Bogleheads.org

After my Haiku experiment (see above), comparing ChatGPT, Bing and Bard, I decided to ask Bard which scientists published the first scientific study on "X" (Actually, I was the first author on this study, so I know it was me). Chat GPT and Bing repeatedly gave incorrect answers, even with increasingly specific prompts. Neither could remember my corrections.

I'm stunned and pleased to report that Bard got it right the first time! And gave the full journal citation information. I'm impressed.

A humble haiku, courtesy of ChatGPT: Frugal investors, Bogleheads united, wise, In wealth they will thrive. And now for the Bing Chatbox version : Bogleheads unite, Investing for the long term, Simple and effective. Was the prompt the same for both? Generally, the more we're learning about the chatbots, it's obvious that the prompts are key to understanding and judging responses. There are even behind-the-scenes "prompt engineers" aiming for the best bot replies: https://www.businessinsider.com/prompt-engineering-ai-chatgpt-jobs-explained-2023-3 Again, I wonder whether discussion of the chatbots should now identify the chatbot, GPT or GPT-4 (and whatever comes next), and the prompt. Yes, the prompt was identical: Write a haiku ab...

I have hired off duty officers a very few times to get one of my daughters somewhere when I was concerned about factors of attending an event. It varies by department, but often you just call the local Police Dept/Sherriff's office and ask to speak to who handles secondary employment. They will put you to probably a sergeant who coordinates with local businesses to use off duty officers for jobs. The officers work "secondary" on their own terms. I simply described that I needed a driver for my daughter to and from an event and that he/she could use my daughters car or theirs. The sergeant suggest a range of hourly pay that would get some interest in the assignment. I asked him to put the word out and within a few hours he called ...

A humble haiku, courtesy of ChatGPT: Frugal investors, Bogleheads united, wise, In wealth they will thrive. And now for the Bing Chatbox version : Bogleheads unite, Investing for the long term, Simple and effective. Was the prompt the same for both? Generally, the more we're learning about the chatbots, it's obvious that the prompts are key to understanding and judging responses. There are even behind-the-scenes "prompt engineers" aiming for the best bot replies: https://www.businessinsider.com/prompt-engineering-ai-chatgpt-jobs-explained-2023-3 Again, I wonder whether discussion of the chatbots should now identify the chatbot, GPT or GPT-4 (and whatever comes next), and the prompt. Yes, the prompt was identical: Write a haiku ab...

Cruise wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 10:57 am A humble haiku, courtesy of ChatGPT:

Frugal investors,
Bogleheads united, wise,
In wealth they will thrive.

And now for the Bing Chatbox version:

Bogleheads unite,
Investing for the long term,
Simple and effective.

For the urbanites Bogleheads among us, I’d appreciate your thoughts on when and under what circumstances and net worth levels it makes sense to use a personal security person and driver for routine shorter and longer day trips. ... Does one have to hire them with an annual salary or can it be ad hoc? I’ve never looked into this before so I don’t know what is customary. Is there a customary hourly rate range? Is there a recommended process (checking references etc) other than word of mouth? You might want to check with Gavin DeBecker's group if you want security: https://gdba.com/ Security of all types, including executive/personal protection, should be based on a threat assessment. The nature of the threat should drive the countermeasure(s...

nisiprius wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 5:06 pm ...it is really hard for me to understand where they could have possibly gotten the information.

Empasis on Artificial Intelligence.

WOMoney wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 10:28 pm If I spent some time, I could easily run chatgpt with the API and feed it the whole wiki. The chatbot would only use information from the wiki to answer questions.

Starting from scratch it wouldn't take long. But I would use this: https://github.com/openai/openai-cookbo ... /README.md

ChatGPT does not seem to learn from user feedback, even about its errors. It keeps on repeating the same errors after correction, so I doubt your programming efforts would be successful. Ask me how I know

Fallible wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 8:26 pm

Cruise wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:36 pm Just got an invitation to test Google’s Bard AI machine.

Are you being asked to help determine how Bard's quick, direct answers work with Google's search engine requiring scrolling for answers? At least that seems to be what I'm reading about Bard.

I have not started to the process. Will update when able to...

Just got an invitation to test Google’s Bard AI machine.

OP: It happens. Envy is a human trait. And if people's envy starts to interfere with their appreciation of you, "It is not about you." Your story is much like ours. We live in a modest house in a modest neighborhood. We drive 12-year-old or so cars. But we travel extensively and that can't be hidden from close friends and family. My wife's income was subject to a public employee searchable data base, and anyone who searched would be blown away. My own profession was a high paying one, and people knew I had a special niche. Sadly, some of my wife's family has become distant. But, there are a host of SES factors at play: Education, profession, wealth. I've seen one of my sibs very envious with another wealthier sib. It was a terribl...

We set up our trust and named successor trustees. We have our POAs named. What we felt was missing was a surveillance system as our POAs/ family are remote in distance and bonding (even though trustworthy). We decided that a CCRC was the best way of monitoring our needs, and that they would contact our family decision-makers and successor trustees when the situation called for it, and hopefully convince us of the wisdom go relinquish control before the situation was critical.

Have mother change name to intended common family name. Name child with same name. You change yours when time is right.

Barring divorce, that should keep things simple.

Spouse and I took 100% option because we wanted the survivor to be as comfortable as possible. We decided that there was simplicity and security in this decision which far outweighed the % difference we were missing out on. Good luck in your decision.

I posted before, but will add another tip: I not only use a rollaboard for carry-on, but my "personal item" is a backpack. I've been using a Tom Bihn ( https://www.tombihn.com/products/synik- ... 1838359741 is the one I got), as suggested on this board. The Tom Bihn backpack is wonderful. Very high quality, which allows me to stuff it full of clothes, toiletries, medications and electronics.

Audioarc wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 9:31 pm Yes. For the most expensive decision in my life I trust the advice of a professional.

Well said!

Check out Condé Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure magazines. Both periodically publish lists of recommended agents. Very high-end.

I just booked some international business class sears using miles/points. Based upon the seat $ cost, I redeemed at a bit over 4 cents per mile. Since my average credit card spend gives me 2 miles/points per dollar, I effectively redeemed at 8 cents per dollar. Not a bad rewards strategy for seats I would actually buy with mone.

Traveled a lot internationally for defense industry - realize how lucky you are to travel, remind yourself and embrace the suck - pack light and don’t check bags - have a backpack for laptop, etc not briefcase so you are mobile (can run) and don’t look like a traveling businessman or woman - have name tags on your luggage that are discreet - don’t tell the world what you do or who you are - bring backup phone battery - bring ear plugs - bring a deck of cards - carry a little amount of cash with small bills - make sure your passport doesn’t expire in next 30 days - have copy of passport on phone and paper backup in luggage - have few charge cards and let them know you are traveling - check before you go for countries threat status and wheth...

AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 8:22 pm Read The Gift of Fear by Lundy Bancroft. It’s about situational awareness.

Never heard of her. THE book "The Gift of Fear" was written by Gavin de Becker back in 1997. A classic.

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Edit--Saw RM beat me to it.

Kandinsky wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 8:04 pm

MrJones wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 7:57 pm When you're old, an extra 10% in your accounts won't make a difference. What you did in life, where you lived, the close relationships you had and such, will. My two cents.

This is so true it hurts. Thank you for the reminder as it is great wisdom. I know the decision is a personal one but like most things in life, I see the pros and cons to everything which leads me to a neutral position of doing nothing which is also not a good thing.

It is not possible to "do nothing." Doing nothing = staying.

But, OP, I feel your pain. All of our family has moved out of our no-tax state. Continuing to not pay tax is but one consideration for us with respect to where to domicile.

OP here. Appreciate all the data points.

A note about waitlists. When I recently spoke to the GM of the CCRC, he noted the long waitlist and questioned whether that was a good thing. I read this as a signal that future rate increases would cull the herd of those who are price-sensitive.

For those of you in a CCRC, what is your experience with the % annual increase in your monthly fees? I was just informed that a CCRC that I am looking at expects that they plan for 5% annual increases in operating costs. Just curious about the community's experience.

Thank you.

edmundspenser wrote: ↑Mon Mar 13, 2023 9:17 am Getting a PhD in psychology usually means incurring a lot of debt.

This could not be further from the truth. Ph.D. students in psychology are usually supported by tuition waivers, stipends, teaching assistantships, or research assistantships.

If you want to go into debt, get a Psy.D., not a Ph.D.

Total cost was about $1,200. Don’t regret that one bit. Half of that was for platinum wedding bands which have appreciated nicely.

From my observation of family and friends, there is a high correlation between wedding cost and future divorce. Rather than buy into the hype of the wedding-industrial complex, better to enjoy a simple and profound moment with those who really care about you.

I am writing to respond and to provide a little more info. Watts wrote: It was a different situation but I have done a corporate relocation where I flew into a city I did not know to meet with a real estate agent to buy a house in a weekend or two. I had a kid in school so I did not want him to change schools twice and the company would only pay the relocation costs for a limited time so renting a place for a while in the new city was not a real option. The house we bought worked out OK but I am sure that if we could have taken more time that we could have found a better house or have gotten a better deal. Yes, that is how we have purchased all our previous houses except the first, which is why I need advice now. We have always lived in fr...

Sorry to learn of your wife’s situation. She should really take some sick leave right now, and while on leave, consult an employment lawyer who specializes in representing employees.

I’m not an attorney, but I have consulted on many cases in which employees report hostile workplace behavior, report illegal activity, file worker’s compensation claims, and litigate through EEO. These courses of action may lead to compensation, sometimes considerable, but can take a toll. Talk to an attorney to find out which options are best pursued under your state’s laws.

Finally, based upon what you have stated, I can’t imagine she would qualify for disability. That is a high bar.

Good luck.

It has been awhile, but we really liked the location of the Hilton Amsterdam. Very suburban.

Just a recent and very positive experience with ChatGPT: A relative is tasked with making a speech about another relative and the other relative's spouse. The relative who contacted me dislikes the spouse and is fretting about making a socially appropriate speech. So I asked Chat GPT to "write a speech for Mary's wedding, expressing hope that she is happy in life and marriage with Jon." The output was deeply touching and sentimental, highly socially appropriate, and will ensure that the speech will not threatedn family harmony. Just incredible performance by ChatGPT. And fraudulent. None of the words or sentiments were authored by your relative, none reflected actual felt emotions, and when the speech is given it will create dece...

Just a recent and very positive experience with ChatGPT: A relative is tasked with making a speech about another relative and the other relative's spouse. The relative who contacted me dislikes the spouse and is fretting about making a socially appropriate speech. So I asked Chat GPT to "write a speech for Mary's wedding, expressing hope that she is happy in life and marriage with Jon." The output was deeply touching and sentimental, highly socially appropriate, and will ensure that the speech will not threatedn family harmony. Just incredible performance by ChatGPT.

I have a set of relatives that both commute to the City from Bloomfield. Just an FYI alternative

quantAndHold wrote: ↑Wed Mar 08, 2023 2:07 pm We’ve done all the islands, including Molokai and Lana’i at least once. I would pick one and go there. There is plenty to do on any of the major islands to fill a week.

Our favorite is Kauai because of the beauty of the north shore, but you might prefer the Poipu area because it’s more kid friendly. The big island doesn't have the beaches that the other islands do, but has Volcanoes National Park.

Actually, probably the best beach white sand beach in the entire island chain is on the Big Island, and that is what the Maunakea Hotel rests on. Of course, there are incredible black sand beaches on the eastern shore.

OP: Congratulations and thanks for circling back!

TomatoTomahto wrote: ↑Mon Mar 06, 2023 4:22 pm

Kenkat wrote: ↑Mon Mar 06, 2023 12:02 pm One thing different about NBA games is that they play music while the game is actually being played (i.e., not during breaks in the action like other sports). I think it adds to the relaxed, party atmosphere although I think there are some that don’t care for it. I think 10 year olds will have a great time at an NBA game overall, definitely worth doing. I’ve been to Pacers games in the past and had a blast.

One thing I couldn't stand about NHL games is the volume at which they play everything. I guess kids wouldn't think it's cool to wear ear plugs, but imo responsible parents will insist on it to protect their hearing.

We were shocked and pained at the sound level music blared during our recent NBA game. Sad.

You keep on referring to your partner as an “it,” yet you also say “she.” Might want to fix that if anonymity is your goal.

Otherwise, this is a relationship issue, not a financial issue. Good luck.

Can’t answer your questions about Indianapolis, but can share a story: I recently returned from my first NBA game in 50 years. Way back, my seats were near the rafters. This time, we were at center court, about 10 rows up from the floor. I looked up at those rafter seats with fond remembrance, and with great satisfaction that I’m FI and now can aford any seat I want.

Maybe set your kids up for this kind of experience ?

1972 Beetle
1981 Mazda RX-7
1989 Mazda RX7
1996 Volvo 850T
1998 Volvo Volvo C70 (spouse)
2010 Infiniti M37
2014 BMW 328i (spouse)

Notice anything missing?

(Hint: Country of Origin)

Hawaii. You were framing the question incorrectly! ( ) Not the continental US, but that is kind of the point!)

Before you ever speak to an audience, large or small; know who they are, and the purpose why you're speaking to them. Then know your message you want to convey to your audience. Now prepare, and I mean prepare your intent, your message, it's content. What do you want to really convey to your audience. Do your homework. Honestly--do your homework ahead of time. Do not take some lazy, lackadaisical preparation before purpose your speech and its intended delivery impact. Take your job it seriously. What do you want your audience to remember? Next, rehearse your talk, at least once, in front of a critical, objective bunch of listeners to refine the speech. If you believe you can deliver an impactful impromptu speech before a crowd, off the cuf...

And CPO stands for?

I took it at 62 after looking at break even age. I invested all the proceeds in a separate account until age 66, and have not touched them since (8 years total now). Wife, who is 2.5 years older than me was going to take at FRA (66), but the SS rep offered a deal that was too good to be true— half of my PIA until age 70. That was like free money, so a no brainer, and pushed the break even pout way down the road, perhaps to infinity.

Due to SS and pensions, we have been living a very unfrugal life and have not touched our savings. RMDs are reinvested.

We are happy with our decision, but recognize that others need to be more concerned with the longevity insurance.

leland wrote: ↑Mon Feb 27, 2023 11:35 pm

Cruise wrote: ↑Mon Feb 27, 2023 1:01 am Not sure where the confusion is. The explanation of benefit pamphlet explicitly says “ …the Cardholder charges all or a portion of the fare…”

The eclaimsline FAQ (https://www.eclaimsline.com/faq) has this language:

Cars: "A copy of your monthly billing statement, showing the last 4 digits of the Account number, demonstrating that the entire rental transaction was made on your eligible Account."

Flights: "A copy of the credit card statement that shows the charge for the Common Carrier fare"

Thanks for posting. The language re the car “entire rental” transaction appears contradictory.

While we have Fidelity CMA, most of our banking / bill paying/ direct deposit needs were met with a CU. However, when we created a trust, the CU informed us they would not retitle our account into the name of the trust. We are transitioning to a regional bank and plan to discontinue our relationship with the CU.

As an aside, until recently, for over 40 years I was a member of another CU which served a very specific local occupational niche. I decided to quit after they started charging a dormancy fee for an underutilized account. Being one of their longest-tenured living members, I was surprised that no one even asked why I wanted to close the account.

student wrote: ↑Mon Feb 27, 2023 8:49 am

Cruise wrote: ↑Mon Feb 27, 2023 8:06 am Just a note that the 1% international transaction fee is not reimbursed regardless of status with Fidelity. It is network fee built into the exchange rate used by the processor. No way around it, but it is a much less onerous fee than other exchange services.

In the footnote, they use the word "may" so they are giving themselves flexibility. Based on my experience and reading (if memory serves), there is no fee on top of VISA/MC exchange rate for ATM withdrawal but there is one for purchasing.

I always thought there was no fee too, but have been convinced that there is one, and Fidelity can’t do anything about it (or won’t).

Just a note that the 1% international transaction fee is not reimbursed regardless of status with Fidelity. It is network fee built into the exchange rate used by the processor. No way around it, but it is a much less onerous fee than other exchange services.

I am very curious about pickleball and will eventually try it at our local Y. There are quite a few players there. Some of them are like me; a previous (50 yrs) racquetball die hard. I have osteoarthritis in knees and need to find a competitive sport. On Monday, I had GreenLight procedure done on prostate; healing up now. Once the doc gives me the okie-doke to return to full activity, it’s game on. I’m curious about it, as well. I’m a former competitive volleyball player (indoor, outdoor sand and grass), and I’ve been sidelined for several years due to an osteo issue in one of my feet - according to my podiatrist, my ‘brake shoe’ has worn down from all the years of jumping. Given that my vertical leap is more like 12” than 36” these days, ...

leland wrote: ↑Sun Feb 26, 2023 10:14 pm Thanks, will call, the claims site is the same for all the travel insurance so wasn't entirely sure the best order of operations if easier as a single claim. Given call volumes to anything travel related around now was hoping to avoid some hold music

I did just notice that the FAQ now is less specific and doesn't seem to allow just paying taxes / fees on chase to get coverage for rewards tickets. I recall that used to be ok when last I had to check. Should be interesting.

Not sure where the confusion is. The explanation of benefit pamphlet explicitly says “ …the Cardholder charges all or a portion of the fare…”

We don't share anything, but based upon our education, credentials, and employment/business, vacations, everyone knows that we are well-off. Various family members handle this differently: My sister is very comfortable and I know she doesn't touch her 401K because her husband supports her. When I used to visit her, she was much more insistent on picking up the meal tabs, and refusing my offers to do so. More recently, it is almost like she expects me to pick up everything. I am attributing this to her aging brain, rather than a calculus. My inlaws are lower-middle class. My sister-in-law clearly envies our status and feels wronged in life. We are pretty estranged from her because of this. Several decades ago, we lent her $5000 and she never...

TL,DR:

We have a niece who is brilliant and was a high achiever in a private middle school and could have attended their HS. She got a full scholarship to go to a private high school that is not known for its academic programs. She ended up getting mixed up with the wrong crowd. While she did go to college, she soon quit. We are fully convinced that her whole life changed due to being immersed with the wrong crowd.

Good luck in your choice, OP.

Make sure he always chooses to be charged in local currency. Many ATMs, esp. in heavily touristed areas, will dispense local currency but give you the option to be charged in USD. You will always get ripped off on the exchange rate doing so - to the tune of almost 10%. Emphasis on this, taking out cash from an ATM in local currency is the best way to exchange funds but you need to select the correct option or you will get a much worse rate. Select local currency and your bank will handle the exchange. This is not only an issue with ATMs, but also with credit cards. Google “Dynamic Currency Conversion,” which I know is attempted with Chase transactions, but not with Amex credit cards. The recommendation re Fidelity debit card is good. I kee...