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December 27, 2007
It's a Wonderful Housing Bubble
I was screening "It's a Wonderful Life" last night as research for a writing project and because I could not sleep.
If you'll recall, the Bailey Building & Loan Association made subprime loans to working-class folks so they wouldn't have to live in run-down tenements owned by Old Man Potter.
There's a scene in which George and Mary Bailey welcome Mr. Martini and his family to their capacious new home with symbolic gifts of bread, salt and wine. The Martinis were to pay $5,000 back to the Building & Loan for their new abode, but according to Potter's rent collector (the fabulous Charles Lane), the house is "probably worth twice that amount."
The home that appears in the film is a real house in a real neighborhood: 4587 Viro Road, La Canada Flintridge, California. Zillow.com estimates that the house is now worth $1.2 million.
Posted by Your Protagonist at 12:25 PM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2007
"I, uh, laughed! Did you laugh?"
I was looking at something grim and relevant on YouTube a few moments ago when I wished I had some mental floss handy.
I typed "madeline kahn" into the search box and feel much better now:
High Anxiety (1977)
Posted by Your Protagonist at 11:44 PM | Comments (0)
December 05, 2007
Interview tip #14: always pay attention.
The exec studied my resume for another minute while I concentrated on my breathing. My eyes had finally adjusted to the bank of fluorescent lights overhead, but that didn't make me a fan. I crossed my legs and thought about what conference rooms might look like in a hundred years.
He looked up from my CV and asked several questions, rapid-fire. Dream job? Recent successes? Greatest personal strength? Weakness?
This wasn't my first time at the dance, so I did my best to be concise and truthful. He appeared to be listening.
"Good, very good," he said, after a time. "But tell me this -- what's your favorite color?"
"Corduroy," I deadpanned, reaching for my glass of water.
Posted by Your Protagonist at 04:15 PM | Comments (0)