tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post117000410635170285..comments2024-01-13T00:27:20.813-08:00Comments on Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics: Take The Money And Run: Why L.A.'s Middle Class Is LeavingMayor Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280670018437708708noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170400365330311982007-02-01T23:12:00.000-08:002007-02-01T23:12:00.000-08:0011:21 -- Disregard my comments. I just re-read yo...11:21 -- Disregard my comments. I just re-read your post and see that you have already fled the state. Congratulations..Walter Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09885641116259381431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170400282796045292007-02-01T23:11:00.000-08:002007-02-01T23:11:00.000-08:00To 11:21 a.m.:If you bought your home in the 1970'...To 11:21 a.m.:<BR/>If you bought your home in the 1970's, I assume you have reached the age of 55. If so, your property taxes are portable; you can sell and buy another place in L.A. without your taxes going up. Contact the County Tax Assessor to confirm same.<BR/><BR/>Your better option, however, is to sell and get the hell out of here, before the rabble take away even that option!Walter Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09885641116259381431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170399803366820682007-02-01T23:03:00.000-08:002007-02-01T23:03:00.000-08:00Patrick -- Seriously, go talk to a CPA.For what yo...Patrick -- <BR/><BR/>Seriously, go talk to a CPA.<BR/><BR/>For what you're almost certainly paying in rent, you could instead be buying a home. You're not playing it "safe" by refraining from buying, you're simply choosing one type of risk instead of another.<BR/><BR/>Homes tend to appreciate, with some ups and downs. If you had bought a house for $500,000 with just 5% down (i.e., $25,000) in 2000, it would have been worth $1 million by 2005. You would have thus turned your $25,000 into $525,000 worth of equity, while paying no more for an interest-only loan than you would have paid for rent. Not bad, huh?<BR/><BR/>Look, you brought a child into this world with no guarantee of lifetime employment -- no one has guaranteed lifetime employment -- because you believe you'll be able to provide for that child. Why start betting against yourself now?<BR/><BR/>Anyhow, best of luck to you. I hope it works out for you, whether you decide to rent or own. I just hope you'll invest a little time with a CPA to map out the costs and benefits of renting vs. owning, after taking into account taxes, inflation and real estate trends.<BR/><BR/>That's all I'm going to say on the subject.Walter Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09885641116259381431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170169799111594602007-01-30T07:09:00.000-08:002007-01-30T07:09:00.000-08:00To Patrick:Re: "Hoarding" my properties that have...To Patrick:<BR/><BR/>Re: "Hoarding" my properties that have been grandfathered by Prop 13!<BR/><BR/>Let me educate you, please!<BR/><BR/>In 1971 I purchased a 1 acre estate in Bel Air for $140,000. The taxes in 1971 were $6000/yr.When Prop 13 was enacted those same taxes went down to $2500/yr. The house is now worth $2.5Million. My taxes are still under $3000/yr. If the property was reassessed today, I would have to pay somewhere around $40,000/yr in taxes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<BR/><BR/>Do you think I am hoarding????<BR/><BR/>My friend, I would have to be declared mentally incompetent if I were to sell my beautiful house! I WILL NEVER SELL!!!! Nor will any of my contemporaries who bought real estate in the 70's!<BR/><BR/>My rental properties that I paid under $50,000 are now worth $400,000 and the taxes are still $500/yr!!!!!<BR/><BR/>All of us old timers who bought in the 70's became multi-millionaires and those days ARE OVER!!!<BR/><BR/>I will be eternally grateful to Howard Jarvis!!!! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170144280247317092007-01-30T00:04:00.000-08:002007-01-30T00:04:00.000-08:00Say it loud:I'M WHITE AND I'M PROUDSigned,Moore is...Say it loud:<BR/><BR/><B>I'M WHITE AND I'M PROUD</B><BR/><BR/>Signed,<BR/><BR/>Moore is Bitter<BR/><BR/>--------------------------------<BR/><BR/>Mr. Wacko,<BR/><BR/>To clarify, again, it's not a grammatical error, it was a typo. T-Y-P-O. Got that? As for me not addressing your points, pfft. Patrick has been singing the same tune for two days now, you know what time it is, punk.<BR/><BR/>And I'm not a staffer, I'm a lobbyist for one of the world's largest financial firms. I'll be around 'till both LA's and CA's coffers are bone-dry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170129658844169902007-01-29T20:00:00.000-08:002007-01-29T20:00:00.000-08:00SOT,It doesn't count as tithing, since, as you sai...SOT,<BR/><BR/>It doesn't count as tithing, since, as you said, tithing is giving 10%. I never said I tithe. I said I give 2% to my church.<BR/><BR/>Hope that helps,<BR/><BR/>Patrick Meighan<BR/>Los Angeles GreensPatrick Meighanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17142434479229635863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170121449861846582007-01-29T17:44:00.000-08:002007-01-29T17:44:00.000-08:00Patrick,Your post of 7:39 pm Jan. 28, you stated y...Patrick,<BR/><BR/>Your post of 7:39 pm Jan. 28, you stated you give 2% to your church. How does that qualify as tithing, if a tithe is 10%?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170111803519059232007-01-29T15:03:00.000-08:002007-01-29T15:03:00.000-08:00"And the fact remains, which you conveniently igno..."And the fact remains, which you conveniently ignore, is that compared to other major cities, LA's prices -- while expensive -- are relatively affordable."<BR/><BR/>On what do you base that "fact"? Because in August of '06, <A HREF="http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/22/real_estate/most_affordable_metro_areas/index.htm?postversion=2006082217" REL="nofollow">CNNMoney called LA's housing market the <B>least affordable</B> in the nation</A>.<BR/><BR/>Quote:<BR/><I>"About 40 percent of homes in the United States were deemed affordable to families earning the national median income of $59,600... Contrast that with the Los Angeles /Long Beach/Glendale housing market, the nation's least affordable, where just 2 percent of all the homes sold during the quarter were affordable for those earning the median family income of $56,200. The median home in Los Angeles costs $521,000."</I><BR/><BR/><BR/>"The fact is you CAN afford to buy and own a home right now -- and if you want a home... with a shorter commute -- you should well, save..."<BR/><BR/>In other words, I CAN afford to buy and own a home OUTSIDE OF LOS ANGELES right now, and commute to LA from there. But if I want to buy a home IN LOS ANGELES, I should save my money for several years. I agree with you. But that's not what Walter is saying. Walter is saying I can afford to buy a home IN LOS ANGELES right now, as can any other middle-class Angeleno, and that, presumably, L.A.'s 70% rental rate is due to, I dunno, the vast majority of Angelenos having a hatred of houses or something. Walter's wrong, of course, and you're as much as admitting it here. As I've demonstrated anecdotally (and CNNMoney delcares statistically) middle class folks cannot afford to buy a home IN LOS ANGELES, unless they wanna follow Walter's advice and get an interest-only loan with 5% (or less) down, never actually pay down any of the principle and and pray to Jesus the market doesn't tank at a time when they're forced to sell.<BR/><BR/>That's Walter Moore's version of the American dream. Yippee.<BR/><BR/>"Housing prices are all about supply and demand. One can always relocate to an area less in demand with nice homes selling for less than $300,000."<BR/><BR/>Yes, one can always relocate to an area that is NOT LOS ANGELES. You and I are in full accord. But that's not what Walter's saying. Walter is saying that homeownership is eminently available to any and all middle-class folks in L.A. Not elsewhere. Here. No relocation necessarily. No years-and-years-and-years of saving needed.<BR/><BR/>I've demonstrated that to be hooey about as thoroughly (and in as many ways) as humanly possible.<BR/><BR/>Patrick Meighan<BR/>Los Angeles GreensPatrick Meighanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17142434479229635863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170105533015682852007-01-29T13:18:00.000-08:002007-01-29T13:18:00.000-08:00Don't confuse the point, my young impatient friend...Don't confuse the point, my young impatient friend. The fact is you CAN afford to buy and own a home right now -- and if you want a home in a more desirable location (and yes, SAFER area with decent schools for your child) with a shorter commute -- you should well, save, invest, and apparently be a little more responsible with your spending. And the fact remains, which you conveniently ignore, is that compared to other major cities, LA's prices -- while expensive -- are relatively affordable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170105331594782362007-01-29T13:15:00.000-08:002007-01-29T13:15:00.000-08:00Housing prices are all about supply and demand. On...Housing prices are all about supply and demand. One can always relocate to an area less in demand with nice homes selling for less than $300,000. It is a personal choice to work in the Entertainment Industry and live in the Entertainment capital of the world. <BR/>I just felt an earthquake. Did anyone else?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170102605487062252007-01-29T12:30:00.000-08:002007-01-29T12:30:00.000-08:00Oh My God. The RoseHills Review guy looks gay.www....Oh My God. The RoseHills Review guy looks gay.<BR/><BR/>www.myspace.com/rosehillsreviewAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170101877001537312007-01-29T12:17:00.000-08:002007-01-29T12:17:00.000-08:00To 11:50: Read this thread again. Mosieur Moore h...To 11:50: Read this thread again. Mosieur Moore has NOT "eloquently outlined" a years-long path of patient saving and investing and delayed gratification until such time as I can afford to buy a house. That is, in fact, what I'm trying to do. Walter, however, disagrees with you and I and, instead, suggests that I just hang my balls out right now on a low-or-no-down-payment, interest-only mortgage, risking bankruptcy when the payments increase, when my job disappears, or when the housing market tanks. That's Walter's suggested path to homeownership. For Walter to suggest what you suggest (that I patiently save for several years until I have enough for a reasonable down payment, a mortgage that includes principle, and an emergency safety net fund put aside in case of income loss) would require Walter to admit that I, an upper-middle-class Angeleno, cannot afford to purchase a house right now in Los Angeles, thus undermining the whole point of his entire post. Can't have that, can we?<BR/><BR/>To all others, check out 11:21's comment. If people (such as this lady or gentleman) are hoarding multiple properties in Los Angeles without ever selling (and are, in fact, incentivized to do so, thanks to Prop 13's grandfathering of property taxes at rates 40 years out of date), can there be any wonder why L.A. housing remains scarce and, thus, why home prices skyrocket to a level where middle-class Angelenos cannot afford to buy? I know that examining that factor may be uncomfortable for y'all, in that it's difficult to find a way to blame it on illegal aliens, but maybe you can stretch yourselves a little.<BR/><BR/>Patrick Meighan<BR/>Los Angeles GreensPatrick Meighanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17142434479229635863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170100206315699152007-01-29T11:50:00.000-08:002007-01-29T11:50:00.000-08:00If you think the cost of housing and living is hig...If you think the cost of housing and living is high in LA, my young friend, try NYC. Save and invest your high income, watch your pennies (or in your case c-notes), and as Monsieur Moore has eloquently outlined, you'll be able to afford a house here - though it may take a few years or more (it's called "delayed gratification"). In fact, you can probably afford a home right now in a less expensive area of the city, ride the bus, and at the same time experience the wonderful "diversity" of Los Angeles. And don't whine about long commute times; I had a killer commute for years while saving for my house and earned less than 200k.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170098471050843812007-01-29T11:21:00.000-08:002007-01-29T11:21:00.000-08:00I am a native California, but when Tony Villar was...I am a native California, but when Tony Villar was elected, I saw the handwriting on the wall!<BR/><BR/>I am fortunate in that my home purchased in the 70's and my income property purchased in the 70's is still protected by Prop 13!<BR/><BR/>Instead of selling, I am leasing my house out for $10,000/mo. and I still have my hefty income coming in every month from my rentals in South Central.<BR/><BR/>I WILL NEVER SELL because the city would reap a fortune on increased property taxes!!!!!<BR/><BR/>My whole family moved out of CA because it is a hellhole! My grandchildren will never have to see the inside of a LAUSD school!!!!<BR/><BR/>We now have the best of all worlds...property in LA and a new life in another State!<BR/><BR/>If you can afford to move out of CA without selling, it's great...but either way, get the hell out!<BR/><BR/>IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE, IF POSSIBLE!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170098087315267612007-01-29T11:14:00.000-08:002007-01-29T11:14:00.000-08:00Walter,I just explained to you, in great detail, h...Walter,<BR/><BR/>I just explained to you, in great detail, how homeownership in Los Angeles is not currently affordable to me unless I make stupid, irresponsible choices of the sort that you suggest (interest-only, low-down loans that'll crush my family in five years, when the payments jack up). Your only response was, in essence, "oh yes it is so affordable to you." Pfft. How'm I supposed to rebut that? You think I'm renting 'cause I don't WANT a home?! You think *70%* (SEVENTY PERCENT) of Los Angeles is renting because *70%* of the folks in Los Angeles don't WANT homes? Ridiculous.<BR/><BR/>Walter, if I lived in most any other location in America at this very moment, I could take what I currently have in savings and pay a 20% down payment on a house, get a reasonable mortgage that'd allow me to pay down some principle *in addition to* interest, and still have a chunk set aside as an emergency fund, in case my employment were to end. In other words, in any other city but Los Angeles I could, right now, buy a house while exercising, you know, "personal responsibility" (you remember "personal responsibility," right Walter? It's what you base your own whole political philosophy, except in cases like today when it doesn't happen to fit your argument). But, unfortunately, I live in Los Angeles, and so I can only afford to buy a house right now if I take your advice and sign on to a crazy interest-only mortgage, pay next to nothing down, and stay up nights praying that my job doesn't go away, especially at a time when the housing market has tanked, 'cause then I'd have no choice but to abandon the house, declare bankruptcy and stick the bank with my losses.<BR/><BR/>Sound like a responsible thing for me to do, Walter?<BR/><BR/>So no, Walter, for the umpteenbillionth time, I could not afford to buy a house in Los Angeles right now. Just about any other place in America, yes, but not in Los Angeles. Not right now. Not in any sort of a responsible way.<BR/><BR/><I>"Just checked realtor.com & found a nice affordable starter home for a young family for $385K in Harbor Gateway. Oh, that's right, can't live there, not safe as it's been OVERRUN BY ILLEGAL ALIEN GANG MEMBERS."</I><BR/><BR/>Actually, I can't live there because I work in Miracle Mile and the commute from Harbor Gateway would eat an extra two hours out of my day (at least)... hours I'd rather spend with my wife and infant daughter, thank you very much. I'd be happy to do it, though, if the commute took less time... something that'd be possible if L.A. had a decent, extensive light rail system. <BR/><BR/>Wanna help me make that happen?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170095797708410292007-01-29T10:36:00.000-08:002007-01-29T10:36:00.000-08:00To 11:24: Your spelling is the least of your prob...To 11:24: Your spelling is the least of your problems. What should concern you more is that you are unable to refute any of my arguments on the merits, so you simply make up false statements and attribute them to me. How pathetic is that? Is that the BEST you can do? If so, enjoy your position as a staffer for as long as you can, because you won't last long in the real world.<BR/><BR/>To 9:27: LOL. But it's not "illegal gangs" -- it's the wonderful diversity that makes this city so wonderful. Remember: all "cultures" are exactly equal, beautiful and worthy, including those that disobey all laws and engage in violence.Walter Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09885641116259381431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170091670856428232007-01-29T09:27:00.000-08:002007-01-29T09:27:00.000-08:00Just checked realtor.com & found a nice affordable...Just checked realtor.com & found a nice affordable starter home for a young family for $385K in Harbor Gateway. Oh, that's right, can't live there, not safe as it's been OVERRUN BY ILLEGAL ALIEN GANG MEMBERS.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170089465336286122007-01-29T08:51:00.000-08:002007-01-29T08:51:00.000-08:00And another thing. As for illegal immigrants in F...And another thing. As for illegal immigrants in France, France doesn't screw around. Not only do they enforce their laws, they criminally prosecute people in the country illegally AND those who hire them. So were there some riots a while ago? Yes. Are the people of France going to sit around and let their country get taken over by illegal aliens? No.Walter Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09885641116259381431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170089174077254102007-01-29T08:46:00.000-08:002007-01-29T08:46:00.000-08:00P.P.S. Don't equate "density" and "diversity." I...P.P.S. Don't equate "density" and "diversity." I love meeting people from other countries. Indeed, I plan to live in another country, where I will be the foreigner. I do not enjoy overcrowding, gridlock, and third-world living cconditions.Walter Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09885641116259381431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170088928631766892007-01-29T08:42:00.000-08:002007-01-29T08:42:00.000-08:00P.S. You ignored the dent that the home loan inte...P.S. You ignored the dent that the home loan interest deduction and property tax deduction can make in the 40% that goes to income tax. Then again, you've made up your mind that you "can't afford" to buy anything, so why bother considering the actual numbers?Walter Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09885641116259381431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170088582720072722007-01-29T08:36:00.000-08:002007-01-29T08:36:00.000-08:00I see the staffers are back. Fellahs, don't get t...I see the staffers are back. Fellahs, don't get too excited about my departure; thanks to the internet, I can point out your incompetence from anywhere in the world.<BR/><BR/>Patrick, I was indeed off by $20,000. But even so, you're still making more than enough to buy a $600,000 house.<BR/><BR/>Your "problem" isn't housing prices.Walter Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09885641116259381431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170086527280663142007-01-29T08:02:00.000-08:002007-01-29T08:02:00.000-08:00great argument , till you spelled your own name wr...great argument , till you spelled your own name wrong.<BR/>for future though, just say your gross income is $160k.<BR/>cause that's the truth.<BR/>don't open up with 200k, that was a little deceptive too.<BR/>its like saying 'a million trees'.<BR/>its just not true.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170081709790467392007-01-29T06:41:00.000-08:002007-01-29T06:41:00.000-08:00Walter,Back to math school for you, man. My manag...Walter,<BR/><BR/>Back to math school for you, man. <BR/><BR/>My manager and my agent each take 10%. <BR/><BR/>10% + 10%=20%<BR/><BR/>20% of $200k is $40,000, which means that my manager and agent leave me with a $160,000 gross, before taxes (not $180,000, as you calculated). <BR/><BR/>Also, Uncle Sam and Uncle Arnold, together, take at least 40% as well (of the *pre-commission* $200,000). So that's $80,000 in taxes, plus $40,000 in commissions, which leaves me with a net of $80,000k. Subtract from that $4,000 to the guild and $4,000 to my church, and I'm looking at a family net of little more than $70,000 for the three of us (*before* the student loan payments I'm making on $60k worth of grad school loans, as well as various cost-of-living stuff: bills, gas, car payments, etc.).<BR/><BR/>I realize that my family is very fortunate, and I'M NOT COMPLAINING. $70k is plenty for us to live on. But it's not enough to buy a house in L.A.... at least not in a responsible fashion. We COULD do it if we wanted to really hang our asses out. Which leads us to...<BR/><BR/><I>"You put down 5%, which is $30,000. You finance the remaining $570,000. Let's say you get an interest-only loan at 5.5%..."</I><BR/><BR/>I'm well aware that it's possible for me to take an interest-only loan, and for me to put down a bare minimum deposit, as you suggest (and your figures omit mortgage insurance, by the way, a non-trivial and non-deductible expense if I'm only putting down 5%). But your advice leaves my family's ass showing when the payments get higher 5 years down the road. Traditionally the rationale behind such an arrangement is the expectation that ones income will be higher later, but I don't anticipate that that will be the case. In fact, I fully expect that it'll be *lower* later (as television writers are usually forced out of the business by age 40 or so and have to look for a different line of work). So then what?<BR/><BR/>Also, if my family should want to move to a different house in three years or so (we may have another baby by then), we'll be effed if we haven't paid down any of the principle (thanks to the interest only loan you've suggested), *especially* if the middle-class housing market has bottomed out in the interrum (something you, evidently, are expecting *will* happen, in that you're predicting a middle-class white flight from Los Angeles, due to the dystopic conditions you blame on illegal aliens). In such a scenario, my family will be upside-down, owing much more than we have, thanks to that sweet interest-only, low-down-payment loan you've suggested to me.<BR/><BR/>No thanks on that. Instead, what I'm trying to do, Walter, is be responsible and save up a reasonable amount for a down payment (at *least* 10% of the purchase price), and enough in reserve to cover at least 6 months to a year of house payments, in case I should happen to lose my job (which is something every television writer knows could happen at any given moment). It takes time to build up such a nest egg, and my family is truly working on it, I promise you, but we're not there yet, and it'd be irresponsible to take the leap until we are. Further, it'd be irresponsible to sign ourselves up for a mortgage that backloads the bulk of the financial burden to a time (5 or 10 years down the road) when I'll likely be making less than I do now. So prolly no interest-only mortgage for my family. Not if I want to be responsible.<BR/><BR/>In short, I'm trying to take *personal responsibility* here, Walter. I'd think that you, of all people, could appreciate that. And so the truth, for the 4th time, is that I can't afford to purchase a house in Los Angeles, and it's got my wife and me considering a move elsewhere. If, in fact, my family qualifies as *upper-class* (rather than middle class) and we *still* can't afford to purchase a house in Los Angeles (and are thus considering a departure), well, that should tell you that maybe Joel Kotkin is REALLY on to something.<BR/><BR/>Also, for the 4th time, I repeat, at no time have my wife and I considered departing Los Angles because of illegal aliens. We love LA's diverse culture (diversity in all its forms: economic, social, racial, ethnic, etc.), and it's a big part of what's pulling us here, not what's pushing us away.<BR/><BR/>Patrick Meigthan<BR/>Los Angeles GreensPatrick Meighanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17142434479229635863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170075329539758472007-01-29T04:55:00.000-08:002007-01-29T04:55:00.000-08:00So you're saying France hasn't had ANY problems re...So you're saying France hasn't had ANY problems resulting from ill feelings toward immigrants? Dream on. Maybe you didn't see them in your two-week "turista" experience, but if you'd been paying attention over the last decade, you'd know better.<BR/><BR/>In the meantime, let us know when you're leaving so we can have a big party...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826939.post-1170055494886619972007-01-28T23:24:00.000-08:002007-01-28T23:24:00.000-08:00Say it loud:I'M WHITE AND I'M PROUD!Signed,Moore i...Say it loud:<BR/><BR/><B>I'M WHITE AND I'M PROUD!</B><BR/><BR/><I>Signed</I>,<BR/><BR/>Moore is Bitter<BR/><BR/>-----------------<BR/><BR/>Sorry about the typo, Mr. Moore, but I would like to bring it your attention that it was a TYPO, not a grammatical error. In any event, I also blame LAUSD for the error, my typing skills are not exactly the best, yet I still was allowed to graduate and go on to earn a degree in economics from USC.<BR/><BR/>I blame LAUSD, because it's apparently in vogue here to just fucking blame somebody for your ills.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com