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Bernard

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Posts posted by Bernard

  1. 1 hour ago, VinyVango said:


    I did Wyoming … up on a little plateau overlooking an Indian reservation … amazing viewing spot… highways sucked… the whole state was a traffic jam for at least a day after.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Buddy of mine and his daughter were high up on a mountain near Jackson. The had some cool video of the shade approaching from far away.

    Bernard

  2. I drove to Nebraska for the last one. Watched it from the side of the road by a corn field. Well worth it.

    One reason I picked Nebraska was the lack of people and good grid of rural highways. Came in handy, because about two hours before go-time, some clouds started rolling in. I drove 30-40 miles west and north to find sunny skies that were also right on the center line.

    Get as close yo the center line as possible. I promise you that once it starts, you will want it to last MUCH longer.

    I do not think Texas will be neatly prepared for the migration of people from Houston and CenTex regions towards the path of totality; or even Austinites moving toward the center line. Prepare for a shit show of epic proportion.

    Bernard

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  3. 287 strikes again…

    Quote

    HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 21st birthday celebration ended with three Houston-area men behind bars in Clay County, Texas, charged with felony drug possession after being accused of having edibles in the car when they got pulled over.

    Dandre and Dante Burroughs, and their roommate, Samuel Serrano-Griffiths, are currently in the Clay County Jail in Henrietta, Texas near Wichita Falls, each being held on a $50,000 bond.

    She says her sons and Serrano-Griffiths are longtime friends and were on the way back from celebrating her sons' birthdays in Colorado. She says they are accused of having edibles in the car when they were pulled over.

    The Clay County Sheriff's Office would not confirm the amount of drugs allegedly found in the car, but the drug charges the three are facing is a felony ranging between four and 400 grams. None of them have a criminal history in Harris County.

    "They work. They are hard workers. They are just really good kids. Even though they are my kids, I am not just saying that, I have been told that many times, (of) how respectful they are," the mom said.

    According to Clay County Sheriff Jeffrey Lyde, the deputy who made the arrest said it started as a traffic stop for speeding and an unsafe lane change.

    UPDATE: Edibles at combined 2.5 lbs. were in Houston men's SUV, documents say

    Katharine Harris, a drug policy fellow at the Baker Institute at Rice University, says she believes lawmakers should reconsider state drug laws and how offenses like these are handled.

    "I think this case really highlights sort of the problems with the Texas law...I don't know what this is doing to protect public safety. And if they are convicted of these offenses, they will have felonies on their records, which will make it that much harder for them to get jobs," said Harris.

    According to Sheriff Lyde, the three men had a video magistrate hearing where probable cause was found.

    Burroughs says she has hired a lawyer to try to get the bond lowered, so then she can go through a bail bondsman and hopefully be able to get her sons out of jail.

    https://abc13.com/houston-men-drug-arrests-arrested-for-edibles-clay-county-texas-dandre-burroughs/11798426/

    Bernard

  4. On 3/3/2022 at 9:47 PM, dhornf said:

    Question for you experts.  If  shit were to hit the fan, how much time do we have to bug out of Houston, Austin, etc. before nukes land? Will I be vaporized on 610 or 35 trying to leave? I'll hang up and listen.

    Hurricane Rita put all my childhood Red Dawn fantasies to bed. No one is getting out quickly. There might be time to loot your local grocery or convenience store, but that’s about it.  Your best bet plan is to just keep enough supplies on hand to enjoy your end-of-the-world party whoever you see fit.

    Bernard 

  5. A free and easy place to start:

    Contact AirBNB. Complain about the unit. Provide proof that the use is violating the HOA rules. AirBNB takes neighbor complaints very seriously. You may be able to get AirBNB to shut them down. Also, message the Host directly via the AirBNB listing by making an “Inquiry” (as opposed to a reservation “Request”). Inform them that they are in violation of the HOA rules. Maybe they don’t even know. Explain that the HOA is going to shut them down. Maybe they go away quietly.

    Bernard
    (AirBNB SuperHost and former HOA President)

  6. On 3/29/2022 at 9:37 PM, TeeDubya said:

    Whether it's safe or not, it is stigmatized by many people, and you will reduce your pool of possible buyers in any future sale.

    I disagree. There are foolish buyers out there, but disqualifying a house for aluminum wiring is like disqualifying a house because the AC units or the roof are too old. I completely rewired a five bedroom home in 2019 for less than the cost of two AC units; easily less than a typical roof. The cost of repairing or replacing aluminum wiring is rarely a deal killer. Most rational home buyers can be talked off the ledge in 10 minutes.

    Bernard

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  7. 13 hours ago, Vegas64 said:

    Interesting to see how this plays out business-wise. This could be a brilliant gambit or it could be a bad idea.

    I assure you, JimmyBuffet, Inc. has no downside. It’s just a licensing agreement to them. They probably get 10% of the sales price of every house, plus an ongoing 10% fee on all food and drink sold in the development, plus another 10% of the annual HOA fees. The developer, their investor, and the bank takes all the risk. To them using the JB name is just a marketing expense to sell houses.

    Bernard 

  8. On 4/4/2022 at 3:26 PM, Augustus said:

    Holy shit, I'd never even heard of the Cave murder/dismemberment.

    Kind of sorry I googled that.  Dude was a National Merit Scholar, kid with a bright future, etc.  

    And if ever we needed more evidence that crazy attracts crazy, he just happens to have an ex-gf that's totally down with taking a hacksaw to a corpse--not to move/hide the body or anything, just to, you know, disassemble some stuff.  I couldn't glean whether they suspected her of participation in the murder.

    If an ex of mine called me up and said, "I just whacked my boyfriend, could you head over here with hacksaw and bring your passport" I'm almost certainly gonna decline.

    There’s a Podcast series called The Orange Tree. You should listen to it.

    Bernard

  9. Am I correct thinking I've covered all the bases with my mom's estate this way:

    1. Beneficiaries / POD's listed on all bank and investment accounts;
    2. Transfer of Death deeds filed for real estate;
    3. Beneficiary listed on car title;
    4. Family is super civil and will have no disputes over distribution of personal property.
    5. No other assets
    6. No debts

    Mom dragged me to her bank one day to discuss this topic with them. Bank person said, "If you walk in with a death certificate, you can walk out with a cashier's check."

    My lawyer friend who owns a title company said, "All you need to do is hand me a copy of the death certificate and I'll file it with the county clerk".

    Almost seems too easy.

    Bernard

  10. 10 hours ago, BearSchlong said:

    Not a probate question but I assume due to my dad's penchant for playing the stock market us beneficiaries are going to be subject to extensive capital gains taxes one day.

    Do people really not know about the stepped up basis rule? It’s a time tested tool for completely avoiding taxes. The only catch is that someone has to die. 

    Bernard

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  11. 1 hour ago, Lobo said:

    What's your fancy?  You talking about daytrips?  Outdoor/beach?  REstaurants?  Book your Sagrada tickets now.  

    Local flavor. Interesting food and drink from street carts to Michelin stars. Scenic views. I like to look at beaches, but not get sandy. Day trips sound good. I like a good hike.  I’m usually more of rent a car and drive all over kind of traveler. Parking it for a week in one city is new to me. I know I’m casting a wide net, but really I’m wide open. I know nada about Barcelona except Gaudi. I had to Google Sagrada. I booked this on a whim when I heard some other friends were going. I’ve been to a lot of places, but never Spain. 

    Bernard

  12. Properly pigtailed aluminum wiring is a safe and permanent solution. There millions of homes built with aluminum wiring. I recently oversaw the complete rewiring of 1940’s house with original knob and tube wiring though, so I wouldn’t rule out a complete rewire if you really like the house.

    Bernard

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  13. He looked like a pretty big kid. Played football. I’m guessing the ove-the-shoulder rider restraint was not quite fully closed. I’m 6’5” and not skinny. I’ve had more than one of those restraints seem like it was clicked into place only to have it open mid-ride.

    Edit: Just read the kid was 6’5” 340 lbs.

    Bernard

  14. On 3/21/2022 at 10:51 AM, torre said:

    fwiw,  read that we "may" never again see dealer inventory as in the past which can eliminate price reduction.    Dealers like the minimal inventory/order your vehicle concept to save costs.

    Anyone have friends in the business ?    Wonder if this is affecting reduction in salesmen  ?

    A guy I know sells a certain Euro brand. He says right he’s now the only salesman on staff. Customers call in with requests. He looks at what’s on the boat headed this way. Almost everything is sold before it hits the lot. His income is up substantially since pre-pandemic. $30k last month.  He’s putting in a lot of hours though.

    Bernard

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