Blog, I

Archive for December, 2009

True words! We’ve been having continous rain that’s cause the shingles at the top of the roof to blow up, causing water to come in and fall on my ceiling in the living room. Before in the past it wasn’t bad…not, it looks like a big ‘pee’ spot about 3 feet across.

It wasn’t me, really.

Later today I’ll contact the landlord, there’s an issue anyways with water needing attention at the kitchen faucet. I’ve been tired of trucking dish pans to the commode.

It’s not that I’m ingrateful…I just want to get what I pay for.

Tee Hee!

Close to two years ago I had my remaining teeth pulled and replaced by dentures. It was a point it was ‘medicaid billable’, and I’d already been working on having the problematic ones removed for health reasons.

The problem now is ill fitting ones…typical from what I understand talking to others, however in some cases offices don’t originally use quality products. I’ve seen people with undersized and as well oversized teeth put in their mouth. They might ‘fit’ physically, but one friend of mine was fitted with teeth that made him look like Mr. Ed, the talking horse.

If I end up getting a windfall from taxes annually, I’ll be able to apply for dental discounts and ‘do it myself’, rather than rely on what’s available at my local dentist…if that’s what they call them.

Some of the ways when I ‘go after’ items I’m looking for, I’ll do a search by vendor, such as Samsung, especially when it comes to computer parts.

While companies ‘sell’ items, they don’t necessarily use drill down logic trees consumers would think…are logical.

A good example is trying to find a specific model of video display, a flat screen LCD that I wanted to get a match so that my living room wouldn’t have multiple monitors made by multiple vendors.

If you’re not able to find something you ‘know’ should be at a vendors site, take a second and go to a competitor. See how or what the specific wording is used there to describe the product…then try using the same keywords at your original sought location.

Works for me.

Quality of life “is” possible when planning proactively and brainstorming the deployment of a tent city for people experiencing homelessness. From individuals to families, meal lines to those with special needs, thinking ahead can make an impossible concept…possible!

1. Location: Nobody wants it in their back yard, but then again they’d rather the homeless not be anywhere near them. Locations set apart on local transit lines such as abandoned lots are good starting points.

2. Groundwork: Soil content, debris, contaminants are all dangers. Ripping out existing top layers of asphalt, concrete, and soil with levelling afterwards for placement of polycarbonate matting systems are a viable answer. Most companies rent these from leasing companies.

Over time after becoming damaged due to normal use, they’re discarded or sold. Mats come in typical 8′x14′ sections, interlock, and can provide a layer of protection for tent city residents. The mats are in fact used by the military for deploying stable landing locations for helicopters by using six in a three by two square configuration, strong enough to both land and have maintenance vehicles, crews, and equipment ready prior to landing.

3. Water: Potable water source from existing city lines.

4. Staging areas for cooking by residents as well as locations set for deploying mobile kitchens and satellite services such as medical outpatient teams.

5. Law enforcement pressence: One beat cop in the presence of 100 such residents is more effective in combating crime in a community than 100 unseen homeless patrolled. Security offers safety for the community, both local residents in and around the tent city.

Metal buildings are a possibility, but in most cases use of plastics is more desireable due to both upkeep as well as effects of elements on exposed metal.

What do you think would be useful in brainstorming a tent city in your neighborhood?