The Coffee House

[tirediron]

So I had a meeting at the local dive with one of my former band mates last night to discuss some artwork he'd like for his concept album project he's been working on. He asked for my help with some photography. I'm flattered, and have a really strong vision.

He has an amateur model lined up, and we're all collaborating on how to make the the collective vision come alive. I'm scared shitless that I don't have the skills to make everything work, but I'm a strong believer in the Latin proverb audaces fortuna iuvat . At the end of the day, this is just a passion project for him, not a money making one...but I still want to execute all of the things we discussed last night.

Now... if there was only a place where one could go for advice & assistance with photographic projects. What the world needs is such a place... Hmmm....

 

[Gary A.]

@ smoke665 and Frank: That house in France is a standard stick framed structure, but in lieu of drywall it appears they are using cardboard. Gary is all in favor of using recycled materials, but the cardboard, as it appears in the photo, isn't being positioned as a barrier against the elements. Gary suspects there will be a waterproof membrane tossed on top of the cardboard then a lightweight concrete finish. The design could end there, but Gary suspects that additional treated cardboard will be tacked onto the lightweight concrete for a decorative look to match the surrounding homes. Maybe cardboard fashioned into a shingle or clapboard siding look.

Gary, and most likely, all of us here, sends the spent/used Amazon cardboard boxes to a recycling plant where it is shipped off to China and made into something else or maybe reincarnated into another cardboard box.

 

[smoke665]

@Gary A. way back when we started out, one of our more profitable runs out of the east coast was hauling baled paper/cardboard etc., out of NYC to a landfill in Ohio. Not sure if they still do it or not, as we stopped running into NYC years ago, because of the expense. Since that time there were a few occasions where we tried to reach a transportation agreement with recycling plants to facilities that could use the material, unfortunately the rates were not obtainable at the levels they needed to make the whole thing profitable. Plastics was a different animal because of the value of the product is still being used a lot today.

 

[Gary A.]

A lot of houses are calculated for a life time of 30 or 40 years (esp the cardboard stuff) and these do not last much longer. My thinking is more in the terms of the next 10.000 or 100.000 years ... sustainability in housing means:

• recyclebility
• mendability
• upgradability
• reusabilty

this is what I am after and I hope to develop a lot of these houses before I die...

@Gary A. way back when we started out, one of our more profitable runs out of the east coast was hauling baled paper/cardboard etc., out of NYC to a landfill in Ohio. Not sure if they still do it or not, as we stopped running into NYC years ago, because of the expense. Since that time there were a few occasions where we tried to reach a transportation agreement with recycling plants to facilities that could use the material, unfortunately the rates were not obtainable at the levels they needed to make the whole thing profitable. Plastics was a different animal because of the value of the product is still being used a lot today.

Transportation costs is what kills most recycling efforts.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I flipped on today's congressional hearing and it seemed rather boring, but came back to it and I may need popcorn! Last time with him sometimes seemed defensive or testy and I've wondered, guess it'll all come out eventually. But talk about being on the hot seat! Maybe having a secretary or assistant take notes at meetings would have been a thought...

edit - Lots of popcorn... and they're on the clock and not too happy if you're a ramblin' man.

 

[smoke665]

Transportation costs is what kills most recycling efforts

Only a part of it. There is a cost to process that material to utilize it, but even before that there are some stringent requirements about contamination. Meeting those requirements for separation doesn't lend itself to a lot automation.

 

[Frank F.]

A lot of houses are calculated for a life time of 30 or 40 years (esp the cardboard stuff) and these do not last much longer. My thinking is more in the terms of the next 10.000 or 100.000 years ... sustainability in housing means:

• recyclebility
• mendability
• upgradability
• reusabilty

this is what I am after and I hope to develop a lot of these houses before I die...

@Gary A. way back when we started out, one of our more profitable runs out of the east coast was hauling baled paper/cardboard etc., out of NYC to a landfill in Ohio. Not sure if they still do it or not, as we stopped running into NYC years ago, because of the expense. Since that time there were a few occasions where we tried to reach a transportation agreement with recycling plants to facilities that could use the material, unfortunately the rates were not obtainable at the levels they needed to make the whole thing profitable. Plastics was a different animal because of the value of the product is still being used a lot today.

Transportation costs is what kills most recycling efforts.

Transport is a function of settlememt form and in this world LA is second to Atlanta only when it comes to car dependence...

 

[Frank F.]

great autumnal light today!

 

[Gary A.]

A lot of houses are calculated for a life time of 30 or 40 years (esp the cardboard stuff) and these do not last much longer. My thinking is more in the terms of the next 10.000 or 100.000 years ... sustainability in housing means:

• recyclebility
• mendability
• upgradability
• reusabilty

this is what I am after and I hope to develop a lot of these houses before I die...

@Gary A. way back when we started out, one of our more profitable runs out of the east coast was hauling baled paper/cardboard etc., out of NYC to a landfill in Ohio. Not sure if they still do it or not, as we stopped running into NYC years ago, because of the expense. Since that time there were a few occasions where we tried to reach a transportation agreement with recycling plants to facilities that could use the material, unfortunately the rates were not obtainable at the levels they needed to make the whole thing profitable. Plastics was a different animal because of the value of the product is still being used a lot today.

Transportation costs is what kills most recycling efforts.

Transport is a function of settlememt form and in this world LA is second to Atlanta only when it comes to car dependence...

Nope ... not what Gary is talking about. As an example, LA is a big source for raw recycled materials. In the 1980's the City set up a residential waste pick-up program where the residents separated the materials into recyclables (paper/metal/glass), green wastes and waste (destined for the landfill). The market for LA huge weekly haul of green wastes was in California's Central Valley (world's largest producer/exporter of farm foods) ... but the haul from LA to the Central Valley, over the 4,000' high Tehachapi Mountains took all the profit from LA's green wastes rendering the project as commercially unviable. It was less expensive for the Central Valley farmers to purchase new chemical/natural soil augmentation than purchase the compost from LA's green waste diversion program. LA readily ships paper/metal/glass to China for recycling as the costs for land transportation in minimal to LA's ports.

 

[Frank F.]

Obviously, the history here is much shorter than in Europe -- but my house is 105 years old, and has some quirks of being an old house, but isn't anywhere close to obsolescense. Actually, my house is one of the newest on my street, although we are among the earliest settled (by Europeans, at any rate) cities in CT (1646).

It is different there, though. My wife's aunt and uncle run a sheep farm in Cumbria, UK, and their house is an old monastery/mining office/who knows what else that is at least 500 years old, and probably closer to 600 years. They have beautiful flag stone floors, and a gorgeous flag stone hearth that have remained prominently in the great room.

Quite a few years ago I was on a course at HMS Dryad (near Portsmouth); I was walking through one of the nearby stereotypical English villages on a day off and noticed an old, stone church. It took me several minutes to figure out what was bothering me about it. The date stone only had three digits!

the Pyramids do not even a date stone. and it could read what? minus 2000? or minus 13.000 as some say...

 

[davidharmier60]

I thought I already posted this.
Daves house has roof and ceiling that have already collapsed. This place will probably be outlived by me.

The place I work is in excess of 30 years old. It just got a lot of roof work and flooring repairs.

Someone asked why I don't speak of prosperity. My next check tomorrow is already spent. Have no real chance to get a computer or even an older Canon DSLR.
Where is this prosperity you speak Of?

Until this Samsung Galaxy 6 Active dies it is my entire link to life outside my immediate area.

Y'all have a nice day now, you hear?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[SquarePeg36 7]

My house is "only" 67 years old. That is pretty new for our town. I believe the oldest home here is the Phineas Upham House which is right down the street. 1703 or 1730 depending on which historian is accurate: Phineas Upham House - Wikipedia

There is a house in neighboring Saugus, MA that was built in 1692 called Boardman House that is pretty famous locally.

I found this interesting list on Wikipedia of the oldest houses in Massachusetts. The one in Salem, MA - Pickering House - was built in 1664 and is still being lived in.

List of the oldest buildings in Massachusetts - Wikipedia

 

[smoke665]

oardman House that is pretty famous locally.

Wasn't that where Lizzie killed all those people???

 

[SquarePeg36 7]

No that’s Lizzie Borden.

 

[benhasajeep46 44]

My house is "only" 67 years old. That is pretty new for our town. I believe the oldest home here is the Phineas Upham House which is right down the street. 1703 or 1730 depending on which historian is accurate: Phineas Upham House - Wikipedia

There is a house in neighboring Saugus, MA that was built in 1692 called Boardman House that is pretty famous locally.

I found this interesting list on Wikipedia of the oldest houses in Massachusetts. The one in Salem, MA - Pickering House - was built in 1664 and is still being lived in.

List of the oldest buildings in Massachusetts - Wikipedia

I rented a really old house in Hingham MA for almost 5 years. No, insulation in the walls. Still had the original single pane windows. Uneven floors, low ceilings, small (about 710sqft). Extremely small bathroom which was basically renovated by making one room smaller. Clearly added after the invention of indoor plumbing.

I almost bought a 200 year old house in Maine when I was looking to buy. But just needed too much structural work. The people who eventually bought it, tore it down. Which was unfortunate.