This and that.

Seems to me there has been a shift in tone in the news about foreclosures.

It used to be, "Homeowners in default." "Homeowners foreclosed upon."

Now it's, "Banks Seize Homes."

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Everyone talks about how the media has a negative slant. But I see the opposite. Articles about how great Bend is for retail, for instance.

Even crowing that the low vacancy rate has kept leasing prices up.

I think there is a lot of smoke and mirrors going on here, but as long as there is always a new business ready to open, prices aren't going to drop to levels that HELP the small businesses.

I'll keep repeating it: retail openings do NOT reflect a strong economy. They aren't even open yet! How can they prove anything, except a desire to open a business?

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Or the example of housing sales picking up. Well, maybe. A little. Though it seems to me that building permits were down last month. So what we're getting are glowing reports from the local real estate industry, and if you are still listening to them....

But -- Wow -- the example in the paper today? A 1928 sq. ft. house for 139K? Well, sure. That's, what? 71 cents a foot? Ouch. Hard to cheer that, if you are invested in a home in Bend.

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The selling of the Evergreen School in Redmond is like a perfect example of how government officials overestimate the value of their holdings: they end up selling for 250,000 which is only -- let's see -- I think it's slightly lower -- sometime like ----20 TIMES lower than their original asking price!

Remember that every time they talk about the value of Juniper Ridge or any other public
project.

Handsome building, though.

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Really, Student Body of C.O.C.C.? Hiring a lawyer and a public relations consultant?

I cringe whenever public monies are spend on "consultants." And -- as a small business owner -- I know that you avoid using a lawyer. If you have to resort to a lawyer it means you've failed miserably. There are usually so many things you can do to compromise or research on your own or even just pass on the notion of doing -- but hiring a lawyer is a money drain of major proportions.

And public relations? Total fail.