affreca

Umm.. so it is hot and I'm packing. Got one box of picture albums and random crap packed, working on clothes now because I can do it in my happy AC place (my room). Bit by bit, so it isn't to crazy come July 30th.

One of my current happy groove songs is on the front page of wikipedia. Everybody Knows has some great lyrics like:
Everybody knows that you love me baby
Everybody knows that you really do
Everybody knows that you've been faithful
Ah give or take a night or two
Everybody knows you've been discreet
But there were so many people you just had to meet
Without your clothes
And everybody knows

though most are a bit more societal. So it is now stuck in my head (I believe the version playing there is the Duhks, who you all should really check out. Great celtic songs, gosple songs.. just very awesome. Go listen.)

LJ World has an article today about housing code inspections on apartments. Now, the LJ World is one of those newspapers that lends itself well to critical reading. Their articles are often quite slanted, a fact brought up commonly in the comments (at the bottom of the article). But, sometimes they have a point. I am not sure about yearly code inspections, but there need to be more inspections of apartments in this town. I don't know the in depth regulations, but the code should probably also be rewriten to be sensible. But who has seen completely sensible housing code?

My experience has to do with last year's apartment, the one that burnt down due to an electrical short. I kick myself for not making more of a fuss (yeah, me actually fuss enough to get something changed), but I had electrical issues while living there, such as not being able to run my toaster and microwave at the same time. The place was insanely cheap, so I got what I paid for. But I don't believe that a completely capitalist society is a good thing, and housing code was writen so there is a basic level of safety for all dwellings. Three wonderful women (just ran into one and bought two skirts from her at a garage sale) and two men lost their homes, and several sweet kitties lost theirs.

I also think the results of inspections should be given to possible tenants before they move in, so they know exactly what they are getting into. Basic things like number of fire escapes and smoke detectors should be obivious, but electrical issues or stability isn't. Remember, Lawrence also has a high percentage of first time renters who might not know that two exits from a third floor apartment are important (though I think they should, but I've found people are stupid).

Double checking helps. Today is the 25th anniversary of the deadliest structual failures in US history, the collapse of walkways in Kansas City's Hyatt Regency hotel. Unless you're in engineering school or Kansas City, you've probably never heard about it. But 114 people died. Things need to be inspected. Don't rely on it being done right.

Now rent may go up. But how much does an inspection cost? My first guess would be in the $100 range per unit, and the comments tell me single family residences cost about $25. That would be an excessive per month charge, but not once a year. Nor do I think it should be yearly, but should have a regular schedule. It ain't a antilandlord idea. Probably wouldn't hurt my landlord much, his problem is personality. It is a pro-safety issue.

Ok. Rant done. To hot to do more.