Frugal Living: misc.consumers.frugal-living - 25 new messages in 10 topics

Monday, December 22, 2008

misc.consumers.frugal-living - 25 new messages in 10 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: Companies closing down without telling their employees
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/e9ad2a790d1b3e5a?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 4 ==
Date: Sun, Dec 21 2008 11:26 pm
From: ultimauw@gmail.com

On Dec 21, 11:24 pm, ultim...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Dec 21, 8:37 pm, ultim...@live.com wrote:
>
> >http://consumerist.com/5113170/three-tgifridays-mysteriously-close-no...

How does the Orthodox Capitalists feel about companies closing down
without telling their employees?

== 2 of 4 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 12:15 am
From: "zzbunker@netscape.net"

On Dec 22, 2:26 am, ultim...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Dec 21, 11:24 pm, ultim...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > On Dec 21, 8:37 pm, ultim...@live.com wrote:
>
> > >http://consumerist.com/5113170/three-tgifridays-mysteriously-close-no...
>
> How does the Orthodox Capitalists feel about companies closing down
> without telling their employees?

They wouldn't care in the least.
Which is why the post Neanderthal people even invented the GPS,
Drones,
Cruise Missiles, and computers that don't spontaneously whistle
things
about "There's Always Tommorow".

== 3 of 4 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 2:04 pm
From: "Rod Speed"

ultimauw@gmail.com wrote
> ultimauw@gmail.com wrote
>> ultimauw@gmail.com wrote

You'll end up completely blind if you dont watch out, child.

>>> http://consumerist.com/5113170/three-tgifridays-mysteriously-close-no...

> How does the Orthodox Capitalists feel about companies closing down without telling their employees?

Same way Roman Catholic Capitalists feel, presumably.

== 4 of 4 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 3:59 pm
From: Too_Many_Tools

On Dec 22, 1:26 am, ultim...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Dec 21, 11:24 pm, ultim...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > On Dec 21, 8:37 pm, ultim...@live.com wrote:
>
> > >http://consumerist.com/5113170/three-tgifridays-mysteriously-close-no...
>
> How does the Orthodox Capitalists feel about companies closing down
> without telling their employees?

They only care if they are "The Employee".

TMT

==============================================================================
TOPIC: .99 store complaint
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/344e32ee920ae3a2?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 4:38 am
From: AndyS

Evelyn Leeper wrote:
> Same here. They are the most consistent in pricing, and usually have
> the best selection. (Which is not to say that there won't be some items
> one can find at other dollar stores that they don't carry.)

Andy writes:

Same here in Corsicana, Texas ......

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 3:49 pm
From: Marsha

The Real Bev wrote:
> The 99-Cents-Only Stores have recently jacked their price up to 99.9
> cents. Shocking, I tell you, the government ought to do something about
> it.
>
> That's the maximum price. Some stuff, mostly food, is less than that,
> and they've recently expanded their food offerings. I love these stores.
>
> http://www.99only.com/about/index.htm
>

It's funny that a picture of the 99 cent store sold for over 3 million.

Marsha/Ohio

==============================================================================
TOPIC: self-employed, the price?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/25ab6d7a439ac7f1?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 5:15 am
From: Jim

Neon John wrote:

> The Real Bev wrote:
> > clams_casino wrote:
> >> Jim wrote:
> >>
> >>>"SE tax rate. The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%. The rate consists
> >>>of two parts: 12.4% for social security (old-age, survivors, and disability
> >>>insurance) and 2.9% for Medicare (hospital insurance)."
> >>
> >> But the total rate is 7.6% (after tax income) higher than a regular (non
> >> self employed) worker.
> >
> >That's probably irrelevant -- the employer just works it, along with
> >other payroll taxes, into its salary structure.
>
> Of course we do. So many dollars is budgeted for each employee. The crap
> that the government requires is simply subtracted from that amount to arrive
> at what the employee actually gets paid. In the case of minimum wage workers,
> an increase in government-mandated cost simply prompts us employers to figure
> out how to eliminate jobs.
>
> The last minimum wage increase caused me to do that in my restaurant. I knew
> my staffing was fat but the place was making money, I liked the employees and
> I'm a charter member of Procrastinator's Anonymous. When the increase took
> effect, it kick-started me into looking at my labor costs and what jobs each
> employee was performing. I quickly determined that I could eliminate 2 min
> wage jobs by distributing their workload across the other staff.
>
> Bottom line: 2 pink slips and everyone else had to work a bit harder.
>
> An interesting calculation is to take the bottom line dollar amount from your
> check and divide it by the hours worked to see what you're REALLY making. Most
> folks are shocked when they do that.

speaking of shocked, who really benefits from a minimum wage
increase? is it the minimum wage worker taking home 8 or 10
dollars more each week? or is it the vile corrupt yankee
govern-0-mites collecting millions more each week in payroll
taxes?

>
> In one of the business magazines I read an article a few years ago reporting
> on a survey of the public. Only slightly over 50% of the citizens (I use that
> term loosely) understood that the money flowing from Washington actually came
> from the taxes they pay. I was flabbergasted. How could anyone become an
> adult and not know that government spending == taxation? No doubt these same
> folks think that the money for their wages comes from a money tree somewhere.

they are a simple people and as such they need to be governed,
lied to, stolen from and cheated by a class who considers
themselves worthy of and up to the task.
http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/1342446.html

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 5:52 am
From: George

Neon John wrote:
> On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:39:55 -0800, The Real Bev <bashley101+usenet@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> clams_casino wrote:
>>
>>> Jim wrote:
>>>
>>>> "SE tax rate. The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%. The rate consists
>>>> of two parts: 12.4% for social security (old-age, survivors, and disability
>>>> insurance) and 2.9% for Medicare (hospital insurance)."
>>> But the total rate is 7.6% (after tax income) higher than a regular (non
>>> self employed) worker.
>> That's probably irrelevant -- the employer just works it, along with
>> other payroll taxes, into its salary structure.
>
> Of course we do. So many dollars is budgeted for each employee. The crap
> that the government requires is simply subtracted from that amount to arrive
> at what the employee actually gets paid. In the case of minimum wage workers,
> an increase in government-mandated cost simply prompts us employers to figure
> out how to eliminate jobs.
>
> The last minimum wage increase caused me to do that in my restaurant. I knew
> my staffing was fat but the place was making money, I liked the employees and
> I'm a charter member of Procrastinator's Anonymous. When the increase took
> effect, it kick-started me into looking at my labor costs and what jobs each
> employee was performing. I quickly determined that I could eliminate 2 min
> wage jobs by distributing their workload across the other staff.
>
> Bottom line: 2 pink slips and everyone else had to work a bit harder.
>
> An interesting calculation is to take the bottom line dollar amount from your
> check and divide it by the hours worked to see what you're REALLY making. Most
> folks are shocked when they do that.
>
> In one of the business magazines I read an article a few years ago reporting
> on a survey of the public. Only slightly over 50% of the citizens (I use that
> term loosely) understood that the money flowing from Washington actually came
> from the taxes they pay. I was flabbergasted. How could anyone become an
> adult and not know that government spending == taxation? No doubt these same
> folks think that the money for their wages comes from a money tree somewhere.

One of the best educational methods for that lack of knowledge would be
to simply pay everyone exactly what they earn with no deductions. That
would instantly eliminate people looking at the net and thinking "I earn
xxx (the net amount)". Then the next part would be to require everyone
to pay their own taxes as self employed folks currently do or completely
eliminate the income tax and go to a sales tax with say a 35% rate to
collect equivalent tax funds.

>
> John
> --
> John De Armond
> See my website for my current email address
> http://www.neon-john.com
> http://www.johndearmond.com <-- best little blog on the net!
> Tellico Plains, Occupied TN
> There is much pleasure in useless knowledge. —Bertrand Russell
>

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Surge protectors melting down and causing fires
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/9da9f3133ea46935?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 6:08 am
From: MSfortune@mcpmail.com

ultim...@live.com wrote:
> http://www.nmsu.edu/%7Esafety/news/lesson-learned/surgeprotectorfire.htm

I've had it happen to me a couple times, without the fire. The last
one was probably my fault for overloading it on a long term basis. It
melted in place. What people don't realize is that a fuse or circuit
breaker will not protect against a fire. You can develop arcing with
sun-like temperatures that don't require heavy loads to support and
therefore don't trigger a break. The new arc-fault protectors are
helpful in those cases. It's a good idea to put your hand on equipment
and connections occasionally to check for heat. There is usually
overheating for a long time before major failure.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Gov't to big 3 seeking bailout: no more private jets for you!
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/6b69b9f5b3b347b9?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 4 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 6:14 am
From: MSfortune@mcpmail.com

On Dec 20, 6:58 pm, ultim...@live.com wrote:
> http://consumerist.com/5114395/auto-executives-will-have-to-give-up-t...
>
> HAHA!

They can still pamper themselves in many remaining ways though.
Wagoner was just on my local radio telling about how they all worked
together to come to an agreement and make things work. The statement
that rankled me was, "We can still find ways to squeak out costs on
items our customers don't really need." In other words, GM can find a
way to give the customers less value for the money.

== 2 of 4 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 6:18 am
From: Liberal Whisperer

On Dec 21, 10:27 pm, ultim...@live.com wrote:
> On Dec 20, 4:36 pm, Liberal Whisperer <hoofhearte...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > On Dec 20, 5:58 pm, ultim...@live.com wrote:
>
> > >http://consumerist.com/5114395/auto-executives-will-have-to-give-up-t...
>
> > > HAHA!
>
> > Does that mean Madame Pelosi and Dr.Gore will give theirs up too??
>
> How about Bu$h and his friends?

== 3 of 4 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 6:21 am
From: Liberal Whisperer

On Dec 22, 8:14 am, MSfort...@mcpmail.com wrote:
> On Dec 20, 6:58 pm, ultim...@live.com wrote:
>
> >http://consumerist.com/5114395/auto-executives-will-have-to-give-up-t...
>
> > HAHA!
>
> They can still pamper themselves in many remaining ways though.
> Wagoner was just on my local radio telling about how they all worked
> together to come to an agreement and make things work. The statement
> that rankled me was, "We can still find ways to squeak out costs on
> items our customers don't really need." In other words, GM can find a
> way to give the customers less value for the money.

The REAL problem is the demorats don't want to "bail-out" the BIG
THREE . They want to bail out BIG UNION and then be able to dictate
what kind of cars the BIG THREE will build,I.O.W's little shitbox eco-
cars that nobody wants. Look out Yugo,here we come !!

== 4 of 4 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 3:42 pm
From: "Nicik Name"

"Liberal Whisperer" <hoofhearted07@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d52f8b9e-48ca-4e67-ac20-6243094a8e44@p2g2000prn.googlegroups.com...
On Dec 21, 10:27 pm, ultim...@live.com wrote:
> On Dec 20, 4:36 pm, Liberal Whisperer <hoofhearte...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > On Dec 20, 5:58 pm, ultim...@live.com wrote:
>
> > >http://consumerist.com/5114395/auto-executives-will-have-to-give-up-t...
>
> > > HAHA!
>
> > Does that mean Madame Pelosi and Dr.Gore will give theirs up too??
>
> How about Bu$h and his friends?

Bush is a lame duck. Pelosi and her freinds are promising HOPE and
CHANGE !! Does that mean the Kyoto loving left will continue to live
the life of luxury and abundance but the commoners can just eat cake??
YOU BET...................
http://mrssatan.blogspot.com/2008/10/obama-takes-767-to-hawaii.html

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Saving Money on Calendars
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/9b326729403ee2be?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 3 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 6:25 am
From: val189

On Dec 15, 3:19 pm, Seerialmom <seerial...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> You could also "make" a calendar with those slots to slide the dates
> into and never have to buy another calendar again?
>
> http://www.craftefamily.com/craft/perpetual_calendar.asp

Those are a pain. When do you make the change? At midnight on the
last day?
Also useless for a glance forward or prior to the current month. I've
never know anyone who kept them current.

== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 9:27 am
From: LC18BR38@webtv.net (Rick V)

The Real Bev wrote

>You misunderstand.

No, I understood exactly what you wrote and implied.

>Forwarded was fine. Letters were sent to her
> at her address and the post office applied
> 'forward to' yellow stickers with MY address.

Which is what you authorized them to do.

>But after the forwarding expired the letters
> started coming directly to her name at my
> address.

The charities, along with all other senders received the new addrees
when you submitted the change of address. The post office did not
forward the mail on their own. You instructed them to do that.

>Neither of us ever gave anybody that
> combination, so it must have been the post
> office.

Yes, you did.

When you submitted the forwarding change of address, you authorized all
mai from the previous address to be sent to your house.

Be it forwarded from the previous address or addressed directly to the
new address. The senders received the forwarding address after 12 months
or if they requested (same as you did when submitting the change of
address form) the mail be returned to them if undeliverable at the
previous address.

>Makes sense that they'd do it -- it keeps the
> postage flowing.

Yes, it is a business but they did not give your address out. You
authorized that.

>I wrote DECEASED on the ones that
> appeared to be first class so that they would
> be returned to the sender who ought to take
> the next step.

One action that you could have taken.
Obviously, the senders ignored your request unlike the post office which
followed your request.

>Apparently it's cheaper to just keep sending
> the letters than fix the mailing list, although
> they had to make some changes when the
> post office gave (or sold) them the new
> address.

Again, you keep blaming the post office for your instructions telling
them to do exactly what they did and for free.

You write that the post office sold the new address which is wrong but
the mail that was sent to your mom's address with postage on it was then
handled and forwarded to your address, per your request, with no
additional postage paid by either the sender or you who
requested the mail be delivered to your address.

>That's as much trouble as I'm willing to go to.
Obviously.

> If they want to spend other people's money
> sending me crap, that's their problem.
The senders "wasting" donated money on more mailings is more than their
problem.

>Theory has it that bulk mail is GOOD because
> it supports first class mail, so I guess I'm
> doing my bit for the good of society.
(pat on the back and applause)

>I open the one that I know contains a stamped
> envelope and toss the rest into the recycle
> bin.

So you are benefitting by getting free stamps and still complaining.

>You're right, it's easier to criticize than actually
> fix the problem. BUT you forget that it's
> THEIR problem, not mine.

See above sentence.

== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 11:18 am
From: "'nam vet."

In article
<fc6408c3-f46a-4e67-bced-300064d56a9e@z6g2000pre.googlegroups.com>,
val189 <gwehrenb@bellsouth.net> wrote:

> On Dec 15, 3:19 pm, Seerialmom <seerial...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > You could also "make" a calendar with those slots to slide the dates
> > into and never have to buy another calendar again?
> >
> > http://www.craftefamily.com/craft/perpetual calendar.asp
>
> Those are a pain. When do you make the change? At midnight on the
> last day?
> Also useless for a glance forward or prior to the current month. I've
> never know anyone who kept them current.

for me , calendars must be up to date on things like the phases of the
moon and holidaze.
I glue hardware store freebees over the more "artful" old calendars.
works for me.
Happy New Year.
--
When the Power of Love,replaces the Love of Power.
that's Evolution.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: What minor frugal change did you make this year?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/2d2a9d8612f0c718?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 6:36 am
From: val189

Good thread!!

More for convenience and to lessen run outs, I'm buying the powdered
dry milk for cooking, making yogurt etc. I buy the fluid milk only
for drinking it straight. I've cut way back on trips to the market.
I make it up a quart at a time in a glass Mason jar.

I put a few more bill payments on automatic. Saves postage.

I let the power company turn off my water heater and a/c at their
will.

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 3:48 pm
From: "Nicik Name"

"Evelyn Leeper" <eleeper@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:494bf29a$0$4907$607ed4bc@cv.net...
> Rod Speed wrote:
>>
>> Did that with no upfront charge because my Nokia N95 cellphone
>> has voip built in and I make the calls over wifi to my DSL.
As a group senior citizens invented the computer............
>
> Just try telling that to someone over sixty years old and see the look on
> their faces.
>
> (Okay, not everyone in that age range. But when I picture my father
> trying to make sense of that sentence, my mind boggles.)
>
> --
> Evelyn C. Leeper
> Be braver. You cannot cross a chasm in two small jumps.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Heat cost vs wind chill
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/4473379b2f5ac5b2?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 4 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 1:00 pm
From: James

Does wind chill mean any thing when it comes to heat bill? Since the
wind is not on you but on the house, does it take more heat to keep
warm?

== 2 of 4 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 2:02 pm
From: "Rod Speed"

James wrote:

> Does wind chill mean any thing when it comes to heat bill?

Nope, its primarily an effect with human bodys, and unless your house
is very badly maintained indeed, there shouldnt be any real wind inside it.

Wind does however make a big difference to the leakage
with a badly sealed house. Thats not wind chill tho.

> Since the wind is not on you but on the house, does it take more heat to keep warm?

Only in the sense that if the house isnt sealed properly, more of the hot air leaks out when its windy.

Thats not wind chill tho, thats just leakage.

== 3 of 4 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 2:28 pm
From: Vic Smith

On Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:00:32 -0800 (PST), James
<j0069bond@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Does wind chill mean any thing when it comes to heat bill? Since the
>wind is not on you but on the house, does it take more heat to keep
>warm?

Wind chill is a term reserved mostly for TV weathermen and those
whose interests are the study of cold weather survival and injuries.
It applies to human skin.
So as soon as you use the term for anything else the pedants will jump
on you.
But if you just call it heat transfer, the answer is yes.
Wind will cool your house faster than no wind in the winter.
And a hot wind will warm your house faster than no wind.
Air/fluid movement across the thermal interface increases heat
transfer. On a house that's windows, bricks, doors, etc.
Internal heat is always flowing toward outer cold to escape
A common and easily seen example of this is parking your car outside
at 0F with the radiator facing into the wind versus putting it in the
0F garage.
There is a big difference in how fast the car cools off.
You can look up heat transfer and thermal barriers if you're really
interested.
But when the wind blows, it blows.

--Vic

== 4 of 4 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 2:51 pm
From: George

James wrote:
> Does wind chill mean any thing when it comes to heat bill? Since the
> wind is not on you but on the house, does it take more heat to keep
> warm?

Yes, same effect. Wind chill simply refers to the concept that as wind
increases the boundary layer on a heated object is diminished and heat
is removed faster because that layer acts as extra insulation.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: HSBC only gives me 1% on 2% reward card
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/5f426846387c1c7e?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 1:29 pm
From: july1y@yahoo.com

I have been using HSBC "2% reward card" (Master Card, see link
http://www.hsbccreditcard.com/ecare/cards?docId=Cards_Tab_data_cards_hs_p4_xml
) for about a year. This card is supposed to give me 2% rebate on all
weekend purchases (based on Transaction Date as defined in the
Agreement). However, recently I did an audit on my past year
statements and found I received only 1% in ALL of my weekend
purchases. I then call HSBC card customer rep, and they did not give
me a clear answer. I then contacted the HSBS management and complained
the issue with BBB (July 2008). Only then did I receive an official
letter from the HSBC, admitting the error. The mistake was system wide
and every card member received only 1% rebate on the weekend
purchases. They promised me to fix the problem, but three months later
when I called the rep again, still no solution. As of today
(12/22/2008), I still get 1% reward only. I never receive the other
missing 1% as originally promised in the card Agreement.

Since everyone is affected, why is there no such related complaint in
the Internet? If you have HSBC 2% reward card, have you done an audit
on the reward calculations?

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Collision insurance
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/2850cf9d787416a8?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 3:44 pm
From: Marsha

Looking for opinions of when to drop insurance coverage on a car and
keep only liability coverage. I have a 2004 Malibu.

Thanks.
Marsha/Ohio

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 22 2008 4:00 pm
From: The Real Bev

Marsha wrote:

> Looking for opinions of when to drop insurance coverage on a car and
> keep only liability coverage. I have a 2004 Malibu.

Compare the cost of the premium with the maximum the insurance company
will pay if your car is totaled -- which means that even if the car is
driveable the cost of repair exceeds its value -- according to the
insurance company. It's up to you to decide.

--
Cheers, Bev
==============================================================
"I am working for the time when unqualified blacks, browns and
women join the unqualified men in running our government"
-- Cissy Farenthold

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Monday, December 22, 2008

misc.consumers.frugal-living - 25 new messages in 10 topics - digest

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