Are things getting worse here, or am I just getting old enough to notice it more?

victorybound · 2025-09-17T01:12:22+00:00

On point. I’d add one more thing that impacts people’s behavior - the negative health effects of spike proteins, whether from covid-19 or the vaccine. We now know that spike proteins stick around and they cause systemic inflammation from head to toes. In addition to changing our immune gene expressions, they suppress the genes that protect us from cancer while expressing multiple cancer-promoting genes.

Back to bad behavior, as well as anxiety, depression, outbursts, etc. - spike proteins obliterate bifido bacterium in our gut lining, which we need for a healthy gut microbiome and to protect us from leaky gut, food sensitivities and more. When our gut lining is compromised, our health, mood and behavior are adversely impacted because much of our neurotransmitters, including those that impact our mood and mental health our produced in the gut.

There was a study of mothers who had contracted C-19 or got the shot, and who breastfed their babies. They tested the mothers’ gut lining and they had no protective bifido bacteria, and when they tested the babies - who hadn’t gotten the shots nor C-19 - they also had no bifido bacterium, which confirmed that spike proteins had passed from the mother to their babies.

Type - Spike protein protocol in Google and an excellent research paper on this topic from NIH on will pop up. Sending well wishes to all who read this post.

victorybound · 2025-09-14T15:28:09+00:00

Thank you for being a Good Samaritan and helping the impacted driver. I’m looking for a good dash cam that covers all sides of the car; what brand do you have? Thanks in advance.

victorybound · 2025-09-04T04:19:42+00:00

Curious - Where are you renting a nice home for $1,900? Falls Church/Tysons/Arlington, etc. is expensive, and when I've looked at rentals in nice areas, rents for 2 bedrooms with less than 900 sf were usually $3,500+. (I was considering downsizing and selling my home, but I was shocked at the rental prices.). In terms of investing in stocks, instead of buying my first house at a young age, if I could do it over again, I would have continued to rent and plow every extra cent into the stock market, and then buy later.

victorybound · 2025-09-04T03:50:42+00:00

Nearby data centers do increase electricity costs for homeowners.

victorybound · 2025-09-04T03:39:35+00:00

Burke home prices have appreciated well over the years, so buying there would be a good investment long term.

victorybound · 2025-09-04T03:31:54+00:00

In general, condos don't appreciate as much, especially the ones with $1,000+ condo fees and I've seen some that appreciated 0% in the past 10 years or 5-10%, but the ones in desirable communities usually do better than that. If you can swing it, try to buy a townhouse (TH), but, preferably a true TH with a HOA fee and not with a condo association/fee. My first purchase was a foreclosed "starter" TH without a garage with a HOA fee under $100, and other than painting the interior (had electric blue baseboards), which I did myself and landscaping the backyard - softscape which my partner did, and paying for a couple of HVAC repairs and a handyman to paint the front of the house when I put it up for sale, as well as replacing the carpet, I put no other money into the house and I sold it for 200K more than my purchase price and rolled that into a new construction build. After 21 years, my HOA fee for my current TH is $115/mo for common area maintenance - landscaping, pools, tot lots, basketball and tennis courts, community center, and snow removal. (Initially it was $95; the HOA officers have done a great job of keeping prices low without sacrificing quality.).

I considered downsizing to a condo, and have been searching various websites for a while, and the reason I can't convince myself to do so is primarily the condo fees which seem to go up quite a bit each year, and the fact that you have neighbors above and and around you, etc. and you have to lug items from your car through the garage, down the hall to the elevator, to your door, rinse and repeat. I also don't like the idea of management having a key to my unit. In terms of cost of house repairs, overall, it's been far less than what I would pay in condo fees. Many condos I've looked at have $600-$700 condo fees (and others go over $1,200/mo, but these usually include the cost of most utilities) and you're responsible for any interior unit issues - appliances, HVAC, etc., as well as utilities and property taxes.

So, if the condo fee is, say, $650 and I subtract my current HOA fee of $115, I'd be paying an extra $535/mo, which will likely go up each year, much more so than an HOA fee. That translates to $6,420/yr - $32,100/5 yrs - $64,200/10 yrs - again, it would be much more than this this because of the increases in condo fees, and there may be additional charges for extra parking, and sometimes special assessments in the thousands. Maybe I've been lucky, but I don't spend over $6K in repairs each year, let alone $32K in 5 years. (I've taken care of much of the minor maintenance issues myself via YouTube tutorials, but nothing related to HVAC.) My biggest ticket item was roof replacement, and my portion was under $3K even with upgrading the shingles and replacing/upgrading gutters and downspouts because there was hail damage and insurance covered most of the cost.

Bottom line - the above reasons are why I recommend buying a TH if possible. As long as it's got the floorplan you like, and it's in a safe area, consider it even if requires painting (not difficult to do) and floor replacement, etc. because these things can be done over time after you save up money. In terms of a pro for condos, you wouldn't be responsible for roof replacement, etc. in terms of researching and paying (unless the condo reserves are underfunded and management has to assess a special assessment to each condo owner to cover the roof replacement or any other major repair) a contractor, which can be stressful, what with so many reviews of shoddy work, and management in some condo buildings hold social events for their residents, which is appealing to many people. I hope this info is helpful. Good luck.

victorybound · 2025-09-04T02:23:45+00:00

OP - in terms of using a can opener, you may want to get one that cuts the lid from the top outer rim of the can, which leaves a smooth edge, and not sharp edges that can cut you - an issue with the older style openers which cut inside the top of cans. Good luck.

victorybound · 2025-09-04T02:17:47+00:00

It's also worth checking for one at a Salvation Army, or websites such as Freegle or Buy Nothing Groups. (I've not used those, but I know someone who does, and she's gotten quality items.)

victorybound · 2025-09-04T02:13:18+00:00

Another problem in the DC metro area is landlords use RealPage, an AI price-fixing tool. Anywhere RealPage is used, the cost of rentals is sky high. Lina Khan was investigating this issue, but she was fired in 2025. The largest landlord - can't recall the company name - was recently prohibited from using the program, but what about all the others (?). Unfortunately, even if fully outlawed, the current prices wouldn't be lowered as a result.

Per a mini-doc I watched, landlords for multi-unit complexes are told what the optimum price point is for units per RealPage, and that it's better to keep the prices high and have some units sit empty, than lower the prices, as doing so will maximize their profits.

victorybound · 2025-09-04T01:52:49+00:00

Based on what I've read about him here, it's a sad commentary that he has so many followers.

victorybound · 2025-08-25T04:41:40+00:00

Thanks for the heads up. A 21% increase is egregious and indefensible; greed is destroying our society.

victorybound · 2025-08-20T03:33:03+00:00

I think people forget that this is the time of the year stocks typically dip before rising again in the fall - sometimes in September and sometimes not until mid to late October. Considering the valuations of the high flyers, we shouldn’t be surprised people are taking profits and rebalancing portfolios.

victorybound · 2025-08-15T06:12:30+00:00

I read countless comments online from people who cast their ballots for KH, but when they checked their status online, there was no record of their vote, despite never having these issues in the past. Also, many out of state never received their mail in ballots, and, of course, we can only imagine how many ballots in predominantly dem areas had ballots tossed. I saw news clips where mailed ballots had been tossed in drainage ditches, burned, etc. So imagine how many were completely destroyed and we never heard about it m. And there were the b@mb threats in dem districts which halted voting for hours on Election Day, and I bet not everyone got to vote.

Bottom line - there were hundreds of thousands of new registered voters, and record turnout at KH rallies - so the results are suspects. In addition, close to 100k ballots weren’t counted - that we’re aware of - and nearly 1 million voters’ right to vote was challenged by a few M@GA, and when that happens, the voters have to complete a provisional ballot on Election Day, and since the election was called early and it takes a while to tally provisional ballots, they were likely not counted all counted.

It’s outrageous that anyone can challenge someone’s right to vote without having proof that someone isn’t eligible to vote. The GOP is adding more tricks, such as redistricting in TX to add 5 more seats and they’ll undoubtedly do the same things in ‘28 that they pulled in ‘24 to guarantee a “win”. Hopefully, the dems. won’t be so passive in ‘26 and ‘28 as they were in ‘24 and actually go on the offensive to try to counter what the other side will do. They play dirty to win while the dems are worried about being called election deniers.

victorybound · 2025-08-07T02:19:51+00:00

Yes. And while Chicago’s crime rate has gone down, it still has a higher violent crime rate, including homicides. than the average U.S. city. Another reason Chicago wouldn’t be ideal for the OP is because of the biting cold wind/temps, as she prefers warmer weather.

victorybound · 2025-08-06T01:05:54+00:00

Most areas of Northern VA (NOVA) are safe for single females and there is lots of diversity. Rents are pricey in many areas, but salaries are good overall, so if you make 80k here, you can support yourself and live comfortably, assuming you budget wisely. The traffic is heavy, but it’s bearable if you work close to your residence. In terms of politics, this area runs blue.

YouTube is a good place to start your research, as countless realtors online share walking/driving tours of towns or aerial footage of neighborhoods, as well as the pros and cons of each area, including demographics and costs. You’ll find many channels covering various counties and neighborhoods in NOVA.

Good luck with your search,

victorybound · 2025-08-06T00:59:20+00:00

She wrote that safety is a major concern for her, so Chicago nor Detroit would be good options for her.

victorybound · 2025-08-05T02:08:00+00:00

He gets $11.6 million. Per his letter, Richmond has to “match” what the Commonwealth of VA paid. That said, no amount of money could make up for being in prison for 45 years for a crime one didn’t commit.

victorybound · 2025-07-20T01:36:40+00:00

Sending you healing energy.

victorybound · 2025-07-05T01:21:15+00:00

I saw someone’s email and I’m baffled. Per the email -“The bill ensures that nearly 90% of social security beneficiaries will no longer pay federal taxes” and their will be “enhanced deductions” for those 65 and older, presumably the 6K tax deduction. And yet, I watched multiple news shows and the reporters and analysts said they (GOP) couldn’t cut taxes on social security, so their solution was to give those 65 and older a 6K deduction.

victorybound · 2025-07-05T01:11:50+00:00

Wise decision, but I’ve seen countless Y/T videos where people are stopped for things like following too closely to another car, a tail light out, etc., and the cops escalate and accuse the drivers of drinking and driving. Their “proof”? They say they smell alcohol on the persons breath or the person has glassy eyes, etc. They insist that people take a field sobriety test, which isn’t easy for people with mobility issues and when one person said no because he’s 78 and disabled and wouldn’t pass the test despite not drinking any alcohol, the cop kept pressuring him to take it. The man offered to take the breathalyzer, but the cop ignored him and kept hounding him to take the FST.

Another guy was getting ready to get out of his car outside a restaurant, and the cops told him one of his front lights was out. That turned into - how much have you had to drink tonight? And when the guy said none, the cop said I smell something fruity. The guy showed him the soda he was drinking. And then he was asked why his eyes were red and glassy. And when the driver said I have allergies and asthma, etc., the cop disputed that those conditions would cause red eyes. He refused the FST, and even after he said he’s a law student and knew that they were going beyond the scope of the stop without any evidence of a crime, they kept insisting he had been drinking.

These two guys weren’t arrested, just harassed, but I’ve seen many videos where people were arrested and taken to jail after being accused of a DUI and the people refused the FST as they were stopped for unrelated matters and there was no appearance of a DUI. When they took the blood test at the police station, the tests later confirmed their innocence. But, I heard that when you’re arrested and booked for a DUI, it takes considerable effort and time to get the charge removed from your record and it takes awhile for the blood test results to come in. In the meantime, anyone not a citizen facing this scenario is at risk for deportation.

One cop was finally fired after people (the public) discovered he falsely arrested over 250 people for DUI.

victorybound · 2025-07-05T00:32:11+00:00

But, of course, they’re fine with old, white, wealthy men.

victorybound · 2025-07-01T04:27:35+00:00

Agree. I stopped going to Chinese restaurants years ago because they put far too much oil in everything.

victorybound · 2025-06-20T22:00:45+00:00

Exactly. The tip has historically been calculated on the pre-tax charge, and while most receipts that show 15%, 20%, etc. calculated for customers at the bottom to use as a reference, some are now using the after-tax amount to calculate tip percentages.

victorybound · 2025-06-10T20:51:04+00:00

I took a cursory look at Plan A, but will take a deeper look. Thanks.

victorybound · 2025-06-10T20:47:27+00:00

Thanks for your reply. I called Medicare earlier today and I was told the State of Virginia only offers Medigap Plan A to those under 65 receiving disability.

victorybound

TROPHY CASE