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Today's topics:
* The Problem Solved! - 2 messages, 2 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/5e648857b78fdea0?hl=en
* What abt Costco Credit card from Amex? - 4 messages, 2 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/60e0f594791cfe05?hl=en
* Who gets more respect on the road, a cyclist or a dog? - 3 messages, 3
authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/fc7963ba670ec336?hl=en
* Stupid Scam - 2 messages, 2 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/7446f01a2736910c?hl=en
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TOPIC: The Problem Solved!
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/5e648857b78fdea0?hl=en
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== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jun 29 2010 5:33 pm
From: hchickpea@hotmail.com
On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:27:41 -0500, Dan Birchall
<nobody@imaginary-host.danbirchall.com> wrote:
>...and here I thought Bev was going to tell us she finally killfiled
>*@*.* :)
Me too.
== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jun 29 2010 8:47 pm
From: The Real Bev
On 06/29/10 17:33, hchickpea@hotmail.com wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:27:41 -0500, Dan Birchall
> <nobody@imaginary-host.danbirchall.com> wrote:
So how's the surfing now?
>>...and here I thought Bev was going to tell us she finally killfiled
>>*@*.* :)
Partially. *most@assholes.org, but not * of them. I'm a hopeful sort of
person :-)
> Me too.
Different problem. It's really sad what shitheads have done to usenet. It
just works SOOO much better than any of the web-based equivalents -- including
facebook, which is a piece of shit. I've chatted with 'friends' via usenet
since 1994; I'm pretty sure that never would have happened had the webcrap
been introduced first.
It's a sin to make it easier to babble than to communicate.
--
Cheers, Bev
===================================================================
"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can
only exist until a majority of voters discover that they can vote
themselves largess out of the public treasury."
-- Alexander Tytler (Unverified)
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TOPIC: What abt Costco Credit card from Amex?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/60e0f594791cfe05?hl=en
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== 1 of 4 ==
Date: Tues, Jun 29 2010 7:36 pm
From: me@privacy.net
SMS <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:
>The Amex does not require the more expensive Executive membership, but
>for many people the Executive membership is a better deal anyway. You
>have to spend $2500 a year at Costco to break even on the Executive
>versus the regular membership, though often there are other savings with
>the Executive membership that reduce that amount to zero.
Wonder what you have to spend to break even on the reg
membership?
== 2 of 4 ==
Date: Tues, Jun 29 2010 8:57 pm
From: The Real Bev
On 06/28/10 23:52, Fake ID wrote:
> In article<i0c36p$jpl$1@news.eternal-september.org>, The Real
> Bev<bashley101@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 06/28/10 19:08, me@privacy.net wrote:
>>
>>> I only have one credit card and pay it in full each month.
>>>
>>> I use it as a "checkbook" ... buy almost everything with it.
>>>
>>> I am also a Costco member and they have a cash back card thru Amex.
>>>
>>> I'm not a big fan of Amex for some reason... but Costco has been
>>> terrific for everything I have bought from them
Amex charges merchants more for using it. Back when Mr. Bean was showing off
his new Amex card there was no limit and everything had to be paid off each
month. There was also a fee.
>>> I'm tempted to switch to the Costco card... does anyone have one out
>>> there and can confirm no problems, etc?
>>
>> I've had one for several years. No problems, 3% back on gas (which is
>> generally the cheapest price around BEFORE the rebate), 2% on restaurants
>> and 1% on everything else, and they send you a check in March or April.
>> It may be a Costco-only check, but that's OK with me.
>
> According to the table on my statement it's 3% restaurants, 2% travel (?),
> and two tiers (3%& 1%) of gasoline.
Mine shows 3% on gasoline and restaurants, 2% on travel and 1% on everything
else. I suspect that the 1% is on gasoline not purchased at a Costco station.
> AFAIK, the Amex requires the Expensive Costo membership. But that also
No, I have the $50 membership. Everybody can have the free Amex card. Whether
the membership is expensive or not depends on what you buy there. The 52" TV
and king-size memfoam mattress by themselves have paid for my membership for
quite a few years in advance.
> means that Costco purchases "double-dip"--earning a rebate from both
> programs. (Except gas--I think the membership rebate is for in-store
> only.)
Yeah, but I buy enough at Costco to use it.
--
Cheers, Bev
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
When cryptography is outlawed, only outlaws will
qwertzuio asdfghjk pyxcvbnml -- M. O'Dorney
== 3 of 4 ==
Date: Tues, Jun 29 2010 9:00 pm
From: The Real Bev
On 06/29/10 09:05, me@privacy.net wrote:
> The Real Bev<bashley101@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>I've had one for several years. No problems, 3% back on gas (which is
>>generally the cheapest price around BEFORE the rebate), 2% on restaurants and
>>1% on everything else, and they send you a check in March or April. It may be
>>a Costco-only check, but that's OK with me.
>
> Thanks Bev
>
> Did you apply online? Or just apply at a store?
I think I just went over to the membership counter.
--
Cheers, Bev
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
When cryptography is outlawed, only outlaws will
qwertzuio asdfghjk pyxcvbnml -- M. O'Dorney
== 4 of 4 ==
Date: Tues, Jun 29 2010 9:07 pm
From: The Real Bev
On 06/29/10 09:37, SMS wrote:
> On 28/06/10 7:08 PM, me@privacy.net wrote:
>> I only have one credit card and pay it in full each month.
>>
>> I use it as a "checkbook" ... buy almost everything with it.
I've got lots -- whenever they offer me free money to apply, I take it.
>> I am also a Costco member and they have a cash back card thru Amex.
>>
>> I'm not a big fan of Amex for some reason... but Costco has been terrific
>> for everything I have bought from them
>>
>> I'm tempted to switch to the Costco card... does anyone have one out
>> there and can confirm no problems, etc?
>
> The only reason to get a Costco Amex is the 1% cash-back when you shop at
> Costco. For other stores, there are better cash-back deals from Visa or MC,
> though it's true that the cash-back programs and rewards programs have been
> worsened recently.
I hate the 5% on rotating-categories thing. The only things I buy consistently
with a credit card are gas and groceries -- I feel kind of odd offering a
credit card at yard sales :-) The other categories are pretty much useless
even if I remember what they are.
> I don't know how much longer the Charles Schwab Visa (which is no longer
> being offered) will continue paying a flat 2%, but I'm not optimistic.
>
> There actually is one other benefit to the Costco Amex and that's the 3%
> (regular card) or 4% (business card) rebate on gasoline (the 4% used to be
> 5% though).
The Best Buy card gives you a good deal on Best Buy stuff.
> The Amex does not require the more expensive Executive membership, but for
> many people the Executive membership is a better deal anyway.
You may be able to split the cost with a friend/employee; I don't know if the
f/e can get his/her own amex card with rebate, though. For a while they were
letting you split your regular membership with a friend at a different address
for no additional charge, but they don't do that any more.
> You have to spend $2500 a year at Costco to break even on the Executive
> versus the regular membership, though often there are other savings with
> the Executive membership that reduce that amount to zero.
--
Cheers, Bev
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
When cryptography is outlawed, only outlaws will
qwertzuio asdfghjk pyxcvbnml -- M. O'Dorney
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Who gets more respect on the road, a cyclist or a dog?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/fc7963ba670ec336?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 3 ==
Date: Tues, Jun 29 2010 7:44 pm
From: "His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of Tantra-
Hammock"
On Jun 29, 2:32 pm, Tony Dragon <tony.dra...@btinternet.com> wrote:
> His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of
>
>
>
> Tantra-Hammock wrote:
> > On Jun 29, 1:53 pm, Tony Dragon <tony.dra...@btinternet.com> wrote:
> >> His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of
>
> >> Tantra-Hammock wrote:
> >>> On Jun 29, 1:20 pm, webreader <websiterea...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> >>>> On Jun 29, 3:13 pm, "His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the
> >>>> Movement of Tantra-Hammock" <comandante.ban...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >>>>> This is not an exaggeration. Think of the respect dogs get, where few
> >>>>> drivers would push them around, and you will see how twisted and blind
> >>>>> the ATTITUDE toward cyclists is.
> >>>>> While this PERCEPTION is not changed, we will find ourselves fighting
> >>>>> one predator at a time, and believe me, there's little chance of
> >>>>> cyclist fighting back a bus.
> >>>>> Unless bazookas are allowed on bikes... ;)
> >>>>> On Jun 28, 5:56 pm, e_space <espace1...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>>> ya lose the key to your cage did ya? ;-^)
> >>>>> I tell you it's scary out there, so the key is not the issue.
> >>>>> Yesterday I saw a bus driver blast a cyclist and then cut him off to
> >>>>> the bus stop. The poor guy had to stand behind the muffler and swallow
> >>>>> all that filth. Dogs get more respect.
> >>>>> And now with the approval of the right to bear arms everywhere, it's
> >>>>> better to prepare your guns inside the cage. Get on your car and run
> >>>>> to the supermarket to get bananas for a week at least.
> >>>>> ----------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>> THE WISE TIBETAN MONKEY SAYS
> >>>>> "When the predators roam around you seek shelter in the branches and
> >>>>> hang a hammock"
> >>>>>http://webspawner.com/users/MASTURBATIONFORPEACE
> >>>>>http://webspawner.com/users/BANANAREVOLUTION
> >>>> You can train a dog ;-)
> >>> You can train a driver too!
> >>> Use the whip and the treat.
> >> Whoosh
>
> >> --
> >> Tony Dragon
>
> > "Hey you, beast" said the lady cop,
>
> > "Who me?" said the driver trembling in fear,
>
> > "Put your pants down!" added the lady cop...
>
> >http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2007/03/01/werewolf-woman-whip.jpg
>
> Godwin's law applies, you lose.
>
Whipping is a proven method well beyond the arsenal of the Nazis.
But let's say we give a treat to the driver and tell him, "Good boy,
good boy."
I mean, there got to be some kind of punishment/reward for drivers, or
else we get so many wild beasts.
== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Tues, Jun 29 2010 9:07 pm
From: Derek C
On Jun 30, 3:44 am, "His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the
Movement of Tantra-Hammock" <comandante.ban...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Jun 29, 2:32 pm, Tony Dragon <tony.dra...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of
>
> > Tantra-Hammock wrote:
> > > On Jun 29, 1:53 pm, Tony Dragon <tony.dra...@btinternet.com> wrote:
> > >> His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the Movement of
>
> > >> Tantra-Hammock wrote:
> > >>> On Jun 29, 1:20 pm, webreader <websiterea...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> > >>>> On Jun 29, 3:13 pm, "His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the
> > >>>> Movement of Tantra-Hammock" <comandante.ban...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > >>>>> This is not an exaggeration. Think of the respect dogs get, where few
> > >>>>> drivers would push them around, and you will see how twisted and blind
> > >>>>> the ATTITUDE toward cyclists is.
> > >>>>> While this PERCEPTION is not changed, we will find ourselves fighting
> > >>>>> one predator at a time, and believe me, there's little chance of
> > >>>>> cyclist fighting back a bus.
> > >>>>> Unless bazookas are allowed on bikes... ;)
> > >>>>> On Jun 28, 5:56 pm, e_space <espace1...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >>>>>> ya lose the key to your cage did ya? ;-^)
> > >>>>> I tell you it's scary out there, so the key is not the issue.
> > >>>>> Yesterday I saw a bus driver blast a cyclist and then cut him off to
> > >>>>> the bus stop. The poor guy had to stand behind the muffler and swallow
> > >>>>> all that filth. Dogs get more respect.
> > >>>>> And now with the approval of the right to bear arms everywhere, it's
> > >>>>> better to prepare your guns inside the cage. Get on your car and run
> > >>>>> to the supermarket to get bananas for a week at least.
> > >>>>> ----------------------------------------------------------
> > >>>>> THE WISE TIBETAN MONKEY SAYS
> > >>>>> "When the predators roam around you seek shelter in the branches and
> > >>>>> hang a hammock"
> > >>>>>http://webspawner.com/users/MASTURBATIONFORPEACE
> > >>>>>http://webspawner.com/users/BANANAREVOLUTION
> > >>>> You can train a dog ;-)
> > >>> You can train a driver too!
> > >>> Use the whip and the treat.
> > >> Whoosh
>
> > >> --
> > >> Tony Dragon
>
> > > "Hey you, beast" said the lady cop,
>
> > > "Who me?" said the driver trembling in fear,
>
> > > "Put your pants down!" added the lady cop...
>
> > >http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2007/03/01/werewolf-woman-whip.jpg
>
> > Godwin's law applies, you lose.
>
> Whipping is a proven method well beyond the arsenal of the Nazis.
>
> But let's say we give a treat to the driver and tell him, "Good boy,
> good boy."
>
> I mean, there got to be some kind of punishment/reward for drivers, or
> else we get so many wild beasts.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Can I have some chocolate treats if I avoid running over any cyclists
for a week?
== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Tues, Jun 29 2010 11:28 pm
From: Jim A
On 06/30/2010 03:44 AM, His Highness the TibetanMonkey, Creator of the
Movement of Tantra-Hammock wrote:
> Whipping is a proven method well beyond the arsenal of the Nazis.
>
> But let's say we give a treat to the driver and tell him, "Good boy,
> good boy."
>
> I mean, there got to be some kind of punishment/reward for drivers, or
> else we get so many wild beasts.
>
ISTR one of the police forces here in the UK briefly tried a scheme
where they stopped drivers for good driving and gave them a badge or
somesuch.
It was quite a few years ago and I haven't heard of them doing anything
similar since, so I guess it didn't go down too well!
--
www.slowbicyclemovement.org - enjoy the ride
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Stupid Scam
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/7446f01a2736910c?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jun 29 2010 7:52 pm
From: Vic Smith
My son has 4 tires/rims from his previous car (junked) in my garage.
After me getting on his case for almost 2 years to get them out of
there, he puts an ad in Craigs list to sell them.
Asking $650. He paid $900 for them. About 3k miles on the good
tires, but it's the alloy rims alone that cost him $900.
They're "special" rims. Don't ask me, I never got into that stuff.
He lives some miles away and gets over here once or twice a week, but
I talk to him almost every day.
All I know is he dealing with a responder to the ad via e-mail and the
guy tells him he will have a cartage company pick up the tires for
him.
About a week after this stuff starts I get in the mail a big mylar
overnighted USPS envelope with a USPS cardboard mailer inside,
and a check inside that.
The check is for $2771.00 from an a computer parts company in Georgia.
Full page with perforated tear-off check, watermarks, etc.
The real thing. I found the company's website. Legit.
The mail and check have my son's name, so I call him at work.
Something's fishy, because my son basically lives paycheck to
paycheck.
He has no idea about it, so calls the company. A guy there tells him
to tear the check up, as they closed the account after 4 or 5
fraudulently produced checks showed up a few weeks ago.
That's all they told him. I put the check in the packaging and saved
it for him, thinking he could frame it as his first fraudulent check.
I don't even have one of those.
About 4 days later my son calls and tells me to check the mail because
the guy buying the tires emailed my son and said he sent the check.
Okay.
Next day my son calls again and says the guy says the check should be
there. I checked the mailbox and got my mail, but nothing for him.
Then a little bell goes off, and I ask my son if the guy sent him a
tracking number. Yep. Same tracking number on the phony check
envelope.
Next day he's over at the house and shows me the last email the
"buyer" sent. It says to send via Western Union the check excess over
$650 to an address in Michigan, supposedly the cartage company,
whereupon they will make arrangements to pick up the tires the next
day or so.
Incredibly stupid scam as attempted.
Maybe workable if done right.
If the buyer had said to expect a check from his company and named it.
Could have even said he was the CEO.
Then there would be no confusion about the check, and no big reason to
suspect it.
And if the "excess" was a reasonable amount for a cartage charge.
Maybe 3 or 4 hundred max.
And if my son had that 3 or 4 hundred in his bank account.
Still doesn't smell right though.
Any time you should be taking cash for a sale and find yourself
sending somebody *your* cash something is wrong.
But he was eager to sell the tires, is honest himself, and might have
fallen for it if it was done right.
He's got the tires on Ebay now, so I'm still hoping they're out of my
garage soon.
The "buyer" is sending him "URGENT" e-mails complaining about the
cartage company waiting for their Western Union moneygram or whatever
it is. He doesn't respond to them.
The envelope with the fraudulent check was sent from a named person in
Nevada. I googled her name and she has something to do with 4H out
there, so might just be doing remailing as a sideline if she's not a
crook.
The "cartage company" address in Michigan is a real address.
We're just outside Chicago.
The "buyer" emails with a gmail account. Bad English.
My son printed the emails and I told him to take everything to the
Post Office fraud department, but he's only called them so far, so I
don't know where that's at.
My bet is it's a waste of time because they won't devote any resources
to it with all the scammers out there.
Anyway, that's all I know. Keep your antennae up.
--Vic
== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jun 29 2010 10:39 pm
From: "John Weiss"
Vic Smith wrote:
. . .
> About a week after this stuff starts I get in the mail a big mylar
> overnighted USPS envelope with a USPS cardboard mailer inside,
> and a check inside that.
> The check is for $2771.00 from an a computer parts company in Georgia.
> Full page with perforated tear-off check, watermarks, etc.
> The real thing. I found the company's website. Legit.
> The mail and check have my son's name, so I call him at work.
> Something's fishy, because my son basically lives paycheck to
> paycheck.
> He has no idea about it, so calls the company. A guy there tells him
> to tear the check up, as they closed the account after 4 or 5
> fraudulently produced checks showed up a few weeks ago.
. . .
> Next day he's over at the house and shows me the last email the
> "buyer" sent. It says to send via Western Union the check excess over
> $650 to an address in Michigan, supposedly the cartage company,
> whereupon they will make arrangements to pick up the tires the next
> day or so.
> Incredibly stupid scam as attempted.
> Maybe workable if done right.
It's just one of eleventy-seven variations on the same basic scam --
they send a bogus check and ask you to wire back the "overpayment."
They hope you send the [nonrefundable] wire before you find out the
check is bogus.
Craigslist is supposed to be LOCAL. If a real person doesn't show up
with REAL money, be VERY suspicious...
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