January 11, 2008
FOUR FOR FRIDAY
Q1 - Pets: In the past decade, the number of U.S. households grew 14%. During that same period, the number of pet owning households grew by nearly twice that number (22%). Owning a pet is now considered one of America's top "hobbies," according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. Do you view owning a pet as a "hobby" (like painting, antiquing or photography is a hobby), or to you are pets (yours or other people's pets) considered part of the family?
Q2 - Taking a Stand: Would you be wiling to die for a cause? If so, what cause--aside one related to your children (if you have children, that is)--do you think you would be willing to die for?
Q3 - Promises: If you were running for President in 2008, what kind of campaign promises would you make?
Q4 - Adverse Possession : In common law, "adverse possession" is the process by which title to another person's real property (i.e., real estate) is acquired without compensation, by, as the name suggests, holding the property in a manner that conflicts with the true owner's rights for at least 18 years. Richard McLean and his wife, Edith Stevens, of Boulder, Colorado recently took possession of 34% of a vacant lot owned by their neighbors, Don and Susie Kirlin, who have been paying taxes and homeowners fees on it for 25 years. Using the doctrine of adverse possession, the McLean's convinced a judge to award them the property, which McLean and Stevens have been using openly and continuously for at least the last 18 years. Based on what I just told you about adverse possession and the ruling in Boulder, what do you think about adverse possession?
Posted by Mikal at January 11, 2008 11:13 PM
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Q1- I don't consider pet owning a hobby but perhaps things that you do with your pet (walks, trips to the dog beach, etc.) could be considered hobbies. I've had pets all my life (dogs and cats) and we've always considered them part of the family. In fact, we gave all of them my father's middle name.
Q2- I definitely would be willing to die for a cause. I don't consider myself particularly righteous or martyr-like in any way, but I'm definitely able to see that giving my life to eradicate something such as racism or to find a cure for AIDS would be more than worth it.
Q3- Yikes. Hmmmm. This is a tough one. I know what my beliefs are and that I lean towards one side but in terms of promises, as in something I definitely swear to do, I wouldn't know what to say. I have really have never desired to be a politician because I frequently have mixed opinions about issues because I don't always want to think that the thing that I believe is right because there are other people out there who might feel differently and I want to be fair. Basically, I'm a wuss.
Q4- I understand the idea of adverse possession, squatters' rights, etc. but I don't entirely agree. I just see myself thinking that I'm being a nice person letting my neighbors use my property for years and then, wham, this type of thing would happen to me. And then I would feel totally slighted and upset. But what do I know?
1. I don't have any pets, but if I did, I wouldn't consider it a hobby. I think most people consider their pets a part of the family. I don't think pets should be filed as a "hobby".
2. Hmm...I've never even considered this, so I can't give you an answer right now.
3. I don't think I'd make any promises; perhaps I'd talk about the things that are important to me, like taking care of the environment, human rights, better health care, etc. - and work out some type of plan to make those things possible and better - but I wouldn't promise that I could do it. I think the person who is president will have a lot of naysayers working against him/her if it doesn't fit their own interests.
4. I think it is the dumbest law I've ever heard of. Someone decides to squat on the property I OWN and PAID for and then they want to claim it because I was generous enough not to kick them out? I don't think so. Also, I don't think I'll be living in Boulder any time soon.
1) We have a dog and two goldfish. They are both definitely part of the family, though I have to say that the goldfish are more of a hobby. Not really even a hobby- they're kinda like plants. We feed them once a day, and that's pretty much it. Except one of them regularly gets a bladder infection, and flips upside-down, and we have to feed him peas. Peas. That's right. Anyway, the dog is definitely a part of the family. He's our boy- we're very attached and he seems pretty fond of us too. If we had small dogs, like toy poodles or something, and you could dress them up, then maybe it would be more of a hobby. I'm just sayin, not a lot of doggie sweaters for a 90lb beast.
2) Hmmm- I would like to think so, but I'm not sure. One of the other comments took this to a different level- if taking my life meant the eradication of something, or global improvement, or something like that, then yes, yes, yes. However, if it was something like giving my life for a cause that then continued to be an issue, then maybe not. Many people have given their lives for a "cause" with nothing gained but a lost life, lots of sorrow, etc. I think it depends on whether or not my life would actually make a difference- and could I make more of a difference living?
3) Good one- I think I'd promise a lot of the same things being promised by Barack. Change. Many in this country are hungry for change. I'm an idealist, and I believe we can be better people, better citizens, better brethren and sistren, better allies, better community members. I love the idea of the great table of democracy, and I am frustrated by sigs that influence who sits at that table. I didn't answer the question?
4) I thought this was absolutely preposterous. That these people, knowingly, were squatting, then, instead of saying "thanks for the years of free use of your land," had the nerve to sue and lay claim to land just because they'd been using it... another archaic law that was never intended to be interpreted strictly in our contemporary world.
1- I think the more interactive pets tend to wind up as family, and animals like lizards or fish tend to wind up as hobbies.
2- I have a hard time seeing myself dying for a cause; mostly because I can't see how I would ever do more good dead than alive.
3- There's no such thing as a campaign promise... the candidates just speak in such a way as to make you think they promised something, without ever actually saying they will do anything. The few times there is a commitment, it's always to something completely vague.
4- Who decided that was a good law!? and what was that person's campaign promise?
1. Pets: I wish people didn't treat them like a hobby. Fur and rubber cement do not mix well. Plus, a hobby you can just drop when you get tired of it. Pets, not so much (except nobody told that to a bunch of people I happen to know who seem to be addicted to getting an animal, ignoring it, then getting another, ignoring it... etc.)
2. Taking a Stand: Give my life? Nah, I don't think so. That would prevent my ability to keep fighting for whatever it was I believed in. Risk my life? Sure. I volunteered for military service knowing the odds of seeing combat were extremely high and that roughly 10% of the members of my graduating platoon would be dead in a year, and one of those 10% might be me. That was a risk I was willing to take. If the odds were 100% that I'd be dead in a year... well, I'd have to reconsider things and maybe end up joining the Air Force instead.
3. Promises: I made a promise to the patron saint of greed that if I ever became a billionaire, I'd run for President. My campaign promises would be to break every campaign promise I make, which would be impossible to do since by breaking campaign promises I'd be keeping the first one. I would also promise to not secretly fund research to create a real-life Darth Vader, the most powerful Jedi EVER!!!
4. Adverse Possession: The law has it's place, but the judge made a bad move. But if I were the guy with a neighbor taking my land away, I'd probably do something really bad... like vomit on his porch every day. That's called an adverse reaction to having a neighbor that's a butthead!
Q1 - Part of the family for sure. I don't call picking up poop a hobby.
Q2 - I would die for my God or my country, or Jessica Biel.
Q3 - I ran for Class President in Junior High, so I know a little about running for President. I would Promise "Pizza Fridays", two vending machines full of soda instead of one to meet the supply and demand, and have a dance at least once a month.
Q4 - Dumb, it's like saying if something that isn't yours is on your property for a certain amount of time becomes yours, but in reverse.
1 - I have a dog and a cat and my girlfriend has a dog and 2 cats. They are definitely part of our family. And after they all die, hopefully of natural causes, we will never be getting anymore ever again. Hobbies are supposed to be enjoyable. Pets are just kids that can't talk, but you can leave them at home alone for longer periods of time.
2 - I'm not sure if there's a cause I'd die for. But, I am getting more and more diligent about eco/green issues. There's a distinct possibility we'll all die if we don't act and change our ways on these causes.
3 - I think our system of government is completely failing us in every way right now, the list of things I'd promise would be long, very long. I'd probably get assassinated if I was president because I'd make so many people so angry.
Socialized healthcare
much stricter eco-laws
higher taxes for the rich, no exceptions
outlaw plastic bags
I'd attempt a campaign that urged people to have less children. Like 2 kids per couple at the most. Our population is growing way too fast and the planet can't sustain it.
I'd love to see a system where lobbyists and private interest groups don't determine our futures and disrupt progress.
4 - That's a crazy law. There was obviously someone that selfishly benefited greatly from passing that law.
Q1 - Pets: I don't have any pets, but my in-laws do and she is considered part of the family. Sometimes she is nice and sweet, and other times she can be a bitch just like the rest of us.
Q2 - Taking a Stand: I would die in defence of my loved ones, or in the cause of my religion.
Q3 - Promises: I would promise nothing, that way I could say that I never broke any of my promises.
Q4 - Adverse Possession : I just got back from vacation and I'm not ready for that depth of thinking yet!
1. Our dog is definitely part of the family. I'll admit that I didn't really even want a pet, but my wife was set on it and then he won me over. Owning a pet as a "hobby" seems like a really weird way to describe pet ownership to me.
2. I would be willing to die for my country, to defend my freedom or the freedom of others. As others mentioned, however, I think sometimes dying for something can actually be the easy way out. It's often hard to really live for a cause.
3. I don't think I'd ever run for President. It's a cop out I know, but I've been away from the Beli-blog for a while and I gotta ease back into the FFF. :)
4. Seems like a rip off to me. Maybe the Kirlins were just being nice and letting McLean and Steven use some land that they weren't using for those years, but that doesn't mean they'd never use. Heck, maybe they never even would use, but they leave it to their kids as part of their estate. They paid for it originally and paid the upkeep on it. Someone else shouldn't be able to take it away just because they've been using. it.
I've been "using" Doba property for over 5 years now, 13 more and I'm taking adverse possession of this whole company!
1 - Owning our dog isn't a hobby, it's a job. Or maybe it's more like volunteering for a charity that you already donate money to. But we believe in the cause, so all the effort is worth it.
2 - Well, not for the 'cause' of owning my dog. But I would definitely die for my family or my faith.
3 - I would promise not to have any loyalties to big business, lobbyists, or whatever. I may take stuff from them, but I won't do their bidding!
4 - That's lame! So if I let my neighbors use my RV parking, and it's just a standing arrangement, they can take it from me after 18 years? I call bullsh**.
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