BATTLING gran Jean Collop nabbed a burglar — by laying him out with a garden gnome.
And that's why HOAs should never, ever, ban garden gnomes. Got it?
Friday, April 15, 2005
CNN, "Open House," Saturday April 16, 9:30 eastern time...
...is the time and place for the pre-empted episode on HOAs, featuring yours truly, that was put off due to the death of the Pope and the marriage of some royal folks.
http://money.cnn.com/ontv/openhouse/
...is the time and place for the pre-empted episode on HOAs, featuring yours truly, that was put off due to the death of the Pope and the marriage of some royal folks.
http://money.cnn.com/ontv/openhouse/
Burden of debt | The San Diego Union-Tribune
Here's the first of two stories that quote me at some length, just in case anybody's interested.
Here's the first of two stories that quote me at some length, just in case anybody's interested.
Housing market may be cooling | The San Diego Union-Tribune
The median price for resale homes in San Diego County hit a record last month at $535,000, but there were hints of a softening in the market as overall appreciation in pricing slowed and sales declined, DataQuick Information Systems reported yesterday. Driven by the continued popularity of lower-priced condominiums, particularly those that have been converted from apartments, the year-over-year rate of appreciation last month slowed to 12.5 percent, the lowest of the six Southern California counties tracked by DataQuick. The last time appreciation was in the range of 12 percent was November 2003.
[more]
The median price for resale homes in San Diego County hit a record last month at $535,000, but there were hints of a softening in the market as overall appreciation in pricing slowed and sales declined, DataQuick Information Systems reported yesterday. Driven by the continued popularity of lower-priced condominiums, particularly those that have been converted from apartments, the year-over-year rate of appreciation last month slowed to 12.5 percent, the lowest of the six Southern California counties tracked by DataQuick. The last time appreciation was in the range of 12 percent was November 2003.
[more]
People leaving Los Angeles county in droves
The exodus of Los Angeles County residents to surrounding counties and nearby states accelerated significantly during the past year, driving the largest population shift in the nation, according to new U.S. Census Bureau figures released Thursday.
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Strange. I mean, you can have horrible schools, horrendous crime, bad air, high taxes, and meddlesome government, and all for only about $600,000 for a three-bedroom house that is a mere 75 miles from your job. What's not to like?
The exodus of Los Angeles County residents to surrounding counties and nearby states accelerated significantly during the past year, driving the largest population shift in the nation, according to new U.S. Census Bureau figures released Thursday.
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Strange. I mean, you can have horrible schools, horrendous crime, bad air, high taxes, and meddlesome government, and all for only about $600,000 for a three-bedroom house that is a mere 75 miles from your job. What's not to like?
Potomac News Online | County program seeks neighborhood support for clean-up efforts
Casciato stressed that the county doesn't want to interfere with healthy communities or get in the middle of neighborhood disputes that do not involve code violations and don't occur in problem areas. "We're not going to step in in the place of existing, functional neighborhood associations," Casciato said. "We can do a little education, but we're not going to step in and substitute our judgment for theirs unless there is some clear violation of the county code going on."
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Nice of the public officials not to interfere with the responsibilities they have delegated for free to HOAs, isn't it?
Casciato stressed that the county doesn't want to interfere with healthy communities or get in the middle of neighborhood disputes that do not involve code violations and don't occur in problem areas. "We're not going to step in in the place of existing, functional neighborhood associations," Casciato said. "We can do a little education, but we're not going to step in and substitute our judgment for theirs unless there is some clear violation of the county code going on."
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Nice of the public officials not to interfere with the responsibilities they have delegated for free to HOAs, isn't it?
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Clayton Cramer's BLOG says...it's "Crack in the World"!!!
Below I linked to a story about some scientists who are drilling a hole through the mantle of the earth's core. I said these folks should check out science fiction because this has been tried (on screen) and it is a bad idea. At least, on film. Clayton Cramer went a step further and came up with the name of the movie (which I thought was quite good).
It Sounds Like The Start of a Bad 1960s Sci-Fi Movie
Crack in the World (1965), as I recall. It was truly awful, even by the standards of the time, so this news story caught my attention:
"Scientists said this week they had drilled into the lower section of Earth's crust for the first time and were poised to break through to the mantle in coming years. The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) seeks the elusive "Moho," a boundary formally known as the Mohorovicic discontinuity. It marks the division between Earth's brittle outer crust and the hotter, softer mantle."
I do hope the environmentalists don't hear about this. Since most of them seem to have a Crack in the World level of science training, I expect them to get in a rather serious tizzy in no time at all.
Below I linked to a story about some scientists who are drilling a hole through the mantle of the earth's core. I said these folks should check out science fiction because this has been tried (on screen) and it is a bad idea. At least, on film. Clayton Cramer went a step further and came up with the name of the movie (which I thought was quite good).
It Sounds Like The Start of a Bad 1960s Sci-Fi Movie
Crack in the World (1965), as I recall. It was truly awful, even by the standards of the time, so this news story caught my attention:
"Scientists said this week they had drilled into the lower section of Earth's crust for the first time and were poised to break through to the mantle in coming years. The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) seeks the elusive "Moho," a boundary formally known as the Mohorovicic discontinuity. It marks the division between Earth's brittle outer crust and the hotter, softer mantle."
I do hope the environmentalists don't hear about this. Since most of them seem to have a Crack in the World level of science training, I expect them to get in a rather serious tizzy in no time at all.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
Daily Local News - News - 04/08/2005 - Judge: Neighbors should settle feud
This is hilarious. Fred Pilot found it. I give this "HOA story of the month."
This is hilarious. Fred Pilot found it. I give this "HOA story of the month."
Friday, April 08, 2005
Man crashes into DMV building and then renews driver's license
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/6357288p-6234486c.html
Things like this are why I keep telling people that government regulation of residential private governments may not prove to be the panacea they expect.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/6357288p-6234486c.html
Things like this are why I keep telling people that government regulation of residential private governments may not prove to be the panacea they expect.
CNN Open House episode on HOAs moved to 4/16
My contact at CNN tells me that we have been pre-empted for 4/9 because of the royal wedding. The episode is now set for Saturday, 4/16, at 9:30 eastern time.
My 7 year old son, Conor, responded to news of the second pre-emption as follows: "Sheesh! What's next? King Arthur returns because England needs him?"
My contact at CNN tells me that we have been pre-empted for 4/9 because of the royal wedding. The episode is now set for Saturday, 4/16, at 9:30 eastern time.
My 7 year old son, Conor, responded to news of the second pre-emption as follows: "Sheesh! What's next? King Arthur returns because England needs him?"
Hole Drilled to Bottom of Earth's Crust, Breakthrough to Mantle Looms
Don't these people watch science fiction movies? This is the headline you see on-screen just before they break through to the dinosaurs and oceans of lava.
Don't these people watch science fiction movies? This is the headline you see on-screen just before they break through to the dinosaurs and oceans of lava.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Times Community Newspapers - Reston - 04/06/2005 - RCA to start selling town status to community
The Reston Citizens Association (RCA) is forging ahead with its project to make a compelling case for Reston becoming an incorporated town.
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Fred Pilot wonders whether this suggests we may see a "deprivatization" movement in which HOA residents would seek to convert their private governments into municipalities or special districts. Could be. Another explanation for such a trend, if one exists (not with Reston particularly, but other HOA-run neighborhoods) is a long-standing suburban tradition: defensive incorporation, meaning a neighborhood incorporating as a municipality in order to prevent being annexed by a nearby municipality, along with acquiring the full range of municipal powers. Tax base-seeking cities have been known to gobble up suburban unincorporated neighborhoods, which can be forestalled by that neighborhood becoming a city of its own. They keep their independence. Again, this seems not to be the reason for incorporating Reston. It isn't mentioned in the article at all among the "arguments for becoming a town" that you can find by scrolling down, and that section makes interesting reading on the limits of private government.
The Reston Citizens Association (RCA) is forging ahead with its project to make a compelling case for Reston becoming an incorporated town.
------------------------------
Fred Pilot wonders whether this suggests we may see a "deprivatization" movement in which HOA residents would seek to convert their private governments into municipalities or special districts. Could be. Another explanation for such a trend, if one exists (not with Reston particularly, but other HOA-run neighborhoods) is a long-standing suburban tradition: defensive incorporation, meaning a neighborhood incorporating as a municipality in order to prevent being annexed by a nearby municipality, along with acquiring the full range of municipal powers. Tax base-seeking cities have been known to gobble up suburban unincorporated neighborhoods, which can be forestalled by that neighborhood becoming a city of its own. They keep their independence. Again, this seems not to be the reason for incorporating Reston. It isn't mentioned in the article at all among the "arguments for becoming a town" that you can find by scrolling down, and that section makes interesting reading on the limits of private government.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Pocatello Idaho State Journal: Lava airport effort grounded: White's vision halted by pending lawsuit, land-use disputes
Fred Pilot passed along this piece. Imagine having enough land to use lots of it for a landing strip.
Fred Pilot passed along this piece. Imagine having enough land to use lots of it for a landing strip.
Bloomberg.com: New Yorkers Dump Co-Ops for Condos, Paying a `Privacy Premium'
Co-ops are no longer king in Manhattan. Condos are growing faster in price and units sold, as apartment hunters like Jacobson reject having their finances examined, their private lives vetted and their properties controlled by New York's increasingly picky co-op boards.
Co-ops are no longer king in Manhattan. Condos are growing faster in price and units sold, as apartment hunters like Jacobson reject having their finances examined, their private lives vetted and their properties controlled by New York's increasingly picky co-op boards.
Friday, April 01, 2005
The Cincinnati Post - Couple sues homebuilder citing urine-soaked walls
Bradley and Margaret Parker's version of the American dream was ruined by subcontractors who urinated in the unfinished house, a Tuesday lawsuit alleges.
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A new kind of construction defect. Here come the lawyers.
Bradley and Margaret Parker's version of the American dream was ruined by subcontractors who urinated in the unfinished house, a Tuesday lawsuit alleges.
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A new kind of construction defect. Here come the lawyers.
Garden Gnome Liberation Front strikes again
Lyon - About 100 garden gnomes were "liberated" from front gardens in the French city of Lyon and placed in a park next to a motorway, police officials reported on Thursday. "They were all standing there with their faces to the motorway, watching the traffic speed past," a police statement said.
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I suspect a renegade HOA president.
Lyon - About 100 garden gnomes were "liberated" from front gardens in the French city of Lyon and placed in a park next to a motorway, police officials reported on Thursday. "They were all standing there with their faces to the motorway, watching the traffic speed past," a police statement said.
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I suspect a renegade HOA president.
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