Two Calif. cities to vote on banning smoking in apartments - USATODAY.com
We really are seeing a lot more intrusive governing going on at the local level, with HOAs and municipalities tag-teaming the local citizenry.
Lawmakers in two California cities are casting votes this month on unprecedented legislation that would widen a growing voluntary movement by landlords and resident associations to ban smoking inside apartments and condos. Today in Calabasas, the City Council plans to vote on expanding its anti-smoking law to bar renters from lighting up inside existing apartments. It would exempt current resident smokers until they moved but would require all new buildings with at least 15 units, including condos, to be smoke-free.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Monday, October 01, 2007
NYC Mayor: Surveillance a City Necessity -- Newsday.com
Sometimes I think that raising issues of civil liberties in CIDs, on the grounds that they are quasi-municipalities, is becoming a non sequitur. I mean, if you don't have civil liberties in cities, why should you have them in HOAs? And according to Bloomberg, people in cities don't even want civil liberties. They want security.
Residents of big cities like New York and London must accept that they are under constant watch by video cameras, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday.
Sometimes I think that raising issues of civil liberties in CIDs, on the grounds that they are quasi-municipalities, is becoming a non sequitur. I mean, if you don't have civil liberties in cities, why should you have them in HOAs? And according to Bloomberg, people in cities don't even want civil liberties. They want security.
Residents of big cities like New York and London must accept that they are under constant watch by video cameras, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
WSLS.com | Man Cut by Campaign Sign
People must take politics seriously in Massachusetts.
Razor blades inside a campaign sign badly cut a man who pulled up the sign.
People must take politics seriously in Massachusetts.
Razor blades inside a campaign sign badly cut a man who pulled up the sign.
Are you prepared to be ruled by a homeowners association? - MarketWatch
In my case, the answer, is "not unless I have no other alternative." Unfortunately, municipalities and developers are gradually creating a "no alternative" situation. So when I end up in an HOA, the industry will call me another person who "chose" an HOA.
In my case, the answer, is "not unless I have no other alternative." Unfortunately, municipalities and developers are gradually creating a "no alternative" situation. So when I end up in an HOA, the industry will call me another person who "chose" an HOA.
Some in Fairfax Public Housing Make Six Figures - washingtonpost.com
The median new home price in Fairfax County is $960,000, according to this article. And of course nearly all the new housing is in CIDs.
Hundreds of families living in housing subsidized by Fairfax County taxpayers exceed income caps designed to ensure that only the neediest receive assistance, a review of county records shows. In the most extreme cases, Fairfax is underwriting rents for families making well into six figures: One household getting help makes more than $216,000 a year; another, $184,000. Dozens of others -- making $60,000, $70,000, $90,000 -- exceed eligibility caps. And they do so with the tacit approval of county housing administrators, who do little to encourage occupants to move on when their fortunes improve.
The median new home price in Fairfax County is $960,000, according to this article. And of course nearly all the new housing is in CIDs.
Hundreds of families living in housing subsidized by Fairfax County taxpayers exceed income caps designed to ensure that only the neediest receive assistance, a review of county records shows. In the most extreme cases, Fairfax is underwriting rents for families making well into six figures: One household getting help makes more than $216,000 a year; another, $184,000. Dozens of others -- making $60,000, $70,000, $90,000 -- exceed eligibility caps. And they do so with the tacit approval of county housing administrators, who do little to encourage occupants to move on when their fortunes improve.
Why have municipal Wi-Fi networks been such a flop? - By Tim Wu - Slate Magazine
Municipal corporations trying to compete with business corporations and not doing so hot? Here's a case study. Are HOAs more like the munis or the businesses when it comes to providing wi-fi?
Municipal corporations trying to compete with business corporations and not doing so hot? Here's a case study. Are HOAs more like the munis or the businesses when it comes to providing wi-fi?
Saturday, September 29, 2007
The Sun Online - News: Jail ship to ease overcrowding
There's nothing like a great big prison ship to bring out the best in people, don't you think?
There's nothing like a great big prison ship to bring out the best in people, don't you think?
Las Vegas Business Press :: News : Web site ranks Las Vegas as nation's most overbuilt city
Most of this (overbuilt) housing supply is in HOAs, townhome associations, and condo associations. And it turns out that the units that are hardest to sell are...condos and townhomes. Single family homes sell much faster. Of course, those are in HOAs for the most part.
NuWireInvestor.com, a real estate investor Web site, recently ranked Las Vegas as the nation's most overbuilt city due to the 2005-'06 housing construction boom. There were 72,965 permits issued for residential construction during the last two years, reports the U.S. Census Bureau. Yet the inventory of homes available for sale on the Multiple Listing Service hit a record 24,341 in August, which is 19.4 percent more than last year, reports the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors. Roughly 40 percent of those homes are reportedly unoccupied. New home sales through August are also down 37.2 percent from a year ago, GLVAR adds.
Additionally Las Vegas has overbuilt its condominium and townhome sector. Condos and townhomes are spending 335 days on the market, says the National Association of Residential Real Estate Investment Advisors. The average single family home is spending 115 days on the market as of May 2007, according to Zip Realty.
Most of this (overbuilt) housing supply is in HOAs, townhome associations, and condo associations. And it turns out that the units that are hardest to sell are...condos and townhomes. Single family homes sell much faster. Of course, those are in HOAs for the most part.
NuWireInvestor.com, a real estate investor Web site, recently ranked Las Vegas as the nation's most overbuilt city due to the 2005-'06 housing construction boom. There were 72,965 permits issued for residential construction during the last two years, reports the U.S. Census Bureau. Yet the inventory of homes available for sale on the Multiple Listing Service hit a record 24,341 in August, which is 19.4 percent more than last year, reports the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors. Roughly 40 percent of those homes are reportedly unoccupied. New home sales through August are also down 37.2 percent from a year ago, GLVAR adds.
Additionally Las Vegas has overbuilt its condominium and townhome sector. Condos and townhomes are spending 335 days on the market, says the National Association of Residential Real Estate Investment Advisors. The average single family home is spending 115 days on the market as of May 2007, according to Zip Realty.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Tom Cruise building '£5m bunker to protect against alien attack'| Showbiz | This is London
I hope he went through the Architectural Review Committee.
Hollywood star Tom Cruise is planning to build a bunker at his Colorado home to protect his family in the event of an intergalactic alien attack, according to new reports. The Mission Impossible actor, who is a dedicated follower of Scientology, is reportedly fearful that deposed galactic ruler 'Xenu' is plotting an evil revenge attack on Earth.
I hope he went through the Architectural Review Committee.
Hollywood star Tom Cruise is planning to build a bunker at his Colorado home to protect his family in the event of an intergalactic alien attack, according to new reports. The Mission Impossible actor, who is a dedicated follower of Scientology, is reportedly fearful that deposed galactic ruler 'Xenu' is plotting an evil revenge attack on Earth.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
NPR : Town Weighs Ban on Leaf Blowers
One of these days I'm going to put together two lists of unusual prohibitions one list for HOAs, and the other for municipalities, and compare them.
One of these days I'm going to put together two lists of unusual prohibitions one list for HOAs, and the other for municipalities, and compare them.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
In Harford Co., residents pay their own way for safe streets -- baltimoresun.com
Frustrated with the police response, the residents in this southeastern Harford County community have hired security guards who conduct foot patrols each night. The neighborhood association has paid nearly $75,000 this summer for the patrols, while complaining that county government has ignored the residents' plight.
Frustrated with the police response, the residents in this southeastern Harford County community have hired security guards who conduct foot patrols each night. The neighborhood association has paid nearly $75,000 this summer for the patrols, while complaining that county government has ignored the residents' plight.
Homeowners Association Sells Disabled Couple's Home | WOAI.COM: San Antonio News
But ask anybody who works in this industry and they will tell you that things like this don't really happen. I guess this must have occurred in one of those alternate universes they have in science fiction novels.
But ask anybody who works in this industry and they will tell you that things like this don't really happen. I guess this must have occurred in one of those alternate universes they have in science fiction novels.
Bacteria sent to space come back more infectious
Great. Just great. Science marches on. Why not send up some plague while you're at it and see how virulent you can make that? To think that we are paying for this.
Great. Just great. Science marches on. Why not send up some plague while you're at it and see how virulent you can make that? To think that we are paying for this.
S&P: US Home Price Decline Accelerates: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance
Every article I read with this or a similar headline says that this must be the bottom. But the next week there is another slide.
EW YORK (AP) -- The decline in U.S. home prices accelerated nationwide in July, posting the steepest drop in 16 years, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index released Tuesday. Home prices have fallen by more every month since the beginning of the year.
Every article I read with this or a similar headline says that this must be the bottom. But the next week there is another slide.
EW YORK (AP) -- The decline in U.S. home prices accelerated nationwide in July, posting the steepest drop in 16 years, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index released Tuesday. Home prices have fallen by more every month since the beginning of the year.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Hot property: a spacious missile base as your new home
I wonder if there are any old Cold-War Russian missiles sitting in silos with this address as their target.
I wonder if there are any old Cold-War Russian missiles sitting in silos with this address as their target.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
The Old "Scientific Consensus" about climate change
Ah, the good old days of the early 1970's, when NASA scientists predicted that burning fossil fuels would lead to global cooling.
On July 9, 1971, the Post published a story headlined "U.S. Scientist Sees New Ice Age Coming." It told of a prediction by NASA and Columbia University scientist S.I. Rasool. The culprit: man's use of fossil fuels. The Post reported that Rasool, writing in Science, argued that in "the next 50 years" fine dust that humans discharge into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuel will screen out so much of the sun's rays that the Earth's average temperature could fall by six degrees. Sustained emissions over five to 10 years, Rasool claimed, "could be sufficient to trigger an ice age."
Ah, the good old days of the early 1970's, when NASA scientists predicted that burning fossil fuels would lead to global cooling.
On July 9, 1971, the Post published a story headlined "U.S. Scientist Sees New Ice Age Coming." It told of a prediction by NASA and Columbia University scientist S.I. Rasool. The culprit: man's use of fossil fuels. The Post reported that Rasool, writing in Science, argued that in "the next 50 years" fine dust that humans discharge into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuel will screen out so much of the sun's rays that the Earth's average temperature could fall by six degrees. Sustained emissions over five to 10 years, Rasool claimed, "could be sufficient to trigger an ice age."
Smog and Mirrors: China's Plan for a Green Olympics
Here is a fascinating article sent by Mystery Reader about how China's government has implemented a massive plan to "green" Beijing for the Olympics, but the massive growth of the private economy is placing those efforts in jeopardy. This is quite a test for the Chinese experiment with keeping Communist Party control of what is by now the world's fastest growing capitalist economy. Well, Marx was a believer in dialectical materialism, which means you have to love contradictions.
Here is a fascinating article sent by Mystery Reader about how China's government has implemented a massive plan to "green" Beijing for the Olympics, but the massive growth of the private economy is placing those efforts in jeopardy. This is quite a test for the Chinese experiment with keeping Communist Party control of what is by now the world's fastest growing capitalist economy. Well, Marx was a believer in dialectical materialism, which means you have to love contradictions.
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