Dry Line Thunderstorms

I was looking to the West this evening and spotted the top of a thunderstorm in the distance. Looking at the radar showed an isolated storm about 100 miles away. To the North, there were a few more about 200 miles away. The weather map shows a dry line, which to those that live in Tornado Alley it's the start of the sometimes severe thunderstorms that appear on the boundary between dry and moist air masses. Locally, we're not affected, but those in Central Texas can find an afternoon shattered by large hail, and maybe a tornado. That, and if it's dry, the lightning can spark grass fires in the areas that don't receive any rain. 

Usually, the dry line storms are more prevalent in the northern plains during the Summer. But right now,  they can appear all the way to the Mexican border during the right conditions. At night, they're spectacular to watch from a distance. Underneath one of those storms isn't so pleasant, unless you like being petrified by severe weather.

Their Comfortable Lives Explain Their Actions

High ranking elected, or public, officials live a life more comfortable than those that generate the taxes they consume and waste. They'll never muddy the water and jeopardize their positions by their own actions. It's the nature of humans and all experiments in government ever tried. The United States Constitution was written to control the damages of these people, but the slow degeneration of the laws demanded have eroded the authority to where it hardly exists.

Handwriting on the Wall

Nikki Haley has lost the backing of the Kochs. Otherwise, what has been an abysmal, long term waste of money is ending. Why they backed her is beyond me. She's all smoke and mirrors and a career politician that will do anything (including changing her name for political gain) for another chance to stand at a podium to try to convince people she's on their side. 

First of Spring

 I noticed some trees covered with some small clusters of red flowers interspersed with the trees in the local woods. I didn't know what they were, and had never really noticed them before. My niece told me they're maples, and they were native to the area. I'd seen redbuds, which are just now starting to bloom. They're the harbinger of Spring, and appear when the first of the buds appear on the oaks. If we don't receive another hard freeze, the woods will soon be full of the bright, early green leaves, which bring a sharp contrast to the azure skies that appear after a mild cold front. 

Spring is arriving, and in this area, this is one of the most pleasant times of year. Early mornings bring temperatures in the low fifties, and afternoons are usually breezy days with temperatures in the mid-seventies. I'll enjoy the days and mentally prepare for the hot, humid days of Summer. They're not far away. 

The Reality

 In 2021, the 30 year fixed rate mortgage interest rate was 3.15% to those with good credit. Today, the fixed interest on a 30 year mortgage is 6.9%.  Here is the difference for a $350,000 home:

3.15% interest loan - $191,468.47 total interest with a $1504.08 monthly note.

6.9% interest loan - $479,836.17 total interest with a $2305.10 monthly note. 

That's the reality of the current difference facing home buyers just now being exposed to the home market. Even those that can afford the cost will hesitate before buying, and those in real estate may find their annual revenue will decrease dramatically this year. For those that are willing to finance, and are not beholding to large banking interests, offering a lower rate can yield a long term profit for their investment...as long as it all doesn't hit the fan.