What did you do today?

[Flyover]

HAHA no doubt. If I ever consider a dealer again, I will make sure to inconvenience them by paying for a full inspection from a mechanic that takes 3 hours.

You should always get a used car inspected anyway, but yeah I guess if it's 3 hours it's 3 hours.

 

[Spicoli43]

You should always get a used car inspected anyway, but yeah I guess if it's 3 hours it's 3 hours.

Well, that's what I did when I bought on Ebay, they offered the service for $300 or so, and I took advantage of it. The dealer WAS NOT PLEASED, but probably relieved when I bought. I don't care about how tender that makes them because they can't show it to multiple people that day, since basically all dealers are scumbags.

 

[shan2themax]

I have a new absolutely favorite song....




Also..... I still haven't ordered cabinets

 

[Krich]

HAHA no doubt. If I ever consider a dealer again, I will make sure to inconvenience them by paying for a full inspection from a mechanic that takes 3 hours.

Yeah, I bought a used pickup from a dealer once and they said the deal included a "Protection Package" which turned out to be a GPS tracker they had installed on the truck they they never gave me the login and website for.

It was supposed to help me find the truck if someone stole it, but they failed to give me details about how I would go about doing that. The cost was $1495.00 for this con.

I noticed this on the invoice after I paid and got back home so I called them asking for a refund and they said no dice.

So, I found out in my state it's illegal to put a tracker on someone's car without sign authorization which they did not have... so I told them they had engaged in criminal activity against me and I was going to go to the news media and to the state attorney general's office to file a criminal complaint.

The next day, the sales guy called and said they were putting a refund check in the mail which arrived a couple days later.

Turns out, many new car dealerships do this on all cars due to most vehicles being purchased on a loan to help with repossession if need be (I don't borrow money, so I paid with cash upfront).

So when you buy a car whether it be new or used... there's a good possibility they have put a tracker on your car without your knowledge or authorization. Word on the street is car dealers may be communists!

 

[zannej]

I know many that were scammed out of thousands of $. Bottom line, if it is too good to be true, it probably isn't.

I still remember when we talked my best friend out of one of those "too good to be true" deals. A truck worth over $20k that allegedly had $8k worth of paint done on it and the "seller" was claiming that bc the owner didn't pay for the paint job he wasn't returning it and was selling it. I did not buy that this guy had clear title to it or if he did that there wasn't something terribly wrong if he said my friend could have it for $8k. Friend kept going on about this guy being trustworthy (but he has a terrible sense of who to trust). Ultimately, he couldn't buy it without our help and we flat out refused. Told him it was fishy and not to fall for it. He was a bit sad about it, but later on was glad he didn't get it.

@Krich We had a dealership in TX try to add on something like $600 extra to the listed price of a vehicle we were trying to buy claiming it had some sort of extra security features-- some sort of etching. We told them to take it off & they said they couldn't. I had to pull up the laws in TX on my phone to point out that it is illegal to charge extra for addons that are already on the vehicle-- especially ones that can't be removed and they HAVE to honor the lowest price listed. I also pointed out that the advert on the window said it was only $399 to have those features-- but if it was already on the vehicle it had to be included. So, we went through the transaction and they had a contract on computer. No extra $ tacked on. Then when it came time to pay and they printed it out (after the guy did more typing), they had added back in the $399 and claimed it was under doc fees on the computer one. So, what Mom signed digitally did not match the paper. Didn't realize until we left though. I left a negative review of the dealership on cars dot com (which is where we found it) but they took it down because that dealership (Planet Ford) was one of their sponsors.

I took my brother to get his toe surgery & visited with my friend instead of going in to the doctor's office because that place reeks of mold and mildew. It used to be my late gp's office back in the 80s and I don't think they've thoroughly cleaned it in over a decade. The carpet needs to be replaced and I think their vent system needs to be cleaned. The doctor said it was the most solid granuloma she'd ever removed and she also got a big chunk of ingrown toenail out.

Our female friend that hooked up with our best friend is pregnant but she has a hard time carrying to term so we'll see if this one makes it. I don't think they can really afford it, but she's really been wanting to have a baby for a long time. My friend's daughter is hoping for a sister. She was disappointed when the ex's baby turned out to not be related so she didn't get to have a baby sister.

No sign of Sir Hammington and Senator Snugglebum is still being a jerk. He jumped on Gravy Jones and they tumbled around on my bed. Biscuits decided to defend Gravy so he jumped into the fray. Ball of 3 cats claws flying all around tumbling and bumping into things. Slammed into the new printer (which is going to be returned to the store bc it's junk). HP won't let it print wirelessly without logging in every single time. And the alleged "6 months of free ink" is a lie. There is no free ink. You have to sign up for a spy program where they monitor your every use of the printer and then you have to pay for ink and depending on the plan, they actually prevent you from printing more than a certain amount per month. If I put ink in that thing I damn well better get to print as many things as I want. I wish the old printer would work. I'm going to have to take it apart, clean it, and see if I can get it working.

Stupid new one won't print the tax forms even though I logged in on the computer with the tax software. Mom can't figure out how to save as pdf from H&R block stuff to print it out. I might have to get a USB cable for printers (which the crappy thing did not come with) and hook it up just long enough to print the taxes and then take it back and say it is not what was advertised and won't function the way I want. They have a 30 day return policy. I'll return the protection plan too.

 

[Ron Van]

Stupid new one won't print the tax forms even though I logged in on the computer with the tax software. Mom can't figure out how to save as pdf from H&R block stuff to print it out. I might have to get a USB cable for printers (which the crappy thing did not come with) and hook it up just long enough to print the taxes and then take it back and say it is not what was advertised and won't function the way I want. They have a 30 day return policy. I'll return the protection plan too.

Yeah, I bought a new HP recently. I don't get it. HP used to be good. Now, every other time I print, it says it has to do maintenance. And I really don't get the ink plan...it seems really expensive.

 

[Spicoli43]

Yeah, I bought a used pickup from a dealer once and they said the deal included a "Protection Package" which turned out to be a GPS tracker they had installed on the truck they they never gave me the login and website for.

It was supposed to help me find the truck if someone stole it, but they failed to give me details about how I would go about doing that. The cost was $1495.00 for this con.

I noticed this on the invoice after I paid and got back home so I called them asking for a refund and they said no dice.

So, I found out in my state it's illegal to put a tracker on someone's car without sign authorization which they did not have... so I told them they had engaged in criminal activity against me and I was going to go to the news media and to the state attorney general's office to file a criminal complaint.

Wow, never heard of that. The only difference between you and me is I wouldn't have told them. I would have gone straight to the AG, as well as writing a nice Yelp review... Then I would PRAY they sued me so I could counter for "emotional distress" and garbage like that.

 

[Spicoli43]

Yeah, I bought a new HP recently. I don't get it. HP used to be good. Now, every other time I print, it says it has to do maintenance. And I really don't get the ink plan...it seems really expensive.

I suggest not buying anything Canon. I bought their expensive "Ink tank" version, and besides the almost $300 piece of radio edit not having a LIGHTED DISPLAY, so I need a flashlight there for every print, some genius forgot to make the ink tank colors separate.

I moved the thing from one computer desk to the other, 10 feet away, and the colors mixed. I didn't tip it at all, and now everything prints Pink until the colors are gone, then I get to buy a new ink tank part if that exists.

 

[tmiskimen]

I actually get a few dollars back from the IRS. I didn't analyze what has changed but my income was up due to an IRA RMD jump so it was a surprise. I try to work my withholding such that I owe a couple of hundred but not enough for a penalty or estimated payments.

The sad thing is that my income is going up due to dividends and IRA RMD while on paper my assets are diminishing due to the market. Actually it's all on paper as I spend less than my annuity since I don't have car or house payments. I guess my Prizm was a wise choice as IIRC my only failure has been a clutch master cylinder some 10-15 years ago.

You can reduce your taxes on your RMD by using a QCD to donate to qualified 501C3 charities. Do a search for "QCD" or check with your tax accountant.

 

[mabloodhound]

That’s nice! I know people who think the only way to wire an outlet or switch is to curl the wire around the screw for a secure connection but I think they are bulky, unprotected and with 12g wire, hard to work with. These are easy, neat and no bare wires showing.

Those are excellent and definitely get some of the Wago connectors (Amazon)

 

[Eddie_T]

You can reduce your taxes on your RMD by using a QCD to donate to qualified 501C3 charities. Do a search for "QCD" or check with your tax accountant.

Thanks I'll look into that. Since I don't need cash I am currently doing an 'in kind' transfer of assets for the RMD. Maybe I can work out a way to sell off just enough for QCD.

 

[havasu]

Had my pool drained, sandblasted and repainted. I slipped him a few bucks and he painted my two rolling propane fire pits and the small retaining wall, so the backyard all matches.

 

[Spicoli43]

Cool. I have never seen a private pool in MT, the water would have to be drained every October without fail, and then I doubt the concrete would survive the Winter. There's probably lots of indoor pools in the Flathead Lake area though.

 

[zannej]

I finally got the damn printer to work. I had to install the drivers on Mom's computer and run back and forth checking things. Got her stuff printed for her. Need to see if her e-file for her state taxes went through. It charged her $20 to e-file her state taxes. But it's about the same to send return receipt from our local post office nowadays.

Now my brother needs to get his taxes done. He finally got the info for my mother, but the H&R block software really sucks & is a royal pain to figure out how to do stuff with.

I was trying to research how to use the program better when my computer made the sound of USB unplugging and my monitor lost signal. I eventually had to shut my computer off manually from the power button on the front and then had to let it sit off for a long time. I unplugged HDMI and flipped it around-- tried all sorts of things (before turning it off). After leaving it off I used canned air on the back of the computer and directly over the HDMI port and when I turned it on, the video card worked again.

Not sure if it overheated or what the problem was.

I apparently slept until afternoon. Can't remember the dreams I was having but I know they were weird. LOL. I thought I was going to have to go to the store again to get cat food but fortunately we had another bag. I ordered more from samsclub. So, kitties have been fed and are happy. Itsy is on my lap. When I first woke up I felt a cat sitting on my legs-- or so I thought. Turns out it was the dog. LOL.

I'm trying to get my brain to wake up more so I can eat something and start cleaning up.

 

[Ron Van]

Hey Z, check this out!


The coconut crab, world's largest terrestrial arthropod, weighs up to 4.1 kg and grows up to 1 meter long. Found on Indian and Pacific Ocean islands, it's similar to the distribution of the coconut palm. Check out a stunning photo captured by Piotr Naskrecki and discover this fascinating creature.

 

[Ron Van]

Had my pool drained, sandblasted and repainted. I slipped him a few bucks and he painted my two rolling propane fire pits and the small retaining wall, so the backyard all matches.


View attachment 30388View attachment 30389View attachment 30390View attachment 30391

Nice pool!

 

[zannej]

I want a pool like that-- especially the slide.
Ron, I'll have to get a picture in daylight, but when my father retired from Guam, they made him a plaque with a coconut crab on it. Cats managed to break some of the legs off and it isn't as big as the one in that photo. Saw a few of them on Guam. Right before a typhoon hit we were out driving around and saw coconut crabs and hermit crabs climbing up trees. They knew the storm was coming.

I about busted a blood vessel in aggravation trying to help Mom with accessing info for my brother's tax returns. She told me he was mean to her because she told him she couldn't zoom in to see the text of the pdf he e-mailed her and that it was too small to read. He apparently insulted her rather than trying to come look at her screen to help. So I looked and saw she was looking at the preview. I then told her to mouse back over the image of the file to the left again. No the left. The other left. Move the cursor left. Please for the love of all that's holy stop moving the cursor to the right, move it to the left. Now mouse over-- no, mouse over-- Keep the cursor over and you see that arrow down. No, don't click the image! I told her 50x to mouseover until she saw the download arrow and to click it. So, finally got her to download it and the file showed on the bottom bar of the browser. So, I told her to move the cursor down to the bottom left. That went on about 55x and I was yelling at her to move the damn mouse down and to the left but she just kept moving it up and to the right or leaving it in the same spot and I was soooo aggravated. She finally opened it and all was well. I left the room to shout some profanities and try to calm myself down. She said "You didn't have to yell at me". Me: "You have noise cancelling headphones on and you wouldn't listen to me!!!" I apologized for yelling, but JFC she doesn't listen! If the dog hadn't been in the way I would have leaned over and grabbed her mouse (which is what I have to do sometimes when she is being obtuse).

I still have to figure out how to tell if her state taxes were e-filed or if she has to send in printed copy. Her federal was already accepted and she paid the taxes owed.

Meanwhile, for some reason the AC starting heating while in cool mode again. I turned it off and it cooled down a bit. Not sure why its doing that.

 

[68bucks]

Spread about 3 yards of compost on the garden today. Tried to rent a tiller to turn it all but couldn't get one. I have thought about buying a good rear tine tiller or a 3 point but I need it for a few hours once or twice a year. Just doesn't seem worth it and another motor to maintain. We're 3-4 week from planting anyway. Still have about 4-5 yards of compost left so I'll be all set this year. Planning to put in a raspberry bed so that will use a bunch. Been fishing a few day in the last week. Going again in the morning. The bite is hot, time to fill the freezer.

 

[Spicoli43]

Ever have one of those Salted the hash browns too much and hit every red light in town days? That was today... None turned Yellow 10 feet from the intersection... Every light gave plenty of warning so I had to stop. Oh, hit a Train stop also, those are pleasurable. People turn off their engines when that happens because an Old Lady in a walker is faster.

 

[Ron Van]

I started hooking up the water supply lines to the new vanity today. I use Pex A or expansion Pex as opposed to crimp or Pex B or C. I bought some crimp style fittings by mistake. These are both 3/4” x 3/4” x 1/2” reduction tees. The one on the left is expansion Pex and the right one is crimp.


The expansion Pex fitting is a little larger and is called (by some) as “full flow”.



I decided to use a bend support rather than a 90 degree fitting for the stub outs.



Tomorrow, I’ll do the hot water side.