Occupy Las Vegas protesters target foreclosed homes in valley

Kristi Jourdan
Jan. 7, 2012
http://www.lvrj.com/news/occupy-las-vegas-protesters-target-foreclosed-homes-in-valley-136885893.html

They are the faces of the foreclosure crisis, and Occupy Las Vegas wants to set up camp in their yards.

About 20 protesters spread out across the valley and spent Saturday knocking on the doors of homes facing foreclosure in hopes of contacting homeowners and their neighbors. The majority of the properties are single-family homes in Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas going to auction in the next week or so.

Some of the dozens of properties were caked in cobwebs and decorated with dirty lawn chairs, evidence the owners were long gone. An old welcome mat sat on the porch of one property, but a look through the blinds showed the home was empty.

Others were cleaner, a sign that real estate agents and banks were caring for them or, as some neighbors reported, the owners don't live there anymore but occasionally return to the property to keep it neat.

Some properties were in gated communities where protesters were unable to make contact with homeowners or neighbors. The occupiers left cards and fliers in screen doors and windows whenever they could.

The group of protesters set up a small camp in front of an empty three-bedroom home in the Autumn Chase neighborhood, which has made headlines for internal squabbling among neighbors and homeowners association leadership.

The 1,200-square-foot home in the 5000 block of Golden Fields Street is scheduled to go to auction Tuesday.

Protesters said they want to collectively bargain with banks through public protests and letter-writing campaigns. They said they want to call attention to predatory lending practices.

They are promoting principal reduction rather than simple modifications as a way to break the cycle that created the foreclosure crisis in the Las Vegas Valley, which is commonly called "ground zero" of the foreclosure crisis.

"We're going to put (banks) in a position where they don't gain anything by negotiating with the homeowner, but they'll lose something if they don't," said Sebring Frehner, event organizer.

Occupy Las Vegas is the local chapter of the Occupy Wall Street movement against corporate greed and influence in politics. Local protesters have a permit through late February to camp on county-owned property on Paradise Road near Swenson Street and Tropicana Avenue.

With a crew of five in tow, protester Angie Sullivan scoured a North Las Vegas neighborhood, contacting nearby neighbors of an abandoned property in hopes of tracking down its owner.

Sullivan said she was concerned that the area was too transient, because neighbors didn't know each other and houses appeared to be empty.

"I don't know about organizing a neighborhood where there is no one left," Sullivan said.

Neighbors Jamie and Gina Basham live across from the property in the 2100 block of Mountain Sunset Avenue which is scheduled to be auctioned off Monday. The couple has lived in the neighborhood for almost three years and said they didn't mind occupiers camping on the property across the street to draw attention to the foreclosure issue.

"I don't have a problem with it if it helps everybody else," Jamie Basham said.

Banks "have taken advantage of people, and there are strength in numbers."

Contact reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.

Robalini Gladiators

"Kicking Ass Ten Yards at a Time..."

In 2010, Konformist.com did its first venture in sports sponsorship by backing the Robalini Gladiators fantasy football team in the Cantina Football League. (The league has as its headquarters the Paradise Cantina of Las Vegas, across the street from The Hard Rock Hotel, hence the league's name.) In 2011 the investment paid off: thanks to the adept drafting of Robert Sterling (the Gladiators owner and Konformist chief editor) the team dominated the 16-team league, going 13-2 and winning the league's title at Margarita Bowl II.

Key acquisitions in the draft: Drew Brees as the league's fourth pick, both Wes Welker and Larry Fitzgerald as wideouts, Sebastian Janikowski as kicker, and both the SF 49ers and Baltimore Ravens defenses. But the most important pick came in the seventh round, when the Gladiators took a chance on rookie Cam Newton, who combined with Brees pretty much made this championship team.

(If none of what I said makes any sense, it's because you aren't a fantasy football junkie, which means you have a life.)

The team was so successful that Konformist.com may demand a team name change to the Konformist Gladiators to keep the corporate sponsorship. In any case, to read more about the Gladiators, check out the URL below, and check out the 20-man roster over the season that contributed to this powerhouse. Go Glads!!!

http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1/732195/11

Starters
QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
WR Wes Welker, New England Patriots
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
WR Brandon Marshall, Miami Dolphins
RB Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals
RB Donald Brown, Indianapolis Colts
TE Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons
K Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders
DEF San Francisco 49ers

Backups
QB Vince Young, Philadelphia Eagles
WR Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers
WR Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers
RB LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets
RB Stevan Ridley, New England Patriots
RB Carnell Williams, St. Louis Rams
RB Deji Karim, Jacksonville Jaguars
TE Jeremy Shockey, Carolina Panthers
K Ryan Longwell, Minnesota Vikings
DEF Baltimore Ravens

Foreclosure fraud whistleblower found dead

11-29-2011
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/29/9099162-foreclosure-fraud-whistleblower-found-dead

A notary public who signed tens of thousands of false documents in a massive foreclosure scam before blowing the whistle on the scandal has been found dead in her Las Vegas home.

NBC station KSNV of Las Vegas reported that the woman, Tracy Lawrence, 43, was scheduled to be sentenced Monday morning after she pleaded guilty this month to notarizing the signature of an individual not in her presence. She failed to show up for her hearing, and police found her body at her home later in the day.

It could not immediately be determined whether Lawrence, who faced up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000, died of suicide or of natural causes, KSNV reported. ?Detectives said they had ruled out homicide.

Lawrence came forward earlier this month and blew the whistle on the operation, in which title officers Gary Trafford, 49, of Irvine, Calif., and Geraldine Sheppard, 62, of Santa Ana, Calif. — who worked for a Florida processing company used by most major banks to process repossessions — allegedly forged signatures on tens of thousands of default notices from 2005 to 2008.

Trafford and Sheppard were charged two weeks ago with 606 counts of offering false instruments for recording, false certification on certain instruments and notarization of the signature of a person not in the presence of a notary public. You can read a .pdf version of their indictment here.

Police said at the time that the alleged scam had thrown into question the legality of most Las Vegas home foreclosures in the past few years, leaving many people living in foreclosed-upon homes that they unknowingly don't actually own.

"I would suggest you review your documents and bring them to an expert and an attorney," said John Kelleher, chief deputy attorney general for Nevada's fraud unit.

Motley Crue Rocks The Hard Rock Hotel

From LasVegasSun.com:

The 30th anniversary celebrations for Motley Crue are heating up, and it appears that they are set to become the first heavy metal group to sign a short-term residency here in frontman Vince Neil’s hometown. Details are shrouded in secrecy, as nobody in the group or at the Hard Rock Hotel will reveal details, but here’s what I’ve confirmed so far:

The four bad boys of rock will play a nearly monthlong series of three- and four-night concerts a week at the off-Strip casino starting at the end of February. Expect the official announcement just before Thanksgiving just as the Crue take off for a December tour of Britain complete with Tommy Lee’s mind-blowing, 360-degree drum roller coaster. The rockers play Wembley Stadium on Dec. 14 and then head home for the holidays...

Las Vegas residency for Motley Crue
Robin Leach
Monday, Nov. 14, 2011
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/nov/14/strip-scribbles-exclusive-las-vegas-residency-motl

Stoner Cooking Special: The Bugsy Challenge Signature

http://www.flamingolasvegas.com/casinos/flamingo-las-vegas/restaurants-dining/burger-joint.html
$45 / $40 TOTAL REWARDS
Photo: NBA player Al Harrington attempting The Bugsy Challenge

This Behemoth burger weighing in at over four pounds requires a cast iron stomach and true grit.

Consisting of Six Third Pound Patties, American, Swiss, Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Fresh Housemade
Mozzarella, a Wheel of Fried Provolone, topped with a Fried Egg, Applewood Bacon, Cayenne
Peppered Bacon, Chorizo, Sautéed Mushrooms and Onion Rings oozing with our Special Flamingo
Themed Sauce. Paired with Fried Potato Wedges smothered in Cheddar Cheese Sauce, Three Cheese
Blend, Crumbled Bacon, Green Onions and Two Strips Of Cayenne Peppered Bacon.

Yours Free if you can complete it in 45 minutes or less

A waiver must be completed and signed before attempting

About Burger Joint

The fun and funky Burger Joint serves up a sizzling selection of both traditional comfort burgers and divine works of art. The stylish dining and bar areas feature a slew of flat screen TVs, lively music and hip decor.

Guests may order from a unique line-up of gourmet burgers with all of the standard trimmings or opt to create their own signature masterpiece, by selecting from a list of toppings ranging from applewood smoked bacon and guacamole to jalapenos and caramelized onions. Some of the menu’s more unusual burger creations include the Hawaiian Burger with caramelized pineapple and teriyaki mushrooms, the Buffalo Chicken Burger, smothered in Franks’ Red Hot Sauce and blue cheese and the Salmon Burger with cucumber dill relish and sour cream. Other featured items include the Kobe Burger, Slider Trio and Turkey Burger.

In the mood for just a little nosh, a variety of soups, salads, sides and small plates are perfect for sharing. To add a little sweetness to a sumptuous meal, try a handmade milkshake, a monster sundae or the delicious house-made gelato.

Burger Joint is located across from the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat and the 15 acre pool paradise. Take out service is available.

Stoner Cooking Special: Las Vegas Heart Attack Grill

Correspondent tries 8,000-calorie Heart Attack Grill meal
George Lewis, NBC News correspondent
Oct 20, 2011
http://bites.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/19/8404417-correspondent-tries-8000-calorie-heart-attack-grill-meal

It's a place that mixes candor with calories. The Heart Attack Grill that opened last week in Las Vegas blatantly advertises food that's bad for you. And in case you don't get the message, the restaurant has a hospital theme, with an ambulance parked out front, servers dressed like nurses and an owner, Jon Basso, who refers to himself as "Dr. Jon."

"Give people what they want,” Basso told me. "But tell them the truth. And that's what we're doing here."

Never mind that there's an epidemic of obesity in America. The signature dish is the Quadruple Bypass — four half-pound burger patties topped with cheese, bacon and no lettuce (lettuce is for wimps). If you order it with the fries cooked in lard and the triple butterfat milkshake topped with a pat of real butter, you'll be getting 8,000 calories worth of food.

"If you have an 8,000-calorie meal, that's equivalent to five days worth of food for most people," said Laura Kruskall, director of nutrition sciences for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Anyone who walks into the Heart Attack Grill weighing in at more than 350 pounds gets to eat free of charge. Basso has been widely criticized for this policy, but he laughs it off. "Hey, we're all dysfunctional."

Basso had similar restaurants in the Dallas and Phoenix area but closed them in the face of protests and community pressure. A spokesperson for one of his previous restaurants, 575-pound Blair River, died in March of obesity-related illness.

Basso is hoping that the more permissive atmosphere in Las Vegas will permit his restaurant to thrive. "The calories you consume in Vegas," he said, grinning, "stay in Vegas."

I tried a few of those calories. The french fries cooked in lard were extremely salty, but tasty. The shake was thick and gooey and impossible to drink through a straw, and the burger meat was nicely done over an open flame. But there was no way I could put my mouth around the whole four-patty creation.

I only ate a few small bites. The pounds you put on in Vegas don't stay in Vegas; they go home with you. The average person burns about 100 calories walking a mile, which means you'd have to walk 80 miles to burn off that Quadruple Bypass with fries and a shake.

Heart Attack Grill's Neonopolis location in downtown Las Vegas:

450 Fremont St
Las Vegas, NV 89101
http://www.heartattackgrill.com/

Economic doom in Las Vegas, SoCal & Camden

From TheEconomicCollapseBlog.com:

The following description of the decline of Las Vegas comes from a recent article in The Telegraph....

But Las Vegas’s days as a boom town are long gone. At 14 percent, unemployment is the highest in America (the national average is 9.1 per cent). House prices have fallen 58.1 per cent since their 2006 high – the biggest losses of anywhere in America, while according to the website RealtyTrac, which specialises in foreclosed properties, Las Vegas is the nation’s foreclosure capital. Some 70 per cent of homes in Las Vegas are thought to be 'under water’, or in negative equity, meaning their value is worth less than the amount owed on the mortgage, while foreclosure notices have been served on one in 16 properties. A survey last year by the local Las Vegas Review-Journal and Channel 8 News Now found that 34 per cent of locals would leave Las Vegas if they could find a job elsewhere, or if they weren’t underwater on their home loan.
Last year, I wrote a piece entitled "The Death of Las Vegas". Since then, things have gotten even worse for the city in many ways.


Today, there are hundreds of people living in the tunnels underneath the streets of Las Vegas. You can see CNN video of some of these people right here.

But at least the "tunnel people" have a "roof" over their heads.

Over in "Lost Angeles", homelessness is absolutely exploding and there are thousands of people living in the streets.

The following is from a recent article by Nick Allen....

In Skid Row, a grimy pocket of downtown Los Angeles, the prostrate forms of homeless people lie strewn across the pavements.

The lucky ones have tents for shelter but others make do with a sliver of cardboard for a bed and a supermarket trolley to carry their rags.

At the last police count 1,662 people live on these streets, twice as many as a year ago.

And now amid the drug addicts and the drunks there are families who not so long ago had homes and ordinary suburban lives.


Wait, wasn't the economy supposed to be getting better?

So why has the number of people living on Skid Row doubled over the past year?

Los Angeles, like much of California, is rapidly falling apart. Decades of very foolish policies have turned the "California Dream" into the "California Nightmare".

Unemployment is rampant, crime is seemingly everywhere and the gangs appear to be getting bolder by the day. For example, 21 machine guns were recently stolen right out of an LAPD training facility.

But there are cities in California that are in even worse shape than Los Angeles is. If you go east of Los Angeles about 100 miles, you will come to the city of San Bernardino. 34.6 percent of the residents of San Bernardino are currently living below the poverty line. Among major U.S. cities, only Detroit has a worse poverty rate.

Heading back to the east coast, the city of Camden, New Jersey is representative of the post-industrial hellholes that you will find all over the mid-Atlantic region and up into New England.

In an extraordinary article entitled "City of Ruins", Chris Hedges did an amazing job of documenting how bad things have gotten in Camden. Today it is estimated that the actual rate of unemployment in Camden is somewhere around 30 or 40 percent. For most young people in Camden, there are very few legitimate opportunities for a better life, so many of them have resorted to selling drugs or selling their bodies in a desperate attempt to survive.

The following is a brief excerpt from "City of Ruins"....

There are perhaps a hundred open-air drug markets, most run by gangs like the Bloods, the Latin Kings, Los Nietos and MS-13. Knots of young men in black leather jackets and baggy sweatshirts sell weed and crack to clients, many of whom drive in from the suburbs. The drug trade is one of the city's few thriving businesses. A weapon, police say, is never more than a few feet away, usually stashed behind a trash can, in the grass or on a porch.
The era of "American exceptionalism" is over. We have rejected the things that made us great. We have forsaken the truth and now we are paying the price.

At this point, we are rapidly becoming a joke to the rest of the world...

The New Reality For U.S. Cities: No Money For Street Lights, Roving Packs Of Wild Dogs And Open-Air Drug Markets
October 19, 2011
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/the-new-reality-for-u-s-cities-no-money-for-street-lights-roving-packs-of-wild-dogs-and-open-air-drug-markets

World's Most-Visited Tourist Attractions

Source: Yahoo Travel
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-40711683

No. 1 Times Square, New York City
Annual Visitors: 39,200,000

Tourists flock to New York’s neon heart for the flashing lights, Broadway shows, megastores, and sheer spectacle. Pedestrian-only areas with café tables introduced in 2009 have only made it easier and more appealing to hang out here. Times Square can even be a convenient, if chaotic, base, thanks to hotels at every price point and easy access to public transportation: subways, rails, buses, and more yellow taxis than you can count.

No. 2 Central Park, New York City
Annual Visitors: 38,000,000

New York has larger green spaces, but none is more famous than Central Park, which stretches across nearly 850 acres of prime Manhattan real estate—an oasis for both tourists and locals. You can ride in one of the famous horse-drawn carriages; check out the modest-size zoo; climb to the top of 19th-century Belvedere Castle; or take a break from pounding the pavement to sprawl on the Great Lawn, gazing at the skyscrapers above.

No. 3 Union Station, Washington, D.C.
Annual Visitors: 37,000,000

Opened in 1907, this busy station shuttles some 12,500 passengers daily in and out of the city. But it also handles serious tourist traffic: 37 million who pass through to take in the impeccably mixed architectural styles throughout the colossal building: from Classical to Beaux-Arts to Baroque. More than 70 retail outlets make Union Station a shopping destination, and it’s also a jumping-off point for many D.C. tours

No. 4 Las Vegas Strip
Annual Visitors: 29,467,000

Sin City was hit hard by the recession, but don’t bet against this legendary destination, which got a boost from the summer 2009 blockbuster The Hangover. Last year, 79 percent of tourists (29,467,000 people) chose to stay at hotels right on the Strip like Caesar’s Palace—the choice of the movie’s zany four-pack. And why not? Roll out of bed and onto the Strip to catch the Bellagio fountains in action, shop, gamble, and, of course, people-watch (which can get especially fun later at night).

No. 5 Niagara Falls, New York and Ontario
Annual Visitors: 22,500,000

Straddling the borders of the U.S. and Canada, this massive waterfall spills about six million cubic feet of water—from a height ranging from 70 to 188 feet—every single minute. While there are about 500 taller waterfalls in the world, Niagara Falls is spectacular for its sheer power. It’s also more accessible than many major falls, a short flight or drive for millions of regional tourists.

No. 6 Grand Central Terminal, New York City
Annual Visitors: 21,600,000

Unlike harried commuters, visitors take their time in the main concourse of this Beaux-Arts landmark, pausing to view its glittering ceiling painted with a map of the constellations from the night sky. There are shops and events to distract your attention, and, a level below, the historic Oyster Bar—featured on an episode of AMC’s Mad Men—serves two million fresh bivalves a year.

No. 7 Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston
Annual Visitors: 18,000,000

Dating back to 1742, Faneuil Hall (“the Cradle of Liberty”) once hosted speeches by such greats as Samuel Adams and George Washington. Today, the downtown marketplace has more than 100 specialty shops and eateries and occupies a pedestrian-only, cobblestone area that swarms with tourists and street performers.

No. 8 Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Orlando
Annual Visitors: 16,972,000

The Most Magical Place on Earth is high on virtually every family’s to-do list and remains the most-visited theme park on the earth. The Kingdom’s most notable feature, naturally, is Cinderella’s castle—complete with a moat and built at special angles to appear even grander than its actual height of 189 feet. Paths branch out to classic rides (Dumbo, the Mad Tea Party) and newer additions like The Pirates of the Caribbean.

No. 9 Disneyland Park, Anaheim, CA
Annual Visitors: 15,980,000

Though not as massive as its Orlando counterpart, the original Disney park—which occupies about 85 acres of land—welcomes enough thrill-seekers to qualify as the second most-visited theme park in the world. One of its coolest rides is still Indiana Jones Adventure, careening over lava, past swarms of beetles, and under that 16-foot rolling boulder.

No. 10 Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
Annual Visitors: 15,000,000

Hand-painted ceramics, lanterns, intricately patterned carpets, copperware, gold Byzantine-style jewelry, and more eye-catching products vie for your attention within this 15th-century bazaar’s vaulted walkways. It has since expanded and become increasingly touristy, but locals, too, were among 2010’s 15 million bargain-hunters. If it all gets overwhelming, break for a succulent doner kebab or strong cup of Turkish coffee.