While I honestly believe the approaching mortgage and housing collapse will be the biggest in our history, I still respect well-written satire of economic fatalists like me.
Yes, China might someday be the biggest holder of American homeowner debt, but in the meantime I’ll always be able to smile at such wonderful prose:
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/economy/big-book/how-survive-next-economic-collapse
I’ve been accused by one of our forum members of doing a ‘bait and switch’ in my recent offer to discount book sales during the month of June. My original intent was to discount bulk purchases of my book Neighbors At War. But my wording was poorly thought out and it led to some bruised feelings among some. The misunderstanding was my fault and I apologize to anyone who felt deceived.
While Amazon frowns on authors who discount books below their online price, I still need to correct my error. So If anyone wants to purchase a single copy (or more) for $5 per book I will respect and fulfill your order while my stock holds out. If my supply of books gets low I will instruct my fulfillment house in New Hampshire to honor the same arrangement. I am out of town until later this month, but when I return I will gladly fulfill any requests.
Again, my mailing address is:
Hogback Publishing
151 Summer St. #463
Morrison, Colorado 80465
Sicily Kolbeck built her dream home, lost her best friend in the midst of building, and gave a TED Talk. How old is she? 13. What did she learn? Many lessons about construction but even more about life, loving, losing, and living on.
Her story really touches my heart. I was 13 when I built a lake home with my dad, who was my best friend, too. I miss and think of him every day. I know if he was still here, I never ever would have purchased in an HOA.
I wish Sicily all the best in her new home whether she takes it to college, lives in the wilderness, or hooks up and pulls it around Alaska. Most of all, I hope she’ll always remember her dad’s loving hands helped her build not just a tiny home but confidence that will take her many places that she has yet to dream of.
I also hope she will inspire other young people to build a tiny house so they won’t fall into the condo concentration camp. Or the maintence-not-provided scam. If it takes a few feet of living space on a trailer to protect the younger generation from the nightmares of HOA living, I’m all for it!
Enjoy both videos as Miss Sicily shares her story!
OK Bunkie, I realize you haven’t always been tight with your old Gramps. I realize we’ve had some differences, and sometimes you just thought I wasn’t very smart in the ways of the world. Sometimes I’m wrong, I admit it. But sometimes you’re wrong and you should admit it.
So, Bunkie, pull your chair up real close and listen even if this is that last time I ever get to try to share some wisdom with you.
Remember when you said that buying your own place was the best investment you could ever make? Remember when I tried to talk you out of it? You said you’d take your grandma in as a roommate to help you pay expenses?
But she died and now the HOA won’t let you have another roommate. They say it’s their decision and you can’t stop it. They’re telling you the only way you can stop it is to take them to court.
Bunkie, don’t fall for a sucker’s game! They know they’re going to win. They know that even if you win a decision in court, that court case will have cost you a quarter million dollars.
Sweetie, please listen. When you bought your condo you chose to live under a Communist form of government. I’m not trying to be overly dramatic. Those are just the facts. For the first time in our nation’s history you can make a conscious decision to join a totalitarian political party. It’s sneaky. But it’s all built around the illusion of home ownership. You gave up your rights to be an American and you can’t get them back.
Please don’t cry, Sweetie. It’s just a strange time in our history where the decisions you make really do mean something.
(How much is that condo worth now?)
Don’t you just hate it when an HOA or condo board shows its arrogance by taking aim at a desperately handicapped person and rubbing her face in her own personal tragedy? There are no words strong enough to quell my anger when an HOA bitch-slaps a disabled person. “Gee whiz, sorry you’re so disabled. Maybe you should just go live downtown.” Those are the exact words used by my own HOA president when my wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a number of years ago. That was long before such comments were legally actionable under federal law.
The latest such attempt at beating up the disabled happened in Florida’s Sabal Palm Condominiums of Pine Ridge in Broward County. Homeowner Deborah Fischer, who had long struggled with MS, wanted permission to keep a service dog.
“Hey Babe, you’re not disabled enough! Prove we’re wrong by producing every one of your medical records from birth and beyond. And BTW, even with all that documentation we still won’t approve your dog. And furthermore, we’re going to sue you first to remove your handicapped butt from this HOA!”
Of course, that kind of conversation could never take place. Could it? In this day and age? Naw.
Well, I’m only writing these words tonight because that’s exactly what happened in this gem of an HOA. A federal judge hammered this Homeowners Association with a massive fine and the harshest possible language. This HOA’s lawyer should be serving a lengthy prison term for criminal malpractice.
