Search found 3370 matches

by telemark
Thu Mar 14, 2024 12:17 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Retired early and need to sell some taxable.. Average cost
Replies: 10
Views: 1592

Re: Retired early and need to sell some taxable.. Average cost

Another thing to consider before choosing Spec ID: how good are your records? Vanguard didn't start tracking individual lots until, I think, about 2013: before that you needed to track them yourself. And if you automatically reinvested dividends that can create a lot of small lots.

And congrats on the early retirement!
by telemark
Sun Feb 25, 2024 3:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare MSA plans
Replies: 21
Views: 2117

Re: Medicare MSA plans

Just found this thread today, searching for much the same reasons as the O.P. The Lasso site now says
Lasso Healthcare Insurance Company has made the difficult decision to discontinue Lasso Growth MSA and Lasso Growth Plus MSA at the end of the year. Coverage of medical services will continue as usual through 12/31/2023.

I really liked my HSA-eligible Bronze ACA plan -- no copays, no fee for some very expensive medication, and the HSA contributions helped to keep my AGI where I wanted it. Guess that's not a thing to hope for after you hit Medicare.
by telemark
Tue Feb 20, 2024 6:23 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Thoughts on buying cheap, used, "intermediate" range EV?
Replies: 168
Views: 13579

Re: Thoughts on buying cheap, used, "intermediate" range EV?

hunoraut wrote: Tue Feb 20, 2024 4:29 am And fueled cars get stranded on empty too, as baffling to me as that seems. Some drivers you just cant help.
I've heard, second-hand, that people living on marginal incomes will balance buying gas against buying groceries, paying the rent, etc. Probably not many here on Bogleheads.

The only time I came close was driving through southern Utah, when I decided on impulse that it would be fun to try the ferry across Lake Powell. Only it was the Thanksgiving weekend so the ferry wasn't running, and the few gas stations I could find were mostly closed. Obviously not the best of planning on my part.
by telemark
Fri Feb 16, 2024 9:06 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What email address is "okay/acceptable" to use then?
Replies: 168
Views: 18031

Re: What email address is "okay/acceptable" to use then?

I noticed someone using a panix email address the other day. Very cool indeed, marks you as one of the O.G. internet users.

See also Fritz Leiber's The Last Letter.
Krumbine nodded, but he was a trifle shocked and inclined to revise his estimate of Potshelter's social status. Krumbine conducted his own social correspondence solely by telepathy. He shared with three other SBI officials a private telepath -- a charming albino girl named Agnes.
by telemark
Tue Feb 13, 2024 10:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does testing out FreeTaxUSA make sense?
Replies: 14
Views: 2583

Re: Does testing out FreeTaxUSA make sense?

You can go through the process, not submit a return or pay a fee, and look at watermarked PDFs of the generated tax returns. And you can sign out at any time and pick it up again later. I usually start early in January, so I can have an idea of how much my final estimated tax payment should be. The tax documents aren't available by then but I can make a good guess from available statements. Then I update as the 1099s and such roll in.
by telemark
Tue Feb 13, 2024 7:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Hybrid Car - Cost Savings?
Replies: 68
Views: 6938

Re: Hybrid Car - Cost Savings?

If you are stuck in a large traffic jam-up, e.g. an accident slowdown, you will remain cool (or warm) without burning gas. Just set the thermostat... the car can stay cool while you are in the grocery store. Without burning gas. I'm confused by this. It's not like free energy. The battery can certainly power the climate control while the engine isn't running, but the battery charge in most hybrids ultimately comes only from burning gas. Does yours also have solar panels on the roof? I think I remember that being a feature at one time, for the purpose of keeping the car cool when parked in the sun. My 2015 Prius has a solar roof. It doesn't run the air conditioner, but it will operate the fan as needed to pull air in from the outside so you...
by telemark
Sat Feb 10, 2024 2:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Keep current funds vs. switch to total market funds in Roth IRA
Replies: 9
Views: 985

Re: Keep current funds vs. switch to total market funds in Roth IRA

As a general rule, if you can't explain what a fund is and why it's in your portfolio, other than "my advisor said so", it probably shouldn't be there. Because eventually it will lose money, for whatever reason, and if you can't answer those questions you won't know whether to keep it or why.
by telemark
Thu Feb 01, 2024 7:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
Replies: 11037
Views: 2066393

Re: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?

vnatale wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:38 pm
Dan999 wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 11:39 am Watched Barbie.
Turned it off after 15 minutes.
Am I the only one who both watched it in entirety and was entertained by it from start to finish? I knew no details of it prior to watching it. That is the way I prefer it whenever I watch anything. Knowing nothing about what I am about to see. Only the bare minimum to intrigue me to watch it.
I enjoyed it from beginning to end. They had me at Kubrick.

Would make an interesting double feature with Pinocchio.
by telemark
Wed Jan 31, 2024 9:47 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [On-going Scams - Post them here]
Replies: 1372
Views: 165366

Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Got a cold call on my cell phone from "Jason at CMS", where CMS turns out to be a government entity, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Does CMS make cold calls? I think I know the answer here, but can't locate any official statements one way or the other.

P.S. "Jason" hung up on me while I was googling CMS, even though I politely asked him to be patient.
by telemark
Fri Jan 26, 2024 11:53 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How Will AI Change Investing?
Replies: 111
Views: 11006

Re: How Will AI Change Investing?

arcticpineapplecorp. wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2024 8:33 pm
telemark wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2024 12:55 pm To the extent that AI will be able to scan corporate press releases or other public news and act on them, I expect markets will become even more efficient. I also expect that from time to time AI analysts will make mistakes in entertaining but unpredictable ways. In neither case anything that I as an individual investor would be able to exploit.

And a possible new joke: what do you call an AI with a prediction?
dunno, so i asked Chat GPT and it spit out:
Q: what do you call an AI with a prediction?
ChatGPT: "A foresee-bot!"
I was going for "wrong". Repurposing an old joke about economists.
by telemark
Fri Jan 26, 2024 4:56 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: I Bonds Mega Thread (I Bond Heads Rejoice!)
Replies: 6651
Views: 1202492

Re: 2024 IBond Buy? When? April?

Cocoa Beach Bum wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2024 12:57 pm This brief TIPSwatch article from earlier this month may be of use:
I Bond buying guide for 2024: Be patient
A reason not to wait is that an I Bond you buy in January 2024 will become redeemable in January 2025, and redeemable without penalty in January 2029. If you wait until April it will be that much longer before you can access the money again.

On the rollover strategy
You will owe federal income taxes on the interest earned, and if your withdrawal is more than $10,000 (because of earned interest) you'll only be able to buy $10,000 in new I Bonds in April.
But of course you don't have to redeem all of the old I Bond. You can redeem $10,000, use that to buy a new one, and leave the rest of the money in the old bond.
by telemark
Fri Jan 26, 2024 12:55 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How Will AI Change Investing?
Replies: 111
Views: 11006

Re: How Will AI Change Investing?

To the extent that AI will be able to scan corporate press releases or other public news and act on them, I expect markets will become even more efficient. I also expect that from time to time AI analysts will make mistakes in entertaining but unpredictable ways. In neither case anything that I as an individual investor would be able to exploit.

And a possible new joke: what do you call an AI with a prediction?
by telemark
Sun Jan 21, 2024 11:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: flicker-free A19 LED bulbs
Replies: 11
Views: 1311

Re: flicker-free A19 LED bulbs

Second Round wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2024 6:49 am Of late I bought some 40W equivalents at Ikea very inexpensively. They're obviously not very bright, but provide the desired amount of light (remember, we have no dimmers) over our kitchen table and dining room table, and maybe a couple other locations. So far I've been happy, so next time I'm near one I may stock up on their brighter LED bulbs for other locations.
Ikea is my current favorite brand for LED bulbs, because they use (slightly) less power. Haven't tried them with dimmers, though.
by telemark
Sun Jan 21, 2024 11:44 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: flicker-free A19 LED bulbs
Replies: 11
Views: 1311

Re: flicker-free A19 LED bulbs

A simple test is to try the bulbs in a fixture not on a dimmer, and see if the flicker goes away. If it does, you need to look for bulbs that are compatible with your dimmer, or a dimmer that works with LED bulbs.
by telemark
Sat Jan 20, 2024 9:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tesla in Cold Weather
Replies: 197
Views: 17899

Re: Tesla in Cold Weather

82% of the respondents to the survey had accesd to private, off-street parking; 48% with access to an outlet and 34% without. Presumably, the 34% without could add electrical with varying degrees of difficulty. I don't really see how I could add electrical on my landlord's property. I also don't think this would be possible in a condo on the association's property -- one would have to convince the association to issue a big assessment, then get the electric company to add lots of new capacity to the breaker boxes, then get any necessary building permit, and then construct. Only in an SFH where you own the land can you easily add electrical to your parking -- and many SFH's these days have HOA's who might have a say. Sounds like your "...
by telemark
Thu Jan 11, 2024 4:26 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When to take your RMD when you don't need your RMD
Replies: 72
Views: 11856

Re: When to take your RMD when you don't need your RMD

The original poster's reasoning is completely correct, in the specific situation where the money is not needed and will be immediately reinvested. Leaving the money in for as long as possible (baking in the oven) only means that any dividends or growth will eventually be taxed as ordinary income. Better to take it out in January, immediately reinvest, and get the exact same growth only taxable as qualified dividends or long term capital gains, at a much lower rate.
by telemark
Thu Jan 11, 2024 11:33 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tesla - ARgh [Frustrated with tech support]
Replies: 60
Views: 10334

Re: Tesla - ARgh [Frustrated with tech support]

And now Hertz is selling off one third of its EV fleet, mostly Teslas. Apparently drivers who are not used to how quickly an EV can accelerate get into accidents more often, and the repair costs are higher than for more traditional vehicles.

On the actionable side, if you're looking for a used Tesla this might be a good opportunity.
by telemark
Sun Dec 24, 2023 1:21 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Men's travel pants recommendation.
Replies: 76
Views: 8915

Re: Men's travel pants recommendation.

climber2020 wrote: Sat Dec 23, 2023 3:06 pm Ive tried lots of different travel pants over the years and havent yet found a single one to my liking. A clothing company would make a killing if they could produce something that looks like jeans but dries a little faster and doesnt have a dozen goofy looking pockets all over the legs.
Prana Brion pants are similar to the Zions but with traditional five pocket styling, no extra pockets, zippers, or doodads. As noted above, Prana is overpriced, but you can sometimes find them on sale.
by telemark
Sat Dec 23, 2023 10:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
Replies: 11037
Views: 2066393

Re: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?

Zone 414 on Netflix. Futuristic noir set in a robotic theme park open only to the extremely rich. Which nevertheless looks like an really crappy abandoned Irish slum, because that's what really rich people like best? Some decent performances but I can't really recommend it.
by telemark
Wed Dec 20, 2023 6:21 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Holy FUNGUS GNAT flies
Replies: 46
Views: 5614

Re: Holy FUNGUS GNAT flies

I've had good luck applying the mosquito dunks to indoor plants. Strips and sprays that target the gnats are only a temporary remedy: by the time you kill the gnats, they have probably already mated and laid eggs for a new generation of larvae. The bacteria in the dunks attack them at the larval stage before this can happen.
by telemark
Sun Dec 17, 2023 2:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
Replies: 11037
Views: 2066393

Re: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?

The Three Musketeers Part 1 (2023), with Eva Green as Milady, dubbed into English and rented on Vudu. I missed this last spring when it came out. This adaptation is darker and raunchier than most, and probably closer to the spirit of the original book. Part 2 is due out later this month.

"A fine leg is a fine leg"
by telemark
Sun Dec 17, 2023 11:35 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: 2024 Stock Returns Already Happened
Replies: 27
Views: 4491

Re: 2024 Stock Returns Already Happened

In Goldman's very partial defense, I wouldn't have predicted last week either.
by telemark
Fri Dec 15, 2023 4:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I roll over $6.5K from 401K to IRA to avoid $5.25 monthly fees?
Replies: 10
Views: 2604

Re: Should I roll over $6.5K from 401K to IRA to avoid $5.25 monthly fees?

BogleMelon wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2023 3:32 pm
telemark wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2023 3:29 pm Ankles still unscarred.
English is my second language, does that mean you paid (or didn't pay) any additional fees to Fidelity?
Sorry, I meant I haven't paid any additional fees, or experienced any other forms of ankle-nipping. I'm happy with Fidelity.
by telemark
Fri Dec 15, 2023 3:29 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I roll over $6.5K from 401K to IRA to avoid $5.25 monthly fees?
Replies: 10
Views: 2604

Re: Should I roll over $6.5K from 401K to IRA to avoid $5.25 monthly fees?

I've had a rollover IRA and a Roth IRA at Fidelity since 2018. Ankles still unscarred.
by telemark
Fri Dec 15, 2023 2:09 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Now that rates are coming down
Replies: 38
Views: 8210

Re: Now that rates are coming down

BND is for simplicity. If you prefer a more complicated strategy you can probably make a case for it. But don't lose sight of total return: as rates drop NAV will increase proportionally.
by telemark
Fri Dec 15, 2023 2:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I roll over $6.5K from 401K to IRA to avoid $5.25 monthly fees?
Replies: 10
Views: 2604

Re: Should I roll over $6.5K from 401K to IRA to avoid $5.25 monthly fees?

I would do it if only for the simplicity. No point in maintaining a separate account that small. If you want to be clever about it, after converting the 401K money to cash, count it as part of your bond allocation and exchange that amount (weighted according to your allocation) for stock in your IRA. And yes, I know, bonds are having a moment just now, so still not a perfect plan.

P.S. Now that I think that over, just exchange the amount of the stock that was converted to cash.
by telemark
Wed Dec 13, 2023 3:32 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Can vanguard force transition to brokerage platform?
Replies: 207
Views: 30867

Re: Vanguard mutual fund account conversion

What about account owners who don't sign the brokerage agreement? Presumably it's illegal to fake a person's agreement. I don't think Vanguard would do that. So what will they do to nudge/force people to agree to VBS? 1) increase the quarterly account/fund fee even higher than it is now. 2) for people with mutual funds-only accounts, reduce or make difficult online access to account and trading abilities (no sarcasm please about Vanguard doing that already :)) 3) transfer responsibility for servicing mutual fund-only accounts to a third party. 4) "nuclear" option: liquidate the funds and send the proceeds to the investor. Okay, I'm making this one up. 5) ??? Just a guess on my part but I don't think they will actually force anyon...
by telemark
Sun Dec 10, 2023 5:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: used car recommendations
Replies: 25
Views: 4112

Re: used car recommendations

firebirdparts wrote: Sun Dec 10, 2023 2:05 pm
telemark wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2023 3:12 pm Good news for the moment, but the prices could just as easily rise again, if not tomorrow then at some point in one's ownership of the vehicle.
The word "easily" has no place in that sentence.
By easily I meant that I see no reason why prices should not rise, and I still don't: it is the nature of commodity prices to fluctuate, especially over a period of years. Do you have information that palladium and rhodium prices are headed permanently downward?
by telemark
Sat Dec 09, 2023 3:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: used car recommendations
Replies: 25
Views: 4112

Re: used car recommendations

The real boom in cat theft occurred after 2018 when rhodium spiked 2200% and palladium 400%. Thefts increased by a factor of 10 between 2018 and 2022. Those high metal prices have receded quite a bit in 2023 and likewise the number of cat thefts has declined by about 50%. As usual, its all about the markets, even among thieves. Good news for the moment, but the prices could just as easily rise again, if not tomorrow then at some point in one's ownership of the vehicle. There are a few things you can do to reduce the risk. Where I live, Jiffy Lube will offers a free service to engrave the VIN on the converter and then paint a stripe on it. How useful this may be is debatable, but it was free so I had it done anyway. Then I bought a third pa...
by telemark
Fri Dec 08, 2023 10:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [Exercises for physical balance]
Replies: 43
Views: 5835

Re: [Exercises for physical balance]

My favorite balance exercise is one I learned a long time ago. You stand on one leg and practice making little circles with the other leg, in both directions. Out to the front, to the side, behind, then switch legs. I do this as a warmup most mornings while my oatmeal is cooking. You can start by resting a hand on a nearby wall or counter and work your way up. Best done barefoot or perhaps in stocking feet, you want to improve your proprioreception.
by telemark
Fri Dec 08, 2023 10:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: used car recommendations
Replies: 25
Views: 4112

Re: used car recommendations

I'll second the recommendation for the Car Care Nut. He runs a garage that specializes in Toyotas and so is in a position to see what problems people run into. I wouldn't worry much about the battery in a Prius, except for one thing: there's a fan that pulls air in from the cabin and blows it across the battery to cool it. If the previous owner had a dog there's a good chance that both the fan and the associated ducts are full of dog hair. The intake is on the passenger side of the rear seat; you can shine a flashlight into that and see immediately if there's a problem. Toyota eventually added a filter on the intake, but the earlier models don't always have them, and pet hair can get into the most surprising places. Cleaning it out isn't di...
by telemark
Sun Dec 03, 2023 5:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 2024 Honda Civic or Corolla hybrid?
Replies: 84
Views: 9347

Re: 2024 Honda Civic or Corolla hybrid?

CloseEnough wrote: Sat Dec 02, 2023 5:52 pm
telemark wrote: Fri Dec 01, 2023 10:38 am
I recently bought a Prius (same drive train as the Corolla hybrid), and after driving it a little got curious about how the transmission works. Not a problem now: the Prius is not a powerful car, but the engine is always free to rev up when you need it.
Did you buy a used Prius? I am guessing so, because if you bought new 2023 Prius I don't think you would be saying it is not a powerful car.
Yes, a 2015 Prius Four. More than enough power for me, but it won't be winning any drag races. I understand the 2023 models are considerably different.
by telemark
Sat Dec 02, 2023 12:50 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Private equity being prioritized by ultra wealthy, but is that the right allocation for a couple w a net worth of 1.5m?
Replies: 35
Views: 6270

Re: Private equity being prioritized by ultra wealthy, but is that the right allocation for a couple w a net worth of 1.

I wonder if the implied causation might not be in the other direction: these are the people who are targets for the people who peddle private equity.
by telemark
Fri Dec 01, 2023 10:38 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 2024 Honda Civic or Corolla hybrid?
Replies: 84
Views: 9347

Re: 2024 Honda Civic or Corolla hybrid?

A bit more on eCVTs: I recently bought a Prius (same drive train as the Corolla hybrid), and after driving it a little got curious about how the transmission works. My initial reaction was disbelief. It can't be that simple, this can't possibly work, there must be a clutch somewhere. How, if the engine is connected to the wheels at all times, can the engine run when the car isn't moving? How can the car move when the engine isn't running? How can it ever move backwards? There must be a clutch somewhere. But there isn't. (Actually there is, but it's just a torque limiter to protect the engine, and is never used in normal operation. Maybe if you ran it into a curb or something). The key seems to be that while one of the motor/generators (MG2)...
by telemark
Fri Dec 01, 2023 10:07 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Going from an HSA-eligible ACA plan to Medicare and the six-month Medicare lookback
Replies: 5
Views: 620

Re: Going from an HSA-eligible ACA plan to Medicare and the six-month Medicare lookback

Thank you to everyone for all the replies, that was very helpful. Incidentally, in my location, filtering on HSA-compatible plans reduces the number of plans from 87 down to 4, and my preferred clinic only accepts one of those, so that cuts down the cognitive burden considerably :)

I will eventually need to decide between traditional Medicare and MA, but there is already a long, good thread on that.
by telemark
Wed Nov 29, 2023 3:54 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Going from an HSA-eligible ACA plan to Medicare and the six-month Medicare lookback
Replies: 5
Views: 620

Going from an HSA-eligible ACA plan to Medicare and the six-month Medicare lookback

I'm single, retired, have an HSA at Fidelity and have been on an HSA-eligible ACA plan for several years. In August of 2024 I will turn 65 and switch to some form of Medicare. Going from what I read in the wiki and elsewhere on the web, I think that in January I can contribute 7/12s of the 2024 annual limit without running afoul of any regulations (I might even be able to space those out, but I prefer to front-load the HSA anyway). Do I have this right? If not, I might be better off with a different ACA plan without an HSA.
by telemark
Wed Nov 29, 2023 7:59 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: I Bonds Mega Thread (I Bond Heads Rejoice!)
Replies: 6651
Views: 1202492

Re: I Bonds Mega Thread (I Bond Heads Rejoice!)

Hector wrote: Tue Nov 28, 2023 1:41 pm
Bulgogi Head wrote: Tue Nov 28, 2023 12:52 pm I have two sets of iBonds purchased on 5/1/2021 and 1/1/2022. I plan to sell one of the sets in early December. Both are 0% fixed and I think both would lose the same 3 month penalty. Is there any rule of thumb on which to sell? Any pros and cons either way?
Selling newer one means less gain and less income tax for this year.
And the older one is seven months closer to being past the 5-year mark, so another reason to sell the newer one.
by telemark
Wed Nov 29, 2023 6:18 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 2024 Honda CRV Hybrid mileage
Replies: 73
Views: 15683

Re: 2024 Honda CRV Hybrid mileage

vnatale wrote: Tue Nov 28, 2023 8:04 pm Tangentially related.

I've owned four Honda Accords in a row and it's only me who has driven them and has driven them all basically the same. The miles per gallon for each were / are:

1984 - 33

1986 - 30

1995 - 27

2004 - 24

Notice the trend? What happened to the improvements in gas mileage due to superior technology?
The 1984 Honda Accord had a 97 HP engine and a curb weight of 2293 lbs. A 2004 Accord had a 155 HP engine and a curb weight of 3144 lbs. Or possibly 190 HP and 3422 lbs, depending on which model you had. The improvements in technology are outweighed by making bigger, heavier cars with bigger engines.
by telemark
Mon Nov 27, 2023 7:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: My Hondas wont die...they just keep running
Replies: 130
Views: 15781

Re: My Hondas wont die...they just keep running

bg5 wrote: Mon Nov 27, 2023 9:10 am [Topic is now in Personal Consumer Issues - car buying question. mod mkc]

Does anyone else drive cars that are this old?
Yes, many Bogleheads. See this long-running thread:

Flaunt Your High-Mileage Car
by telemark
Fri Nov 24, 2023 10:36 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Problems remoting to a Windows Machine from Linux using Remmina
Replies: 7
Views: 751

Re: Problems remoting to a Windows Machine from Linux using Remmina

If it were a network problem I would expect a different error message, something about not being able to open a connection. Error messages should always be greeted with skepticism, but this one suggests that the network is fine but that Windows is rejecting the connection for some reason.

Has anything changed recently on either side? Updates to Windows, or to the client software?
by telemark
Thu Nov 23, 2023 11:31 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dualit Classic Kettle - anyone used this?
Replies: 34
Views: 3157

Re: Dualit Classic Kettle - anyone used this?

When my stove bites the dust, I will definitely go with an induction model. But the current one works fine and I can't justify replacing it just to get fast hot water. I did consider buying an one-burner induction hob, but my kitchen is too small to accommodate even a one-burner model one gracefully. I have a portable Duxtop induction cooktop that draws 1800 watts. In the spirit of scientific inquiry, I measured 2 cups into a saucepan and used a stopwatch to measure how fast it boiled. Somewhere between 2 minutes 45 seconds and 3 minutes, depending on how fast a rolling boil you want. Note that a real induction stove is usually connected to 220 volts and can dump a lot more power into its burners. I love using the Duxtop for boiling eggs a...
by telemark
Mon Nov 20, 2023 9:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dualit Classic Kettle - anyone used this?
Replies: 34
Views: 3157

Re: Dualit Classic Kettle - anyone used this?

This is interesting. The Dualit web site shows the kettle with a 3kW heating element, but the U.S. Amazon site shows it with a 1.5 kW element. I vaguely remember hearing that electric kettles typically draw more power in the U.K., but don't remember the details. Maybe 220 volts vs. 110? Anyway, you may or may not get that very fast boiling, depending on where you buy/use it. Edit to add: found it UK and EU line voltage is 230V compared to 120V in the U.S. This limits U.S. appliances to 1,500 or 1,800 watts while UK and EU kettles are 3,000 watts. They heat twice as fast, making electric kettles in the U.S. pretty useless and requiring a kettle on a stove top (a 240V device) to get equivalent performance. As mentioned, a heating element buil...
by telemark
Mon Nov 20, 2023 11:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Electric SUVs in the pipeline
Replies: 119
Views: 11626

Re: Electric SUVs in the pipeline

Toyota are really banking on people continuing to buy hybrids and plug-in hybrids PHEVs are the best of both worlds, and probably the best choice for many. Charge in your garage for an all-electric commute every day. If you take a road trip there is no range anxiety, just fill up with gas when you need and keep going. It is also the worst of both worlds. You are still stuck with the maintenance of an ICE. More ICE and EV components that can break. Fewer ICE components, actually, and EV components aren't known for breaking. You are still stuck with needing regular oil and coolant changes, but you also get regenerative braking. The battery capacity is a fraction of a true EV. The range is further reduced by the weight of the ICE engine/motor...
by telemark
Sun Nov 19, 2023 3:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Long Can an Average Car Battery Power 30 Watts (12v DC)?
Replies: 36
Views: 4738

Re: How Long Can an Average Car Battery Power 30 Watts (12v DC)?

Depending on how much you're willing to spend, you could also consider a portable power station. Easier to carry, faster recharging, and shouldn't mind the cold. For example


https://www.amazon.com/EF-ECOFLOW-Porta ... B0B8MXPRDB
by telemark
Sun Nov 19, 2023 2:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Electric SUVs in the pipeline
Replies: 119
Views: 11626

Re: Electric SUVs in the pipeline

Hybrids have a track record of being extremely reliable. Some of this is because (almost) all Toyotas are very reliable, and some is because they are mechanically simpler than traditional ICE vehicles. The transmission in Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive is just a planetary gear and some reduction gearing, no clutch or bands or belts to wear out. There's no starter or alternator, and things like air conditioning and coolant pumps all run off electric motors (so that they can operate with the engine off), thus no belts. For all-wheel drive they just stick some electric motors in back.

That said, every model year of every car will have its own specific issues, so do your research.
by telemark
Sun Nov 19, 2023 1:50 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What are the merits of market cap weighting for bond funds?
Replies: 27
Views: 3266

Re: What are the merits of market cap weighting for bond funds?

AGG excludes TIPS apparently for historical reasons: TIPS were first offered in 1997 while AGG dates back to 1979.

For alternative indexes, David Swensen recommends combining a TIPS index with a Treasuries index in his Yale portfolio (although this is a slice and dice approach and thus anathema to some Bogleheads). It's been a while since I read his book, but as I recall the reasons are lack of credit risk and a lower correlation to stocks.

Correcting myself: the present form of AGG dates from 1986, when mortgage-backed securities were added.
by telemark
Fri Nov 17, 2023 11:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
Replies: 11037
Views: 2066393

Re: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?

What Happened to Monday (2017) on Netflix. As usual I am very late to the party on this one. Amazing performance by Noomi Rapace playing identical septuplets. The story, alas, is okay but not great. Would make a good double feature with Soylent Green.
by telemark
Fri Nov 17, 2023 11:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: No Internet when plugged into Spectrum Modem
Replies: 16
Views: 3047

Re: No Internet when plugged into Spectrum Modem

Your router does more than just wifi, it provides services like DNS lookup and DHCP that you won't get connecting directly to the modem. Perhaps someone can correct me, but I wouldn't expect internet to work without a router except perhaps in very special cases. Does your Asus router have an ethernet jack you can use?

If I had to guess, it would be that the limit is not the router itself but the wifi connection.
by telemark
Wed Nov 15, 2023 6:57 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Rechargeable 9v batteries (usb-C)?
Replies: 11
Views: 1520

Re: Rechargeable 9v batteries (usb-C)?

dukeblue219 wrote: Wed Nov 15, 2023 6:25 am https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boost_converter

It's actually possible with a lot less circuitry than you might think. Mostly you're just switching current quickly and using an inductor as a temporary storage element to boost the voltage. There's some animations further down the Wikipedia page.
Interesting, thanks. Or perhaps the cells are at a lower voltage and they boost it to 9V. That might be a problem for the OP, since a preamp probably needs very clean DC power.
by telemark
Wed Nov 15, 2023 6:19 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Rechargeable 9v batteries (usb-C)?
Replies: 11
Views: 1520

Re: Rechargeable 9v batteries (usb-C)?

I have no experience with these, but given the cost of regular alkaline batteries I'd say you don't have much to lose. NiMH batteries in that size (e.g., Tenergy) only go to 8.4 volts, but the lithium ones apparently give you a true 9 volts: whether this matters depends on the device. For the USB-chargeable ones, I find it mildly amusing that a 9V battery can charge from a 5V source, but there's evidently a lot of power management going on inside that little case.

For reference, Energizer claims about 600 mAh of capacity for their Energizer MAX cells, but they measure discharging to 4.8 volts, something no one would do in practice.