Saturday, October 8, 2011

misc.consumers.frugal-living - 14 new messages in 8 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:

* Apple vs. Samsung War - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/4764efd61ae513fe?hl=en
* Today's yard-wale find - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/9877f704217e8cdd?hl=en
* Forget about BOA and Citibank, Now Costco is Raising Membership Fees by 10%.
- 6 messages, 5 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/ebc3ae08ffa63592?hl=en
* hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii u
will get earn more money - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/cf260f5f7e3963d7?hl=en
* Zen and the art of slow cycling - 2 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/5b2b7b091cee24ed?hl=en
* "GASP" in Austrailia = Douchebags 'R Us - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/96d6defa882d80f7?hl=en
* As mentioned Spohr Stella "personal - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/236703e93eb78696?hl=en
* Free Marijuana from the Government! ? - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/cc9c8784d2c8e820?hl=en

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Apple vs. Samsung War
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/4764efd61ae513fe?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Oct 6 2011 8:36 pm
From: 08/10/11


In article <9f6rrtFqmgU1@mid.individual.net>,
"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:

> Just Visiting wrote
> > Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
> >> Just Visiting wrote
>
> >>> Watch out! This is going to be worse than the Blu-ray battle.
>
> >> I doubt it. I doubt Apple can sustain their initial win anywhere much that
> >> matters.
>
> > Int'l Business Times: The patent war between Samsung and
> > Apple escalated on Wednesday...Yes, it has gotten worse.
>
> Thats not a WIN, that just a lawsuit.
>
> > I guess this is one battle that Steve didn't have to fight.
>
> And I doubt Apple will WIN in any jurisdiction that matters much.

you DOUBT? where's that rod speed arrogance that KNOWS?

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Today's yard-wale find
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/9877f704217e8cdd?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 12:40 am
From: "Nick Naim"

"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:9f3p45FjnU1@mid.individual.net...
>h wrote
>> Mac Cool <Mac@2cool.com> wrote
>>> The Real Bev
>
>>>> Aside: Windows 7 is a piece of shit.
>
> You are a piece of shit.
>
>>> I felt that way for a short while when forced to use it at work but
>>> switched over the household computer to Win7 after I was used to it.
>>> I really is a big improvement.
>
>> Not so much.
>
> Wrong.
>
>> I removed it from both of my machines and re-installed XP.
>
> More fool you.
>
>> Win 7 is NOT an improvement over anything.
True No need to upgrade from XP
>
> Wrong, as always.
>

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Forget about BOA and Citibank, Now Costco is Raising Membership Fees by
10%.
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/ebc3ae08ffa63592?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 6 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 5:48 am
From: "Bill"


"SMS" wrote in message
> Costco has announced that the basic membership is going from $50 to
> $55 per year, and the executive membership is going from $100 to
> $110 per year. You can live without BOA or Citibank, but there's no
> alternative to Costco in many places.
>

I've seen HIGHER prices there than elsewhere! Also at their gas
station. Why should I pay a yearly fee to pay higher prices?

== 2 of 6 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 8:34 am
From: "Bob F"


Mrs Irish Mike wrote:
> On Oct 5, 1:49 pm, SMS <scharf.ste...@geemail.com> wrote:
>> Costco has announced that the basic membership is going from $50 to
>> $55 per year, and the executive membership is going from $100 to
>> $110 per year. You can live without BOA or Citibank, but there's no
>> alternative to Costco in many places.
>
> I know what you mean. Today I went to buy sausage and the price has
> sky-rocketed to $3.50 a pound. That's a 50 cents increase!

Fortunately, inflation is near zero, so we don't have anything to worry about.


== 3 of 6 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 9:19 am
From: SMS


On 10/7/2011 5:48 AM, Bill wrote:
> "SMS" wrote in message
>> Costco has announced that the basic membership is going from $50 to
>> $55 per year, and the executive membership is going from $100 to $110
>> per year. You can live without BOA or Citibank, but there's no
>> alternative to Costco in many places.
>>
>
> I've seen HIGHER prices there than elsewhere! Also at their gas station.
> Why should I pay a yearly fee to pay higher prices?

Occasionally you can find a sale price at another store on items that is
less than Costco. However every study on supermarket prices by
non-profit consumer groups shows a significant savings at Costco and
Sam's Club versus a traditional supermarket, typically 25-35% savings
depending on which stores the warehouse clubs are being compared against.

I like what Consumer Checkbook does in their comparisons where they do
two comparisons. One is for any size package at the warehouse store, and
one is comparing where the warehouse package is no more than twice as
large as the supermarket package. The savings are slightly less with the
smaller packages, but still in the 20-30% range.

Of course besides groceries, the big savings at Costco are on
non-grocery items. The savings on one set of tires more than pays for a
yearly membership, especially when you take into account that Costco
does not charge extra for road hazard warranty, they do not charge extra
for valve stems, they do not charge extra for nitrogen inflation, and
their mounting and balancing charge is lower than most tire stores.

On TVs and computers they include the second year of warranty at no
extra charge, something you'd pay a lot for at a regular store, plus
their prices on these items are usually the lowest.

The other big savings at Costco, at least in my area, is on gasoline.
You might find an Arco station with the same price, but the Arco station
doesn't take credit cards, and with a Costco Amex you get 3% or 4% back
on gasoline.

In short, for most people, the cost of the Costco membership is far
outweighed by the enormous yearly savings on items they'd be buying anyway.


== 4 of 6 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 1:44 pm
From: Derald

SMS <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:

>In short, for most people, the cost of the Costco membership is far
>outweighed by the enormous yearly savings on items they'd be buying anyway.
I have no experience with Costco and a comparison between the two may be
"apples to oranges" but if it is at all like Sam's Club then what you say may be
true but only for people who place no value on the qualitative differences among
products and who are willing to accept severely limited choices. It seems to me
that folks who value qualitative differences and selection, particularly among
foods, do not shop at such places.
--
Derald


== 5 of 6 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 4:30 pm
From: SMS


On 10/7/2011 1:44 PM, Derald wrote:
>
> SMS<scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:
>
>> In short, for most people, the cost of the Costco membership is far
>> outweighed by the enormous yearly savings on items they'd be buying anyway.
> I have no experience with Costco and a comparison between the two may be
> "apples to oranges" but if it is at all like Sam's Club then what you say may be
> true but only for people who place no value on the qualitative differences among
> products and who are willing to accept severely limited choices. It seems to me
> that folks who value qualitative differences and selection, particularly among
> foods, do not shop at such places.

I can't speak for Sam's Club as we don't have them in my area, but
Costco consistently stocks top-quality products. Often they'll have two
products in a category, a high-end name brand and their own Kirkland
brand which is of significantly lower quality but also costs much less.
I.e. we buy a lot of Greek Yogurt. Costco stocks the Fage brand at about
35% less than what other stores charge, and they have their own Kirkland
brand which is about 40% less than the name brand but isn't as good.

Amazingly, Costco even beats some of the Asian markets on stuff like
Tofu, though the package size is about 5x what you can buy at the Asian
market.

Where Costco doesn't do to well is on produce, compared to Asian markets
(compared to regular American supermarkets they are far cheaper).

Meat is especially good at Costco (all USDA Choice or Prime) whereas
most of our regular grocery stores are selling ungraded meat which is
probably "Standard" or "Commercial" grade meat.

Sometimes Costco will drop the name brand product and only carry the
Kirkland product. This is usually disappointing as most of the Kirkland
products are of mediocre quality.


== 6 of 6 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 8:36 pm
From: "Malcom \"Mal\" Reynolds"


In article <4e8f8b88$0$1680$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net>,
SMS <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:

> Sometimes Costco will drop the name brand product and only carry the
> Kirkland product. This is usually disappointing as most of the Kirkland
> products are of mediocre quality.

I'd have to disagree with this. At worst, Kirkland products are just rebadged
from other manufacturers (ie, their paper products are probably from kleenex)
but quite a number are manufactured to their specs which are higher than
industry/govt requirements...plus they actively inspect their products
(Kirkland) food chain

==============================================================================
TOPIC:
hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii u
will get earn more money
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/cf260f5f7e3963d7?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 5:56 am
From: saranya saran


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==============================================================================
TOPIC: Zen and the art of slow cycling
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/5b2b7b091cee24ed?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 6:02 am
From: "His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher"


(I guess this redeems the wisdom of old people who ride trikes!)

"A good traveler has no fixed plans
and is not intent upon arriving." ~Lao Tzu

CONTEMPLATIVE VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fETZq1LVvDc&feature=player_embedded

***

May I add that beach cruisers and recumbents give you the deeper edge.
Recumbent bikes are particularly laid back and more supportive if you
choose the trike. It's the ultimate trip. It's like you are suspended
in a hammock. There may be other paths out there (?) but nothing
matches this outside of Tantra.

If you got fears of losing your sexual power, a recumbent is
particularly advisable. Beach cruisers are OK though as I have the
privilege to say. Those who prefer a yang style of riding can head to
the Tibetan mountains with their mountain bikes. Exciting!

The great question now is: TWO WHEELS OR THREE WHEELS?

I just got to warn you that drivers may become violent when they see
you laid back yet active. You are too smart and frugal for them. It's
OK. You know violence is no good unless you got overwhelming power and
arguments are pointless.* They are trying to drag you down into a
confrontation in which they can win. Do what they won't expect. Give
them a banana! Otherwise leave the roads behind and forget about
worldly affairs. You are not part of the rat race!

* You may want to explain to them that in the wild monkeys are very
violent too. You may want to add that the whole point of civilization
is to coexist. The banana has this effect without long winding
arguments. Don't let the ANIMAL INSTINCTS take over.

You may read now more about the Zen art of slow bicycling:

http://veloweb.ca/2011/10/03/zen-and-the-art-of-slow-cycling/

------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://webspawner.com/users/BANANAREVOLUTION


== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 6:30 am
From: "His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher"


NIRVANA IS LIKE A GATED COMMUNITY

But this is not the top Nirvana. This is best described as the "second
floor" Nirvana...

"The second heaven realm, which is a lower one, is where things are
almost perfect. I call this the Donald Trump heaven. It could be
better, if only you owned one more building or house. You see, there
is still some desire associated with this heaven realm, and so it
can't ever be perfect."

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma/heaven.html

***

But this is the experience we can have in the human realm, which seems
to be particularly fun when we act our animal instincts other than
violence...

"The next realm is the human realm, where all of us find ourselves in
this lifetime. This is the best place for us to be, because this is
the only place we can become enlightened. We cannot become enlightened
in heaven, things are too nice, and we have no reason to strive. We
cannot become enlightened in hell, because things are so bad, all we
do is suffer.

In this human rebirth, we have enough happiness and joy to keep us
from taking our own lives, and we experience anxiety and fear to keep
us striving. We cannot relax too long in any one mental state as a
human, because all things are in a constant state of flux.

The next lower realm, is the animal realm. The animal realm is marked
by wanting to have sex, wanting to have food, wanting to have sleep,
and being totally confused. Those are the four characteristics found
in the animal realm. So you can see, we are not likely to become
enlightened as an animal."

***

Am I confused? Yes, as much as you are. I guess we live in floor #3
but crave to be in floor #4. For a monkey is easy to say, "Nirvana is
a banana!"

Deep, very deep.


==============================================================================
TOPIC: "GASP" in Austrailia = Douchebags 'R Us
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/96d6defa882d80f7?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 10:32 am
From: ultimauw@NOSPAMlive@.com (zeez JosephineJoseph rules)


Just....wow

http://consumerist.com/2011/10/australian-store-replies-to-complaint-by-being-like-suck-it-we-dont-care.html

We're Sorry You Ever Came To Our Store & Wasted Our Precious Time
By MB Quirk on October 1, 2011 1:00 PM

Believe us when we say, we have read some pretty nasty replies to
customer complaints. But this latest example of a manager responding
to a shopper's unsatisfactory experience, at a store called GASP in
Australia, wins the Consumerist "You Are Deluded And Soulless" award.

The Herald Sun brings us the story of shopper Keara, who went shopping
last week to find bridesmaid dresses for her wedding and another
outfit for her bachelorette party.

At GASP, Keara says a retail associate named "Chris" was nice at first
but then went all Mean Girls on her when he realized she wouldn't be
making a purchase, making fun of her size 12 body and yelling, "Have
fun shopping at Supre [a local chain]... I knew you were a joke the
minute you walked in."

Mean, unwarranted, and just not something you do. To top it all off,
Keara also works in the retail industry and says she'd never do
something like that. A normal human wouldn't, or at least not expect
to get away with it.

But instead of the store apologizing or even being halfway decent when
Keara sent in a complaint, a GASP area manager took the whole thing to
a new level of despicableness. The manager claimed that their store
aims to appeal "to a very fashion forward consumer" and that the sales
assistant who treated Keara so terrible was a "retail superstar" who's
"only problem is that he is too good at what he does."

Read the manager response in full below, but know that you'll likely
be spitting with rage by the end.
"

Response by GASP area manager:


Having now had the privilege of having both version of events, I am
now in a position to respond to your complaint.

From the very outset, one thing that you should be mindful of is; Our
product offerings are very, very carefully selected, so to ensure that
we do not appeal to a broad customer base. This is something which is
always at the forefront of our minds when undertaking buying duties.

The reason for this is to ensure that we only carry products which
appeal to a very fashion forward consumer. This by default means that
the customer whom is acclimatised to buying from "clothing for the
masses" type retailers, is almost frightened by our range, sometimes
we have found that this type of customer, almost finds our dresses
funny, and on occasion noted comments such as 'it looks like a dead
flamingo'. When we receive comments like this, we like to give
ourselves and our buyers, a big pat on the back, because we know we
are doing our job right, and modus operandi is being upheld.

Our range is worn by A list celebrities to the likes of Kim
Kardashian, Selena Gomez and Katy Perry to name only a few. Now, as
one might appreciate, the style counsel for these types of celebrities
are not ones to pick "run of the mill" type clothing, and they do so
on the basis to ensure that the styles are cutting edge, and only worn
by a select few. Similarly these items are priced such that they
remain inaccessible to the undesirable.

Insofar as our employee goes; Similar to our product offerings, our
employees are selected with a similar approach. Chris whom served you
is a qualified stylist whom has a sixth sense for fashion, and Chris's
only problem is that he is too good at what he does, and as I am sure
you are aware, people whom are talented, generally do not tolerate
having their time wasted, which is the reason you were provoked to
leave the store.

Whilst I concede that you work for chain retailer, unfortunately that
does not make us like for like. It is probably fair to assume, a lot
of what I have said in this email, either doesn't make sense to you,
or you totally disagree with it all, which is what I would expect
(unless of course I have you totally wrong - which I doubt).

Let me guess, you would never, ever hire Chris in the course of your
duty, would you? This is the very reason, why your comment "from one
retailer to another" is so disproportionate, it's almost as though we
are in a totally different industries. Chris is a retail superstar,
who possess unparalleled ability, and I am sorry you feel upset by
him, but he knew you were not going to buy anything before you even
left your house.

So if you would like to do us any favours, please do not waste our
retail staff's time, because as you have already seen, they will not
tolerate it. I am sure there are plenty of shops that appease your
taste, so I respectfully ask that you side step our store during
future window shopping expeditions.

Thank you for your enquiry.
"


We're about as sure Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry and Selena Gomez will
shop or ever shopped at GASP as we're sure they appreciate their names
being used to bash an innocent shopper.


--
## _________________________________________________
###### l l
######## l Do not assume, it makes an ass out of U and me l
######## l________________________________________________l
########## started usenet reader at: 10:29:15.72a _Fri_10-07-2011
# Remove the obvious from my address to e-mail me. sig2.txt

==============================================================================
TOPIC: As mentioned Spohr Stella "personal
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/236703e93eb78696?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 7:41 pm
From: jersey-2009

As mentioned Spohr Stella "personal heroism", the Heat have too many
singles personal attack. Spohr Stella arrangements in the final stage
there are some mistakes defensively, but offensively he has been
carefully decorated http://www.cheap-nbabasketballshoes.com/and
tactics, he always kept in touch against the players ears, a tree, his
body movements, to attract players attention, tell them how to perform
offensive tactics. http://www.cheap-nbabasketballshoes.com/

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Free Marijuana from the Government! ?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/cc9c8784d2c8e820?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 7 2011 7:50 pm
From: eBud


In the irony of ironies, the University of Mississippi has been growing
marijuana for the federal government's little-known medical marijuana
program, the Compassionate Investigational New Drug program, for
decades. Each month, the federal authorities send four patients a tin
canister filled with about 300 pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes. Free!

more?

http://www.mpp.org/states/mississippi/

and;
The U.S. Constitution MANDATES that any powers not SPECIFICALLY
designated to the federal level are STATES' RIGHTS issues. Hemp and its
flower cannabis should be regulated by STATES to undo the conflicting
laws that merely 3 corrupt men, out to line their pockets, created in
the 1930's.
visit the "Petitions" site of the White House;
ttps://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/confirm-cannabis-regulati
on-states-rights-issue-constitution-b-franks-hr-2306-should-be-passed/TVV

JpWHm
--
Karma, What a concept!


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