Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

abacomike · July 2020

I was just walking down my catwalk to dispose of some trash in the slot by the elevator and happened to run in to a security guy who was checking the apartments on my floor which are owned by snowbirds and are vacant for the summer months. He gave me a warning after taking down my name and apartment number that if I am "caught" out of my apartment again without a face mask, I would be fined $50.00! I guess my HOA is cracking down on unit owners who don't wear masks. I usually keep all my masks in my car's console, but I now have a package of them in my foyer on the table next to my umbrella.

From the emails I have been receiving from the liason manager of the Community Council (HOA) which passes bylaws concerning our complex of over 5,000 people, it would appear that our community is doing well as regards the number of covid-19 positives identified. There have been only 11 cases since March, which is quite good.

It would seem that their rule about wearing masks inside our complex is working and being enforced. Nice to know!

driver100 · July 2020

suydam said:

graphicguy said:
Totally out of left field, I have a gripe....a minor one, but something that’s bothered me for a long while.

I don’t donate to any political campaign. Matter of fact, the only monetary charitable donations I make are to a few research arms of non-profits. I don’t even donate to my church (much to their chagrin). If they can’t find enough money to operate with all the priceless artifacts sitting in the Vatican, then that’s on them.

As I’m sure most of you here in the U.S. have noted, political campaigns are furiously bombarding us, asking for donations. Most say that if I donate a certain amount, it will be matched by someone else or some sort of other entity. Matched? Why do you need our money in order to get someone else’s money? Why doesn’t the entity just donate the money to begin with? Seems really silly, to me.

I notice my local public radio station does the same thing.

All of them predict some sort of catastrophe if I don’t donate. Let the chaos begin, then.

The new tact of those super irritating “extended warranty” robocalls is to ask you to confirm you want to be put on their “do not call” list. All that does is tell them you’re a live number that they can increase their calls.

There...I feel better.

Can you tell I have more time on my hands these days?
As someone who has worked on fundraising drives for nonprofits, I can tell you that matching is a powerful incentive for a lot of donors. If you think, if I give $50, they will match, then it’s like doubling your donation. It’s also a good way to honor larger donors during the drive.

That does seem to attract donations.....you think my measly $50 is like giving $100. And the guy donating the large amount says I want to donate $Xs, but I can double the amount by offering it this way.

A few things bother me....and charities have their back against the wall these days;
1) A lot of them started sending gifts of pens and stationery to make you feel guilty if you don't give,
2) When you give to one you go on the sucker list and start getting other ones.
If they phone I say I don't give by way of a telephone call....we write out checks once a year.

fintail · July 2020

Mystery M-B is a C111, from a family of concepts in that brave new world around 1970 when different forms of ICE propulsion were in vogue.

On my second to last visit to the M-B Museum in Stuttgart, there was a special C111 exhibition - these things have a cult behind them:

Regarding being logged out, it happens to me rarely, probably no more than once a month, using Chrome. No big deal, just log in again and it works fine.

qbrozen · July 2020

fintail said:

On my second to last visit to the M-B Museum in Stuttgart, there was a special C111 exhibition - these things have a cult behind them

Must be a very very small cult considering that is 1/3rd the total production sitting there in the museum. ;b

fintail · July 2020

Ha, one of those non-owner cults. I've met people who collect every model of a C111 they can find. It really got some people going.

I should cherish those museum visits, too - who knows when we'll be allowed back!

qbrozen said:

Must be a very very small cult considering that is 1/3rd the total production sitting there in the museum. ;b

suydam · July 2020

@abacomike — glad to hear you are in a mask-wearing complex, as Florida now appears to be at the center of the US pandemic, and you have so many health issues. I met my first hostile non-masker yesterday, quite an experience. I really don’t get it.

stickguy · July 2020

Chrome on the laptop works fine. Now use edge on the iPad because I need it for a sports site I frequent, do just easier to use the same one. But always was fine on Safari I think.

explorerx4 · July 2020

@imidazol97,
According to my AAA atlas Dayton is in Southern Ohio.

jwm40517 · July 2020

Regarding charities, my pet peeve is phone calls by professional fundraisers in the name of a charity. Here in KY and probably other states you can print a list of all approved fundraisers and the % of money raised that actually goes to the charity on the Attorney General website.

Some take a reasonable commission and raise a lot of money for the charity. But the thing that really amazed me was a few pro solicitors that had deals with dozens of charities in which the pros got 99% and the charity got 1%.
When you ask them how much they keep they usually lie and say its all for the charity , even when you have the AG info in front of you that says they take 99%.

If i'm not busy I sometimes just like to keep them on the line and mess with them.

kyfdx · July 2020

explorerx4 said:
@imidazol97,
According to my AAA atlas Dayton is in Southern Ohio.

Actually, no one calls this area (or Dayton) Southern Ohio.

Southwest Ohio.

Southern Ohio is Chillicothe and Portsmouth.

You get five miles North of Dayton, and it's West Central Ohio.

ab348 · July 2020

suydam said:

Re browsers — is anyone even updating Firefox any more? I’d imagine it has a lot of glitches. Chrome is pretty standard, is updated often, and works well for most people, as does Safari.

Firefox does *weekly* updates. I presume most of them are security-related but I notice they have added a bunch of functions I will never use. Perhaps that is what makes it flaky on this site.

I don't like Chrome (aside from being a Google product) because unless I've missed something, it has the typical Google minimalist interface. Whenever I use it I feel like I'm in the dark. At least Firefox gives you every possible choice in menus, if that's what you want. I find Safari (which I've only ever used on my Apple devices) even more inscrutable. Maybe I'll try this Brave thing.

ETA: I think I'll steer clear of Brave after reading the wiki entry on it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brave_(web_browser)

I have no idea what half of that even means but I see lots of stuff there that gives me a very light-headed feeling.

explorerx4 · July 2020

@kyfdx,
I'm only going by what is shown as 'Southern Ohio' by AAA on their map.

suydam · July 2020

explorerx4 said:
@kyfdx,
I'm only going by what is shown as 'Southern Ohio' by AAA on their map.

As someone who spent many years in central Ohio, I can assure you that no one refers to Dayton as Southern Ohio. Anything in the vicinity of I70 is central Ohio. Southern Ohio is Cincinnati, Portsmouth, Irontown, etc. Love AAA but the map is labeled incorrectly.

explorerx4 · July 2020

@suydam,
I'm sure it was just a convenience for AAA since they couldn't fit the whole state on a single page.
Considering how many people have a AAA atlas, most people probably do view Dayton as Southern Ohio, just not the people who live around there.

stickguy · July 2020

You want to start a brawl, come to NJ and ask where central jersey is.

explorerx4 · July 2020

@stickguy,
I'l have to check my atlas.

driver100 · July 2020

When we traveled to Florida on I-75 and we got to Dayton....we considered that pretty far South, but technically West too.

Michaell · July 2020

stickguy said:
You want to start a brawl, come to NJ and ask where central jersey is.

I always figured Princeton.

oldfarmer50 · July 2020

graphicguy said:
Totally out of left field, I have a gripe....a minor one, but something that’s bothered me for a long while.

I don’t donate to any political campaign. Matter of fact, the only monetary charitable donations I make are to a few research arms of non-profits. I don’t even donate to my church (much to their chagrin). If they can’t find enough money to operate with all the priceless artifacts sitting in the Vatican, then that’s on them.

As I’m sure most of you here in the U.S. have noted, political campaigns are furiously bombarding us, asking for donations. Most say that if I donate a certain amount, it will be matched by someone else or some sort of other entity. Matched? Why do you need our money in order to get someone else’s money? Why doesn’t the entity just donate the money to begin with? Seems really silly, to me.

I notice my local public radio station does the same thing.

All of them predict some sort of catastrophe if I don’t donate. Let the chaos begin, then.

The new tact of those super irritating “extended warranty” robocalls is to ask you to confirm you want to be put on their “do not call” list. All that does is tell them you’re a live number that they can increase their calls.

There...I feel better.

Can you tell I have more time on my hands these days?

Well, I can tell you that if you make a donation to ME it will be matched by the next sucker I can scam. Guaranteed. 🤑

roadburner · July 2020

jmonroe1 said:

graphicguy said:
Spent the evening detailing the Stinger last night. Being 6+ months old, and garage kept, there really weren't any trouble spots...not even any rock chips. But, got the hose (no foam cannon, unfortunately) and gave it a good bath. And, tried a different wax this time around other than my old tried and true Zaino. Used F11 Top Coat. Easy to use. Makes the car look really good. Let's see how long it lasts....

I hate to be the one to tell you this but you missed a spot. Other than that one spot it looks very nice. Take good care of it, @roadburner may be interested in it if he can’t get a good deal on the one he’s been threatening us that he wants to buy.

jmonroe

Nope; it's AWD with no driver selectable torque split or rear LSD. That's the only way I'll buy an AWD car- and still, I'd rather have a RWD car.

graphicguy · July 2020

jmonroe1 said:

graphicguy said:
Spent the evening detailing the Stinger last night. Being 6+ months old, and garage kept, there really weren't any trouble spots...not even any rock chips. But, got the hose (no foam cannon, unfortunately) and gave it a good bath. And, tried a different wax this time around other than my old tried and true Zaino. Used F11 Top Coat. Easy to use. Makes the car look really good. Let's see how long it lasts....

I hate to be the one to tell you this but you missed a spot. Other than that one spot it looks very nice. Take good care of it, @roadburner may be interested in it if he can’t get a good deal on the one he’s been threatening us that he wants to buy.

jmonroe

Just a slight correction for you and @driver100 ...didn't miss a spot. I went to look. It's a reflection off the garage ceiling. That's how shiny it is!

@Michaell ..I am on my city's Parks and Recreation advisory council. It's just that we've suspended all meetings and activities until my County gets out of the COVD-19 "red-zone". We usually host concerts, lecture series, "dog-ins", nature walks, etc. That's come to a screeching halt.

I was planning on teaching a tech class at the local 2-year college, too. That's on hold, also.

So, you guys get me full time as a result.

Michaell · July 2020

graphicguy said:

jmonroe1 said:

graphicguy said:
Spent the evening detailing the Stinger last night. Being 6+ months old, and garage kept, there really weren't any trouble spots...not even any rock chips. But, got the hose (no foam cannon, unfortunately) and gave it a good bath. And, tried a different wax this time around other than my old tried and true Zaino. Used F11 Top Coat. Easy to use. Makes the car look really good. Let's see how long it lasts....

I hate to be the one to tell you this but you missed a spot. Other than that one spot it looks very nice. Take good care of it, @roadburner may be interested in it if he can’t get a good deal on the one he’s been threatening us that he wants to buy.

jmonroe

Just a slight correction for you and @driver100 ...didn't miss a spot. I went to look. It's a reflection off the garage ceiling. That's how shiny it is!

@Michaell ..I am on my city's Parks and Recreation advisory council. It's just that we've suspended all meetings and activities until my County gets out of the COVD-19 "red-zone". We usually host concerts, lecture series, "dog-ins", nature walks, etc. That's come to a screeching halt.

I was planning on teaching a tech class at the local 2-year college, too. That's on hold, also.

So, you guys get me full time as a result.

Regarding the teaching gig - they aren't doing distance learning? My wife teaches an early childhood class each semester, totally online.

oldfarmer50 · July 2020

driver100 said:

suydam said:

graphicguy said:
Totally out of left field, I have a gripe....a minor one, but something that’s bothered me for a long while.

I don’t donate to any political campaign. Matter of fact, the only monetary charitable donations I make are to a few research arms of non-profits. I don’t even donate to my church (much to their chagrin). If they can’t find enough money to operate with all the priceless artifacts sitting in the Vatican, then that’s on them.

As I’m sure most of you here in the U.S. have noted, political campaigns are furiously bombarding us, asking for donations. Most say that if I donate a certain amount, it will be matched by someone else or some sort of other entity. Matched? Why do you need our money in order to get someone else’s money? Why doesn’t the entity just donate the money to begin with? Seems really silly, to me.

I notice my local public radio station does the same thing.

All of them predict some sort of catastrophe if I don’t donate. Let the chaos begin, then.

The new tact of those super irritating “extended warranty” robocalls is to ask you to confirm you want to be put on their “do not call” list. All that does is tell them you’re a live number that they can increase their calls.

There...I feel better.

Can you tell I have more time on my hands these days?
As someone who has worked on fundraising drives for nonprofits, I can tell you that matching is a powerful incentive for a lot of donors. If you think, if I give $50, they will match, then it’s like doubling your donation. It’s also a good way to honor larger donors during the drive.
That does seem to attract donations.....you think my measly $50 is like giving $100. And the guy donating the large amount says I want to donate $Xs, but I can double the amount by offering it this way.

A few things bother me....and charities have their back against the wall these days;
1) A lot of them started sending gifts of pens and stationery to make you feel guilty if you don't give,
2) When you give to one you go on the sucker list and start getting other ones.
If they phone I say I don't give by way of a telephone call....we write out checks once a year.

When charities (who may or may not be legit) call me on the phone I tell them I will be happy to donate if they send me their financial statement including the percent of donations which go to administrative overhead. I’ve never had one comply or even call back.

What does that tell you?

Michaell · July 2020

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

suydam said:

graphicguy said:
Totally out of left field, I have a gripe....a minor one, but something that’s bothered me for a long while.

I don’t donate to any political campaign. Matter of fact, the only monetary charitable donations I make are to a few research arms of non-profits. I don’t even donate to my church (much to their chagrin). If they can’t find enough money to operate with all the priceless artifacts sitting in the Vatican, then that’s on them.

As I’m sure most of you here in the U.S. have noted, political campaigns are furiously bombarding us, asking for donations. Most say that if I donate a certain amount, it will be matched by someone else or some sort of other entity. Matched? Why do you need our money in order to get someone else’s money? Why doesn’t the entity just donate the money to begin with? Seems really silly, to me.

I notice my local public radio station does the same thing.

All of them predict some sort of catastrophe if I don’t donate. Let the chaos begin, then.

The new tact of those super irritating “extended warranty” robocalls is to ask you to confirm you want to be put on their “do not call” list. All that does is tell them you’re a live number that they can increase their calls.

There...I feel better.

Can you tell I have more time on my hands these days?
As someone who has worked on fundraising drives for nonprofits, I can tell you that matching is a powerful incentive for a lot of donors. If you think, if I give $50, they will match, then it’s like doubling your donation. It’s also a good way to honor larger donors during the drive.
That does seem to attract donations.....you think my measly $50 is like giving $100. And the guy donating the large amount says I want to donate $Xs, but I can double the amount by offering it this way.

A few things bother me....and charities have their back against the wall these days;
1) A lot of them started sending gifts of pens and stationery to make you feel guilty if you don't give,
2) When you give to one you go on the sucker list and start getting other ones.
If they phone I say I don't give by way of a telephone call....we write out checks once a year.

When charities (who may or may not be legit) call me on the phone I tell them I will be happy to donate if they send me their financial statement including the percent of donations which go to administrative overhead. I’ve never had one comply or even call back.

What does that tell you?

Doesn't your state require that they file paperwork? I seem to remember my wife telling me about a website where you can look up the financials of any non-profit. I'll see if I can get it from her.

graphicguy · July 2020

Michaell said:

graphicguy said:

jmonroe1 said:

graphicguy said:
Spent the evening detailing the Stinger last night. Being 6+ months old, and garage kept, there really weren't any trouble spots...not even any rock chips. But, got the hose (no foam cannon, unfortunately) and gave it a good bath. And, tried a different wax this time around other than my old tried and true Zaino. Used F11 Top Coat. Easy to use. Makes the car look really good. Let's see how long it lasts....

I hate to be the one to tell you this but you missed a spot. Other than that one spot it looks very nice. Take good care of it, @roadburner may be interested in it if he can’t get a good deal on the one he’s been threatening us that he wants to buy.

jmonroe

Just a slight correction for you and @driver100 ...didn't miss a spot. I went to look. It's a reflection off the garage ceiling. That's how shiny it is!

@Michaell ..I am on my city's Parks and Recreation advisory council. It's just that we've suspended all meetings and activities until my County gets out of the COVD-19 "red-zone". We usually host concerts, lecture series, "dog-ins", nature walks, etc. That's come to a screeching halt.

I was planning on teaching a tech class at the local 2-year college, too. That's on hold, also.

So, you guys get me full time as a result.
Regarding the teaching gig - they aren't doing distance learning? My wife teaches an early childhood class each semester, totally online.

They plan on doing virtual learning. Those plans are still being fleshed out, though. Nothing's cut in stone. I suspect there won't be something concrete until next month. I know on my end, we've tested ZOOM for classroom work and it seemed to go off without a hitch. But, you add in a dozen or 15 students online, and it's unclear what the "gotchas" will be.

We'll get there. We're just not there, yet!

suydam · July 2020

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

suydam said:

graphicguy said:
Totally out of left field, I have a gripe....a minor one, but something that’s bothered me for a long while.

I don’t donate to any political campaign. Matter of fact, the only monetary charitable donations I make are to a few research arms of non-profits. I don’t even donate to my church (much to their chagrin). If they can’t find enough money to operate with all the priceless artifacts sitting in the Vatican, then that’s on them.

As I’m sure most of you here in the U.S. have noted, political campaigns are furiously bombarding us, asking for donations. Most say that if I donate a certain amount, it will be matched by someone else or some sort of other entity. Matched? Why do you need our money in order to get someone else’s money? Why doesn’t the entity just donate the money to begin with? Seems really silly, to me.

I notice my local public radio station does the same thing.

All of them predict some sort of catastrophe if I don’t donate. Let the chaos begin, then.

The new tact of those super irritating “extended warranty” robocalls is to ask you to confirm you want to be put on their “do not call” list. All that does is tell them you’re a live number that they can increase their calls.

There...I feel better.

Can you tell I have more time on my hands these days?
As someone who has worked on fundraising drives for nonprofits, I can tell you that matching is a powerful incentive for a lot of donors. If you think, if I give $50, they will match, then it’s like doubling your donation. It’s also a good way to honor larger donors during the drive.
That does seem to attract donations.....you think my measly $50 is like giving $100. And the guy donating the large amount says I want to donate $Xs, but I can double the amount by offering it this way.

A few things bother me....and charities have their back against the wall these days;
1) A lot of them started sending gifts of pens and stationery to make you feel guilty if you don't give,
2) When you give to one you go on the sucker list and start getting other ones.
If they phone I say I don't give by way of a telephone call....we write out checks once a year.

When charities (who may or may not be legit) call me on the phone I tell them I will be happy to donate if they send me their financial statement including the percent of donations which go to administrative overhead. I’ve never had one comply or even call back.

What does that tell you?

It tells me that Since all that info is easily available online, you obviously aren’t interested in actually donating.

qbrozen · July 2020

stickguy said:
You want to start a brawl, come to NJ and ask where central jersey is.

funny.

Here are some good ones: https://www.mapmania.org/map/67675/6_ways_to_divide_new_jersey

graphicguy · July 2020

roadburner said:

jmonroe1 said:

graphicguy said:
Spent the evening detailing the Stinger last night. Being 6+ months old, and garage kept, there really weren't any trouble spots...not even any rock chips. But, got the hose (no foam cannon, unfortunately) and gave it a good bath. And, tried a different wax this time around other than my old tried and true Zaino. Used F11 Top Coat. Easy to use. Makes the car look really good. Let's see how long it lasts....

I hate to be the one to tell you this but you missed a spot. Other than that one spot it looks very nice. Take good care of it, @roadburner may be interested in it if he can’t get a good deal on the one he’s been threatening us that he wants to buy.

jmonroe

Nope; it's AWD with no driver selectable torque split or rear LSD. That's the only way I'll buy an AWD car- and still, I'd rather have a RWD car.

RB...I doubt it's what you're looking for. I think you're looking for a mechanical LSD.

My AWD has it, but it's electronic and uses the brakes to channel power to different drive wheels. The % of shift is not driver controllable, either. GTS has mechanical LSD available, as does the RWD version.

My TLX had mechanical LSD.

Is there a difference? The way I drive? Not so much. But, if you're regularly flogging the car in turns or auto-X, then yes, there would be a noticeable difference.

oldfarmer50 · July 2020

stickguy said:
You want to start a brawl, come to NJ and ask where central jersey is.

If you want to confuse someone from NYC just ask them where is upstate.

oldfarmer50 · July 2020

Michaell said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

suydam said:

graphicguy said:
Totally out of left field, I have a gripe....a minor one, but something that’s bothered me for a long while.

I don’t donate to any political campaign. Matter of fact, the only monetary charitable donations I make are to a few research arms of non-profits. I don’t even donate to my church (much to their chagrin). If they can’t find enough money to operate with all the priceless artifacts sitting in the Vatican, then that’s on them.

As I’m sure most of you here in the U.S. have noted, political campaigns are furiously bombarding us, asking for donations. Most say that if I donate a certain amount, it will be matched by someone else or some sort of other entity. Matched? Why do you need our money in order to get someone else’s money? Why doesn’t the entity just donate the money to begin with? Seems really silly, to me.

I notice my local public radio station does the same thing.

All of them predict some sort of catastrophe if I don’t donate. Let the chaos begin, then.

The new tact of those super irritating “extended warranty” robocalls is to ask you to confirm you want to be put on their “do not call” list. All that does is tell them you’re a live number that they can increase their calls.

There...I feel better.

Can you tell I have more time on my hands these days?
As someone who has worked on fundraising drives for nonprofits, I can tell you that matching is a powerful incentive for a lot of donors. If you think, if I give $50, they will match, then it’s like doubling your donation. It’s also a good way to honor larger donors during the drive.
That does seem to attract donations.....you think my measly $50 is like giving $100. And the guy donating the large amount says I want to donate $Xs, but I can double the amount by offering it this way.

A few things bother me....and charities have their back against the wall these days;
1) A lot of them started sending gifts of pens and stationery to make you feel guilty if you don't give,
2) When you give to one you go on the sucker list and start getting other ones.
If they phone I say I don't give by way of a telephone call....we write out checks once a year.

When charities (who may or may not be legit) call me on the phone I tell them I will be happy to donate if they send me their financial statement including the percent of donations which go to administrative overhead. I’ve never had one comply or even call back.

What does that tell you?
Doesn't your state require that they file paperwork? I seem to remember my wife telling me about a website where you can look up the financials of any non-profit. I'll see if I can get it from her.

Yes, of course you can but any charity that isn’t prepared to provide that data to potential donors has something to hide.

Some of the “police” associations that call are just boiler room operations that keep 90% of the donations.

carnaught · July 2020

@graphicguy, if only we could take all the millions of $$ spent on political campaigns and utilize them to feed and clothe our hungry and homeless instead of using it to help corrupt politicians to get-in, or stay-in office - what a colossal waste of money!

@abacomike, I also absolutely hate the pharmaceutical commercials on television...."tell your doctor if you have vomiting, dizziness, headache, confusion, yada, yada, yada..." I almost would rather see more Lemu, Emu. No wonder why our drugs are so expensive. Psoriasis, and related arthritis, are no-doubt big players.

imidazol97 · July 2020

I always dreaded the catheter commercials that plague the older crowd programs. So much fun to watch and think about. Followed by the absorbant pad commercials.

abacomike · July 2020

roadburner said:

jmonroe1 said:

graphicguy said:
Spent the evening detailing the Stinger last night. Being 6+ months old, and garage kept, there really weren't any trouble spots...not even any rock chips. But, got the hose (no foam cannon, unfortunately) and gave it a good bath. And, tried a different wax this time around other than my old tried and true Zaino. Used F11 Top Coat. Easy to use. Makes the car look really good. Let's see how long it lasts....

I hate to be the one to tell you this but you missed a spot. Other than that one spot it looks very nice. Take good care of it, @roadburner may be interested in it if he can’t get a good deal on the one he’s been threatening us that he wants to buy.

jmonroe

Nope; it's AWD with no driver selectable torque split or rear LSD. That's the only way I'll buy an AWD car- and still, I'd rather have a RWD car.

I have not noticed any difference between my new E450 4MATIC and any RWD Mercedes I have owned. The only difference I have experienced is the outstanding cornering on this car - but since I am not usually accelerating when cornering, I can't attribute that to AWD.

Michaell · July 2020

oldfarmer50 said:

Michaell said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

suydam said:

graphicguy said:
Totally out of left field, I have a gripe....a minor one, but something that’s bothered me for a long while.

I don’t donate to any political campaign. Matter of fact, the only monetary charitable donations I make are to a few research arms of non-profits. I don’t even donate to my church (much to their chagrin). If they can’t find enough money to operate with all the priceless artifacts sitting in the Vatican, then that’s on them.

As I’m sure most of you here in the U.S. have noted, political campaigns are furiously bombarding us, asking for donations. Most say that if I donate a certain amount, it will be matched by someone else or some sort of other entity. Matched? Why do you need our money in order to get someone else’s money? Why doesn’t the entity just donate the money to begin with? Seems really silly, to me.

I notice my local public radio station does the same thing.

All of them predict some sort of catastrophe if I don’t donate. Let the chaos begin, then.

The new tact of those super irritating “extended warranty” robocalls is to ask you to confirm you want to be put on their “do not call” list. All that does is tell them you’re a live number that they can increase their calls.

There...I feel better.

Can you tell I have more time on my hands these days?
As someone who has worked on fundraising drives for nonprofits, I can tell you that matching is a powerful incentive for a lot of donors. If you think, if I give $50, they will match, then it’s like doubling your donation. It’s also a good way to honor larger donors during the drive.
That does seem to attract donations.....you think my measly $50 is like giving $100. And the guy donating the large amount says I want to donate $Xs, but I can double the amount by offering it this way.

A few things bother me....and charities have their back against the wall these days;
1) A lot of them started sending gifts of pens and stationery to make you feel guilty if you don't give,
2) When you give to one you go on the sucker list and start getting other ones.
If they phone I say I don't give by way of a telephone call....we write out checks once a year.

When charities (who may or may not be legit) call me on the phone I tell them I will be happy to donate if they send me their financial statement including the percent of donations which go to administrative overhead. I’ve never had one comply or even call back.

What does that tell you?
Doesn't your state require that they file paperwork? I seem to remember my wife telling me about a website where you can look up the financials of any non-profit. I'll see if I can get it from her.
Yes, of course you can but any charity that isn’t prepared to provide that data to potential donors has something to hide.

Some of the “police” associations that call are just boiler room operations that keep 90% of the donations.

But of course.

And, I thought anything north of White Plains or Yonkers was considered "upstate"

roadburner · July 2020

graphicguy said:

RB...I doubt it's what you're looking for. I think you're looking for a mechanical LSD.

You are absolutely right; I should have clarified my comment. A pure mechanical LSD is good enough for me, although some cars-like the true BMW ///M cars have a mechanical LSD where the clutch packs are controlled electronically. The 440i manual coupe I found was AWD, but I fully intended to install the M Performance locking diff as soon as I drove it home. Plus, it had the Track Handling Package and the M Performance power and Sound Kit- so I thought the AWD experience would be tolerable.

roadburner · July 2020

oldfarmer50 said:

Yes, of course you can but any charity that isn’t prepared to provide that data to potential donors has something to hide.

Some of the “police” associations that call are just boiler room operations that keep 90% of the donations.

There are several organizations that review charities and rank them based on several factors. Some review all charities while others focus on a particular subset.

roadburner · July 2020

abacomike said:

I have not noticed any difference between my new E450 4MATIC and any RWD Mercedes I have owned. The only difference I have experienced is the outstanding cornering on this car - but since I am not usually accelerating when cornering, I can't attribute that to AWD.

I want to be able to adjust understeer or oversteer by using the throttle and steering wheel; that's almost impossible to do when the AWD system is deciding which end of the car gets more power. And on top of that most stability control systems are primarily designed to protect the grossly inept-and sadly all too typical-American vehicle operator("driver" is far too generous a term). At least most performance cars allow you to dial the nannies back or-better yet-disable them entirely.
That's the primary reason that my Club Sport, despite being glacially slow. is such a joy to drive down a twisting two lane or road course- the steering and suspension let the driver know exactly what is going on at all four contact patches. If a driver fails to pay attention he/she will pay the consequences- no nanny will protect the fool from his own ineptitude. Even better was my 2002; it had steering so communicative that you actually could feel a difference between driving on asphalt or concrete road surfaces.
Wearers need not apply.

oldfarmer50 · July 2020

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

RB...I doubt it's what you're looking for. I think you're looking for a mechanical LSD.
You are absolutely right; I should have clarified my comment. A pure mechanical LSD is good enough for me, although some cars-like the true BMW ///M cars have a mechanical LSD where the clutch packs are controlled electronically. The 440i manual coupe I found was AWD, but I fully intended to install the M Performance locking diff as soon as I drove it home. Plus, it had the Track Handling Package and the M Performance power and Sound Kit- so I thought the AWD experience would be tolerable.

Do AWD systems come with limited slip differentials? I had lots of fun in the snow with plain old RWD limited slip. It must be a hoot with AWD.

sda · July 2020

roadburner said:

abacomike said:

I have not noticed any difference between my new E450 4MATIC and any RWD Mercedes I have owned. The only difference I have experienced is the outstanding cornering on this car - but since I am not usually accelerating when cornering, I can't attribute that to AWD.
I want to be able to adjust understeer or oversteer by using the throttle and steering wheel; that's almost impossible to do when the AWD system is deciding which end of the car gets more power. And on top of that most stability control systems are primarily designed to protect the grossly inept-and sadly all too typical-American vehicle operator("driver" is far too generous a term). At least most performance cars allow you to dial the nannies back or-better yet-disable them entirely.
That's the primary reason that my Club Sport, despite being glacially slow. is such a joy to drive down a twisting two lane or road course- the steering and suspension let the driver know exactly what is going on at all four contact patches. If a driver fails to pay attention he/she will pay the consequences- no nanny will protect the fool from his own ineptitude. Even better was my 2002; it had steering so communicative that you actually could feel a difference between driving on asphalt or concrete road surfaces.
Wearers need not apply.

What’s sad is not knowing good steering feedback, knowing what’s going on under the wheels where instead thinking something is wrong having only driven vehicles with numb or zero feedback.

stickguy · July 2020

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:
You want to start a brawl, come to NJ and ask where central jersey is.
If you want to confuse someone from NYC just ask them where is upstate.

the top map is very true. I grew up just north of NYC (other side of the river from Sandy). I could see the skyline from a tree in our yard (before other trees grew too tall). maybe 15 miles. Yet, the "city people" considered that "upstate". They were nuts. Though I still consider the capital district upstate. Mainly because once you get much north of Saratoga, it is pretty much wilderness until you hit Canada!

In Jersey, the natives seem to be very touchy about the Central concept. Many swear there is only north and south (but don't always agree where the line is) and will fight the sect that believes there is a central (I happen to think there definitely is). Battle lines tend to be drawn along the Taylor ham vs. Pork rule divide.

qbrozen · July 2020

oldfarmer50 said:

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

RB...I doubt it's what you're looking for. I think you're looking for a mechanical LSD.
You are absolutely right; I should have clarified my comment. A pure mechanical LSD is good enough for me, although some cars-like the true BMW ///M cars have a mechanical LSD where the clutch packs are controlled electronically. The 440i manual coupe I found was AWD, but I fully intended to install the M Performance locking diff as soon as I drove it home. Plus, it had the Track Handling Package and the M Performance power and Sound Kit- so I thought the AWD experience would be tolerable.

Do AWD systems come with limited slip differentials? I had lots of fun in the snow with plain old RWD limited slip. It must be a hoot with AWD.

Some do, sure. Some with none, some with LSD rear only, and some with LSD front and back. IIRC, the STi has (or at least HAD) 3 LSDs in it: one on each axle and one in the center. AND it has/had dials for you to control the power distribution. I wanted one just for that.

stickguy · July 2020

imidazol97 said:
I always dreaded the catheter commercials that plague the older crowd programs. So much fun to watch and think about. Followed by the absorbant pad commercials.

I was going to guess Mike must watch Price is right in the mornings. I sometimes use the elliptical during PiR, and that is the bulk of their commercials. Pills, stair lifts, reverse mortgages and cheap life insurance to pay for your funeral.

qbrozen · July 2020

stickguy said:

In Jersey, the natives seem to be very touchy about the Central concept. Many swear there is only north and south (but don't always agree where the line is) and will fight the sect that believes there is a central (I happen to think there definitely is). Battle lines tend to be drawn along the Taylor ham vs. Pork rule divide.

I happen to think Taylor Ham and Porkroll are totally different.
AND I live in central NJ.
My parents taught me it was a hoagie, but I adopted the sub name as I grew up and realize nobody knew what the hell I was referring to.

roadburner · July 2020

oldfarmer50 said:

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

RB...I doubt it's what you're looking for. I think you're looking for a mechanical LSD.
You are absolutely right; I should have clarified my comment. A pure mechanical LSD is good enough for me, although some cars-like the true BMW ///M cars have a mechanical LSD where the clutch packs are controlled electronically. The 440i manual coupe I found was AWD, but I fully intended to install the M Performance locking diff as soon as I drove it home. Plus, it had the Track Handling Package and the M Performance power and Sound Kit- so I thought the AWD experience would be tolerable.

Do AWD systems come with limited slip differentials? I had lots of fun in the snow with plain old RWD limited slip. It must be a hoot with AWD.

Some do; the Stinger GTS and Indigo Editions have them, and the front/rear torque split can be adjusted from 40/60 to 20/80 to 0/100(AKA "Drift Mode"). The M5 and the E63 S are the only other AWD sedans that have that capability. The WRX STI also allows some adjustment of the F/R torque split as well.
Some of the newer BMW M and M Performance xDrive vehicles also have a mechanical LSD.
That's the extent of my knowledge on the subject, which as you can see isn't much.

explorerx4 · July 2020

Some cars have non defeatable or semi defeatable traction control systems.

roadburner · July 2020

sda said:

What’s sad is not knowing good steering feedback, knowing what’s going on under the wheels where instead thinking something is wrong having only driven vehicles with numb or zero feedback.

Most people confuse higher steering effort with steering feedback- often referring to it as"the feel of the road" when in actuality the steering system is not conveying one bit of useful information to the driver

driver100 · July 2020

graphicguy said:

jmonroe1 said:

graphicguy said:
Spent the evening detailing the Stinger last night. Being 6+ months old, and garage kept, there really weren't any trouble spots...not even any rock chips. But, got the hose (no foam cannon, unfortunately) and gave it a good bath. And, tried a different wax this time around other than my old tried and true Zaino. Used F11 Top Coat. Easy to use. Makes the car look really good. Let's see how long it lasts....

I hate to be the one to tell you this but you missed a spot. Other than that one spot it looks very nice. Take good care of it, @roadburner may be interested in it if he can’t get a good deal on the one he’s been threatening us that he wants to buy.

jmonroe

Just a slight correction for you and @driver100 ...didn't miss a spot. I went to look. It's a reflection off the garage ceiling. That's how shiny it is!
.

The good news is you didn't miss a spot...now I can sleep tonight.
The bad news is....I noticed the same thing as JMonroe.

snakeweasel · July 2020

oldfarmer50 said:
Let’s test you car knowledge. Who knows what this is?

My guess is that the guy who put the plaque there with the name of the model on it knows what it is.

snakeweasel · July 2020

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:
You want to start a brawl, come to NJ and ask where central jersey is.
If you want to confuse someone from NYC just ask them where is upstate.

Sort of like trying to decide what is southern Illinois.

snakeweasel · July 2020

stickguy said:

imidazol97 said:
I always dreaded the catheter commercials that plague the older crowd programs. So much fun to watch and think about. Followed by the absorbant pad commercials.

I was going to guess Mike must watch Price is right in the mornings. I sometimes use the elliptical during PiR, and that is the bulk of their commercials. Pills, stair lifts, reverse mortgages and cheap life insurance to pay for your funeral.

We used to watch the Price is Right on our morning break in the lunch room at work. That is until they told us we couldn't gamble on the wheel spin.

Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy