Stories from the Sales Frontlines

Kirstie_H

Now THAT's funny!
You might see if they sell a "Hello Kitty"-themed privacy fence. That cat's face is on everything, so I wouldn't be surprised.

abacomike

I was getting tired of nothing being on TV when I noticed a ball game on right now with the Cubs playing Pittsburgh in Three Rivers. What a relief! So nice to sit and watch my Cubs go through yet another losing season. When you've followed a team for 40 years like I've followed the Cubs, I don't think I would know how to react if they actually won a World Series. You see, the Cubs wouldn't know how to handle something that is that foreign to them - winning that is!

driver100

Two thoughts. If you had planted the trees when the pool first went in, you'd be on your way to 30 ft trees.

They are 15 feet high and were planted in Sept......not sure what trees grow 15 feet in 6 months. They were planted before the pool was finished.

Finally, isn't $8,000 like $1/day using your patented amortization method?

Yes it is, over 22 years, I'll be gone by the time the trees would be paid for.

btw...the woman who lives on the other side is even more upset, she just isn't as nasty as me.

tjc78

I hope your neighbor isn't the spiteful type. If he is start checking your trees for copper nails. :surprise:

driver100

You might see if they sell a "Hello Kitty"-themed privacy fence.

Hello Kitty would be good -------they are definitely dog people, they have a Golden Lab. She cleans up the yard after the dog, he just sits by the pool with a can of beer and a cigar and stares into space.

I hope he doesn't read Sales Frontlines.

driver100

I hope your neighbor isn't the spiteful type. If he is start checking your trees for copper nails

He shouldn't be spiteful to me. When he goes on vacation we looked after their house for them, they don't seem to have any other friends. We won't be doing that again.

I let him go on our property to bring in the big caterpillars to dig out the rock they came to unexpectedly at the 4 foot level. The only reason I did that was so we could get the truck in to lower our new trees. If I didn't he would be stuck with a big hole in the ground and I would have laughed my head off.

Hmmmm, but copper nails, that sounds like an idea, what will they do?

tjc78

Hmmmm, but copper nails, that sounds like an idea, what will they do?

Enough of them will kill the tree.

verdugo

I was getting tired of nothing being on TV when I noticed a ball game on right now with the Cubs playing Pittsburgh in Three Rivers.

Make sure you aren't watching ESPN Classic.

Three Rivers was demolished in 2001.

:P

driver100

Enough of them will kill the tree.

Ohhh. Well, I don't want to kill any trees, the more trees the better. My neighbor put in 6 foot pines all around the perimeter of his yard so he would have some privacy. He must have got cheap ones because half are wilting or are leaning way over.

His house is worth over $1 million, but, he wanted his toy swimming pool, and he was all excited about the "water feature", which is a waterfall. Really, the house looks like a municipal swimming pool in the back, and the beautiful trees that gave him privacy on each side of his backyard are gone. You can see several houses through now, and the backyard of a 50 year old house is not great. His house and our house are 6 years old, so not as bad. NOw, the neighbors on all 3 sides and for 2 houses over in each direction can watch him and his wife swim, if you care to watch.

I am going to invite my friends over to run through the sprinkler in my yard...........we'll have some rap music and wear Speedos.

jmonroe

I was getting tired of nothing being on TV when I noticed a ball game on right now with the Cubs playing Pittsburgh in Three Rivers.

I’d watch paint dry before I watched the pathetic Pirates try to play baseball.

FWIW, the Pirates play at PNC Park now. They blew up Three Rivers years ago. They should have roped the Pirates to the dugout just before throwing the switch. PNC Park is waaaay to good for them.

jmonroe

abacomike

FWIW, the Pirates play at PNC Park now. They blew up Three Rivers years ago. They should have roped the Pirates to the dugout just before throwing the switch. PNC Park is waaaay to good for them.

You learn something new every day! On any case, they are playing at PNC Park. The Pirates have been bad lately, but the Cubs have a perennial problem of not being able to get to the World Series and win just once. They are like the Red Sox and the old "hex" of the Babe - but in the Cubs case, it's the hex or curse of nothing - they just lose.

On a few weeks, I'll give up on them again.

Notice I haven't mentioned the Marlins! The news media and especially the local newspapers have been knocking them big time lately. The Miami-Dade government helped to get taxes raised in the county to pay for that new monstrosity on Miami called Marlins Stadium. Almost 1 billion dollars to build a stadium that is supposedly the best in the country for a team that does not keep a player on the roster for more than 2 years. We have absolutely nothing to root for.

And the trip down to the stadium to see a game takes you through the worst neighborhoods in the state only to pay $100.00 to sit on a seat there they have tissues in case you get a nosebleed. Nice seats are running close to $150.00 each. To see a ball game and see the Marlins lose? Not in my lifetime!

abacomike

They should have roped the Pirates to the dugout just before throwing the switch. PNC Park is waaaay to good for them.

*jmonroe, do I hear a tinge of vindictiveness and/or anger in the tone of your above comment? "...roped the Pirates to the dugout just before throwing the switch..." sounds like a comment a disgruntled fan might make! Are you a bit disgruntled toward your city's baseball team?

I probably would have said the same thing if Wrigley Field were razed, which should have taken place while the Cubs owners were still inside. How can a baseball team continually lose in a stadium that favors a righthand hitter with the wind blowing out? Because they sign left hand hitters all the time.

venture

It would be good if manufacturers could come up with a warning system to protect against fog.

I saw that story too. I have driven I-77, but only northbound. It's a mess at night even when there isn't fog. Mostly uphill going north and so many trucks trying to pass each other and one going about a half a mile an hour faster than the other one they are passing - meanwhile a line of cars are waiting to pass.

Anywho - That reminded me of one of my wonders. Why don't cars in the US (and Canada??) have the bright red fog light(s) on the rear?

When driving into fog, my biggest fear is slowing down too much and getting rear-ended. The bright red light on the back would be much better than the pathetic tail lights we have now.

I don't know how they work though. Do they come on automatically when your front fog lights are on or do they have their own switch?

If they have their own switch I wonder how many would remember to turn them on. So many here where I live leave their front fog lights on all the time for some reason - I guess they think it looks cool. :confuse: That would mean the rear light would be on too and they are BRIGHT! :shades:

verdugo

Anywho - That reminded me of one of my wonders. Why don't cars in the US (and Canada??) have the bright red fog light(s) on the rear?

Great question, and I've wondered that myself too.

Excellent video showing fog lights in action:
http://youtu.be/jINrFUW7MKk

venture

I’d watch paint dry before I watched the pathetic Pirates try to play baseball.

I watched the Pirates play the Curve on Saturday. The Curve won.

(The Altoona Curve is a AA minor league team for those who don't know).

One thing I will say - the Pirate players are mostly very nice guys. Andrew McCutchen stopped and talked to my grand daughter for a while. We were on the field when the players came off and she was standing there giving the players fist bumps. She's 5. Cutch thought it was funny.

venture

Great video.

I liked this comment, "How bout 1 tail light 3 fogs a duck 2 horses a tequila drinking moose and a strobe light?"

I was following an old dude driving a Jaguar one night and he had a rear fog light on. I had to squint until I could pass him. His fronts were on too. I guess he was being cool and didn't know he was blinding everyone behind him.

That's why I asked how they work. If they come on automatically it would be a recipe for disaster here where I live with so many morons driving around with their fog lights on all the time.

With all the silly things that are required on cars now, why wouldn't "they" institute rear fog lights? Someone out the knows or is real good at Googleing.

jmonroe

*jmonroe, do I hear a tinge of vindictiveness and/or anger in the tone of your above comment? "...roped the Pirates to the dugout just before throwing the switch..." sounds like a comment a disgruntled fan might make! Are you a bit disgruntled toward your city's baseball team?

Sickened with them is a better way to put it. I haven’t paid attention to their box scores for years, and yes, I mean YEARS. It just makes no sense to waste my time. 20 straight years of below 500 ball. That is a another way to explain it.

It’s sad in away because when I was younger I liked baseball. I couldn’t count all the games my father took me and my brothers to at Forbes Field. I remember him saying if you want to learn how to play a given position watch how the pros do it and when they did something out of the ordinary he would ask if I was paying attention to how they positioned themselves (hitting or fielding) so that they could do it. I couldn’t do that with my grandsons, with how the Pirates play today, and be able to hold a straight face.

jmonroe

jmonroe

I watched the Pirates play the Curve on Saturday. The Curve won.

(The Altoona Curve is a AA minor league team for those who don't know).

And that says it all. When I heard they were going to play their AA farm team I mentioned to Mrs. j that they could easily lose that game if it were played on the up and up. Then I said the Pirate management would make sure they didn’t lose. Yes, their major league club is bad and dumb from top to bottom.

jmonroe

oldbearcat

I've had several European cars with the rear fog lights. They have a seperate switch for the rear fogs.

Regards:
Oldengineer

nyccarguy

Oh how I LOVE opening day. Even though my team has many injuries, a stacked division, and advanced age to overcome, I'm SO FREAKIN' EXCITED for the season. Yes we lost 8-2 today, but it is just one game. The beauty of baseball is that it is a long season. Thursday night will be my 1st game of the season.

"Cause its ROOT, ROOT, ROOT for the YANKEES..."

driver100

Excellent video showing fog lights in action:

The fog tail light makes a huge difference. Not sure if people would remember to turn it on. Maybe if there was a large button on the instrument panel with the word or symbol for fog.

Every year these multi-car accidents happen because of fog, and sometimes because of smoke. Sometimes fog is so thick you can hardly see traffic lights too.

I think a rear fog light would be worth a try, may save some lives.

kyfdx

That's typical of a Pittsburgh fan... they are all front-runners.. Life is a bowl of cherries when they are winning, but they'll abandon their team at the first sign of a short 20-year losing streak..

Not like Cincinnati... we stay true to our teams, no matter how much they suck... We have character!

lol

abacomike

I saw that story too. I have driven I-77, but only northbound. It's a mess at night even when there isn't fog. Mostly uphill going north and so many trucks trying to pass each other and one going about a half a mile an hour faster than the other one they are passing - meanwhile a line of cars are waiting to pass.

My Mercedes E Sport Sedan comes standard with rear fog lights. I will be using them this morning because we have dense fog this morning, which is very rare down here. There is a separate button below the light switches on the dash specifically for the fog lights in the rear. I've never seen what they look like since I'm driving while they are on - but I understand that they definitely stand out when a car is approaching from the rear.

I agree that they really should be standard on cars because of the multitude of multi-car accident on interstates caused by fog.

venture

A separate button makes sense. As long as it has a light that shows on the dash so you know it's on.

Either that or a little door that pops open and a long articulating arm with a miniature ball peen hammer on the end comes out and taps you on the forehead to remind you it's still on.

tjc78

Cause its ROOT, ROOT, ROOT for the YANKEES

I'm a Phillies fan and we sucked yesterday too. Like you said it's a long season. The AL east is stacked this year, going to be very competitive.

Going to see the Phils Saturday night. Citizen's bank Park is a great place to watch a game. I enjoyed the new Yankee stadium as well, those garlic fries are awesome!!

graphicguy

Not like Cincinnati... we stay true to our teams, no matter how much they suck... We have character!

Here, here....I resemble that remark.

Actually, both of our pro sports teams have been really, really good the last several seasons.

That said, Cueto pitched a helluva game yesterday and the REDs took 13 to lose it for him.

Yesterday was the first Opening Day I missed in over a decade...

fezo

Let's go first place Mets! Had to get that out while I can.

Unfortunately we aren't allowed to carry guns here so we have to do it the old fashioned way.
By being a [non-permissible content removed] about it?

abacomike

A separate button makes sense. As long as it has a light that shows on the dash so you know it's on.

Yes, it not only has a light "inside" the button to show that it is on, but in the "idiot" light section of my gauge cluster, it shows an "orange" on light for fog lights. The green light that comes on in the cluster is for the main headlights.

I'm going to check it out this morning and see what the difference is between no rear fog lights and fog lights on.

Thanks for the info.

oldfarmer50

jmonroe may have lucked out by having his Sonata's engine fail. At least he didn't have it long enough for the wheels to fall off.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20130402/VIDEO/304029897/first-shift-sonata-corr- - osion-probe&cciid=email-autonews-firstshift#axzz2PJVi3mcK

driver100

. At least he didn't have it long enough for the wheels to fall off.

What do you expect for under $20K? The wheels to stay on? Some people!

jayrider

Maybe Cincinnati fans are so loyal because you eat chili with cinnamon in it. Must be some kind of mood enhancer.

nyccarguy

Old school Mercedes used to have a cool rear fog light. Turn knob to either parking lights or head lights. Pull the knob out for front fog lights & Pull out again for rear fog lights.

jmonroe

jmonroe may have lucked out by having his Sonata's engine fail. At least he didn't have it long enough for the wheels to fall off.

I had a problem with an ’05 XG350 not a Sonata. That report was for ’06 to ’08 Sonata’s. However, I traded Mrs. j’s ’06 Sonata for my ’09 Genny.

You guys have heard me mention, several times, that she liked her ’06 Sonata that had bun warmers and didn’t know why I traded HER car to get mine and passed along my ’05 XG350 to her that did not have bun warmers. I heard about that every winter until she got her Subie Legacy in November 2012. Now I have a good answer for her. Thanks.

I’m pretty sure that recall is because of salt being used in the winter in snow areas. More specifically, calcium chloride vs. sodium chloride (table salt). While calcium chloride works better at lower temps where sodium chloride is not effective it is a hell raiser on metal. I work with a guy whose brother is in manager at a large supplier of parts to the trucking industry not only in PA but across the US. His brother said that because of the use of calcium chloride trucks are losing gas lines, brake lines, rotors, gas tank straps and just about all under carriage metal parts at an alarming rate. So, because this also affects cars I have been more diligent the last few winters in spraying off the under side of our cars. Car washes that have under body sprayers are worth the price for it at this time of the year.

BTW, just when is winter going to be over? We actually had snow flurries yesterday and that was opening day for baseball. I have to go along with the state of Ohio who wants to put Punxsutawney Phil on trial for incompetence or worse. :mad:

jmonroe

jmonroe

Son #1 just sent me an email about this.

link title

He said the price is $950,000. Not sure where he got that but if it’s true Mrs. j is going to be torqued when she sees the hit on our 401K. :mad:

jmonroe

driver100

because this also affects cars I have been more diligent the last few winters in spraying off the under side of our cars.

I just take the 535 to Florida for the winter.

abacomike

He said the price is $950,000. Not sure where he got that but if it’s true Mrs. j is going to be torqued when she sees the hit on our 401K.

I just finished watching that video on the Hennessy 267 mph vehicle. I have to admit that it was truly awesome! If I got me one of them, I'd drive right onto the Turnpike a block from me, cruise the speed limit until I saw a State Trooper and I would give the trooper the bird, and leave him in the dust. I would rum that car at 250 or so right up to Orlando and turn myself in to the authorities.

What a way to go!!!

abacomike

BTW, just when is winter going to be over? We actually had snow flurries yesterday and that was opening day for baseball. I have to go along with the state of Ohio who wants to put Punxsutawney Phil on trial for incompetence or worse.

I had a great aunt who was born and raised in Punxsutawney, PA. When my great uncle and my great aunt moved to Hialeah in the 1950's, I used to visit them a lot when I came down here for the Winter and Spring Breaks to stay with my grandparents who lived in Coral Gables.

I still remember the stories she used to tell about the groundhogs and the celebrations, parades, ceremonies, etc., they would put on every Groundhog Day. She said it was a big deal to the residents at the time. She often said that the only thing the Punxsutawnians had to look forward to between Christmas and Easter. They actually believed that the groundhogs could accurately predict the length of the remaining winter and the folklore she was brought up on.

abacomike

Dad and I went over to Costco late this morning to pick up some Mozzarella Cheese and some aged Cheddar Cheese (we save over $2.00 per 2 lb. pkg. of mozzarella cheese and $2.40 per 2 lb. pkg. of cheddar) and some lemonade mix. On the way out, since there were no gas lines at the pumps, I went in to fill up. Premium was $3.89 a gallon, or 28 cents per gallon cheaper than their lowest priced competitor. That is significant!

I had read an article someone posted here about Costco gasoline being equivalent to tier 1 gasolines at brand named pumps like Shell or Mobil. So I decided to try it. I am going to assume it will not affect my engine since they supposedly have the equivalent additives to dissolve or burn away carbon build up in direct injection engines.

Thanks for the tip - I just forgot who posted it.

Costco is about 3 miles from the house. I'm just going to route my trips differently when I need gas so I pass by Costco that day. There are usually very long lines at the 12 pumps they have. So late mornings would be better or very early on the morning when they open the pumps - 8:00 AM.

driver100

Costco gasoline being equivalent to tier 1 gasolines at brand named pumps like Shell or Mobil. So I decided to try it.

Just 2 things;

1. I don't think they have their Tier 1 rating yet, I think they were working on it.

2. You don't keep a car long enough to worry about carbon deposits.

abacomike

2. You don't keep a car long enough to worry about carbon deposits.

I'm just concerned about the next owner!

Any more info on their tier 1 rating?

Finally, can I interest you in a bridge that connects Manhattan with Brooklyn? The owners just reduced the price by a few million!

mako1a

You don't keep a car long enough to worry about carbon deposits.

You don't keep a car long enough to fill the tank!

jmonroe

I just take the 535 to Florida for the winter.

I agree that is the best way to do it but for those of us who stick around in our native land all year round we have to take the best option available to us.

About 2 weeks ago while driving home on the PA Pike it was raining pretty good so I got a free under carriage wash job. Normally I don’t like it when it rains that hard, but I have to admit, for about 20 miles, I liked it that day.

jmonroe

jmonroe

I would rum that car at 250 or so right up to Orlando and turn myself in to the authorities.

What a way to go!!!

Good for you. For a minute there I thought you were going to try to out run them clear to the Canadian border. Thankfully you are a law abiding citizen. ‘driver’ would have tried for the border. That’s a better way to go. :P

jmonroe

driver100

. �driver� would have tried for the border. That�s a better way to go.

Last year I got that $200 ticket in Tennessee. It didn't follow me back to Canada or to Florida. I hear if you are going to get a speeding ticket, then Tennessee is the place to get it.

If I got a ticket for going 96 in a 70 mph zone at home the fine would probably be at least 3X more.

This year I didn't speed, no tickets, much better - and officers of the law could pass me or have their radar set up and I could feel confident I would remain a free turkey.

abacomike

You don't keep a car long enough to fill the tank!

Tank? What's a tank? Is there one on my car? If so, where is it and what does it do?

verdugo

He said the price is $950,000.

I hope that for that much money they are better engineers than they are writers. "it's top speed," really?

Something so high profile and they couldn't get a proofreader? :sick:

Sorry, but using it's instead of its is a pet peeve of mine.

murphydog

Nearly 5 years of ownership and almost exclusively costoco premium in my C350. No problems and lots of money saved.

Just hit 32,000 miles though.. time to trade the old girl in... :shades:

murphydog

Not quite old school, this is exactly how my current Benz works.

driver100

Just hit 32,000 miles though.. time to trade the old girl in...

You're going to leave your wife just because your car reached 32K miles :confuse:

graphicguy

jayrider...Cincinnati is truly unique. For decades the battle has raged between which is better....Skyline or Gold Star. I've been in other cities restaurants where menu items existed stating they serve "Cincinnati chili". They never even come close.

Nothing better than a "3-way with a cheese coney on the side".

abacomike....I posted the info on Costco's gas. I'll try to dig up the email that came from their Director of Fuel who responded to their requirements for gas....it has 5 times the gov't mandate for clean additives. They have 1.5x-2x those same additives as do tier 1 suppliers. They brand the gas they sell with the additives as "KIRKLAND CLEAN POWER". It will be clearly stated as such at the pump. They maintainn strict cleanliness, freshness and purity of their fuel.

Mostly in Canada, they're converting all of their fueling stations over to the KIRKLAND CLEAN POWER fuels (about 1/2 way finished). Most in the U.S. were either already converted, or built originally as a CLEAN POWER station.

Once the conversion process is completed (sometime next year), they'll apply for tier 1 status. But, the CLEAN POWER fuel they're selling now won't change. So, if you're using them now, you're getting their tier 1 fuel before they submit for tier 1 status.

As you noted, they are usually significantly less expensive than ANY other brands, tier 1 or not. Their guarantee is 2nd to none (they stand behind their products 100%, no questions asked).

Working diligently to help find my sister another car. She's all over the map.....Regal, G37, Accord. This is going to take awhile.... :sick: