TonyDown

This sounds like another argument to blame young people for what's wrong. Isn't blaming the youth a bad habit that goes back to antiquity? Too many managers just don't know how to interview for the right candidate, especially if they fire that many new hires. Organizations that know what they are doing define various types of goals and then have the team members each define and track their own progress. If the candidate has proper credentials, the manager should get them on track towards the goals and then know how to guide them towards success. I would just say "calm down". There are plenty of talented young people out there.

Madison Keys won the 2025 women's singles title, her first Grand Slam. She's been around, playing good tennis, for a long time. Nice to see her reach this level at the Australian open, especially against such a top player, Aryna Sabalenka. Loved her podium speech.

I recall that scenario happened with AT&T a few years ago, cutting the dividend by about half. Frankly I don't have much confidence in either VZ or T track records. I'll always remember a New Yorker cartoon how a stock price jumped when the company announced replacing their board of directors with sacks of straw. Can't find it now. Here's one.

I've been looking at Verizon for income. The forward paying dividend is currently around %6.9. I read several analyst reports, mostly positive. However, one analyst recommends AVOID based on technicals, that the price has trended down. I sense the market's lack of confidence, how the company is run, has pushed the price lower. Perhaps that goes without saying. Another analyst recommends SELL based on debt load, with a price target of $33. Today it traded around $39. Morningstar is positive although they warn of a small moat. Argus and Schwab recommend Verizon, with encouraging price targets. My gut tells me Verizon management's business investments do not always prove wise. Yet the dividend is attractive! If the stock appreciates, as some analysts predict, even better. Sometimes it pays to buy when a stock has dropped, but not always of course. I'm not ready to take the plunge, until I'm confident this will be a good value investment. Any opinion on Verizon?

I do the same as @Charlie I keep a stash of 5's and 10's. I always carry cash with me. Some folks carry large amounts of cash on them. A friend's father carries thousands because "you'll never know when you'll need it". He is quite wealthy. He's probably an anomaly, yet I expect there are other folks that do the same. To me, cash seems like a safety net as a back up if other methods fail for some reason.

I've come to the same conclusion, rather than hurrying to buy while there is a sale, why not wait a while until I really need something or until I see something I like a lot. That said, I have avoided credit card debt entirely. I'm following in my dad's footsteps. Am I the only one? Bless their hearts, I know the credit card companies are anxious for me to change my ways.

I have the DVD of Cold Turkey, a movie written and directed by Norman Lear, filmed in Iowa back in the 1960s. The ending credits include kudos to the people of Iowa for their part in making the movie. If you are familiar with the movie you might appreciate their role. Anyway, Lear went out of his way to show appreciation for these creative allies, the diligent extras from central Iowa that volunteered to help make the film. Sounds like Lear did not appreciate Struthers in that way, during All in the Family. If she insulted his talent rather than acquiescing to his vision, it's not surprising she received no dinner invitations from Lear. This photo is from my favorite scene from Cold Turkey, with M. Emmett Walsh (RIP) and Vicente Gardenia.

David Lynch used to post quirky, creative videos on YouTube that included a weather report. I loved them. Not long after Angelo Badalamenti and Julie Cruise died the videos stopped. And then Lynch moved away from LA. He recently posted about the wildfires. I was saddened to hear he is gone. I never get tired of watching Mulholland Drive.

A friend of mine once told me "Altadena is your spirit animal," that I should move there. Even though I live along the coast I was always headed up there to join with friends. Now my friends' homes are gone. One mentioned she had already planned to de-clutter, and so that's been checked off her list. Another admitted this will start a new chapter in his life. I'm glad they are able to process their losses, bit by bit. They are living in hotels. I trust they will all be able to work through whatever awaits. I was in shock Wednesday when the news started coming that their homes were gone. I realize it's time to say goodbye to what was. I'm very sad.

I agree, I prefer people state what they believe. If that brings them an unfortunate outcome, they can at least sleep well knowing they spoke their truth. If they think they were treated unfairly because they wanted to fire all the gay teachers, perhaps they should think again. Clearly that worldview did not sit well with many.

I posted mine on the "worst massage" thread. It was awful in every way. As you mentioned, it pays to do thorough research. I took a chance and paid the price. I tend to avoid identifying the profile of disappointing outcomes unless someone cares enough to DM me, and then respond carefully.

If Apps reveal who people really are, why are so many threads on Reddit and on here asking to interpret their interactions with on-line profiles? Point is, Apps may not be a good way to reveal how people really are. If you're blocked, doesn't that reveal more about you? IMO, the best hope is for texts to be pleasant and respectful, staying focused and avoiding anything that could trigger to block you. Isn't that part of professional, good manners? If one really wants to drill down into why a provider has a Grindr, or ask any other personal question, one might casually slide that into conversation when you meet, if you can do that without it sounding like unwanted monitoring by a stranger. Full disclosure, I have never used Grindr but have a friend has Grinder experiences that sound like some of the guys are pretty sketchy. So if you are blocked on Grindr, that profile has already lumped you into the "sketchy" sounding category. Move on and try again.

I watched a documentary report on the rise of NFT collecting. NFT collecting is not my scene but is a wake-up call how interests definitely changed since I was a kid. On a recent replay of Antique Roadshow they showed the value fluctuation of the artifacts after 15 years. I was shocked how far many of the items had depreciated, based on collector demand. (Basoon sound effect) More than ever, I doubt my items (coins, etc ) offer much of a premium value, as demand changes. I bought a Vivian Maier print a few years ago. I realize it is only worth what a collector might pay. Ultimately I own these items for enjoyment, just to look at them and reflect. Hopefully someday someone else will enjoy them as I do.

The video has a bit of splashing. 😉 This was posted on the Hot Massage Video thread. 500 WWW.ICEGAY.TV

Anita Bryant's campaign was called. "Save Our Children" Her website with the address in Oklahoma where you can send your donations to Anita Bryant Ministries International is still there. All these years she apparently continued beseeching that the souls of all the militant homosexuals be delivered.

I have many. However, my sense is none of them would find owning my collections very rewarding. I remember Boys Life magazine had adds in the back pages one could order coins for collecting. I was in the Cub Scouts which offered subscriptions. Also it had adds for military prep schools which sounded scary to me. 😕 Good old days.😅 There was also a coin shop downtown that I Ioved visiting. I know that coin shop is long gone. So what drives the young folks to pick up a hobby like stamp or coins collecting? I'll do some research to see where there is still interest in collecting. Perhaps that is a good start.

I've been collecting stamps and coins my whole life. I also own a sterling silver flatware set that belonged to an aunt, which she purchased back in the 1960s or 70s. I haven't tracked the value of any of it, but from a finance standpoint, I know there is a base value plus some premium amount collectors might offer. Full disclosure, none of it includes what might be considered high value items. There is just a lot of it, collected over the years. Knowing how stamps and coins are no longer utilized at the level they were, I wonder if the interest to collect has dropped, and that the collectable value may be declining. When I pass, I prefer these items go to someone that appreciates them. But is there much interest in stamps and coins any longer? My worst fear is falling into the wrong hands where they get used for regular postage and purchases, and that they don't realize the sterling silver set has value. It's up to me to do responsible planning for the best outcome. So here is my question, which is a rather niche question. Do any of you have experience dispensing with coin and stamp collections or sterling silver? Am I correct that collectable values maybe be declining? Have you come up with a clever plan how to pass your stamps or coins or sterling silver to someone? Or have you found a reputable collector to sell to and be done with them?