Well, it looks like I might end up buying in Fitchburg after all... we shall see.
Long story short, the house I spent 6 months trying to buy as a BoA short sale (if you see short sale mentioned, WALK AWAY) for $55k went into foreclosure after I walked away from it, sick and tired of their paperwork, foot-dragging, and outright bullshit.
Guess the new asking price, now that it's been foreclosed and had its value re-assessed?
$34k.
Yep, they won that one... congratulations Bank of America shareholders, this is how your company makes money! By frustrating prospective buyers so much they walk away after offering way, way more than a property is worth.
Oh, the best part is that the owners still had $127k left on their mortgage.
Yep... good job BoA.
Anyways, I'm putting another offer on it, after checking to make sure the title isn't FUBAR of course.
AFTER closing, I fully intend to tell them (if they don't notice) that I'm the same guy from before and they probably should have maybe looked at my paperwork and actually sold me the house instead of wasting my time and taking less of my money.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Let the celebrations begin...
... for the Supreme Court has upheld the Second Amendment!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703964104575334701513109426.html
Maybe I'll actually attempt to get my license now. I live in Worcester, one of the worst cities in Massachusetts to attempt to get FID/LTC in, so I simply hadn't bothered before. Then I can add another wallet-draining hobby to the list!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703964104575334701513109426.html
Maybe I'll actually attempt to get my license now. I live in Worcester, one of the worst cities in Massachusetts to attempt to get FID/LTC in, so I simply hadn't bothered before. Then I can add another wallet-draining hobby to the list!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Some people...
... So apparently enough people actually voted for this lady that she won. Yet it seems she, well, doesn't know that Arizona shares a border with Mexico. Yeah, you read that right.
I am shocked and appalled by the results of our educational system...
UPDATE - the video no longer works. Apparently Miss Ignorant decided to put in a copyright claim so she wasn't on the internet looking stupid anymore!
I am shocked and appalled by the results of our educational system...
UPDATE - the video no longer works. Apparently Miss Ignorant decided to put in a copyright claim so she wasn't on the internet looking stupid anymore!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Faisal Shahzad: 0 USA: 1
... is it just me, or is this guy the most inept terrorist of all time*? I can't think of a single step he didn't bungle. He gave out real information when signing up for the prepaid cellphone. He bought the vehicle on craigslist (using the prepaid cellphone for contact), then failed to remove all identification from it (though he attempted to, he missed some.) He did a truly terrible job of building the bombs. Heck, he claims he lit the fuse - what idiot builds a car bomb with a fuse? He stayed in the area of the bomb attempt too long, and took too long to leave the country.
It's almost like he wanted it to fail, and wanted to be caught.
Regarding the bomb - what a screwup, from the pictures and diagrams it looked like he just threw everything in the car and hoped that would cause an explosion, it reminded me of Johnny 5's cooking in Short Circuit. Any engineer, or any moderately intelligent tinkerer could build a better one. I am glad that engineers, tinkerers, and intelligent people seem to not be interested in terrorism, because we'd be screwed if they were.
The most ridiculous part? He claimed to be a holy warrior, but then as soon as he was caught he rolled and told the interrogators everything, including giving up others who helped him. He probably damaged the terrorists more than he helped them - a good thing in my book, but I'm wondering why exactly he did it while claiming to be on their side. None of his decisions or actions really make sense at all, unless he wanted to fail and be caught or is some sort of diversion.
* except, possibly, the ones who set the timer wrong on their car bomb (daylight savings time, doh!) and had it explode while they were an hour from their target, killing only themselves. These guys really win the prize... literally. They got a Darwin Award for it.
It's almost like he wanted it to fail, and wanted to be caught.
Regarding the bomb - what a screwup, from the pictures and diagrams it looked like he just threw everything in the car and hoped that would cause an explosion, it reminded me of Johnny 5's cooking in Short Circuit. Any engineer, or any moderately intelligent tinkerer could build a better one. I am glad that engineers, tinkerers, and intelligent people seem to not be interested in terrorism, because we'd be screwed if they were.
The most ridiculous part? He claimed to be a holy warrior, but then as soon as he was caught he rolled and told the interrogators everything, including giving up others who helped him. He probably damaged the terrorists more than he helped them - a good thing in my book, but I'm wondering why exactly he did it while claiming to be on their side. None of his decisions or actions really make sense at all, unless he wanted to fail and be caught or is some sort of diversion.
* except, possibly, the ones who set the timer wrong on their car bomb (daylight savings time, doh!) and had it explode while they were an hour from their target, killing only themselves. These guys really win the prize... literally. They got a Darwin Award for it.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Dye laser built with parts from Home Depot, eBay, Electronics Goldmine, and... Staples?!
This man is my new hero - http://www.jossresearch.org/tjiirrs/015a.html
Yes, that is a working organic dye laser built using mostly non-specialized components. The most expensive things I see in his design are parts of the power supply (HV electronics components, this is where eBay is the best), the laser cavity tube itself (fused silicate glass, not in the plumbing aisle at Home Depot), the xenon arc lamp (Electronics Goldmine), and the mirrors.
Where does Staples come into this whole thing? The dye used - on the third page he tries it out with dye extracted from a Sharpie highlighter. It worked.
Yes, that is a working organic dye laser built using mostly non-specialized components. The most expensive things I see in his design are parts of the power supply (HV electronics components, this is where eBay is the best), the laser cavity tube itself (fused silicate glass, not in the plumbing aisle at Home Depot), the xenon arc lamp (Electronics Goldmine), and the mirrors.
Where does Staples come into this whole thing? The dye used - on the third page he tries it out with dye extracted from a Sharpie highlighter. It worked.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Moving...
Just finished getting the couch out of my old apartment. Seems I might need a new couch, since this involved an axe, boxcutter, and a pair of lineman's pliers, and the couch is now in two pieces.
Also, bought a new Jeep yesterday (for a real bargain, I've still spent less on all 3 than I would have by buying a brand new Honda Civic EX-L)... not putting it on the road yet, just keeping it in reserve till the first one I got breaks badly. I know it's going to eventually, that thing has some real serious rust problems and I don't quite trust my frame repairs to hold for a significant amount of time. The new one is almost entirely rust free and just needs a few bolt-on body panels replaced and some interior work. I never should have paid what I paid for the first Cherokee... 2400 dollars was way too much for such a rusty, troubled vehicle. It ran and drove and looked great from the outside though, and I didn't have enough experience yet to know what I was looking at.
Also, bought a new Jeep yesterday (for a real bargain, I've still spent less on all 3 than I would have by buying a brand new Honda Civic EX-L)... not putting it on the road yet, just keeping it in reserve till the first one I got breaks badly. I know it's going to eventually, that thing has some real serious rust problems and I don't quite trust my frame repairs to hold for a significant amount of time. The new one is almost entirely rust free and just needs a few bolt-on body panels replaced and some interior work. I never should have paid what I paid for the first Cherokee... 2400 dollars was way too much for such a rusty, troubled vehicle. It ran and drove and looked great from the outside though, and I didn't have enough experience yet to know what I was looking at.
Friday, May 28, 2010
failure as usual
Well, just got a call from my real estate attorney... the house deal is off. The seller has finally come to terms with the fact that they are goddamn morons and own a useless title that they can't get owner's title insurance on, so they are returning my deposit. I've half a mind to take them to court for interest on my deposit (it'd be pocket change) simply on principle.
After some researching online, it appears that IF I were to purchase the property as it currently stands, and possess and occupy it for 20 continuous years, I would be able to file for adverse possession in Massachusetts Land Court and get clean title that way. 20 years is a long, long time however, and I have no idea where I will be by then.
Back to looking... really too bad, because that place was everything I was looking for and more.
After some researching online, it appears that IF I were to purchase the property as it currently stands, and possess and occupy it for 20 continuous years, I would be able to file for adverse possession in Massachusetts Land Court and get clean title that way. 20 years is a long, long time however, and I have no idea where I will be by then.
Back to looking... really too bad, because that place was everything I was looking for and more.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Police drug bust turns out to actually be weeds
http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0522/largest-marijuana-plant-seizure-police-departments-history-turns-mere-yard-work/
To say I am amused is an understatement...
Moving continues. I've emptied an entire closet (mostly car parts, such a surprise) and most of another (mostly computer stuff, such a surprise) and moved most of my books and cookware/dishes, as well as most of the car parts that were sitting in the living room... all went straight to storage.
Remaining - half the computer stuff in the remaining closet, some dishes, car parts on the back porch and in the back hall, a few more radios, stuff on my desk, furniture and clothes... oh, and the engine hoist in the basement.
This is going to be really, really close no matter how things go with the house.
To say I am amused is an understatement...
Moving continues. I've emptied an entire closet (mostly car parts, such a surprise) and most of another (mostly computer stuff, such a surprise) and moved most of my books and cookware/dishes, as well as most of the car parts that were sitting in the living room... all went straight to storage.
Remaining - half the computer stuff in the remaining closet, some dishes, car parts on the back porch and in the back hall, a few more radios, stuff on my desk, furniture and clothes... oh, and the engine hoist in the basement.
This is going to be really, really close no matter how things go with the house.
Monday, May 24, 2010
blog not dead... just resting!
Hrm. It seems it has been a significant amount of time since I last posted.
Well, I've gained a couple more hobbies (car repair, welding, all sorts of stuff...) and continued with some others. I'm trying to buy a house so I can stop renting, and in the process have discovered nearly every possible way there is to NOT buy a house. I own two jeeps now and they waste a lot of my time... and I'm considering buying another one to replace the first one, because the first one is rustier than I ever thought possible. How'd I get myself into this mess again? Whoever said Jeep stands for Just Empty Every Pocket wasn't really joking, though it'd cost me far more to buy just one new vehicle than it has so far for the two basket cases I have PLUS the one I'm considering.
Oh, and I left facebook (perhaps temporarily, but probably for good.) A combination of things triggered that move - first of all, facebook has been becoming more and more annoying to me. First were the stupid apps and games that drove me up a wall, then the privacy concerns started rolling in... then they forced a few profile format changes I didn't like on everyone. I grumbled, but I stayed on. Then they forced a few more profile format changes and added Open Graph, and I was fed up. So I deactivated my account (if you can't beat em, leave em, or something like that.) From the response I got from some people you would think I was becoming a hermit or something! I never thought that I'd get emailed by my parents saying I should spend more time online... *laughs* So far the only thing I've noticed is that I don't know what my friends are up to (I really sorta do miss this part) and that I spend less time on facebook (well, duh!)
This week I need to get everything moved out of my apartment, as my lease is up on the 31st. I got a second storage unit and have/will be spending every evening moving stuff from my apartment into storage, and I'm currently working on getting a temporary apartment on month-to-month lease terms so that I don't end up living in a cardboard box.
Here's to hoping that signing up for a temporary apartment will turn the perversity of the universe on its head (it usually works against me) and make the house purchase move faster than expected for once!
Well, I've gained a couple more hobbies (car repair, welding, all sorts of stuff...) and continued with some others. I'm trying to buy a house so I can stop renting, and in the process have discovered nearly every possible way there is to NOT buy a house. I own two jeeps now and they waste a lot of my time... and I'm considering buying another one to replace the first one, because the first one is rustier than I ever thought possible. How'd I get myself into this mess again? Whoever said Jeep stands for Just Empty Every Pocket wasn't really joking, though it'd cost me far more to buy just one new vehicle than it has so far for the two basket cases I have PLUS the one I'm considering.
Oh, and I left facebook (perhaps temporarily, but probably for good.) A combination of things triggered that move - first of all, facebook has been becoming more and more annoying to me. First were the stupid apps and games that drove me up a wall, then the privacy concerns started rolling in... then they forced a few profile format changes I didn't like on everyone. I grumbled, but I stayed on. Then they forced a few more profile format changes and added Open Graph, and I was fed up. So I deactivated my account (if you can't beat em, leave em, or something like that.) From the response I got from some people you would think I was becoming a hermit or something! I never thought that I'd get emailed by my parents saying I should spend more time online... *laughs* So far the only thing I've noticed is that I don't know what my friends are up to (I really sorta do miss this part) and that I spend less time on facebook (well, duh!)
This week I need to get everything moved out of my apartment, as my lease is up on the 31st. I got a second storage unit and have/will be spending every evening moving stuff from my apartment into storage, and I'm currently working on getting a temporary apartment on month-to-month lease terms so that I don't end up living in a cardboard box.
Here's to hoping that signing up for a temporary apartment will turn the perversity of the universe on its head (it usually works against me) and make the house purchase move faster than expected for once!
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