David Custis Kimball - blog
You: Why Dave; why now?
Me: Well, I've a two talented kids; the younger said, 'Stop with the lectures.' Then asked, 'Dad, can I help you set up a blog?' Moments later, Me: 'OK, that's a great idea, thinkin' they might just read it someday.
me ---> 'Gaarr of Blog' <---
Goto oft comments on Art, Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC), CommoNonsense, Dance, Dark Matter, Design, Etc., Environment, Eventspace, Fable, Food, Frogsense, Hazard Mitigation, Hegel, History, Horsense, Human Affairs, Humor, Law+Lawless, Mathematics, Medicine, Music, Nerd Stuff, Parenting, Physics, Psychophysics, Real Estate, Sailing, Science, Science Fiction, Swimming, Technology, Theology, UncommonSense, and Waldo, alphabetically.
Just use 'Search' for the topic of choice or Waldo, perhaps.
Matters of Import & Timely Expertise
repressing gossip and hate-speech.
An Unmapped Ponderocity:
To say: '"He is a man of truth," is to say nothing; to say: "He is a man of of," is to state an elementary truth of logic.'
Winston Davids, 1969 - Trinity College Valedictorian - 1970; known endeavor: actuarial contributions to The Donald; since has contacted me and sadly is quite ill. Ask prayers for recovery; thanks for his brilliance and music.
| website-hit-counters.com |
NIXON
This house can be bought for $14,000, and most American [veterans from World War II] can buy a home in the bracket of $10,000 to $15,000. Let me give you an example that you can appreciate. Our steel workers as you know, are now on strike. But any steel worker could buy this house. They earn $3 an hour. This house costs about $100 a month to buy on a contract running 25 to 30 years.
KHRUSHCHEV
We have steel workers and peasants who can afford to spend $14,000 for a house. Your American houses are built to last only 20 years so builders could sell new houses at the end. We build firmly. We build for our children and grandchildren.
NIXON
American houses last for more than 20 years, but, even so, after twenty years, many Americans want a new house or a new kitchen. Their kitchen is obsolete by that time….The American system is designed to take advantage of new inventions and new techniques.
KHRUSHCHEV
This theory does not hold water. Some things never get out of date—houses,for instance, and furniture, furnishings—perhaps—but not houses. I have read much about America and American houses, and I do not think that this is exhibit and what you say is strictly accurate.
NIXON
Well, um…
KHRUSHCHEV
I hope I have not insulted you.
NIXON
I have been insulted by experts. Everything we say [on the other hand] is in good humor. Always speak frankly.
” -Environment, History, Real Estate, Uncommon Sense
You know, Khrushchev was wrong. American houses in 1959 were built to last a long time. I bought a home that was built in 1958, worth $15k, and sold it in 2005, with no remodeling … not even the kitchen …. for almost $700k. The walls were cement based or Calcium Carbonate, like sea shells, they were impervious to moisture, salt and could be repaired.
But Khrushchev introduced an idea or flattered the opposition to his solid build that Nixon ’ conceded that every 20 years people would want a new home or kitchen’. I don’t know what they were looking at, but mobile homes are a fire death trap, and with the plastic outgassing from FEMA fame, they continue to be an abomination. Wood homes did last, but the ‘experts’ that Nixon mentions were lying to him… well they succeeded in getting their way in most homes built today.
It wasn’t until 1974, that the NAHB, National Assn. of Home Builders got to the non-elected Ford and convinced him to allow the cheap Gypsum board, so called Drywall to be used in the place of the solid walls then mandated. Gypsum is a Calcium SULFATE, a found material from dead sea creatures whose nitrates, nitrites, and other nitrogen compounds (usually smelly) have been metabolized by other sea creatures or bacteria. Oh, gypsum can also be made as a biproduct of sewage … nicccce. The dissociative constant is about a million times LESS than that of the seashell-like calcium carbonate. Drywall dissolves with moisture, creates an acid, sulfuric, and corrodes everything. Also it loves to support bacteria in the Sulfate ion where there are 4 oxygen atoms to give toxic bacteria ‘fresh’ life.
This is when I go into the rant about buildings are the social infrastructure of any society. Having solid, fire resistant, and secure structures is really important, especially in a country that has so many storms of great windshear force like tornados and hurricanes. Here is when I compliment Germany for having the wisdom and fortitude to outlaw any wood structure after the fire bombing of Dresden and the total destruction of a ‘peaceful’ city with no known military arms manufacturing. Refer to one of my favorite books, Slaughterhouse Five, by K. Vonnegut.
So read this entire exchange with Nixon, and look to see what living for short term goals brings. The use of inferior materials, such as drywall, particle board, roofing paper, and arsenic in treated lumber are foolish.
I won’t buy a home built after 1974… and so far, that has been a successful strategy. I also am developing a strategy for replacing the hazardous areas using drywall which will make living so much more comfortable and reliable….. like an infrastructure should be.
