Kirk & his neighbors...

HOAs are in may ways communistic. That's not an over-exaggeration by any means. They are overseeing bodies of quasi-government that take money from their public in the form of fines, for trivial, BS-matters. More often than not, HOA bylaws are abused by others for petty personal gripes. Yes, I know... 'their public' are people who willingly agreed upfront to live there and live under their rules...but
They are un-American, no matter how you spin it.
America! - Love it or Leave it!!!
Not really. America is rooted in capitalism. As in, "we real estate developers bought this big chunk of land and put buildings on it, and will offer you the right to buy some of it only if you sign this CC&R, because we legally own it." I don't see any government involvement (i.e. communism) in it at all other than our capitalist system at work. If it were an a non-optional set of conditions that the government forced on you without alternatives, then you could say it's creeping into communism territory.

Should a squatter be able to pitch a tent in your front lawn? No, because you own it and you set the conditions of what people are allowed to do with it. In an HOA you're not just buying a house. You're buying a house subject to a contract that you sign with you're own free will.

I think HOAs are ridiculous, but I have the choice, and exercise that choice to never buy into one.
 
In the US, 67% of particle contaminants in the air are from gravel roads.
I'm not saying you're wrong, but do you have a peer-reviewed source for that that comes from a university?
If I had deep pockets one of the first thing I would change would be to ban Iowa limestone roads like most other states have gone away from.
In 2002 per the DOT Iowa had 68,530 miles of gravel roads. Lets say they've converted 530 miles of it since then and call it an even 68,000.

In a 2013 report by the DOT (not a construction firm), the cost of converting gravel to asphalt was $600,000 - 800,000 per mile including engineering costs and depending on things like ramps, interchanges, etc. Concrete is over a million dollars per mile but we'll just say that it's all going to be asphalt for discussion's sake. We'll use $700,000/mile as a nice average, even though we both know that it'd most likely be much higher than that.

So using rough, very underestimated math that would come to $47,600,000,000. That's $47.6 billion.

In 2018 the entire Road Use Tax Fund total receipts will be $1.6 billion give or take a few million dollars, added together with expected federal Highway Trust Fund receipts of $531 million and that's to cover every single project in Iowa for an entire year. So even to spread that type of project out over 30 years you'd have to double the state's receipts into the fund. That's impossible and would never happen.

I like you and I honestly don't care what your politics are, but this is a perfect example of where people don't use math before saying we should do something.
 
I'm not saying you're wrong, but do you have a peer-reviewed source for that that comes from a university?
In 2002 per the DOT Iowa had 68,530 miles of gravel roads. Lets say they've converted 530 miles of it since then and call it an even 68,000.

In a 2013 report by the DOT (not a construction firm), the cost of converting gravel to asphalt was $600,000 - 800,000 per mile including engineering costs and depending on things like ramps, interchanges, etc. Concrete is over a million dollars per mile but we'll just say that it's all going to be asphalt for discussion's sake. We'll use $700,000/mile as a nice average, even though we both know that it'd most likely be much higher than that.

So using rough, very underestimated math that would come to $47,600,000,000. That's $47.6 billion.

In 2018 the entire Road Use Tax Fund total receipts will be $1.6 billion give or take a few million dollars, added together with expected federal Highway Trust Fund receipts of $531 million and that's to cover every single project in Iowa for an entire year. So even to spread that type of project out over 30 years you'd have to double the state's receipts into the fund. That's impossible and would never happen.

I like you and I honestly don't care what your politics are, but this is a perfect example of where people don't use math before saying we should do something.

It was EPA in a large report. It's quoted in several reports. Missouri and Illinois have long gone away from gravel roads. Not suggesting concrete roads.

As far as peer review reports or even EPA, I'm sure you are away that money and politics play into that. I oft cite a study I was involved in costing over a million that did not support USDA and private funders position and it didn't get published. They tried to get me to build a model with data that wasn't there and I wouldn't do it. It made the rest of the days coming back from Asia rather uncomfortable. Ag research right now is a bunch of BS.

The wife is highly sensitive to dusts. Going across Iowa we have to stick to the main roads. It's quite noticeable.

State's like Iowa also have to look at quality of life. When I was offered a university job in Iowa, I declined do to wife.

We could go on and on about this, but it is a major problem and it does have an economic cost NOT to do it. Farmers don't like the thought as fixing a gravel road from overload is easier than a oil and chip road. Restrictions from late Jan through March would drive farmers crazy.

Remember decades ago when Iowa almost poured dioxin laced dust reduction material on Iowa gravel roads due to a manufacturing error (I think it was).

If KF lives in a residential area even outside city limits, roads and public health can be an issue.

Farmers also benefit from not having to apply as much limestone.
 
HOAs are in may ways communistic. That's not an over-exaggeration by any means. They are overseeing bodies of quasi-government that take money from their public in the form of fines, for trivial, BS-matters. More often than not, HOA bylaws are abused by others for petty personal gripes. Yes, I know... 'their public' are people who willingly agreed upfront to live there and live under their rules...but
They are un-American, no matter how you spin it.
America! - Love it or Leave it!!!

You know, TBLHski, i think HOA's are potentially abused by the officers, but they aren't inherently so. I have a condo in CO that is very well run. but i have a fried who's HOA had an officer embezzle money. so, like everything else, it depends.
 
It was EPA in a large report. It's quoted in several reports. Missouri and Illinois have long gone away from gravel roads. Not suggesting concrete roads.

As far as peer review reports or even EPA, I'm sure you are away that money and politics play into that. I oft cite a study I was involved in costing over a million that did not support USDA and private funders position and it didn't get published. They tried to get me to build a model with data that wasn't there and I wouldn't do it. It made the rest of the days coming back from Asia rather uncomfortable. Ag research right now is a bunch of BS.

The wife is highly sensitive to dusts. Going across Iowa we have to stick to the main roads. It's quite noticeable.

State's like Iowa also have to look at quality of life. When I was offered a university job in Iowa, I declined do to wife.

We could go on and on about this, but it is a major problem and it does have an economic cost NOT to do it. Farmers don't like the thought as fixing a gravel road from overload is easier than a oil and chip road. Restrictions from late Jan through March would drive farmers crazy.

Remember decades ago when Iowa almost poured dioxin laced dust reduction material on Iowa gravel roads due to a manufacturing error (I think it was).

If KF lives in a residential area even outside city limits, roads and public health can be an issue.

Farmers also benefit from not having to apply as much limestone.
I wasn't trying to knock you down, I live on the edge of my town and don't like the dust either. It's everywhere. But even though there's an economic cost to keeping it, the cost of doing away with it carte blanche like you just suggested (banning them) is orders of magnitude higher, and I'd even go as far as saying impossible. Would Iowans be able to take the gas tax from $0.31 to $3.00? No way that's possible. I don't know about you but I can't afford five or six dollar gas. I'd have to quit my job. It's not as easy as shooting a money cannon at problems by banning something. You either find a reasonable compromise, or if there isn't one you pick the lesser of the two evils, even if that means some people being uncomfortable. I'm 6'2" with long legs and don't fit in economy airline seats. Do I want more room if it means doubling the price of my ticket? No way in hell...I deal with it.

4 lane divided roads are 70% safer than 2 lane roads. Should we tear up all 2 lanes in the state? I'd bet it would save a hell of a lot more lives than getting rid of gravel dust, but we don't do that because you have to find a balance of risk and practicality. People need to understand that.
 
I wasn't trying to knock you down, I live on the edge of my town and don't like the dust either. It's everywhere. But even though there's an economic cost to keeping it, the cost of doing away with it carte blanche like you just suggested (banning them) is orders of magnitude higher, and I'd even go as far as saying impossible. Would Iowans be able to take the gas tax from $0.31 to $3.00? No way that's possible. I don't know about you but I can't afford five or six dollar gas. I'd have to quit my job. It's not as easy as shooting a money cannon at problems by banning something. You either find a reasonable compromise, or if there isn't one you pick the lesser of the two evils, even if that means some people being uncomfortable. I'm 6'2" with long legs and don't fit in economy airline seats. Do I want more room if it means doubling the price of my ticket? No way in hell...I deal with it.

4 lane divided roads are 70% safer than 2 lane roads. Should we tear up all 2 lanes in the state? I'd bet it would save a hell of a lot more lives than getting rid of gravel dust, but we don't do that because you have to find a balance of risk and practicality. People need to understand that.

Iowa has the 3rd highest gas tax of surrounding states, well above Missouri, but lower than IL and Wisky. Roads are about to get a whole lot safer as driverless cars get on the road. Drove the length of I-80 this weekend in cold bad weather. The number of cars and truck in the ditches was pretty high. There has to be a practical solution. No idea where you live, but in my humble (seriously speaking), Iowa is in decline. Iowa weathered the financial collapse 10 years ago, but on the back of ethanol and no other real reason. Small towns are declining. It's evident when you stay away for awhile and come back. Iowa small cities outside of Des Moines and IC mostly just don't seem to be doing well. CR seem to keep it's head above water I guess, but when you go to surrounding states it becomes quite apparent.

Money cannons aren't the problem. We really haven't had economic recovery unless you want to discount debt. What Iowa has over a number of states ) is that there are so many people in the lower middle and lower (very low) middle. What that boils down to is that Iowa lacks minority populations which is why the outright poverty is not such a big issue. Hispanic populations still take care of themselves like any new immigrant population does. Iowa on one hand has managed to keep home values higher than some neighbors, but that has come due to a dearth of building new homes that occurs in more vibrant economies.

Making Iowa a place people want to come to is important. Who'd think this could be related to KF's issues and football?

Anyway sorry of the rant. I'd be an Iowa resident now if it weren't for gravel/limestone roads. And now I'm not looking at KF's neighborhood :)
 
You know, TBLHski, i think HOA's are potentially abused by the officers, but they aren't inherently so. I have a condo in CO that is very well run. but i have a fried who's HOA had an officer embezzle money. so, like everything else, it depends.

All ruling bodies are shit. Because they are about power. And homo sapiens have never figured out how to wield power with integrity.
Are there moments when the good guys ascend to positions of power? Sure, but most people seeking positions of power are seeking them for venal reasons. That's the great thing about democracy, you can fire people who suck at their job. Unfortunately, people are too often hesitant to fire those not doing their job. And those same people too often willing to fire those who have done their job.
Go watch DARKEST HOUR for more on this topic.
 
Iowa has the 3rd highest gas tax of surrounding states, well above Missouri, but lower than IL and Wisky. Roads are about to get a whole lot safer as driverless cars get on the road. Drove the length of I-80 this weekend in cold bad weather. The number of cars and truck in the ditches was pretty high. There has to be a practical solution. No idea where you live, but in my humble (seriously speaking), Iowa is in decline. Iowa weathered the financial collapse 10 years ago, but on the back of ethanol and no other real reason. Small towns are declining. It's evident when you stay away for awhile and come back. Iowa small cities outside of Des Moines and IC mostly just don't seem to be doing well. CR seem to keep it's head above water I guess, but when you go to surrounding states it becomes quite apparent.

Money cannons aren't the problem. We really haven't had economic recovery unless you want to discount debt. What Iowa has over a number of states ) is that there are so many people in the lower middle and lower (very low) middle. What that boils down to is that Iowa lacks minority populations which is why the outright poverty is not such a big issue. Hispanic populations still take care of themselves like any new immigrant population does. Iowa on one hand has managed to keep home values higher than some neighbors, but that has come due to a dearth of building new homes that occurs in more vibrant economies.

Making Iowa a place people want to come to is important. Who'd think this could be related to KF's issues and football?

Anyway sorry of the rant. I'd be an Iowa resident now if it weren't for gravel/limestone roads. And now I'm not looking at KF's neighborhood :)

I always get bothered when someone says, "Your life is going to get safer after you give up your freedoms."
I like driving cars. Autos represent freedom to me. I have an off-road vehicle I enjoy. I have a sports car I enjoy. I have a motorcycle I enjoy. You nanny-state people need to stay away from my cars. In fact stay away completely. Child-proof your own life without imposing your joy-killing, soul-killing lifestyle on the rest of us.
 
FYI for all you folks discussing democracy...LTG

that-doesnt-make.jpg
 
I always get bothered when someone says, "Your life is going to get safer after you give up your freedoms."
I like driving cars. Autos represent freedom to me. I have an off-road vehicle I enjoy. I have a sports car I enjoy. I have a motorcycle I enjoy. You nanny-state people need to stay away from my cars. In fact stay away completely. Child-proof your own life without imposing your joy-killing, soul-killing lifestyle on the rest of us.

Peoples rights to have dust from roads and smoke from residential trash burning. Suppose you wanted to keep your slaves.

If you want to smoke wherever you want or ride a bike wo a helmet or drive wo a belt your utopia should reflect that in your health insurance premium and and cost to Govt. Wat what u want.. same thing. You have no idea of my politics but I can tell you that very few are paying there on way and are on the Govt nipple big time. Including the value of your stocks through monetization and Govt buying as well as yiur home due to ethsnol subsidies. Wa wa wa.
 
Really sick of your shit. If you dont like what i have to say dont respond or read it. Pretty simple, leave me alone and stop attacking me.
 

Latest posts

Top