The Demise of DU's "Mr. Snoozy" & Reality of Change in America Today

[KoKo]

I've lived for 12 years in a High Growth area in the Southern Part of the US, and every day my senses are assaulted with tear downs, renovations of tear downs and destruction of wildlife areas for new office space. New roads to bring new people in are constantly bulldozed through our forests and rape the landscape daily. The change since Bush usurped the Presidency has been startling. Watching a more "gracious" way of life disappear under the greed and financial maneuvering of "REITS" (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and the manipulations of "Hedge Funds" who invest in "speculation" and are getting what must be enormous, unheard of profits for these speculations in our current unevenly regulated economy.

Where I live in the Southeast, the Beach communities have gone from "reasonable" to "Million Plus" Mansions. The Mountain Communities are rising fast. And, even a little three bedroom cottage in a "hot spot" can go for over $600,000 just in the last year alone. The threat of Hurricanes just doesn't seem to quell the thirst for the "speculators" who have used "no downpayment mortgages" to leverage their holdings. It's been a "get rich quick scheme" that caught on when Bush was installed and has grown beyond anyone's wildest dreams. There are Real Estate Investment Groups who focus solely on aquiring and renovating or demolishing which reminds me of the heydey of the "Dot Com Bubble" where everyone had an "Investment Club."

THE POSSIBLE DOWNSIDE OF ALL OF THIS:

Where I live in the Southeast, change for "change alone" because of what would appear the economic rewards of economic growth and the attendant financial rewards of it all has replaced the beautiful close knit fabric of families sharing and the commeraderie of common experience. I miss the Southeast where folks honored their parents and history and took the time to vist the graveyards where their ancestors were buried remembering to bring flowers and say a few words for those who had gone before who were "of them" in memories and blood.

Just 12 years ago, Churches were gathering places for community worship, volunteering and "FUN" socializing. But, in this amount of time they've become a litmus test for ones Political values. And, the social values one holds inside oneself are constantly scrutinized for
for loyalty.

We are "High Growth and Low Unemployment" here in my part of the Southeastern America. (Some would say we are very lucky to be an exception.) But, WHAT WE'VE LOST to achieve all that will never be replaced. And, what the rest of America has lost in "Grounding, Heritage, Sense of Place, Dignity, Stability and taking TIME to think of the repurcussions of "Quick Change, Massive Change and Change for Change itself all in the name of "Growth," has it's DOWNSIDE.

"Mr. Snoozy" is gone and there's a big "X" in his place. Those of us who remember when he first appeared as a creation of our Administrators to quell the conflict at DU will remember how wonderful he was. He gave us a chance to "tune out and turn off" those who might have been "bullies, agressors or trolls." Now...there's no personality in that big "X" which serves as his replacement. I know, most will say it's just part of change, an improvement in "graphic design." Just another change we need to get used to, adapt to, when a "MC Mansio"n is built on top of a "tear down." Yet the "tear down" might just be a lovely home where folks moved with hope for the future, raised families and had many memories. YET...for the "tear down maniacs" it just wasn't "glitzy enough" that little four bedroom ranch or four bedroom Colonial built in the 1960's or the 1980's respectively. It NEEDS TO GO BECAUSE GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY OUTWEIGH EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING!

I guess I find some things sad that others don't...but I had to post about this. Too many "Tear Downs" start to deplete ones spirit and go into their souls. It has a consequence for all of us as fellow travelers on this Earth...it has consequences we don't even realize until we have nothing of value left. :shrug:
ON EDIT! THIS POST IS NOT MEANT TO CRITICIZE ADMINS FOR WHAT THEY DO THAT THEY THINK IS CORRECT FOR THIS SITE...IT'S MEANT TO POINT ATTENTION TO SOCIETY IN GENERAL IN AMERICA TODAY...FROM MY OWN POINT OF VIEW...My 2 Cents....THAT'S ALL!

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Real Estate: South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Graphic showing rise in home prices · Complete coverage of the real estate boom in South Florida ... Tear-downs on rise in high-demand neighborhoods ...
www.sun-sentinel.com/business/realestate/ - 83k - Nov 11, 2005 - Cached - Similar pages

How Much Real Estate $1 Million Buys - Forbes.com
"Aspen has limited real estate that's available, and our political climate ... You could opt for a better property, but you'll have to tear down the house ...
www.forbes.com/realestate/2005/04/28/cx_sc_0429home.html?partner=yahoo - Similar pages

WASHINGTONIAN: Real Estate
•Waterfront estate with fabulous views $2100000; •Waterfront tear down $575000 ... honest individuals for FT Real Estate career! Computer knowledge helpful. ...
www.washingtonian.com/thismonth/RealEstate/homes.html - 25k - Nov 11, 2005 - Cached - Similar pages

Tycoon in the making - Mar. 10, 2005
For the young immigrant Tamara Garber, real estate opens the golden door. ... unit in Englewood Cliffs that she wanted to tear down and rebuild. ...
money.cnn.com/2005/03/04/real_estate/investment_prop/tycoongarber/ - 37k - Nov 12, 2005 - Cached - Similar pages

Home selling and buying of the rich - Jun. 16, 2004
Among circles of the rich and famous, the names of the best real estate agents ... In fact, he's recently decided to tear down his own summer home in the ...
money.cnn.com/2004/06/11/real_estate/mil_life/rich_buying/ - 35k - Cached - Similar pages

[BrklynLiberal]

1. I do empathize. I had grown to know what all the icons meant, and now I

have to stop and think, and relearn.
But it is said that the only sign of life is growth...so we must grow, even if it sometimes painful... (This in no way should be construed to mean that I condone tearing down paradise to build parking lots or the construction of those hideous McMansions!!!)



:hug:

[eleny]

2. "Mr. Snoozy"

:cry: :cry: :cry: Well, I miss him, too.

[Cleita]

3. Welcome to California.

This had been going on for decades here and yet we have more homeless I think than anywhere else. I too have watched wetlands and forests disappear along with the wildlife. A few years back my husband wanted to go fishing up in the Sierras. We couldn't find a river with fish in it because a combination of drought and diversion of water with dams for irrigation to the Central Valley had reduced the rivers to wet rocks.

[Skinner]

4. Self-delete.

It's not worth it.

[KoKo]

7. This post is not meant to be criticism of DU Admins...

(I've put a disclaimer on my original post). Your change in "icons" made me think of a "bigger picture with America today." It was not meant to be "personal." But...just expressing my minor 2 Cents worth of viewpoint in General Discussion.

Here's my Edit:


THIS POST IS NOT MEANT TO CRITICIZE ADMINS FOR WHAT THEY DO THAT THEY THINK IS CORRECT FOR THIS SITE...IT'S MEANT TO POINT ATTENTION TO SOCIETY IN GENERAL IN AMERICA TODAY...FROM MY OWN POINT OF VIEW...My 2 Cents....THAT'S ALL!

[Pool Hall Ace]

5. I totally agree.

And I miss "Mr. Snoozy" too.

If only I had known, I would have cached him. :cry:

[w13rd0]

6. What in the hell are you ppl talking about?

n/t

[Tamarin]

8. Mr. Snoozy was the Ignore icon. May he rest in peace. eom