Let’s use this as an open thread.

It doesn’t look like we will be getting any of the white stuff.  I can’t remember the last time we got significant snow on Christmas Day.  How is everyone celebrating Christmas and the holidays?  Lots of friends and family or is this a quiet time?

155 Thoughts to “Merry Christmas to All! Happy Holidays!”

  1. Need to Know

    @Cato the Elder

    Cato – there is indeed an inventory problem in PWC; all the more reason not to be approving any more residential development. The link below is to a site listing pre-foreclosure sales, autions, bank-owned properties, etc. in PWC. It lists 6,178 properties as of this morning.

    http://www.all-foreclosure.com/citysearch.htm?&city=prince%20william%20county&state=VA

    When the realtors parade through Citizens Time saying they have no inventory to sell at the request of Corey Stewart, the Gang of Five and the residential developer lobby, they don’t mention these properties.

    The market contiues to slow down. Buried under all of the rhetoric from Stewart and Peacor about how great the housing recovery is in PWC, even staff officially projects continued declines in assessed values of homes through FY 2012, and no recovery that even approaches the value of homes before the crash by FY2015, the latest forecast year in their new fiscal plan. See page 51 of the document linked below.

    http://www.pwcgov.org/docLibrary/PDF/12492.pdf

  2. Big Dog

    http://www.slate.com/id/2279379/

    Well, at least we know he wasn’t just looking for “a nurse with a purse”.

  3. Censored bybvbl

    Uh oh. What will Corey Stewart do now that a real Tea Partier has entered the race for US Senate? This is sure to harsh his mellow.

    http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VA_SENATE_RADTKE_VAOL-?SITE=INSID&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

  4. Censored, is Jamie a male or female?

  5. @Raymond, I also live in a 30 year old house. My reduction was the real estate crash. I also live in the county. And there will be a difference in City and County and the way taxation happens. No one has an infinite amount of land but the county can certainly do a lot more subdividing than the city can at this point.

    I suppose I just think it is foolish of anyone to think that because their property values drop by half, that their taxes will also. It will always be adjusted to pull in the amount of money needed to run the county. If you don’t want services, don’t live in a suburb county outside of Washington DC. Try some outpost in Nevada.

  6. marinm

    @BS in VA

    You’re on the right track but off on the implementation. County govt would have to reprioritize expenditures based on the new tax base.

    Or, just set up a system where a TH is $x, a SFH is $y, a mobile home is $z, etc. regardless of square footage. The value doesn’t go up and down with values; it stays static.

    Yes, we won’t get $8,000/year off a mcmansion but you might be able to squeeze out more from the mobile homes — and really who is ‘using’ more govt services the guy in the mcmansion or the one in the mobile home?

  7. Lafayette

    marinm,
    We have one and only one mcmansion in WestGate. The 30 occupants were regulars at the Giant and using food stamps or whatever the card is called in this digital era.This house needless to say got foreclosed on. I’m not so sure about your comparison of the mcmansion vs. mobile home.

  8. marinm

    @Lafayette

    That’s fair. It assumes that the tax cost of $z is higher than the avg sq. ft of a MH in PWC. If that’s not the case the numbers would make for a very, very small govt. 🙂

  9. Even if the McMansion was inhabited by one family, count on more trips to the library, perhaps more kids in school and demanding better school services.

  10. Pat.Herve

    Yes, we won’t get $8,000/year off a mcmansion but you might be able to squeeze out more from the mobile homes — and really who is ‘using’ more govt services the guy in the mcmansion or the one in the mobile home? I am sorry for this comment, but what an ignorant thing to say. I am just speechless. I know of plenty of people in mobile homes who use no more (or less) government services than some of those in a mcmansion. I know you think of yourself as an elitist, but I did not think you were that much of an elitist.

  11. marinm

    Pat, I’m hardly an elitist. Try again.

  12. Lafayette

    Moon-howler :Even if the McMansion was inhabited by one family, count on more trips to the library, perhaps more kids in school and demanding better school services.

    Touche!

  13. Actually, all of us are stereotyping. There aren’t many mobile homes in PWC, relatively speaking. In California, some of the mobile homes are so fancy they are called coaches. Many seniors downsize to those homes.

    My intent was to suggest that a larger home might have more kids who would would require more schools and more trips to the library. I am guilty of making somewhat elistist remarks also so good for Pat for pointing that out.

  14. Censored bybvbl

    M-h, I think Jamie Radtke is female and headed the Richmond Tea Party. Maybe Cargosquid knows more since she’s from his neck of the woods.

  15. Juturna

    You wouldn’t believe who calls 9-1-1 on a regular basis for what 🙂 Not who you think and why you think.

    <Yes, we won’t get $8,000/year off a mcmansion but you might be able to squeeze out more from the mobile homes — and really who is ‘using’ more govt services the guy in the mcmansion or the one in the mobile home?

  16. Lafayette

    Hi Juturna-
    I had to use services non-emergency, of course on Christmas Eve. My neighbors were having a fiesta and ample parking on the street. Yet one of the guests thought it was ok to block my driveway. I’m sure glad I wasn’t needing to get my car because, the car didn’t move until a couple of hours after the ticket was left on the window. I really wanted the car towed, but it was Christmas Eve and I was coming home. However, I spent thousands on a expanding my driveway to protect yet another vehicle of mine being hit on good ole Lafayette.

  17. Juturna

    Laf – You have no choice when that happens and if you aren’t on a really terms with your neighbors your call might end up with EMS and Police.

    On the other hand, if I believe some things I’ve read, if that happened in a trailer park it’s likely the car would have been stripped and torched resulting in only one call to 9-1-1.

    So the McMansion types are likely to have more calls for assitance.

    I love formal logic.

  18. punchak

    Censored bybvbl :M-h, I think Jamie Radtke is female and headed the Richmond Tea Party. Maybe Cargosquid knows more since she’s from his neck of the woods.

    You can read about Radtke at Virginia Virtucon.

  19. George S. Harris

    @Steve Thomas
    You are a wise man Steve Thomas.

  20. Sorry for the long delay,
    Here are some pics of the medicine circle we constructed in the secret park on the solstice …

    http://handdrawnrevolution.blogspot.com/2010/12/good-medicine.html

    I’m still not privy to say exactly where we are doing this, but it’s by the river, quite large and wooded and thankfully not patronized by many people. I also feel this park has a profound spiritual presence because it’s one of the few places in North VA that has remained unspoiled by industry.

    I’d like to get more allies together to keep an eye on it’s status, particularly those who see maintaining a harmony with nature as a part of their faith. If you want to contact me about that, just go to my blog and you’ll find the means.

    Also does anybody know if there is a “Moonhowlings” style blog representing Fairfax County and/or Loudoun politics/events? I’d like to unify nature lovers from other parts of NOVA as well.

    -Happy New Year everyone, may you all find peace.

  21. marinm

    That circle thingy is pretty neat. Just don’t start a forest fire! 🙂

  22. Thanks for the link, rod.

    Happy New Year to you too, Rod. Peace.

  23. Big Dog

    Reminder – there will be a “Town Hall Meeting” held by our local state delegation
    at Manassas City Hall on Jan. 3rd at 7pm to hear from citizens prior to the
    2011 session of the GA in Richmond.

  24. Big Dog, who all is supposed to be there again? Side-show Bob and who else?

  25. Big Dog

    All the “usual suspects”.

    Senator Barker’s website notes there will also be a “Town Hall” for those
    down county at the McCoart Center on Jan. 4th at 7pm.

  26. Big Dog

    Would guess:

    Senators Colgan, Marshall and Barker
    Delegates Miller, Lingamfelter and Anderson

    1. @Big Dog, thanks. So if one isn’t a Republican, where does one go?

  27. @Moon-howler
    why not to that meeting? Especially if you’re not a Republican…..

    1. @Cargo, All but one of the people in the meeting is REpublican. Iwas mainly teasing Big Dog.

  28. Censored bybvbl

    @Morris Davis

    I agree also. The double standard is still firmly in place whether it’s weepiness or strength ( where the “b” word comes into play).

  29. Big Dog

    “Times are hard. Take your share of the blame.
    Don’t think too much of yourself. Don’t complain.
    Have a piece of rubarb pie and you will feel better.”

    Clint Bunsen
    Mayor, Lake Wobegon

  30. Big Dog

    Saw John Gray’s full page ad in this morning’s News&Messenger.
    What do you county folks think? Does he have a real shot?

  31. Lafayette

    @Big Dog
    Anything is possible PW. Does anyone without an R have a real shot in PW? Personally, I wish we had one Independent on the BoS. The City of Manassas has one for decades now. 😉 So, why shouldn’t the county too? The problem is people are too afraid to cut the cord with their party and vote for the person that best represents them and the county.

  32. Lafayette

    oops..R behind their name.

  33. Unless something changes, people are going to have to pass the Republican wiff test. Any scent of RINO and those folks will be sent packing. They will have to become Independents or Blue Dog Democrats.

    I don’t see this as a bad thing. Hard core Republicans always get a full head of steam and start bowling people over. It will be short lived. The pendulum swings….

  34. PWC home values

    I see the dark screen is boasting about an increase in PWC home values.

    According to the County’s tax assessment records, here is what his particular situation is –

    2010 1/1/2010 $73,000 $0 $132,300 $205,300 EOY General Reassessment
    2009 1/1/2009 $73,000 $0 $115,200 $188,200 EOY General Reassessment
    2008 1/1/2008 $121,600 $0 $189,500 $311,100 EOY General Reassessment
    2007 1/1/2007 $134,800 $0 $242,000 $376,800 EOY General Reassessment
    2006 1/1/2006 $134,800 $0 $274,700 $409,500 EOY General Reassessment

    That is a $200,000 loss in home value in 4 years, which by the way was 50% of his home value. Imagine if he failed, what that would have looked like…

  35. Censored bybvbl

    @Big Dog

    Is it possible to c&p the ad for those of us who only read online?

    Perhaps the City’s Independent would like to tell people how a campaign independent of the two party system can prevail. 🙂

    I can think of another person whom we all know that I’d like to see on the City’s Council. I don’t know her party affiliation, if any, but she’s community-minded, fearless, considerate, and a voice of reason. I wish she’d run.

    I’d also like to see more Democrats and Independents run for the BOCS. It never hurts to have more than one choice in a district.

  36. It really would be a nice touch.

    The Republicans are better organized. Independents are never organized, by definition.

    Your person to run is a good suggestion Censored. Maybe we could con her into moving to the country. I would be doing some real arm twisting if I lived in the city.

  37. Gainesville Resident

    e :
    new study: blondes make more money!
    http://www.stylelist.com/2010/12/29/blondes-earn-more-than-brunettes-and-redheads-says-study/

    So should everyone be dyeing their hair blonde??

  38. e

    it worked for lady gaga

  39. Juturna

    I remember when G. Bush 41 made Kennebunkport his Summer White house. Put all the local commercial fishermen out of business. His shack was at the entrance to the cove where all the commercial fishing boats and facilities were located. Presidents should just stay in DC or own a ranch in the middle of nowhere like #43.

    After all, how many of us have forgone vacations over the past three/four years.

  40. marinm

    @Moon-howler

    Eeep! No carpetbaggers!! 😉

    But, I’ll vote for anyone that’ll promise to slash county budgets by 15% or more. (and does it)

  41. Juturna

    We’ll never have leaf pickup like the grownup counties. PWC taxes are so much lower than those around us we are officially “the low rent district”. I like services.

    1. @Juturna, I like services also. I don’t know why people always want to appear cheap. If I didn’t want services, I would go live off in Bum&*()^&* , Virginia.

  42. Lucky Duck

    Juturna, I will say that you are a wise contributor…

    1. Happy New Year, Lucky Duck!!!! We miss you! How is the new career going? I want stories!

  43. Happy New Year. May 2011 make everyone healthy, wealthy and wise.

  44. Juturna

    Happy New Year Lucky Duck 🙂

Comments are closed.