I signed up for one of those free introductions to "flipping houses" in the Portland (OR) area. This one is being offered by the stars of a cable TV program on the A&E channel. I think it is called "Flipping Boston" because that is where the program is located. I don't have cable, so I have no idea what they do on their program, but I am fond of the idea of rehabilitating houses and would love to both house people and make money. I will let you know how it went. :-)
My goal is housing for the poor... especially for those who are homeless or at the very low regions of the economic ladder, here and all over the globe. I have been very hopeful since I first discovered the $20K House program at Auburn University ( rural studio ). If I remember right, they build at least one home a year as part of their education program.
I was just amazed that any livable house could be built for $20,000 anywhere in the USA!! In urban areas like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, etc. the main issue is the cost of land, in rural areas the main issues are jobs and transportation. I would like to find solutions for as many as possible. The cost of land in large cities requires some kind of apartment structure, so I am trying to find a way to make $20K apartments. I have seen stackable units, like shipping containers, that seem to be popular, and a good effort in that direction, but the ones I saw were still not affordable for poor people.
I have seen houses made from 100 shipping pallets -- that would work anywhere in the world that had fair weather. Once you start looking for information, you find all kinds of options for housing that don't fit the single-family-dwelling model. I have been surprised by it myself. The "tiny house" movement is another way people have adapted to having their own home space.
When you don't have a home at all, the climate elements you live in become a major challenge. Here in the northwestern parts of the USA, there is a lot of rain in the winter months, and sometimes snow. The sun may not be as hot as the desert, but when you can't find relief from it, it is like being in a sauna... so hot it can lead to the death of people on the streets, like snow in other areas does. I feel it is better to have some kind of shelter, even if it is only a vehicle, than to be outside in the elements. Poverty has led me to be homeless too many times and in too many places. I would like to see others kept from these hardships.
One option that is reasonably prices is the use of those huge "garden storage units" I have seen at home improvement stores. Some of these are as big or bigger than actual apartments I have lived in. Because they don't have the facilities we need for continued living, living in one of these would be like camping in the forest. Like campgrounds, they could be gathered into one land space where outdoor toilets, water sources, and power links can be created. My focus is that some shelter is better than no shelter...especially for women and children.
So, the main problem is land space. I am hoping I will find a way to overcome that issue with the class information I discover about flipping houses. One step at a time... one property at a time... one family at a time... hopefully, I will be able to share some of my solutions with you.
28 JULY 2015 :: Nuclear dangers
I have just started watching the PBS program on the nuclear bomb...and it started by showing the explosion and its effects in photos we have seen before, but forget. Giant mushroom clouds that create massive destruction for miles and miles.
I remember being taught that bodies close to it incinerate into nothing, and as the effects reach out, skin melts off the body in the degree that you are closer to it. This is an effect that seems to be expressed in the passages about the End Times/Judgment of GOD in the Bible...something about melting.
I am sorry to report that I wasn't able to find the passage I am referring to right now... I just spent almost an hour trying keyword searches to find it again. I studied the King James Version primarily, so I tried words I thought were in the parts I remember. I will have to do some heavy reading again to see what I can find, and then get back to you.
With all the problems we have with IRAN (and ???), I can see why these programs are being played on public television. :-) We forget that nuclear radiation is a component of this issue... like the waste of nuclear energy... which is now in our oceans because of the tsunami in Japan.
Well... that's about all for today... I am falling asleep sitting up! :-)
You should be able to watch this program online. As I finish this post, the program is showing all the destruction by radiation as the after effects of exploding atomic bombs in the ocean and on land.
I remember being taught that bodies close to it incinerate into nothing, and as the effects reach out, skin melts off the body in the degree that you are closer to it. This is an effect that seems to be expressed in the passages about the End Times/Judgment of GOD in the Bible...something about melting.
I am sorry to report that I wasn't able to find the passage I am referring to right now... I just spent almost an hour trying keyword searches to find it again. I studied the King James Version primarily, so I tried words I thought were in the parts I remember. I will have to do some heavy reading again to see what I can find, and then get back to you.
With all the problems we have with IRAN (and ???), I can see why these programs are being played on public television. :-) We forget that nuclear radiation is a component of this issue... like the waste of nuclear energy... which is now in our oceans because of the tsunami in Japan.
Well... that's about all for today... I am falling asleep sitting up! :-)
You should be able to watch this program online. As I finish this post, the program is showing all the destruction by radiation as the after effects of exploding atomic bombs in the ocean and on land.
27 JULY 2015 :: A new week! Ready to get going! :-)
Mondays are always a challenge... :-) I sometimes think of things to write over the weekends, but am trying to create a schedule and find a way to organize all the things I want to do... always looking for the day I can hire others to take them over for me. :-)
I was able to go to the downtown Portland (OR) Farmer's Market today and found some good things to eat. One of them is an unusual cucumber I haven't seen before... this should be interesting.
I also was finally able to go to the SCRAP store in the downtown area. I found a lot of great resources and would have spent a lot more money if I had it. :-) I did gravitate toward the craft book section, the old magazine resources, and some office supplies. For myself, I decided to buy a little ten cent booklet for kids about the sounds of the forest.
It was a good day, and long enough for my body.
Over the weekend I was able to get to the Walmart store I often go to for supplies I have been trying to get. I have been trying to wait for the school supply sales to start to get my YEARLY supplies of the things they have then, so there it was...already in the store. I spent more than I planned, but only bought things I have been planning to buy....well, except maybe one thing I discovered for $1.97 --- a pink pouch thing with a zipper-like design and a handy claw connector to hang it from somewhere. I wanted to remember the design.
I also found some flash drives to finally start sorting through my files and get them off computers and into a better place for now... more mobile from the two computers I use, one connected to the internet and one that isn't. I hope it won't take too long. I wanted to get a variety of color-coded drives to begin saving by topic, but that was just too much to spend. I will see how these two work out and try to get back later for more if it seems urgent. These are 2.0 drives and I heard the "new" ones are 3.0 -- and I don't yet know what that means for my files.
Mostly, I decided to get some art paper for acrylic paints because it said the paper keeps the paint from "bleeding" as you create. I usually just get watercolor paper, but want to experiment more. These should work out great, I think. I am looking forward to spending a block of time to paint.
I guess that is enough for today... lots to catch up with on Mondays... :-) for everyone.
I was able to go to the downtown Portland (OR) Farmer's Market today and found some good things to eat. One of them is an unusual cucumber I haven't seen before... this should be interesting.
I also was finally able to go to the SCRAP store in the downtown area. I found a lot of great resources and would have spent a lot more money if I had it. :-) I did gravitate toward the craft book section, the old magazine resources, and some office supplies. For myself, I decided to buy a little ten cent booklet for kids about the sounds of the forest.
It was a good day, and long enough for my body.
Over the weekend I was able to get to the Walmart store I often go to for supplies I have been trying to get. I have been trying to wait for the school supply sales to start to get my YEARLY supplies of the things they have then, so there it was...already in the store. I spent more than I planned, but only bought things I have been planning to buy....well, except maybe one thing I discovered for $1.97 --- a pink pouch thing with a zipper-like design and a handy claw connector to hang it from somewhere. I wanted to remember the design.
I also found some flash drives to finally start sorting through my files and get them off computers and into a better place for now... more mobile from the two computers I use, one connected to the internet and one that isn't. I hope it won't take too long. I wanted to get a variety of color-coded drives to begin saving by topic, but that was just too much to spend. I will see how these two work out and try to get back later for more if it seems urgent. These are 2.0 drives and I heard the "new" ones are 3.0 -- and I don't yet know what that means for my files.
Mostly, I decided to get some art paper for acrylic paints because it said the paper keeps the paint from "bleeding" as you create. I usually just get watercolor paper, but want to experiment more. These should work out great, I think. I am looking forward to spending a block of time to paint.
I guess that is enough for today... lots to catch up with on Mondays... :-) for everyone.
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