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fyi just now, 92 down, 11 up, latency 26ms. I used to think 250mb down was some sort of hardware limit, but I have seen speeds higher than that. Usually like 4am.

I will admit "free taxpayer paid booze" to addicts is a surprise. At first I thought this was a spoof article .... apparently not so. https://nypost.com/2024/05/11/us-news/san-francisco-slammed-for-5m-a-year-program-to-give-free-alcohol-to-the-homeless-this-isnt-working/

I have 3. Two residential and one RV. Been $120/$120/$150 for at least a year.

The CA budget is ... again ... a mess. This year's deficit is touted at $56 billion but many think it is much higher. The Governor is proposing to further raise taxes on high income residents by eliminating the "net operating loss" (NOL) provision of the tax code. Here was my personal...

Spectacular picture! Thank you Ron ... Got back at our CA property yesterday. 60F going to 80F today. Nice weather. Seems all I do here is work. Will be burning today. Need to complete all burning soon-- before burn season ends. Mowed 2 acres yesterday, so about 10% done. Compared to a...

I like to pose this question to the food server, then stay quiet and watch their reaction: "How do I leave a negative tip? I need cash back!"

Went to my 20 yr high school reunion and saw old friend George K. Learned he was still in school, never stopped taking classes, and still had years to go in academia. I asked how he paid the bills. He said student loans, various grants, and following grad it opened up a new world to pursue and...

Hope you get to feeling better Buppies! 35F headed to a sunny 70F today. Nice weather! I have been officially dumped by the mating geese pair and their goslings. Very quickly after hatching the goslings, they beat a path to the neighbor pond and never came back. I understand in nature it is...

Good morning all! 30F in beautiful Northern Nevada headed to 65F and sunny. We are hosting good friends for a few days-- good company and good food as always. Everyone have a great day!!!

The opposite is also true when raising "new" money. I have seen ballot initiatives for new municipal bonds that claimed it would "help Police and Fire agencies." But after approval, Police and Fire got nothing. Then the cycle repeated. It became such an entrenched way to hoodwink voters that a...

Just across the border in NV, I built a residence over 5,000 ft, with separate detached garage over 3,000 ft, for about $3,500 in permit fees. Just the dinky 1,200 ft "accessory dwelling unit" on the other side of the border is $16k-- and only because the County (all counties in CA) got their...

In CA it's also a money thing. The State finally had to step in and pass a statewide law to reign in abusive permitting practices by the County. My permit cost to build a small "ADU" (up to 1,200 ft.) went from about $200k in "highway robbery" fees to be capped at $16k with no added demands...

Oh my! I realize CA is a whole different animal. But when I tried to split about 100 acres into 25ac ea, the County started adding up fees, regulations, road improvements, etc. When it got to two years of bureaucracy, inspections and other work, plus about $200k in permit fees, road work, etc...

I paid $6.99/gal for diesel in Truckee, CA about 10 days ago. :(

Good morning! 30F headed to sunny 60F. Got snow over the weekend-- Interstate 80 was closed and we missed the big barbeque at our friends in CA. She does it every year in early May-- this was the first weather outage. About 1 1/2 feet of snow at Donner Summit-- a good water year! Everyone...

I drove across NY one day on a sunny spring/summer day. I thought the area around Binghampton, NY was absolutely beautiful. Lots of beauty in NY .... but high rise buildings maybe not so. 😃

Things get complicated when you get to the inspection stage. And everything is compressed because the seller has often already made other plans for moving on. When I sold my personal residence, I had a sophisticated buyer, and a seasoned home inspector, try to scam me. While in escrow, the...

Nothing personal ... I admit not reading all the pages of the post. Out of the ones I did read, I did not see anyone address a helmet. But you are reminding me to be more thorough! just pointing out differences in region. 😃

Just to poke fun at it I was wondering where his helmet is? In CA, riders under age 18 *must* wear an approved helmet. And if you put your kid at that age in a trailer behind the bike, he has to wear a helmet also. State law. (I'll bet whoever wrote that law would be aghast seeing the mower...

Things vary by region. I know my region well; I don't know yours. And every deal is different. Suppose you get a dream offer-- 100% of asking price with almost no contingencies. Except for the ceiling to be tested. Which then turn up positive ..... I've run across others who advised just...

From the article: "In 1989, the infamous “popcorn ceiling asbestos ban” marked the end of asbestos additions to these textured ceilings." The problem is that such dates are not really hard dates you can rely upon. For example, lead paint was outlawed in 1978 but that was only for new...

Be very careful. You can redo your popcorn ceilings on your own without oversight. Because I presume you don't know, yes or no, if any asbestos is present. I hired a contractor to redo popcorn ceilings once. He promptly took samples and sent them to a lab to see if asbestos was present...

I know nothing about flail mowers. Side slice? Hammer? One reason I stopped using the rotary cutter is the tractor would push the weeds down, and they would stay down as the mower went over. But it wasn't too long and they popped up again. The front mount mower on the Ventrac generates a much...

I made a tragic mistake so many make. I could have rehabbed the kitchen and bath 5 years or more before sale, and enjoyed them. Instead, I did it right prior to sale and got little use and enjoyment except for a desirable sale.

Well that is a huge benefit right there.

That is very helpful. Any ideas how big of a flail mower I could push with a 44hp PTO? I did look at the ones that shift to the side, but I have such a small need for that I don't think it would be worth the added complexity and expense?

What do you like about the flail vs brush hog? btw my brush hog is at max limits for my tractor-- 8ft connected to 44hp at the pto. Between the tractor tires and the trailing wheels on the brush hog there are certainly a lot of bumps. I considered a flail mower some time ago with an...

I cannot deduct the cost of equipment, but I do believe purchasing such items is a good investment in these times. Some would throw tomatoes at me for saying that, but every piece of equipment (except for a brand new cab tractor) is now worth more than what I paid for it. And the cab tractor...

Your use of common sense is getting in the way of me wanting to have a new piece of equipment!!!! 😃 Good post ....

I have great respect for your knowledge and wisdom, but disagree a little. I agree what you write is generally true but with exceptions. Upgrading with fresh paint and carpeting is typically an expense that yields more return than cost. A common technique used by "flippers." And "staging" your...

That is a really good plan. I installed a 6" buried irrigation line across this pasture years ago, and it has "sunk in" where the pipe was run. Crossing that one section alone causes a lot of jolts. So I can start with dressing that up.

Every circumstance is different, but paying cash is almost universal to be the cleanest, least costly way to do things. Q- suppose you got halfway through renovation, and then due to a medical issue decided not to sell right away? Better off paying cash vs having a loan? What if the house takes...

People are different. Some keep a tidy house and yard, others do not. Some take out a home mortgage and focus on paying it off entirely as quickly as they can. Others view increasing home equity as a source for loans to purchase boats and whatever-- doing that ensures they are in the debt cycle...

It is a time issue. I am the only one maintaining nearly 100 acres so there is always something urgent elsewhere. It was planted with some sort of grass/plant about 60 years ago. The pasture is pretty uniform in growth, except a draw where a lot of water comes through. It first comes in...

I had Hughesnet and could barely keep basic services like email running. Maybe Roku has a large buffer to help with such a slow connection.

Sounds like you are making good progress. Maybe you are already doing this but doing some shopping about what property you want to transition into would also be helpful.

Can I do that with loaded tires? My rear tires are loaded with rimguard. If I remember correctly, recommended pressure is low, something like 10 pounds??

I think this is very wise. I paid extra $$ for the upgraded seat system in my Massey 1758 and Ventrac 4500Z. Because of back issues-- a wise choice. And even with the 8 large low pressure tires on the Ventrac, plus a seat cushion, I still get bumps where I go ... ahhhh. But although I paid for...

Maybe: "I don't have any of the problems *yet*? My last residential rental in CA is in Sacramento. It is rent-restricted like Ultra's is. (max rent increase of 5% annually no matter how much my costs might increase.) The County also collects a "rental property fee" for homes not owner occupied...

The CAT-powered 48hp Ferris mower has a MSRP of $38k. Based on feedback, I would be reluctant to purchase without actually trying it. Regulations have chased many of the mower offerings out of the market-- except battery models. And trying to mow 15 acres of tall weeds using a battery is...

Most likely a hold for spacing prior to arrival and landing. Are you still on track for a pup? Our pup's mom came up with a nipple problem so they treated it and covered it up. She is now short one nipple compared to pups-- so the pups have to play musical chairs to feed. The breeder is...

100 gallons. With 12V pump and meter for $200. A local company going out of business blew everything out. Full size pallet racking (complete) for $200 section. Indian backpack fire pumps $10 ea. 40F going to a windy 70F. We have SNOW forecast over the mountains this weekend. A bit unusual for...

That turns out to be an interesting question. I looked at every YouTube video about the mower. All of the demonstrations were operating it on short grass-- not quite like a pool table flat but pretty close. I did not see anything where it was put up against some rough terrain or high weeds...

Most sellers overvalue their personal residence due to emotional attachment and non-tangible factors. After all, it was what "they" chose to buy above all others, right? It is very difficult to be objective when you sell your own residence. I do understand the pull and tug of the intangible...

You have compression, spark, and (starter fluid) fuel. Valve problem? Sticking open?

I have about 15 acres of pasture. Gentle rolling hills, not steep except near the pond. Ranges from moderately smooth to bumpy. I'm considering a new mower-- admittedly perhaps a stupid overkill-- 48hp diesel zero turn mower. Ferris IS6200Z...

Maybe that is fair if you don't count the communist countries! 😃

It is. He was at Sac Executive airport the day I picked up the B-55. Should have taken time to meet him-- my bad!

It's easy to make that kind of comparison of a price "today" from what it was in the past. Long ago, in a fabulous neighborhood, I set the all-time highest price ever paid for a residential home in that area. Yes I paid top dollar. Oh how I wish I kept that beautiful property. You could easily...

Over the past few years I've planted about 30 bare root apple trees. Three out of 30 died, all the rest are doing nicely. All are protected from deer by wire fencing. (that ... was a lot of work!) Today I discovered a dead one, in the exact same place where I already replaced a dead one last...

Have to agree. He is a resource with great insight into many things even beyond flying. His analysis of the Dallas warbird midair was the best of any that tried. I almost met him once. I bought a Beechcraft B-55 airplane from one of his closest friends. He was nearby when I took delivery of the...

lol ... 😃

Q- do you believe Ultrarunner's rental and property circumstances have received fair treatment over the past few years? If you defend those practices, maybe some relevant rebuttal would be better? A selective chart pre-dating WWII and the Great Depression of the 1930's seems a stretch? Is...

Here is how bad it is, not just in CA ... A Ph.D student at Columbia, speaking on behalf of students who violently seized and occupy a Columbia campus building, demanded provision of food and water. She was asked questions by a reporter: "Why should the university be obligated to provide food...

Famous question from famous past political debate: "Are you better off then you were 4 years ago?"

Good morning! 30F going to sunny 65F today. Should be perfect! Got 15 new shrubs planted and drip irrigation in place. My aching back reminds me I'm not a kid anymore. Next is to fill the planter with 3" of salt and pepper gravel. Probably 10 yards of gravel to transport then spread-- I will...

When is someone going to start talking about the redistribution of hard work and risk taking?

Ultra, Reading that letter tears at my heart how tragic things have become. The do-gooders who setup the agencies such as from your letter always say they do it for the "greater good." Such as more housing and lower costs. But what happens, outside their awareness, is another bureaucratic...

Gosling alert! Here is a picture of the first steps of 6 goslings. These little guys hatched yesterday but mom sat on them for about 24 hours. Then, about 7am this morning, it was off to see the world!

I did not find it at first-- only when I did a deep examination of every option and menu item did I find it. It was related to "remote support" ... ya sure. btw Amcrest is a budget version of Dahua. Some people try buying the "lower end" Amcrest models then applying the Dahua firmware to get...

I recently purchased a Dahua camera. I can confirm this is true. The default setting was for the camera to "report back" to the manufacturer what your IP address is and other information. No thanks. Except by the time you navigate to that screen, well .... it has already happened. The camera...

I think I've decided to sell my last residential rental in CA. I really don't want to-- beautiful property, highly desirable neighborhood, excellent tenants for 10 years. For years this was my primary residence. But things are just getting too stupid to bear. The big losers will be the tenants...

Glad you got some sleep Buppies! Just saw the entire new gaggle of goslings ... mom just brought them out of the nest for the first time. Mom and dad are now escorting them to the pond next door. 6 of them!

I use several roku devices and they work fine.

30F going to sunny 68F today. We have goslings! At least 3 eggs hatched. I'm not sure if there are any more eggs to hatch, but I did see 3. Even though they hatched as of yesterday morning, the mom goose sat on the nest all day yesterday and never left. So as of now, she and the goslings...

I refuse to do the Medicare wellness exam. Lots of pressure from my doctor. If he pushes too hard I will find a different doctor.

You, the patient, are ultimately in charge of your medical care. So you get to decide on your care ... no matter what they think. Just barely below freezing now, but headed to a sunny 70F today! Last Fall I built a 100ft stone retaining wall to create a planter in the front yard. Today I am...

fyi I am building a cedar fence on the side of my residence. About 125 ft total, I am going about as high end / nicest fence as I can. Trying to create a spectacular look if that can be done in a wood fence. Using cedar milled on my manual sawmill. Shopping around for fence designs, I saw some...

This is wise, experienced, valuable insight. I have been investing in property for 20+ years not to mention buying, selling, and building my own homes. Not only do I agree, but Eddie said it better than I can. If you read and follow what he presented you will not go wrong.

Hope things can improve Buppies! Good rest helpful for all. 40F going to sunny 70F today. Spring is here!! Goose still sitting on nest near barn. Gestation is supposedly 30 days so egg(s) should hatch any day. I saw one large egg in nest; there may be more. Two marmots were harassing the...

Cannot answer without more information. How much $$ did you contribute to the local Board of Supervisor candidates in the last election? 😀

On January 1, 2023 California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) gutted private property rights in favor of utility companies. Personally I believe this is illegal and unconstitutional, but it is now the "law of the land" and it is imposed on me whether I like it or not. Our utility company...

Well, you are doing it with their permission. In my area that changes things entirely. You could request that the current owner give you a deeded easement that is recorded on title. Then it would be permanent, and "run with the land." If the current owner likes you doing this it might be a...

A neighbor bought a small lot on the cheap. Then brought in an RV. RV's are permitted if they are only seasonal. Next thing we know, he had a bootleg septic system using a buried 55 gal drum next to a creek. The neighbors downstream from him had a major problem about that-- the County made him...

You don't always know. That's one of the many reasons why real estate is interesting. https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/prescriptive-easement

When buying property it is possible you don't know what prescriptive easements exist. These are codified in law. It can get very messy if you buy property and try to stop activity by others that has taken place over many years. In my area, if someone has used someone else's property with "open...

My excavator contractor has a takeuchi. He works it hard and says it is a very good machine.

That dahua camera I mentioned had a setting buried in it something like: Contact dahua support, provide IP address, serial number, etc. etc. to allow for future remote camera troubleshooting. That setting by default was ON. So that camera, by default, communicates with the "mother ship." It is...

That is an unbelievably good find!!

Yes, I agree that in a normal world, investors build a proforma of income vs expenses, potential profit, then evaluate the risk and decide whether to continue. But we are no longer in a normal world. Let's take Ultrarunner's case. He figured all that in, then the government enacted Covid...

The world has changed, and moved on, from an owner in control "showing the flag" to help command respect for their property. (No disrespect meant, from your posts here I have confidence you were a quality owner and landlord ... as hopefully I am as well.) The CA government decided to reign in...

This is a bit dated and I don't know the more recent history. But a good example of some of the risks involved. https://www.androidauthority.com/wyze-camera-hacked-3147318/

I was told earlier that Ring doorbell cameras store 100% of the video footage on their servers whether you subscribe to their cloud service or not. So, they keep videos of your property you may not know even exist. Related, I was told there is history that Ring has turned such videos over to...

I have done that. It's an exhilarating wild west ride. Saavy investors show up with multiple certified checks each at $100k, then some for $50k, $25k, and all the way down to one dollar. The courthouse step auctions only accept certified checks on the spot. So if some poor sap bids $200k, and...

Well here is one of many vendors that sells Dahua in the USA. Was this a total ban or just government ban? https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/dahua-ip-cameras/ci/57439

There is another important consideration. Chinese manufactured cameras are quite popular, such as reolink, amcrest, dahua, hikvision, empiretech, etc. But they also have a potential security risk. Actually many cameras do, but probably best to say especially Chinese cameras. Years ago there was...

I have extensive experience in this area. First, if you have no experience with surveillance cameras, prepare to be very disappointed. I'm not saying they are not worthwhile-- I have many of them deployed. But they are not anywhere close to the capacity of the human eye. My opinion is that...

The property owner sets the price. With input of course, from hopefully a RE agent who provides comparable data.

That has so many ethical issues it is quite surprising. Yikes. Not my cup of tea.

I don't look at Zillow since I have MLS access direct to properties. But after looking at the photos you presented, it looks quite obvious they were manipulated. I can't speak for others but I would never get involved with doing that-- too risky.

I have a property with an access easement. It is a constant headache, I wish it was not there. I would never purchase a property with that sort of easement.

I don't know of any RE photographers who do that. But maybe they do? Seems that "stretching" photos to present a false impression is fraud.

If it is for the same property that you would switch to another broker on I believe her expectation is reasonable. (not sure I would agree with 4% though!) If I take the time and trouble to show a property, do research, negotiate, review deeds, etc. and then have my prospective buyer cut me out...

The entire real estate transaction market was recently upended by a major court decision. As of July sellers can no longer offer a commission to the broker on the buyer's side. So expect a lot of new demands from "buyer's" agents such as up front commission or paying hourly fees. This was a...

Many people outside CA don't know what "just cause" eviction is. Those poor folks are "old school"-- trapped in the outdated, bigoted world of believing a landlord could decide he/she doesn't want to continue the rental, or continue a lease, at the end of the rental or lease period. Time for...

I wrote earlier that the County tried semi-extortion pushing a building permit fee to nearly $200k to build a second residence at our ranch property. Thanks to the state-wide new regulations over the past few years, the County has been muzzled and they are most certainly not happy about it...

😃

You wrote: "Anyone forced out by a sharp rent increase." Q- in California, just who would that be? A 5% increase is a sharp increase? Limited to one 5% increase after 12 months? A puny 5% in this inflationary period? For liability protection, I keep residential rentals in an LLC, which is...

Insider secret: professional property photographers typically use a 35mm DSLR camera. So far, ho hum. But then strap a 10mm lens onto the camera, and all the rooms suddenly look huge. Take the same photo using your cell phone camera and it can look like two completely different rooms and...

I think the top 4 cities control more like 15% of the vote. An election with a 10% victory margin is typically considered a blowout ... I'm surprised anyone contests the influence of large cities on elections? I thought that has been long accepted .... maybe I need to get out more!! 😃

I really like this-- thanks! I am about to build a decorative fence at my side yard. Using cedar I milled in CA but that's another story ... The only thing I don't like about the crown/concrete is the aesthetics. It looks fine in a pasture but along side a green lawn it might conflict. I've...

Sometimes the voting influence of large cities in CA can tip propositions to win or lose as well as candidates. A good example is CA Proposition 103-- designed to "reign in" insurance companies. From Wikipedia: California voters passed Proposition 103 on November 8, 1988. It in effect made...

To be fair, those two cities, and a few others, control the outcome of elections. No matter how strong the vote is from less dense counties, those cities overwhelm the vote. The elected officials then dictate policy that prevails across the entire state, not just their location. Here are a...

Eddie, I've seen many posts get set using concrete, but the concrete does not entirely fill the hole. The homeowner adds a final layer of dirt over the concrete so it is more visually pleasing instead of seeing a block of concrete. Leaving such a layer seems to invite the layer of ground rot...

We own a ski cabin in CA but they won't be able to reach us for other reasons. Too many roots and time spent in Nevada. Regarding a fishing cabin, I purchased a lifetime fishing license while I was a CA resident-- and before moving out of state. At the time I bought it, once you had a lifetime...

This brings a new dimension to the term "blood suckers." :LOL: New York’s tax laws are notoriously tricky ... In one situation, an auditor asked a client for death records of their deceased dog and the veterinarian that handled the body, he said.

CA has more than doubled its number of "residency audits." In the unquenchable pursuit of more tax income. "It’s also taking place in California, another relatively high-tax, high-departure state facing budget strains, where the number of residency audits closed in the first 11 months of 2023...

Spent yesterday collecting debris and managing a burn pile. At 4:30pm my wife brought out-- with two COLD ONEs! Woo hoo-- perfect timing. Every spring is the same. A race to collect branches and sticks before the grasses grow and hide it. Better to find it now compared to the mower hitting it...

lol. you forgot that he was enraged because the shop keeper addressed he (or she?) by the wrong pronoun. 😀

Yes of course. Has nothing to do with the heavy-handed CA Department of Insurance denying every rate request by insurance companies, despite pleas and evidence to the contrary, driving them into unprofitability, causing them to flee from the 5th largest economy in the world. As my friend would...

When I saw the statistic that solar in Texas now outstrips coal produced power, I wondered how much of that was an increase in solar compared to a decrease in coal usage? I wanted to research that, but my research budget was exhausted after going down the dailykos rabbit hole!! 😀 :LOL:

Restaurants in CA have it especially tough. Minimum wage is $20/hr. Add taxes, etc on top and a dishwasher or person bussing tables costs an employer $50,000/year. Glad I am not in that business ... more closings are coming.

Kyle, why did you prefer the box turtles? We had a 10" red ear slider show up in our pond two years ago. Two winters ago there was 4 feet of snow on the ground yet it survived somehow? Good morning all, today will be a good day to burn debris piles. 43F going to a sunny 70F. Hope everyone has...

After doing some digging, I question whether dailykos received payment for placement of this "article?" In other words, is it a "paid promotion" or a legitimately newsworthy article? I don't know whether "pay for play" is involved, as I have no idea what business model dailykos uses. But after...

This is my core issue. There is so much unvouched for information, repeated comments, reposted comments, etc. that it becomes a waste of my time to read and then play Sherlock Holmes to identify fact version fiction. One of my college professors famously said: "Any crackpot with a keyboard can...

Peak rate I pay here in CA is .60 cents per kW. It's .12 cents in Nevada. There was recently a "huge" energy price increase in NV-- 20%. It went from .10 cents to .12 cents. o_O

I am going to guess TBS has a problem with citing dailykos as a source. If so, I have the same issue. I don't typically read *anything* posted there based on past experience. In my opinion, not a credible source. But, I made an exception and read the piece. So, let's unpack this: Here is the...

Arbolada Dr, La Grange, CA 95329?

Hopefully last week in May. If not then, last week in June. Good weather for hard work before it gets too hot!

Pretty sure it is this .. https://turtlespet.com/how-fast-do-red-eared-slider-turtles-grow/

They are paid by their client (the seller) to market the property in the best way possible. Not including fraud of course. If they did not do this they would not be doing their job. A typical RE agent also now invests in drone pictures of property for added appeal. I've heard property photos...

Good ideas Eddie thank you. I will plan a nightly fire at the fire pit. The fire pit could use rebuilding, and since it is a small project maybe I will add that to the list of possibilities. We had a turtle show up at our pond last year. Good size- 8 to 10 inch I'd say. Maybe I could give him a...

The biggest threat to the upcoming goslings are red tail hawks. We have plenty. With past hatches the gosling count starts at 8-10, then the count slowly dwindles down. Usually about two survive to maturity.

36F going to a partly cloudy 60F today. Ken, in CA our property has two tick seasons. Early season is a smallish variety and late season a bigger variety. Like you, I just recently discovered my first tick for this particular season. Everyone have a great day !!!!!

I opened up an electrical box at my 100+ year old farmhouse a few months ago. It had 4 green wires, one white wire, and a black wire, all connected together and cinched with a wire nut. Ahhhhh ... I think I will leave that one alone!

Since he is 15 and coming from out of state, I need to have a number of discussions to learn and comply with the parent's wishes. And legal requirements. And I will comply with all. What makes it interesting is the parents are divorced and the acrimony reigns supreme. One is awaiting a court...

It would be beneficial to educate him about gun safety. His father has a couple of semi-auto rifles and I don't think he engages the care around firearms that I do. And one of my family members is a certified armorer for Glock handguns. But, as Ponytug wisely wrote, I need to know a lot more...

A family member of mine worked for the State of CA for 30 years, making zero contributions to Social Security.

Quite interesting, but I would need horizontal reach. I found a 4wd "self drive" 50ft lift that I could trailer. Instead of a large amount of weight for stability, it uses outriggers like the towable version. So total weight is 6,000 or so. I could trailer that. Of course that model is more...

Congratulations on the upcoming bundle of energy. My wife and I are slightly behind your schedule. After tragically losing our beloved Golden Retriever in December, we are now in contract for a new GR puppy. It is scheduled to be born around April 17. We are looking forward to having a new...

Good morning all! 35F going to 50F, Chance of a snow shower early am but I don't believe it. Big news is momma goose has a nest right next to my barn. Either mom or dad are sitting on it 24/7. So in a few weeks I should have little goslings following mom around! Everyone have a great day!!!

I have a Ford F800 truck with dump bed. I have had my wife slowly creep it down the driveway while I am in back with a chain saw and pole saw trimming both sides of the driveway for large vehicle clearance. I'm sure he'd love to drive it. The F800 is a beast, stick shift, and the good news is...

I am positive he will enjoy the Polaris side by side.

That makes a lot of sense. I'm trying to build a list I will have in the "back pocket." As I learn more about his capabilities, I can pull appropriate things from the list to do. The sawmill is a manual bandsaw mill. Anything with a spinning blade is a risk but I'd rate it on the low side of...

Here's a pix from a trail camera where I might have him swapping memory cards. Another pix, same camera, also included her cub. Same camera, a pix with momma bear and two cubs. And a pix of two coyotes chasing a bear. A couple of nights ago we had two cougars the size of the one in the...

I could put him in charge of swapping memory cards from trail cams.

I invited a 15 year old "city boy" male relative to spend a week at our rural CA ranch property. He accepted-- aaaahhh, now what? I would like to make it a good visit for all. Expose him to things not possible in the city environment he has always been in. So I am seeking input on what sort of...

Is SL now throttling speeds based on short term usage? I read a while ago about not exceeding 1TB per month, but I had a recent experience that seemed different? I usually download a 1.5G file each morning, but got behind and had to make up. So I downloaded 3 files, each about 1.5G. The first...

Nice to see an improvement in Starlink. I went to put one of my SL systems into bypass mode, and it said something like: "The account your are logged into does not match your Starlink router." Woo hoo! Last time such a conflict happened, I was in Oregon on an RV trip. I tried to command my...

What kind of stability issues did you run into? Wobbly at full extension or something like that? Did the outriggers seem to provide good stability even when working on some slope? One of my concerns is trimming branches. If I were at full horizontal extension, I'm leery of having a...

Does anyone have experience with a towable boom lift? Good? Bad? I've flirted on and off for years whether to buy one. I could use it for tree trimming (extensive), painting my barn and residence, for starters. I would prefer towable since I could use it in more than one location. But that...

Yes I am good about that. But a weird thing did happen yesterday. Last year I sprayed and killed about a 40' x 40' mini-forest of Scotch Broom. Pretty thick coverage up to about chest high. This stuff is an invasive plant and huge fire hazard. Outlawed in Northern CA. Such a hazard there are...

Sounds like my marriage ha ha. Should hit 70F and sunny in Nevada. I'm heading back there today over Donner Pass but another foot of snow is expected at the summit this weekend. Good year for water! Spent yesterday bucking logs and debris and putting it on burn pile. This morning the body is...

You are exactly correct. And the reason I am trying to figure out the fastest way to burn the past-their-prime logs is because I have nearly 50 good logs decked up and ready to put on my sawmill. The only thing missing is available time to mill them into lumber. Because I need to be out...

Spent the day burning today. What became obvious is that based on fire size restrictions, I won't live long enough to work through the pile of logs I want to get rid of. So I have no choice but to back off and burn slash and drag or roll logs out of sight somewhere. Hey, maybe onto the...

Just fyi I used to own a business that accepted credit cards. There was a law in place that the "cash" price could not differ from the "credit" price. Obviously put in place by the credit card lobbyists. Maybe that is why some don't experience cash discounts?

There is an article in the LA Times this morning about how CA has spent billions in the last 5 years on the homeless problem but with little-to-none oversight or accountability how the money was spent. Or, if the billions spent was even effective-- at anything. I won't link to it since the site...

Just by chance I was in Sacramento, CA yesterday and visited with these same friends. I asked about whether the "litter box" was instead a hoax. They had never heard such a thing. A hoax, what? So the story obviously came from their son-- who knows, maybe he was the "perp" who started the whole...

I have not experienced the foreign investment like you describe in Vancouver, but I did read about that. It seems to me "vacancy" taxes are misapplied to fix that situation versus regulating foreign ownership. Regulations on foreign ownership would be a targeted fix, but "vacancy" taxes also...

Some of the goofy regulations apply to the residents employed by the State of CA. A family member of mine worked for a State of CA agency. That agency was "represented" by a union. Almost all workers belonged to the union because you were automatically signed up as part of being hired. But you...

That is exactly what was done in the past. Retirees in Nevada (my parents) who were drawing a pension were subject to, and had to pay, CA income tax on the out of state pension income. But this was overturned maybe 20 (?) years ago. What is being bantered about now is an "exit tax." I do not...

Scaredy, Totally off-topic; I see you are in BC near Kamloops. I landed a small aircraft in BC once and bumped into a crew who were filming an IMAX movie. It was somewhere in your area-- I think in Kamloops? The movie was something like "the Andes" and they were using the steep mountains...

Good info in this thread. I'm going to start burning tomorrow. I will look for ravines for the larger logs, and plan to burn more slash than actual bucked up logs. But still, I could fill ravines up with what I have on the ground. We had a wet winter. Caution with fire is always smart but burn...

If it is prohibitively expensive to build, but taxed as a penalty if you do not build, it certainly must drive down the value of the parcels. At a minimum I'd hope the local Assessor would agree to lower the assessed value which would lower the property tax part. Most counties have a process...

I think there was a "debunking" thread here about this story some time ago. It was our close friend who told us this. They heard it from their son and his wife, who had their children in school in the Bend, OR school district. I will see if I can learn anything further. I agree that the story...

This is a really good point. It does raise an argument that has raged for centuries-- at what point does "taxing others" become majority tyranny instead? I remember the debate, long ago now, to put extreme, punitive taxation levels on tobacco and cigarettes. The pro-tax proponents, typically...

I have a number of close friends who live in California. Out of all of these, my wife and I one of only two couples who moved away. The rest remain. Our friends, all of them, wish they could leave. But family ties overcome all for them. One of my close friends said: "watching my granddaughter...

The beetles only kill live trees. Once they are dead on the ground they have lost interest.

If that was the tax on retirements about 20 years ago, my parents were caught up in that. Yes that specific one was overturned. This new thing bantered about is more expansive than just retirement. Whether it will be approved or hold up, I don't know. I have been a Nevada resident for 10yrs...

The CA legislature is bantering about legislation to apply an exit tax with a 10-year tail after someone moves from CA. If passed the departing resident would be within CA's legal and tax reach for 10 years thereafter. I don't know if it will pass, or if they can get away with applying it...

Hmmm ... a return of debtor's prison? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtors%27_prison

The beetle problem happened years ago. There is no market as everyone else has similar circumstances. Plus, due to age, and being pine, I don't think there is any worthwhile firewood. I want to clear areas enough to be drivable by an ATV. My track loader can create something of a road through...

I have years of old dead pine trees on the ground-- hundreds of them. Aftermath of a bark beetle invasion. I want to get rid of many of them. I'm thinking of stacking and burning, but due to size I have to cut them first. (Typical log is probably 16 in diameter and 60ft long. Regulations in CA...

Do you know what process was used to begin the vacant parcel tax? Does the money collected to a specific budget, or just into the general fund?

Here is an interesting article. There are some good points made, but I'd disagree with a few comments such as: "Legal and undocumented immigration have increased since the pandemic, “but not to prior levels — nowhere near,” Johnson says." The reader comments at the bottom of the article are...

I just looked it up. I stopped being an employer in CA in 2004, which is the year it took effect. Before this I had never heard of such a thing. Enable employees with quasi LEO powers as a "Private Attorney General" against their employer? What could possibly go wrong?

Sometimes it feels like I get what they voted for .... 😃

Observations made here could easily fit in your other thread as well. The circumstances suck, no question. The big picture is there is such a fondness for public policy giveaways that the thirst for new revenue sources will not be quenched. Vacant lot tax today, who knows what tomorrow? The...

That is an unbelievably nasty government trick. For those who do not know, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency has many hurdles in place for anyone who owns a lot in the Lake Tahoe area and wants to build a cabin. Takes years and lots of $$ just to .. maybe .. obtain a permit. Then a different...

Jailed inmates in NY sued and were allowed to come out and see the eclipse. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/04/05/new-york-inmates-total-solar-eclipse-lawsuit-prisons/73214749007/

More interesting information ... https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240402-the-surprising-sources-of-methane

Stay warm Buppies! Odd weather here-- snow in CA but not in Nevada. It happens when storms get blocked by the Sierra Nevada mountains. Chilly today but 70F by next week.

A friend of mine lives in a CA city. He owns a contracting firm. More than 50% of his focus is on "when is the next vacation, when is my next trip, lets get something planned and on the calendar." I saw something a while ago that said to arrange your home and living circumstances such that you...

If your digital pictures get thrown out of court, $38 is well spent.

Seems prices on these went up. (what a surprise ...) https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/kodak-hd-power-flash-single-use-camera/ID=prod18292-product

32F going to 42F and snow showers tonight here in Nevada. It's mating season for the geese. Lots of squawking and dust-ups going on in CA. Same in NV. My neighbors pond seems like a WWF cage match with the male geese vying for their desired female. Still no contact from Allstate insurance. The...

Not sure what pics you took but you might consider purchasing a cheap disposable film camera. About $20 at the pharmacy store. Digital pix can be modified, regular film pix cannot. Also if there was a citation there is also likely a police report. I would get a copy of that.

Just by chance a new article came along that gives a little more insight into how variable the snowpack can be: "In the last 44 years we have only seen 13 years with a snowpack between 80% and 120% of the normal peak. That means that 70% of the time we either have a well above normal snowpack...

I now understand the Apple password messages. Suppose your TBN password is tractor123. If tractor123 is found in any data leak, anywhere, on any system, Apple says your password is compromised. They don't know someone found *your* password, they just know somewhere else someone used the same...

That is really lame. Cop says go to court and fight it, but the same cop who told you that is the one that will show up and testify against your son if you do that. I support law enforcement-- but not stupidity. Hope all works out for your son. More snow coming to CA starting tomorrow. Heading...

It seems the CA drought was over-hyped by the media. Gloom, doom, and new labels like "megadrought." Even my meteorologist in Nevada rode the bandwagon. Then it snapped back, as the cycles usually do, and the drought went "poof." Now the hope among some people is: "when will the rains finally...

Hang in there Buppies. Prayers for the best. 35F going to 50F and partly cloudy. I think Scott needs to go into the table making business. Sign me up. Hope everyone has a great day !!!

Safety is paramount in aviation. It trumps everything. Years ago, I violated airspace separation with a Learjet at Van Nuys airport. I would up receiving a commendation from the FAA over my flying skills, not a reprimand. The FAA will prioritize safety even in light of all the many rules. As...

New water storage being created in CA. The water needs to be pumped to be used if/when a drought arrives. "Hydro will fulfill half the energy needs for pumping. "Renewable sources" will provide the other half." I have not heard of using solar panels to pump water and if that can be done...

His violation was not due to making a low pass to inspect a landing are. From the article, it was due to: "Palmer flew too close (closer than 500 feet) to people or structures or vehicles" I've flown over and landed at countless airports, including landing on the gravel strip at Bettles, AK...

Eddie, I have used this company for many LED lights. The one and only time I had a problem was when I bought 3 LED fixtures and one of them died. They sent me 3 replacement fixtures...

Same to everyone! Quite a special day for many of us ... Nice pix Ron, you never disappoint. Buppies-- thank you for the update and hope your circumstances improve. 40F going to 50F with an occasional shower today. CalFire prohibits outdoor burning on holidays. Like today. But things are...

Did a double take- that tree on the right looked like a totem pole at first! Good morning all, a soggy 32F. Wish it would turn to snow instead. Insurance adjuster should be here in a few hours to look at tree through the roof. It is still sticking through into the Great Room. A closer exam...

BEF, what do you do with pictures after you scan and sort them? I have thousands of digital pix. I have been kicking around organizing them in Synology Photos so they would be accessible to others. But I have never done that. I also recently purchased a laser engraver (Thunder) and am...

Thank you Buppies and hope things improve for you and your wife.

37F going to a rainy 43F here in Formerly-Great California. Have a dilemma. A contractor has been doing repair work on my CA property for 3 months. He does quality work at a fair price. I like him. Out of the blue-- he left a VM last night saying he "really needs to talk to me." I think he is...

I think they were afraid to mess with you ... :D

Most weigh stations I've seen around here say: "No pickups."

Hope you improve Buppies. Seems you have a lot to handle. 32F going to 40F in snow showers today. Plan to transit Donner Summit today going to CA. Meeting an insurance adjuster on Saturday about the tree that penetrated our roof (and is still there.) A huge risk to even file a claim, will...

Touche! 😀

Unlimited supply in California ... :D

Well, nit-picking, but I would rephrase: A CPA is well worth the cost to increase the chances of keeping the IRS at bay. Many people do not know that the IRS evaluates not only tax payers, but also tax preparers. Why do you care? If you employ a CPA who is aggressive about deductions and...

The local tree company constantly asks me if I want free chips delivered. I'd like them but turn it down. My arborist advised to only use chips from material I process on the property. If the chips come from other places, you don't always know what is riding in with it. Various plant diseases, etc.

I obtained a USDOT number and quickly regretted it. I have tried to surrender and cancel the DOT number several times without success. Now extending over several years. I never put a commercial truck in service as things changed. You have to mail in a MCS form to make such requests. Each time...

Heading to a sunny 58F in Beautiful Northern Nevada. Spring is trying to emerge but the meteorologist says at least two more storms are headed our way. Snowpack exceeds 100% in all measured locations so that is very good for recreation and irrigation this summer. Hope everyone has a great day!!!