RJD

I can't remember the last time I paid a bill with a check. I use auto-debit for just about everything, so I've never experienced your issue. Plus, with the issues with USPS over the past few years, I would never send a check and expect it will be delivered, let alone on time. From my own professional experience, part of my job is managing transaction processing for my company. Capital One, like most businesses who accept checks, uses a lockbox (P.O. box). Your payment is considered delivered when it gets to the lockbox. Internal process delays aren't valid reasons for assessing late charges. They run the risk of being cited during audits, especially since they're a bank. Lockbox processing centers can determine exactly when an item was delivered and compare that against when it was processed. They have deadlines, but anything received prior to their daily deadline should be processed that day. My own personal experience with them has been great. Each time my card was compromised they were very efficient (new card via FedEx the next day) and assured me I wouldn't be responsible for any fraudulent charges, but I'd hope that would hold true for other issuing banks. The Virtual Card Number feature is what really keeps me as a customer.

You don’t need to use the extension. You can open the Capital One site on your browser of choice and generate the VCN. The Chrome extension is convenient and reduces the number of steps needed.

My everyday credit card is through Capital One. They offer Virtual Card Numbers (VCN) through an extension for the Chrome browser. Whenever you do on-line shopping and come to the payment screen, the extension kicks in. The first time you purchase from a site, it will create a unique VCN for that specific site with a unique expiration date (5 years to the month it’s created) and a unique 3-digit security code. If you purchase from the site again it will bring up the existing VCN and ask if you’d like to use it. You can save the VCN on each site, so if you log in from your phone or another device, the VCN is already stored. All of the VCNs are tied to your actual credit card number. If one of those sites is hacked and the VCN for that site is used, you don’t need a new card, only need to change the saved VCN for that site, and you don’t have to provide new payment information to all the sites you use. Prior to using the VCN my card was compromised twice in as many years, which required me to get a new card and update all of my payment information on every site I use.

Not loading here as well, but this has been happening a lot lately, which is why I discontinued my premium membership. An occasional short disruption is understandable, but not this frequently.

I’ll second this. I’ve been with him about a dozen times, all but one (the first one) was an overnight. At that first meeting I opened my door, he walked in and gave me the most incredibly passionate kiss that made my knees go weak. In addition to that, he’s just an awesome guy. No drama. No bullshit.

I remember.... ...Friday night "must see" TV was Nanny and the Professor, The Partridge Family, and The Brady Bunch. If I was good, I was allowed to stay up and watch Love, American Style. ...being allowed to fall asleep on the sofa and awakened just before we landed and walked on the moon (July, 1969). ...my parents sending me to the corner grocery store with $1 to buy them cigarettes. I'd return with two packs of smokes and 10-cents change. ...the first car I remember my dad driving was a 1960 Mercury Comet. AM radio, no seatbelts, and the "air conditioner" was two small doors underneath the dashboard, one each on the driver and passenger side. When you opened the doors, the hot air circulating under the hood would blow into the car. ...my father pulling that car into the neighborhood full-service Esso (before it was Exxon), telling the owner he wanted $1 worth of gas. We left with over 3 gallons of gas, a clean windshield, oil checked, and a souvenir "Put a Tiger in your Tank" glass.

Not necessarily. I used Venmo a few times to pay one particular provider and the name associated with his Venmo handle didn't divulge his full name, just two initials. Those were his real initials, but if I didn't already know his name, Venmo wouldn't have provided it.

Last year my 83-year-old aunt received a phone call from a gentleman claiming to be her grandson's attorney. He informed her that her grandson, who he referenced by name, was arrested for DUI, was in jail, and needed $8,500 for bail. I never found out what payment method he instructed her to use, but in a complete panic, my aunt was about to withdraw the funds when she decided to call her son (her grandson's uncle) to tell him about his nephew being arrested. Thankfully, he smelled a scam and told her not to do anything while he checked on his nephew. After a quick telephone call, he determined his idiot nephew was arrested for DUI but was already released on bail, which wasn't anything close to $8,500. Luckily, she wasn't out any money, but, aside from the fact that her grandson was stupid enough to drive while intoxicated, the more alarming part is the "attorney" knew her grandson's identity, had access to his arrest record and was able to link my aunt to him, even though they don't share the same last name. They never figured out where it originated or who was responsible. There's a special place in hell where these scammers who prey on the elderly will eventually find themselves.

I spent a weekend with him back in 2020. Absolutely incredible guy. Personable, funny, smart, engaging, and sexy as hell. We’ve kept in touch and text frequently, although it’s been about a month since we exchanged messages. I know he was concentrating on his OF page and contemplated bringing down his escort ad, so I’m guessing that’s why it’s expired. I agree with @Epigonos, he’s usually quick to reply to messages and very apologetic when he doesn’t.

I’ll join the chorus. I’ve also been with @MascFitStud about a dozen times. He’s an awesome guy and we’ve become friends over the past couple years. I was going to recommend him earlier but the OP said he was looking for a “twunk.” I don’t consider him a twunk. At 6’ and 205lbs I consider him a full-on muscle stud. I believe he’s returning from Florida tomorrow.

I'm all for EVs and helping the environment, but I don't think we've figured everything out yet with regard to disposal and replacement. Batteries in EVs have an average life of 8 years or 100,000 miles. These batteries need to be disposed of when they die. We currently struggle with the proper disposal of cell phone batteries. What happens in 8 years when the number of dead EV vehicle batteries increases exponentially? Some of these batteries weigh up to 1,000 lbs and can be dangerous if mishandled. Another issue is the replacement cost. The average cost of an electric vehicle battery replacement is $5,500. I wouldn't want to sink that much money into an 8 - 10-year-old car with over 100,000 miles and I may not be in a position to purchase a new car. I'm sure the technology will advance, like all industries, but I don't think we're quite there yet. Hopefully, the cost of replacement batteries will be more reasonable in the future. Until that happens, these are legitimate concerns which should be considered when purchasing an EV. https://www.wired.com/story/cars-going-electric-what-happens-used-batteries/ https://www.truecar.com/blog/how-long-do-electric-car-batteries-last/

"Relatively" is subjective. I was born, raised, and lived my whole life in Philly until 3 years ago. One of the main reasons I moved out was due to the city wage tax, along with high property taxes and inflated additional costs associated with living there. City wage tax is just under 4% of gross income. I was paying $3,600/yr for auto insurance for one vehicle (that's with a clean driving record, multiple policy discounts, and every associated group discount available). Property taxes tripled in the 20 years I owned my last home, and homeowner's insurance was through the roof considering I was in a 1,000-sq foot rowhome. Those inflated additional costs are a direct reflection of location. I moved outside the city into a home that's more than twice as large as my previous one. Since my office is located in a neighboring county, I got an immediate pay raise of almost 4% (no city wage tax), my homeowner's insurance is the same as it was in the city, but my auto insurance is 25% of what my premium was at my Philly address. Plus, in keeping with the subject of this thread, I was filling up my tank twice a week for the 2.5 - 3.5 hours I spent commuting each day. At today's prices, it wouldn't have been sustainable. At the end of the month, my expenses now are $300 less than when I lived in the city, even though I'm paying more than double the property tax as in Philly.

Those same 15 gallons just two years ago was half that price. Granted, people weren't travelling due to COVID lockdowns, so the supply and demand aspect comes into play, but the prices have risen dramatically during the past year.

Filled up Saturday. 15 gallons $75. BUT....the entertainment video monitor at the pump gave me the latest on the Kim, Kanye, and Pete drama, so WORTH.EVERY.PENNY! 🙄

I bet those puppies are pushing 70 - 75 psi.

I watched "Bruised" on Netflix the other night. This was a gritty and intense movie which deals with some serious issues (domestic violence, child abuse, homelessness). Halle Berry was incredible. Danny Boyd, who played her son, is a future Hollywood talent and was so believable as an abused child. The supporting cast was equally impressive.

Same here. If there was a TV show for e-mail hoarding, I’d be on it. The only e-mails I delete at work are out of office notifications and the few spam items which get through our firewall/. Everything else gets archived. At my previous job, I was able to produce an e-mail string from five years earlier when someone accused us of mishandling their issue. It’s called CYA.

Same in my Italian family. It was customary to name your first-born male child after his paternal grandfather. My grandfather’s name was Giuseppe (Joseph). He and my grandmother had eleven children, six of whom were boys. Five of those six sons have sons. If you called out the name “Joe” at a family event 7 men turned their heads. My one uncle who only had one daughter named her Joie to keep the tradition.

It's funny that with all the back and forth about referring to a new provider as "fresh meat" and "importing" someone, no one sees the irony that the section of this forum where we discuss providers is called "The Deli."

It’s still there, but only legitimate companies are going to adhere to it. Scammers don’t give a shit about a no-call list. Blocking calls doesn’t do anything because they just spoof a different number. My rule is if you’re not in my contact list or I don’t recognize the number I’m not answering.

I’m not getting that, but for the past few days the pictures associated with the various sub-forums are gone and replaced with solid blue-grey areas on both my laptop and iPhone.

Yippee kai yay, motherf****r!!

I have visited many doctors and none has ever asked me to send money before arriving. There’s a difference between paying a co-pay upon arrival at your doctor’s office for your appointment (or for a missed appointment without sufficient notice) and sending money electronically to an unknown entity whose only means of contact is a burner mobile number and a RM advertisement. The only time I’ve ever provided any payment upfront to any service provider is when it’s a large job, requires the purchase of substantial materials, and upon execution of a legally binding contract. Typically 1/3 upfront, 1/3 half way through the job, and the final 1/3 upon completion. I’ve yet to call my plumber, electrician, landscaper, appliance repairman, or handyman and be required to Venmo a deposit just to get him out to my home.

Never said we did.

Tavern On Camac