Adventures

Long time no see

I have been soooo busy lately: dissertation, work, and friends. There is too much to tell from the past ten days or so (and frankly very little of it is particularly interesting), so i will just say that i spent yesterday (Spring Bank Holiday/Whitsun Bank Holiday/Memorial Day) in Kelvingrove Park. This time i took a photo of my resulting farmer tan before it fades:

Debbie said, 'God, Judith, you really need to get some sleeveless tops.'

Amen

I am very thankful that i have not had to be in the US for this entire presidential campaign season (yes, all two years of it).

Here's an article that neatly follows on from an earlier Rebecca Traister piece published on Salon (which you can read here).

Marie Cocco - Misogyny I Won't Miss - washingtonpost.com

(Via The Morning News)

Dating tips from GTA

One more reason to decry the misogyny that is Grand Theft Auto? Or just another opportunity to say, 'Meh, it's just a game.'?

McSweeney's Internet Tendency: Good Advice From a Grand Theft Auto Dating FAQ.

(Via The Morning News.)

Understanding the credit crisis

So, like a lot of people i have been idly wondering (i say idly, because i'm not industrious enough to actually go and learn much about it) how this credit crisis thing happened. Why on earth would banks make such risky loans, and why should i care if some people with poor credit are suddenly having problems paying their mortgages (I mean, what did they expect, right?)?

Well, i just finished listening to the latest This American Life podcast, which actually spends a whole hour talking to people at a number of different levels of the issue: homeowners, mortgage brokers, Wall Street bankers, and a bunch of people in between. Now i understand. I understand why the banks made the risky loans, and i understand that fraudulent mortgage applications were made, and i understand that adjustable rate mortgages have priced people out of their own homes. This last point is made quickly and simply when the reporters are speaking to a homeowner who is having trouble making payments. His monthly mortgage payment increased $2000 over its starting rate. Imagine trying to come up with an extra $2000 a month.

Listen:

The Giant Pool of Money

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