Search found 180 matches

by birnhamwood
Sun Sep 20, 2020 6:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Starkey Livio Edge Hearing Aids $6,800
Replies: 5
Views: 750

Re: Starkey Livio Edge Hearing Aids $6,800

Yes, the Neosonic MX is also available from Amazon @ $550.
by birnhamwood
Sun Sep 20, 2020 1:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Starkey Livio Edge Hearing Aids $6,800
Replies: 5
Views: 750

Re: Starkey Livio Edge Hearing Aids $6,800

I too have been a satisfied Starkey wearer for ten years. My two aids cost $5000 on purchase and they never needed replacing until I lost the left aid about a month ago (probably taking off a face mask).

I checked out replacing just the left aid, but Starkey said no I'd have to buy left and right.

Finally, I bought the highly rated Neosonic MX for 1/10 the price of new Starkeys. The sound is better than my Starkeys were and, being rechargeable, I don't have to fool with batteries.

No middleman audiologist and 60 day trial period and return for full refund if they don't satisfy.

If I lose one, I'll just buy another pair.
by birnhamwood
Wed Sep 16, 2020 7:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: With interest rates near zero whats advice on CD ?
Replies: 10
Views: 1759

Re: With interest rates near zero whats advice on CD ?

"With interest rate near zero for next few years, what are suggestions for moving out of CDs."

This is precisely the time to be in guaranteed CDs, IMO.

I'm staying in CDs for the forseeable future.

Sleeping well.
by birnhamwood
Wed Sep 09, 2020 8:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Saving on flight schools!
Replies: 20
Views: 2556

Re: Saving on flight schools!

Just read the general aviation publications, get the PPL and Instruments, then if you want to go further, read Trade-a-Plane, find yourself an affordable low-time plane and go from there. You can get a decent plane for less than a new car.
by birnhamwood
Wed Sep 09, 2020 8:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Dog Bite Case (for real - and I own the dog)
Replies: 56
Views: 10908

Re: Dog Bite Case (for real - and I own the dog)

Legendary Texas lawyer Richard "Racehorse" Haynes describing how he defends somebody whom everybody knows is guilty:

"Say you sue me because you say my dog bit you. Well, this is my defense: My dog doesn't bite. And second, in the alternative, my dog was tied up that night. And third, I don't believe you really got bit. And fourth, I don't own a dog." :^)
by birnhamwood
Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:36 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7650
Views: 1723411

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

" I'm in the middle of The Painted Veil, by W. Somerset Maugham." ' Twas the dog that died!

A good one!

I'm re-reading Maugham's Razor Edge and Human Bondage. Also, his Summing Up.
by birnhamwood
Thu Aug 27, 2020 2:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7650
Views: 1723411

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

I also recommend Mary Trump's book.
by birnhamwood
Mon Aug 24, 2020 6:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Thoughts on Tennessee
Replies: 116
Views: 16187

Re: Thoughts on Tennessee

Gatlinburg would be nice, IMO.
by birnhamwood
Sun Aug 23, 2020 11:44 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: A Plea for Ordinary English
Replies: 128
Views: 12376

Re: A Plea for Ordinary English

Everything I ever needed to know about writing, I learned in the Army -- KEEP IT SIMPLE, STOOOPID.
by birnhamwood
Thu Aug 20, 2020 8:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7650
Views: 1723411

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

“SCALIA: A Court of One,” by Bruce Allen Murphy MEMO FROM: Chief Justice William Rehnquist TO: Justice Antonin Scalia SUBJECT: Justice Sandra Day O’Connor “Nino, you’re pissing off Sandra again. Stop it!” Ah, but Nino could no more stop pissing off his colleagues than he could stop his prodigious consumption of cigarettes and wine. In due time, according to Murphy’s biography, Scalia managed to level withering personal attacks against Kennedy, Blackmun, Powell, Stevens,and Souter, pissing them all off. Just about everybody over the years except Alito and Thomas. Thus, the subtitle, “A Court of One.” Over a 25+ year career, Scalia isolated himself, shifted the Court’s centrists to the left, and, according to Murphy, did violence to many of h...
by birnhamwood
Wed Aug 19, 2020 6:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7650
Views: 1723411

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Thanks to someone here for recommending the Joe Pickett novels by C.J. box. I just finished “Open Season” (the first of twelve), and will read them all. If you love nature, the environment, the outdoors, or if you sometimes fantasize about being a park ranger or a game warden, or even just working outside, here’s a way to vicariously get some of those thrills. You’re not likely to find a more likable protagonist than Joe the game warden. He’s a straight arrow, not particularly clever or handsome, just an average Joe. Hard worker. Conscientious to a fault. No shortcuts for Joe, no compromises, no deals, no looking-the-other-way for game poachers. He loves his wife, Marybeth, his pre-teen daughters, and his job. Comes now an energy company th...
by birnhamwood
Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7650
Views: 1723411

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Yes to Empire of the Summer Moon.

A mighty Baptist preacher effort to get QP to give up some of his wives came to naught!

He did not like the idea!
by birnhamwood
Mon Aug 03, 2020 1:04 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7650
Views: 1723411

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

THE RELENTLESS MOON by Robinette Kowal, volume 3 of the Lady Astronaut series, in which colonists, leaving the doomed Earth, rocket to Mars.

I read about it in yesterday's NYT. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/insi ... kowal.html
by birnhamwood
Sun Aug 02, 2020 7:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Fruit/vegetable planning for winter cooking
Replies: 10
Views: 1271

Re: Fruit/vegetable planning for winter cooking

We put up about 100 ears of corn each summer, straight off the stalk and into the freezer, no processing at all. For meals just defrost, shuck, and boil or grill. Easy peasy, and so delicious throughout the winter.
by birnhamwood
Sat Aug 01, 2020 9:49 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Who is your favorite fiction author and what is your favorite book of theirs?
Replies: 284
Views: 30515

Re: Who is your favorite fiction author and what is your favorite book of theirs?

The entire oeuvre of Somerset Maugham. Everything. The novels, plays, short stories, essays, etc.

I have never been able to improve upon any sentence he has written.

I'm particularly partial to his short stories, collected in EAST AND WEST, and I forget the title of the second volume.
by birnhamwood
Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:13 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buying a House in Sellers Market?
Replies: 17
Views: 2508

Re: Buying a House in Sellers Market?

Things are too uncertain for my tastes right now. Personally, I would wait.
by birnhamwood
Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:00 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7650
Views: 1723411

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

" I have my doubts about [Caro] completing book 5. He’s going on 85."

I agree. I'm 85 and most things are just not that important anymore. I read somewhere that rather than actually writing volume 5, he's concentrating more now on flawlessly documenting all the extensive research he's put in, and leaving it to a future writer to take up the project. His wish is that that volume will not have his name on it, IIRC.

As far as I know, he still has not been to Vietnam.
by birnhamwood
Thu Jul 23, 2020 7:07 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Getting married! Questions...
Replies: 17
Views: 2606

Re: Getting married! Questions...

There's no harm in broaching the subject of a pre-nuptial agreement.
by birnhamwood
Thu Jul 16, 2020 1:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Loan to a Friend - was it done right?
Replies: 16
Views: 1790

Re: Loan to a Friend - was it done right?

" . . . yes, I trust that I will be paid in full . . ."

Rotsa Ruck! :^)
by birnhamwood
Thu Jul 16, 2020 12:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Starkey Hearing Aids
Replies: 10
Views: 865

Re: Starkey Hearing Aids

After 10 years, I'm still wearing my $5K Starkeys, but will switch when they wear out to the much cheaper HAs available at Sam's. I understand that they're of equal quality.

I also understand that high quality HAs will soon be available at $200 or so per ear, but some laws cutting out the audiologists must come first.
by birnhamwood
Wed Jul 15, 2020 5:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7650
Views: 1723411

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Ummm. I almost bought the case for Trump but passed on it because of the reviews, the WAPO saying for example that the book "focuses less on the case for Trump than on the case against everyone else," in particular Hillary.

But I'll take another look.
by birnhamwood
Tue Jul 14, 2020 6:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Helping our Adult Child Buy a Home
Replies: 72
Views: 6949

Re: Helping our Adult Child Buy a Home

Not a good idea, shark.

Have your daughter pick out a home you can pay cash for and gift it to HER.

That way she's always got a home. Come D I V O R C E or high water.
by birnhamwood
Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Becoming teacher after reaching FIRE? Advice needed!
Replies: 86
Views: 9185

Re: Becoming teacher after reaching FIRE? Advice needed!

You are smart to limit the districts in which you would teach to those that participate in Social Security. Google is your friend here. Just type in "Which (state) school districts participate in Social Security"? Of the four states you mention, only North Carolina participates. In Texas, only 16 districts (out of 1,000+) participate.
by birnhamwood
Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Family Member Approached by Solar Company to Lease Land for Solar Panels
Replies: 18
Views: 2228

Re: Family Member Approached by Solar Company to Lease Land for Solar Panels

If your 80 acres is good farm land, you maybe renting it at way below market.
by birnhamwood
Thu Jul 09, 2020 1:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7650
Views: 1723411

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Anna Karenina, Oxford World Classics. The Rosamund Bartlett translation reads wonderfully and naturally in English.
by birnhamwood
Tue Jul 07, 2020 2:54 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Sell my house, buy 2 condos, travel and see what I want to do in my life.
Replies: 19
Views: 3163

Re: Sell my house, buy 2 condos, travel and see what I want to do in my life.

"In winter I really can't stand the 5 + months of dark and rainy times." Would the weather be much different in Squamish, just fifty miles away? "I'm not sure exactly what it is I want to do." Why not wait a year or two until you're more certain? " I can comfortably earn $800 a week [handyman]." Would this hold true if you moved to another location? " I'm 58." Would your small pension and rental and handyman income carry you comfortably 25 to 30 years into the future? Would you be able to financially help your daughter/grandchildren? Would the $800K stretch on out as you might hope, especially since it's not free money (it's your housing). All in all, you might think this through a little more.
by birnhamwood
Tue Jun 30, 2020 6:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7650
Views: 1723411

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

I'm halfway through (and thoroughly enjoying) Chris Wallace's "Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days That Changed the World"
by birnhamwood
Mon Jun 29, 2020 10:56 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What is the best financial decision you ever made?
Replies: 212
Views: 21726

Re: What is the best financial decision you ever made?

Married right.

Bought the family farm.
by birnhamwood
Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:38 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: TIAA Trad Still A Good Investment?
Replies: 29
Views: 3251

Re: TIAA Trad Still A Good Investment?

I have 50% of my assets in TIAA traditional, and count the illiquidity as a plus, not a minus.
by birnhamwood
Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What to buy parents as a token of appreciation/retirement
Replies: 57
Views: 4597

Re: What to buy parents as a token of appreciation/retirement

It sounds like your parents have everything they want and need so perhaps you should find some other way to show your appreciation to them.
by birnhamwood
Sun Jun 21, 2020 12:41 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: A serious question from a senior about investing.
Replies: 42
Views: 3851

Re: A serious question from a senior about investing.

What more evidence do you need to be concerned about a coming calamity?

Millions unemployed

Millions hungry

A hundred year plague

Political turmoil

A near-powerless Fed

P.S. I remember Hoover Hogs (rabbits) and Hoover blankets (newspapers).
by birnhamwood
Thu Jun 18, 2020 3:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [Help high school student choose college career]
Replies: 171
Views: 4750

Re: Psychologist career pros and cons

Psychology is a popular course during the first couple of years of college. But hardly 10% stick with it, and they find other fields of interest. Way too early to decide on a major. First, decide on a school. My two cents.
by birnhamwood
Wed Jun 17, 2020 8:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Would you send your child to a Gifted program?
Replies: 99
Views: 17170

Re: Would you send your child to a Gifted program?

Ah, silly me. I didn't realize this was a long running thread.

Congratulations on this fine achievement.
by birnhamwood
Wed Jun 17, 2020 8:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Would you send your child to a Gifted program?
Replies: 99
Views: 17170

Re: Would you send your child to a Gifted program?

At age nine there's usually not enough reliable information on which to make a gifted/talented determination. What intellectual, artistic, creative, musical, mechanical, science, math, reading, etc., achievements can there possibly be at such a young age, with the possible exception of music and reading?

The appropriate standardized test for your child would be the "Screening Assessment for Gifted Elementary Students (SAGES). A high percentile rank there would confirm the teacher/school assessment, but in just a few more years, say five, IQ test dscores of 130-144 can indicate moderate giftedness and 145 on up, decided giftedness.

Personally, at this point, I think I'd let her make her own school decision. My two cents.
by birnhamwood
Tue Jun 16, 2020 8:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Would you rent your house to a famous athlete?
Replies: 104
Views: 10220

Re: Would you rent your house to a famous athlete?

"Would you rent your house to a famous athlete?

Yes, as long as the athlete is not a Dallas Cowboy! :^)
by birnhamwood
Thu Jun 11, 2020 11:59 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Newborn in Maryland; 529 Worth It?
Replies: 16
Views: 1916

Re: Newborn in Maryland; 529 Worth It?

Two granddaughters are entering Ole Miss in the fall and another in 2022, with 529s doing the heavy work.

We did this so that their father could then be entirely free to invest rather than scratch around for their expenses.
by birnhamwood
Tue Jun 09, 2020 4:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What happens to all my digitized photos when I die?
Replies: 68
Views: 7034

Re: What happens to all my digitized photos when I die?

"What happens to all my digitized photos when I die?"

REPORTER: What happens to all your money when you die?

JACK KENT COOKE: I have no intention of dying.

REPORTER: But all that money, surely . . .

JACK KENT COOKE: I'll be dead and I won't care, will I ?
by birnhamwood
Sat Jun 06, 2020 3:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Should we keep LTCI policy
Replies: 11
Views: 1079

Re: Should we keep LTCI policy

Here are 75 verified complaints about UNUM to the Better Business Bureau.

Personally, I woul have nothing to do with them.

https://www.bbb.org/us/me/portland/prof ... complaints
by birnhamwood
Thu Jun 04, 2020 11:52 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Lost my job yesterday
Replies: 70
Views: 14623

Re: Lost my job yesterday

With your good record, you should have an in with your competitor. Why not apply there?
by birnhamwood
Thu May 28, 2020 7:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Land Purchase Possible or Forget About It?
Replies: 39
Views: 6319

Re: Land Purchase Possible or Forget About It?

I think you're too emotionally caught up in all this to make a good financial decision. And teachers (I'm one) cannot afford to make bad financial decisions.
I think I would forget it.
by birnhamwood
Mon May 25, 2020 6:50 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Financial advice for undertaking a PhD
Replies: 48
Views: 4925

Re: Financial advice for undertaking a PhD

There are too many unanswered questions here for me to give good advice, e.g., your field, whether you will seek an academy, business (or other) position, whether this will be a US degree, private or public, etc. There's far more involved here than just the financial considerations (which seem to be your only concern). Other posters have asked these questions, without satisfaction. Retired professor
by birnhamwood
Sun May 24, 2020 6:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Should we drop our Long Term Care Insurance?
Replies: 15
Views: 1622

Re: Should we drop our Long Term Care Insurance?

" Have had LTC insurance . . . THROUGH EMPLOYER."

Perhaps your employer does not know about UNUM's appalling reputation ??

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/insurance/unum.html
by birnhamwood
Sun May 24, 2020 6:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Customer hasn't paid me not worth cost of lawyer but...
Replies: 48
Views: 6046

Re: Customer hasn't paid me not worth cost of lawyer but...

A letter to the Better Business Bureau got the immediate attention of a business that owed me $1300.

I was paid in full within two or three weeks.
by birnhamwood
Sun May 24, 2020 6:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Something Fishy Here?? [CARES payment received via prepaid Visa]
Replies: 68
Views: 9159

Re: Something Fishy Here?? [CARES payment received via prepaid Visa]

My brother has more income than I do and and he and wife got $1400 back whilst DW and I got only $370.

What the hey!

Thanks. I'm the OP.
by birnhamwood
Sat May 23, 2020 7:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I go to grad school?
Replies: 24
Views: 2256

Re: Should I go to grad school?

Yes, UW is an excellent school. Thanks

It would be a hard decision for me. Given your particular circumstances, I probably would not do it.

But best of luck whatever choice you make.
by birnhamwood
Sat May 23, 2020 3:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7650
Views: 1723411

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

John Grisham's CAMINO ISLAND and CAMINO WINDS.

Fun reads.
by birnhamwood
Sat May 23, 2020 3:21 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I go to grad school?
Replies: 24
Views: 2256

Re: Should I go to grad school?

It's hard to imagine the "highly ranked" school you describe, unless only night and weekend schools are ranked. Frankly, the school sounds a little Trump Universityish. Hope I'm wrong.

I do not think you can get the good advice you need unless you name that school.
by birnhamwood
Fri May 22, 2020 2:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Something Fishy Here?? [CARES payment received via prepaid Visa]
Replies: 68
Views: 9159

Something Fishy Here?? [CARES payment received via prepaid Visa]

Today I received the following message in the U.S. mail, purportedly from "The Department of the Treasury." "Enclosed is your Economic Impact Payment Card (EIPC). This prepaid debit card is being sent to you on behalf ot the U.S. Depatment of the Treassury in place of a paper check. This card contains the money you are receiving as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)." Enclosed is a VISA debit card. It is issued by MetaBank, N.A., Member FDIC. I never heard of them. The card came from "Money Network Cardholder Services, PO Box 247022, Omaha, NE 68124-7022." I never heard of them. To get my balance, I am directed to activate the card account and set a 4-digit PIN. Only ...