The Message Forum is an ongoing dialogue among classmates. The goal is to encourage friendly interaction, including interaction among classmates who really didn't know each other. Experience on the site has revealed that certain topics tend to cause friction and hard feelings, especially politics and religion. 

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Ron Knight

Kurt

Steve Martin retired to Brevard.

Jim B

I went back and read your post. No I did not see it before. I posted mine after watching an interview with Tulsi.

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Charles and I went to the Blue Ridge Mts. for my birthday present, one mid-October.  All of the Fall colors were beautiful to see.  We also toured the Biltmore in Asheville, which was SO interesting and lovely.  It was hard to imagine a single family living in that gorgeous mansion.  I was thinking the owners (doesn't the state own it now?--I've forgotten) .......the owners should allow visitors to rent rooms, as in a unique hotel, to enjoy living like the proverbial "high rollers" used to live, in those days.  I know I would enjoy staying in one of the many bedrooms for a night or two, just to get a taste of the opulence.  I can imagine myself wearing a strand of pearls to bed, and sipping champagne poured into etched crystal flutes, while watching the fireplace glow die down, then sinking into oodles of pillows and silky bed linens, with a little Cavalier King Charles spaniel by my side, and my original sweet Charles on the other side, if he promises not to snore!  HA! 

Don't you think that would be a kick, for a nice change of pace?

And then, when morning comes, having special coffee in pretty china cups, on one of the verandas, with croissants and fresh fruit?

Next would be riding horses all around the manicured lawns and winding trails, with the glowing sunshine warming our cheeks, as we rode.  We could stop by the small, nearby pond just to feed the swans some bits of niblets from little pouches tied so cleverly, to the fancily-tooled, special riding saddles, since visitors are always inquiring about the swans gathered with their babies, in the water and near the tall reeds.

I may be recalling a dream, of sorts.  I can remember some really sumptuous ones, usually after watching old movies with my friends or cousins, late into the wee hours, when staying overnight together on long weekends.

Young girls and teens are dreamers, and are imaginative drifters along starry paths, often times......

David Cordell

Janalu,

I love reading your musings. We toured the Biltmore a couple of years ago just as they were putting out the Christmas decorations. Yes, it is crazy that one family should have such a gigantic house. That said, we have also visited the (Vanderbilt) Breakers in Rhode Island, the Heast Castle in California, and Versailles in Paris. Regardless of the reason for creating such "homes", I feel fortunate to be able to visit them. They built those palaces for themselves, but they became tourist destinations for all  of us to enjoy -- for a price!

Ron Knight

Janalu

Bill Cecil, Jr the grandson of George Vanderbilt owns The Biltmore Estate. It began as a hunting lodge. It was a vacation home only. They have a very nice Hotel on the property, Golf Course and Winery. PLUS a HUGE solar farm to power most everything.

I am just recovering from a 10 plus day of Covid. So I have not been overly active lately. But, I have been glued to the TV with much political coverage. I am enraged with what has happened to Tulsi Gabbard. I am enraged with the lack of voter integrity allowed by Biden/Harris by allowing illegals to vote. After Harris stole Trump's No Tax On Tips, I suspect she will adopt all of his policies for her campaign. And the gullible left will believe she will implement them after she is elected - NOT!!!???!!! Fracking vs No Fracking!@#$%^&*() Strong on the border!@#$%^&*()_+ Support Israel!@#$%^&*()_ She simply is NOT qualified for the job and anyone who votes for her is only fooling themselves. Trust me, Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are watching and hopes she does win. They don't respect women and will not respect the USA even more! She flips faster than pancakes on a griddle!!!!

Jim Bedwell

I heard today that California Governor Gavin Newsom, narcissist extraordinaire, has hired for $200K a year of TAXPAYER MONEY, a photographer to follow him around as he continues to destroy his state via his poiicies.

Ron,

Hope you improve rapidly from your covid. And thanks for talking politics - we have to be vocal if we're going to defeat the Marxist elements in our society that want to implement an irrevocably permanent one-party totalitarian system to everyone's detriment (ironically including themselves if they knew anything about history and human nature).

Wayne Gary

I have a question about "global warming".  We know there have been several"Ice Ages"over the milliums with global warming between them, What caused the warming (climate change) before mankind was on the planet.  I remember when in 6th grage going to church camp on Lake Bridgeport and finding fossils of seal creachers that were abpit 1/2" round and stacked like poker chips of varing lengths. It proves that at onr time North Texas was undwr water.

David Cordell

TRYING to watch the Olympics closing ceremony. It's like watching a French movie, which is like watching a watch. Let me outta here! Waiting to see the handoff to Los Angeles.

Wayne Gary

This morning I saw a news report about "contrails" and what airlines are doing to reduce them.  The report was saying contrails add to clomate change.  One fallicy on the report and concern is there is no mentioned of how hours of a jet flying causing contrails would equal the amount of moisture sent to the high altitude one large thunderstorm.  There are many thunderstoems sending moisture to over 30,000' feet every day.

How many times do we see high altitude sirus clouds that are ove 30,000ft up?

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

I was just listening to a citizen phoning into Buck Sexton's broadcast, reminding us that the people now in control of the Democrat Party are basically Alinsky-ites, a people who think identity politics are de rigueur, as well as 'the end justifies the means.'  The old style Hubert Humphrey/JFK Democrats are long gone, just bygone folks of a gentler, kinder era.  Everyone now needs to know what the whole of our country faces, by reviewing Alinsky philosophy.  "Duck Duck Go" Saul Alinsky to review his mindset and his methods of overwhelming "the system" in order to make the system fail, thereby forcing end results that make the public shout "Make 'the overwhelming' stop(!)," you government saviors out there, saviors who have the ultimate power of keeping the peace here.

This is the forced method we have seen causing massive chaos and massive flooding of illegals on our borders; illegals that we will now have to assist in every way, costing us millions or trillions(?) of dollars we need to be spending for veterans, for military building to meet the building of our enemies mighty forces, for interior maintenance of our country's roads & infrastructure, or electrical grid, etc., etc.   At this time, we are whiling away monies needlessly because of the overwhelming of foreigners entering as basically peasants in need of everything they didn't get from their native countries; the countries who stole essentials from them, since the needy people had no weapons to fight for their rights.

I like the opening "riff," (is that what you call it?) that begins the song JUMP by Van Halen.  THe sound always gets me jumping and laughing!

Jim Bedwell

Janalu,

During her freshman year at Wellesley, Hillary Clinton was President of the Wellesley Young Republicans - oh, how the mighty have fallen - I guess, her only stint as "President" (thank God). Her senior thesis at Wellesley was on Saul Alinsky, finished May, 1969, our and her graduating month. 'Nuf said.

Hillary Rodham senior thesis - Wikipedia 

Bob Davidson

I loved Biltmore. Old idle rich perople are interesting, especially what someone with unlimited money will do wtih it.

Asheville seemed to me to full of trust fund brats.  The businesses looked to be the sort of stores run as a time filler by the idle rich.  The whole town had a stench of unearned money.  We went there so I could see the Thomas Wolfe house and memorial, which I thourougly enjoyed.  The city is beautiful, but the people seemed pretty disgusting -- I guess my interest is only in the historical idle rich.. 

Jim Bedwell

Bob,

Don't know if this is related to your post on Asheville impressions, but zany Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, died in Asheville.

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Bob Davidson,

Did you hear the clever statement from Winston Churchill, when one evening, at a large soire held, I believe, in NYC, Mrs. Astor, a lady miffed at Churchill probably for his political leanings, and maybe other personality traits she found disgusting, told him, "Mr Churchill, If I were your wife, I'd put poison in your tea!"   To which he responded, "Madame, If YOU were my wife, I'D DRINK IT!!!!"

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Jimi Johnny,

Yes, I knew of Hillary's college thesis, as well as her husband's favor toward Alinsky and Cloward & Piven.  Another well known Alinsky-ite is Barack Obama, plus many more Democrats with whom we've all become so familiar.

Alinsky was a rather disagreeable sort from Chicago, who was just one step above a full-fledged Commie, if I may be so bold to post.

Ron Knight

Bob

I live in North Asheville, the old rich part of town. In Dallas it would be considered the Park Cities.The Grove Park Inn ( like The Mansion on Turtle Creek) is about 5 blocks from my place. On it's property is a golf course that used to hold an annual PGA event during Bobby Jones' time. I retired here. You are right about much of the idle rich. I became friends with some that are transplants like I am. In particular a retired attorney from Houston, Dana LeJune. He introduced me to Petanque, a game that is very fun to play. The French restaurant in town called Rendevous hosts tournaments. I live very modestly in my opinion in a small condo.But most of these idle rich don't and  are VERY PRO Democrats. Another friend named Hans Braun is from Germany. He is a fun older guy that has a  2nd home here about $2M. I met him with his grandson in his Porsche 911 Carrea Convertible. I was in my convertible. We enjoy German cars and struck up a friendship. Hans just seems out of touch with reality, but you would never meet a nicer human. Both Dana and Hans and I enjoy a glass of wine together. I am very much in the minority as a Republican, though and they let me know.

Kurt Fischer

So, I've been musing about the newspaper and magazine articles which lament how houses are unaffordable for young people.  True statement, but why?

I believe it started with the flood of money which the federal government pushed out during the Covid-times and afterwards.  (Editorial - this was probably necessary in a limited manner during Covid when people could not work, but certainly not after they went back to work).  At the same time, the Fed dropped interest rates to historical lows.  The two efforts resulted in an excessive amount of money in the economy.  People had money, mortgage rates were low, so they wanted to buy homes at the low rates.  Since they could afford more and the supply of housing was limited, they felt comfortable with bidding up the prices of homes.  Not by a little, but a lot.  However, once the federal government and the Feds decided the economy had too much inflation, they raised interest rates to the point that buying a home involved both high prices and "high" mortage interest rates.  These factors were perceived as driving up mortgage payments to unacceptable levels.

The result?  Homes have prices that young people (and older) can't afford.  And they can't afford the mortgage interest rates.  This has also created an environment where people with low interest rates are fearful of moving due to "locked-in"/low interest rates.  This creates an artificial reduction in available housing and helps to keep the prices up.

If this was deliberate, we'd be in open rebellion, but it's even worse.  It's one more example of government fixing a problem, only to create terrible downstream issues.  I have no idea how long it will take to get back to an acceptable equilibrium.

Fie upon them.

Ron Knight

Kurt

You are in my wheelhouse when you are speaking about mortgages and mortgage rates. If the kids think it is tough now, back in the 1980's it was HORRIBLE!! Fixed rates mortgages were as high as 18%. Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) were @ 13%.. I lived it!!!!! So I can't see what they are bitching about @5% rates. Your parents and my parents had rates like that. The problem is that housing took amazing gains that were and are just not sustainable. People were paying over list in bidding wars when the interest rate was at such RECORD lows. The market is only beginning to correct itself. Look for continued falling prices in these far inflated prices on these houses. Some stupid folks are trying to still think their houses are worth those high inflated prices are in for a rude awakening of reality. I am seeing it everyday here in Asheville, a VERY overpriced Real Eatate market.

Ron Knight

HARLEY DAVIDSON @ The 84th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

The CEO of Harley Davidson who is tied at the hip with Bill and Melinda Gates formally came out and announced his political views just prior to the 84th Sturgis Motorcyle Rally in Sturgis, SD. He is PRO WOKE and ALL pro Democrat in his personal views and has made them public that those are the views of Harley Davidson.  Sturgis is the largest Motorcycle Rally in the world. After his annoncement the vast majority of Harley owners are right wing and ALL boycotted their retail tent in Sturgis.

THERE is NO room for CEO's to interject their personal poltical beliefs on a corporation. It's different with Bill Gates. He founded the company. There is a rebellion going against Harley by Harley owners. I would not be surprised to see this guy fired!!!!!

Wayne Gary

Jim Bedwell

All the demand for shelter by the illegal aliens now living here also puts upward pressure on housing prices - supply & demand. If Kamala is the next Prez, we'll have 40+ million new people instead of the 20+ million now here under Obama III, aka the Biden administration, making it even worse. Oh, for the Carter years.............AS IF! Woke means BROKE. But the longer the neoMarxist Dems (aka macroeconomic morons) keep their control, the sooner the whole thing will collapse and we'll end up in a depression. It's a matter of when, not if. The left seems permanently incapable of ever learning anything about anything - numb means dumb.

Bob Davidson

Ron,

Asheville is beautiful.  Scott Fitzgerald is one of my favorite writers -- I loved The Crack Up and felt like I knew him after reading it.  The only thing I didn't like about him was the way he took the upper crust too seriously.  (Famous exchange between him and Hemmingway -- Scott, "The rich are different from you and me"  Ernest: "Yeah, they have more money.")

Zelda was my great-grandmother's first cousin. If I remember right, she died in a fire in a mental asylum.

Dana LeJune is a celebrity amoung Texas lawyers (at least to those of us of a certain age) -- he was the go-to guy on copyright matters and handled some famous cases. (We had a New Yorker cartoon on our family's fridge when I was growing up;  a guy at a party is saying to a woman, "Actually, I'm quite famous, in actuarial circles."  Dad thought that was hilarious.)

Janalu,

Coincidentally, I quoted Churchill's resonse to Lady Astor to someone yesterday.  Must be in the air.

Jim Bedwell

Laura Ingraham made a great point tonight. Fox News Channel consists of professional reporters. The corrupt legacy media consists (solely now) of propaganda repeaters.

Jim Bedwell

Bob & Ron,

Knoxville is THE BEST. Also beautiful around here and MOSTLY conservative between the adulterated (WAY too many liberals) cities of Nashville TN & Asheville NC.

Ron Knight

Bob

I did not know Dana was held in such high regard. He has an ego that befits what your comments are about him. Yet he still is a great fun guy! He brings his Bulldog to The Rendevous for Petanque Tournaments. Very well behaved may I say! He and I speak French. Although he speaks slang French, being Arcadian or Cajun. We've gotten into a few heated discussions. But it is all good!  We have very much fun together. Would he know you? If so I will bring it up to him the next time I see him.

Ron Knight

Jim

I really like Laura Ingrahm. I LOVE Megyn Kelly.