So, I haven't ever had to ask anyone in the building I live in to keep their noise down since I lived in the dorms in college. (When I tried it then the usual reaction was for the noise-makers to intentionally make more noise.)

Anyway, I think the person who lives below me is a crazy person. Usually once I'm asleep I sleep like a log, but Sunday night the guy suddenly cranks his stereo at 11:30 PM, waking me up. I put on clothes and was about to ask him to turn it down when he did it on his own.

So last night I go to bed with earplugs on. Then I still get woken up around 1:00 by loud music, which the guy turns way down after a few minutes. He also makes weird noises, such as random loud bangs and strange vocalizations I can't begin to describe.

So what's a polite way to tell him being loud late at night is simply unacceptable? Apparently no one was in my apartment for several years - maybe he doesn't know someone has moved in?

Something like [link] might be an option for you, aurelia.

Some public schools are great though. I think there is a really tough problem with schools. In general, where there is a good tax base there are good schools. It would be hard to fix that.

Now Gud, you're making it sound like weak Public Schools could be helped by throwing money at them. Everyone knows that isn't true.

You know, even though well-off communities seem to have good public schools with fully supplied and staffed small classes and poor communities seem to have an awful lot of weak public schools that are undersupplied and understaffed and have large classes its still true and everyone knows it.

So what's a polite way to tell him being loud late at night is simply unacceptable? Apparently no one was in my apartment for several years - maybe he doesn't know someone has moved in?

I think a simple "Would you mind keeping it down after 10?" would suffice. And if the problem persists, contact your landlord. Mine issued a memo reminding everyone of the Quiet Hours after he received a bunch of noise complaints about one tenant.

Also, if my new landlord asks me how things are going in my new place, should I tell him about the noise, or is it more polite/fair to ask the guy to be quiet first before telling the landlord?

Something like [link] might be an option for you, aurelia.

Thanks. Really all I want is a VCR that has a hard drive instead of tapes. My needs are simple.

I don't actually use the Mac clone anymore and my laptop is usually at work with me when my shows are on.

I think a simple "Would you mind keeping it down after 10?" would suffice. And if the problem persists, contact your landlord.

Well when you put it like that it sounds so simple.

I guess my college experience has left me fearful of retaliation - you know, that things will get worse instead of better. But my college wingmates were crazy people....

Now Gud, you're making it sound like weak Public Schools could be helped by throwing money at them. Everyone knows that isn't true.

I think it's a complex problem, but yeah, I don't think you can overlook that wealthier communities tend to have a lot better public schools. If you have a mismanaged school district though, money probably won't help much and some places manage to outperform their resources.

I get annoyed when people talk about the public schools being a disaster. They go from awesome to disaster depending where you look.

I went to very good public schools in a healthily middle-class town. They're still solid, but I've watched even them bowing under pressure to teach to the endless tests. You know, for the 'standards'.

That's where my paranoia kicks in... Why are you messing with good schools? Which Bushie is making money off of this?

Well when you put it like that it sounds so simple.

I guess my college experience has left me fearful of retaliation - you know, that things will get worse instead of better. But my college wingmates were crazy people....

Heh. Yes. But now you have a landlord to complain to. I think it's fine to go to the guy downstairs first before mentioning it to the landlord, though.