Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

cdnpinhead

ab348 said:

I expect that I will adopt a new cat but probably not right away. Thanks again.

While it's impossible to replace your departed friend, bear in mind that when you find another companion you'll be helping both him/her and yourself. Having had cats over many years, it's probably best to get two, so they can keep each other company. Easy for me to say, I know, but take it for what it's worth.

driver100

A friend sent me this article from the Huffington Post:
Petition Asks U.S. To Sell Montana To Canada To Get Rid Of National Debt
“Sell Wyoming and Idaho too who cares about them.”

By Sima Shakeri
It looks like some Americans are starting to take their national debt into their own hands. A rather hilarious change.org petition is asking the U.S. government to sell the state of Montana to Canada for $1 trillion to "eliminate the national debt."

The petition has accumulated over 3,000 signatures in the span of two days and continues to get more.

"We have too much debt and Montana is useless. Just tell them it has beavers or something," Ian Hammond, the petition's creator, wrote in its description.


Additional reasons commenters have listed for getting rid of the state include "Montana ruins the USA'S A E S T H E T I C" and "the population is so insignificant they just have to move to a different square state."

Montanans also seem to be on board with the idea.

I know the benefits of being Canadian," one commenter wrote."Montana will get legal weed, health care and decent hockey. It's a win win," another user chimed in.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

A friend sent me this article from the Huffington Post:
Petition Asks U.S. To Sell Montana To Canada To Get Rid Of National Debt
“Sell Wyoming and Idaho too who cares about them.”

By Sima Shakeri
It looks like some Americans are starting to take their national debt into their own hands. A rather hilarious change.org petition is asking the U.S. government to sell the state of Montana to Canada for $1 trillion to "eliminate the national debt."

The petition has accumulated over 3,000 signatures in the span of two days and continues to get more.

"We have too much debt and Montana is useless. Just tell them it has beavers or something," Ian Hammond, the petition's creator, wrote in its description.


Additional reasons commenters have listed for getting rid of the state include "Montana ruins the USA'S A E S T H E T I C" and "the population is so insignificant they just have to move to a different square state."

Montanans also seem to be on board with the idea.

I know the benefits of being Canadian," one commenter wrote."Montana will get legal weed, health care and decent hockey. It's a win win," another user chimed in.

It would take 22 states at a trillion a state.

abacomike

oldfarmer50 said:

A friend sent me this article from the Huffington Post: Petition Asks U.S. To Sell Montana To Canada To Get Rid Of National Debt “Sell Wyoming and Idaho too who cares about them.” By Sima Shakeri It looks like some Americans are starting to take their national debt into their own hands. A rather hilarious change.org petition is asking the U.S. government to sell the state of Montana to Canada for $1 trillion to "eliminate the national debt." The petition has accumulated over 3,000 signatures in the span of two days and continues to get more. "We have too much debt and Montana is useless. Just tell them it has beavers or something," Ian Hammond, the petition's creator, wrote in its description. Additional reasons commenters have listed for getting rid of the state include "Montana ruins the USA'S A E S T H E T I C" and "the population is so insignificant they just have to move to a different square state." Montanans also seem to be on board with the idea. I know the benefits of being Canadian," one commenter wrote."Montana will get legal weed, health care and decent hockey. It's a win win," another user chimed in.

It would take 22 states at a trillion a state.

And who, except for China, perhaps, has 22 trillion dollars to buy that land?

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

A friend sent me this article from the Huffington Post: Petition Asks U.S. To Sell Montana To Canada To Get Rid Of National Debt “Sell Wyoming and Idaho too who cares about them.” By Sima Shakeri It looks like some Americans are starting to take their national debt into their own hands. A rather hilarious change.org petition is asking the U.S. government to sell the state of Montana to Canada for $1 trillion to "eliminate the national debt." The petition has accumulated over 3,000 signatures in the span of two days and continues to get more. "We have too much debt and Montana is useless. Just tell them it has beavers or something," Ian Hammond, the petition's creator, wrote in its description. Additional reasons commenters have listed for getting rid of the state include "Montana ruins the USA'S A E S T H E T I C" and "the population is so insignificant they just have to move to a different square state." Montanans also seem to be on board with the idea. I know the benefits of being Canadian," one commenter wrote."Montana will get legal weed, health care and decent hockey. It's a win win," another user chimed in.

We once tried to give them part of Minnesota a while back but we still have that. So I don't think they would buy anything.

Mr_Shiftright

abacomike said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

A friend sent me this article from the Huffington Post:
Petition Asks U.S. To Sell Montana To Canada To Get Rid Of National Debt
“Sell Wyoming and Idaho too who cares about them.”

By Sima Shakeri
It looks like some Americans are starting to take their national debt into their own hands. A rather hilarious change.org petition is asking the U.S. government to sell the state of Montana to Canada for $1 trillion to "eliminate the national debt."

The petition has accumulated over 3,000 signatures in the span of two days and continues to get more.

"We have too much debt and Montana is useless. Just tell them it has beavers or something," Ian Hammond, the petition's creator, wrote in its description.


Additional reasons commenters have listed for getting rid of the state include "Montana ruins the USA'S A E S T H E T I C" and "the population is so insignificant they just have to move to a different square state."

Montanans also seem to be on board with the idea.

I know the benefits of being Canadian," one commenter wrote."Montana will get legal weed, health care and decent hockey. It's a win win," another user chimed in.

It would take 22 states at a trillion a state.

And who, except for China, perhaps, has 22 trillion dollars to buy that land?

Jeff Bezos? Talk about owning "a ranch" !!

abacomike

Mr_Shiftright said:

oldfarmer50 said:

A friend sent me this article from the Huffington Post: Petition Asks U.S. To Sell Montana To Canada To Get Rid Of National Debt “Sell Wyoming and Idaho too who cares about them.” By Sima Shakeri It looks like some Americans are starting to take their national debt into their own hands. A rather hilarious change.org petition is asking the U.S. government to sell the state of Montana to Canada for $1 trillion to "eliminate the national debt." The petition has accumulated over 3,000 signatures in the span of two days and continues to get more. "We have too much debt and Montana is useless. Just tell them it has beavers or something," Ian Hammond, the petition's creator, wrote in its description. Additional reasons commenters have listed for getting rid of the state include "Montana ruins the USA'S A E S T H E T I C" and "the population is so insignificant they just have to move to a different square state." Montanans also seem to be on board with the idea. I know the benefits of being Canadian," one commenter wrote."Montana will get legal weed, health care and decent hockey. It's a win win," another user chimed in.

It would take 22 states at a trillion a state.

And who, except for China, perhaps, has 22 trillion dollars to buy that land?

Jeff Bezos? Talk about owning "a ranch" !!

We’re talking “T”-rillions, not a mere “B”-illions!

ab348

cdnpinhead said:

ab348 said:

I expect that I will adopt a new cat but probably not right away. Thanks again.

While it's impossible to replace your departed friend, bear in mind that when you find another companion you'll be helping both him/her and yourself. Having had cats over many years, it's probably best to get two, so they can keep each other company. Easy for me to say, I know, but take it for what it's worth.

I started with cats 20 years ago by adopting a pair of litter mates and always had multiple cats until the last few months. I actually preferred having just the one.

stickguy

well, I made the mistake of firing up the tax software.

Anyone want to buy a slightly used TLX? A kidney? Sadly the kids are no longer minors so I can't sell them...

I could have sworn I went in and had extra taken out last year to make sure. Guess not.

28firefighter

stickguy said:

well, I made the mistake of firing up the tax software. Anyone want to buy a slightly used TLX? A kidney? Sadly the kids are no longer minors so I can't sell them... I could have sworn I went in and had extra taken out last year to make sure. Guess not.

That bad?

bwia

driver100 said:

A friend sent me this article from the Huffington Post: Petition Asks U.S. To Sell Montana To Canada To Get Rid Of National Debt “Sell Wyoming and Idaho too who cares about them.” By Sima Shakeri It looks like some Americans are starting to take their national debt into their own hands. A rather hilarious change.org petition is asking the U.S. government to sell the state of Montana to Canada for $1 trillion to "eliminate the national debt." 

stickguy

28firefighter said:

stickguy said:

well, I made the mistake of firing up the tax software.

Anyone want to buy a slightly used TLX? A kidney? Sadly the kids are no longer minors so I can't sell them...

I could have sworn I went in and had extra taken out last year to make sure. Guess not.

That bad?

let's just say, whoever the new tax code was supposed to benefit, was not me! Mine in abstract certainly went up (even adjusting for changes to college status, even if I still claim our daughter as a dependent).

qbrozen

The new tax code is bizarre indeed. Seems to be little rhyme or reason to the caps and exclusions.

ab348

Canada already has a Montana and Idaho out west in the form of Alberta so we don't need another. However, if the suggestion was to sell South Carolina or Puerto Rico that might have more traction. The one thing we need is a warm-weather winter destination.

snakeweasel

Awkward moment of the week. Went to dinner with my wife and just after we were seated my wife tells me she sees our next door neighbor. I look over and sure enough there is our next door neighbor seated with a woman who I recognized as a coworker of mine who lives a block over from me. Now while my neighbor is single my coworker is not. Since I was seated with my back to them I don't think they saw me. Anyway dinner out was a little more interesting than usual.

driver100

ab348 said:

Canada already has a Montana and Idaho out west in the form of Alberta so we don't need another. However, if the suggestion was to sell South Carolina or Puerto Rico that might have more traction. The one thing we need is a warm-weather winter destination.

Florida would be good.....we almost own the state now. We could get a bullet train to get people here and back...just to thaw out. If that promise could re-elect our current Prime Minister he will offer it.

driver100

snakeweasel said:

Awkward moment of the week. Went to dinner with my wife and just after we were seated my wife tells me she sees our next door neighbor. I look over and sure enough there is our next door neighbor seated with a woman who I recognized as a coworker of mine who lives a block over from me. Now while my neighbor is single my coworker is not. Since I was seated with my back to them I don't think they saw me. Anyway dinner out was a little more interesting than usual.

These things never happen to me....my life is so boring.
I will say, our Florida home was a good deal because the single woman living here was carrying on with a married guy who lived in the complex. She even had a hot tub installed. They decided to sell her place, buy a motor home, and leave....it would be hard to stay. Apparently they are still together after 8 years, Mrs D says they pop up on Facebook from time to time.

I think this is a new topic we haven't covered before.

Our home 3 homes ago was a great deal too. An 84 year old guy owned it, but his 30 something year old girlfriend wanted him to buy a condo in Florida.....so he sold the house for a low price to buy the condo. I sometimes wonder what happened to those two.

berri

Heck, the country has become so divided that maybe it would be better to break into several separate countries. It just gets tiring listening to all the infighting these days.

Stick, all I'll say about the new tax code is that its reduction impacts are far greater for the wealthy and it certainly didn't eliminate any of the tax advantaged real estate developer loopholes - big surprise.

stickguy

once the money ran out, so did the girlfriend. Is my guess.

suydam

qbrozen said:

The new tax code is bizarre indeed. Seems to be little rhyme or reason to the caps and exclusions.

Oh I think there’s a pretty good rhyme and reason to it — if you’re in the 1% wealth bracket.

bwia

Some mentioned that the 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE is not all that new, but it is. Really. Thought I'd share a short 2.5 minute video courtesy of Motor Week. Prices start at $54K. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXlu3mQVL3E

stickguy

I actually really liked the new A class. If I have the money to be shopping in that range again in 3 years, and want another sedan (probably no on both counts!) it will definitely get a look. I also plan to check out the new BMW 3 series when I take the RDX in for service next week (since the showrooms are next to each other in the automall) since BMW did not bother to show up to the auto show this year.

so many nice sedans all of a sudden. Those 2, plus Acura should have a new TLX/ILX replacement out in the next year or so I would guess. The Volvo S60 was gorgeous in and out. Legacy now comes with a Turbo again, and probably gets a redesign in a year or so also.

3 2.5 years from now, should be a lot of good CPO or loaner (if not cheap lease) options to pick from.

ab348

driver100 said:

Our home 3 homes ago was a great deal too. An 84 year old guy owned it, but his 30 something year old girlfriend wanted him to buy a condo in Florida.....so he sold the house for a low price to buy the condo. I sometimes wonder what happened to those two.

Reminds me of my pal Bob who I met on the golf course in Valrico Fl in '91. He was well into his '80s and had retired years earlier after being an Exec at a large manufacturer. We hit it off and I played golf with him every day for a week. One of those times he drove his golf cart off the course to his house so I could meet his wife and have a refreshment before we finished up. She was blonde, glamorous, and no more than 40, probably a bit younger. From all appearances she adored him.

Interestingly, thinking about this made me try to find the house on Google. I'm pretty sure I did too. Bob would be long gone of course. House was sold at least once since I was there, likely more than that. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2511-Bucknell-Dr-Valrico-FL-33596/45021503_zpid/

stickguy

nice house. and cheap per Zillow. I can see why people move to FLorida if can get that house for that price, and negligible property taxes (and cheap state taxes). I just know that my wife would never live there year round.

berri

House looks sort of Midwest for Florida. That one may have actually had some storage space in it.

berri

I can see how a NJ person might find Florida in the summer challenging. But really it isn't all that much worse than many parts of the south, or river rat areas of the Midwest in summer. Besides, down there you basically go from air conditioned house, to air conditioned car to air conditioned whatever.

ab348

I remember years ago having to make a business trip to Central Florida in June. That was an education. Every day seemed like 90 degrees and 90% humidity. What surprised us was that the local officials we met with were wearing suits but you could see that all of them wore cotton undershirts beneath their dress shirts. Apparently they absorb perspiration and kept them cooler. Us northern types only wear those in cold weather for warmth, so that concept was foreign to us. They all got a laugh out of how we kept our hotel rooms at 68 degrees too.

explorerx4

There's a lot of houses for sale in that area.

driver100

stickguy said:

nice house. and cheap per Zillow. I can see why people move to FLorida if can get that house for that price, and negligible property taxes (and cheap state taxes). I just know that my wife would never live there year round.

That house is about 40 minutes away from us....lots of houses available in that price range....and they are building everywhere.
A lot of the tennis guys kept a snowbird home in the north, but about 70% of them give that up after awhile.
They do say the summers can be brutal in Florida in the summer.....but, the one's who stay adjust.
Our neighbors rent a place in Costa Rico July Aug and Sept to get a break from the heat, $1800 for a home with pool in the mountains and 70 degrees every day.
Ideal would be to be in Florida, Oct 1 to May 1st....then Maine, Vermont, Mass the rest of the year.

henryn

When I was younger, and had dreams of being a snowbird after retiring, my goal was summers high up in the mountains of Colorado, and then winters in Arizona.

snakeweasel

berri said:

Heck, the country has become so divided that maybe it would be better to break into several separate countries. It just gets tiring listening to all the infighting these days.

Stick, all I'll say about the new tax code is that its reduction impacts are far greater for the wealthy and it certainly didn't eliminate any of the tax advantaged real estate developer loopholes - big surprise.

Well considering that as much as 40% or more of wage earners pay no income tax, the lower 50% pay less than 4% of all income taxes collected and the upper 1% pay more than the lower 90% it's hard to do a tax cut that doesn't impact the rich more than the middle and lower classes.

Mr_Shiftright

stickguy said:

I actually really liked the new A class. If I have the money to be shopping in that range again in 3 years, and want another sedan (probably no on both counts!) it will definitely get a look. I also plan to check out the new BMW 3 series when I take the RDX in for service next week (since the showrooms are next to each other in the automall) since BMW did not bother to show up to the auto show this year.

so many nice sedans all of a sudden. Those 2, plus Acura should have a new TLX/ILX replacement out in the next year or so I would guess. The Volvo S60 was gorgeous in and out. Legacy now comes with a Turbo again, and probably gets a redesign in a year or so also.

3 2.5 years from now, should be a lot of good CPO or loaner (if not cheap lease) options to pick from.

The new A Class interior is gorgeous at the price point, and very high-tech as well.

imidazol97

snakeweasel said:

Well considering that as much as 40% or more of wage earners pay no income tax, the lower 50% pay less than 4% of all income taxes collected and the upper 1% pay more than the lower 90% it's hard to do a tax cut that doesn't impact the rich more than the middle and lower classes.

Last year when all the political spin was going I used the estimator that was thorough and found I'd get a substantially lower income tax this year. That has been true. I did NOT adjust my withholding as many people did. Made it easier to compare how things went from last year.

Lowering the withholding on payroll checks put more money into circulation. That gives people more of their own money to spend from each paycheck. So the spin about refunds being lower just means there has been a tighter grip on the money folks loan the government. The survey determining that refund checks are lower in amount also may vary with who has filed early along with other variables.

Putting money back through lower withholding was done in another administration, IIRC. There were a couple of times there were checks mailed as a tax bonus to help stimulate with spending.

My son who is a payroll earner had his total tax lowered from the 2017 tax. I ran a return for him single just to see how it compared from last year. That along with computing their taxes married and married filing jointly for both he and his wife. I'm tired of tax returns.

The worst about his/their tax returns is the city of residence doesn't have their own form, they use a tax entity in a city near Cleveland to collect and handle data for them. The instructions were written by someone paid by the word. The form is nowhere as efficient as the form my own city eventually ended up using.

28firefighter

I maintained our tax withholding at the same level as last year. Looks like we’ll save about $2,000 over last year. Not nothing but meh. 

tjc78

28firefighter said:

I maintained our tax withholding at the same level as last year. Looks like we’ll save about $2,000 over last year. Not nothing but meh. 

Just got the forms from the accountant.  Our savings are similar.  We also didn’t adjust our withholding.  

driver100

henryn said:

When I was younger, and had dreams of being a snowbird after retiring, my goal was summers high up in the mountains of Colorado, and then winters in Arizona.

That works too!

28firefighter

I try and get close to 0 owed or returned. Not a fan of loaning the gov money. So seeing this year we will adjust for next. In the mean time will dump this into Sam’s college fund. 

fintail

People in FL get what they pay for, maybe like that part of the country in general. Low taxes, low amenities, other issues. I like in an area invaded by transplants, and I know nobody who moved to FL and didn't come running back.

stickguy said:

nice house. and cheap per Zillow. I can see why people move to FLorida if can get that house for that price, and negligible property taxes (and cheap state taxes). I just know that my wife would never live there year round.

fintail

I like the new A too, such a huge upgrade over the CLA, Of course if I option up my ideal A, it is still going to be 50K.

fintail

It'll all trickle down, not be used to hoard or buy back stock.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLOLOL

suydam said:

Oh I think there’s a pretty good rhyme and reason to it — if you’re in the 1% wealth bracket.

isellhondas

driver100 said:

isellhondas said:

berri said:

How does Scandinavia do it? They seem to have a good medical system and happy citizens.

How? Simple! They tax their citizens to death! Simple to do this!

The citizens don't mind paying, for all the security it provides.

How long to you wait for non critical procedures?

fintail

How many of your countrymen are financially hobbled by medical debt? How do life expectancies compare?

isellhondas said:

How long to you wait for non critical procedures?

stickguy

I must be living wrong, since our WH is about the same, but our bill soared.

Mr_Shiftright

Really? You can run an A up to $50K?? GEEZ. Don't they start in the mid $30Ks?

isellhondas

That didn't answer my question! I have talked to Canadians who were VERY vocal about their dislike of Canada's medical situation. Lots of horror stories. Then there are those who are happy. Go figure!

Either way, somebody pays! I do agree we need a well designed sensible system. Obamacare wasn't it!

Mr_Shiftright

The Swiss system seems to work pretty well. It's not cheap (I think about $225 USD per month per person with a high deductible) and you pay out of pocket first and then get re-imbursed. But Swiss taxes are low, (varies depending on your Canton) and the health care is extremely good. Of course, it's a pretty rich country. One nice perk is that you stay locked into one rate no matter how old or sick you get.

fintail

I'd suspect waits for non-critical procedures vary greatly depending on location, time, and the procedure itself. Maybe the one asking the question has the data? However, life expectancy stats are easy, and financial ruin is easier, as those suffering from medical bankruptcy in similar first world nations is a nice round number, if you know what I mean.

Here's a fun idea, give everyone the platinum coverage given to our congresscritters who usually deserve very little to none of their collective fortune.

Regarding the Swiss, things are easy when you have a small population and extra cash via managing the finances of evildoers.

houdini2

Mr_Shiftright said:

The Swiss system seems to work pretty well. It's not cheap (I think about $225 USD per month per person with a high deductible) and you pay out of pocket first and then get re-imbursed. But Swiss taxes are low, (varies depending on your Canton) and the health care is extremely good. Of course, it's a pretty rich country. One nice perk is that you stay locked into one rate no matter how old or sick you get.

My wife and I are on medicare and we pay almost that much each month, also with big deductibles. Medicare is not free. The higher your income, the more you pay. It is held out of your SS payment each month. In addition to medicare, we could buy a supplemental plan that would eliminate most out of pocket expenses, but that would run an additional $300. or so each month. We don't buy that, but if we were in bad health we might consider it.

fintail

Go to the configurator and check every box. MB isn't as bad as Porsche for options, but sometimes it seems like they are trying. You can get a non-AMG C to 60K and a non-AMG E wagon to 90K.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Really? You can run an A up to $50K?? GEEZ. Don't they start in the mid $30Ks?

snakeweasel

fintail said:

People in FL get what they pay for, maybe like that part of the country in general. Low taxes, low amenities, other issues. I like in an area invaded by transplants, and I know nobody who moved to FL and didn't come running back.

stickguy said:

nice house. and cheap per Zillow. I can see why people move to FLorida if can get that house for that price, and negligible property taxes (and cheap state taxes). I just know that my wife would never live there year round.

Strange, I know nobody who moved to Florida that didn't stay.