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...Did you happen to catch "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" last night?
They did a home for a National Guardsman, currently deployed in Iraq. He lived in Virginia. Made me think of you then (I know, VA is a big state). My son actually caught it before I did - he said "Dad! Dad! Look - he's with the 29th!!!"
Sure enough, he had the "Blue & the Gray" (in camo) unit insignia on his right arm.
They built him a very nice, historically-accurate home, with his own mini-museum as an out-building beside the house. It was cool!
I'm not a huge fan of ABC, but lately "Extreme Home Makeover" seems to be focusing on many military families. This just makes you feel good. I hope they do one in my area some day - I'd take the week off to help out!
Yes, I did see that. Don't know SPC Lucas but know some of the folks in the armory concert scenes. That was the Farmville armory and they are about 2 hours away from us (and I'm retired now, 7 years!). The Virginia guard folks took advantage of the opportunity. That fellow was in the 116th and I don't believe his unit is back yet. However, some of those deployed from the 116th HAVE been returned (just last week). The others will be coming home on an accelerated schedule (to be redeployed on an accelerated schedule). They weren't supposed to be back until August/September.
I have mixed feelings about the whole deal with the show and not just with their assistance to military folks.
Sincerely,
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
Hobie wrote:
I have mixed feelings about the whole deal with the show and not just with their assistance to military folks.
Well, here we go, drifting from the topic, but......I too agree with the "mixed feelings" about the show. Sure, its great what they are doing and to the most of deserving people but........it kind of glorifies what most of the people in this country want---something for nothing with no work involved. Its why I do not play the lottery as its just another form of taxation.
Now, if they did it without it being televised or without all the hoopla, I would look the other way.--------------Sixgun
Not trying to be negative about this, but do they also help the recipients pay the income and higher property taxes on these new houses? Those two things can send a family to the poor house pretty quick.
Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts .***
Good point Joe. Not only that there's the income taxes. I bet the Feds hit 'em twice, once for the house and once for the paid off mortgage. THEN the property taxes, etc.
In Northern VA (Arlington IIRC) a family built a Habitat house. While they could afford the house payment they could not afford the HUGE property taxes which about equaled the mortgage payment. Back on the street they went.
I have to also note that the Virginia National Guard used the soldier as a recruiting tool. LOTS of VaARNG signs in the crowd at the house.
Ok YK, we've officially hijacked your topic...
Sincerely,
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
There is a lot of stuff on the web about the downside to this show, especially the taxes aspect of it.
One of the reasons they're in such a rush to do the jobs is that anything that takes longer than 48 hours to build can supposedly be taxed as income at appraised value by the Feds. Some states are even shorter. I think there is a New York lady (basically penny-less) who is getting hammered by that state for the value of her "free" improvements.
Also, when trying to re-sell, the VALUE of a nice house in a crappy neighborhood won't ever match its COST, as most people hope. And if held, appreciation over time may not even make up the difference.
Hobie wrote:
Its why I do not play the lottery as its just another form of taxation.
I go to work and people whine about the economy, I say "why then, when I
stop at a convenient store to get my copenhagen and a soda do I have to
wait in line for 15 minutes while people sit there and choose scratch off tickets?" I seriously watch people pickout 40-50 dollars worth. It makes me
sick.
A society that is as overweight (me included) as we are throwing money on
chance games created by the STATE. And complain about our income even
though we throw probably 30-40% of it at things we don't need.
Although if I ever won the lottery I could afford my own compound and a
place to hang my tin-foil hat
Jeeps
Semper Fidelis
Pay attention to YOUR Bill of Rights, in this day and age it is all we have.
Hobie wrote:
Its why I do not play the lottery as its just another form of taxation.
I go to work and people whine about the economy, I say "why then, when I
stop at a convenient store to get my copenhagen and a soda do I have to
wait in line for 15 minutes while people sit there and choose scratch off tickets?" I seriously watch people pickout 40-50 dollars worth. It makes me
sick.
A society that is as overweight (me included) as we are throwing money on
chance games created by the STATE. And complain about our income even
though we throw probably 30-40% of it at things we don't need.
Although if I ever won the lottery I could afford my own compound and a
place to hang my tin-foil hat
Oh come on, if you won the lottery, you could buy a REAL brain bucket with a nice ground strap and a big copper buss bar in every room...
Government office attracts the power-mad, yet it's people who just want to be left alone to live life on their own terms who are considered dangerous.
History teaches that it's a small window in which people can fight back before it is too dangerous to fight back.
I was just impressed my 9-year old recognized the 29th Infantry Division's unit patch in drab - he's seen it plenty of times in "blue & gray", but that was the first time he's seen it any other way!
My customers make tape-joint-compounds. If the show does not use the right type, and just tries to dry the mud forceably with the application of a lot of heat, it will crack like there is no tomorrow. I know this has happened on several of the homes the show has built. You just can't build a house faster than a certain pace without getting a whole lot of problems when it is done.
FWiedner wrote:
Oh come on, if you won the lottery, you could buy a REAL brain bucket with a nice ground strap and a big copper buss bar in every room...
As long as my house had brass screens under all my siding and shingles
I think I would be happy
Jeeps
Semper Fidelis
Pay attention to YOUR Bill of Rights, in this day and age it is all we have.
.***
