Links and Minifeatures 06 19 Monday

Carnival of Personal Finance



Carnival of the Capitalists Recommended: Liberty Papers (changing business climate brought on by the internet) Insureblog (going foreign for medical treatments), Stingray (Some inconvenient facts about global warming) Jon Swift (Some humor about Mr. Gates' impending retirement)



RINO Sightings (Afraid I haven't had the chance to go through it yet)

**********



There's a bit too much gloom and doom in this article: Foreclosures may jump as ARMs reset, but it does raise some valid concerns. I'm a big fan of hybrid ARMs that are fixed for three, five, or seven years prior to adjusting. Right now, due to the yield curve being inverted, there is essentially no difference in rates between a thirty year fixed rate loan and a 5/1 ARMs, but over the last fifteen years, I've used them to save myself and my clients thousands of dollars each. But you need to have enough equity in your home in order to refinance, and you shouldn't stretch too far to buy your dream home, lest it all come tumbling down in the first bad event that happens to you. I've talkied about this before, most recently in this article.

"I was a first-time buyer. I was blind. I didn't know what questions to ask," she said. "And the mortgage brokers are there telling you what you want to hear just to get you in the mortgage."

Questions You Should Ask Prospective Loan Providers



**********



Army Charges 3 GIs With Murder in Iraq. This does not appear to be the Haditha incident, but rather a separate occurrence, and brought on by the Army's own investigators. Keep in mind that they are only charged, and have not yet had an Article 32 hearing, but if they are found guilty, I do hope they are hung or shot.



**********



Bush: Iran must stop uranium enrichment



**********



Argghhh! has a bit worth reading on deserters.



**********



Well, today marks the official one year of this site. Thanks to all who drop by.