Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: U.S. Sells Citizenship to Wealthy Immigrants

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: U.S. Sells Citizenship to Wealthy Immigrants: By Sarah McBride | Reuters – Fri, Jun 29, 2012 SAN FRANCISCO ( Reuters ) - Shera Bechard , the Canadian-born former girlfriend of Playbo...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: U.S. Sells Citizenship to Wealthy Immigrants

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: U.S. Sells Citizenship to Wealthy Immigrants: By Sarah McBride | Reuters – Fri, Jun 29, 2012 SAN FRANCISCO ( Reuters ) - Shera Bechard , the Canadian-born former girlfriend of Playbo...

Home Prices Rise in Nearly All Major US Cities, Case-Shiller Index Finds Read more: Home Prices Rise in Nearly All Major US Cities, Case-Shiller Index Finds

Home prices rose in nearly all major U.S. cities in April from March, further evidence that the housing market is slowly improving even while the job market slumps. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index shows increases in 19 of the 20 cities tracked. That's the second straight month that prices have risen in a majority of U.S. cities. And a measure of national prices rose 1.3 percent in April from March, the first increase in seven months. San Francisco, Washington and Phoenix posted the biggest increases. Prices fell 3.6 percent in Detroit, the only city to record a drop. The month-to-month prices aren't adjusted for seasonal factors. Still, prices in half of the cities are up over the past 12 months. Prices are increasing as other parts of the housing market are strengthening. Sales of new and previously occupied homes are up over the past year, in part because mortgage rates have plunged to the lowest levels on record. Builders are more confident and are starting to build more homes. The S&P/Case-Shiller monthly index covers roughly half of U.S. homes. It measures prices compared with those in January 2000 and creates a three-month moving average. The April figures are the latest available. Its measure of home prices for all 20 cities fell 1.9 percent over the 12 months ending in April. That suggests weaker markets continue to weigh on national prices. But other measures show home prices have risen nationally over the past year. CoreLogic, a private firm, calculates that prices rose 1.1 percent nationally in the 12 months ending in May. Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, says prices have increased 3 percent in the 12 months ending in April. Recent data indicate that the housing market has started to recovery more than five years after the bubble burst. Greater interest from buyers is boosting builders' confidence. In May, builders requested the highest number of permits to build homes and apartments in three and a half years. The supply of homes for sale remains extremely low, which has helped stabilized prices. The inventory of previously occupied homes is back down to levels last seen in 2006. And there were 145,000 new homes for sale in May. That's only slightly higher than in April, which was the lowest supply on records dating back to 1963. Despite the modest gains in housing, the broader economy has weakened in recent months. Employers have added an average of only 73,000 jobs a month in April and May. That's much lower than the average of 226,000 added in the first three months of this year. Some economists worry that the sluggish job market could weigh on home sales just as the housing market is flashing signs of recovery. © Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read more: Home Prices Rise in Nearly All Major US Cities, Case-Shiller Index Finds

This Is Port City: Tonight Stockton Will Decide To Go Forward With Ba...

This Is Port City: Tonight Stockton Will Decide To Go Forward With Ba...: What would your solution be, if you were one of the council members during all the bankruptcy negotiations with the City's creditors? ...

This Is Port City: Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: "They" Have all of us co...

This Is Port City: Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: "They" Have all of us co...: Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: "They" Have all of us confident, but weary! : Ron Paul and Mitt and Mitt Romney will be splitting california's ...

My Stories: Circumstances...

My Stories: Circumstances...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Alex Jones takes on Frustrated Paul Supporters abo...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Alex Jones takes on Frustrated Paul Supporters abo...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: CA: Pushing welfare recipients to work

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: CA: Pushing welfare recipients to work: LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown wants to shift the safety net protecting California's most vulnerable residents pressured by a $16 bil...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: The Future of Stockton is with EVI

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: The Future of Stockton is with EVI

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Build Stockton for its future

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Build Stockton for its future: June 4, 2012 Dear Governor Jerry Brown: Dear State Assembly Member Joan Buchanan: Dear State Senator Lois Wolk: I am writing to ask you...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: CalPERS says Illegal funds are now Legal?

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: CalPERS says Illegal funds are now Legal?: STOCKTON - While in violation of the city charter, retirement benefits that Stockton paid for years on behalf of some elected leaders wer...

Stockton Mayoral Candidate: Gregory Pitsch

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Blue Dog Democrats and Decline to State voters are...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Blue Dog Democrats and Decline to State voters are...: Shirley Husar LOS ANGELES, May 12, 2012 — Currently there's a bold new revolution going on in California, unlike every other time, thi...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Two Virgo's: A team that builds Confidence

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Two Virgo's: A team that builds Confidence: Teaming up with another Virgo could be a winning strategy for you. After all, you can grow weary of being the only one competent enough to d...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: 2012 Presidential Candidates on Gay Marriage

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: 2012 Presidential Candidates on Gay Marriage: The difference between Ron Paul, and ROMBAMA is finally in.... Um Ron Paul had it right.... Plus if Obama was for it? Whyy did he allow CA'...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: New Flier for Campaign

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: New Flier for Campaign

Big Wins in Maine and Nevada

Big Wins in Maine and Nevada

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: “THE RON PAUL REVOLUTION WON’T STOP HERE”

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: “THE RON PAUL REVOLUTION WON’T STOP HERE”: I have made the case that Ron Paul is not only changing the Republican Party, but is catering to a new, emerging electorate that eschews ...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Official: City headed in right direction

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Official: City headed in right direction: This has got to be because of the newly active citizens, whom I am provoking to stand up for their rights. This Story is trying real har...

STOCKTON NOT ONLY CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT IN FINANCIAL DISTRESS

Sacramento Bee Columnist Dan Walters has recently pointed out that Stockton is not the only local government to put itself into a precarious financial situation. Other cities and even the state are facing dire times. Similarities exist between the faltering city of Stockton and the state, where both have gotten stripped bare themselves following the 'boom' years, and suffered consequences during the bust years. In particular, some surprisingly generous benefits were extended at all levels of government. But once the economy turned sour, governments were left holding the bag with few options. And neither fare well for our fate. Stockton and Mammoth Lakes are both using new laws in California to renegotiate debts and restructure finances, however that option doesn’t exist for the State. Los Angeles isn’t knocking on the door of AB 506 yet, however, they are beginning to discuss their finances, a conversation that’s including the “B-word.” From the Sacramento Bee: It’s easy – justifiably so – to beat up on Stockton for spending itself into a fiscal hole so deep that bankruptcy may be its only course. City officials borrowed and spent heavily on a baseball park, a sports arena, a marina and other facilities in hopes of resurrecting a woebegone downtown, and simultaneously boosted their employees’ salaries and fringe benefits.