RE: Trailer insurance question
Insurance companies, in order to severely limit their risk, have made policies on anything and everything almost worthless. Best bet is to put that money you would pay for non-liability insurance premiums in a savings account and self insure yourself.
RE: RV Parks w/older RV restrictions
A 1990 Bounder is a good RV and ages very well, unless someone purposely trashes it. I personally don't consider a 1990 anything too old, having cruised America in a 1977 Mini Toyota Camper, 1984 Winnebago, and a 1979 Terry trailer all in the 2000s. Rule #1: Never approach any RV Park that has "Resort" in their name.
RE: 10 Worst States for Retirement!
I retired to San Diego County in 1996 and my tax footprint is extremely small. I pay zero property taxes. I live in my RV on government property, paying nothing for rent or utilities in exchange for a security presence and light maintenance. California has no personal property tax like many Eastern States. During the last 16 years, many years I have not owed any State income tax. In the years that I did, it has averaged $90 a year. Sales taxes in California are minimal on food items. My receipt last night at Walmart for $86.10 shows an 8% sales tax applied on eligible items for a total tax of $1.91. Most of California does not do a biennial smog check. Enhanced vehicle emission rules/laws apply to metro areas, and zip codes with a rural population density are exempt until the vehicle is sold. Gas in San Diego used to the highest in the lower 48 in 1996-2000. Even higher than LA to the North. Now gas in Chicago and many other cities are higher. As far as gas taxes, all States are equal when the overall figures include higher income, sales, property, personal taxes, and toll fees credited in the general funds in all State budgets that are applied to road construction and maintenance. My point is, it is not where you live, but how you want to live that should determine your retirement. For me, in California, 90% of my income is disposable income.
RE: Another Rant - can't help it!!
I worked night security at a city cg for about 5 years. The number one excuse given for late night problems was, "But we can't do this at home! The neighbors would call the police on us."
RE: My last time in Best Buy
20-30 years ago, shock and awe came from retailers that mated bar codes to computer inventory software. While they accepted "shrinkage" as a part of doing business, they did not realize how much they were losing in real data. In the early 2000's, I did undercover at Best Buy. Result: 70% of lost inventory was employee related, whether it be by mistakes or theft.
RE: Weekend in Denver .. what to do?
Head south on I-25 to Colorado Springs. Drive up to Pikes Peak (in a car). Road is now 100% paved. In Colorado Springs drive thru the Garden of the Gods. Of course, this being winter, both are weather permitting.
RE: A post with a number on it?
Reserve America is a 90s dinosaur. Owners have'nt put any money into it to bring it into the 21st Century. For the information you need, 2 dimensional photos are pretty useless. 360 video captures would help with the depth perception and the surrounding area. Photos and video pointed in a monodirection can lie. I once shot all the outdoor camping scenes on a network sitcom with a garbage dump on the right, an airbase to the rear, a demolished building on the left, and a screen behind the shoot blocking downtown Santa Ana.
RE: Blizzard of 2013!!
I was a letter carrier near Chicago during the 100 inches that fell Dec 78-Jan 79. People would dig out their mailboxes from the top, break them off the post, then stick the mailbox in the snow bank 10-20 feet away. On cul de sacs, usually one person was in charge to take mail for the entire court. Thanks for the memories, but I left living in Iceworld permanently in 96. I still find it hilarious here in SoCal when rain is forecast, like the 20th of an inch last weekend. Lines at Walmart, grocery stores, hardware stores, and gas stations become exceptionally long as people stock up before the "big" rain. Then during the rain, they all drive back to Walmart and ect because there's nothing else to do. Still hilarious also when you see half the people in winter coats, scarfs around there necks, and two pairs of gloves on their hands when the temperature is 59 degrees.
RE: Looks like I'LL be getting a new appliance
You will just love it better when you get a 2nd opinion from any specialist not in your current medical insurance group, even if you have to pay out of pocket for the consult.
RE: Best inovation in automobiles since in your lifetime
Independent wheel braking. When I was growing up, the master cylinder was in the floor. Brakes always had leaks. You had to check the fluid every other day. No enough fluid.....zero brakes and no parking brake (probably an option.)
When I started to drive, I ordered a 4 way flasher switch kit. It was a big selling item. No cars came with emergency lights.
Secondary hood latch to keep the hood from flying up while driving when you just didin't slam the hood down enough when checking the engine.
Slightly before my time....windsheild wipers used to be an option. No such thing as windsheild washers till the 70s. I remember buying a washer kit from JC Whitney. Intermittant windsheild wiper switches also didn't debut till the late 70s.
Real air conditioning. Now it's standard on most vehicles. In the 50s and 60s many used we had what is now called a swamp cooler that sat on the hump in the front. 6volt fans would push air over the ice.
Alternators instead of DC generators. I rememnber we had to change the brushes in the generator a few times a year.
Cars that last 200,000miles +. Cars used to goto the junk yard at 60,000miles.
Things I miss: Spring loaded hoods that stood open without a prop stick. Underhood light that went on when you opened the hood. Vent windows.
Best newest idea in carworld......power windows standard on all cars and light trucks (except for real cheapy "Yugos" that crop up now and then.)
RE: Scary Big City Driving?
I have never been able to get right I-55 to I-44 going thru St Louis, coming from Chicago. Crossing the river, there are just too many signs, to much of a spagetti bowl of roads, and not enough time to read the signs because of the traffic. After crossing the Mississippi, I usually end up in the worst of the worst of St Louis ghettos. Finding my way to I-44, I stop for nothing, because stopping at a red light is a death wish in that part of town.
RE: King Richard 111 found ?
And the big deal about this is what? The guy was king for 2 years. Most of that time he was putting down insurections against him. He sued in court to get title, won, then killed the rightful heirs to the throne. He died in battle, most likely to a shaft in the back by his own men. Replant the bones in a landfill.
RE: Credit Card Fees
Nothing new here, the outrageous fees the card companies have always been charging the merchants haven't changed. The retailer now has the choice of continuing to hide the fees or be transparent and add them on the end purchase.
General consumer reaction is that the merchant is gouging the customer if they expose the fee so the intelligent merchants will continue to hide the fees (build it in the shelf price). You will still pay them either way.
It is not the "card companies", but the banks that are always in a fee frenzy with the cards. Visa (even when it was Bank Americard) forbids a fee charge to consumers using their card. A cash discount is allowable under other rules. I am unsure of MasterCard, but MC tends to be more of a bankers' paradise, tnen Visa.
I actually have more of a problem with my debit card tied to MasterCard by my bank. I use it exclusively instead of cash. Sometimes a pizza take out place or other small business discloses at checkout that there's a $10 minimum purchase when using a card...even a debit card. I always just leave.
FYI: Even been asked to show a photo ID with your VISA. VISA forbids this. You can refuse to show an ID and the merchant cannot refuse to process the card transaction. MasterCard has no such rule as far as I know.
RE: Blizzard of '78
Chicago (6 County area), winter Dec 78-Jan 79, 3 major snowstorms, 100 inches. Lots of plowing equipment, which became useless, because there was very little snow removal equipment. 4 lane roads became a single lane 10 foot wide tunnels.
RE: Want to retire .. Wife not so much
I'd love to see you guys on the Suze Orman Show (www.suzeorman.com). My dad worked 33 years for CommEd. Retired at 61 with great benefits from CommEd. Moved to Seattle. Went on several cruises and flew to Hawaii a number of times. Discovered camping at 62 and loved it. 8 years later he died young and unexpectantly from esphogial cancer. He was divorced and lived alone. I would guess that if he were still married, my mother would have made him work till he died. Three years after he died, I quit my 27 year carreer from my much hated job at the Post Office and moved to San Diego and haven't regretted it for one second in the last 17 years. If I croak tomorrow, I'll be listening for Frank singing "I did it my way."
RE: Groceries
You can fit 40% more in the freezer, fridge, and cabinets once you get rid of the packaging, and in many cases re-package with ziplocks. All those boxed things literally are 40% air-wasted space.
RE: halogen headlights
Actually most vehicles have halogen lights. They have been around for 30+years. The problem is the kelvin number people choose when replacing the OEM lights. Look at Sylvania bulbs. they come in 2700K, 3500K, and 4100K. Standard is 2700K which is a warm light. The ones that are cold on your eyes and very bright are 4100K. I agree 4100K should be outlawed, but the light intensity is not the only problem. NHSTA has recognized glare as a problem on the integral design headlights that use the quick clip bulb replacement. NHSTA and auto makers have an ongoing think tank on this issue for the last 2 years. An another problem are owners aiming their headlights high and wide. Integral design headlights have the same mechanical adjustments as the old style sealed beams. On old sealed beams, sometimes the owner would turn wrong screw while replacing the headlight and mess up the aiming. On the new headlights, re-aiming the lights can only be intentional. And finally, a problem clipping the bulb into the integral design headlight housing can produce more glare as the bulb will reflect an aura that it wasn't designed to do.
FYI: Seems the Euro Common Market solved headlight glare decades ago. Headlights on all vehicles are about the same height from the road. And most vehicles have self adjusting headlights.
RE: 50 vehicle crash in I-75 in Ohio
Not really a big pile up. The record holders are Finland and Brazil with 300 each. Germany on the autoban comes in second at 259. In the States, California still holds first place at 216. Many States own tilte to 100 or 100+. Some more than once. 80% of all piles ups happen during fog. For more info goto:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple-vehicle_collision
RE: Planned Trip... need suggestions
You don'y mention time of year. Very important when traveling over Sierras or Rockys
Grand Canyon: FYI, there also is a North Rim without traffic, crowds and parking problems.
Yosemite: See map, Yosemite Valley/Village is open almost year round, but Hwy 120 thru the other "90%" of Yosemite is closed due to snow from November thru May (sometimes June). Carry chains Sept- Apr just in case. When chains required signs are deployed, you won't be allowed to continue until the weather changes. Beware of black ice even in the summertime in cold years.
Kings Canyon and Sequoia Nat are nearby. 5 stars to Kings Canyon.
Have a winter coat for everyone, even in summer. Weather changes and some years are cold ones. I needed one in Yosemite in one rainy/sleety and very cold June. Also needed a winter parka overlooking the Golden Gate in Marin County, in August because the high temp was only 44 degrees and wind was blowing 50mph.
I-80 San Francisco to Nevada is, aways been, and always will be the worst struts, shocks, and tire killer freeway in the USA. October-May pay attention to snow forecasts as I-80 either closes due to snow, or requires chains thru Donner Pass.
Vegas: Best bet for RV 'campground' is Circus Circus. Its a large parking lot with restrooms, but central to the strip so you can park and walk everywhere. Sometimes walking is not an option due to heat. Even at 1am in the summer, it will be 99 degrees.
RE: Chickens (updated with pict of chicken coop)
Roosters will cause you much grief.
2X. You are going to have to have a rooster. People think the roosters crow at the crack of dawn. Wrong. Usually 1:21am, 2:43am, 3:01am, 3:33 am...pretty much all night most nights. Don't expect much sleep.
