BeamerBikes

I'm attempting to get in the pipeline for Wegovy for weight loss. Curious if anyone else has had the experience? I have several friends on Ozempic for diabetes control so I'm expecting some GI side effects.

My dates got bumped. I'm going to defcon. Also the Atomic Test Site Museum is doing a tour of the test range so I'm sticking around for that.

I booked a great rate for the Cosmopolitan months in advance. Unfortunately, I won't be able to fly out on the day planned, but I will arrive the day after. Can I virtually check-in over the phone to maintain the existing rate? I don't mind paying for the night I can't use. If I modify the dates online, the rates change and go crazy. Likewise, I'm likely going to extend the reservation into the start of the week typically their slow period. Any advice on best way to handle it? Call Hotel directly? I'm sure folks have run into flight delays/rescheduling.

Bumping this cause I'm leaning towards going to Hacker Summer Camp as a lark/excuse to go see some Vegas shows / talent. Anyone else going in 2023? Black Hat/Defcon?

I knew Don Lemon was in trouble when his female sidekick in drunk New Orleans NYE special said on air, "you are a black gay man in his 50s with an evening show, they can't fire you" I was like honey you just dared the system to do exactly that. They moved him to mornings. Then his on-air comments about women past their prime sealed the dismissal. Not saying it was all a conspiracy. Just no one is unfireable.

I joined the CPAP club a few years back. I find I need to wear it otherwise my sleep is shit and I'm useless the next day. I average about 6-7 hours based off the tracking app. As I get older, I find I have to be more disciplined about when I go to sleep. Getting up isn't a problem I have 55lb white Shepherd mix that channels his Siberian Husky high pitched loud yip as soon as the sun is up. If I ignore the yips, he will move on to pawing at me until I wake up. Who needs an alarm clock?

Of all the recent US Presidents, I'd consider my life well lived if I can accomplish even a quarter of what Carter managed to do after the Presidency. The man responded to TWO nuclear accidents in his life time. First in the US Navy as a favor to the Canadians, and then 3 Mile Island. The US Secret Service probably HAD to defer to him on the radiological risks. My thoughts are with President Carter and his family as they navigate this transition. He's a good man without question.

Hows the weather by you?

I'm not opposed to switching/updating language. I am opposed to folks applying crazy outrage to using an outdated term with NO ill intent or malice. Assume ignorance, gentle correction and move on.

Were you US based for primary education/private or public education? Growing US Midwest public education in the 1980s it was a commonly used term.

Just passing this along. Sitting on the floor cross legged has no longer being referred to by the now problematic borderline racist term - "Indian Style" Apparently this changed some time in the 1990s in primary schools. It's called Criss Cross Applesauce. Just in case you ever have to direct kids or adults on the floor. Though at my age, I'd rather stand than sit on the floor. This came up in a Facebook group and the poor author started to get ratioed.

Just remember you can't be everyone's cup of tea. Some people like coffee. Even those that like coffee... some are only paying for Dunkin, while others gladly fork over double $ for Starbucks. In the end, providers set the prices, and the market decides.

Curious what folks experience closer to - in retirement is like for tax management. Is it really that big of a concern if you are fortunate to have such a nest egg? Heard about the 3 buckets approach once your retirement savings start growing significant over 100k. 1st Bucket - Taxable Income - standard brokerage / savings. You pay taxes on dividends and capital gains. This Bucket is the first one that gets filled up for the tax man. 2nd Bucket - Tax Deferred - IRAs or 401k - you didn't pay taxes on the way in, but you're paying taxes on withdrawals. You have some flexibility in taking a tax hit on the withdrawals except when you hit RMDs. This Bucket will be tapped if the tax hit isn't too bad from Bucket #1, or if you have no choice. 3rd Bucket Tax Free income - Roth IRA/401k - paid into with after tax dollars - all growth tax free. You can tap this Bucket whenever 1 or 2 fills up your tax tolerance. But once it runs out? You're limited in options.

Just a general Kudos for everyone chiming in here. My parents didn't take care of themselves - lied to themselves when doctors wanted to get more aggressive. As a result, I lost one parent when I was 17 suddenly. and did long term caregiving for the other from 28 - 40yo. Unmanaged diabetes lead to a major life altering stroke and eventually being bed bound. Diabetes is no joke. Keep at it. Applaud everyone for taking their health serious, chiming in with advice and med experience.

Christopher Daniel's wrote a memoir of "Money's on the dresser" it's been a while since I read it. Covers the escort life in Vegas in the early 2000s-2010s. It was an easy enjoyable read, but I can't remember any deep insights from it.

Mid 40s, currently working - not hiring much at all these days. My vices are light gambling and strippers. At the moment, I joke that best case scenario my iBonds will be used for Whiskey and Whores (as in the Grand Budapest Hotel). My current plan is I will not have a mortgage payment to worry about in a decade. I max out my 401k and IRA. In the worse case, the iBonds represent the last resort funds to keep me from eating alpo. The real question can I push back from full-time work to enjoy quality years in semi-retirement. I'd hate to have saved up all for little real enjoyment. It'll be hard to switch from savings to spending. My mom's perspective on retirement wealth after her stroke haunt me - what good does this do me now? It can't fix this. Reminder that you can't take it with you and live while you're healthy too.

Don't look back! Enjoy the new car AND more importantly enjoy no car payment! I don't subscribe the idea of cheap money loans on a depreciating asset. Oh but cash flow, capital preservation, etc. When it comes to personal finance, it's much ado about nothing. Car payment = another bill I have to pay and paying interest to a bank on top what I paid for the car. On top of that you used an RMD, which tells me you are fortunate enough to be required/forced to pull from accounts. Just another reason to buy the car outright. My advice would be different if you voluntarily pulled the last of your emergency fund to buy the car outright. That's not the case here.

Yeah I'm more worried this time around about brinkmanship and grandstanding resulting in an accidental/unintended default. Still also a likely recession. I'm in the tech sector and they are pulling back so it'll affect my employers bottom line. All that being said. Fundamentals for most folks. If you don't have an emergency fund, stop reading and figure out a way to build one before doing anything else. Don't carry any bad debt - credit cards - big car notes with any non promo interest rates - etc. Don't go crazy on big purchases. Rent toys (boat/camper) than own them. Rest of the advice is age dependent. Sock money away in index funds. Watch fees. Read the fine print. If you can't understand how they make money, don't invest in it. Sock more money away. I still have faith in the US market as least as in the best bad plan we have out there. I'm personally done with trying to pick the winners. Index funds for the big money and dollar cost averaging.

I dont buy eggs often. As a result, Eggs aren't much of a direct concern, but its adding to baked goods in general. Eggs pricing has gone nuts because of bird flu outbreak causing a shortage so I hear.

Yeah I don't endorse the comments. It's one of the main reasons I push back against any of hint of the narrative that gay men are preying on underage. It's now seemingly acceptable to make that implication in the open again.

Matt Heinz from Tuscon openly gay had a gentlemen caller getting dressed in the zoom background of a meeting. Impressive!

Also, after Ryan Rose's incident, that's enough to scare me into less invasive options when the need arises (or not rises in this case)

Meh, as for Geffen, he's set in his ways. Short term transactional is in a different class than medium to long term transactional. Folks can catch feelings - grow dependent on another in other ways. Just as there's always a richer daddy up the hill, there's usually a fresh out of college/beefier sugar baby fresh off the bus. Something something leave before it makes you soft; leave before it makes you cold. Cue the Another Suitcase Another Hall from Evita!

There's a qualifier in there as "may" Also, swap out exploitative for unhealthy/manipulative as you see fit. From previous posters above, it sounds as if Geffen cycles through them as their looks age out. Hardly, an admirable quality for a stable healthy relationship.