Steven Turetsky-Home, Building, EIFS Inspector's Blog

Should lack of AFCIs be reported?

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:58:39 -0700

This subject came up at TIJ. I've had reason to think about this lately, and thought it would be nice to kick around here.

It's safe to assume, that we all report lack of GFIs in a home, even if it was built prior to them being required. But what about AFCIs? Do you report if a home that was built long before AFCIs were required?

Since my inspections focus more on structure, topography, and safety, I don't necessarily care if something was built prior to a code change, if I think something is unsafe or unsound, I don't care what code says, I include it.

I agree with other contributors, who felt that AFCIs, until now, were yet perfected and worthwhile, but yet, as was brought up, the new technology AFCIs seem to be working as intended.

If AFCI's operated dependantly, and prevented alot of fires, will you then include them, regardless of code, just as we include GFIs.

Another thought that came to light, it that, unlike a GFI is relatively simple to install, whereas an AFCI can be an expensive undertaking.

(Hi C&C, how's Texas?)

WEBSITE HIJACKING

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:47:25 -0700

Hello everyone,

I've been away for a while and it's nice to say hello to all of my old AR buddies and hope to make some new ones.

I guess this is a good time to post this topic, I've posted it before, but the problem seemed to go away. It is now back... worse than ever.

If anyone has some advice as to what I can do to solve the problem, PLEASE HELP!!!

I am experiencing a very frustrating problem. It doesn't happen all of the time, but it happens MOST of the time.

Since everyone here is so much into improving their SEO rankings, I'm sure you will understand how I feel. Anger, Panic, Frustration!!!!

Here goes.

I live in Staten Island, for those that do not know it, Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York City. The areas that I have targeted are Staten Island, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Manhatten and Long Island.

If you search "EIFS inspections staten island," my EIFS website shows up in the #1 and #2 positions, I also show up #3 and #4 from ActiveRain. This problem happens at my direct listings (my website address) and/or at an ActiveRain listing.

When I click on one of the listings, and the occurance switches from listing to listing, many times I am brought to some other HI website, or to mine for an instant and then to the other. Sometimes it is to the same website, sometimes to a completely different website, sometimes to an HI search site or some other type of search site.

Sometimes I am able to "arrow back" to get to the search results page, most of the time I am locked into the "pirate" site and have to do a completely new search to get away. Sometimes, if I try it a second time it works properly, sometimes a different listing gets hijacked.

Almost ALWAYS at least one or more of the listings gets hijacked.

By the way, the sites I am brought to is almost always in a different part of the country, so it's not like it will do anybody any good. But if someone is looking for an inspector, I'm sure they are not going to realize they have been kiddnapped or try to get to me again.

I contacted one of the site owners, he was very nice and insisted he did nothing to create this situation. He gave me the name of his provider.

All of the work and time that I (we) invest in trying to better our SEO and sites should not be in vain.

IT JUST ISN"T RIGHT AND THERE HAS GOT TO BE A WAY OF PROTECTING OUR WORK.

Steve

I have two websites, the one that I have noticed the problem with is my EIFS website. I wonder if when my HI website (it is a new site) rises in ranking if the same problem will occur?

How Important is Correct Spleling?

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 10:55:58 -0800

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are. The olny ipmarotnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteres are at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a tatol mses and you can siltl raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by istlef but the wrod as a wlohe.

This guy is not having a good day.

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:09:17 -0800

I see a lot of strange things driving through the streets of New York. I came across this today on my way home from work. I couldn't help but to stop and take a few pictures to share.

I feel very bad for the man that was driving the truck. He will probably loose his job over this.

They spray paint on the clearence sign coming in does make it difficult to read.

I used to have a tractor, many years ago. Anytime it looked close, I used to inch my way under, hanging out, or getting out and checking. It was scary.

One time, as I was passing under, a train passed overhead. The weight dropped the bridge and a bolt caught my top. Bad... not nearly as bad as this.

They usually let the air out of the tires to lower the trailer in order to get it out.

What's wrong with the way this circuit breaker panel is wired???

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:39:52 -0800

I came across this yesterday. I'm going to put it out there for a while so we can have some fun. What's wrong with this?

This photo was taken in a multiple dwelling. A 21 story, 200+ apartment type building. I don't know how many of the units are wired this way, but, the impression got was that it was "more than a few."

Another problem I find in this type of building is fire wall/penetration faults.

In the picture above, you can see that during the conversion of a commercial to residential 16 story building, holes that were never repaired, were chopped to run water, waste, gas and electric. These holes start inthe basement and run to the roof. Now multiply that by how many bathrooms/kitchens each apartment has, then multiply that by how many apts. are on each floor. In this build, above the Sheetrock ceiling, there were no /inadequate fire walls. You could crawl from one unit to another, right across the entire floor.

Essentially, if there was a problem in the basement, it could spread frighteningly fast.

andA big difference in an inspection in this type of building is the effect things have on individual residents. Faults in one unit can effect a unit on the other side of the building. Good reason for a home inspection.

Grounded outlet sparks a lot of interest.

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 17:07:38 -0800

Sometimes I come across something that simply catches my eye. I'm glad I had a camera with me to "capture" the moment."

I thought it was one the most amazing things I've ever seen. What can one say about such ingenuity?

The installation seemed easy enough.

I thought if they could be mass produced it would be a big seller. I'm looking for some investors.

Applying Silicone Like a Pro.

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:35:02 -0800

Well the shower stall is done, and I thought I'd share some more pictures. As most of us know, tiled joints always crack where there is a change of direction, so I specify applying silicone in the corners.

Having spent years as a glazier, I was "schooled" in the way of "tooling" silicone. I'm pretty good at "free handing", but hate the lump when reapplying pressure on the gun. This technique give me the ability of smoothing out the lumps and not making a mess.

Blogjacking

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 13:49:32 -0800

I don't know if this is a "usual" and accepted practice, but here goes.

I find that contributing in different forums has increased my search ratings when someone enters certain keywords into a search. Of course, we all know this.

I try not to "blog" simply for the purpose of "blogging" and I certainly put plenty of effort to keep my contributions original and worthy.

During a recent search, I found that someone has attached their website to a blog that I posted.

When you look at search results, you see my name and a partial of the blog. When you click on it, it brings you to someone else's website/contact page.

I realize that this is some form of a compliment, like when someone looks at your girlfriend because she is pretty. Looking doesn't bother me... but you can't take her home. In my mind, this is a sort of plagiarism and it bothers me. I there anything I can do to prevent this?

Leaking shower pan

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:04:01 -0800

Well, the shower pan is coming along. It has been replumbed and releaded. The plumber did a beatiful job, but I was disappointed that he didn't preslope the base.

I now has the correct drain and it is about 5" lower.

Now here it is getting mudded. Since we are installing white marble, white sand and white portland was used to make the mix.

Here is Chris, Adjusting the height of the drain.

And here is some tile going down. With white thinset, of course.

Cricket anyone?

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:22:01 -0800

Have you ever looked at something and before you could stop yourself, shouted out "Oh smailto:s#@*!"

I just left a crawlspace where I encountered this:

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Each picture is of a different joist. Each and every joist was covered with these guys. I was afraid to pull down any insulation, I thought they would eat me! I would have taken more pictures, but my digital camera was almost out of film.

Came across some of this too:

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Even found a few of these:

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But this was the scariest!!!!

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Leaking shower stall... or shall I say shower sink?

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:15:51 -0800

In addition to doing full Home Inspections and Certified EIFS inspections, I also find myself doing quite a bit of trouble shooting for folks that are having problems in their homes and can't seem to pinpoint the cause.

Today's mission was an intrusive inspection of a leaking shower base. The unit is located on the 16th floor of a high rise building on the upper Eastside of Manhattan.

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As you can see, there are no curb walls and there is minimal pitch.
Let's look a bit deeper.

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So here we have the heart of the problem.
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It's hard to tell from the picture, but besides the fact that the drain is about 2" higher than the sides, the wrong type of drain was used. There are no weep holes to allow the pan to drain and the cone in the middle to compensate for the extreme height simply created a "sink". The pan is always filled with water and is overflowing the sides, running beneath it and into the apartments below.

Condensation on Windows

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 19:51:13 -0800

I got a call from a landlord that is having a mold problem in one of her rentals. The problem has her in L&T court.

After cleaning the mold, it reoccurs. She has informed me that the windows are sweating quite a bit, which by the way, are the problem areas.

I asked her if she home had single pane or insulated glass windows, she was unable to answer the question.

At this point, I have no clue about the construction of the building or what I will be facing until I look at it tomorrow. I have been considering different possibilities, they include: non insulated glazing,lack of storm windows, faulty frames, metal frames, metal frames w/o thermal break, windows blocked from ventilating, improper venting of a gas appliance, leaking steam pipe, improper moisture barrier.

She did tell me that the heating system was recently serviced, but until I see it with my own eyes, I consider that hearsay.

Does anybody have any input?

I will post pictures tomorrow.

EIFS Inspection report using HomeInspectorPro

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:14:43 -0800

Well, I feel like I just gave birth.

I just finished an EIFS report using my new HomeInspectorPro report program. I had to create a template from scratch, which was a pretty awesome feat, since it is my first time using the program. There isn't any EIFS data in the program, so everything is custom. Since this is a real report, I had to have it finished within a reasonable amount of time to satisfy the needs of my client.

I would like to thank Dominick for his help. He was there to help me with any programming problems I ran into. He was there for me at all hours of the night, including Saturday and Sunday. I hold him in the highest of regards. He has my full confidence and complete confidence.

At one point during the process I accidentally erased the report. Since all of my boilerplates were in the template I was easily able to recreate the report in about 20 minutes. It did take me a bit longer re-edit the photos, but there are alot of them and I did alot of editing.

If you want to check it out, CLICK HERE.

Please remember, it is my very first time using the program and time was of the essence. If anybody would care to critique it, please feel free to do so. I would appreciate any constructive criticism.

Scoring Points

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 20:51:16 -0700

A beautiful Woman was in the VIP lounge enroute to Seattle. She was waiting to meet a very important, though tardy, client who would fly to Seattle with her. While in the lounge, She noticed Bill Gates sitting on the chesterfield enjoying a cognac.

She approached Mr. Gates and introduced herself. She further explained, "I am conducting some very important business and would appreciate if you could say 'Hello, Sharon' when I am with my client." Bill Gates was inspired by her look, so he agreed.

Ten minutes later while she was conversing with her client, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning she saw that it was Bill Gates right on cue. Acting pleasantly surprised, Bill smiled at her and said, "Well hello, Sharon, how are you?"

To which the Woman replied "F##k off, Gates. I'm in a meeting".

The Game Warden

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 20:40:15 -0700

The Game Warden

A hillbilly went hunting one day in Oklahoma and bagged three ducks. He put them in the bed of his pickup truck and was about to drive home when he was confronted by an ornery game warden who didn't like hillbillies. The game warden ordered the hillbilly to show his hunting license, and the hillbilly pulled out a valid Oklahoma hunting license.

The game warden looked at the license, then reached over and picked up one of the ducks, sniffed its butt, and said "This duck ain't from Oklahoma. This is a Kansas duck. You got a Kansas huntin' license, boy?"

The hillbilly reached into his wallet and produced a Kansas hunting license.

The game warden looked at it, then reached over and grabbed the second duck, sniffed its butt, and said "This ain't no Kansas duck. This duck's from Arkansas. You got a Arkansas license?"

The hillbilly reached into his wallet and produced an Arkansas hunting license.

The warden then reached over and picked up the third duck, sniffed its butt, and said This ain't no Arkansas duck. This here duck's from South Carolina. You got a South Carolina huntin' license?"

Again the hillbilly reached into his wallet and brought out a South Carolina hunting license.

The game warden was extremely frustrated at this point, and he yelled at the hillbilly "Just where the hell are you from?"

The hillbilly turned around, bent over, dropped his pants, and said "You tell me, expert."

Stella Awards

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 21:49:43 -0700

The "Stella Awards" are named after the 81-year-old woman, Stella Liebeck, who spilled hot coffee on herself and success-fully sued McDonald's in New Mexico for 2.9 million dollars. Ever since, the name "Stella Award" has been applied to any wild, outrageous, or ridiculous lawsuits - including bogus cases! Here are this year's winners...

7th Place - Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas, was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle when she tripped over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The owners of the store were understandably surprised at the verdict, considering that the misbehaving little toddler was Ms. Robertson's son.
6th Place - Nineteen-year- old Carl Truman of Los Angeles won $74,000 and medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Mr. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps.
5th Place - Terrence Dickson of Bristol, Pennsylvania, was leaving a house he had just finished robbing by way of the garage. He was not able to get the garage door to go up since the automatic door opener was malfunctioning. He couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the house and garage locked when he pulled it shut. The family was on vacation, so Mr. Dickson found himself locked in the garage for eight days. He subsisted on a case of Pepsi he found, and a large bag of dry dog food. He sued the home owners' insurance company, claiming the situation caused him undue mental anguish. The jury agreed to the tune of $500,000. In my opinion, this is SO outrageous that it should have been 2nd Place.
4th Place - Jerry Williams of Little Rock, Arkansas, was awarded $14,500 and medical expenses after being bitten on the buttocks by his next-door neighbor's beagle. The beagle was on a chain in its owners' fenced yard. The award was less than originally sought, because the jury felt that the dog might have been just a little provoked at the time by Mr. Williams who had climbed over the fence into the yard and was shooting it repeatedly with a pellet gun.
3rd Place - A Philadelphia restaurant was ordered to pay Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, $113,500 after she slipped on a soft drink and broke her coccyx (tail bone). The beverage was on the floor because Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument.
2nd Place - Kara Walton of Claymont, Delaware, successfully sued the owner of a night club in a neighboring city when she fell from the bathroom window to the floor and knocked out her two front teeth. This occurred while Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the window in the ladies' room to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge. She was awarded $12,000 and dental expenses.
1st Place (drum roll, please) - This year's runaway winner was Mrs. Merv Grazinski of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Mrs. Grazinski purchased a brand-new, 32-foot-long Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home from an OU football game - having driven onto the freeway - she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go into the back to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the RV left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Mrs.Grazinski sued Winnebago for not advising her in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually do that. The jury awarded her $1,750,000 plus a new motor home. The company actually changed its manuals on the basis of this law suit, just in case there were any other complete morons around.

Priceless

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 19:42:38 -0700

While looking for some picture and jokes to post in a group that I started... for the sole purpose of posting "funnies", I came across this one. I felt that this one definately belongs in this group, so here it is.

The name of the roup is; Laughter is the Best Medicine. Go check it out and PLEASE contribute.

Hey, where did everybody go? I feel like I'm having a conversation with myself.

Gotcha Camera?

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 19:33:57 -0700

Ok, I'm looking through some "funnies" that I'd like to post in order to get this group going. I came across some pictures that I thought maight be amusing.

If anyone has anything they would like to share, please do.

i want to that my brother for sending me these. He is a fountain of jokes and laughs. I don't know where he comes up with some of these things. But he is always good for a laugh or two.

Laughter is The Best Medicine

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:48:50 -0700

I really enjoy posting jokes and funny stories, and the guys in my favorite groups usually tolerate me going off subject. Anyway, I've started a new group, for the sole purpose of posting these little tidbits of laughter. Please stop by, join in the fun, contribute.

Laughter is The Best Medicine

The more the merrier.

It's brand new and I'm serching for some goodies to post.

-Steve

Bob's Birthday Gift

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:09:08 -0700

Happy Birthday Bob.

We all love you. I wanted to get you a gift... Something really expensive, but had no idea what to get a man that already has everything. Anyway, I did the next best thing, I bought myself something instead. I want you to know, it gave me a great deal of pleasure.

So, here I was, stuck in the delima of what I should do, when, out of nowhere, this cute joke popped up in my mail box.

I thought it was cute, and not really vulgar, I had to change a few words for the sake of posting on AR. If you don't like it, or still think it's inappropiate, feel free to zap it. I won't be insulted. I'll just cry.

THE PARROT

A guy is browsing in a pet shop and sees a parrot sitting on a little perch. It doesn't have any feet or legs. The guy says aloud, "I wonder what happened to this parrot?"

The parrot says, "I was born this way. I'm a defective parrot."

"Holy moly," the guy replies. "You actually understood and answered me!"

"I got every word," says the parrot. "I happen to be a highly intelligent thoroughly educated bird."

"Oh yeah?" the guy asks, "Then answer this -- how do you hang onto your perch without any feet?"

"Well," the parrot says, "this is very embarrassing but since you asked, I wrap my w_ _nie around this wooden bar like a little hook. You can't see it because of my feathers."

"Wow," says the guy. "You really can understand and speak English can't you?"

"Actually, I speak both Spanish and English, and I can converse with reasonable competence on almost any topic: politics, religion, sports, physics, philosophy. I'm especially good at ornithology. You really ought
to buy me. I'd be a great companion."

The guy looks at the $20000 price tag. "Sorry, but I just can't afford that."

"Pssssssst," says the parrot, "I'm defective, so the truth is, nobody wants me cause I don't have any feet. You can probably get me for $20; just make the guy an offer!"

The guy offers $20 and walks out with the parrot.

Weeks go by. The parrot is sensational. He has a great sense of humor, he's interesting, he's a great pal, he understands everything, he sympathizes, and he's insightful. The guy is delighted.

One day the guy comes home from work and the parrot goes, "Psssssssssssst," and motions him over with one wing. "I don't know if I should tell you this or not, but it's about your wife and the postman."

"What are you talking about?" asks the guy.

"When the postman delivered the mail today, your wife greeted him at the door in a sheer black nightie."

"WHAT???" the guy asks incredulously. "THEN what happened?"

"Well, then the postman came into the house and lifted up her nightie and began petting her all over," reported the parrot.

"NO!" he exclaims. "And she let him?"

"Yes. Then he continued taking off the nightie!, got down on his knees and began to kiss her all over....

Then the frantic guy demands, "THEN WHAT HAPPENED?"

"Damned if I know. I got a _ _ _ _- _ _ and fell off my perch!'

How important is proper flashing?

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:52:19 -0700

How Important is Proper Flashing?

Well, we all know the answer to that question. I came upon this video while researching EIFS and moisture analysis. I thought it was interesting and am happy to share it. Grab some popcorn and turn down the lights. Sit back and enjoy the show.

Invasive inspection - Damage resulting from improper flashing part 1

Invasive Inspection - Damage resulting from improper flashing part 2

Steve

Getting rid of stink?

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 07:04:01 -0700

Some client's of mine just purchased a "repo", two bedroom condo to flip. The people that lived there before were very dirty, and had 4 dogs. The carpet and all furnishings have been removed, but there is still a very strong stink. They have been spraying deodorizer, but it doesn't help.

I was thinking about washing the walls and maybe burning incense. I'm thinking the smoke might penetrate the walls, but it will take alot. Also the company I work for just purchased duct cleaning equipment and that will probably be on the list of "to do's".

Does anyone have any other ideas... short of tearing out the sheet-rock and insulation that might work?

Did I go over the line?

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:13:57 -0700

This is a message to a client that I recently did and inspection for. I'm wondering if it was wrong for me to advise her to negotiate the price of the house, or if some of my other comments were out of order.

She and her family are regular clients of mine and she has referred work to me. I do not believe it is the job of an HI to advise a client to buy or not, but I do believe it is the HI's responsibility to make them aware of what they are buying.

OK guys, tear me up.

Hi Elena,

I received your message, I'm happy you contacted me. To tell you the truth, I was concerned that you were upset because it seems that I keep finding all of these problems with the houses that you wish to buy. But, that is what you hired me to do and I assure you that what I reported really does exist.

I will be glad to go over your punch list. I will add a few things to it and comment on some of the things you have already included. I have a feeling many of the items that you request will not be granted. I realize that you love the house, and I really don't blame you. Just realize that the house needs quite a bit of work, quite a bit of re-work. This house can be wonderful, so long as you realize what you are getting into and are able and willing to do what it takes. If not, it could be your worst nightmare...

I have a house that was in the same condition... more or less... than the one you are looking at. I would like to show it to you so you can get an idea of what it takes to REALLY fix a house and not just hide things with band-aids.

Remember, It's one thing to fix up a house good enough to sell, it's another thing to fix it up good enough to be your home. Anyway,

I will prepare my comments, see what you can get him to do, see what you can do with the price of the house. Don't be scared, don't be bashful. The house needs a lot of work, it is a buyer's market.

Please keep my advice confidential. Use it to your advantage, but please keep it confidential.

The War and Politics

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 07:39:24 -0700

Not too long ago, I posted what I thought was a joke regarding politics. I felt that it ended up offending a few people, so I deleted it.

Someone sent this to me and I am posting it for all to read. Please understand, I am not questioning anybody's rights as far as political views and I am not trying to offend anyone. I have my opinions and you have yours. That is what is beautiful about America.

I do agree with quite abit of the information in the post. I realize when people or political party's by name are singled out, it may be offensive to those that support them. It also mentions things that bother me too. Some of which I admit are true, whether I like to or not.

From this point on, copied and pasted.

This is a good one. Only time will tell who is right about this one, but it makes a lot of sense.

No matter your politics, you owe it to yourself to read and pass on so we all are informed of what's
going on in our world!

Another assessment of where the US stands in relation to the Middle East problems, this one is
from the guy who had his finger on the nuclear trigger for three years as head of our defense and
response complex buried under Cheyenne Mountain at Colorado Springs. He was the only person who could initiate a nuclear attack after advising the sitting president of a missile launch by our enemies and our need to respond. No political or civilian type in the US had more knowledge about day to day military actions around the world. Everyone should find quiet time to read this. As far as I am concerned, it is exactly the direction we should go and the consequences of not doing so are well thought out.

John R. (Jack) Farrington Major General, USAF
(Retired)
> >
> >
> > Middle East Imperative
> >
> > BY: JIM CASH, Brig. Gen., USAF, Ret.
> > I wrote recently about the war in Iraq and the larger war against
> > radical Islam, eliciting a number
> > of responses. Let me try and put this conflict in proper perspective.
> >
> > Understand, the current battle we are engaged in is much bigger
> > that just Iraq   What happens in the
> > next year will affect this country and how our kids and grandkids
> > live throughout their lifetime, and
> > beyond. Radical Islam has been attacking the West since the
> > seventh century. They have been defeated
> > in the past and decimated to the point of taking hundreds of years
> > to recover. But they can never be
> > totally defeated. Their birth rates are so far beyond civilized
> > world rates that in time they
> > recover and attempt to dominate again.
> >
> > There are eight terror-sponsoring countries that make up the grand
> > threat to the West. Two , Saudi
> > Arabia and Pakistan , just need firm pressure from the West to
> > make major reforms. They need to decide
> > who they are really going to support and commit to that support.
> > That answer is simple. They both
> > will support who they think will hang in there until the end, and
> > win. We are not sending very good
> > signals in that direction right now, thanks to the Democrats.
> >
> > The other six: Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, North Korea and
> > Libya will require regime change
> > or a major policy shift. Now, let's look more closely.
> >
> > Afghanistan and Iraq have both had regime changes, but are being
> > fueled by outsiders from
> > Syria and Iran . We have scared Gaddafi's pants off, and he has
> > given up his quest for nuclear
> > weapons, so I don't think Libya is now a threat. North Korea (the
> > non-Islamic threat) can be
> > handled diplomatically by buying them off. They are starving.
> > That leaves Syria and Iran. Syria is like
> > a frightened puppy. Without the support of Iran they will join the
> > stronger side. So where does
> > that leave us? Sooner, or later, we are going to be forced to
> > confront Iran , and it better be before
> > they gain nuclear capability.
> >
> > In 1989 I served as a Command Director inside the Cheyenne Mountain
> > complex located in Colorado
> > Springs , Colorado for almost three years. My job there was to
> > observe (through classified means)
> > every missile shot anywhere in the world and assess if it was a
> > threat to the US or Canada. If any shot
> > was threatening to either nation I had only minutes to advise the
> > President, as he had only minutes to
> > respond. I watched Iran and Iraq shoot missiles at each other
> > every day, and all day long, for months.
> > They killed hundreds of thousand of their people. Know why? They
> > were fighting for control of the
> > Middle East and that enormous oil supply. At that time, they were
> > preoccupied with their
> > internal problems and could care less about toppling the west. Oil
> > prices were fairly stable and we
> > could not see an immediate threat. Well, the worst part of what we
> > have done as a nation in Iraq is to
> > do away with the military capability of one of those nations. Now,
> > Iran has a clear field to dominate
> > the Middle East, since Iraq is no longer a threat to them. They
> > have turned their attention to the only
> > other threat to their dominance,they are convinced they will win,
> > because the US is so divided, and
> > the Democrats (who now control Congress and may control the
> > Presidency in 2008) have openly said we
> > are pulling out.
> >
> > Do you have any idea what will happen if the entire Middle East
> > turns their support to Iran ,
> > which they will obviously do if we pull out? It is not the price
> > of oil we will have to worry about.
> > Oil WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE to this country at any price. I
> > personally would vote for any presidential
> > candidate who did what JFK did with the space program---declare a
> > goal to bring this country to
> > total energy independence in a decade. Yes, it is about oil. The
> > economy in this
> > country will totally die if that Middle East supply is cut off
> > right now. It will not be a recession.
> > It will be a depression that will make 1929 look like the 'good-old-
> > days'. The bottom line here is
> > simple. If Iran is forced to fall in line, the fighting in Iraq
> > will end over night, and the
> > nightmare will be over.
> > One way or another, Iran must be forced to join modern times and
> > the global community. It may mean
> > a real war---if so, now is the time, before we face a nuclear Iran
> > with the capacity to destroy Israel
> > and begin a new ice age. I urge you to read the book 'END GAME' by
> > two of our best Middle East experts,
> > true American patriots and retired military generals, Paul Vallely
> > and Tom McInerney. They are
> > our finest, and totally honest in their assessment of why victory
> > in the Middle East is so important,
> > and how it can be won. Proceeds for the book go directly to
> > memorial fund for our fallen soldiers
> > who served the country during the war on terror. You can find that
> > book by going to the internet
> > through Stand-up America at www.ospreyradio.us or www.rightalk.com.
> >
> > On the other hand, we have several very angry retired generals
> > today, who evidently have not
> > achieved their lofty goals, and insist on ranting and raving about
> > the war. They are wrong, and doing
> > the country great harm by giving a certain political party reason
> > to use them as experts to back their
> > anti-war claims.
> >
> > You may be one of those who believe nothing could ever be terrible
> > enough to support our going
> > to war. If that is the case I should stop here, as that level of
> > thinking approaches mental disability
> > in this day and age. It is right up there with alien abductions
> > and high altitude seeding through
> > government aircraft contrails. I helped produced those contrails
> > for almost 30 years, and I can
> > assure you we were not seeding the atmosphere. The human race is a
> > war-like population, and if a
> > country is not willing to protect itself, it deserves the
> > consequences.Nuff-said!!!
> >
> > Now, my last comments will get to the nerve. They will be on
> > politics. I am not a Republican.
> > And, George Bush has made enough mistakes as President to insure my
> > feelings about that for the
> > rest of my life. However, the Democratic Party has moved so far
> > left, they have made me support those
> > farther to the right. I am a conservative who totally supports the
> > Constitution of this country.
> > The only difference between the United States and the South
> > American, third world, dictator infested
> > and ever-changing South American governments, is our US Constitution.
> >
> > This Republic (note I did not say Democracy) is the longest
> > standing the world has ever known, but
> > it is vulnerable. It would take so little to change it through
> > economic upheaval. There was a
> > time when politicians could disagree, but still work together. We
> > are past that time, and that is the
> > initial step toward the downfall of our form of government.
> > I think that many view Bush-hating as payback time. The
> > Republicans hated the Clinton's and now
> > the Democrats hate Bush. So, both parties are putting their hate
> > toward willingness to do anything
> > for political dominance to include lying and always taking the
> > opposite stand just for the sake of being
> > opposed. JUST HOW GOOD IS THAT FOR OUR COUNTRY?
> >
> > In my lifetime, after serving in uniform for President's Kennedy,
> > Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter,
> > Reagan, and Bush I have a pretty good feel for which party
> > supported our military, and what military life
> > was like under each of their terms. And, let me assure you that
> > times were best under the
> > Republicans. Service under Jimmy Carter was devastating for all
> > branches of the military. And, Ronald Regan was
> > truly a salvation. You can choose to listen to enriched
> > newscasters, and foolish people like John
> > Murtha (he is no war hero), Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, Michael
> > Moore, Jane Fonda , Harry Reid, Russ
> > Feingold, Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, and on-and-on to include
> > the true fools in Hollywood if
> > you like. If you do, your conclusions will be totally wrong.
> > The reason that I write, appear on radio talk shows, and do
> > everything I can to denounce those
> > people is simple. THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR THIRST FOR POLITICAL
> > POWER AND QUEST FOR VICTORY IN 2008
> > ABOVE WHAT IS BEST FOR THIS COUNTRY. I cannot abide that. Pelosi
> > clearly defied the Logan Act by going
> > to Syria , which should have lead to imprisonment of three years
> > and a heavy fine. Jane Fonda did more
> > to prolong the Vietnam war longer than any other human being (as
> > acknowledged by Ho Chi Minh in his
> > writing before he died). She truly should have been indicted for
> > treason, along with her radical
> > husband,Tom Hayden, and forced to pay the consequences.
> >
> > This country has started to soften by not enforcing its laws, which
> > is another indication of a
> > Republic about to fall. All Democrats, along with the Hollywood
> > elite, are sending us headlong into a
> > total defeat in the Middle East, which will finally give Iran total
> > dominance in the region.A lack of
> > oil in the near future will be the final straw that dooms this
> > Republic. However, if we refuse to let
> > this happen and really get serious about an energy self-sufficiency
> > program, this can be avoided. I am
> > afraid, however, that we are going in the opposite direction. If
> > we elect Hillary Clinton and a
> > Democrat controlled congress, and they carry through with allowing
> > Iran to take control of the Middle
> > East , continue to refuse development of nuclear energy, refuse to
> > allow drilling for new oil, and
> > continue to do nothing but oppose everything Bush, it will be over
> > in terms of what we view as the good
> > life in the USA
> >
> > Now, do I think that all who do not support the war are un-American
> > -- of course not. They just do
> > not understand the importance of total victory in that region.
> >
> > Another failure of George Bush is his inability to explain to the
> > American people why we are there,
> > and why we MUST win. By the way, it is not a war. The war was won
> > four years ago. It is martial law
> > that is under attack by Iranian and Syrian outside influences, and
> > there is a difference.
> > So, what do I believe? What is the bottom line? I will simply say
> > that the Democratic Party has
> > fielded the foulest, power hungry, anti-country, self absorbed
> > group of individuals that I have
> > observed in my lifetime. Our educational system is partially to
> > blame for allowing the mass of America
> > to be taken in by this group. George Bush has done the best he can
> > with the disabilities that he
> > possesses. A President must communicate with the people. And, I
> > would tell you that Desert Storm
> > spoiled the people. Bush Senior's 100-hour war convinced the
> > people that technology has progressed
> > to the point that wars could be fought with no casualties and won
> > in very short periods of time. I
> > remember feeling at the time, that this was a tragedy for the US
> > military. To win wars, you must
> > put boots on the ground. When you put boots on the ground, soldiers
> > are going to die. A President must
> > make the war decision wisely, and insure that the cause is right
> > before using his last political
> > option. However, CONTROLLING IRAN AND DEMOCRATIZING THE MIDDLE
> > EAST IS
> > THE ONLY CHOICE IF WE ARE HELL-BENT ON DEPENDING ON THEM FOR OUR
> > FUTURE ENERGY
> > NEEDS.
> >
> > Jimmy L. Cash, Brig. Gen., USAF, Ret.
> > Lakeside , Montana 59922
> >
> > 'I'll tell you what war is all about, you've got to kill people,
> > and when you've killed enough they
> > stop fighting.' Gen. Curtis LeMay

Great oppertunity

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 15:19:03 -0700

Only cuz I love all you guys, I'm going to pass on this oppertunity to you. I received this message on Active Rain today.

Don't worry about thanking me now, just buy me a new H1 hummer and I'll be more than satisfied.

francamartins4u@yahoo.fr
Dear,
I know you will be surprise to receive my mail since we have neither seen nor met before.Well, let me start by first introducing myself to you.My name is Franca Martins , the only daughter to Late Mr Michael Martins .My father was assassinated on his way to his office and since the sudden assassination of my beloved father I have been leaving in terrible fear, couple with the political crisis here in my country cote d'ivore.I am planing to travel out of the country, that is why I have decided to contact you to help me contact the bank for the transfer of the money my father deposited the sum of $6.5 million US dollar in a bank here before his sudden assassination.I will give you more informations as soon as you guarranttee me that you will treat me honestly during the investment of this money in your country.
Dear, as you can see this money is my hope of survival and I am entrusting this money on you with faith and believe that you will treat me in good faith during my stay in your country.I will like you to also assure me that you will honestly manage this money for me in the business which the money will be invested, as soon as you give me this guranttee I will then give you all the neccessary details concerning this money which will enable you contact the bank on my behalf.I shall send you the document the bank issue to my late father when he made the deposit in the bank and my picture for you to see me and I will also like you to send me your picture for more trust and confidence.
Thanks.
Yours Sincerely.
Franca Martins
N.B:Pls kindlyreply to my private email.(francamartins4u@yahoo.fr)