SPARTAN TIMES!

Sunday, January 3,2009.

I just read the Boston Sunday Globe, Real Estate Section, all 7 pages. Yes, down to a mere seven page section.

The best this publication can say is that the "real estate industry faces a foggy outlook."

Some of the quotes from this paper:" This is absolutely unchartered waters." Karl Case, Wellesley College economist.

Martin Feldstein, a Harvard economist, recently argued that the nation should brace for another 15 percent drop in prices.

Alan Clayton-Matthews, a U of Mass economist predicts a 10 percent drop adting, "prices could decline below their fundamental values."

What does this mean? To me it indicates that "spartan times," are upon us.

What does this word spartan mean?
Try:
"Marked by simplicity, frugality, avoidance of comfort and luxury, stick self discipline, severity in manner, brevity in speech, hardihood in face of pain and indomtiableness and endurance especially under great stress."

OK, so forget severity in manner and brevity in speech. But hardihood and indomtiableableness are in this year.

Like it or not.

Bill McInerney