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Having experienced the entire spectrum of musical lessons, competitions, etc. from a parent's prospective, I will say that the piano is a great introduction to music. However, it doesn't work too well with school band, orchestra, and other ensembles. Most pianists play another instrument as well. Fo...

First of all, sorry to hear about your problems because past houses have had septic. Never again when we bought new. We have learned a lot though and I will pass on my knowledge. Pump your tank every 2 years on a schedule. Do not wait until you have a problem. Maintenance is key. You do not want to ...

I use TIDE HE liquid detergent for my front loader. I have tried cheaper products but found they were not up to the job on tough stains. Even Costco's Kirkland brand would not remove stains as well as liquid Tide. So I finished the large jug and went back to Originial Tide. I use LESS than the manuf...

Have used Hunter Douglas in the past and IMO there was nothing superior about them other than the price. This past time we used "Budget Blinds" and they measured and installed too. We were very pleased with the selection as well as the workmanship. It is a franchise so that may depend on t...

With all of the concern regarding coatings on the new cookware, we decided to stay the course with our old (but still good) Revere ware. It is stainless with the copper bottoms and still works very well. Yes, you do have to clean the copper, but I believe they now have copper core interiors inside t...

Congratulations on your weight loss. Clothing sizes are very inconsistent from brand to brand (and even within the same brand.) I have purchased two of the exact same item only to find out that they do not fit the same because of different cutting or sewing techniques. For instance, the pants are no...

I am asking any CPAs out there if they can provide some information regarding the CPA exam. I have been helping a young family member with this and understand the requirements and the prometrics testing facilities. This is what is unclear: How do you decide what state to apply to take the CPA exam f...

I believe that the security of personal information is compromised in brick and mortar just as easily. For example, look at all the personal information that is contained in health records. Most doctors, dentist, labs, and insurance companies have social security numbers, birth dates, etc. An incred...

Don't listen to hot tips from your social circle as Robert did in "Downton Abbey." He did repent though when he visited "Shrimpie" in Scotland and Shrimpie admitted that he had to sell his fabulous estate because he did not modernize as Robert had done. Robert modernized under th...

Firewood42 - I can understand your frustration. Turn off the live tiles to stop them from loading. Install the old "start" menu by utilizing a free download at download.com. As I mentioned before, the shortcuts of Windows Key + C = Charms, Windows Key + D = Desktop, and Windows Key + X = P...

OAG - Thanks. Yes, I meant to type Windows Key and got sidetracked. I fixed it with an edit.

I still prefer Windows 7, but with the shortcuts and free "start" menu it is bearable. I also turned OFF the live tiles which I found annoying.

Windows 8 uses "tiles" instead of icons. You can download free programs to bring back the "start" menu of windows 7 or you can use toggle keys: Windows Key + D = Desktop Windows Key + X = Programs Windows Key + C = Charms (new word meaning icons on the far right side of screen wh...

When in San Diego you could visit the Midway. Also, San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (outside of San Diego). Both the zoo and the safari park are very nice.
+1 Muir Woods

So Heinz will become a private company with this deal? Who will benefit the most? According to the news, the stockholders are being paid approximately 20% over yesterday's close.

If you play with Lego, go to http://www.lego.com for message board, INSTRUCTIONS for assembling their products, and replacement of missing pieces. Advanced play is being done by adults as well as children and the site sometimes showcases the projects. Yes, the minifigs are very important and very co...

We watched Magic School Bus and really enjoyed them. Have you seen "Liberty's Kids" - history based stories around the American Revolution?

Amazon sells HDMI cables that are very inexpensive and they work very well. I would suggest that you purchase a cable that is slightly longer than you think you will need because I found that having the longer cable allows better placement of laptop and more possibilities. Wireless mouse also helps ...

Thanks for the heads-up. Indeed, while doing a review today TT says that because of education credits no processing until March. No rush to finish now.

I just encountered a serious bug in Turbo Tax and was frustrated until I resolved the problem. When you enter interest and dividends into Turbo Tax (which goes into Schedule B), DO NOT enter any fields that are zero. Just leave the zero fields as blank fields and only enter the numbers. This will el...

Yes, if your child lives off campus you may use the same amount as it would cost to live on campus in a dorm. If your child is living at home, I do not believe you can use the 529 fund. If he or she is renting near campus you should be able to use the 529 fund for an equivalent amount similar to a d...

Have you looked at the selection of Behr paints for trim at Home Depot? I used a custom white color which they matched to the Pella windows nearby. Looks very nice and blends with the surrounding windows and woodwork. You could choose a color from the chips or have it custom made - no extra charge.

American Opportunity Credit can only be used for the first 4 years of college (undergraduate) vs. graduate use. Second, if using a 529 account to pay for expenses, you cannot double-dip. CREDIT is calculated as 100% of first $2000 you pay = $2000 and 25% of next $2000 paid = $500, so a total maximum...

Congratulations on the offer of a promotion. Back when I was in grad school I was confronted with travel and missing classes. Check to see if there are several sections of the same course. I managed to show up for one, but not always the same one. My biggest difficulty was with the prof, not work. I...

Getting online access is the best choice, BUT if you can't find the paper online here is another idea.
Hire a TA or other student to do the work and pay them for their time. There are usually many undergraduate and graduate students in your field that are looking for jobs during the semester.

I just received a letter from TIAA direct that states that no ACH transfers will be processed in excess of $5000 on a daily basis. New rules for ATM withdrawals also. I called and spoke with a representative and inquired regarding the difference between "push" and "pull" ACH tran...

Congratulations on building your dream house. We have built in the country and in the suburbs. If you build in a development, you may have to use one of the "approved" builders as opposed to building in the country. In the suburbs you have the advantage of city water and city sewer (defini...

I concur regarding the downhill path of Lands' End. In the past I had purchased many bedding items and the quality was excellent. After the company was acquired by Sears, the quality of the products deteriorated. The prices are still as high, but the quality is much lower.

The Costco natural peanut butter was good, BUT they recalled it although no one got salmonella from it. Apparently it was manufactured in the same facility. According to Dr. Oz (see current Time magazine cover), even regular peanut butter is not bad for you because it is monosaturated and has the go...

Start looking for another position immediately and hope that you aren't demoted, downsized, or fired before you get one. Maybe my read on the situation is off, but management obviously knows about the situation at work and does not want to deal with it. From a prior experience at a workplace I would...

Recent travel in Europe and did not see any place that took traveler's checks. Most people used their ATM card to access local currency and used their credit card solely for larger purchases. Even at local restaurants most tourists seem to use local currency instead of credit card, but I did see cre...

I have been to Jamaica and the cab driver took us into town and stayed with us while we went into a shop. He told us not to go anywhere else but with him. Also went on a bus excursion to the Falls with a tour group and that was safe. We were told not to walk on the beach at night and when we approac...

Did you have any problems at all in Austria? How did that compare to your stay in Italy in the sense of security and safety?

Tecnu Outdoor skin cleanser by Tec Labs http://www.1800itching.com No, don't work for the company or have stock. This stuff works the best and I have been through lots of poison ivy. I was looking for something in the pharmacy years ago and another customer was buying several bottles. I gave it a tr...

Yes, you definitely need a paper stating that you can make medical decisions while the child is in your care. You will need this to go to a physician or ER for treatment. And with kids - you never know. Get the names and numbers of doctors, dentist, orthodontist (if applicable) as well as list of me...

When I purchased TI graphing calculator there were 2 options. One without software or interface to computer and the other which had it. At the time, either was OK for the class, BUT in the future the graphing calculator was needed. So if you are planning to purchase one, get the one that works with ...

I have Trex in Saddle Brown color. Very nice and have only power washed it once in 5 years. After having wood decks, this is a pleasure. No sealing, sanding, etc. There are other brands that are similar to Trex in other colors. Take a look at Big Box stores.

Does your current employer know your plans? What if someone sees the change on Linkedin? If everyone is aware of your plans then you could put the suggested transitional work.

+1 for white PVC pipe after Survey. You could pay for survey pins on just that side of your property, a lot less than a fence.

I have used 4inkjets.com for a number of years and been very satisfied with quality and service. I use their version of HP cartridges with NO problems in my HP officejet. On one occasion the cartridge did not work and they replaced it for free and paid the return shipping. See if your printer takes ...

You said it was between Corian & Cambria. We have had BOTH!!!! Corian was great, no wear if you do NOT cut on it. It does stain, but they can be removed. Even deep scratches can be buffed away and we had to do that after the cabinet installers scratched it in the bathroom. The Corian guys repair...

Thank you for the very comprehensive and well organized list. I have used truecar to purchase a car and was satisfied with the deal.
Are there any sites in particular that fellow Bogleheads have used and would recommend?

Save the money from not buying clothes, furniture and save for COLLEGE. It's not going to get any less expensive.
Also, you don't need dozens of plastic toys that fall apart. Be selective and remember they like to play with pots and pans anyways.

Definitely negotiable. There are caveats. If several similar condos for sale the agents may prefer to show the ones with the higher commission. This depends on the agents. Some don't care, they just want the sale. We have sold doing FSBO and an agent approached us saying he had a potential buyer. We...

The pool pump noise from neighbors can be very annoying. In our past home, the next door neighbor had a pool pump that ran day and night. We tried various fences to no avail. Then another neighbor installed a pool and ran their pool pump. We never heard the pump until they installed a fence to shiel...

Have you considered central vacuum? Some homes are not too difficult to retrofit. No lugging the canister up and down the stairs. Dirt goes to the canister in another room (basement, garage, utility.) You can even buy the unit online and have a trusted handyman install it. My preference is Nutone si...

I actually own a CD of tv music themes. Without looking at it, I remember it has "Miami Vice" "Dallas" "Dynasty" "Thornbirds".

Before you get too concerned, I was contacted several times by Vanguard and they asked a security question. I REFUSED and offered to return the call using the Vanguard numbers that I have. I called and sure enough, the same person with the same voice. So, what did they want? One time they were just ...

Great posting. Look at the photo and what concerns me is the glass perched on the arm of the upholstered chair. How many hours would you have to work to clean the chair, pillow and rug? I believe this exercise is especially informative for teenagers and young workers who are just starting out and ne...

Drive the route DURING the weekday rush hour from place you want to live to work and back. When living in that area it took more than 45 minutes to go 9 miles on Route 1 at rush hour. That was years ago, so probably worse now. Taxes are a consideration, but the amount of time driving and the frustra...

I would be hesitant to use up my good standing with the references unless it was the real deal. If people start contacting your references all the time, the references may not be so glad to hear from someone. My belief is they only need the references when the offer is serious - similar to drug test...