Politics

[CoElkHunter]

So some people complained about the HOA here, and though I didnt have any complaints, I heard enough and ran and got on the board. It has been an interesting experience.

For example, we had a homeowner lawyer up, after numerous compliants, because leaves were blowing into his yard and he didnt feel it was his responsibility to clean them up, because they weren't from his trees and could prove they were from trees the HOA was responsible for.

We had another guy complain about increasing the dues 1.25 a month because he didnt like the HOA having a reserve fund and we should use that rather than raise dues.

We also had a couple get divorced, and they had automatic payments set up and are not paying the extra 1.25 a month, so technically out of compliance. We raised that to their attention, the divorce lawyer of the husband contacted us saying per his agreement he was only required to pay X amount and the wife would have to pay the rest. Her lawyer emailed us saying he was required to pay the HOA. At which point we decided not to bring it up again, until it reaches a large amount. We will collect the difference when they sell the house as part of closing.

For the most part people follow the rules and there are minor infractions that kind of get looked the other way, like no electric bikes on the sidewalks, well all the kids rid electric bikes to school, so no one really says anything.

The fence issue I can almost promise you no one would care. If you replaced with a medieval wall, there were probably be a discussion, but for the most part it is there just to keep things looking nice, share services such as snow removal, and trash collection. We also have a community pool, which is nice.

It is like anything, they serve a purpose but people can get drunk on power and mess it up.

I worked with a lady that got a warning notice on her county vehicle from her HOA because she parked it on the PUBLIC street in front of her house overnight. She also couldn’t leave her garage door open for more than a couple of hours at a time. I told her I’d be moving out of that neighborhood yesterday.

 

[Big_Easy]

Horseshit.

I’ve bought land and built over and over again every single place I’ve ever lived. My first farm I bought my wife and I put a double wide on and we thought we were royalty, because we owned it. We built it up and I sold the hog barns to a larger farmer that wanted it more.

Then I bought three vacant lots in Sunset Harbor NC. Put a trailer on one lot and built a house on the other two. Sold all three.

In Alaska I bought a lot on the Kashwitna. Built a cabin and sold it to follow the herd to ND during the Bakkan boom.

Bought (this time) an old remodel, sold it two years later.

Maybe it’s ingrained in my DNA. My father’s grandfather came to the USA as an indentured servant. After he made good on his “debt” he bought a house and a small lot next to it. He lived in a small cabin on that lot until he made his money. He Owned a creamery, a dairy and died a very wealthy landowner, all because he lived and worked and hustled shrewdly.

You get the idea..?

Pulling the victim card and saying “people have no choice”. Utter horseshit. There’s always a choice.

"died a very wealthy landowner."

I guess my first question is, did any of that money make it to you?

Also, land costs more that $5/acre like it did in your great-grandfather's time. Undeveloped land around me in the Raleigh/Durham area routinely sells for $100K+ per acre for a multi-acre plot. After it's developed, $200K-$250K per acre. And when a developer subdivides it? Guess what, you have to use their preferred builder. It's rare they sell only the lot's anymore.

Their builders charge $250/SF, 2500 SF minimum. You get the idea?

 

[CoElkHunter]

I think the whole state of Colorado is under an HOA

And run by Marxist legislators and Governor. It’s no longer the placed I moved to in ‘89 to get away from Californicate. It’s become Colocalifornicate.

 

[WAB]

See that’s the problem I have with the whole idea of hoas, nobody not owning or paying taxes on a piece of land should be able to the owner what he can or cannot do as long as it is within the confines of the law.

One of the many reasons I sold the house in town and moved to the farm. We were on a treed 5 acre lot. Bastards would come on the property once a year to make sure I was obeying the rules in the areas they couldn’t see. They confronted me about a bunch of cans with bullet holes hanging in trees out back, my response ‘looks like that’s a bad place to wander around unannounced!’ I wasn’t popular.

 

[CoElkHunter]

It's unfortunate that such a beautiful and amazing state like Colorado is run by the deep blue people.

You have no idea how far Colorado has fallen in the last fourteen years. The Marxist Democrats are running it into the ground.

 

[CoElkHunter]

All this talk of HOA’s is making me hungry.

I think I’m going to fire up every outdoor wood burning cooking appliance I own, turn the music up to “head splitting”, pitch toys for the dogs and smoke a pork shoulder for 12 hours.

Now you’re talking! Fire up the portable generator too because you’ll need lights for all the activities in the front/backyard at MIDNIGHT! LOL

 

[Flipper Dude]

“Subdivisions are the only game in town”

Literally everyone in my family would laugh at you. The Silent Generation, the Boomers, the millennials, the Gen X

 

[Betterinthebush]

I guess my first question is, did any of that money make it to you?

Haha! Nice try! Nope. I did everything I wrote on my own.

You should try it sometime. Who knows, you might learn something about yourself.

 

[wesheltonj]

"died a very wealthy landowner."

I guess my first question is, did any of that money make it to you?

Also, land costs more that $5/acre like it did in your great-grandfather's time. Undeveloped land around me in the Raleigh/Durham area routinely sells for $100K+ per acre for a multi-acre plot. After it's developed, $200K-$250K per acre. And when a developer subdivides it? Guess what, you have to use their preferred builder. It's rare they sell only the lot's anymore.

Their builders charge $250/SF, 2500 SF minimum. You get the idea?

$250 SF, is a bargain. Here, most are at 350 to 450. I interviewed one architect that said he would not design any house that was under 600. And his fee started at 180k. That’s crazy west Austin money.

 

[Big_Easy]

“Coal was heavily subsidized until Obama.”
@Big_Easy, what subsidies were removed?

I got you covered good sir. Subsidies occur in many ways, the first is below. Subsidies are also more than just direct payments. Like when Trump starts a trade war and china refuses to buy soybeans and then Trump doles out an additional $42.5 billion in farm subsidy direct payments in one year.

https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/page/files/20160622_cea_coal_leasing.pdf

This study discusses how private coal royalties are 5X what the federal ones are. His env regulations are another. Just because Coal wasn't paying for the costs, doesn't mean someone wasn't. The regulations below just transferred the costs back to coal.

Obama admin regulations required Coal powerplants to add Selective Catalytic Reduction and Flue Gas Desulfurization to Coal plants to remove SOx and NOx. Some already had this tech, but it was expanded greatly under his admin. And lastly his Mercury regulations. Coal plants are the largest anthropogenic source of these emissions, historically accounting for more than half in the US in any given year. Trump is now actively trying to roll these back.

One of the posters here said that CEOs aren't evil villains, but...deliberately increasing mercury emissions in the environment sounds pretty evil to me. Plus natural is also cheap and plentiful since fracking came along. So it's not like coal was going to be able to compete anyways.

 

[Tbitty]

Trump has bombed 7, Obama's were also when the prior AUMF was valid.

Ghislaine Maxwell's trial was still ongoing and the files release were prevented by a Judge. You know, those people Trump openly ignores.

Nobody on the left that I know gives a shit about Venezuela or Maduro.

President Obama deported more illegals than any other president...3.1 million in 8 years. Trump was 900,000 in his first term. And 600,000 so far this term. Obama was the "deporter in chief." Facts matter buddy.

Facts sure do matter, buddy.

Funny how you chose to point that out when you disagreed with a meme I posted, but not when myself or numerous others have posted facts that you blatantly ignore.

I posted a meme; it was not something that I wrote out. But, since I posted it, I'll defend it. Let's start with the last sentence, then apply it to all the proceeding statements. I am focused on the hypocrisy of liberals and anti-Trumpers, to include yourself for sure.

Obama/Trump bombings: I don't care who or how many countries were bombed by any President in American history. From July 4, 1776 to April 15, 2026, I can understand the justification/reasoning for all major military actions that have been taken. I don't agree with all of them, but I also don't whine and cry about them like is being done now against Trump. ... hypocrisy.

Epstein Files:
Let's reiterate your statement that "facts matter."
Epstein "committed suicide" during Trumps forst term. Maxwell's trial ended in 2021, and sentencing in 2022. Thats still 2 years where Biden could have released files. Or the left could have called for files to be released during that time. That's also not what happened.
In Trump's 2nd term, files HAVE BEEN released.
How many moving goalposts have been set by the left regarding these files: they didnt matter during Bidens term -> Trump wouldn't release them -> they're released but not good enough because there's no incriminating evidence against Trump -> the lefties that ARE in the files were not involved, merely had their names mention: BUT the mentions of Trump "prove" he's a predator.

Do you not see how stupid that is? How massively incompetent and hypocritical you have to be to say/believe such things? ... the next person who tells me both Bill Clinton and Donald Trump are both predators because they both knew Epstein will be the first.

Hillary/Trump deportation: tell me anything in that section of the meme that is not 100% true.
... side note, as you and leftists love to do, I noticed you added a different set of facts to subvert from the reality you can't deny what is written. The meme talks about Hillary and Trump RE deportation, you bring in Obama to the conversation and remove Hillary.

Harris nomination: again, tell me anything in that section that is not true. At best, you can say it has slight ambiguity in wording (I would add the phrase "in the primary" after the word "her" for clarity), but it's not technically wrong.

Maduro: same as the last 2 sections. And to say no one on the left cared about Trump eliminating Maduro, you are truly incompetent. A simple Goolge search can provide you with an abundance of articles/picture/video evidence. Or are you ignoring the facts that matter, buddy? Or are you just saying you dont KNOW anyone who complained, so that somehow nullifies the rest of the facts?

Iran nuclear capabilities: I would modify the "every candidate" part to be "every meaningful candidate," but now we are just dealing in semantics. The rest of that section is clear and obvious, AND FACTUAL!

Oh, shit! That means the entire meme was factual except for how many countries have been bombed under Trump. .. I could add that the statement as written is at least conceptually true: the bitching about the bombing only started after he hit Iran (1 country), but I have made my point with the rest of the details and don't need to make that argument to defend my stance.

So, if facts matter, buddy, and I have all the facts on my side as described above, what's your argument again? You dont like facts that dont support your opinion? You want alternate statistics to make a counter argument when the point at hand cannot be argued? Good luck with that.

 

[Big_Easy]

“Subdivisions are the only game in town”

Literally everyone in my family would laugh at you. The Silent Generation, the Boomers, the millennials, the Gen X

It my area yes. Just did a Redfin search for Wake County, NC. Only 174 properties in the whole county at least 1 acre in size, max 40 acres. Prices are around $100K an acre. Flood zone properties for cheaper don't count. Theres one 7 acre lot closer into town for $3.5 million. So....$500K an acre?

Here you go below, 2.3 dry acres for 250K, 1500 SF home min, no mobile homes allowed. Even on the outskirts of town, on your own land you cant have a mobile. 1500 x 250 = $375K, plus 250K for the lot, $625K total min cost to buy and build (unless you build yourself of course). Most ppl cant get a loan for that much.

https://www.redfin.com/NC/Apex/Talicud-Trl-27539/home/201383690

 

[Big_Easy]

$250 SF, is a bargain. Here, most are at 350 to 450. I interviewed one architect that said he would not design any house that was under 600. And his fee started at 180k. That’s crazy west Austin money.

Yeah I mean 250/SF is usally the starting price plus the cost of the lot. The new portion of my subdivision is around 400/SF when you add in the cost of the lot.

 

[Big_Easy]

Epstein "committed suicide" during Trumps forst term. Maxwell's trial ended in 2021, and sentencing in 2022. Thats still 2 years where Biden could have released files. Or the left could have called for files to be released during that time. That's also not what happened.
In Trump's 2nd term, files HAVE BEEN released.
How many moving goalposts have been set by the left regarding these files: they didnt matter during Bidens term -> Trump wouldn't release them -> they're released but not good enough because there's no incriminating evidence against Trump -> the lefties that ARE in the files were not involved, merely had their names mention: BUT the mentions of Trump "prove" he's a predator.

Do you not see how stupid that is? How massively incompetent and hypocritical you have to be to say/believe such things? ... the next person who tells me both Bill Clinton and Donald Trump are both predators because they both knew Epstein will be the first.

Hillary/Trump deportation: tell me anything in that section of the meme that is not 100% true.
... side note, as you and leftists love to do, I noticed you added a different set of facts to subvert from the reality you can't deny what is written. The meme talks about Hillary and Trump RE deportation, you bring in Obama to the conversation and remove Hillary.

Harris nomination: again, tell me anything in that section that is not true. At best, you can say it has slight ambiguity in wording (I would add the phrase "in the primary" after the word "her" for clarity), but it's not technically wrong.

Maduro: same as the last 2 sections. And to say no one on the left cared about Trump eliminating Maduro, you are truly incompetent. A simple Goolge search can provide you with an abundance of articles/picture/video evidence. Or are you ignoring the facts that matter, buddy? Or are you just saying you dont KNOW anyone who complained, so that somehow nullifies the rest of the facts?

Iran nuclear capabilities: I would modify the "every candidate" part to be "every meaningful candidate," but now we are just dealing in semantics. The rest of that section is clear and obvious, AND FACTUAL!

Oh, shit! That means the entire meme was factual except for how many countries have been bombed under Trump. .. I could add that the statement as written is at least conceptually true: the bitching about the bombing only started after he hit Iran (1 country), but I have made my point with the rest of the details and don't need to make that argument to defend my stance.

So, if facts matter, buddy, and I have all the facts on my side as described above, what's your argument again? You dont like facts that dont support your opinion? You want alternate statistics to make a counter argument when the point at hand cannot be argued? Good luck with that.

"Maxwell's trial ended in 2021, and sentencing in 2022. Thats still 2 years where Biden could have released files. Or the left could have called for files to be released during that time. That's also not what happened."....She appealed it, and the appeals court denied it in Sept of 2024. The supreme court denied it in Oct of 2025. At which time the files could then be released.

"files HAVE BEEN released"...Not all of them, no. Significant quantities have not been, as well as many that were redacted. Plus whatever ones the Trump admin has removed or destroyed prior to their release.

"they didn't matter during Biden's term"...no, not really, because Joe Biden wasn't in them. If Joe Biden was in them with multiple allegations of raping children then yes, they would have mattered during his term.

"merely had their names mention"...no, not merely mentioned, multiple sources claiming that Trump raped kids. Thats more than just a mention. Like when the files mention Bill Gates hanging out with Jeffery, and banging some pros, that's a mention.

"The meme talks about Hillary and Trump RE deportation"...Ok, yes, it does. The "left" doesn't have an issue with deportations. That was my point in adding in the Obama comment. You mentioned the left "cheering" for Hillary when she mentioned deportations. Like I said, the left has no problem with them in general. They do however want the president to follow the law, and they also believe in reasonable and compasionate enforcement. Like when Obama created the DACA program, but still deported lots of people.

"And to say no one on the left cared about Trump eliminating Maduro"...I didn't say that, who is misrepresenting now? I said I don't know anyone on the left who gives a shit about Venezuela or Maduro.

 

[Tbitty]

As expected, moving goalposts. Misdirection. Ignoring certain facts that disrupt a narrative. Selective quoting. Claiming alternate "facts" (that have been proven wrong) and trying to use them as gospel.

Liberal bullshit at it's finest.

 

[Killingtime]

It my area yes. Just did a Redfin search for Wake County, NC. Only 174 properties in the whole county at least 1 acre in size, max 40 acres. Prices are around $100K an acre. Flood zone properties for cheaper don't count. Theres one 7 acre lot closer into town for $3.5 million. So....$500K an acre?

Here you go below, 2.3 dry acres for 250K, 1500 SF home min, no mobile homes allowed. Even on the outskirts of town, on your own land you cant have a mobile. 1500 x 250 = $375K, plus 250K for the lot, $625K total min cost to buy and build (unless you build yourself of course). Most ppl cant get a loan for that much.

https://www.redfin.com/NC/Apex/Talicud-Trl-27539/home/201383690

Why not move? I’ll agree home and land prices are ridiculous since Covid and that is true for the vast majority of America and I heard Canada as well that’s what printing mass amounts of money and super cheap interest rates will get you.. asset inflation but houses where outrageously priced back in 2003-2005 and you either bought and figured it out or lost your ass from a bad decision a few years later or you waited.
But no person is entitled to live where they want just because they want to live there. Make the money or move. If you want land move to a state or county where it’s affordable. If you want to live in a city then make that move.
Ive met people while working in California that complained about the cost but refused to move when they could have taken a 20-30% pay cut but had twice the house and living improvements.. makes no sense to complain about something they could control.

 

[Killingtime]

Logging company tried that approach here a few years ago to try and back door there way into getting the timber off my woodlot, they made offers on all the adjoining woodlots contingent on also being able to secure the rights to log fathers piece. Woodlot owners got together and had a meeting tried to guilt and pressure my father into selling or selling the timber rights. Father thanked them for the cup of tea he was drinking and the proceeded to tell the works of them to go - - - - themselves.

Hopefully that works out for you it’s not often a man gets to have his cake and eat it too. I hope you being the holdout got a bigger payment out of it?

A lot of land to the north of me sold their mineral rights out to the phosphate and sand mine some sold timber. It makes the land almost impossible to sell if the owner was inclined to seems most people that have the money to buy large tracts are smart enough to not buy land that they can’t make any money off of lol.
I know with some timber rights deals you have to make sure that they will clean up the stumps and replant. I heard of a older gentleman getting screwed pretty good on a deal they left him with a giant stumpy clear cut

 

[KJE81]

Wonder if this is a blockade runner or if the US Navy for some reason does not intercept/turn back chinese owned ships?

 

[Altitude sickness]

Have you ever been to CA? Liberals there are plenty concerned with water. Its very much a daily concern for many of them. As a civil and environmental engineer, I would be more than happy to work on and construct such a water conveyance system for you, and the west. I'm not sure you realize just how expensive such a pipeline would cost, but that's not the biggest issue.

The biggest issue is actually the NIMBYism you blamed on liberals. Theres not enough water in the plains aquifers, so that water is coming from surface waters back east. Which river do we take that from? The obvious choice would be the Mississippi. Every southern/midwest state that boarders that river is run by republicans (except Illinois). Go ask them if they are willing to give up some of their water. I dont think any of them will be so willing.

The I-10 route would be best, but you'd still need to lift that water column above 4,000 feet, from near sea-level back east. The ongoing energy requirements would be vast.

Yes, I have lived in Coronado, Ca. And Mare Island, Ca and Treasure Island Ca.

Every issue and dilemma ever solved had naysayers, skeptics and critics.

Yes it will be hard. Yes it will be expensive. But nowhere nearly as expensive or the risk to the environment than current oil and gas pipelines running everywhere underground, north south east and west. And yes those cross mountains.

Larger, more complex oil pipelines run east and west through Canada and the U.S.

The amount of water being dumped in the east right now would get the west through a month of water use. Use only overflow water. It’s doable.

Water is even more critical than oil and electricity.

 

[skydiver386]

There are plans for a new archway in Washington DC.

It will be known as the Arch de Triump, and will have a likeness of the President giving his signature thumbs up.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5832850-white-house-trump-triumphal-arch-leavitt-plans/

All leftist Karens are scheduled to have a simultaneous aneurysm in 3-2-1!