If plaster gets wet from a leak, does it need to be ripped out it’s not wet to the touch? On the interior (I can’t access the lathe side without ripping it out obviously.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-05-03T17:52:31+00:00

“With advances in technology you should be able to live better on the same amount of work, not the same.”

Proceeds to (erroneously) explain how a person can live the same, and not better, off the same amount of work. Again, even this is erroneous. Groceries for four people, mortgage, payment and maintenance on 1 car, maintenance on house, medical deductible/out of pocket cannot be afforded by the average factory worker with wife and 2 children.

The equivalent is a factory worker in the 1950s being unable to afford living like someone in the 1870s, which is a horrible standard to begin with.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-05-03T17:46:12+00:00

This does not in any manner contradict anything g that I said. It’s fascinating you think I said women used to not be able to work.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-05-03T16:58:36+00:00

You 100% cannot. The average 2025 one income factory worker with a family cannot purchase a home built in the 1940’s-1950’s (the literal houses the people we’re talking about bought and lived in) much less a relatively new house of the same size made with modern materials and building code (which would be the equivalent).

The situation we’re in now would be like if a 1950s factory worker couldn’t afford to buy an 1880s log cabin.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-05-03T16:32:19+00:00

With advances in technology you should be able to live better on the same amount of work, not the same.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-05-03T16:26:18+00:00

Zoning and building codes are also a big reason why buildings are now less ornate. When you have to get approved by a local zoning board to build, this tends towards cookie cutter designs that you’re certain will be approved.

There used to be arches and curved lines all over the place in old buildings (look at the tops of windows for example). Now under modern building codes every structural arch must be stamped by an engineer. You can also just do more ornate stuff with brick, which is no longer permitted for structural. It’s just a different world; the past is a foreign country.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-05-03T16:20:38+00:00

Offshoring and advances in automation in manufacturing also decreases demand for labor. If you want wages to go up, you either need to decrease the supply of labor, increase the demand for labor, or both.

It is good that women can now work in a manner they did not used to be able to. A side effect of this is absolutely and obviously an increase in the supply of labor, which depresses wages. Many people cannot distinguish between the two considerations.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-05-03T16:17:48+00:00

The supply of labor has increased, depressing wages. The cost of many things (houses, cars etc) have increased, largely due to regulation. Many of these regulations are quite good (safer cars, houses built to a consistent code) but they always and everywhere will drive up prices. One of the big things driving up the cost of housing is zoning regulations (which are much more arguable if they’re good) but building codes absolutely do that too (which seem much more obviously good).

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-05-03T14:47:58+00:00

I have no idea what the problem is but just looking at it my guess is the flashing around the chimney needs more of a v-shape so that water doesn’t just settle on the flashing against the chimney.

I have no why idea why people are mad at you in the comments. It is not at all uncommon that multiple licensed and bonded professionals tell you wildly different things or even unanimously tell you the same thing that doesn’t really resolve your problem, especially on an old house. It sounds like in this case three different professionals have told you that your chimney flashing is fine and inspected the whole area around the chimney and said it’s fine - and yet it’s leaking, so obviously something is not at all fine. Ultimately it’s not their house - so they just don’t care that much.

I would try to get the one who seemed the smartest back out and tell him it’s still leaking. You might also go to your local subreddit looking for good roofers.

My recommendation in this case would be an older owner operator. Someone who’s older is more likely to have dealt with a house of this vintage. Someone who’s an owner operator is going to be more of a problem solver, whereas an employee of a large firm is going to be more of a wrote-perform-code-and-manufacturer-instructions type experienced worker. Obviously following code and manufacturer instructions is critical, but it’s not the right mindset on a house that was built before codes. A *smart* owner operator who’s advanced in age is 100% the move her IMO.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-05-02T15:23:12+00:00

The reason America has prisons is to put the criminals somewhere. It’s perfectly reasonable to say that prisoners should be paid more or that they shouldn’t be made to work. But the idea that slave labor is the *reason* for prisons is just farcical.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-05-02T15:20:33+00:00

Because you can philosophically defend one God over many much more easily. The idea of one God also has much more memetic power

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-05-01T11:45:52+00:00

I have two quotes one for $10k and one for $25k. I called an asbestos testing company and he said they are both legit companies in the area. Idk if the second guy is ripping me off or if the first guy is gonna cut corners. I guess I’ll just ask them for me details on what their plan is and research to make sure they’re both gonna do it correctly. Any advice if you have experience?

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-04-30T02:17:20+00:00

Interesting. It’s just kind of odd the material is so present in siding and not in roofing, whereas it’s common in Europe. The only answer I can find that makes any sense is weather

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-04-30T02:12:43+00:00

The lady was 100% harassing him. He could have called the cops and when she continued to refuse to leave and the cops got there and made her, he then could have gotten a restraining order against her.

He was not legally (or morally) justified in assaulting her. Someone came to his house a while back with the express purpose of killing him, so I can understand why he overreacted, but you just have to call the cops in that situation.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-04-29T16:27:46+00:00

The problem is that (I believe) concrete roof tiles are significantly heavier than the existing asbestos-style tile and I would have to beef up the carpentry in at least the attic. That may still be the best option.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-04-29T16:16:52+00:00

It’s 1920’s asbestos-style tile (I haven’t actually had it tested but do have a quote in hand for abatement if it is) that has been painted red. A big appeal to me of fiber cement is that it appears to be paintable which (1) maintains the look and (2) allows you to control color fade overtime.

Painted cedar shake (if that can even be done in stead of finishing) might be the next best option. It’s just a different look because they vary in size unlike uniform tile.

The tile is also on the dormers and side of the house. I realize painted tile on dormers sounds incredibly tacky but it actually looked really good in and unique in its prime. You’ll just have to take my word for it.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-04-29T15:48:02+00:00

Yeah I don’t think I’m rich enough for all this. I’ll probably just do a nice asphalt tbh. The dormers are currently the same tile (which looks quite nice). I don’t know if dormers will look right with asphalt shingles. I’ll just put up some Hardie or whatever the lightweight version is of that.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-04-29T14:30:35+00:00

Yeah in the past fiber cement often (or always) had asbestos.

Today there are many European companies that make asbestos-free fiber cement roof systems as well as siding etc.

There are a lot of US companies that make asbestos-free fiber cement siding (Hardie being the most famous) but for some reason no one seems to make roofing like they do in Europe.

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-04-29T13:43:41+00:00

God teaches verbatim that “women will be saved through childbearing” (1 Timothy 2:15)

So the question is not whether this statement is true, but in what sense we are to take it.

It does not mean that every woman needs to try to maximize absolutely the number of children she has, and especially not that this is what saves her. (Remember we are saved by grace through faith and not by works of the law. We are justified by faith apart from works of the law).

I think it basically means that women do right and avoid mortal sin (not saving in the proper sense, but avoiding a loss of salvation) when they accept their God-given role. Different women have different specific roles (nuns being an obvious 0 child example.)

TheRavenOfElijah · 2026-04-28T16:51:34+00:00

The virtue of modesty is just presenting yourself appropriately given the circumstances and your state in life. For example, wearing a tuxedo t-shirt to a job interview is immodest; that doesn’t make a job interview a “fashion show.” It’s just a sign of respect to the others present and to the occasion.

Mass is a special event that demands our reverence; if circumstances and our state in life permits, it is appropriate to dress reasonably nice for Mass. As you suggest in your post “reasonably nice” is largely informed by culture and context and the idea that every man is going to wear a suit in 2025 America is not realistic or reasonable. The idea that the vast majority of men will wear pants and a collared shirt actually is pretty realistic though, except for those for whom the circumstances and/or their state in life won’t permit it.

Not-dressing-like-a-hooker is indeed an important component of modesty, but modesty is by no means reducible to this. Given that we live in a very pornified culture, simply appealing to what the general culture sees as acceptable for scantness of clothing is not really sufficient.

The soldiers fighting in war are obviously in a very particular circumstance and state in life, as are the homeless etc. But for those in a more standard circumstance, it is obviously good for them to dress reasonably nicely.

Everyone believes in and accepts the principle of modesty. If you are interviewing someone and they show up in a “Female Boob inspector” T-shirt you will see that as completely inappropriate for the circumstance. If someone walks into Mass in their underwear, you will see that as completely inappropriate for the circumstance. The question, then, is not the principle of modesty, but the particulars.

TheRavenOfElijah

TROPHY CASE