One year ago today: March 5, 2015, the 5th and passwords . . .
Five years ago today: March 5, 2011, my brand new scooter.
Nine years ago today: March 5, 2007, another 500-tune man.
Random years ago today: March 5, 2005, Calle Ocho, I think.
One piece of good news. For the first time since last August, all the areas on my search criteria show declining house prices. Not to be confused with a down market, it only means that of the places that match my search criteria (such as two or more bedrooms) have no price tags that went up this week. This picture is not home sweet home, but got here because it is listed by Michelle. Remember Michelle from Arcadia? The babe of all babes in that town. I can’t find the post, but in July last year she is the one that directed us to an on-line auction.
I looked closely at that business and you have to double your money within two years. Even then, the true profit margin is only 16% per year—not that great for the risk that is taken. So, when I see a property bought for $20,000 in 2014 now selling for $30,000, I know the owner is probably losing money but needs cash out of the place asap. And that is what you are really looking at in this picture.
I heard that. Somebody out there said isn’t flipping something JZ are planning? Nope, We include an extra step—equity put into the property. We don’t just paint, we put real quality into the project, both parts and labor. Top quality parts. Sure, we want a real premium for it when we sell, but the value is there. And that is why I want to learn to do trim work as soon as we buy a place. Having said that, I will comment on other property below, where the market is not that great.
Today is the red scooter’s fifth birthday. The scooter that the state of Florida bought me. Jolly decent of them. My guess is it still has around 22,000 miles on it, or three times what they are built for. It runs like a kitten but I’m not fooling myself. It is so far past its prime that the paint is peeling off the plastic trim to reveal the skeleton frame. It has been parked outdoors its entire life. I had to leave the Honda outside for a year under a tarp, but that is also beginning to fade. I figure there is no way it will ever be a fancy bike again, so I don’t mind the signs of age.
I did not leave town this morning. Here’s the tale from the trailer court. I thought I’d use the test run to look at property in the interior. Well, there was not one single house or mobile in the entire area left in my price range. Some major player is buying up all the property less than $50,000 that is inhabitable. What’s left is junk or unaffordable. Another opportunity missed, and this may have been the last unless the general market takes a nosedive in the next eight weeks.
On the upside, I now have enough cash to act alone if anything comes along by chance. Just you remember, the world is geared to work against your or me getting ahead in these circumstances. It should not come as a surprise if something terrible goes wrong. Aren’t I the optimist? Since I did not pull the trailer out of the yard, I used the day to waterproof and install the security locks. It’s a system that can be opened only from the inside except for one massive padlock on the rear door.
That rear door is a simple panel that spans the back. It would make a dandy canopy, but I’m leaving that for now. As it stands, the unit is ready to go now. The good looks only apply when it is in towing configuration. When opened, it is easy to see the drawer glides and legs. It is rickety compared to the old unit but I don’t care. It is better than fiberglass or cloth.
Mistakes? Just a couple, but one I was not anticipating. I used the same floor panel, I believe it is ¾” plywood, for the new slide-out deck. And it is not strong enough. It bows in the middle when I put my weight down. I have another half inch of clearance under the piece, so I may reinforce it with wood slats. If that doesn’t suffice, I’ll try aluminum. There is no chance of a breakage, but it moves more than I had planned. Funny, it was solid as, well, ¾” plywood when I tested it.
Wiki picture of the day.
Woody Guthrie
I built a form-fitted case for the big marine battery. I was able to nurse it back to life and it now sits in the passenger side saddlebag. This has one purpose, to drive the cPod interior fan overnight if it gets too hot inside. The fan is 120 VAC, I tried the small 12 VDC auto fans and they don’t make the grade. Of course, the battery is a foot away from the puny Honda factory model in case it needs a boost.
That starter is beginning to enter my suspicions as a possible cause of several electrical quirks on the Goldwing. Rather than mess with it, I’m having it replaced. Also, that long-planned new headlamp has to get underway. The existing light was made to fit the vet instead of the handlebars. It is fitted off angle so driving at night is hairy. The oncoming traffic always sees low beam, but anyone on the sidewalk gets lit up. I don’t drive at night as a rule, so I can afford the best. And why not?
I drove past the motorcycle shop to order these parts and he was closed up early. And that was my big Saturday. This morning I went for breakfast at the Senor where they put in four new tables and hired a new waitress. Whoa, did she take a shine to me, or what? I’m indifferent because she comes across like the single mother type. I’ll have to let it just wear off, but you talk about smitten. I felt it too, that where-have-you-been reaction. Let Nature take its course on this one, I won’t do anything one way or the other. But I am looking for a friend with benefits situation, you know. She was wearing pearl earrings, kind of classy, 30, maybe 35-ish. Your age in half plus seven? Ah, close enough.
Next, I played bass for an hour. I’ve played along to the flute version of CanCan so often that I’ve begun to like that sound. It’s the bass and flute in unison. Both are technically one-note instruments, but I love to play double-stops and bend notes. It is to embellish the flute melody but there is some kind of plan cooking up in my brain. There is something that can be done with this arrangement but it is still to vague to work with. Usually this happens when I know another tune with compatible chords and I’m wondering if there isn’t a contemporary piece of music with the same pattern.
And I took some time to confirm Trump is moving along exactly as predicted since day one as he rode down that escalator. He will win by the biggest landslide in American history. This blog has never wavered from that stance by a millimeter. I now believe the establishment let Trump run as a bit of comic relief, thinking he’s flop after drawing some attention to the Republican party. Ha, he is now totally out of their control and they are deep in panic mode.
As Trump continues to sweep all the loser-ville establishment candidates aside. And let me say, he is also stomping on those bastards so badly, they may not recover in their lifetimes. I doubt any of those clone-brains will ever have a career in politics as Trump continues to expose their inadequacies. The polls, by the way, brought Trump in at 49% this morning.
I doubt the lot of them can come up with a single tactic that will dent Trumps meteoric rise. They thought they could control him, but I’ve seen the tail wagging the dog often enough to know the potential, and that’s what I saw instantly last year. Furthermore, once Trump gets in, you will see a lot of the customary infighting cease. Those who oppose Trump will be blacklisted by their own voters. I hate to draw the analogy, but the world has seen the rise of these popular leaders before.
If Trump gets in, he will have the power to push the opposition aside. This could be a turning point in history for a very humble reason—America still has the power to take on the world. That power was being squandered by Washington politics. Personally, I’d like to see the Republican party create a fiasco by attempting to side against Trump, who will then be free to run as an Independent. And remember their names.
Two things I can’t figure out is why Trump does not hire a television crew to show his crowds, and why he doesn’t make a point that these protesters are taking a spot away from people who want to be there. He’s kicking them out, but not going far enough to discourage them. These protesters are obviously just there to make a scene and the few times you can hear them, they are seriously foul-mouthed and uneducated. Trump should point out if they don’t like it, there are thousands of people who do that would like them to get out of the building and make room.
ADDENDUM
Here is the oldest known recording of a recognizable human voice. From 1860. Sounds amazingly like the first PA system I had when I was 13 years old. At that time, I couldn’t sing as well as this
Last Laugh
Scarred for life.
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