Thomas Reports was created in 2006. For over 30 years Fred Thomas, III developed a successful career in real estate financing, focused on consumer lending. He is a licensed broker (DRE 01097630) and has managed over two-thousand closed transactions. ThomasReports was created to weave writings and passions under one platform; Real Estate, History, Travel & Culture, Politics and Technology. In today's social media demands, Thomas' voice has been recognized as an official Influencer, Tester and Reviewer for international marketing organizations.
For the first time in eight months mortgage rates have climbed above the 4% threshold. The news was expected as financial markets continue to post positive numbers including improved business and consumer confidence.
Lenders who fund mortgage applications typically offer rates in a range based on various factors. Today’s report is from Freddie Mac’s primary market rate survey. It is the industry standard used to gauge rates and the data is compiled from a sample of lenders who sell their closed mortgage loans on the secondary market. This week’s rate is 4.04% and is based on the benchmark thirty-year mortgage.
While mortgage rates inched higher they stil make home ownership affordable. At the same time consumers realize timing is everything and as overall economic conditions improve, increases may be the result.
[Los Angeles, CA] Known as a great city in a huge desert people can count on Los Angeles to offer dry weather. Such was the case as the nation commemorated Rev., Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday on Monday, January 15th.
Organizers of the Kingdom Day Parade delivered another great event which was well received by the community. In addition to the hundreds of thousands who lined MLK boulevard to see the event live, over 3 million watched on local channel 7 affiliate, KABC-TV.
Thanks to my brother Reginald and my sister-in-law, Shannon I was treated to attending the Pete Souza book signing and received an autographed copy of this masterpiece.
In just a few days the nation will be honoring the birthday of Rev., Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On Monday, January 15th in what would have been the 89th birthday of Dr. King, Los Angeles will once again be a leading city as it showcases its 33rd Kingdom Parade. Actually, starting in 1981 in San Diego, the parade was morphed into the Kingdom Day Parade in 1985. In addition to the hundreds of thousands who will be lining MLK Blvd., nearly 3 million are expected to watch the parade as KABC-TV will once again broadcast the parade live starting at 11:00am.
2018 is a special year when Dr. King’s name is mentioned, as it marks the 50th commemoration of his assassination and many are planning to be in Memphis on April 4th to pay their respect.
(c) fredyt123 photo – all rights reserved
To recognize the significance of the Kingdom Day Parade, Senator Kamala Harris will be the Grand Marshall. Her selection has been met with enthusiasm as many view her as a dynamic politic figure worthy of honoring Dr. King.
United States Senator Kamala Harris – 2018 Kingdom Day Parade Grand Marshall
The Trump administration woke up this morning knowing many eyes and ears would be focused on Michael Wolff’s scathing new book “Fire and Fury.” In the past several days regardless of how they have attempted to dismiss it as full of crap, fake news or otherwise unreliable, their strategy has backfired as even with the bitter cold in the east coast, the public is snatching up the book in record numbers.
Customer at book store in D.C. Photo credit ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images)
Many supporters of Donald Trump and his administration cry foul that the media refuses to focus on all of the great things they are accomplishing. The problem with that narrative is perhaps more focus would be given on accomplishments and positive news if Trump and his administration didn’t have so many self-inflicted issues which become newsworthy, thus journalist and reporters have an ethical obligation to report that, as well of other issues of the presidency!
The book Fire and Fury is just one example that is blocking great news such as the soaring stock market. The other may be the January jobs report which was released this morning by the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Unfortunately, the 148,000 jobs reported in December fell 42,000 short of projections. While the news is not alarming or worthy of concern, it does present an awkward sign for a person such as Trump who likes to boast of his success
The reduction in numbers have been attributed to the decline of jobs in the retail sector.
“A little bit of a disappointment when you only get 2,000 jobs out of the government and get retail at the absolute busiest time of the year losing 20,000 jobs. It just goes to show the true struggle that traditional brick and mortar is having now,” said JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist at TD Ameritrade.
Just today while discussing President Trump, nationally acclaimed journalist David Gregory reported on CNN, “He is his own worst enemy.”
One more critical point and indicative of Donald Trump’s communication style is this afternoon on his way to Camp David but taking time to have an impromptu chat with the media belted out, “the jobs report released this morning is good.” A perflexing comment when you compare January 2016 data while President Obama was in office as the numbers were 151,000 but better than the 148,000!
“Never apologize, never back down, never admit you were wrong, use every means possible toward achieving your ends,” Donald Trump as private citizen
Postscript – since my initial post I have really gained lots of experience in using the machine. Additionally readers on our YouTube site have offered edits, so for the most updated commentary I would encourage you to read the comments on the YouTube page. Thanks.
Most of you know I am fortunate to have been selected by one of the nation’s top merchandiser’s to review consumer products. I try to make my reviews simple, easy to understand and not so lengthy they bore the reader.
Here is the Nespresso Coffee Machine by Breville.
This machine is fantastic and transforms even the motley coffee enthusiast such as myself into a professional barista.
The price ranges from $200-$250 but after you so some simple math you will see the benefit as for some you will see an immediate saving over what you are paying for your brew.
When the word CUBA comes up, of all the cultural attributes which define the country three stand out and are popular throughout the world: Cigars, Rum & American Cars.
Excerpt from United States Department of Treasury regarding updated guidelines. The bottom-line is regarding Cigars and Rum/Alcohol you can bring back as much as you want!! As was the case with us, “as much as you want” is tricky because you run into overweight luggage issues and the practical reality of exactly how much you can tote without smashing or breaking the products?
“Can I purchase Cuban-origin cigars and/or Cuban-origin rum or other alcohol while traveling in Cuba? Persons authorized to travel to Cuba may purchase alcohol and tobacco products while in Cuba for personal consumption. Authorized travelers may also return to the United States with alcohol and/or tobacco products acquired in Cuba as accompanied baggage for personal use. OFAC considers “personal use” of an imported item to include giving the item to another individual as a personal gift, but not the transfer of the item to another person for payment or other consideration,” U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
Cuban Cigars
Cuban Cigars are institutionalized which mean they are controlled by the government. The Vinales valley located in the Pinar Del Rio region of Cuba is about 2 hours southwest of Havana. It is known as the top tabac region in the world as it is an incredible sight to see how the plant is transformed resulting in a product which is coveted around the globe.
Production operations are scattered throughout the country. However, in Havana there are several facilities which are historic and have been around for centuries. One facility we visited was the Partagas Tabac Factory. Interestingly it is located across the street of the country Capitol. Prices vary based on the grade or quality of the cigar but whatever you pay at the retail store, is far less than what you might expect on the fair market, assuming it is available. As an example the one box of cigars which was defined as “medium grade” cost a tad under $75. So that is a little less than $3 per stogie. The same box sold in the open market would yield $130, $150 or even $175 and more. Therein, you can see the advantage as well as bargain of going directly to the source.
Box sold in Cuba 73.75 CUC’s ($73.75)These are mid-range quality….not to top of the line and certainly not on the bottomThe government seal must be on each box and unopened
Another note about Cuban cigars is the abundance or available throughout the country. I understand the mystique about buying a quality cigar at a low price but I am stunned how tourist or those visiting the country still find themselves duped into buying counterfeit smokes. So, the buyer must be aware. My recommendation is unless you buy them directly from the grower or from a government establishment (or otherwise reputable seller), you are risking to get snakebit.
Cuban Rum
Cuba like most countries in the Caribbean are known for their rum production. In Cuba, rum appears to be cheaper than water!! Being the largest island in the region helps you understand how rum is also institutionalized. Haiti was known as the top producer of sugar cane. That is until the Haitian revolution of 1781 when the slaves revolted. It was that moment which sugar cane plantation owners relocated their operations to Cuba. There are many rums in Cuba. The national brand is known as Havana Club.
The price is consistent throughout the country. You can walk into any store and a pint of basic run will set you back only $2.90. A fifth or about a liter sets you back around $4.50. Of course the super premium blends will cost you $8, $10 or even $15 for a liter. That is a “steal” when you consider in those countries where it may be available you will be paying $35, $45 and more for the same product.
American Cars
American cars produced in 1959 and younger have special recognition and are treasured. In Cuba they are icons and help ferry tourists throughout the country.
Some who were in attendance at the 2011 Correspondent’s Ball have suggested it was that event which convinced Donald Trump revenge was the only remedy to the humiliation Present Obama dumped on him. On that chilly night in April Obama’s team of writers had him buzzing better than the late Richard Pryor or even the late Redd Foxx as he had the entire room in laughter while chastising Trump over his ill-advised birther crusade.
As Trump was forced to sit in his chair all the while seething, you could see his mind was plotting the next move. During the 2016 presidential campaign he swore to his supporters that if elected he would take on an aggressive strategy of attempting to rescind any order approved by Barack Obama. Interestingly, even as his supporters wildly cheered his proclamations, they were not aware or didn’t pay attention that some of those orders actually benefitted them!
Nevertheless, Trump was determined and hell-bent on getting even. Fast forward to the holiday season of 2017 and we see first hand how Trump is obsessed with getting even with Obama, as he can’t find enough orders to rescind while suggesting they ALL were terrible.
The latest charade is the Net Neutrality issue. It doesn’t matter that in 2015 the Federal Communications Committee approved a guideline committing to equal access to the internet. With a majority in hand the Committee led by Ajit Pai felt obliged to help Trump in his quest to remove yet another Obama order. In the guise of increasing competition or the notion that any regulation is bad for consumers, on Thursday, December 14th the Committee voted along party lines to remove net neutrality guidelines.
The beneficiaries are the large communications companies such as A.T.& T, Verizon, Sprint and others known as internet service providers (ISP’s). The result of the vote means they now can manipulate internet speed which will affect traffic and in many cases, send a signal to consumers to be prepared for a price hike.
As simple as Net Neutrality is, it just sounds complicated. No doubt there is always room for improvement and yes, those consumers who use more than others should be expected to pay more. Surely, you can’t blame the ISP’s for having the desire to charge you for services which you use. The rub is consumers already have the option of improving internet speed by the tiered pricing structures ISP’s have.
At the same time the entire focus of net neutrality was to make the internet accessible for all, not to use it as a commodity to penalize those who simply lack the resources to obtain. Internet pricing has moved just like cable television. What seemed like a bargain at $29 per month has morphed to over $100, $200 and more. Companies offer a variety of rebuttals to justify the price increases, so as long as your budget allows you to pay, you simply keep moving. The ire for those protesting the commission’s vote is the core question; what happens to those who are priced out?
While the commission did indeed vote to rescind Obama’s 2015 guideline, it appears the last word on this issue has not been spoken. Just after the vote, public outcry reached a fever pitch as people from across the nation, even those who claim support for Trump have started their plea for Congress to overturn the commission’s ruling.
Protestors claim the fight has just begun
For those such as Trump, the issue does not appear to be what is in the best interest of the public as evidenced by public opinion. The issue for them is to use elements of our government as tools for revenge.
[Washington, D.C.] In its last meeting for 2017 the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC`) agreed to raise the discount rate from 1.250% to 1.500%. The move was expected and based on the health of the economy and the unemployment rate falling, if not holding steady, the Fed’s felt the move will benefit the economy in the long run. It was also mentioned the move is designed to thwart inflation and keep it no higher than two percent.
“The stance of monetary policy remains accommodative, thereby supporting strong labor market conditions and a sustained return to 2 percent inflation.” FOMC
Two dissenting votes
On the nine FOMC voting members, surprisingly there were two who voted against the increase due to concerns of maintaining the existing target.
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Voting for: Janet L. Yellen, Chair; William C. Dudley, Vice Chairman; Lael Brainard; Patrick Harker; Robert S. Kaplan; Jerome H. Powell; and Randal K. Quarles.
Voting against the action were Charles L. Evans and Neel Kashkari.
