Re: Soliciting opinions on a possible Mazda purchase

Which, is what I said basically. Which, is what you said basically. Which, is what I... wait what? :boggled: OK, this is the last time I ask y'all this kind of thing - how do you decide how much lower than the asking price your opening offer should be? I'm looking at this here Mazda CX-5 and I don'...

Do I still have an AS Mileage Plan account?

The last time I flew aboard Alaska Airlines was in 1999. At some point I had a Mileage Plan card in my wallet, but that was at least two wallets ago and I have no idea where the card is. Now I need somewhere to put some incoming miles. Any chance the old account still exists, and if so, how to retri...

Re: RIP M. Emmet Walsh [1935-2024]

fallap wrote:

"He's a goddamned one-man slaughterhouse, that's what he is."

Car-buying as a life milestone: share your stories

I didn't know this while I was growing up, but while I was growing up my family were utterly useless selfish ignorant felony-child-neglect-committing contemptible doltwadded caitiffs yes CAITIFFS. You heard me. For this reason I was out on my own as a teenager and, long story short, wasn't able to a...

Re: Soliciting opinions on a possible Mazda purchase

Well, I'm currently on my 3rd Mazda, so clearly I like their cars. 2010 Mazda 3 with 2.5L engine / 6-speed manual Fun to drive, pretty quick for a 4 cylinder non-turbo. Handled well. Got totaled in an accident, sadly. Only minor issues - because it was the first year of the redesign, there were som...

Soliciting opinions on a possible Mazda purchase

I currently own a 4-tired mass of duct tape that at one point was a 2012 Toyota Corolla. Its time has come. So as I go a-shopping around on CARFAX, I find myself rather interested in this here 2016 Mazda CX-5 (the CX-5 gets superb reviews from Edmunds) with 110,419 miles (gulp); satisfactorily equip...

Re: Trainhopping the Moffat Tunnel - Denver to Grand Junction

[quote="DIRECTFLT"] Riding a BNSF train across the Rocky Mountains on the Rio Grande Moffat Tunnel Route. I first rode this line in early April, 2019 but unfortunately went through the tunnel district in the dark. Through a rare set of events owing to a lack of an available train crew the ...

Re: A Saturday Night chuckle

Attention!! The train now arriving on platforms four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven and twelve —

— is arriving sideways.

Re: Can a U.S. bank freeze your account and not tell you?

Does the new account have a minimum balance level? Yes, needs to get to $10,000 within 30 days of opening. That's why I'm not inclined to forgive their skepticism when they notice me — you know — doing that . I assume that this is not a case of the funds paid into Associated not having cleared?. Of...

Re: Can a U.S. bank freeze your account and not tell you?

Does the new account have a minimum balance level? Yes, needs to get to $10,000 within 30 days of opening. That's why I'm not inclined to forgive their skepticism when they notice me — you know — doing that . I assume that this is not a case of the funds paid into Associated not having cleared?. Of...

Re: Can a U.S. bank freeze your account and not tell you?

I’m guessing, but open an account then soon after a transfer out of the account looks like money laundering Except the new account was the one I put "a lot" of money into. The $3K check I had made out to myself was drawn on my BofA account that I've had for seven years now. Yes, I did try...

Can a U.S. bank freeze your account and not tell you?

I opened a new checking account at Associated Bank here in Minneapolis a coupla weeks ago (even though Associated is headquartered in Green Bay :boggled:). In order to qualify for the signup bonus, I'm required to deposit several thousand dollars in the first 30 days, which is why I deposited a chec...

Re: What diet do you follow?

The Ron Swanson diet which consists of meat, meat and more meat. Going vegetarian or even worse, vegan, is nor ever will be an option for me. I enjoy life, and eating meat is a very big part of that enjoyment on a daily basis. Do you not mean the Ron !#%&ing Swanson diet? Meat-eating is importa...

Re: The Queen Abdicates

Quite the surprise and something of a bombshell to say the least. However, there has been a few hints in the past few months suggesting not all was well and that she was struggling. At Prince Christian's 18th birthday celebrations, she greeted the guests seated, as she has at various other audience...

Re: What kind of vehicle do you drive?

DocLightning wrote:

I am no car expert but I've been hearing that Hyundais have poor security and are easy to steal.

Re: What kind of vehicle do you drive?

2021 Toyota Avalon Hybrid. I drive 45 miles to work each way, so efficiency is important and at the time we didn't have a driveway to have a charger for an EV. I had intended to get either a Hyundai Elantra or a Toyota Camry, but there were no Camrys available so they some me an Avalon for the same...

If Wells Fargo's profits push them over the $2T asset cap

...then what happens? I am (obviously) not a finance guy so I've always been confused by this. WF is not permitted to grow its assets beyond $2 trillion (they're currently above 1.9) so what happens if business just becomes too good? Are they required to push away prospective customers — or even exi...

Re: Most interesting large U.S. cities to visit.

Chicago, because the architecture is without peer in the Western Hemisphere

Re: Matthew Perry Dead

Wasn't a big fan of the show; though the episodes I did see, I enjoyed - and in each one of them, I observed that Matthew Perry was the one carrying the show. After playing the goofy, perennially awkward Chandler for many years, he turned in a 100% believable performance as highly educated, straight...

Suggestions for CHS in February

See, I'm going to CHS February 22 thru 27th.

Have never been to the Palmetto State before...

...what should I see, do, ...eat?







Mmmmmmmmm, eats...

Canon NB-6LH battery pack dies after >9 months in charger?

I got a lot of use from my Canon PowerShot 540 SX on my trip to Alaska last year. After I transferred the photos to where I could share them from, I put the battery pack in the charger, plugged it into the wall, and... frankly, forgot about it. Now, with ten months or so having gone by, I verified t...

Re: A (titanic) moral dilemma re: pennies

make a batch of vinegar and salt...toss 'em in for a bit....rinse.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuXUht7TzVM We have a winner. bhill's method reduced the grossness (we were never going for picture-perfect shininess over here) and I brought them to Old National yesterday. "Do you want to accep...

Re: A (titanic) moral dilemma re: pennies

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

The business pays a fee to the bank.

Insurance thread

Consider this scenario: An auto insurance policy with Acme Company expires on August 10th, it auto-renews but the policyholder has spaced on paying it. On August 20th, Acme sends a payment reminder. They have not, as of August 20th, canceled the policy. On August 22nd, the policyholder buys a new po...

Re: A (titanic) moral dilemma re: pennies

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

a $10 lunch ain’t worth the credit card fees

Re: Mercury is in retro

Mercury has resumed prograde motion.

Carry on about your business.

Re: A (titanic) moral dilemma re: pennies

I save all my change in jars but regularly bag the coins up and deposit them into my savings account....... easy way of saving and I've probably saved £1000 over the last 12 months..... Good way of saving for flights!!! Well yeah, you guys have a genuinely circulating £1 (as well as a £2?) coin; y'...

A (titanic) moral dilemma re: pennies

Evidently I tossed an quantity of pennies into an empty Blue Diamond Almonds can some years ago. I have no use for an can of pennies lying around the 'ouse, so I figured on rolling them up and taking them to the bank (I think the U.S. Treasury prefers that we do this because millions of dollars are ...

Re: Thoughts on a 4-hour layover at BWI

do you have TSA precheck or Clear? that might make it possible to leave the airport. Would going to a restaurant satisfy visiting a state? If you have never had Baltimore's signature meal, a crab cake, there is a restaurant called G&M on Hammons Ferry road that is very close to the airport. You...

Re: Thoughts on a 4-hour layover at BWI

Yeah I know there'd be no going into Bawlmer, I guess maybe I was asking about cool ways to pass the time during the layover? Is there, for instance, a USPS mail drop in the secure area? This would present an opportunity for you all to add Maryland to your List of States Airstud Has Sent Mail From; ...

Thoughts on a 4-hour layover at BWI

Found an attractive airfare to Cincy in late October, though it does entail arriving at BWI at 5pm on a Sunday and not leaving till... well, 9pm. Are there ways to pass the time at BWI like that? It seems barely enough time to get out of the airport & sniff around (and add Maryland to my List of...

Re: Mercury is in retro

Why? Because of a well-understood optical illusion that appears to make a planet move backwards through the sky? See, yesterday I called CenterPoint to pay my bill by phone (like I usually do), and their automamated system glitched up on me, JUST LIKE the 'strology people said it would. And I think...

Re: The "check engine" light is on :/

Unless the CEL is flashing, you're okay to drive. Sounds liek you have a bad speed sensor causing your TRAC Off (Traction Control system) light to be on. Could be interrlated with the CEL or a completely separate problem. You probably do not have use of cuise control? Yep, cruise control was not av...

Mercury is in retro

-grade.

Beware communications glitches and travel/transportation snarl-ups.

Re: How to obtain US visa for an 80+ years old Hong Kong guy?

What is the purpose of his visit?

Re: The "check engine" light is on :/

mjgbtv wins

The "check engine" light is on :/

My 2012 Corolla LE was parked in downtown Minneapolis for around 24 hours. Evidently I left the map light on and so the car needed a jump start. I'm not 100% sure that the now-illuminated status of both the "Check Engine" and "TRAC OFF" lights is connected to this, but the timing...

Lexapro thread

Anyone had any experience they want to share about the SSRI antidepressant Lexapro? I've been on Wellbutrin (300mg) for a couple of years and evidently my case of depression is an especially severe one; they've now added Lexapro (10mg) to the mix. I've been taking it for three or four weeks now (the...

Re: My new passport booklet arrived - where my card at?

One thing that still needs explaining is why the Charleston yes CHARLESTON Passport Center (the separate envelope in which the State Department mailed back my birth certificate & previous passport said "Charleston* Passport Center") has a return address of Sterling, Virginia. :boggled:...

Re: My new passport booklet arrived - where my card at?

The card is completely useless. I guess since it complies as a REAL ID it's not entirely useless, but for the normal purposes you'd use a passport for, the card is an ornament and a complete waste of money unless you live on the Canadian or Mexican border and regularly drive across. Miinnesota is o...

Re: My new passport booklet arrived - where my card at?

The card has arrived. I really like it too; it's all shiny & shnazzy, even colorful (red white and blue, see) plus it has all these neato holographic-type anti-forgery features. It was definitely worth the few days' extra wait. Not sure what set you all off about the simple fact that it didn't a...

Re: My new passport booklet arrived - where my card at?

Nomadd wrote:

You could always try reading the material they give you where they clearly explain the book and card are processed and sent seperately.

Re: My new passport booklet arrived - where my card at?

I believe the card and book forms are delivered separately as likely prepared in different facilities. The Card form is only for US Citizens to enter Canada, Mexico by land and a few Caribbean island-countries by sea. That reminds me, I need to get my Passport renewed as expires next month. The pas...

My new passport booklet arrived - where my card at?

Several months ago I applied for a "new" passport (previous one had expired aeons ago), and I went for the option of getting both "passport book" and "passport card." Yesterday, the book part arrived - in a Priority Mail envelope with absolutely nothing else accompa a &...

Re: Financial Advise?

Chase sent me an offer of 0% through March 2024 but they will charge a 4% fee to transfer it Bank of America's balance transfer feee is 3%, and they will give you 21 (TWENTY-ONE) months of 0%APR on their BankAmericard Visa - normally that one is a 12-month intro so it's nice that the extra-long one...

Re: Ban on Gay Blood Donations Lifted in the United States

Kent350787 wrote:

unstandardised

Re: Ban on Gay Blood Donations Lifted in the United States

The questionnaire sheets always ask about "male to male" intercourse. It's not about the gender, it's about the behavior. Exactly - so the system was totally dependent on the honesty of the donor. Not much of a system, IMHO. Exactly. A dumb rule, necessitating "enforcement" via ...

Re: Ban on Gay Blood Donations Lifted in the United States

Yeah I never fully understood the point of the ban in the first place, if all the blood gets tested for HIV anyway. Unless maybe they were finding that too much of the blood being donated by gay men was turning out to be unusable and therefore a waste of the blood banks' time and resources. Except i...

Re: Montana Bans TikTok, Enforceable?

I uninstalled the app because it wasn't fun anymore. If I visit Montana, could I be prosecuted? How can they enforce this, especially trying to ban it off the App and Play stores? What about people living in Montana that already have it or even a Canadian driving through Montana from the border to ...

Re: Anyone had experience with lending tree?

At this point I'll just say that the a.net conspiracy to turn me into one of those people who lives in his car could have been better-concealed.