Are the posted questions getting worse?

  • ChrisM@Work (8/9/2013)


    dwain.c (8/8/2013)


    ChrisM@Work (8/8/2013)


    Howard - the name of the guy made me chuckle, given the pidgin English 😀

    I've been hearing a lot of Tok Pisin for the last week. Two more wonderful days in Port Moresby.

    Links posted for you Americans because I know you don't get out much.

    Port Moresby - ranked 139th of 140 cities for liveability, whatever that means. I wonder which city came last? What's the grub like?

    Food's OK. Some Aussie steaks but very expensive place to live. The guy I'm staying with pays about $2500 a week for the house his company rents for him.

    Low on the liveability list because crime is very high. Murder, rape and robbery are national past times.

    Good guys I'm doing work for though. They're takin' care of me.


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  • Fal (8/9/2013)


    Hey Brandie,

    I found a quote you might be able to relate to:

    Ring Lardner

    "A good many young writers make the mistake of enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope, big enough for the manuscript to come back in. This is too much of a temptation to the editor."

    Fal.

    Before computers were ubiquitous, that was standard. You wanted your manuscript back because you were unlikely to have more than one copy, if that. Heck, most magazines included that advice in their submissions guidelines.

    --------------------------------------
    When you encounter a problem, if the solution isn't readily evident go back to the start and check your assumptions.
    --------------------------------------
    It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.
    What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?
    You ask a glass of water. -- Douglas Adams

  • dwain.c (8/9/2013)


    ChrisM@Work (8/9/2013)


    dwain.c (8/8/2013)


    ChrisM@Work (8/8/2013)


    Howard - the name of the guy made me chuckle, given the pidgin English 😀

    I've been hearing a lot of Tok Pisin for the last week. Two more wonderful days in Port Moresby.

    Links posted for you Americans because I know you don't get out much.

    Port Moresby - ranked 139th of 140 cities for liveability, whatever that means. I wonder which city came last? What's the grub like?

    Food's OK. Some Aussie steaks but very expensive place to live. The guy I'm staying with pays about $2500 a week for the house his company rents for him.

    Low on the liveability list because crime is very high. Murder, rape and robbery are national past times.

    Good guys I'm doing work for though. They're takin' care of me.

    Sounds just like the north-east of England, only a better climate and no Aussie steaks!

    “Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw

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  • Given the location, I bet the Australian lamb is cheaper than it is here.

  • Steve Jones - SSC Editor (8/8/2013)


    Steve Jones - SSC Editor (8/8/2013)


    jasona.work (8/8/2013)


    Now nobody's trying to talk me out of this...

    Hmm, pay off bills faster (albeit not a lot faster) or a new "budget" mid-life crisis car?

    One is smarter, financially, but one also changes your life. Life is short. find a balance between getting what you want (at times) and planning for the future (at times).

    course, as I write this, I'm looking at kid #2 driving next year and I'm already looking at giving him the Prius and finding something else I want.

    Highly tempted to trade in my 911 and get a Cayenne, which will give me more time on the road in weather. then I go, why not look at a Lexus RX series, go luxury. Maybe I should consider a high end BMW/Audi/Volvo SUV as well?

    I'll look used, but I'll look. Cars excite me, and there's a lot to be said for things that excite you.

    Just read recently that the Cayenne holds its value better than any other vehicle in its class, so wouldn't be the worst car investment.

  • Jack Corbett (8/9/2013)


    Just read recently that the Cayenne holds its value better than any other vehicle in its class, so wouldn't be the worst car investment.

    Not sure a car is ever an investment. They depreciate. Even the old ones mean you've held onto it for years and years, or you've spent a lot restoring it.

    I get cars for fun. I'm careful with the 911, but I don't hesitate to take it to the airport and leave it if I'm traveling. I want to enjoy it, though I temper that with the cost of gas and tires.

    I don't know I'd ever buy another new car. They are amazing, and I was happy to let my wife get a new truck 2 years ago, but I'm happy to get something 5-6 years old, in good shape, and enjoy that.

    After this thread, my search has expanded to Cadallac, Lincoln, and a few more. I think I'll start driving some used ones and save my impressions for when I'm ready to really get one.

  • Steve Jones - SSC Editor (8/9/2013)


    Jack Corbett (8/9/2013)


    Just read recently that the Cayenne holds its value better than any other vehicle in its class, so wouldn't be the worst car investment.

    Not sure a car is ever an investment. They depreciate. Even the old ones mean you've held onto it for years and years, or you've spent a lot restoring it.

    I get cars for fun. I'm careful with the 911, but I don't hesitate to take it to the airport and leave it if I'm traveling. I want to enjoy it, though I temper that with the cost of gas and tires.

    I don't know I'd ever buy another new car. They are amazing, and I was happy to let my wife get a new truck 2 years ago, but I'm happy to get something 5-6 years old, in good shape, and enjoy that.

    After this thread, my search has expanded to Cadallac, Lincoln, and a few more. I think I'll start driving some used ones and save my impressions for when I'm ready to really get one.

    Sure a car isn't an investment in that you make money on, but getting one that holds its value better than others is better than getting one that doesn't.

    I agree that I'll probably never buy a new car again. I don't think the value is there compared to used vehicles, which in my opinion are getting too expensive too.

  • Jack Corbett (8/9/2013)


    Steve Jones - SSC Editor (8/9/2013)


    Jack Corbett (8/9/2013)


    Just read recently that the Cayenne holds its value better than any other vehicle in its class, so wouldn't be the worst car investment.

    Not sure a car is ever an investment. They depreciate. Even the old ones mean you've held onto it for years and years, or you've spent a lot restoring it.

    I get cars for fun. I'm careful with the 911, but I don't hesitate to take it to the airport and leave it if I'm traveling. I want to enjoy it, though I temper that with the cost of gas and tires.

    I don't know I'd ever buy another new car. They are amazing, and I was happy to let my wife get a new truck 2 years ago, but I'm happy to get something 5-6 years old, in good shape, and enjoy that.

    After this thread, my search has expanded to Cadallac, Lincoln, and a few more. I think I'll start driving some used ones and save my impressions for when I'm ready to really get one.

    Sure a car isn't an investment in that you make money on, but getting one that holds its value better than others is better than getting one that doesn't.

    I agree that I'll probably never buy a new car again. I don't think the value is there compared to used vehicles, which in my opinion are getting too expensive too.

    For me the investment is getting something that I won't have to spend much on during its lifetime. I drove my Pathfinder 276,000 miles and kept it for 14 years before I traded it in. I was happy they gave me anything for it. I didn't drive it much the last 6 years as I had a Prius by then as well, but neither car has cost much in the way of repairs.

    If you want to keep a car that long and drive it that far, buy it new.

    --------------------------------------
    When you encounter a problem, if the solution isn't readily evident go back to the start and check your assumptions.
    --------------------------------------
    It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.
    What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?
    You ask a glass of water. -- Douglas Adams

  • Fal (8/9/2013)


    Hey Brandie,

    I found a quote you might be able to relate to:

    Ring Lardner

    "A good many young writers make the mistake of enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope, big enough for the manuscript to come back in. This is too much of a temptation to the editor."

    Fal.

    Oh, for heaven's sake. *headdesk*

    I had to look him up to make sure he wasn't a current idiot making life difficult for writers. I don't know what the manuscript standards were back in his day, but all my life publishers have required SASEs and complained about authors who didn't include them.

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

  • jasona.work (8/8/2013)


    *sigh*

    My wife is either teasing me, or just an outright cruel, heartless, b**ch...

    She brought up the possibility of trading in our older car ('06 Dodge Charger R/T) and getting something newer...

    Then brought up the idea of trading it in, and getting the car I wanted when we last bought a new car, the Subura BRZ (nice little sporty job) I figured out, if we get close to the Kelley Blue Book estimated trade-in value, we'd be looking at only around a $160-170/mo car payment (plus our existing payment on the other car.)

    Quite doable...

    Now nobody's trying to talk me out of this...

    Hmm, pay off bills faster (albeit not a lot faster) or a new "budget" mid-life crisis car?

    If you're thinking Subaru, consider the Forester, and raise it by an inch. Will take you almost anywhere. Then again, I'd go for the Toyota Hilux Raider. I'm into these kind of things. Maybe one day I'll be able to afford it and have time to use it.

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  • Stefan Krzywicki (8/9/2013)


    For me the investment is getting something that I won't have to spend much on during its lifetime. I drove my Pathfinder 276,000 miles and kept it for 14 years before I traded it in. I was happy they gave me anything for it. I didn't drive it much the last 6 years as I had a Prius by then as well, but neither car has cost much in the way of repairs.

    If you want to keep a car that long and drive it that far, buy it new.

    A car actually lasted for 276,000 miles??? That's impressive. I've heard of some holder Honda models making it to the low 200's, but nothing that high.

    I'm inclined to buy used myself. The prices the car companies gouge charge nowadays are just silly and they need repairs in the first year anyway. It simply isn't worth it any more. Then again, I've never had any car (new or used) last for 200,000+ miles.

  • Ed Wagner (8/9/2013)


    Stefan Krzywicki (8/9/2013)


    For me the investment is getting something that I won't have to spend much on during its lifetime. I drove my Pathfinder 276,000 miles and kept it for 14 years before I traded it in. I was happy they gave me anything for it. I didn't drive it much the last 6 years as I had a Prius by then as well, but neither car has cost much in the way of repairs.

    If you want to keep a car that long and drive it that far, buy it new.

    A car actually lasted for 276,000 miles??? That's impressive. I've heard of some holder Honda models making it to the low 200's, but nothing that high.

    I'm inclined to buy used myself. The prices the car companies gouge charge nowadays are just silly and they need repairs in the first year anyway. It simply isn't worth it any more. Then again, I've never had any car (new or used) last for 200,000+ miles.

    Both my father and I have had Honda's with over 300,000. Both of those cars were worn out when they got retired but still...

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  • Sean Lange (8/9/2013)


    Ed Wagner (8/9/2013)


    Stefan Krzywicki (8/9/2013)


    For me the investment is getting something that I won't have to spend much on during its lifetime. I drove my Pathfinder 276,000 miles and kept it for 14 years before I traded it in. I was happy they gave me anything for it. I didn't drive it much the last 6 years as I had a Prius by then as well, but neither car has cost much in the way of repairs.

    If you want to keep a car that long and drive it that far, buy it new.

    A car actually lasted for 276,000 miles??? That's impressive. I've heard of some holder Honda models making it to the low 200's, but nothing that high.

    I'm inclined to buy used myself. The prices the car companies gouge charge nowadays are just silly and they need repairs in the first year anyway. It simply isn't worth it any more. Then again, I've never had any car (new or used) last for 200,000+ miles.

    Both my father and I have had Honda's with over 300,000. Both of those cars were worn out when they got retired but still...

    WOW! I also tend to keep cars for a long time because I just don't want to spend a pile of cash to buy a new one.

  • Ed Wagner (8/9/2013)


    Stefan Krzywicki (8/9/2013)


    For me the investment is getting something that I won't have to spend much on during its lifetime. I drove my Pathfinder 276,000 miles and kept it for 14 years before I traded it in. I was happy they gave me anything for it. I didn't drive it much the last 6 years as I had a Prius by then as well, but neither car has cost much in the way of repairs.

    If you want to keep a car that long and drive it that far, buy it new.

    A car actually lasted for 276,000 miles??? That's impressive. I've heard of some holder Honda models making it to the low 200's, but nothing that high.

    I'm inclined to buy used myself. The prices the car companies gouge charge nowadays are just silly and they need repairs in the first year anyway. It simply isn't worth it any more. Then again, I've never had any car (new or used) last for 200,000+ miles.

    Yeah, and I didn't treat it gently either, drove it all over the US, went off-road, Towed & hauled lots of stuff including a camper & a trailer full of books. Plus the time I drove from NJ to FL, filled a 6'x12' trailer with a piano and other furniture & drove it to NM before driving back to NJ.

    It was getting to the point where it'd need some major work. Plus it had dropped from around 24 MPG new to 12. Standard transmission 4WD SUV. I loved that thing. A beautiful deep blue.

    --------------------------------------
    When you encounter a problem, if the solution isn't readily evident go back to the start and check your assumptions.
    --------------------------------------
    It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.
    What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?
    You ask a glass of water. -- Douglas Adams

  • Sean Lange (8/9/2013)


    Ed Wagner (8/9/2013)


    Stefan Krzywicki (8/9/2013)


    For me the investment is getting something that I won't have to spend much on during its lifetime. I drove my Pathfinder 276,000 miles and kept it for 14 years before I traded it in. I was happy they gave me anything for it. I didn't drive it much the last 6 years as I had a Prius by then as well, but neither car has cost much in the way of repairs.

    If you want to keep a car that long and drive it that far, buy it new.

    A car actually lasted for 276,000 miles??? That's impressive. I've heard of some holder Honda models making it to the low 200's, but nothing that high.

    I'm inclined to buy used myself. The prices the car companies gouge charge nowadays are just silly and they need repairs in the first year anyway. It simply isn't worth it any more. Then again, I've never had any car (new or used) last for 200,000+ miles.

    Both my father and I have had Honda's with over 300,000. Both of those cars were worn out when they got retired but still...

    Y'all are lightweights . . .

    http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/18/irv-gordon-has-driven-nearly-3-million-miles-in-his-1966-volvo-1800s/

    Jason Wolfkill

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