Sunny Hilton Head, South Carolina

Markets are free markets--they do what they do. Tomorrow, we could be up 600 points. Traders and speculators are having a field day as they take advantage of all of the emotion. If you don't know, the markets are driven by two major things: Fear (of Loss) and Greed ( for gain) pension funds, holders of massive amounts of stock can (and do)  unload stocks. The prices go down! The average joe sees his stocks value lumetting. What wiil he do? He'll sell it. Those sharres move into the hands of traders who are willing to pick up "joe's shares at bargain prices. When the market goes up, the value of the shares they bought will increase. The market will go down again, and they will sell there shares before it tanks at a nice profit.

My hunch is that after today's 300 point move up, the market will trade sideways until the geniuses in Washington do what's best for the country--we hope--anything short of that will send this market down.

The news media made much of the drop and couched it in terms of the bailouts proposed cost (700,000,000,000) Well the market is not the bailout and the markets have "recovered" for the last 26 years. The drop in the markets value will be "made up in time and I believe things will begin to smooth out after the air clears in Washington and we get a good solution.

This is America.

From The Arab News:

"THE aim is for the US government to buy the "bad apples" out of the basket of debt some major banks have incurred by doling out bad loans. This will hopefully free up liquidity so banks will resume a normal rate of lending to each other. Meanwhile, House Republicans are in revolt, demanding their own solutions that include a moratorium on capital gains taxes. This proposal arguably does nothing to deal with the liquidity crunch; it would benefit speculators the most.

The solution worked out by Congress has done little to address the fundamental question of whether this is the best way to confront this crisis. Former New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning finance reporter David Cay Johnston has questioned the motives of the bailout and launched a tough criticism of the media for diving wholeheartedly into promoting the administration's claims.

"The fact that we had a couple of Wall Street banks fail - that's capitalism!" said Cay Johnston in an interview on NPR's On The Media. "If you look around, you'll notice that banks are still making ordinary loans to ordinary businesses. Your mailbox is still filled with proposals to sell you credit cards and extend you debt. The Internet still has ads for these very toxic mortgages that are at the heart of this."

In Sun City, about 2/3rds of the residents are retired. But, I gotta tell ya, they are not sitin' home watchin' the tube and eatin' Twinkies: They are OUT having FUN.

Sun City does have a number of people who are also single. There are ways for singles to meet each other through clubs, and events.  These activities offer an opportunity to go on a date without breaking the bank! Same goes for those who are married.

Here are some examples of monthly activities in Sun City Hilton Head

Sun City Hilton Head has it's own Activities Department: This is from their web page:

"We are a multi-faceted department. We book all of the Sun City Hilton Head facilities. We also coordinate, manage and promote all community-wide events (such as the Easter Egg Hunt, the Fourth of July Fireworks Cookout and Celebration, Kid's Days and the upcoming Summer Pool Parties). We work with all of the Chartered Clubs and we help residents establish new Clubs. Last, but not least, we seek out, interview, plan and host all special events, to include performers, musicians, and seminars that occur here at Sun City Hilton Head."

Below are some typical examples of special events held in Sun City Hilton Head on a regular basis.

Movie Night 

"Arctic Tale"

Set in the vast snow kingdom at the top of the world, Arctic Tale is a real-life adventure from the people who brought you March of the Penguins....

Popcorn is free. Soda and beer are $1       

Tickets on sale $2 with Activity Card

Musical Events 

The Swingin' Medallions is a high energy party band that includes eight members with at least four horns. Wine $2, Beer $1, Soft Drinks & Water $1

 Block Parties 

It's Block Party Time with the "The Headliners"

Let's get together under the stars at the Pavilion for a great evening! Whether your preference is Big Band, the Classic 50's and 60's rock and roll, beach music, Motown, disco hits from the 70's to hits from the 90's, get ready to dance! Bring your chairs and snacks.

Wine $2, Beer $1, Soft drinks & Water $17 pm, Pavilion
$4 with activity card

Jaguars Football Group     Trips

Theatre

Broadway's Phantom of the Opera, comes to Sun City for an intimate evening of songs from the world of Broadway and Cabaret.  His concert will feature an eclectic set of songs, well-known hits, and not so well-known songs, which range from the heartfelt to the hilarious. Join Cris and Sue after the performance for a complimentary cup of coffee.

Wine $2, Beer $1, Soft Drinks & Water $1

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Before you get in your car, or in a plane--search for your Sun City, Hilton Head Home from the comfort of your current home.   Get notified immediately of homes that meet your criteria and receive this information for FREE, delivered right to your email inbox and gain immediate access to the latest information from  both Hilton Head and Beaufort MLS  Sun City Hilton Head HomeBuyer's E-Alerts will give you  immediate notification of homes that are on the market, new to market which meet your buying criteria. Just complete the Sun City Hilton Head HomeBuyer's E-Alerts form.   You'll get free and immediate access to all Hilton Head and Beaufort Multiple Listing Service data and begin to receive email alerts notifying you of the latest resales to come on the market.   Begin your search for the right home, here.   Set your criteria for home  selection based on location, type of home and price and other criteria that are important to you.

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As far as I am concerned McCain did a great job last night IN THE FIRST DEBATE. But what was missing was him letting Obama get away with blaming the Bush administration for our current financial crisis. In 2005-- Senator John McCain partnered with three other Senate Republicans to reform the government's involvement in lending. Democrats blocked this reform. Unfortunately, Bush has not come out swinging on this and he has become too willing to bow to an easy solution. I remain very disappointed in Bush.

Thats, aside, all we hear is how Bush didn't warn us of the problems.

He did and as did plenty of Republicans--and all the while the Democrats were in denial.

WARNINGS WERE GIVEN AND WARNINGS WERE IGNORED

Here are the FACTS!

Bush Called For Reform of Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac 17 Times in 2008 Alone... Warnings Ignored by democrats!

The White House released this list of attempts by President Bush to reform Freddie Mae and Freddie Mac since he took office in 2001.

2001

April:The Administration's FY02 budget declares that the size of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is "a potential problem," because "financial trouble of a large GSE could cause strong repercussions in financial markets, affecting Federally insured entities and economic activity."

2002

May:The President calls for the disclosure and corporate governance principles contained in his 10-point plan for corporate responsibility to apply to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. (OMB Prompt Letter to OFHEO, 5/29/02)

2003

January: Freddie Mac announces it has to restate financial results for the previous three years.

February:The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) releases a report explaining that "although investors perceive an implicit Federal guarantee of [GSE] obligations," "the government has provided no explicit legal backing for them." As a consequence, unexpected problems at a GSE could immediately spread into financial sectors beyond the housing market. ("Systemic Risk: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Role of OFHEO," OFHEO Report, 2/4/03)

September:Fannie Mae discloses SEC investigation and acknowledges OFHEO's review found earnings manipulations.

September: Treasury Secretary John Snow testifies before the House Financial Services Committee to recommend that Congress enact "legislation to create a new Federal agency to regulate and supervise the financial activities of our housing-related government sponsored enterprises" and set prudent and appropriate minimum capital adequacy requirements.

October: Fannie Mae discloses $1.2 billion accounting error.

November:Council of the Economic Advisers (CEA) Chairman Greg Mankiw explains that any "legislation to reform GSE regulation should empower the new regulator with sufficient strength and credibility to reduce systemic risk." To reduce the potential for systemic instability, the regulator would have "broad authority to set both risk-based and minimum capital standards" and "receivership powers necessary to wind down the affairs of a troubled GSE." (N. Gregory Mankiw, Remarks At The Conference Of State Bank Supervisors State Banking Summit And Leadership, 11/6/03)

2004

February:The President's FY05 Budget again highlights the risk posed by the explosive growth of the GSEs and their low levels of required capital, and called for creation of a new, world-class regulator: "The Administration has determined that the safety and soundness regulators of the housing GSEs lack sufficient power and stature to meet their responsibilities, and therefore...should be replaced with a new strengthened regulator." (2005 Budget Analytic Perspectives, pg. 83)

February:CEA Chairman Mankiw cautions Congress to "not take [the financial market's] strength for granted." Again, the call from the Administration was to reduce this risk by "ensuring that the housing GSEs are overseen by an effective regulator." (N. Gregory Mankiw, Op-Ed, "Keeping Fannie And Freddie's House In Order," Financial Times, 2/24/04)

June:Deputy Secretary of Treasury Samuel Bodman spotlights the risk posed by the GSEs and called for reform, saying "We do not have a world-class system of supervision of the housing government sponsored enterprises (GSEs), even though the importance of the housing financial system that the GSEs serve demands the best in supervision to ensure the long-term vitality of that system. Therefore, the Administration has called for a new, first class, regulatory supervisor for the three housing GSEs: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banking System." (Samuel Bodman, House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Testimony, 6/16/04)

2005

April:Treasury Secretary John Snow repeats his call for GSE reform, saying "Events that have transpired since I testified before this Committee in 2003 reinforce concerns over the systemic risks posed by the GSEs and further highlight the need for real GSE reform to ensure that our housing finance system remains a strong and vibrant source of funding for expanding homeownership opportunities in America... Half-measures will only exacerbate the risks to our financial system." (Secretary John W. Snow, "Testimony Before The U.S. House Financial Services Committee," 4/13/05)

2007

July:Two Bear Stearns hedge funds invested in mortgage securities collapse.

August: President Bush emphatically calls on Congress to pass a reform package for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, saying "first things first when it comes to those two institutions. Congress needs to get them reformed, get them streamlined, get them focused, and then I will consider other options." (President George W. Bush, Press Conference, The White House, 8/9/07)

September:RealtyTrac announces foreclosure filings up 243,000 in August - up 115 percent from the year before.

September: Single-family existing home sales decreases 7.5 percent from the previous month - the lowest level in nine years. Median sale price of existing homes fell six percent from the year before.

December:President Bush again warns Congress of the need to pass legislation reforming GSEs, saying "These institutions provide liquidity in the mortgage market that benefits millions of homeowners, and it is vital they operate safely and operate soundly. So I've called on Congress to pass legislation that strengthens independent regulation of the GSEs - and ensures they focus on their important housing mission. The GSE reform bill passed by the House earlier this year is a good start. But the Senate has not acted. And the United States Senate needs to pass this legislation soon." (President George W. Bush, Discusses Housing, The White House, 12/6/07)

2008

January: Bank of America announces it will buy Countrywide.

January:Citigroup announces mortgage portfolio lost $18.1 billion in value.

February:Assistant Secretary David Nason reiterates the urgency of reforms, says "A new regulatory structure for the housing GSEs is essential if these entities are to continue to perform their public mission successfully." (David Nason, Testimony On Reforming GSE Regulation, Senate Committee On Banking, Housing And Urban Affairs, 2/7/08)

March:Bear Stearns announces it will sell itself to JPMorgan Chase.

March: President Bush calls on Congress to take action and "move forward with reforms on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They need to continue to modernize the FHA, as well as allow State housing agencies to issue tax-free bonds to homeowners to refinance their mortgages." (President George W. Bush, Remarks To The Economic Club Of New York, New York, NY, 3/14/08)

April: President Bush urges Congress to pass the much needed legislation and "modernize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. [There are] constructive things Congress can do that will encourage the housing market to correct quickly by ... helping people stay in their homes." (President George W. Bush, Meeting With Cabinet, the White House, 4/14/08)

May: President Bush issues several pleas to Congress to pass legislation reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac before the situation deteriorates further.

"Americans are concerned about making their mortgage payments and keeping their homes. Yet Congress has failed to pass legislation I have repeatedly requested to modernize the Federal Housing Administration that will help more families stay in their homes, reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to ensure they focus on their housing mission, and allow State housing agencies to issue tax-free bonds to refinance sub-prime loans." (President George W. Bush, Radio Address, 5/3/08)

"[T]he government ought to be helping creditworthy people stay in their homes. And one way we can do that - and Congress is making progress on this - is the reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. That reform will come with a strong, independent regulator." (President George W. Bush, Meeting With The Secretary Of The Treasury, the White House, 5/19/08)

"Congress needs to pass legislation to modernize the Federal Housing Administration, reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to ensure they focus on their housing mission, and allow State housing agencies to issue tax-free bonds to refinance sub prime loans." (President George W. Bush, Radio Address, 5/31/08)

June: As foreclosure rates continued to rise in the first quarter, the President once again asks Congress to take the necessary measures to address this challenge, saying "we need to pass legislation to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac." (President George W. Bush, Remarks At Swearing In Ceremony For Secretary Of Housing And Urban Development, Washington, D.C., 6/6/08)

July: Congress heeds the President's call for action and passes reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as it becomes clear that the institutions are failing.

I get irked when I hear Bill O'Reilly --FOX NEWS-- railing that the Government should have warned us--O'Reilly isn't as astute as he thinks he is and he adds fuel to the fire. For some it's tough to admit you don't know everything.

May I suggest that you copy and paste this post from the "white house list" to the "in 2005" into notepad and keep it handy so you can paste it--at will--to inform the uninformed. And if you have a mind to, send O'Reilly a copy.

(sources: The White House, the American Thinker  (Hat Tip Larwyn) For more please go to their web site)

Photo From Bluffton Today Sept 25th, 2008 Edition

As reported by Bluffton Today's Carl Lehman--there has been a wild pig sighting caught on camera by one of our residents. These creatures can do some damage to your lawn but there are things you can do to deter the critters--spray anti-deer spray, for one. You can also apply anti-grub spray to your lawn. The pigs feed on these and can make a mess of your lawn. No Grubs, no Pigs.

I don't want you to think we have some version of "Wild Kingdom" in Sun City. Wild life is a fact of life in the "Low Country" and Sun City. You'll see deer, alligators sunning themselves on one of our many lagoons or sometimes you can see wild turkeys in the woods. Essentially, if you let them be, they are not usually a problem.

Medical Facilities For The Sun City Hilton Head Area  

If you're visiting, knowing where you can get help in the event of a medical emergency is important. If you're going to move here, then it's important to know about the medical care that is available. To these ends we offer the following information:

Hilton Head Medical Center and Clinics
Click Here for More Information
Directions

Beaufort Memorial Hospital (Affiliated with Duke University Hospital)
Click Here for More Information
Directions

Beaufort Naval Hospital
1 Pinckney Blvd, Beaufort, SC  29902
Beaufort Naval Hospital is located in Beaufort, SC. Beaufort consists of the hospital itself and branch medical clinics at Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort and Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island. There are over 450 active duty and 200 civilians on base
Click Here for More Information

Bluffton/Okatie Outpatient Center

This facility is just outside the Sun City side gate (near Hampton Inn) on Okatie Center Blvd
Click Here for More Information

St. Joseph's Chandler, Savannah
Click Here for More Information
Directions

Memorial Health University Medical Center, Savannah
Click Here for More Information

About 2/3rds of our community are retired. But retired doesn't mean inacitve.

One thing is for sure, you will never run out of things to do or ways to serve Sun City,Okatie or Bluffton Community, Sun City Hilton Head is home to some of the most caring people you'll ever know. We have seniors who volunteer in local schools, thirft shops that serve cancer patients, church and more. Some are organized into special interest groups.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) within Sun City consist of civic, service and support groups.

Current SIGs include:

• Coast Guard Auxiliary
• Alzheimer Support
• Breast Cancer Support Group
• Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE)
• Democratic Club
• Fair Tax
• Forum Club
• Government & Business Affairs Committee (GBAC
• Irish Heritage Society
• International Friendship Club
• Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)
• Parkinson's and Related Diseases Support Group
• Physically Challenged Active Adults
• Sun City Republican Club
• Shalom Club
• World Affairs

If you can't find a group that you're drawn to, you can start your own, after you get your group approved.

[We'd like to offer prospective buyers good reasons to choose our services above others.  If you would like my information, please contact me: 843-368-9146. Also be sure to sign up for our Sun City Homefinder e-mail alerts click here to do that.]

Our mission is to provide you objective information about Sun City Hilton Head, that will help you make the best decision that is right for you.. Moving to an Active Adult community anywhere is a big decision. Moving to this area, particularly, needs to be the right thing for you. I've met many who have moved here hastily and in a few short months, decided they didn't like it here. Of course, we'd like you to move here and become part of our community, but make sure it's the right thing for you. Don't risk making a mistake, lose precious time and spend money, needlessly.

We're here to help --without leaving your easy chair, without taking a plane or driving anywhere-- We'll present information, sights and sounds of Sun City Hilton Head, which will help you decide whether or not you wish to make Sun City a potential for consideration as the place you wish to live.

Second, we'll provide information you won't find anywhere else. If Sun City Hilton Head is the community for you, we'll help you find a great home that's just right for you, whether new or resale.

This is very important: There are many who'll show you around or show you homes,  but they can't answer your questions. They don't live here. They don't know enough about the community. 

Here's where we come in:

• You're going to get your questions answered. Change can be fun and exciting. It can also be stressful. We'd like to make your search for the ideal community for you as stress-free as possible. Second, we'd like to save you time, energy and money and that is the purpose which "I Love  Sun City Hilton Head.Com aims to deliver.
  
• You'll get insider information--we live here. You will not get this from a real estate agent whose sole purpose is to sell you something.
  
• You won't get THIS on the MLS: Detailed Neighborhood, street and home reviews with videos and  lots of photos. As we interact with you, get information to you, you'll know more about the community and surrounding area than most. You'll also discover the best home values. You'll also have access to every listing within Sun City and surrounding areas.

The information we provided will help you to make a better decision as to whether or not the Sun City Hilton Head Community it right for you.

It will help you to select neighborhoods within Sun City Hilton Head that are appealing to you. It will help you to narrow down the many choices you have and help you find the right home, at the right price.

Get in-depth information  that will help you with your decision--here's  just a small sampling.

Find out about all Sun city activities and amenities

• Sports
• Clubs
• Golf
• Fitness
• Events & Activities inside Sun City
• Life Outside the Gate
• Civic Organizations

Get valuable information about:   

• Sun City Real Estate Market
• New homes on the market
• Where to locate the best buys
• Sun City Hilton Head Homes for Sale
• Sun City Neighborhood Facts
• Helpful Newcomer Facts
• How the Sun City Community Association works
• Who are  the preferred merchants & Service providers you can  feel comfortable calling
• What utilities service the area, contact info and more
• What is the scoop on state and local taxes
• Get facts about homeowners  insurance
• Find out what the weather is really like
• What's the situation with the types and quality of medical care

Peek into the future. What is the market telling us. This morning there are people who are buying stock. Or if you're negative, you can say people are putting their money under their mattresses.

Expect volatility but soon this market will be oversold. In spite of this, our builders' portfolio is ahead--remember this is a paper trading portfolio.

I sold Orleans Home Builders and did not replace it yet. We're up 9.63 % as of last Friday.  

Yes, the problems are mountains to climb. But we can choose to look down on the valley or up to the mountaintop there is ALWAYS opportunity. This is AMERICA! 

(This is not investment advice.)

(As I write this, the DOW is surging, the number of Buyers to Sellers  indicates that there are more buyers of stocks today than yesterday and that number is increasing and Morgan Stanley who took a beating yesterday is soaring--all due to Government's quick fixes--)

The information that follows is based an email I got from Ric Edelman, a well known financial adviser. Edelman is the author of “The Lies About Money” and several other books.

After reading his email, I have changed my mind about the wisdom about the moves made by Secretary of the Treasury Paulson because I am willing to learn, admit when I am wrong and what Edelman related to me just made sense. He is also an expert I trust and respect. Based on that,  I wanted  to share with you a synopsis of some of what that email contained since there is so much disinformation, wrong information and emotional junk floated by the media.

Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulson knows Wall Street. He served as chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs before becoming Treasury’s secretary.They let Lehman go because there were no takers who wanted to buy the firm. Lehman Brother’s deserved to get what it got and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson did the right thing.

The decision to take over Fannie and Freddie and fire the CEOs ? Well they had no choice, even though it will cost tax payers billions.The bailout of Bear Stearns was a prudent short-term measure since its collapse would have caused panic on the street—This was what Paulson engineered: Chase would buy Bear Sterns and the Government was willing to pay  the losses caused by Bear’s derivative business--so this is not a "bail out" like AIG, for example. Paulson’s message is clear: the Government is not going to blindly bail out investment firms—that’s why Merrill agreed so quickly to Bank of America’s takeover offer, which the government isn’t underwriting.

The news media makes much over the decline the Stock Market. Once again, they only prove how ignorant they are of how Wall Street works and of history.

“The 504-point decline of the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Monday seemed to be a negative response to the weekend’s news about Lehman, Merrill and AIG, but look closer. “ (Edelman)

• AIG’s stock fell 60% on Monday
• 20 of the 30 Dow stocks fell less than 5%.
• Investors aren’t stupid, and as a result the Dow jumped 142 points on Tuesday;

Is a 504-point decline catastrophic?

• On a percentage basis, Monday’s drop was the 96th biggest drop in the Dow’s history, according to Dow Jones & Company.
• The Dow would have had to decline 1,350 points for the market to be halted for an hour.(1987 triggers put in place after the 1987 crash)

• 500 point drop  isn’t even close to hitting the triggers that were put into place after the Crash of 1987

The good news is that what we’re seeing is not investors panicking at all!

So, this too shall pass. A little pain for a bit, but the sky isn't falling. We will get through it. I just wish the politicians and the media would stop with the economic pablum--there words hurt more than help.

I mean for  Majority "Leader" Harry Reid to say, we're going to recess because "we just don't know what to do" is a commentary on the state of this country's leadership. The words "zip" and "none" come  to mind.

I think the media and politicians should talk more about what they know about. Anyone got a shovel?