So wonderfully cynical, who couldn't love this story?

Ho ho ho!

Police nab wanted criminals by offering them free "Christmas hampers".

A cunning Christmas ruse by police that tricked wanted criminals into handing themselves in with the false promise of a free Christmas hamper has been hailed a success.

Detectives from South Yorkshire Police launched covert Operation Holly in a bid to put people facing charges for offences, some serious, before the courts.

The team sent bogus cards to suspects on the force's wanted list giving them the good news that they had been specially selected to receive a free hamper.

A basket of goodies, including bottles of bubbly, wine treats and a Christmas pudding, appeared artfully arranged on the convincing flyer that promised to bring 'cheer at Christmas and memorable moments to your special occasions!'

In order to collect the freebie from Herald Hampers – the force's festive front – all they had to do was arrange a delivery slot.

But when the door bell rang, instead of being greeted with a basket of goodies they were arrested and packed off to court.

In two days Operation Holly racked up 21 arrests, with some of the suspects wanted in relation to burglary, supplying an illegal article into prison, assault and fraud.

It's the holiday timing of the malicious bastard who dreamed this up that makes this so delicious. And the flyer's promise to "bring memorable moments to your special occasions!'? Priceless. Surely a knighthood is in order. 

Mass exodus at EPA: where better to start the process of draining the swamp?

progress, if not yet perfection

More than 700 lawyers, scientist and general staff have quit or taken early retirement, and aren't being replaced. 

That leaves a little under 15,000 to go.

Yet another big sale

592 North Street, a spec house priced at $5.750 million, is reported as pending. Its developers did a fine job on the interior, and the backyard/ with pool, is really nice. I didn't like its location, because it's within earshot of the Merritt, and the lot is set below North Street's grade, but obviously this buyer didn't care.

Riverside contract

Brother Gideon reports a contract for 74 Willowmere Circle (Gid's had quite a year, so I'm expecting quite a Christmas. On my part, I'm returning his own presents — he doesn't need my help). Last asking price, $2.695 million, after starting 450 days ago at $3.195. It's a lovely, 1923 home, in great condition, but given the restrictions imposed on renovations of a house in the AE food zone, I'm guessing it will be replaced. 

So, what's a building lot on lower Lake Avenue worth? (Bumped, just to include a few more horrendous pictures and thereby further embarrass my profession)

1970 chic

UPDATE:  In fact, I embarrassed myself, and color me gobsmacked: The Mickster reports that this place has an accepted offer, two days after listing. Horrible house, lot, location and price, and it goes in two days. I'm not often so far off on market estimates, but I certainly was here. Congratulations to the agent for a perfect strategy: she obviously aimed for, and found, her target audience.

Bizarre.

Probably not the $4.199 being asked for the new listing at 599 Lake (just south of Parsonage). Not a particularly popular style of home these days, and its photos suggest that the interior's been in a deep freeze since it was installed in 1970.

I won't even pretend to an ability to interpret the listing verbiage, and will leave it to you instead: enjoy:

BREATHTAKING GRAND DAM--STONE GATES LEAD YOU UP THE HIKED DRIVEWAY, PAST THE TENNIS COURT TO THIS MAGNIFICENT MASTER PIECE. AN EXCEPTIONAL HORIZONTALLY SPRAWL OUT ARCHITECTURE DESIGNED CENTER HALL COLONIAL. THE WALK OUT LOWER LEVEL LEADS TO THE MAGNIFICENT HEATED POOL AND GARDENS. PERFECT LOWER LEVEL FOR A CAR COLLECTOR-FABULOUS HIS AND HER MASTER BATHS WITH LAP POOL AND HOT TUB, ALONG WITH HOT TUB, HEATED TOWEL RACKS, ETC. MAKE THIS INTO YOUR DREAM HOME, THE FOUNDATION AND BONES ARE THERE!

599 Lake Ave

Motel 6?

There's a reason I included that picture of 1970 corduroy leisure suits above

Just ... wow.

Is that a single body bag on the table, or two?

Why put things away when there's a horizontal surface to receive them?

You want a professional photographer's portfolio, don't come in with a piddling $4 million P.O.S. listing

At least one member of the extended royal family doesn't seem to welcome the idea of a mixed-race woman marrying in

Hag, racist, and, one suspects, a downright ugly woman

Some commoner married to the Queen's cousin shows up to meet the new bride, wearing a blackamoor pin in protest.

The royal, who is married to the Queen’s cousin, Prince Michael, could clearly be seen wearing the jewellery on her coat as she drove through the gates on Wednesday.

She was not sat at the same table as Miss Markle, 36, who was attending the event for the first time, but would have been introduced to her at the intimate, private gathering.

The royal bride-to-be, whose former lighting director father, Thomas Markle is white, and mother, Doria Ragland, is black, has often spoken about the racism she experienced both as a child and as a grown woman.

Nice. And shame on her husband, who actually is related to the family, for letting this dreadful woman wear it to the get-together.
 

Actresses renounce sex as a selling point, will wear black to Golden Globe Awards. It's about time!

Golden Globe attendees, 2018

They're sick and tired of being treated as sex objects, by gosh, and they won't have it!

Hollywood, thy name is hypocrisy.

Here are a few shots of last year's version of the black Oscar dress: 

In Riverside, and at a lower price range, sales are quicker

26 Spring Street, asking $1.870 million, is pending. It went to contingent contract back in October after just three weeks on the market: not sure why the time between contingent and pending was so long, but apparently all matters between the parties have now been resolved.

Sale price reported

6 Andrews Farm Road, which we recently discussed when it was reported pending, has closed at $4.250 million. Another big, pre-new year sale, but the owners' relief at finally being rid of it may be tempered by what, at least judged in constant dollars, was a loss: they paid $3.370 for it in 1998, and have had it on the market for 1, 212 days, when it was launched on the waters at $6.475.

And on Parsonage, another big sale pending, albeit at a loss

38 Parsonage Road

38 Parsonage Road, asking $7.999 million, reports a contract. Owners bought it new for $9.550 in 2006, put it back up for sale in 2011 at $11.5, rented it out when that failed and have been trying to sell it since 2013, when they asked $10.950.

For those who follow the Nature Conservancy's continuing fraud (okay, deceptive practices), the parcel this house sits on was donated to the organization and sold by the Conservancy to a builder in 2002 for $2.376 million. They do that often.