Scary stories from the campfire

 TTC Media Photo

Open Letter to the Citizens of Gloucester County Virginia

“For the Common Good. “

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION.

Scary stories as told under the full moon during the Battle of the Hook weekend event.

Disclaimer and warning:  Do not read this if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, no blood pressure, or know someone that does.  As around most campfires people will tell ghost stories to scare everyone there.  There are no ghost stories told around the province campfire because what is happening is scary enough.

After the sun went down and the camp was settled for the night people gather around the fire to tell Scary stories.  It seemed like the thing to do on full moon in October in Gloucester County.

The stories were about how Officers of the Court were creating legal and illegal ways to steal our land for themselves.  The first story teller told about a Gloucester Attorney that has become the Middlesex County Attorney and tried to get an illegal ordnance passed to take property that was not in use.  (Reported in their county paper and on Mr. Thompson's Blog site.)  This scared a lot of the people around the fire and people have cold shivers going up their spines and it was not a cold night.  There were several other stories that were not as memorable and could not top this tale.  People were ready to call it a night when a person came out of the shadows and said he had a story to share.

He started the story, said it had to do with a current local Circuit Court Judge, who sat on a case in King Bill County to take peoples land for not paying their taxes on the land. Then when the land went up for sale this same judge with the lawyer that brought the case to court were able to buy over 2,000 acres of land for less than $1.50 per acre. We were told this is not the only questionable thing this judge has done relating to land.  The person went on telling us that is why the American Revolution was fought to protect we the people from injustices by the ruling class in England.  Then a noise was heard and everyone turned to see what was going on.  When we turned back the storyteller was gone and he could not be found.  The people around the fire commented on the authentic 1780 clothing the storyteller was wearing and they were not able to find reproductions that nice.  Over the weekend people looked for the storyteller to get more information but he was never seen again.

This story has nothing to do with any person alive or dead if it seems like it does it is coincidence and not done on purpose.  This is a work of fiction.

County residents tell the Supervisors they are to protect our rights not there to allow theft of our property.  You were elected to service us not to steal from us.  Our Officers of the Court should remember what they learned about our Constitutional Rights in school and should protect them and not find ways around them.  As officers of the Court you have an oath to uphold the Constitution of the US and Virginia.  They should all be held accountable.  To the citizens of Gloucester, especially county employees, if you know of questionable activities let us know so we can expose it to the light of day.

I am not a lawyer and cannot give legal advice.  Our founding fathers used common sense when establishing our founding documents. 

“For the Common Good. “

Sincerely,

Alexander James Jay

P.S.  "While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian." –George Washington (1778)

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Governor McDonnell Announces $45 million investment in Henrico County

Governor of Virginia Bob McDonnell speaking at CPAC. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dominion Packaging to establish second manufacturing operation and create 113 new jobs

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Dominion Packaging will invest $45 million to establish a manufacturing operation in Henrico County. The company, which produces high-quality packaging solutions for major customers in the tobacco, quick service restaurant, and consumer markets, will also move its headquarters to Henrico. Virginia successfully competed against North Carolina for the project, which will create 113 new jobs.

            Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McDonnell said, “This major investment from a thriving Virginia company will enable Dominion Packaging to increase its presence and manufacturing capacity, and upgrade equipment to the latest state-of-the-art technologies available in the industry. The company continues to grow, and this expansion will allow Dominion to maintain a competitive position in its selected markets, and ensure long-term viability in the Commonwealth for years to come.”

            “We commend Dominion Packaging on continued success in Virginia, as evidenced by this significant expansion to Henrico County,” said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “Dominion is an award-winning company that supplies packaging solutions to major customers and household names, and will build on its reputation of quality and excellence with an upgrade to the latest equipment available. We thank the company for this investment and the creation of more than 100 new jobs for Virginians.”

            Dominion Packaging was established to fulfill a specific need within the packaging industry for a company that can provide innovative solutions and personal customer service. Dominion delivers superior quality products as well as extensive face-to-face communication. What sets Dominion apart from the competition is its ability to utilize experienced personal involvement at all stages of the manufacturing process. The company has a proven track record in supplying innovative solutions for complex problems that face its customers in the tobacco, quick service restaurant, and consumer markets.

            “As we sought out the ideal location for our second operation, we determined that the location next to the airport would provide a strategic base to support our local customers as well as provide excellent options for the transport of raw materials and finished goods to the east coast and mid-west,” said Brett Hawkins, President –CEO, Dominion Packaging. “With the Port of Richmond located a few miles south of the plant, this allows us to import raw materials from all over the world as we continue to develop packaging solutions driven by innovation and the competitive cost of our primary materials. Our partnership with the Henrico County Economic Development Authority and the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will enable Dominion to reach our business plans for the new plant but also assure future growth to support our local economy. Dominion is very grateful for our employees, customers, and the local and state government to assist in our success.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Henrico County Economic Development Authority to secure the project for Virginia. Governor McDonnell approved a $300,000 performance-based grant from the Virginia Investment Partnership program, an incentive available to existing Virginia companies. The company is also eligible to receive a Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit. Through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide funding and services to support the company’s recruitment and training activities.

            “We are delighted to have Dominion Packaging join our corporate community,” said David A. Kaechele, Chairman, Henrico County Board of Supervisors. “They are a proven leader in the packaging industry and have offered innovative solutions to major companies throughout the United States.  We look forward to helping Dominion grow and prosper in Henrico.”

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Governor McDonnell Announces 55 New Jobs in Carroll County

English: Bumpersticker on the campaign trail (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Classic Creations to invest $1.4 million in new commercial screen printing operation

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Classic Creations, LLC will invest $1.4 million to establish a new commercial screen printing operation to provide retail products to the sports industry. Virginia successfully competed against North Carolina for the project, which will create 55 new jobs.

            Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McDonnell said, “Classic Creations was established to fulfill a niche, and today we celebrate that the company chose Virginia and Carroll County as home to its retail products operation for the sports and motorsports industries. This project is a great fit for the recreation interests of the region, and the capital investment and new job creation is outstanding for Carroll County. We welcome Classic Creations to the Commonwealth and remain ready to do what we can to facilitate the company’s success.”

            “We commend the hard work and dedication of all involved to show Classic Creations that Carroll County is the best location for their new operation,” said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “An available facility that meets the company’s needs and allows quick start-up to production, and a workforce trained and available are major factors that put Virginia ahead of the competition. We are confident that Classic Creations will find success supplying products for the motorsports industry that is strong and thriving in Virginia.”

Classic Creations will provide high-tech screen printing, embroidery, art, packaging, warehousing, and fulfillment services to the nationwide imprinted apparel market. Classic Creations is a state of-the-art company that will provide contract and full package programs to major retailers, manufacturers, licensing companies, and promotional product distributors. Classic Creations CEO Keith Sanders has over 30 years experience in all phases of the apparel industry. Greg Crowder is a Classic Creations partner and has more than 20 years of experience in the industry, marketing, wholesaling and distributing products for NASCAR and other related entities.

Classic Creation products will be distributed nationwide for NASCAR, NFL, MLB, and NHL, catalog mail order, Cracker Barrel, College / University, corporate, private label apparel brands, and major retailers. All sales, administration, manufacturing, finishing, shipping, and distribution will be performed out of the facility in Carroll County, located at 358 Industrial Park Drive in Hillsville.    

Classic Creations CEO Keith Sanders said, “Classic Creations came to Carroll County for several reasons. The main reason being the high quality of the workforce, an available facility that fit Classic Creations requirements of square footage and curb appeal, lower startup cost, logistics (excellent transportation routes), and lower monthly operation cost. Also, a main reason was the hard work put forward by the Carroll County Administrator, The Carroll County Industrial Development Authority, The Carroll County Board of Supervisors, The Virginia Tobacco Commission, the SBDC (Blue Ridge Crossroads), Virginia’s aCorridor, and the cooperation of the Town of Hillsville administration. All of these entities partnered to provide incentives and assistance to open the operation in Carroll County.”       

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Carroll County and Virginia’s aCorridor to secure the project for Virginia. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission approved $175,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds for the project. Through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide funding and services to support the company’s recruitment and training activities.

            Carroll County Board of Supervisor Member Dr. Tom Littrell said, “The addition of Classic Creations to our community will not only provide jobs and investment, it will also provide commercial services for other areas. Classic Creations will have customers visiting Carroll County on a regular basis from all across the United States. Keith and Classic Creations will be doing work for folks such as the NFL, NHL, MLB, and NASCAR. We are exceptionally pleased that we can utilize our textile talents in other arenas and bring these 55 jobs to Carroll County.”

Mr. Richard Slate, Chairman of the Carroll County Industrial Development Authority (IDA), said, “With the support of the Board of Supervisors, the IDA has been working hard to fill vacant buildings in our Industrial Park with jobs. We are much more competitive as a community now that we have natural gas. This project in particular could not have landed here if the IDA had not installed the new natural gas system. It is really nice to see the fruits of our labor bring prosperity to the community I love.”

            “We are excited to assist Classic Creations in establishing its new operation in Carroll County,” said Delegate Terry Kilgore, Chairman of the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission. “The addition of 55 new jobs is great news for the region, and we are confident they will be a great asset and corporate partner.”

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Oreos Are Found to Be as Addictive as Cocaine

English: Double Stuf Oreos, by Nabisco. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Dr. Mercola

When you eat refined processed sugars, they trigger production of your brain's natural opioids -- a key ingredient in the addiction process. Your brain essentially becomes addicted to stimulating the release of its own opioids as it would to morphine or heroin.

This addictive nature of sugar and processed food has again been confirmed by a psychology professor and a team of students at the College of Connecticut,1, 2who showed that Oreo cookies are just as addictive as cocaine or morphine.

The study, which was designed to investigate the potential addictiveness of high-fat/high-sugar foods, also found that eating Oreos activated more neurons in the rat brain’s pleasure center than exposure to illicit drugs did. According to professor Schroeder:

“Our research supports the theory that high-fat/ high-sugar foods stimulate the brain in the same way that drugs do. It may explain why some people can’t resist these foods despite the fact that they know they are bad for them.”

The idea for the study originated with neuroscience major Jamie Honohan, who wanted to know how the high prevalence of junk foods in low-income neighborhoods might contribute to the obesity epidemic.

Indeed, it’s quite revealing to note that, in contrast to third-world countries, in the US the poorest people have the highest obesity rates. This seeming contradiction is, I believe, a clear indication that the problem stems from the diet itself.

Something in the cheapest and most readily available foods is creating metabolic havoc, and that’s exactly what researchers keep finding. As reported by Connecticut college:

“...Oreos activated significantly more neurons than cocaine or morphine. 'This correlated well with our behavioral results and lends support to the hypothesis that high-fat/ high sugar foods can be thought of as addictive,' said Schroeder.

And that could be a problem for the general public, says Honohan. ‘Even though we associate significant health hazards in taking drugs like cocaine and morphine, high-fat/ high-sugar foods may present even more of a danger because of their accessibility and affordability,’ she said.”

Please note that I do not agree with the comment that everything that is considered high-fat is bad for you. Oreo cookies and virtually every other processed snack are bad because they use highly processed omega-6 vegetable oils, the wrong type of fat. However it is possible to make a healthy high-fat snack using oils like coconut oil.

Processed Foods Are DESIGNED to Be Addictive

Indeed, scientific research into the addictive nature of certain foods, combined with shocking “insider” exposés,3 tells us that Americans are not necessarily lacking in self control when it comes to their food consumption. Rather, food companies have perfected food concoctions that are addictive. And they know it.

Most people blindly believe that food companies will do the right thing; that they would never produce food that might be toxic or harmful. This, we’ve learned is not the case.

The food industry is well aware of its role in creating obesity, and they’re not ignorant as to the reason why Americans can’t seem to get enough junk food. They even insist on selling foods to the American market with ingredients that have been banned for health reasons in other countries...

Most processed foods are actually created to be addictive—whether we’re talking about cookies or pasta sauce—through the masterful use of addictive ingredients like salt, fat, sugar and a wide variety of proprietary flavorings.

In a previous New York Times article,4 investigative reporter Michael Moss wrote about the extraordinary science behind taste and junk food addiction, and how multinational food companies struggle to maintain their “stomach shares” in the face of mounting evidence that their foods are driving the health crisis.

In it he mentions a 1999 meeting between 11 CEOs in charge of America’s largest food companies, including Kraft, Nabisco, General Mills, Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and Mars, where their role in the increasingly poor health of Americans was addressed head-on. Moss writes in part:

“James Behnke, a 55-year-old executive at Pillsbury... was engaged in conversation with a group of food-science experts who were painting an increasingly grim picture of the public’s ability to cope with the industry’s formulations —

From the body’s fragile controls on overeating to the hidden power of some processed foods to make people feel hungrier still. It was time, he and a handful of others felt, to warn the C.E.O.’s that their companies may have gone too far in creating and marketing products that posed the greatest health concerns.“

SHOCKING! EU Approves Health Claim for Fructose

With everything we now know about the metabolic disaster that is fructose, it’s absolutely SHOCKING to learn that the European Union has approved a health claim for fructose,5 slated to take effect as of 2014. Many of my readers are scattered through the EU nations, and for you, understanding the ramifications of this label is crucial.

As of 2014, food manufacturers that replace at least 30 percent of the glucose and/or sucrose content in their food with fructose will be allowed to put a health claim on their product, stating that it has a positive effect on carbohydrate metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

There’s no doubt in my mind that such a health claim will promote an avalanche of chronic disease, as food manufacturers start switching from the lesser to the greater of two evils... As reported by Ingredients Network:6

“[F]ood and beverage manufacturers can expect a healthy upward surge in sales for products with fructose from the 2nd of January 2014 when the European Union’s fructose health claim comes into effect. ...[T]he fructose declaration promises to be truly ground breaking for food and beverage manufacturers. Manufacturers who substitute at least 30 percent of glucose or sucrose with fructose can now claim that

‘Consumption of foods containing fructose leads to a lower blood glucose rise compared to foods containing sucrose or glucose.’ ...fructose’s ability to emphasize fruity flavors also makes the news particularly favorable for manufacturers of beverages, fruit preparations, fruit flavored ice-cream, yogurts and more.

Since the EU’s game-changing step, validating fructose benefits, the industry’s attention has focused with increased urgency on the opportunities presented by incorporating non-GMO crystalline fructose into different food and beverages products...”

Why Fructose Is Worse for You Than Other Sugars

One of the primary problems with refined fructose is that it is isocaloric but not isometabolic. What this means is that while you can have the same amount of calories from fructose or any other nutrient, including glucose, the metabolic effect will be entirely different despite the identical calorie count.

While it is true that refined fructose creates a lower glycemic response immediately after eating it, compared to sucrose or glucose, to say that it is therefore healthier for you is a gross and seriously misleading claim that wholly ignores its overall metabolic consequences.

In short, the fact that refined fructose produces a lower immediate glycemic response is completely irrelevant, because the overall metabolic effects are far more destructive. In my view, this label is dangerous, and may set the EU up for an out-of-control spiral of chronic disease.

Refined fructose actually affects your body in ways similar to alcohol, hence the rise in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease—and, again, addiction. Fructose and ethanol both have immediate, narcotic effects associated with their dopaminergic properties. In the same way that alcohol can lead to the downward spiral of compulsive overconsumption, fructose tends to generate an insatiable and intense sensation of pleasurable sweetness, often driving us to consume far more than our body can handle; even while it damages multiple organ systems.

The EU Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies even spells out the consequences in their Opinion paper,7 while still agreeing with the proposed health claim for fructose:

“The Panel considers that in order to bear the claim, glucose or sucrose should be replaced by fructose in sugar sweetened foods or beverages. The target population is individuals who wish to reduce their post-prandial glycaemic responses. The Panel notes that high intakes of fructose may lead to metabolic complications such as dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance and increased visceral adiposity.“ [Emphasis mine]

What You Need to Know About Fructose versus Glucose Metabolism

Again, while refined fructose creates a lower glycemic response in the short term, compared to other sugars, in the long term, it causes greater metabolic havoc than sugar. This has been repeatedly demonstrated in scientific studies. One of the most recent ones, published in the journal Nature,8 again concluded that while refined fructose and glucose have the same caloric value, they are metabolized differently, and fructose causes more harm of the two. Below is a summary of the main differences between glucose and fructose metabolism, which explains why I keep repeating that fructose is by far the worst type of sugar there is:

With fructose, 100 percent of the metabolic burden rests on your liver. But with glucose, your liver has to break down only 20 percent	When you eat 120 calories of glucose, less than one calorie is stored as fat. 120 calories of fructose results in 40 calories being stored as fat. Consuming fructose is essentially consuming fat!
Every cell in your body, including your brain, utilizes glucose. Therefore, much of it is "burned up" immediately after you consume it. By contrast, fructose is turned into free fatty acids (FFAs), VLDL (the damaging form of cholesterol), and triglycerides, which get stored as fat	The metabolism of fructose by your liver creates a long list of waste products and toxins, including a large amount of uric acid, which drives up blood pressure and causes gout
The fatty acids created during fructose metabolism accumulate as fat, both in your liver and skeletal muscle tissues, causing insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Insulin resistance progresses to metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes	Glucose suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin and stimulates leptin, which suppresses your appetite. Fructose has no effect on ghrelin and interferes with your brain's communication with leptin, resulting in overeating
Fructose is the most lipophilic carbohydrate. In other words, fructose converts to activated glycerol (g-3-p), which is directly used to turn FFAs into triglycerides. The more g-3-p you have, the more fat you store. Glucose does not do this	In addition to fructose's dopamine modulating activity, there appears to be afructose-opiate connection. While both glucose and fructose are capable of creating pain killing effects, researchers have found that fructose is more potent than glucose in accomplishing these effects, suggesting it may be more addictive

 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/10/30/oreos-fructose-consumption.aspx  Visit Mercola for more information and videos on this topic.

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Gloucester, VA School Board Candidates Video

Listen to the candidates as they introduce themselves and give background of their what they are bringing to the table for you.  The candidates are running unopposed so you really have a choice as to who will be representing your interests on the school board.  What we find rather interesting about the talk here is that Ms Hook stated that the reason why the school board and administration for Gloucester is moving from it's present location at the courthouse is because they were evicted.  Word on the street has it that they were evicted from their location based on their own request for such causing an increase in our tax burden.

  So you have to really wonder about what some of these people are telling you.  Can you trust them?  One can always write in a different candidate or vote no confidence.  It's your choice.  Vote what you think is best.  

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McGrath: “We Live in a Time in the United States Where Nothing Is What It Seems”

United States Capitol (Photo credit: Jack in DC)

Mac Slavo
October 29th, 2013

Every message we get from the mainstream media, or a White House press conference, or even from those we may talk to on a daily basis has been specifically designed to manipulate our sentiment and outlook. Most of the time, your friends and coworkers don’t even realize they’ve become a propaganda mouthpiece for an agenda set forth by government or business interests.

Even a precursory examination of what political leaders, economists, and the mainstream media have been telling us should make it clear that we are in the midst of one of the greatest mass deceptions of a country’s populace in the history of the world.

The lies and half truths now pervade every aspect of our lives.

As Charlie McGrath of Wide Awake News notes, the consequence is a population that has been left helpless and under the direct control of their masters.

We certainly live in a time here in the United States where nothing is what it seems… where the truth is taken and massaged and manipulated, spun up, and handed to the people… and it doesn’t bear any resemblance of truth by the time we evaluate and look into the details of whatever was being sold in the first place.
We live in a time of bait and switch, smoke and mirrors deception.
We’d be far better off now to go through a collapse then we will be five years down the road… because every single day that passes in this country the lies continue to mount up, but so does the debt, and so does the misery.
The mainstream establishment media wants you to believe we are on the cusp of a sustainable recovery, or in fact we are in one…
But you can’t hide the numbers…
…
The truth is we are not on the road to recovery. We are making a bunch of zombies out of the people of this nation and it’s becoming far, far worse.
Consider this… We have more people on the welfare rolls right now in the United States than we have full time workers… 49.2% of all Americans receive a check from the government… we have 1.2 million students who are homeless in this country, allegedly the richest country on earth… over half the students in this country are considered to be living in low income homes… the gap between the rich and the poor has never been as high as it is right now.
37% of the households are in poverty if you’re thirty years old or less… one out of every five households is on food stamps…
In the last 5 years of recovery… we have spent $3.7 Trillion in welfare programs… it’s $3.7 trillion of tokens… it’s $3.7 trillion of pacifiers… $3.7 trillion of control…
…
So, collapse now… absolutely it would be a bad thing. But if we wait into the future it’s going to be far, far worse.

 In a truly free market our financial, economic and monetary systems would have already collapsed. The bad debt would have been wiped out of the system and nature would have re-balanced the equation.

Our political and economic leaders chose, instead, to manipulate everything from monetary policy to perception in an effort to make us believe the system has been stabilized.

It’s been smoke and mirrors from day one, and now millions more have been impoverished and put squarely under the thumb of government dependence.

In the year 2000, when the tech bubble stock market crash began, there were about 17 million Americans depending on government food stamp assistance. Today that number has nearly tripled, to 48 million people.

Similar trends exist with respect to unemployment, wage reductions, welfare, disability, health care assistance and government debt.

We now have more people than ever before helplessly dependent on the State.

What happens when America  finally runs out of money and our creditors refuse to lend us more?

A decade ago the fall-out may have been manageable.

If it happened today, as noted by the US Secretary of the Treasury,  it’d be a catastrophic collapse – the kind that leads to generations of despair, destitution, violence and a complete realignment of our political system.

This is what we face going forward.

http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/mcgrath-we-live-in-a-time-in-the-united-states-where-nothing-is-what-it-seems_10292013

Look Out Below: Home Sales Plunge: “Biggest Drop in 40 Months”

The NAR building and the U.S. Capitol in the background. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mac Slavo
October 28th, 2013

Last week the Sacramento Bee published a report indicating the foreclosure rates had returned to “normal” levels and that the, “foreclosure crisis that overwhelmed the greater Sacramento area for the past seven years has ended.” The Sacramento, California area was one of the hardest hit by the recession and foreclosures, with average home price declines reaching 50% in some areas.

If foreclosure rates were dropping, suggested analysts, it means that home sales must be rising again.

Except they didn’t.

According to a report from the National Association of Realtors home sales plunged significantly in the month of September. So much so that it is the single largest drop in signed home sales in 40 months.

The National Association of Realtors said Monday that its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index dropped 5.6 percent last month from August to a reading of 101.6. That also pushed the index below its year-ago level, the first time that’s happened in nearly 2 ½ years.
There is generally a one- to two-month lag between a signed contract and a completed sale. The drop suggests final sales will decline in the coming months.
Via Sac Bee
…
The pending home sales data collapsed in September (and remember this is before the shutdown and was heralded at the time as buyers rushing to buy before the risk of the shutdown slowed acceptances). Affordability, argued by some serial extrapolators as still being ‘relatively’ positive – has drastically weighed on housing at the margin just as we argued previously. This is the first annual drop in 29 months, the biggest drop in 40 months, and the biggest miss against expectations in 40 months.
Via Zero Hedge

There are a variety of factors that may be at play here. Officially, the NAR reports that the drop in sales is a result of higher mortgage rates and the government shutdown.

Of course, the shutdown didn’t happened until the month after the drop, so there’s that.

Rising mortgage rates certainly play a role, and those rates only declined to begin with because of massive Fed monetary intervention.

In fact, the Federal Reserve has made so much money available, that many economists believe the debt party is back.

We are very closely approaching 2007 levels of personal and business debt. Likewise, we’re reaching new highs on stock market exchanges and home prices seemed to be recovering to boot.

But the real question is… how can we possibly be in a recovery when millions of Americans remain unemployed and underpaid?

How is it possible that home prices were rising and sales increasing while a record 107 million Americans received government distributions?

How can we be out of a recession when nearly 50 million Americans – fully 23 million households, or about 20% – are dependent on food stamps?

The answer is simple.

The entire economy is now a complete sham.

The CPI economic growth index indicates our economy is growing at a rate of about 2.5%. Simultaneously, however, the official rate of inflation is 2.5% (nearly 6% if welook at the real numbers). What this means is that not only is the economy not growing, we are actually in a growth decline of at least 3%.

By economists’ definition, a recession is a period of time in which we experience negative economic growth for two quarters. Given we’ve seen a real decline in economic growth for at least the last five years, does anyone still believe we’re out of the recession?

Or is it possible that we are in a greater depression that continues to chip away at Americans’ wealth?

When experts say we’re out of the recession because the economy is growing, it’s important to understand that the purported “growth” is simply inflation making it’s way into the system.

It’s the very same reason for why stock markets have once again reached record highs (none of these company’s earnings justify their outrageous stock prices!), and why home prices didn’t continue to collapse.

They injected the system, literally, with trillions of dollars to keep prices afloat and avoid a deflationary depression.

The consequence, however, will be continued inflation – likely hyperinflation – in years to come.

The only other option is to scale back the Fed’s monetary expansion – in which case we see a complete collapse in prices.

The bottom line is that all roads to true recovery will be extremely painful.

http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/look-out-below-home-sales-plunge-biggest-drop-in-40-months_10282013

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