Monday Links Leaked

3 widely different East Bay ZIPs in hottest 10 – SF Gate

Is America facing an increase in structural unemployment? – The Economist

The Death of Paper Money – Telegraph

Ebay is offering a well-thumbed volume of “Dying of Money: Lessons of the Great German and American Inflations” at a starting bid of $699 (shipping free.. thanks a lot).

What the Wikileak Means for the Afghanistan War – Swampland

The Obama White House is furious this morning about the massive leak of military documents chronicling the unvarnished truth about the Afghanistan war. At the same time, though, there must be a certain sense of relief around the West Wing.

Foreclosure vs. short sale -the pros and cons – Palm Beach Post

“You might fly under the radar,” he said. “With the millions of people going through this, they are probably going to go after the low-hanging fruit.”

The Middle Class in America Is Radically Shrinking. Here Are the Stats to Prove it – Tech Ticker

The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer at a staggering rate.

Why We Need a 3rd Party in 2012 – James Quinn

Both mainstream corrupted political parties have had the chance to put the country back on a prudent fiscal path. They have both failed miserably.

If It Causes Stress, Is It Really a Vacation Home? – NYT

“They only see the benefits — sitting by the pool, having a piña colada, driving into the driveway and leaving the Rolls Royce there,” Mr. Pedraza said. “They never figure the gate is going to be broken and they will need an electrician.” (You will also be making your own piña coladas and cleaning out the blender.)

Credit Score Is the Tyrant in Lending – NYT

“If the loan criteria says you need to have a 700 credit score, and you have a 699, you don’t get the loan,” she said. “It makes me nuts.”

Credit scoring and unemployment - Slacktivist

The previous post arose from things I came across while failing to find what I was looking for. I was trying to find concrete data on the reportedly increasing use of credit “scoring” by prospective employers and its relation to the disturbing trend of very long-term unemployment.

Because the two trends seem to me to be related — like the two sides of a vise.

40,283 of our neighbors are in mortgage limbo – Contra Costa Times

An estimated 40,283 homeowners across a seven-county region spanning the East Bay, South Bay and the San Francisco metro area were at least three months behind on their mortgages but not yet in foreclosure as of April…

Shadow Inventory anyone?