Pissing in a Thunder$torm

From the Washington Post: Housing Crisis Casts a Cloud Over Sun Belt.

Formerly booming Sun Belt cities are the epicenters of this economic downturn. Many economists believe that the likes of Phoenix, Las Vegas, Miami and San Diego are already in recession.

Within these regions, the pain is concentrated among people who overextended themselves on mortgage debt to take advantage of housing prices that seemingly did nothing but rise. Because many of those people are facing massive debt, the tax rebates of $500 to $600 per person contemplated by Congress would offer little solace.

"We're in so deep that it doesn't seem like anything will help," said Rebekah Ao, 33, a pregnant homemaker who lives in a new four-bedroom home in Avondale with her husband, Otto, a truck driver. The Aos, with $50,000 in income, owe a total of $607,000 on mortgages for two houses they bought since they moved to the Phoenix area about two years ago.

Of course, nothing will help. You've borrowed more than 12X income.

3X is the limit if, I don't know, you want to eat or some such.

And there's a bun in the oven too. Maybe you can put the placenta on the barbeque! That'll save you a trip to McD's. I've heard it's quite delicious.

Within these regions, the pain is concentrated among people who overextended themselves on mortgage debt to take advantage of housing prices that seemingly did nothing but rise. Because many of those people are facing massive debt, the tax rebates of $500 to $600 per person contemplated by Congress would offer little solace.

Rival stimulus plans being considered in Congress promise a cash infusion of as much as $1,200 per couple and $300 per child.

Whatever. This is all grandstanding.

Pissing in front of the Niagara Falls, and saying, "Mine is bigger."