WTF is wrong with people

[AnalogPackrat]

Google often delivers three millions of search results which only a small Number from is usable. The Rest is mostly Trash. Thats how good Computer are Today.
I was a Computer nerd at the early stages of Apple II and learning programming.
Today, everyone uses them For mostly social Media and porn consumption.
A great success of mankind to become more knowledgeable. Sarcasm Mode Off.

True. I learned to program on a lowly TI-99-4A with 16k RAM and a cassette tape interface for storage. But despite all of the chaff on the interwebs there is a huge amount of useful information out there.

I've been able to maintain and repair cars, tractors, electronics, home appliances because of videos and tutorials people have posted. I've learned more about gardening, electronics, music, art, culture, and history from things regular people all over the world have created and shared on the web. It ain't all bad news.

 

[Walter66]

Yes, we Love regulations Here in Europe and a strong legislative government. The more, the better. It has a Long Tradition.
Sounds Like california government, isnt it?
A little socialismn we Love, too.

May I ask, what price does a Standard Family Home will cost in the US, without property to build on? I read it started at $50k? In Germany, it started at 150k€. Thats a woodhouse, it comes on a big Truck and is build within a few days. For the property add another 150k€, at least.
Thats because of all those regulations.
We now have the frustrating Situation that with a high net income many familes still can't buy Family Houses. The middle class is poor again. A Bad reality For many who have good Jobs and excellent education.

 

[JohnRoberts]

True. I learned to program on a lowly TI-99-4A with 16k RAM and a cassette tape interface for storage.

IBM 360 using Fortran programs on Hollerith punch cards run batch mode overnight (1960s).

But despite all of the chaff on the interwebs there is a huge amount of useful information out there.

So much information it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. We are lucky to have so much information at our fingertips.

I've been able to maintain and repair cars, tractors, electronics, home appliances because of videos and tutorials people have posted. I've learned more about gardening, electronics, music, art, culture, and history from things regular people all over the world have created and shared on the web. It ain't all bad news.

I am guilty of searching for videos detailing all kinds of repairs. I have found bad advice almost as often as good advice. But bad advice can be better than no advice sometimes.

JR

 

[volker]

Why is it somehow better to have over-constrained requirements for basic privileges? I could care less what Germany does for licensing. The vast majority here in the US do fine. It really isn't that difficult to learn to drive, but y'all sure seem to love hierarchy, bureaucracy, and control there. Having worked with and for several German immigrants I can say that this mindset clearly persists and causes problems here.

The US has more than three times the death toll on streets compared to Germany (and that's with our unrestricted autobahn). Seems like those pesky regulations might not be the worst thing. I very much prefer my basic privilege of being alive over flippant admission of terrible drivers and cars in dangerous conditions on the road.

 

[JohnRoberts]

The US has more than three times the death toll on streets compared to Germany (and that's with our unrestricted autobahn). Seems like those pesky regulations might not be the worst thing. I very much prefer my basic privilege of being alive over flippant admission of terrible drivers and cars in dangerous conditions on the road.

sounds like you are right where you want to be....

JR

PS: I vaguely recall a few speed limits (restrictions) on the autobahn in densely populated areas. But that was last century. The army jeep I was driving (for NATO maneuvers) was not capable of excessive speed.

 

[Matador]

When I lived in Munich back in the early 00's, I used to commute on the S-bahn (public transportation that's communism!). A section of the trip ran parallel to the Autobahn.

While stopped to pick up people, I remember looking and seeing a section of the Autobahn being repaired, and it was dug out so you could see a cross section going down almost 10 feet. The top road surface was 3 feet of concrete, with another 3 feet of crushed granite underneath. I was told that cracks are not filled, but rather entire sections are dug up and replaced whole. Driving on it is like driving on a sheet of glass.

Here our roads look like they were bombed by the Japanese in the 40's. I begs the question of how many accidents are caused by just driving on a shit road.

 

[JohnRoberts]

When I lived in Munich back in the early 00's, I used to commute on the S-bahn (public transportation that's communism!). A section of the trip ran parallel to the Autobahn.

While stopped to pick up people, I remember looking and seeing a section of the Autobahn being repaired, and it was dug out so you could see a cross section going down almost 10 feet. The top road surface was 3 feet of concrete, with another 3 feet of crushed granite underneath. I was told that cracks are not filled, but rather entire sections are dug up and replaced whole. Driving on it is like driving on a sheet of glass.

Here our roads look like they were bombed by the Japanese in the 40's. I begs the question of how many accidents are caused by just driving on a shit road.

The german autobahn inspired President Eisenhower to invest in the US interstate highway system. When he was a general over there fighting WWII the roads were a major defense asset.

JR

 

[AnalogPackrat]

Yes, we Love regulations Here in Europe and a strong legislative government. The more, the better. It has a Long Tradition.
Sounds Like california government, isnt it?

Yes. I lived in California from 1992 to 2021. Glad to be out.

A little socialismn we Love, too.

No, thanks!

May I ask, what price does a Standard Family Home will cost in the US, without property to build on?

That varies pretty wildly across the country. In the more expensive areas (near Silicon Valley, for example) you might pay $400-700 per sq.ft. Where I live now it's more like $50-150 per sq.ft. depending on neighborhood and material choices.

I was chatting with the young (mid 20s) termite inspector last fall. He's an atypical guy for his age. Very motivated and goal oriented. Not deterred by obstacles like losing his (better) job during the pandemic. He'd been saving for a down payment and found an older 3BR/2Ba house on a couple of acres. It needed work. He bought it (and the lot) for something like $90k and has been remodeling it with help from some family and friends. He already doubled his equity. This is a guy who makes no more than $25 an hour (likely less), but knows how to budget, save, and live within his means. He has a business degree (no student debt) and is looking for a better job while working for the same company that he did while he was in HS and college.

I read it started at $50k? In Germany, it started at 150k€. Thats a woodhouse, it comes on a big Truck and is build within a few days. For the property add another 150k€, at least.

I saw a youtube video about that type of construction (lol). Pretty neat, but how easy is it to extend or modify compared to standard stick framing?

Thats because of all those regulations.
We now have the frustrating Situation that with a high net income many familes still can't buy Family Houses. The middle class is poor again. A Bad reality For many who have good Jobs and excellent education.

That's what happens. California has the same problems for similar reasons.

 

[AnalogPackrat]

When I lived in Munich back in the early 00's, I used to commute on the S-bahn (public transportation that's communism!). A section of the trip ran parallel to the Autobahn.

While stopped to pick up people, I remember looking and seeing a section of the Autobahn being repaired, and it was dug out so you could see a cross section going down almost 10 feet. The top road surface was 3 feet of concrete, with another 3 feet of crushed granite underneath. I was told that cracks are not filled, but rather entire sections are dug up and replaced whole. Driving on it is like driving on a sheet of glass.

I've heard it's very nice. Our Interstate Highway System is supposed to adhere to various dimensional, geometric, drainage, and construction standards. Some does not (or isn't properly maintained). Near here they are doing a 25 mile widening project which also entails relocating sections of the roadway, reducing elevation changes, and replacing various overpasses (with increased vertical clearance). The new road is mostly continuous pour 12" thick concrete with rebar or heavy steel mesh over 18" of compacted granite base rock (gravel) over compacted earth.

Here our roads look like they were bombed by the Japanese in the 40's. I begs the question of how many accidents are caused by just driving on a shit road.

Because you live in California where state government has failed to maintain the infrastructure they've built. Last I saw there was some $60B in deferred infrastructure maintenance in the state. This despite the highest gas taxes in the US, among the highest state income tax rates in the country, high sales tax, and high fees for automobile registration. The question is: where is all that money going?

The worst roads in my small southern state are similar to the best roads in Silicon Valley (except CA85 which disallows heavy trucks and is still as good as when it opened in 1994).

 

[AnalogPackrat]

The US has more than three times the death toll on streets compared to Germany (and that's with our unrestricted autobahn). Seems like those pesky regulations might not be the worst thing. I very much prefer my basic privilege of being alive over flippant admission of terrible drivers and cars in dangerous conditions on the road.

It isn't clear that regulations have anything to do with it. What distance does the typical German car owner drive annually? In the US it averages around 8-12k miles. How strictly are driving laws enforced there (IMO ours are not well-enforced)? How much of typical road traffic is made of large vehicles (tractor-trailer trucks, etc.)? There are many other factors at play.

 

[Walter66]

Our Green Party has forbidden all fossile fuel cars from 2035 onwards. Now they will forbid fossile House heaters from next year onwards. Many buildings are Not prepared For using electric Heat Pumps. They have to be modernized. The cost can be more then what the House net worth is. A big Dilemma For many people. What one Generation has Establishment in housing value will be destroyed rapidley.
A prefab House can't be expanded, maybe you can add a Garage, thats it.
It comes as a package and has build to fulfill a Standard For Heat insulation. Thats tested with a so called blower Test. The House needs separate Ventilation, its Like living in a plastic bag. With No Ventilation, it will mold.
The cheapest to build unfortunately is in areas where No Jobs are available.
There such a House incl. Property can be Had For €200 grand. If you Go to Munich, For example, the property alone would cost €1 Million plus 150k€ For the El cheapo House, LOL. Its all fucked Up Here by government and Standards of living.

 

[AnalogPackrat]

Our Green Party has forbidden all fossile fuel cars from 2035 onwards. Now they will forbid fossile House heaters from next year onwards. Many buildings are Not prepared For using electric Heat Pumps. They have to be modernized.

California is doing the same. It started with a few cities prohibiting gas connections in new construction (which is bad enough), but now is changing to include mandatory retrofit of old gas appliances. Many people have gas furnaces, water heaters, clothes dryers, and kitchen ranges. They may only have a 60-100A electrical service. The neighborhood electrical distribution systems are also sized for serving existing homes at this level. Electric replacement of these high power appliances requires 200A service in many instances. What is the cost (dollar and environmental) to throw away the working gas units, undersized wiring, undersized utility transformers and replace it all with new? Who pays?

And California already has trouble keeping the power on. Now add all those electric appliances and EV charging to the marginal grid. Magical thinking. Oh, and they've banned buying small gasoline powered equipment as of 2024, too. So everyone will be charging their lawn mowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, etc., too. And professional tree service, concrete cutting, and landscapers will be screwed.

The cost can be more then what the House net worth is. A big Dilemma For many people. What one Generation has Establishment in housing value will be destroyed rapidley.
A prefab House can't be expanded, maybe you can add a Garage, thats it.

No, thanks...

It comes as a package and has build to fulfill a Standard For Heat insulation. Thats tested with a so called blower Test. The House needs separate Ventilation, its Like living in a plastic bag. With No Ventilation, it will mold.

Some houses here are built very tight like that. I don't want big lossy drafts and leaks, but fresh air is good.

The cheapest to build unfortunately is in areas where No Jobs are available.
There such a House incl. Property can be Had For €200 grand. If you Go to Munich, For example, the property alone would cost €1 Million plus 150k€ For the El cheapo House, LOL. Its all fucked Up Here by government and Standards of living.

In my current state of residence land in desirable suburban areas is up to $40-100k per acre, but in many good places you can find it for $5-10k. Less if you don't mind driving an extra 15+ miles into suburban hell.

 

[user 37518]

Our Green Party has forbidden all fossile fuel cars from 2035 onwards. Now they will forbid fossile House heaters from next year onwards. Many buildings are Not prepared For using electric Heat Pumps. They have to be modernized. The cost can be more then what the House net worth is. A big Dilemma For many people. What one Generation has Establishment in housing value will be destroyed rapidley.
A prefab House can't be expanded, maybe you can add a Garage, thats it.
It comes as a package and has build to fulfill a Standard For Heat insulation. Thats tested with a so called blower Test. The House needs separate Ventilation, its Like living in a plastic bag. With No Ventilation, it will mold.
The cheapest to build unfortunately is in areas where No Jobs are available.
There such a House incl. Property can be Had For €200 grand. If you Go to Munich, For example, the property alone would cost €1 Million plus 150k€ For the El cheapo House, LOL. Its all fucked Up Here by government and Standards of living.

May I ask where "here" is? Germany? fucked up?

 

[JohnRoberts]

be nice guys....

JR

 

[user 37518]

be nice guys....

JR

Edited my post.

No disrespect, John. But sounds like when a blonde at Starbucks claims that it was the "worst day ever" because they didn't have almond milk or something like that.

 

[Walter66]

I really do think that If hard working middle class people can't any longer be able to fulfill their dream of a Family, a Family House and Mobility, thats a little more relevant to their lives Like luxury Problems. For generations, those we're their basics in life. What we See now is to Put Off those basics and replace it with an all new mindset vision of which Nobody knows If it ever will Work Out in reality.
Disney could'nt have created a better phantasy world.

 

[user 37518]

I really do think that If hard working middle class people can't any longer be able to fulfill their dream of a Family, a Family House and Mobility, thats a little more relevant to their lives Like luxury Problems. For generations, those we're their basics in life. What we See now is to Put Off those basics and replace it with an all new mindset vision of which Nobody knows If it ever will Work Out in reality.
Disney could'nt have created a better phantasy world.

 

[AnalogPackrat]

Edited my post.

No disrespect, John. But sounds like when a blonde at Starbucks claims that it was the "worst day ever" because they didn't have almond milk or something like that.

I think there are multiple paths to failure. Perhaps Germany and Mexico are simply on two different paths to the same place.

 

[living sounds]

When I lived in Munich back in the early 00's, I used to commute on the S-bahn (public transportation that's communism!). A section of the trip ran parallel to the Autobahn.

While stopped to pick up people, I remember looking and seeing a section of the Autobahn being repaired, and it was dug out so you could see a cross section going down almost 10 feet. The top road surface was 3 feet of concrete, with another 3 feet of crushed granite underneath. I was told that cracks are not filled, but rather entire sections are dug up and replaced whole. Driving on it is like driving on a sheet of glass.

Here our roads look like they were bombed by the Japanese in the 40's. I begs the question of how many accidents are caused by just driving on a shit road.

That's funny. I was in the US last month and a friend pointed out to me more than once how (he thought) in the US concrete blocks are used for roads, so that you can simply replace a broken element.

There are actually roads made of concrete blocks as wells as made from asphalt in both countries. The earliest Autobahnen (the ones the Nazis build) were in fact concrete blocks, but nowadays it's mostly asphalt.

 

[sahib]

I really do think that If hard working middle class people can't any longer be able to fulfill their dream of a Family, a Family House and Mobility, thats a little more relevant to their lives Like luxury Problems. For generations, those we're their basics in life. What we See now is to Put Off those basics and replace it with an all new mindset vision of which Nobody knows If it ever will Work Out in reality.
Disney could'nt have created a better phantasy world.

Where I live the middle class is now the enemy, but who foots the bill. If you are an unemployed "victim" with a flock of 20 children propelling around you, you are thrown at al sorts of benefits. But if you are a working middle class you have to foot the bill for your own child care because you are in a job.

 

[Walter66]

 

[Walter66]

That's funny. I was in the US last month and a friend pointed out to me more than once how (he thought) in the US concrete blocks are used for roads, so that you can simply replace a broken element.

There are actually roads made of concrete blocks as wells as made from asphalt in both countries. The earliest Autobahnen (the ones the Nazis build) were in fact concrete blocks, but nowadays it's mostly asphalt.

Munich is Capitol City of Bavaria. They have enough Money to do it in supreme quality If they wouldnt wasted it too much. The Mercedes state could do, too.
But nowadays they spend it elsewhere, and everybody knows this is nowhere. We have Major parts of cities where only a minority is working legal Jobs. Very clever Guys.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Munich is Capitol City of Bavaria. They have enough Money to do it in supreme quality If they wouldnt wasted it too much. The Mercedes state could do, too.
But nowadays they spend it elsewhere, and everybody knows this is nowhere. We have Major parts of cities where only a minority is working legal Jobs. Very clever Guys.

I don't like lecturing people about their home countries, but I experience that here often.
===
Germany is the major manufacturing/export engine for the EU.... right now they are suffering from high energy costs (a major cost factor for manufacturers), high inflation, sluggish local and export market economies.
===
Good luck, IMO the world is still recovering from the 2007/2008 debt market collapse. It is interesting to observe how different countries are dealing with their local central banking strategies. While liquidity injected into the economy is fungible, the tide is going out so check who isn't wearing trunks.

JR