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Soldier Brandon Weir Must Take Down American Flag, HOA Demands {AOL Real Estate}
Feb 28th 2013 10:22PM Unfortunately, the reason many people sell in an HOA is to get away the hell they are living in. Therefore they don't exactly suggest the buyers read the covenants and by-laws. In my HOA most of the buyers are from a foreign country and have no clue that rules and regulations and by-laws and covenants, and power-hungry maniacs are serving on the board. There learn really fast once they are moved in though! In my case the by-laws and covenants were not given to me until the closing. Even then they are a confusing and contradicting mess. I will never own in another HOA...ever. Would not take a house in one as a gift...ever!
Education is priceless...check this website and read these books. I think you will see a clearer picture of HOA's after you do. www.neighborsatwar.com
Soldier Brandon Weir Must Take Down American Flag, HOA Demands {AOL Real Estate}
Feb 28th 2013 10:10PM Cal,
You are right about the limited places to buy without and HOA. The flag in this case will be blamed for decreased property values. The boards always have a way to twist things around to the homeowner's fault (whether it is or not) in order to turn the neighbors against that owner. The more media coverage this story gets the less likely anyone will be to ever want to own one of these units. It also educates those that have never paid too much attention to the what truly happens to people living in HOA's.
I hope you will find time to explore: www.neighborsatwar.com
Soldier Brandon Weir Must Take Down American Flag, HOA Demands {AOL Real Estate}
Feb 28th 2013 6:06PM I've spent the past six years dealing with the Nazi board members in my HOA. As I see it, the problem lies in the fact 1)Board members lack people management skills 2)Board members lack business management skills 3)Board members lack common sense and love power over their neighbors. Add those together and you have a very big nightmare. How do they deal with issues? Like bullies! Then they spend the dues to fight the homeowners in a legal battle. More and more homeowners are winning in the courts of law but the financial devastation is life-changing and/or destroying.
In this case of the veteran flying his flag...look at the note. It's just signed "The Management." Look at the ! mark. Okay, somebody intended to offer up some HOA power against a trained fighter. How dumb was that? Most people buy or rent in an HOA and have never read the long and often confusing and many times contradicting by-laws and covenants. Such is the case with this soldier. Had he been approached by a kind and caring person that simply told him flags were not permitted this case might be different. No, the bully attitude kicked in with the anonymous "The Management" and bingo you've got another HOA War Zone in America.
What can we all do to help this situation?
1) Read Privatopia by Evan McKenzie
2) Read Beyond Privatopia by Evan McKenzie
3) Read Neighbors At War by Ward Lucas and
Explore this website www.neighborsatwar.com
4) Band together with others and contact your state and federal legislators and let them know you've had enough with these nightmares caused by HOA's. Be educated before you contact them and request they read the books, too.
1 in 5 Americans live in an HOA. Many are nothing more than a domestic war zone with power-hungry board members. Make your voice heard and do not stop until your legislators listen!!!
I had a big time Democrat tell me that it makes her sick to see the United States flag flying on houses and after 9/11/01 she thought it was nauseating there were so many flags. She said only Republicans fly the flag. She also said she wants the USA to become a socialist country.
Folks, it's time to take action and today should be the day. Anyone that wants to fly the flag of the United States on their residence should be allowed to do so regardless if they live in an HOA or not. Stop letting these insensitive and often times ignorant board members rule and ruin your life.
Stand Up For What's Right Even If You're Standing Alone!
Frontier Drops Signature Chocolate Chip Cookie {Gadling}
Apr 5th 2012 3:39PM This airline serves thousands of cookies per day. They cannot go to the store and buy a package of cookies. The cookies have to go through security clearance, etc.
The airlines all transport their intracompany mail, packages, and aircraft parts via their own airplanes. Rarely do they use another method of transportation for shipping.
Lost bags are hard to eliminate due to the circumstances which cause them to be lost. Often times that is because of a short turnaround time....the arriving flight arrives late and the departing plane takes off on time....the passenger makes it but the baggage doesn't. No airline likes to lose a bag and pay the expenses to get it returned to the passenger. They dislike it more than the passenger does. Unfortunately, there is no way to eliminate the problem.
Frontier Drops Signature Chocolate Chip Cookie {Gadling}
Apr 5th 2012 3:31PM From first-hand experience I would like to offer some insight to the cookie melting away from Frontier flights. While it may seem a minimal cost to the passengers it is actually quite expensive...here's why:
Cookies are made and par baked at a company and sold to the airline.
Cold storage is required.
Transportation to the aircraft requires labor, special equipment, and security checks.
Ovens are required on the planes and sometimes flight attendants burn themselves handling the cookies.
Extra napkins are needed for serving the cookies creating extra trash to be removed upon landing which required more time to turn the aircraft around.
Dropped cookies, cookies placed in seat back pockets, and that that are stepped on and smashed into the carpeting require extra clean up time. Sometimes, chocolate remains on the seat that is missed but ultimately ends up on a business suit or shirt and a cleaning voucher/reimbursement is offered.
By the time the passenger consumes the cookie the airline has spent a tremendous amount of money to make it available to each passenger. All cookies not served end up in the trash creating a waste of money that is not recoverable.
I loved the smell of the cookies and the smiles on the passengers faces as they ate them as much as anyone. Seeing Midwest Airlines go out of business was heart-breaking for many reasons. Including watching dedicated employees, flight attendants and pilots end up in the unemployment lines. Many losing their houses, cars, and children's opportunity for a college education went right down the drain. All after working for the company for many years and taking the loss overnight after suffering through furlough after furlough since 9/11.
Boxed snacks have a much longer shelf life, can be stored onsite at the airport if needed in room temperature, and require less employee handling and lower the risk of injuries.
Sadly, that is how the cookie crumbles in the business world. Southwest Airlines has always been a successful airline due to the their business plan of no hub and spoke routing. They recognize their employees as valuable assets not disposable human flesh, and the results are obvious. They are a good airline and tough competition to all others. Their arrival into MKE and DEN makes it tough to compete with. Those that do have to cut costs anyway possible to stay aloft.
We should keep in mind, the more airlines that go under the day will come when the price of flying will be out of sight because no competition equals expensive airfares. Doubt me? Check out flying into cities other than ANC in Alaska where Alaska Airlines is the ONLY airline you can fly on. I can fly from ANC to DEN on Frontier for less than I can fly from KTN to SIT...two cities within the same state. I try to fly all the airlines when possible to help them all just a little.
Teenager Builds 130-Square-Foot House for College {AOL Real Estate}
Aug 31st 2011 2:49AM Congratulations Austin! Great job. I love these little houses and would love to own one myself...and I'm wayyyyy beyond college years. I've been following Jay Shafer's success for a few years now and the guy has some great ideas. I'm so glad to see you are putting one of them to good use and loving the process of building your own "roof over your head."
Please ignore these people posting negative comments. They clearly have no learned what you and I know about these little houses. For those wondering...heat is provided by a marine heater such as used on yachts. The little house is insulated to the point you could live in it during winter in Alaska. Something you cannot do in a travel trailer. They also can be parked in back yards of houses in most cities where there are no restrictions or homes associations. He'll find somebody that will let him park and hook up his home during his college years. No, not in the middle of the college campus but close enough he can ride his bike and save on owning a car, too.
Austin, you've done well young man. Your future is bright and someday we'll probably see you in the news again as a developer and builder. Or, maybe filling college towns with little houses. Keep up the good work and all the best to you!
Say thank you to your parents for being responsible in raising their offspring. Many Americans should take some lessons from them!
Starburst Prom Dress made from Wrappers (Video) {Stylelist (Main)}
Apr 20th 2011 6:05PM This is darling! It reminds me of a dress made out of soda bottle caps. As I remember the story, the designer was giving an assignment in college to make something out of something. She and her father drilled the metal caps and strung them into a pattern. When she wore the dress and spun around it was so cool because all the colors spinning looked like a spinning barber pole. That dress led to greater success for the designer. Paula Varsalona is now a well-known bridal gown designer in New York City.
How much does an American Girl doll really cost? {WalletPop}
Oct 13th 2010 12:27PM SDC...you sound like a wonderful and smart Dad. I had a Dad with your same attitude and logic. The world would be a much better place if we had more Dads like the one your daughter has and I was fortunate enough to have until his life was cut short. Being a good Dad is he most important thing you'll ever do...keep up the good work.
Fed up like Steven Slater? Get a SlipQuit! {Gadling}
Aug 27th 2010 2:07AM Come on, Joe. Lighten up...have YOU ever been a flight attendant?
Fed up like Steven Slater? Get a SlipQuit! {Gadling}
Aug 27th 2010 2:06AM As a former flight attendant I certainly can empathize with Mr. Slater. There were those days when no sleep, nothing to eat, mx and wx delays, security breaches, delayed catering, and some fool that wouldn't come out of the lav left you drained of one more ounce of patience. He did have the advantage of being a line holder though. Us poor reserves had it even worse.
I salute the talents and humor of the SlipQuit invention. What a great joke! I can see that thing on "display" at the airshows now. You should get a patent and make some prototypes. I think there is one airline out there that would buy those by the hundreds...just for laughs...and to capitalize on the embarassment of their competitor. They would LUV it!
Mr. Slater you went down as the most famous FA in airline history. While I laugh at what you did, and overlook the dangers that could have happened, I want to wish you tailwinds, soft landings, and better days ahead.
