Were you forced to abandon your dream home thanks to the economic downturn? That must be sad for you, but buck up: Right now spoiled college kids may be filling your walk-in closet with baseball caps and positioning that poster of two ladies kissing in their underwear above the fireplace you thought you'd be gathering around with your loved ones. Today the New York Times reports that some students at the University of California, Merced are having an awesome recession. The school doesn't have enough dorms to house its expanding student body, with only 1,600 rooms for 5,200 students. But luckily for some, Merced is ranked third nationally for home foreclosures, so many students have been able to rent out a room in a depreciating McMansion. They typically pay about $200 to $350 a month, which is less than half of what they'd pay to live in some cinderblock tower on campus.Several years ago, real estate developers flocked to the area and developed Desperate Housewivesy neighborhoods.

Now the remaining homeowners, many of whom are struggling to make their mortgage payments, are seeing their streets turn into frat row. One resident says "somewhat bitterly" of his new neighbors, "I think they're the luckiest students I've ever come across." Indeed, the students are smart and fortunate to ride out their college years in luxurious digs, especially since post-graduation they'll probably be paying five times as much for an apartment bedroom formerly classified as a closet. However, the Times' description of the students' living situation is guaranteed to make anyone a bit bitter. The paper notes that many of the homes include chandeliers and private bathrooms, as well as "three-car garages, wall-to-wall carpeting, whirlpool baths, granite kitchen countertops, walk-in closets and inviting gas fireplaces." To top it all off, the article is accompanied by a photo of sophomore Jaron Brandon "studying" in the Jacuzzi of his six-bedroom house with a laptop perched on the "waterproof countertop that he rigged over the top."

It's one thing to take over the home of a family that's fallen on hard times, but you don't have to flaunt the fact that you're young, have few financial burdens, and are unafraid of electrocution.chandelier fleuron franceAnimal McMansion: Students Trade Dorm For Suburban Luxury [NYT]Image via Luna Vandoorne/Shutterstock.hilden & diaz chandelier for saleYou don't have permission to access /ngrams/count_1w.txtchandelier migros 12841 Bloomfield Street #307 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Studio City View this home on Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Studio City » 12841 Bloomfield Street #307 FeaturesThe Bay View CompassThe Bay View Compass Maintenance mode is onWebsite will be available soon

The touring ensemble is scheduled to end its two-week tour in Nice, where carnage erupted ThursdayGroup was in Paris on Thursday and got to sing at Notre Dame CathedralTour includes concerts in the Aveyron region in the next week News of the horrific events in Nice, France, is likely rattling friends and family of members of the Fresno City College City Singers, which is on a two-week tour to the south of France.Everyone is safe.The ensemble is scheduled to end its trip in Nice later in the month. “It is 1:30 a.m. here, so I will decide what our next step will be in the morning,” said conductor Julie Dana, who was reached Thursday via Facebook. “We are saddened to hear of this horrible event, but are happy, have sore feet, and are moving on to our next adventure.” The 25-member ensemble departed from Fresno Tuesday for the two-week tour, and on Thursday was in Paris. On Friday the members are traveling by high-speed train to Montpellier in the south of France, about 200 miles from Nice.The group is one of four international ensembles to perform in the Festival Choral International en Aveyron and plans to perform in various villages in the region.“

We will do what we came to do – to spread peace to this country that has welcomed us here,” Dana said. “Today we were allowed to sing in the Cathedral of Notre Dame. The entire cathedral became still as folks gathered around us in a spectacular moment that changed us forever. We hope to have many more moments like this in the days to come.” @fresnobeehive Fresno's top spot for keeping a finger on the pulse of Valley pop culture, entertainment, dining, shopping and things to do. Brought to you by The Bee's Rory Appleton, Traci Arbios, Rick Bentley, Bethany Clough, Craig Kohlruss, Kathy Mahan, Donald Munro and Joshua Tehee. Blake Jones & The Trike Shop Da Blog's Da Thang Fashion, Love and Martinis Our Life in Meals Stuff on My Cat The Importance of Being Ernie The Road to 1,000 My Sweet California Life Perfect Pour Craft Beer Podcast Fresno's Leading Young Professionals All area codes are (559) unless otherwise noted. All locations are Fresno unless otherwise noted.

559 Local, 608 Fourth St., Clovis, 473-1875 Aldo's Nightclub, 617 W. Belmont Ave., 266-3935 Barmageddon, 126 E. Kern Ave., Tulare, 416-9120 Bobby Salazar's, 725 E. Olive Ave., 497-9920 Brewbakers, 219 E. Main St., Visalia, 627-2739 Bullfrogs Bar & Grill, 38743 Highway 99, Kingsburg Campagnia Restaurant, 1185 E. Champlain Drive, 433-3300 Club Imperio, 3950 N. Cedar Ave., 228-1900 Club Legends, 3075 N. Maroa Ave., 222-2271 Crawdaddy's, 333 E. Main St., Visalia, 625-5300 DiCicco's Restaurant, 516 S. I St., Madera, 674-2435 Elbow Room Bar & Grill, 731 W. San Jose Ave., 227-1234 FAB, 716 E. Olive Ave., 492-3911 Frank's Place, 1432 Fulton St., 264-2848 Fulton 55, 875 Divisadero St., 412-7400 Full Circle Brewing Company, 620 F St., 264-6323 Goldstein's Mortuary & Delicatessen, 1279 N. Wishon Ave. Jimbo's, 495 Herndon Ave., Clovis, 299-9924 Kocky's Bar & Grill, 1231 Van Ness Ave., 266-5500 Los Amigos, 1752 W. Shaw Ave., 439-0477

Mia Cuppa Caffé, 620 E. Olive Ave., 499-1844 Old Town Saloon, 450 Clovis Ave., Clovis, 298-4662 Outlaw Tavern, 325 Clovis Ave., Clovis, 325-8638 Patio Cafe, 5138 N. Palm Ave., 243-1074 Pleasure Club & Hookah Lounge, 5665 N. Blackstone Ave., 803-7631 Reno's Bar, 769 S. Madera Ave., Kerman, 846-9703 Sequoia Brewing North, 1188 E. Champlain Drive, 434-2739 Sequoia Brewing Tower, 777 E. Olive Ave., 264-5521 The Shanty, 375 E. Shaw Ave., 224-4777 Standard, 9455 N. Fort Washington Road, 434-3638 Strummer's, 833 E. Fern Ave., 485-5356 The Bar, 4542 N. The Brig, 4705 N. Blackstone Ave., 227-7297 The Cellar Door, 101 W. Main St., Visalia, 636-9463 The Next Bar, 4231 E. Shields Ave., 228-8001 The Other Bar, 6493 N. Blackstone Ave., 447-1513 The Roadhouse, 20023 Auberry Road, Clovis, 324-0600 Tioga Sequoia Brewing Company, 745 Fulton St., 486-2337 Tokyo Garden, 1711 Fulton St., 268-3596 Veni Vidi Vici, 1116 N. Fulton St., 266-5510