I have so many cool forever stamps.

Hate to use them. Maybe time to buy more. 😃

I was accepted at a very competitive state school where the curriculum was difficult no matter which course.

I received good grades, and got a BS in engineering that opened doors for me.

My college education is directly applicable to my work 

I was able to pay off my loans relatively soon.

So yeah, it was worth it.

Knowing how tuition has gone up definitely changes the conversation.  No argument there.

I used to sit on the couch with Dad and watch Louis Rukeyser on Friday night. 

Rukeyser would tease about the Gold Bugs, investors that never let go of their recommendation to buy gold. 

He teased about a lot of things.  A clever fellow.  

Young folk are interested in crypto more than gold.  I wonder what Rukeyser would think about our modern investing landscape.   

On 4/16/2024 at 4:37 AM, Cooper said:

Citibank came out with their new CD rates. No change. Their best rate is still 6 months @ 4.75%. 

I checked the Vanguard Website. 

They offer brokered CDs around 5.1%.  I had not heard of brokered CDs until now.  This seems easier than dealing with all the various banks and their disclosures   

Vanguard had other fixed income options as well such as municipal and corporate bonds from 5 to 8%.  I will do some research before deciding.

Sorry I don't mean to advertise for Vanguard.  I also checked Schwab.   I should take a look at Fidelity also.

Face to face communication works best for me but my tax preparer transitioned to remote.

At some point I may find someone else. She's pricey.

But after 20+ years it's so easy to let her keep doing it.

13 hours ago, Marc in Calif said:

Freudian slip? I think you meant "Girlfriend"!

Of course, there's always The Boy Friend -- which is pretty brilliant itself. 🥳

Fixed it.  Been a long week.  🌀

On 4/4/2024 at 9:05 AM, Ali Gator said:

The legendary diva of the stage talks 'the dumbing down' of Broadway, her honest thoughts about 'Sunset Boulevard', and much more in this new interview. 

While Patti Lupone Vows She’ll Never Do Another Musical, She Is Singing Soon Onstage in L.A.

WWW.HOLLYWOODREPORTER.COM

---

The performer, who'll present 'Patti Lupone: A Life In Notes' at LA Opera on April 20, talks about the "dumbing down" of Broadway, her honest thoughts...

 

Thank you for sharing the article.   That is pretty cool Aubrey Plaza was her roomie for awhile in NYC.

I don't mind "dumbing down" if the production is still entertaining.

Before the pandemic "Girlfriend" was a fun jukebox musical.  Would like to see it again 

I am aware of data that shows the probability of men self-identifying as gay increases as the number of older brothers increases.  That information has been available long time 

I am not aware the data now includes probabilities for women.  I want to listen to the NPR piece!

I theorize that the root cause why some men are attracted to men is probably not the same as the root cause why some women are attracted to women.  But that is just logic.  I'm no scientist.

I have 3 older brothers and a twin brother.

No sisters.

With this week's financial news regarding inflation, might CD rates tick up next week?

Any interest in joining for Chinese? 

I like this place.

Story arc starts out a bit like Sense and Sensibility, but way, way, way darker.

Julianne Moore (Mary) made epi 1 watchable.   She's great.

Previews suggest George's scenes may get more steamy.   Looking forward to that.

36 minutes ago, BenjaminNicholas said:

Cold therapy is very beneficial.

Google it.  The research is there.

If it's on the Internet it must be true.

Go for it!

2 hours ago, azdr0710 said:

"I can see myself not needing a coffee if I go straight into the ice plunge"

just another social media "influencer" pimping a product with edgy camera moves and all.....another sign the end times are near.......

but, yeah, cool-looking guy living the dream, even if he has that "vocal fry"-way of speaking......

Is the ice bath recommended?

Seems like maybe not a good idea for a lot of people.

Khalil Ben Gharbia had a supporting role in epi 1.

Very pretty

A couple of scenes gave a nice tease.

Looking forward to epi 2.

9 hours ago, Ali Gator said:

He's rather cute and sexy in his video. 23 years old, comes across as straight. He needs to work on his upper body more, and develop his chest and arms - but nice to see in the close-up he's got some hair growing there. 

What do you all think ? Cute ? Not cute ? Doable ? 

 

Cute? Yes 

Doable?  Yes!!

Gay? No 

I wonder what they pay for that apartment and also how much $$ he makes with that TikTok gig.  Sounds like that is his source of income.

Perhaps he'd be interested in some extra cash 

The late Charlie Munger called it rat poison.

Some of the younger technicians at work have plowed a chunk of their assets into crypto and  associated gimmicks.  They  encourage others to consider buying.  

Me? No!  I don't see it ending well.

NC State made it to the final 4.

What a bracket buster!

Who's going to win the tournament?

Johnny Weir was beside himself!!

Was exciting to see such an amazing performance.

On 1/17/2024 at 12:15 PM, augustus said:

BMO Alto Bank is offering 5.50% for a 1-year CD no minimum and can be opened online.  BMO Alto is a fairly large bank.  It is a subsidiary of Bank of Montreal and FDIC insured.  

I see BMO Alto frequently ranked on the Bankrate.com CD page.  I also see a large credit union out of Salt Lake City.  While their CD rates are attractive I hesitate doing business without a local branch for face to face support.

Am I being too careful?  Do others of you have similar concerns?

Also, are there other websites besides bankrate.com that are helpful for tracking best CD rates?

On 11/24/2023 at 8:21 PM, marylander1940 said:

“Women’s sports is not the place for mediocre male athletes who compete as women,”

Martina Navratilova 

OP note: It's more than that or that's the reason they transition in some cases? 

Martina Navratilova makes stance clear on men playing women's sports, responds to latest NCAA controversy

WWW.FOXNEWS.COM

---

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova made her stance on men in women's sports clear on Tuesday and responded to another controversy in NCAA women's swimming.

Chris Evert discussed Rene Richard's unfair advantage in women's tennis when Richard's transitioned M - F. You can Google it if interested.  This does seem like a sports ethics question.

One might ask why these athletes choose to compete when they have this advantage.  Perhaps the sports ethics folks can address it.

I don't know the answer.

Our American penis shrank???

https://youtu.be/_asNhzXq72w?si=Vv7Hp3XUiasHjC47

26 minutes ago, TonyDown said:

There are interviews on YouTube of the cast of Taxi remembering his antics.  Highly recommended. He was one of a kind.

They all discussed Kaufman's alter ego Tony Clifton.   Must see interviews.

Here is Tony Clifton with Dinah Shore

https://youtu.be/0wRoyA8qj94?si=OlaMX_Ho6EsRGFpI

I knew one of Andrew Cunanan's victims. 

I had long before moved away and was not a longtime friend but we had been friendly.  So when I read about it and connected the dots it was shocking and sad to realize he'd been killed by Cunanan.

On 3/8/2024 at 5:39 PM, azdr0710 said:

scrolling around youtube, found this classic.......a genius

 

 

There are interviews on YouTube of the cast of Taxi remembering his antics.  Highly recommended. He was one of a kind.

I am not being snarky when I say you might need therapy.  Sure it helps to get a reality check here, but with all you've described,  your situation sounds  super stressful and emotionally draining.