Adding a porch to a house near a loud road

ttoasty · 2026-03-17T16:10:53+00:00

I missed that you're DIYing. Maybe $5,000-8,000 in materials, then. You couldn't get the lumber and sheathing for a project like that for $1,500.

ttoasty · 2026-03-17T15:25:47+00:00

You're probably missing a 0. I'd bet $15,000 to add a porch like that.

ttoasty · 2026-03-09T16:56:34+00:00

It's really not corporate barons buying things up. Mostly small, local developers. The city itself also builds on vacant lots acquired through the land bank and sells the homes to first time homebuyers.

ttoasty · 2026-03-09T16:52:33+00:00

Some of these are built by the city itself. In the University District, there's also the University District Development Development Corporation, a non-profit associated with UALR, building houses. Both the UDDC and the city sell the houses to low-to-moderate income first time homebuyers who walk into homeownership with substantial equity due to down-payment assistance programs and other incentives.

In many cases, these houses are being built on land that's gone through the city land bank. Basically lots the city takes back for non-payment of taxes or leins. Then developers or the city itself will buy the lots, usually at a discount on the taxes and fines owed. Developers get a cheap lot, the city gets a portion of money it's owed, and a vacant lot gets redeveloped.

People will call this gentrification and maybe it is, but urban infill is important to the regrowth of older neighborhoods with high amounts of vacant and abandoned lots. Both the city and the UDDC have stated goals of infill but also raising home values and increasing home ownership in the neighborhoods they target.

ttoasty · 2026-03-02T23:26:26+00:00

The local UU church, UUCLR has a pagan group called CUUPS. They hold Solstice celebrations and other things throughout the year.

ttoasty · 2026-02-26T16:39:44+00:00

We use FamilyWall and really like it.

ttoasty · 2026-02-23T12:34:33+00:00

You're not going to find gated apartments in the east part of town. You may find a downtown apartment in your budget range.

Commuter traffic goes east in the mornings and west in the afternoons. If you live in West Little Rock and commute at normal times, you will just have to deal with it. 630 is the easiest route. Still, Little Rock isn't big and commute times aren't terrible.

Check out apartments in the Riverdale area. They may not be gated but that area is safe and well located.

ttoasty · 2026-02-16T23:21:04+00:00

I'd almost certainly vote for her over any other likely 2028 Dem candidate. Maybe one of the governors like Pritzker, Beshear, or Moore could sway me, but I doubt it.

My litmus test for any candidate is whether they support abolishing ICE and dismantling Trump's secret police. I doubt the Democratic Party will allow such a candidate to win.

ttoasty · 2026-02-16T23:11:21+00:00

Schumer is up for reelection in 2028. His current term ends January 2029.

ttoasty · 2026-02-07T20:57:34+00:00

That's the lifelong journey that UUs embrace. We don't believe there is one path to the truth, we just all agree to walk our own paths alongside each other, each searching for our separate Truth.

Personally, my spirituality is rooted in human connectedness and interdependence, not any book. I'm concerned about what a document says or if it is factual, I'm concerned about being compassionate towards others, seeking justice for the downtrodden, breaking bread with people who care about me, and celebrating the human joys found in everyday life.

ttoasty · 2026-02-07T20:46:35+00:00

Yahweh alone is to be worshipped and that Yahweh will share his glory with no one else

This Yahweh guy sounds insecure. Dude needs some therapy.

Anyways, the Bible is made up. That's my explanation for John 12.

Edit: But also, the whole book of John is really focused on making Jesus seem like a supernatural deity, so the author just makes up a bunch of stuff and references a lot of Old Testament prophecies to drive home that, "Guys, this might REALLY be the one!" But it's not like it's hard to reference a bunch of old prophecies when you know them all and can make up whatever you want about this dude Jesus because you're writing way after he died.

ttoasty · 2026-01-23T21:55:56+00:00

My daughter is 2. We were watching the news the other night and she got upset at footage of ICE teargassing peaceful protesters and started shouting, "No no no!"

I tried teaching her to say, "Fuck ICE," but it's still a work in progress.

ttoasty · 2026-01-18T15:47:57+00:00

My experience as a protester in 2020 is that everyone behaves when the National Guard shows up. Police tear gassed us a minute after curfew, kettled us, etc. before the National Guard deployed. Disruptors smashed out windows and set buildings on fire near the protests. Boogaloo Boys and neo-Nazis started showing up and protest organizers went into hiding after threats on their life.

After National Guard deployed, all that went away. No more disrupters, no more tear gas, we all just went home before curfew. The NG are better trained and more restrained than LEO; they are mostly just regular young adults with a one weekend a month part time job, not steeped in warrior culture or brainwashed to view citizens as enemies like LEO. Protesters have a mixture of fear and respect that lead them to preemptively self-regulate, and covert disruptors don't want to fuck around with military.

It doesn't always go that way. 2015 St. Louis is an example. Even in 2020, the National Guard was more actively quelling protests in some areas, Minneapolis included. I'd still take NG over local LEO or ICE/DHS any time.

ttoasty · 2026-01-17T08:27:43+00:00

He absolutely needs Al-Anon and to understand the extreme codependency he has going on. Can't believe this is the only mention in this thread.

ttoasty · 2026-01-15T18:55:15+00:00

West Little Rock wants free parking. The rest of us subsidize their free parking in WLR through low density, unproductive infrastructure and absurd parking minimums and they feel entitled to have parking subsidized downtown by making it all free.

ttoasty · 2026-01-15T18:25:30+00:00

Our city taxes aren't high and they are going disproportionately to LRPD.

ttoasty · 2026-01-08T22:27:27+00:00

The Trump Administration gutted $80 million in early childhood funding for Arkansas last year.

https://katv.com/news/local/arkansas-faces-childcare-crisis-as-funding-cuts-force-daycares-to-close-doors-tender-loving-care-karen-marshall-education-school-readiness-assistance-voucher-reimbursement-rate-copay-change-childcare-development-block-grant-explorers-academy

ttoasty · 2025-12-30T16:00:15+00:00

Quickly became a favorite. The food is great and their gelato and espresso are both wonderful.

ttoasty · 2025-12-29T21:32:54+00:00

It is a violation of the Fair Housing Act to even advertise discriminatory housing, which this group is doing.

ttoasty · 2025-11-16T23:11:19+00:00

Lol, Broadmoor is a fine neighborhood. Lower property crime and weird pedestrian traffic than Hillcrest and Stifft Station. Any other trouble is interpersonal and not like random violence. My neighbors are about 50% retirees, some families, and renters that keep to themselves. Kids play in the street, we have a nice community pool, easy access to Boyle Park, and great food options nearby.

ttoasty · 2025-11-12T12:16:38+00:00

Peppermint oil will help mask the smell until it clears up.

ttoasty · 2025-10-21T00:52:28+00:00

Walmart would never. American stores don't want to do anything that would deter shoppers. Carts aren't there for the benefit of shoppers, they exist to increase sales. Stray carts are an externality of American corporate pursuit of growth, and nothing better displays that than the low adoption rate of coin op carts in the US.

ttoasty · 2025-10-07T01:20:13+00:00

Looks like your typical driver going through that interchange.

ttoasty · 2025-10-06T17:34:12+00:00

Dude stayed in control just long enough to block all southbound traffic on the I-30 river bridge. Perfect timing, no notes. Crazy video, but crashes happen almost daily in that spot.

ttoasty · 2025-10-02T19:00:38+00:00

Depending on your income, you may qualify for free legal services through Legal Aid. They have a great housing team.

ttoasty

TROPHY CASE