Even doubling or tripling the amount of carbon dioxide will virtually have little impact, as water vapour and water condensed on particles as clouds dominate the worldwide scene and always will.” – . Geoffrey G. Duffy, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering of the University of Auckland, NZ.

“After reading [UN IPCC chairman] Pachauri's asinine comment [comparing skeptics to] Flat Earthers, it's hard to remain quiet.” - Climate statistician Dr. William M. Briggs, who specializes in the statistics of forecast evaluation, serves on the American Meteorological Society's Probability and Statistics Committee and is an Associate Editor of Monthly Weather Review.

“For how many years must the planet cool before we begin to understand that the planet is not warming? For how many years must cooling go on?" - Geologist Dr. David Gee the chairman of the science committee of the 2008 International Geological Congress who has authored 130 plus peer reviewed papers, and is currently at Uppsala University in Sweden.

“Gore prompted me to start delving into the science again and I quickly found myself solidly in the skeptic camp…Climate models can at best be useful for explaining climate changes after the fact.” - Meteorologist Hajo Smit of Holland, who reversed his belief in man-made warming to become a skeptic, is a former member of the Dutch UN IPCC committee.

“Many [scientists] are now searching for a way to back out quietly (from promoting warming fears), without having their professional careers ruined.” - Atmospheric physicist James A. Peden, formerly of the Space Research and Coordination Center in Pittsburgh.

“Creating an ideology pegged to carbon dioxide is a dangerous nonsense…The present alarm on climate change is an instrument of social control, a pretext for major businesses and political battle. It became an ideology, which is concerning.” - Environmental Scientist Professor Delgado Domingos of Portugal, the founder of the Numerical Weather Forecast group, has more than 150 published articles.

“CO2 emissions make absolutely no difference one way or another….Every scientist knows this, but it doesn’t pay to say so…Global warming, as a political vehicle, keeps Europeans in the driver’s seat and developing nations walking barefoot.” - Dr. Takeda Kunihiko, vice-chancellor of the Institute of Science and Technology Research at Chubu University in Japan.

“The [global warming] scaremongering has its justification in the fact that it is something that generates funds.” - Award-winning Paleontologist Dr. Eduardo Tonni, of the Committee for Scientific Research in Buenos Aires and head of the Paleontology Department at the University of La Plata. # #

T

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 4:50 PM in response to Open Thread

The scientific consensus is that there is global warming.

Posted by: bxgrl at November 5, 2009 4:34 PM

POZNAN, Poland - The UN global warming conference currently underway in Poland is about to face a serious challenge from over 650 dissenting scientists from around the globe who are criticizing the climate claims made by the UN IPCC and former Vice President Al Gore. Set for release this week, a newly updated U.S. Senate Minority Report features the dissenting voices of over 650 international scientists, many current and former UN IPCC scientists, who have now turned against the UN. The report has added about 250 scientists (and growing) in 2008 to the over 400 scientists who spoke out in 2007. The over 650 dissenting scientists are more than 12 times the number of UN scientists (52) who authored the media hyped IPCC 2007 Summary for Policymakers.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 4:46 PM in response to Open Thread

So, is the rising temperatures of OTHER planets in the solar system caused by pollution on earth?
Sounds more logical to say that sun spot activity is causing this. The sun IS getting hotter as solar flare/sun spot activity has INCREASED since 1980.
Solar activity was at an all time recorded LOW between 1940-1980 , a time of record cold temps. Some of us old enough to remember might recall the "global cooling" hysteria of the 70's (for people my age, I shit you not , Google it).

from Wikipedia

Global cooling was a conjecture during the 1970s of imminent cooling of the Earth's surface and atmosphere along with a posited commencement of glaciation.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 4:36 PM in response to Open Thread

I can't believe people are criticizing Al Gore for making money. He is also doing something he truly believes in and most sane people would consider it a good cause. Improving the planet is bad...HOW?
Posted by: 11217 at November 5, 2009 4:13 PM

One of Gore’s global warming advisors, CEO Timothy LaSalle, told Gore’s team that CO2 emissions could be neutralized completely by clever use of agriculture and technology, without the need for a global carbon tax or the use of cap and trade systems that Gore, along with people like the Rothschilds, Maurice Strong and Barack Obama, have a huge financial stake in promoting.

The Newsweek article states:

“If we feed the biology and manage grasslands appropriately, we could sequester as much carbon as we emit,” says Timothy LaSalle, CEO of the Rodale Institute, who presented at two summits. The political clash is this: if you tell people soils can be managed to suck up lots of our carbon emissions, it sounds like a get-out-of-jail-free card, and could decrease what little enthusiasm there is for reducing those emissions—as one of Gore’s assistants told LaSalle in asking him to dial down his estimate. (He didn’t.)

So there you have it – LaSalle proposed a way of solving the CO2 issue but was basically told to shove it by Gore’s team because the methods he advocated would eliminate the need for what Gore and his cronies are really pursuing, nightmare regulation, taxation, and control over American’s lives, along with billions of dollars flooding into the coffers of Gore and the rest of the “carbon billionaire” globalists via the carbon trading systems they own.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 4:17 PM in response to Open Thread

Only 42 percent of those surveyed said they believed in Darwin's theory which largely informs how biology and related sciences are approached. While often referred to as evolution it is in fact the 19th century British intellectual's theory of "natural selection."

Posted by: 11217 at November 5, 2009 3:11 PM

"I recently saw a poll which said that 18% (yes, you heard that correctly) 18% of Americans think the Sun revolves around the Earth. I kid you not."

The below is from The Guardian:

Half of British adults do not believe in evolution, with at least 22% preferring the theories of creationism or intelligent design to explain how the world came about, according to a survey.

The poll found that 25% of Britons believe Charles Darwin's theory of evolution is "definitely true", with another quarter saying it is "probably true". Half of the 2,060 people questioned were either strongly opposed to the theory or confused about it.

The Rescuing Darwin survey, published to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of ­Species, found that around 10% of people chose young Earth creationism – the belief that God created the world some time in the last 10,000 years – over evolution.

About 12% preferred intelligent design, the idea that evolution alone is not enough to explain the structures of living organisms. The remainder were unsure, often mixing evolution, intelligent design and creationism together. The survey was conducted by the polling agency ComRes on behalf of the Theos thinktank.

ahem...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 3:28 PM in response to Open Thread

Avalon way to Tillary Street
Avalon lon, way to go.
Avalon way to Tillary Street
To the sweetest building I know.
Goodbye Windsor Terrace,
Farewell Bensonhurst,
Avalon lon way to Tillary Street,
But my condo lies there.

Posted by: Biff Champion at November 5, 2009 2:58 PM

Apartments in Brooklyn, NY
For those inspired by the excitement and opportunity of everyday life, welcome to youtopia. More than a lifestyle, Avalon Fort Greene offers the perfect backdrop for you to be you. Studio, 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom rentals each with gourmet kitchen, stainless steel appliances and washer/dryer. A community with every resource you desire and a neighborhood with a positively eclectic vibe. Amenities include a fitness center, resident lounge, garage parking with valet, urban park plaza and breathtaking views of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Choose your youtopia today. Avalon Fort Greene.

Talk about the power of advertising...they've got Biff!

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 3:02 PM in response to Open Thread

Nope. Not a protected category.

Posted by: denton at November 5, 2009 2:38 PM

word - had never seen that stipulation before but seems common on listings for 3brs in park slope.

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 5, 2009 2:42 PM

If I was a LL I might prefer renting as a "share." Presuming it was young or youngish people more likely their parents would pick up the rent if any are out of work or can't pay their rent for any reason. You could even get the parents to co-sign the lease so they would be liable.
Seems these "no share" LL's have more of a quality-of-life issue w/ noise and young people than any worry of not being paid rent. I'd care more about getting my rent!

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 2:48 PM in response to Open Thread

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE5A43ZC20091105
Some breaking news:
Former Police Commish Bernie Kerik just pleaded guilty to lying to white house officials and tax evasion.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 2:29 PM in response to Open Thread

i think next election - anti ads should be placed in the urinals of public bathrooms, if you catch my drift.

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 5, 2009 1:58 PM

It would be fun if ALL campaign ads HAD to be place in public bathrooms aka "the world's oldest message boards."

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 2:08 PM in response to Open Thread

So this co-op in the center of cobble hill reminds you of your horrific childhood in Sheepshead bay? that's sad in a way.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at November 5, 2009 1:39 PM

Read the post properly before commenting please...

I will not let twits pull me into senseless back and forth arguments ,I will not let twits pull me into senseless back and forth arguments...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 1:47 PM in response to Brooklyn Sales: Under a Million

Those tributes weren't demanded by the government and in fact are an expression of the pride and hope a lot of minority kids got from seeing the first Black president elected. In fact lots of us adults did too. Honestly, only a right wing spinmeister would try to make it into an indictment of Obama or a sinister plot to destroy democracy. (You can probably order your tin hat online.)

Posted by: bxgrl at November 5, 2009 1:33 PM

They did the same thing with Bush bxgrl. My argument is that they're EQUALLY as bad. Please don't rush to judgemnt...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 1:39 PM in response to Open Thread

Such disdain for public housing. There are some very architecturally distinguished housing projects in NYC, which lead the way in creating solid, healthful housing for the underpriviled. No need to be so snooty about "public housing being crap" that's just know-nothing talk.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at November 5, 2009 12:35 PM

Yeah, when I was growing up I was SOOOO jealous of all my friends that lived in the Sheepshead projects. I mean, I NEVER got to hear gunshots and see crack being sold like they did. Lucky...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 1:36 PM

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 1:37 PM in response to Open Thread

Such disdain for public housing. There are some very architecturally distinguished housing projects in NYC, which lead the way in creating solid, healthful housing for the underpriviled. No need to be so snooty about "public housing being crap" that's just know-nothing talk.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at November 5, 2009 12:35 PM

Yeah, when I was growing up I was SOOOO jealous of all my friends that lived in the Sheepshead projects. I mean, I NEVER got to hear gunshots and see crack being sold like they did. Lucky...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 1:36 PM in response to Brooklyn Sales: Under a Million

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2009/11/04/elementary-epidemic-11-uncovered-videos-show-school-children-performing-praises-to-obama/

Is this democracy bxgrl?

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 1:24 PM in response to Open Thread

benson, and anyone else who thinks that the de-industrialization of America is a destructive and stupid thing, you might want to check out this most interesting interview with Angela Davis (and she is still hot, if I may say so).

She equates the destruction of manufacturing with the high incarceration rate.

http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100677870

Posted by: denton at November 5, 2009 12:40 PM

THat's why they call it "the Prison Industrial Complex." Visit small towns in upstate NY where the factory/mill has closed. Usually the only job is babysitting (mostly) non-violent drug-war prisoners from NYC aka prison guards.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 12:47 PM in response to Open Thread

"http://www.infowars.com/is-tony-blair-cia/
I'm curious as to what the Brits in the room might think of this article.
Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 12:06 PM"

One for the Tin Foil Hat Brigade. I thought the CIA had standards?

Posted by: the chicken at November 5, 2009 12:27 PM

Thanks for the feedback chicken.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 12:29 PM in response to Open Thread

http://www.infowars.com/gore-not-interested-in-solutions-to-climate-change-that-dont-line-his-pockets/

Here's another goody...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 12:16 PM in response to Open Thread

http://www.infowars.com/is-tony-blair-cia/

I'm curious as to what the Brits in the room might think of this article.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 12:06 PM in response to Open Thread

That Cobble Hill Coop looks like it's in the projects.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 11:37 AM in response to Brooklyn Sales: Under a Million

The Rise of Japan's "Girlie Man" Generation....

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article6903043.ece

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 5, 2009 10:09 AM

Very interesting article Dave.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 10:55 AM in response to Open Thread

http://who-will-kiss-the-pig.blogspot.com/2008/10/monday-night-in-marine-park-brooklyn.html\

A few amazing new-to-old pictures of Marine Park, Sheepshead, Midwood and Ditmas Park.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 9:56 AM in response to Open Thread

Poor rat. According to Gothamist he did not survive. I wonder what the exact cause of death was? I hope no one stepped on him...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 5, 2009 9:40 AM in response to Open Thread

Disgraceful.
It is hard to accept that our tax burden, which is the highest in the country, results in such an inept and dysfunctional public sector. Bill Thompson was bought and paid for by the municipal unions. He would have been no help at all.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at November 4, 2009 11:50 AM

What about the unions Bloomberg bought and paid for?

Y'know the biggest scam Bloomberg has going is paying private contractors $100/hour for roads and subway repairs when a city worker could do the same work sans general contractor for $50. Bloomberg for all his "he can't be bought" bullshit is running a significantly graft-happy, corrupt city. Not saying Thompson would be any less of a whore but fair is fair. Bloomberg's enriching his construction buddies and bilking the city in the process.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 4, 2009 3:06 PM in response to Slope Armory Set-Back

I thought someone's suggestion yesterday that Stevieb might be What was a likely one.

Posted by: Arkady at November 4, 2009 2:12 PM
I commented on that last week I think...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 4, 2009 2:15 PM in response to Open Thread

Ralph Ave? I've always associated Ralph Ave with East Flatbush and Brownsville, basically north and EAST of Marine Park. This is Bed Stuy? How friggin far east is this? It's strange how narrow Brooklyn is along that central Eastern Pkwy corridor.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 4, 2009 1:59 PM in response to Rate It: 513 MacDonough Street Sells for $420,000

we live in brooklyn... not afganistan! i cant for the life of me imagine there has ever been a neighborhood anywhere in nyc where there hasnt been a baker, dry cleaner, and a place to get unsour milk. was it that bad at one time? if it was that is horrible.

*rob*

Yes Rob, the reason that people like my parents moved to neighborhoods like Marine Park (besides their obvious racism) is because, at least in the 70's, early 80's shit WAS that bad. It started in the 50's when the trolleys disappeared and then garbage pickups were less and less frequent and then middle class professionals ran away to L.I. and Westchester and Jersey. After the riots of the 60's I wouldn't be surprised if there were neighborhoods w/out bakeries/convenience stores.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 4:48 PM in response to Closing Bell: Gentrification Indicators

dont worry.

but I guess thats what you people do.

Posted by: Santa at November 3, 2009 4:34 PM

Big up Santa despite your anti-Italian bias LOL ; )

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 4:39 PM in response to Closing Bell: Gentrification Indicators

You know Congressman Ron Paul (R Texas) introduced a great anti-corruption bill that no one besides maybe Dennis Kucinich and a few others that can actually say the term "public" service" with a straight face is talking about.

It states that any company that has a contract w/ the Fed gov't cannot lobby the Fed gov't for the duration of the contract. Makes sense, don't it?

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 3:55 PM in response to Open Thread

Do any of you really believe that you can accomplish anything discusssing the healthcare legislation here on the OT???

Most peoples' posting of real estate data is suspect let alone the conditions of this 2,000 page bill.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 3, 2009 3:00 PM

Oh well, I tried Dave...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 3:04 PM in response to Open Thread

ENY said it right.
I'm sure E NY is a very eloquent and nice person who smells good but that doesn't change the facts of the bill or prevent politicians from being liars.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 2:55 PM in response to Open Thread

1.Establishes a mandate to purchase private insurance for most individuals with an income above poverty level.

source ^ America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 - Summary, Congressional Research Service

FYI, first provision. How many of you out their consider yourselves "poor" but are well above poverty level? Well, this applies to you. Remember Big Pauly from Goodfellas? The gov't is allowing your insurance company to tell you "fuck you, pay me."

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 2:51 PM in response to Open Thread

"Certainly a blow job for the Insurance Industry if I ever saw one..."

FYI, the insurance industry is already enjoying a generous and lengthy blow job the way things are, which is why they are lobbying so hard against health care reform.

Posted by: East New York at November 3, 2009 2:12 PM

Why would they lobby against a bill that they wrote?

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 2:42 PM in response to Open Thread

East New York, as the bill stands it is not "universal health coverage" , it should be called "universal punishment" because that's what it means, just like auto insurance is now. It just makes it illegal to not have insurance besides some very obviuosly good provisions the gist of the bill is just that. Imagine a law requiring you to shop a Walmart, that's what this is. The insurance industry (which acts as one company through its lobbyists) needs to be run out of the health care game in order to have any truly universal coverage.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 2:39 PM in response to Open Thread

The poll workers at the church on Montague and Clinton where I voted were the dumbest group of pollsters I've ever encountered, and that says something. Between them and those archaic machines, I don't have much confidence in the integrity of the system.

Posted by: Biff Champion at November 3, 2009 1:57 PM

The only ones that seem to have any kind of knowledge or care for their work are the elderly poll workers. Once they're gone our cats might very well be able to vote...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 2:08 PM in response to Open Thread

The way the bill stands, it would probably cost around the same, only you'd be required by law to not "fire" your insurance company. It's simply a law requiring everyone to buy insurance with a few well intentioned (pitiful really)provisions like not denying coverage for an existing condition. Certainly a blow job for the Insurance Industry if I ever saw one...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 1:52 PM in response to Open Thread

FYI (If you really care...)

The Diet of Worms[p] (German: Reichstag zu Worms, ['ʁaɪçsta:k tsu: 'voɐms]) was a general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire that took place in 1521 at Worms, a small town on the Rhine River located in what is now Germany. It was conducted from 28 January to 25 May 1521, with Emperor Charles V presiding. Although other issues were dealt with at the Diet of Worms, it is most memorable for the Edict of Worms (Wormser Edikt), which addressed Martin Luther and the effects of the Protestant Reformation.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 1:13 PM in response to Open Thread

Are you the origianl "Joe The Bummer" poster????

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 3, 2009 10:59 AM

If that was a literal question the answer is NO, I do NOT post as "Joe the Bummer." If it was rhetorical, I'm sorry I bummed you out.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 11:02 AM in response to Open Thread

What kind of tent would be contextually accurate?

Posted by: Arkady at November 3, 2009 10:51 AM

Honestly, having wet dreams about houses most of us will never be able to afford is fine but I do wonder if the consequences of this country's de-industrialization will result in "tent living" for more than a few of us in the not-too-distant future. Maybe we should apply for public housing now?!

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 10:56 AM in response to Open Thread

"Walkabout will appear twice a week from now on."
Posted by Montrose Morris at 10:30 AM
Categories: Arch Diary
Twice a week walkabouts?: priceless

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 10:36 AM in response to Walkabout : The Italianate Style, part 1

Anyone voting for the Conservative, Libertarian or Green Party's respective candidates?

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 10:30 AM in response to Open Thread

Is "compte" also related to "compute?"

Posted by: bxgrl at November 3, 2009 10:19 AM

The Latin is "computus" bxgrl. Looks like a match...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 10:26 AM in response to Open Thread

BTW
Origins of "comptroller"

'Comptroller' is a pseudolearned respelling of 'controller,' taken by English from Old French. The fancy spelling is doubtless due to an erroneous association with French 'compte' "count." The word has fairly recently acquired a new pronunciation based on the misspelling.

comptroller [kənˈtrəʊlə]
n
(Economics, Accounting & Finance / Accounting & Book-keeping) a variant spelling of controller [2] esp as a title of any of various financial executives
comptrollership n

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 10:16 AM in response to Open Thread

Comptroller.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 10:14 AM in response to Open Thread

This is sort of off-topic but on-topic as far as Obama and "PC" is concerned. I typed the name "Obama" in an e-mail in my MS Outlook and spell check flagged it, when I clicked on spell-check it suggested to change it to "Osama." We should poll BS readers to see if they think Microsoft Word's auto spell-check is "race-baiting."

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 10:11 AM in response to Open Thread

Where's my free $$$ for renovation? Until WE ALL can get it, WE should NOT have to pay for it...

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 3, 2009 9:48 AM in response to $21 Million Grant for Coney Affordable Housing