Sign of the times - Phifer homes (tacky lights site) in Richmond, Virginia in danger of

[LiberalLoner]

foreclosure. They've been having literally a million Christmas lights on in their yards/homes for 33 years now, and this year there was a donation box and a sign saying they might lose their homes. Cut backs in work, less money coming in.

It seemed to me to be a sign of the times. This couple, even with financial stress, decided to continue to pay the thousands in energy bills, so that the community would have this wonderful Xmas sight to see. They didn't want to let down the people who look forward to that every Xmas. But this will probably be the last year they can do this as they will be losing their home(s) probably.

It just seemed to me, to be a real sign of the times. :(

[Systematic Chaos]

1. As if the whole thing weren't sick enough just for the carbon footprint.

I try and have sympathy for so many people and situations, but things like this make it very hard for me to have any kind of compassion at all.

I mean, do you realize how many homeless people could be fed for a month and given some nice winter clothes for the amount of their electric bill? I read that it was like over $20k per month, unless they were using LEDs and then it would be like $5k. But no, they have to wave their big light peen and be the center of local attention rather than chilling the fuck out and prioritizing.

I'm getting more and more angry the longer I sit here and type. Fuck it.

[flvegan]

2. Wait...I'm unclear. Did they choose the lights over keeping their home?

Or were they likely to lose the home anyway and said what the hell to one last year of lights?

Now that I've typed it out, either option is kinda stupid.

[Systematic Chaos]

3. They seem to be trying to use it as their own "bailout" this year.

Do they really think that they somehow deserve enough in donations to both keep the display up and save their house?

I'd be a helluva lot more supportive if they did no lights at all, but put out a ton of non-electric decorations and made a plea for help. They're blowing a chance to become spokespeople for this fucked economy we're in.

:banghead:

[LiberalLoner]

4. For all I know it was the latter. But to me it seemed to be a symbol of our

decline in some ways, and the hopeless denial of that crash and decline...

I think their power bill totals $6,000 for the season for their two homes which are covered in lights. I read that in an article in the Richmond paper.

[LiberalLoner]

5. And, yes, I think $6,000 is a small fortune too. You could feed a family on that I think for a year