Can You Afford A Home In ... Phoenix?

The Schloss-Blog has been reading that it's tough to afford a home in Phoenix. So we did some Schloss-Math. A Generative AI search says: 

• According to Payscale, the average salary in Phoenix in 2023 is $74,145. ZipRecruiter says that the majority of salaries in Phoenix range from $45,709 to $80,743 annually. Gusto says that the median salary is $56,550, with 80% of salaries falling between $26,299 and $130,500.
• As of January 2024, the median listing price for homes in Phoenix, Arizona was $519,500, and the median price per square foot was $302. In January 2024, the median price of homes sold in Phoenix was $450,000.

Affordable in Phoenix? You tell me.

***

Kroger and Albertson's are merging, if the federal government lets them.

Seems the state of Colorado says that such a merger would be anti-competitive in today's inflation-stricken market. Colorado seems to want to block a lot of things, huh?

Such a merger would combine the Nos. 2- and 4-largest grocers in the country (Walmart is No. 1). However, they are the first- and second-largest "traditional" grocers. A merger would create a 5,000-store behemoth.

Would it enable them to cut prices or monopolistically raise them? Would there be layoffs to help mitigate against the costs of such a merger? Or would they hire more? Would salaries go up? Or down?

What do you think? 

Me, I think, "Hello, Costco. Hello, Aldi."

***

How would you like to have "Meet Cutes NYC" set up shop in your town?

It seems Jeremy Bernstein, Victor Lee and Aaron Feinberg run around the streets of New York approaching couples who appear to be partners (key words, "appear to be") and ask them if they are romantically involved and how they got started.

They tape their impromptu responses and post them all over their social media accounts.

Fun, huh?

I'm waiting for the news story about the couple who smashes them with an umbrella or whatever weapon happens to be handy when the couple is romantically involved - except illicitly. You know, married, just not to each other.

That's when "Meet Cutes NYC" becomes "Beat Cutes NYC."

Fun, huh? Don't worry, they're not franchising.

Yet.

***

Wawa, where you can't idle while grazing inside, and Buc-ee's, the pride of Texas, are expanding.

If you like your food "gourmet c-store," Wawa and Buc-ee's are for you.

Wawa is heading out across the American south and Midwest, while Buc-ee's is setting sights west (even Arizona).

McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell are shivering.

A little.

***

In Oklahoma, a country and western radio station has changed its mind and will play songs by Beyonce from her new album, songs that are country-and-western oriented.

After facing an outcry of racism charges for not playing said songs, the station, KYKC-FM, changed its mind.

The wrath of the Queen B's fans is not something you want to face.

Beyonce, by the way, is no stranger to country and western -  she did a duet with The Chicks in 2016.

***

It's official - the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has approved flag football as a championship sport.

It's about time. These girls are pretty good. 

I had the privilege of covering the Flag Football Class 6A championship game for the Arizona Republic last fall and let me tell you, it was intense, fun and as athletically competitive as any other football game I've covered.

These girls can play. Looking forward to it in Illinois.

***

Oh, if you were expecting me to write about the $455 million judgment against Trump in New York, y'know, the one he says is part of the plot to derail him in the election, maybe I'll do so next week - I'm still too busy gleefully snickering about it, wondering which oligarch or emir he'll ask to pay it for him.

***

Good night Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you Mrs. Robinson.

More Sunday Night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

 

A Kliff-hanger and Tay Tay's in the House

The Schloss-Blog is watching Super Bowl LVIII, reflecting on conspiracy theories and wondering why Republicans worked so hard on a border bill they blocked.

***

Just when Nikki Haley had built some momentum, she surrendered it to someone called, "None of These Candidates."

Donald Trump took advantage and questioned where her husband was.

Maybe Donald should look in his own backyard - yo, Donald, where's Melania?

***

Joe Biden apparently said "Mexico" when he meant to say "Egypt."

Biden supposedly said Mitterand instead of Macron.

That's OK though - Trump said they're going to change the name of "Pennsylvania" if he loses.

To what? How about, "Thank You, God, Trump Lost!"

WTF?

Anyway, both of them will soon be 80-somethings. 

So, you want one of them to be president or Kamala Harris? Or Vivek Ramaswamy?

Yeah, me neither.

Bob Costas said on "Real Time with Bill Maher" that Trump can't be president and Biden shouldn't be and replacing Biden on the ticket at the national convention would not be a first.

***

Kliff Kingsbury will become offensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins - uh, Commanders.

Which means that the Redskins - uh, Commanders - will trade for the No. 1 pick from the Bears (or will they?) so they can take the quarterback that Kingsbury coached in college at USC - 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams.

Kingsbury made a pretty good pro quarterback out of the Cardinals Kyler Murray. Kingsbury groomed a pretty good college quarterback who would become a great pro. You may have heard of him - Patrick Mahomes.

Or, if as reported, the Redskins - uh, Commanders - don't get Williams, will it be because Williams told the Bears he's OK with going to them at No. 1 and playing for their new offensive coordinator. So. do the Bears want the quarterback their head coach and GM selected or the one they were left with - Justin Fields?

If they don't want Fields, who does?

Stay tuned.

***

If you believe that Taylor Swift will pop up on the halftime show with Usher because she's there anyway for Travis ... or if you believe she will endorse Biden immediately after the game ... or if you believe that the Chiefs getting to the Super Bowl is a Democratic-led, Deep State-driven plot to get exposure for Swift just before she endorses Biden ... or if you believe that the whole Swift-Kelce romance is a Deep State attempt to get young voters who are football-watching fans to look more favorably at Biden ... or if you believe that Swift and Kelce will announce their engagement after the game and intent to get married at Joe Biden's inauguration ...

... and if you believe all that...

You are a card-carrying QAnon Republican.

***

Republicans negotiated a border-security bill for which they'd been clamoring for months.

Then Trump said not to vote for it.

So they didn't.

Assholes.

Republicans have done little in Congress this year besides attempt impeachment and carry out Trump's revenge agenda.

While America suffers.

***

Record-setting kick returner Devin Hester and defensive line monster-turned-media personality Steve McMichael will be going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

One is a Chicago Bears Super Bowl Champion. The other returned a kick for a touchdown in a losing Super Bowl effort.

Both are deserving, especially the ailing McMichael.

Congrats.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, "None of These Candidates."

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

Wheeling and Wild

The Schloss-Blog is thankful for Wheeling High School thinking enough to put me into its Sports Hall of Fame this weekend, as a "Friend of Wheeling" (actually, as a Media Contributor to the Community).

***

It was humbling.

To get the notification from A.D. Don Rowley Jr. that I was being inducted.

It was humbling.

To find out that I was accompanying the girls cross-country team that won the first-ever official state title, a team that I covered as a rookie sportswriter, and did it so very convincingly.

It was humbling.

To gather with so many of them, first at Cooper;s Hawk for a cocktail and then at the school for pizza and remembrances as we conversed, strolled around the athletic facilities, laughed, hugged, told tales and just enjoyed the moment.

It was humbling.

To be included with coaches Mark Saylor and the late Jim Nagel, two guys who are coaching giants for their accomplishments.

All I did was write about it. And photograph it.

Thanks for the love from Rowley, from Saylor, from Gail (Miloch) Huster, Betsy and Bonnie Buenzow (who graciously stopped for a pic with Jordan, my grandson, who they termed my 'mini-me'), Denise Begrowicz, Geri Sabal Egan, Debbie Rathje and so many others who showed up.

And four special ladies: Sue Saylor, Mark's better half, one of the best golfers and most-gracious people I know; Donna Dubbelde, a Hall-of-Famer as a do-everything coach who celebrated the occasion with all the gusto and caring that she brought to the volleyball, basketball and track events she coached; Dana Miroballi, the four-time state cross-country champ who was not on the 1979 team (she came along later), but remains a true friend of the school (and of mine) and the best coach Luke could ever have; and Marilyn Kent, the true of queen sports at Wheeling, who never failed to greet me and at the door when I covered a game there with the warm smile that always shook off the cold winter night.

What a delight to see them all and so many more. And thanks to Dave Oberhelman and Marty  Maciaszek at the Daily Herald for capturing it all so eloquently.

***

Don't have the heart to spoil this with political commentary this week. I'll just say I've got 83 million reasons why.

As Elmo would say though, just checking in; let me know, how you doing?

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, ladies of 1979.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

From Scary to Sublime

The Schloss-Blog has been observing some things scary, some sublime and some just ordinary. And then petulant child Donald Trump in a courtroom.

***

Scary: the number of Bigfoot sightings in Colorado tripled year to year in 2023. 

How come? Well, according to Floe Foxon (whoever she is/they are), Bigfoot sightings automatically increase in areas where there are a lot of Black Bears.

So, was that a Black Bear you sighted, or  Bigfoot?

Ask your local ursinologist.

***

Sublime: Tara Vanderveer became the winningest coach ever in college basketball, men's or women's, when she and Stanford recorded a 65-56 win on Jan. 19 over Oregon State.

She surpassed record-holder Mike Krzyzewski (ret.) of Duke with her 1,203rd career win.

Nice to see a female coach get the honors. 

She better keep going - UConn's Geno Auriemma is only seven behind her.

***

Scary: Watching Republican presidential candidate after candidate roll over like an obedient puppy and fall in line and endorse Trump, in hopes of being named to his Cabinet if he wins.

Even scarier: watching Republicans in Congress, who have been clamoring for a border and immigration deal, reject all solutions agreed to because Trump doesn't want them.

What will they do when Trump is a convicted felon, wearing the new black (i.e., orange).

***

Sublime: anytime you get to watch Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and/or Josh Allen play football, take advantage and do so.

They treat the game and execute within it like the shrine that it is (NFL games are 93 of the top 100 watched shows last year).

***

Scary: Per Adam Schiff on "Real time with Bill Maher," Stormy Daniels is the only contractor who got paid by Trump.

That trial is still scheduled to start in late March. Or maybe that's sublime.

***

Scary: this video of two future hockey Hall of Famers, Evgeni Malkin and Kris LeTang, killing a penalty for the Pittsburgh Penguins. It's recommended that other ordinary hockey players not try this.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/penguins-letang-and-malkin-cause-brutal-delayed-penalty-own-goal/

Enjoy. Malkin and LeTang did not.

***

Scary (but sublime): Have you been watching "True Detective: Night Country?" Jodie Foster is the sheriff in a small Alaska town investigating the disappearances-turned-deaths of scientists in a remote lab nearby doing some secretive, high-powered research.

The HBO show incorporates parts of everything set in snowy, cold climes, from the horror classic "The Thing" to drama with a comedic slant, like "Northern Exposure." There's plenty of sex, nudity and cursing, all contained within a mystery that you can't stop watching in HBO's next Sunday night hit.

***

One last scary: the judge in the case where Trump has to pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in defamation compensatory and punitive damages, warning the jury that came up with that amount to not not tell people they were on the jury.

Juries that rule against Trump draw his ire and then death threats from MAGA assholes.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Jodie Foster.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.