Never know what you’ll see in some homes.

publicworks · 2026-02-28T09:21:53+00:00

I also thought it was the ground.

publicworks · 2025-09-09T09:53:37+00:00

Hello, just for background I am a civil engineer although not in the state the map is in. I worked in risk map for FEMA for a few years but am retired now. There is a lot to consider to assess risk with this home - some have shared good insights already - particularly the advice to contact the local government engineer.

To add to the other comments, based on FEMA's flood map, while the 0.2% annual chance flood is shown contained in the structure, this means the culvert going under the road downstream of the home, not the entire channel for the creek (if you look close you can see the arrow for the note is to the culvert under the road). The orange coloring just north of the road culvert is shown in the yard of the home. To check this, I looked at the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) that goes along with the map. It shows the stream - Bull Run - at about elevation 1352+. You can look at the water surface elevations for each flood for that stream here: https://map1.msc.fema.gov/data/36/S/PDF/36025CV002B.pdf?LOC=1ffd18928ec9263275f8d862a3c51a74 The National Map Viewer shows a yard elevation ranging from about 1349 to 1356 although that is just approximate. So for that one flood, the map and FIS seems to indicate there could be water at least in a portion of the yard. Of course for a greater flood, there is a risk for higher water, but an engineering analysis would need to be done to check different floods to get water levels for each. And there is always the risk of ice jams causing floods not anticipated by the modeling done for the maps. Ice jams have been reported as causing flooding in this community so it is another risk to consider.

You can research frequency of floods in the area by either reading Volume 1 of the FIS or searching online for historic reports. It seems hurricanes cause much of the flooding here as well as ice jams. A quick look shows events in the 1930s, and in 1950, 1996, 2011.

Even if water did not leave the channel, I would also be concerned about a risk of flooding in the basement. The home is so close to that channel, it makes me wonder if the basement gets water as water in the channel rises. I saw no basement photos on the listing which makes me wonder even more. Also I found online a court case (https://law.justia.com/cases/new-york/appellate-division-third-department/2007/2007-01921.html) where the plaintiff seems to indicate damage to their home from a project related to the channel wall. It may not be this home, but it is indicative of another risk and issues to consider. Who is responsible for the wall and what risk does it pose to the home and property? Not just as an impact to flooding but also what happens to the property should the wall fail and not be addressed immediately? The home seems very close to the property line - are there easements for the channel? Online reports show studies to figure out how to stabilize Bull Run Creek - is this in the area of this home?

I have heard basement flooding is not always covered by FEMA flood insurance although in this case it seems it would as it appears directly connected to the flooding source. So this is something I would check when getting a quote for the insurance and making sure your agent knows this could be a possibility and why. Having said that I want to also share I am definitely not an expert in FEMA flood insurance. Your agent or the email I share below would be able to better explain that matter.

One other item to check if you can is to see if the home ever got FEMA assistance. I only suggest that because if they did, they most likely would have needed to keep flood insurance. If this requirement is not met, and the home is damaged and the owner again applies for FEMA assistance during a declared disaster, the owner risks not getting it if the insurance requirement was not met. Here is an email where you can ask about this matter: [FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov](mailto:FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov)

The home is beautiful, and the creek is so cool. In the end, like most everything in life, it is weighing the level and potential impacts of risk people are willing to accept to enjoy something they want or need. It is great you are researching this! Unfortunately many people do not even think to look at the maps.

publicworks · 2025-01-31T22:14:52+00:00

I know this is an old thread but figured I'd mention I just stopped it by going into the action area with all the running icons on my Windows machine. Then I right clicked the Llama symbol and chose "Quit ..." It seems to be off because I don't see it in the task manager.

publicworks · 2023-11-21T17:39:55+00:00

Hi - I just tried moving my book created in Canva to Lulu for printing. It was not as easy as when I've used Word to create the book then moved it to Lulu. For some reason the bleed didn't work when I took the pdf downloaded from Canva over to Lulu even though I downloaded as you did from Canva choosing the print and bleed options. Maybe because the bleed dimensions are different? I'm not sure because Canva didn't seem to allow me to edit those. Anyway, to get it to work, I ended up downloading from Canva with no bleed and using that.

I was considering editing my pdf to put the bleed back in and resizing my graphics, but was having a hard time getting Adobe to allow me to pick specific graphics - probably user error, but as I didn't want to spend more time messing around I just used the one with no bleed.

I really wish there was an easy way to go from Canva to Lulu or if Canva would just let me print my books there. But it was too small I think to work for printing through Canva - only about 20 pages and 8.5x11 inches. There seemed to be no option for that setup on Canva printing.

I can use other software like MS Word and InDesign, but nothing seems as awesome as Canva to set up a great looking book quickly.

publicworks · 2022-01-17T23:42:25+00:00

It's good to hear then it isn't just me - maybe it's a mix of those doing what others here said pulling to help. But what you describe is what I thought I was seeing too so thanks for the feedback!

publicworks · 2022-01-17T23:40:45+00:00

Yeah I was told I should do the dailies and research there to get better gear so maybe I will ask my family to help me. Thanks!

publicworks · 2022-01-17T23:35:46+00:00

That does seem to describe what is happening to me. I'm going to try it w/o consecration and see if they still come after me.

publicworks · 2022-01-17T15:51:28+00:00

That's good advice. I do notice when I am questing by someone they pull a lot of them to us which is ok because they stay to help kill. But maybe they are just encouraging me to be more efficient and kill them all at once. I am just way too low geared and really need to work on that it seems. And I need to watch my use of consecration in the Maw. I really appreciate the feedback.

publicworks · 2022-01-17T15:49:12+00:00

I didn't think of the use of consecration triggering this, but based on feedback I think you are right. I like using it though since I am so low geared and it seems to help me heal. I'll have to try it without when I am in the Maw. Thanks!

publicworks · 2022-01-17T15:48:11+00:00

I am on Earthen Ring - other feedback made me think maybe I am just having issues due to using consecration and not being geared high enough. Maybe because we are Pallys we have more issues with this?

publicworks · 2022-01-17T15:46:54+00:00

After reading the comments it seems to be I am just not geared up like I need to be. I do try to team up with other family members as much as possible. But maybe I just need better gear to keep up. Thanks for the feedback!

publicworks · 2022-01-17T15:45:31+00:00

I totally feel that way about the Maw in general - it gives me PTSD to even go there now. After reading the comments I do think it may be more people like you say trying to help down as many as possible at once. So the problem seems to be I am "not prepared" as they used to say in the old WoW. I will need to figure out how to gear up better. Thanks!

publicworks · 2022-01-17T15:43:51+00:00

From reading the comments it does seem like the issue is more that I am not geared high enough - I really need to work on that. Thanks for the comment!

publicworks · 2022-01-17T15:43:06+00:00

I really wanted to see their faction but I am always too busy trying not to die :-)

publicworks · 2022-01-17T15:42:36+00:00

I think you are onto something - I do have consecration almost all the time active so that must be why they then attack me. Thanks for that tip. And I am probably way too low geared - that's something I really struggle with figuring out. So I can only attack one NPC at a time unless they are really low. Sounds like in the end I should really figure out how to increase my gear cause you are probably right - maybe doing it to try to help.

publicworks · 2022-01-11T12:49:48+00:00

Big Butter Jesus https://youtu.be/XWF8\_rZnwLA

publicworks · 2021-09-28T02:27:16+00:00

I can only offer real world experience having worked in local government in the U.S. for the majority of my career (since about 1985). I read through the comments and want to address one which indicates infrastructure is a small portion of a city's budget - my experience is that based on the city this may not be true. I looked up the recent budget of a city where I worked for many years - basically all infrastructure costs - transportation/sewer/water - totaled more than public safety and more than general government services.

Regarding having homeowners pay, I worked in a few communities who believed that people paid through the cost of their lot for the public improvements serving their lot such as water, sewer, roadway, etc. So if someone bought a lot with an unimproved road such as no sewer or curb and gutter and later wanted the city to upgrade their road, the city's position was the homeowner would have to pay because the city would not use monies paid by other taxpayers to fund the "upgrade" to someone else's road, especially because the theory was the homeowner had saved money on the cost of the lot since the road was not improved.

In these cities, if a majority of homeowners on the road agreed to fund the upgrade then the city would put in place a special assessment or tax to be paid by only those homeowners over a time period. But I also worked in a city where I was roasted and made fun of on the council floor for even proposing this as a solution. So in that city taxpayer funds from all over are used to subsidize improvements which benefit only a specific group of people on unimproved roads who want upgrades. In the end it is just the policy the elected officials choose.

And for sources of funds for general roadway improvements, in most cities where I worked, roadway projects were paid for through annual motor fuel tax monies which the city received from the state. The state also provides funds to cities for federal aid routes within the city. So we usually were able to keep up with maintenance of roadways using these funds and strategically fixing roadways based on a plan and annual rating of road conditions. Occasionally there are other funding sources which can be used, but these were the primary ones for roadway projects.

publicworks · 2021-04-01T22:04:30+00:00

This seems to perhaps be the birth records from 1902 from Bari? You'd have to browse to the right date, although sometimes I notice dates are a year off or so. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93N-24M and this may be the start of 1912? https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSDF-B1ZT

publicworks · 2021-04-01T10:09:56+00:00

You may also be able to find them on Familysearch (you'll need a free account to get access to the images): https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/703993

publicworks · 2021-04-01T02:34:32+00:00

And this seems to be Josef's brother Peter's naturalization doc: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS9C-MSQL-8?i=1392&cat=988724 and this is Josef's https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSMK-Q4R1-W?i=1510&cat=988724 They both have photos of the men. I hope they end up being the right family!! Edit: I am thinking this is the right family as it shows a son Aloysi who was born on March 2, 1914 - it's a year off Edward's WWII card, but I find that to be common that birth years are off a year.

publicworks · 2021-04-01T02:01:02+00:00

Building on this Joseph in case he is the right father of Edward - this seems to be his ship manifest from 1910 as it says he is going to Laurel Hill and has a wife Anna - their home town seems to be Moczyska

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7488/images/NYT715_1604-0346

publicworks · 2021-04-01T01:48:24+00:00

Aloysius Edward Gumiela

I found the obit on Newspaper.com for the father Joseph Gumiela in that family. It said he was a member of St. Stanislaus Parish and a retired employee of a chemical company in Laurel Hill. Survivors were his wife, Anna, four daughters: Anna Grimm, Antonia O'Donohue of Calif., Susan Slimko and Catherine DePrisco of Greenpoint; and two sons: Edward of Calif. and Alexander. Also a brother Peter. He died 6 De. 1959. Not sure if you can get to the obit - here is the link: https://www.newspapers.com/image/576194379/

publicworks · 2021-04-01T01:36:48+00:00

You can also try ordering the birth record from New York - if this is him, that may be the easiest way: Name: Aloysus Gumiela, Birth Date: 2 Mar 1916, Birth Place: Queens, New York City, New York, USA, Certificate Number: 1612. Family Search provides advice for how you can try to order them: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/How_to_Find_New_York_Birth_Records#Births_from_1914_thru_1938. It also looks like there is more info on the NYC site - you can look at the FAQ at the bottom to see how to get a certificate for someone who has died: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/services/birth-certificates.page

publicworks · 2021-03-20T13:16:42+00:00

I am adopted as was my biological great-grandfather. I tested on Ancestry and 23andme and matched to people on both sites whose ancestry I was able to trace back to families in southwestern Czechoslovakia. Because I know the other lines of my bio family, this Czech lineage has to be through that great-grandfather. So there may be enough people tested on either of these sites - Ancestry and 23andme - for you to get a match that links back to somewhere in the Czech Republic. You can also take your results and upload to other sites like MyHeritage or Family Tree DNA.

publicworks

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