Frugal Living: 25 new messages in 12 topics

Sunday, July 22, 2007

25 new messages in 12 topics - digest

misc.consumers.frugal-living
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living?hl=en

misc.consumers.frugal-living@googlegroups.com

Today's topics:

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Make 1000's of $$$ Effortlessly

http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/d961ac4864724c13?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 1:38 am
From: Min w

Get Paid For Your Valuable Opinion....

What if you could make $25 in less than 10 minutes, as many times as
you wanted?

What if you could do it while working from home in your pajamas?

KNOW MORE - how it works

http://makemoney.xt.cx

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Lightning Safety
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/c0f9ebeaaa5743a8?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 3:09 am
From: ultimauw@hotmail.com (zeez)

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/abq/preparedness/FFLA/ffwxwk.htm

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Currency exchange rates
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/431b90ce2eb115b2?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 3:25 am
From: nicksanspam@ece.villanova.edu

Something arrived in the mail which seems to make sense:

I just returned from three weeks in England, Scotland, and Ireland.
In terms of dollars, everything you buy is at least 50% more expensive.
My belief that exchange rates will be the mechanism by which trade
imbalances are corrected was only reinforced and this is unfortunate as
it makes certain a significant decline in U.S. living standrds. The shift
to an export savings driven U.S. economy will take several years. Until
accomplished, there's really no prospect of a better life for the American
people. It will take time for higher paying export driven jobs to replace
low paying service industrry employments. American labor must acquire
a whole lot of new skills.

It would be very difficult to convince the public that there is little or
no inflation in the United States. Currency adjustments are making imported
goods cost more and we import much of what we consume. Productivity induced
deflationary pressures have kept inflation in place everywhere even in
the face of enormous excess liquidity. The situation is fueling worldwide
economic growth which will likely accelerate. It is a perfect storm and
will certainly ease our situation.

The Chinese currency has fallen with the dollar since 2002 because it is
pegged to the dollar. The undervalued yuan has stimulated their economy
by promoting exports but has created excessive liquidity in China. Foreign
capital has poured in looking to benefit from 10% plus growth opportunities.
The currency peg has made it impossible to raise interest rates in any
meaningful way to cool off their increasingly speculative economy. Even
more money would simply pour in. The only effective solution is to abandon
the peg and let the yuan float upward against the dollar. Their economy
would benefit greatly. For us, Chinese goods costing more money puts
further downward pressure on U.S. living standards.

I'm continually amazed by Harbor Freight tool prices...

Nick

==============================================================================
TOPIC: long distance
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/3958949a13d8893f?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 5:00 am
From: Derald

Logan Shaw <lshaw-usenet@austin.rr.com> wrote:

>So that aspect has gotten worse.
Well, it's probably more ubiquitous than ever before, too. A good many L/D
and cell phonecos now have daily charges, monthly charges, connect charges, etc.
buried in the fine print. I'll tell ya: Free lunches are getting much more
difficult to find nowadays ;-). At one time, MCFL had a couple of resident phone
gurus who kept us up to date but they all seem to have left us.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Walmart
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/e8ba3cab05f1b694?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 5:15 am
From: "Don K"

"Roger Shoaf" <shoaf@nospamsyix.com> wrote in message
news:1185078804.702780@news01.syix.com...
>
> Why don't you say to the person in front of you that since you have 10 items
> or less do you mind if you could cut in front of them as you do have 10
> items or less and this is the 10 items or less lane.

Has that tactic ever actually worked for you?
From what I've seen, people become very defensive when it's pointed out
they're doing something wrong. Often they turn it around and make it out
like you're the rude one for complaining.

> That should get the attention of the discourteous person. I suspect the
> cashiers are instructed to ignore the customers that do not pay attention to
> the sign.

That's true at all stores, not just Walmart. If they can get 90% compliance
without any enforcement effort at all, that's probably good enough for them.

The thing to do if you want to change that is to talk to the manager after you
go thru the line and suggest they take down the limit signs if they're not
going to enforce them.

Don

== 2 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 5:42 am
From: George

Ward Abbott wrote:
> On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 00:21:51 -0700, bob@coolgroups.com wrote:
>
>> I was wondering if anyone knows if Walmart has an official policy for
>> dealing with people who go in the 10 item or less lane with 50 or so
>> items. I always get stuck behind these people, and the cashiers just
>> check them out as if nothing was wrong.
>
> I don't think so...but damn...they should program their registers to
> ring up twenty items....and then the register is forced to total out
> and not accept any further item.
>
>
But they can't do that since "the customer is always right".

== 3 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 6:15 am
From: Ward Abbott

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 08:42:01 -0400, George <george@nospam.invalid>
wrote:

>But they can't do that since "the customer is always right".

No...they are NOT always right. Being a jerk doesn't make you right.

== 4 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 8:19 am
From: Logan Shaw

Ward Abbott wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 08:42:01 -0400, George <george@nospam.invalid>
> wrote:
>
>> But they can't do that since "the customer is always right".
>
> No...they are NOT always right. Being a jerk doesn't make you right.

Yabbut doesn't Wal*Mart already have a stated policy of going easy on some
shoplifters[1]? Looks like they've modified the policy a bit[2], but
still, if they don't prosecute first-time shoplifters who steal less
than $25, are they really going to enforce the 10-item limit in the
express lanes?

Also, as long as I'm asking questions, do we really need to have *quite*
so many threads about Wal*Mart here in m.c.f-l? :-)

- Logan

[1] http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06221/712055-294.stm
[2] http://www.kpho.com/money/13667706/detail.html

== 5 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 9:11 am
From: Parallax

George wrote:
> Ward Abbott wrote:
>> On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 00:21:51 -0700, bob@coolgroups.com wrote:
>>
>>> I was wondering if anyone knows if Walmart has an official policy for
>>> dealing with people who go in the 10 item or less lane with 50 or so
>>> items. I always get stuck behind these people, and the cashiers just
>>> check them out as if nothing was wrong.
>>
>> I don't think so...but damn...they should program their registers to
>> ring up twenty items....and then the register is forced to total out
>> and not accept any further item.
>>
> But they can't do that since "the customer is always right".

Then if the person in front of me has twice as many items as the
checkout allows, I should be allowed to get out of line, go straight to
the exit, discount the items myself and hand a couple bucks to the
greeter as payment on my way out. I am the customer, how could I be wrong?

Replace '???????' with 'hotmail' to e-mail me.

== 6 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 10:23 am
From: don@manx.misty.com (Don Klipstein)

In article <46a3759e$0$4720$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>, Logan Shaw wrote:
>Ward Abbott wrote:
>> On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 08:42:01 -0400, George <george@nospam.invalid>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> But they can't do that since "the customer is always right".
>>
>> No...they are NOT always right. Being a jerk doesn't make you right.
>
>Yabbut doesn't Wal*Mart already have a stated policy of going easy on some
>shoplifters[1]? Looks like they've modified the policy a bit[2], but
>still, if they don't prosecute first-time shoplifters who steal less
>than $25, are they really going to enforce the 10-item limit in the
>express lanes?
>
>Also, as long as I'm asking questions, do we really need to have *quite*
>so many threads about Wal*Mart here in m.c.f-l? :-)

1. They have lower prices than most other places that sell the same
stuff. That sure sounds on-topic to me!

2. They have been widely accused of decreasing the incomes of retail
workers in the areas that they move into. If someone has to make do with
less, that sounds to me on-topic for this group! So does debate as to
whether this is true or not.

- Don Klipstein (don@misty.com)

== 7 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 10:29 am
From: don@manx.misty.com (Don Klipstein)

In article <jaOdnYjXnMOW1z7bnZ2dnUVZ_uWlnZ2d@comcast.com>, Don K wrote:
>"Roger Shoaf" <shoaf@nospamsyix.com> wrote in message
>news:1185078804.702780@news01.syix.com...
>>
>> Why don't you say to the person in front of you that since you have 10 items
>> or less do you mind if you could cut in front of them as you do have 10
>> items or less and this is the 10 items or less lane.
>
>Has that tactic ever actually worked for you?
>From what I've seen, people become very defensive when it's pointed out
>they're doing something wrong. Often they turn it around and make it out
>like you're the rude one for complaining.
>
>> That should get the attention of the discourteous person. I suspect the
>> cashiers are instructed to ignore the customers that do not pay attention to
>> the sign.
>
>That's true at all stores, not just Walmart. If they can get 90% compliance
>without any enforcement effort at all, that's probably good enough for them.
>
>The thing to do if you want to change that is to talk to the manager
>after you go thru the line and suggest they take down the limit signs if
>they're not going to enforce them.

I have seen some supermarkets in low class areas near where I live where
compliance appears to me to be a lot less than 90%. I did tell the
manager of one of them that I am now shopping much less at his and much
more at one of his competitors mainly because of checkout line issues
including that one. The other main checkout line issue was checkout line
duration. (True!)

- Don Klipstein (don@misty.com)

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Tips on how to unlock your mobile phone and make sim free - Video
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/39a523f18894ea4b?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 6:38 am
From: jessi

Watch out Tips on how to unlock your mobile phone and make sim free
Video
http://mobilephone-guide.blogspot.com/2007/07/tips-on-how-to-unlock-your-mobile-phone.html

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 7:14 am
From: jessi

jessi wrote:
> Watch my Tips - they jiggle
>

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Life Insurance Basics - Do you need, and how much do you need?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/fcff131b03d7a145?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 7:32 am
From: gjensen

Here is a link to some good information abut how to determine how much
life insurance you realistically need

http://www.familiesonlinemagazine.com/tips/life-insurance.html see
download link for worksheet in a pdf file.

Also if you click on Life Insurance ( in title) you can get a quote
after you figure out how much life insurance you really need.

On Jul 21, 9:29 pm, John Stapleton <insuranceba...@gmail.com> wrote:
> To some, life insurance seems like an unnecessary expense. But if you
> have people who depend on you -- and your income -- you need it. The
> purpose of life insurance is to take care of your dependents. As such,
> it's an important part of your financial plan. How much life insurance
> do you need?
>
> http://flying-rugs.com/life-insurance/

==============================================================================
TOPIC: My cache of Y2K food.
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/e60f4d36bfc45283?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 8:39 am
From: James

Good thing is they are pre recall and contains no tainted gluten.

Bad thing is I still have a ways to go to finish my horde.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: New Nation News
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/1c2fec212bfd7d8d?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 9:12 am
From: Ted

http://www.newnation.org/

New Nation News

ted

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Breast-Feeding: Private Act or Public Right?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/d9ae679497789a49?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 10:01 am
From: Kelsey Bjarnason

On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 12:50:18 +0000, William Wingstedt wrote:

> On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 07:08:01 GMT, Kelsey Bjarnason
> <kbjarnason@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>[snips]
>>
>>On Fri, 20 Jul 2007 03:55:37 +0000, William Wingstedt wrote:
>>
>>> Your speculation about what I might like to do seems a bit out of line
>>> with what meant to convey. I was trying to say that without
>>> considering the consequences of one's actions, one is doomed to suffer
>>> them as a burden, whereas the realization and acceptance of one's
>>> responsibilities allows one to more fully enjoy the actions that lead
>>> to them.
>>
>>And I say all hail latex and abortions. Kids are for other people.
>
> Perfectly valid.

Indeed. You want kids? Feel free - long as I don't have to put up with
the little rotters.

Case in point. Couple weeks back, we're out at a restaurant, not too
fancy, but neither a Dennys. Some family in the back has a squalling
monstrosity they can't control and won't, for some reason, gag.
Meanwhile, not more than a mile down the road is a restaurant aimed
squarely at kids - play spaces, screaming expected, etc. Kinda felt like
smacking the parents upside the head and giving them a map to the other
place.

I look at it this way: *I* didn't tell you to drop a litter; why should
*I* be subjected to the noisome emanations of your decisions?

== 2 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 10:08 am
From: Kelsey Bjarnason

On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 10:24:46 +1000, Rod Speed wrote:

> Brian E. Clark <reply@newsgroup.only.please> wrote:
>> In article <idjq93d98po707jo8hkrt8p8p31erdkmmv@
>> 4ax.com>, jdoe said...
>>
>>>> Shit! Where I grew up, that was how *all* babies were fed, and no
>>>> one was offended if they were fed in public.
>>>
>>> taking a dump is using your body the way god intended it to be used,
>>> can I take a dump on your face?
>>
>> There are sound health-related reasons why public
>> defecation is discouraged. Can you lay out good
>> reasons why public breast-feeding should be
>> prohibited?
>
> Can you lay out good reasons why public fucking and nose picking should be prohibited?

In a word, no. Nose picking is at best somewhat distasteful; fucking
isn't, unless you're an uptight prude who needs to get some yourself.

--
To women, men are like big dogs that talk.

== 3 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 10:09 am
From: Kelsey Bjarnason

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 04:54:01 +1000, Rod Speed wrote:

> William Wingstedt <William_Wingstedt@comcast.net> wrote:
>> On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 07:08:01 GMT, Kelsey Bjarnason
>> <kbjarnason@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> [snips]
>>>
>>> On Fri, 20 Jul 2007 03:55:37 +0000, William Wingstedt wrote:
>>>
>>>> Your speculation about what I might like to do seems a bit out of
>>>> line with what meant to convey. I was trying to say that without
>>>> considering the consequences of one's actions, one is doomed to
>>>> suffer them as a burden, whereas the realization and acceptance of
>>>> one's responsibilities allows one to more fully enjoy the actions
>>>> that lead to them.
>>>
>>> And I say all hail latex and abortions. Kids are for other people.
>>
>> Perfectly valid.
>
> Its a pity its parents didnt have the same approach.

Oh? And why is that?

--
You worship the torture instrument that your god allegedly died on,
I'll worship the tree that it was fashioned from. -- Mark Drake

== 4 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 10:11 am
From: Kelsey Bjarnason

[snips]

On Fri, 20 Jul 2007 06:25:15 +1000, Rod Speed wrote:

> Never ever could bullshit and lie its way out of a wet paper bag.

This is about the fourth time you've said this; you're starting to sound
like a six-year-old with his fingers in his ears, humming loudly to avoid
having to hear something he doesn't want to hear.

== 5 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 10:12 am
From: Kelsey Bjarnason

On Fri, 20 Jul 2007 01:02:02 +0000, Terry Austin wrote:

> Dubh Ghall <puck@pooks.hill.fey> wrote in
> news:3qqv93121hg7lo171ckp915mevjoicdic2@4ax.com:
>
>> On Fri, 20 Jul 2007 08:21:03 +1000, "Rod Speed"
>> <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Never ever could bullshit and lie its way out of a wet paper bag.
>>
>>
>> Not being xtians, we don't have much cause to learn how.
>>
> Indeed. For atheists, it is apparently a natural talent, not learned
> behavior.

Please explain what the correlation is between atheism and lying or
bullshitting. If you cannot demonstrate such a correlation, then your
statement is, itself, a lie, which doesn't exactly give you the moral high
ground, now does it?

== 6 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 10:14 am
From: Kelsey Bjarnason

On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 04:27:02 +1000, Rod Speed wrote:

> AllEmailDeletedImmediately <derjda@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> "Fester" <not@home.com> wrote in message
>> news:469d75cb$0$29633$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>>>
>> snip
>>
>>> Urination is perfectly natural and performed by most men, women and
>>> children as well. I don't have much of an opinion either way on this
>>> issue, other than to say that the majority of the citizens have a
>>> right to decide if it should be allowed in public.
>>
>> pottying in public needs to be prohibited because of the disease factor.
>
> There is no 'disease factor'

Depends what one means by "in public". There certainly is a disease
factor if crap is flowing in the streets.

== 7 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 10:58 am
From: "AllEmailDeletedImmediately"

"Kelsey Bjarnason" <kbjarnason@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:qrfcn4-ilb.ln1@spanky.localhost.net...
> On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 04:27:02 +1000, Rod Speed wrote:
>
>> AllEmailDeletedImmediately <derjda@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> "Fester" <not@home.com> wrote in message
>>> news:469d75cb$0$29633$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>>>>
>>> snip
>>>
>>>> Urination is perfectly natural and performed by most men, women and
>>>> children as well. I don't have much of an opinion either way on this
>>>> issue, other than to say that the majority of the citizens have a
>>>> right to decide if it should be allowed in public.
>>>
>>> pottying in public needs to be prohibited because of the disease factor.
>>
>> There is no 'disease factor'
>
> Depends what one means by "in public". There certainly is a disease
> factor if crap is flowing in the streets.

"in public" in the breast feeding discussion referred to out in the open,
and
so, since someone decided to equate the 2, i think it should mean the same.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: A couple of reviews
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/cc0aa6eb347eba5f?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 10:33 am
From: hchickpea@hotmail.com

Our move to the country has been interesting, with confirmation of
many of my ideas and past experiences, and a glorious change from city
life. However, even with my past experiences and knowledge, there is
a tremendous amount to learn and a lot of trial and error.

I have a few selected how-to books that are meant to give guidance in
building arts and basics, but these haven't quite hit the mark, so I
decided to take a plunge and get the three CD set of the first 30
years of Mother Earth News. While I give TMEN, the magazine, a mixed
grade, and think that it has gone downhill, the CD set is very handy
for searching. For example, DW asked about companion planting and I
was quickly able to find a couple of articles, much to her delight.
I've since found other articles of interest and appreciate the lack of
ads, lack of cardboard subscription inserts, and lack of inane and
questionable letters to TMEN and other filler. For anyone who ever
thought TMEN was more than 20% helpful, this CD set is worth the $50.

While I was at it, I ordered "The whole shebang" from Backwoods Home
magazine. While much more expensive, I think it is a valuable
resource for anyone moving to the country. Lots of informational
articles, and an editorial viewpoint that reflects a lot of the
independent country point of view. From an initial skimming of the
anthologies, it looks like I have a month or two worth of reading
ahead.

At some point, I may get the HomePower CDs, but the above appear to be
much more helpful for now.

Now for a product review:
The Big Berky water filter from JamesFilters. For years, we've had
various reverse osmosis, carbon and sediment filters, and always found
the filters don't last as long as described, and that we could start
feeling bad if we used them past three months. With replacement
carbon filters costing from $10 to $30, and a reverse osmosis membrane
running around $80, these costs kept adding up. (I still use a
distiller for some of my water, but that is a different story). The
Berky filters are able to do the filtering that the undersink and
add-on filters cannot. If we needed to, we could take stream water or
mud puddle water and run it through one of these filters and feel
perfectly safe. Because of the washable ceramic filters, we won't
need to purchase replacement filters for four years or more. At $225,
it ain't cheap up front, but it is one less thing on my list of things
to constantly be concerned about, or constantly have to be spending
money on.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Vitamin C useless in combatting colds
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/498d68c0ba1d2e0f?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Jul 22 2007 10:42 am
From: Kelsey Bjarnason

[snips]

On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 15:30:41 +1000, Rod Speed wrote:

> Never ever could bullshit and lie its way out of a wet paper bag.
>
>> and an inability to communicate in a constructive manner.
>
> Never ever could bullshit and lie its way out of a wet paper bag.

Awright, that does it. The fact you've been reduce to this *again* and
seem to have nothing better to offer when you get bitch-slapped means
you're no longer worth the time to read. Good bye.

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Sunday, July 22, 2007

25 new messages in 12 topics - digest

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