What Irked You Today?

[NYLIBUD]

Well I just found out that there was only one winning Powerball ticket sold in CA,in last nights drawing for $2+ billion dollars.One ticket,probably a millionaire.Arrrgggg??????

[Ace-Garageguy]

4 minutes ago, NYLIBUD said:

Well I just found out that there was only one winning Powerball ticket sold in CA,in last nights drawing for $2+ billion dollars.One ticket,probably a millionaire.Arrrgggg??????

Nah, probably some guy living under a bridge. Now he can afford to build a desalination plant for LA.  

[Mark]

Lottery = tax on the inability to comprehend the concept of odds...

[Mark]

Don't know for sure, but I think I remember reading somewhere that lottery winnings aren't subject to state income tax in California.  So, if there was only one winner, whoever that is will make out way better than they would in New York.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, Mark said:

Lottery = tax on the inability to comprehend the concept of odds...

Or an interesting take on "wealth redistribution". Take a little from each of hundreds of thousands of hopeful idiots, and give it all to a few idiots who'll squander it in no time.   

[espo]

44 minutes ago, Mark said:

Don't know for sure, but I think I remember reading somewhere that lottery winnings aren't subject to state income tax in California.  So, if there was only one winner, whoever that is will make out way better than they would in New York.

 

As I recall California taxes VERY THING.  

[Tom Geiger]

5 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Or an interesting take on "wealth redistribution". Take a little from each of hundreds of thousands of hopeful idiots, and give it all to a few idiots who'll squander it in no time.   

Yea but I’d like a shot at being one those few idiots.

[Ace-Garageguy]

57 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said:

Yea but I’d like a shot at being one those few idiots.

Then keep buying those tickets, Tom...

Of course, you probably make enough so a few bucks a week is no big deal for a one-in-a-billion chance.

The ones I can't quite understand are obviously living on minimal fixed incomes, and spend most of the monthly check on cigarettes, booze, and cat food, the rest on the lottery.

But maybe it's the only way they have to keep a flicker of hope alive.

Edited November 8, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy

[Mark]

I seldom set foot in 7-Eleven (not many of them around here), but when I do, it never fails...there will be some poor sap who looks like he's living paycheck to paycheck, blowing fifty bucks or more on lottery tickets.

Off on a tangent here, but why is it called "fixed income" when it usually leaves you broke?

[iamsuperdan]

Truck decided not to start this morning. Turns over, cranks strong, but won't catch. Has plenty of fuel.

Was just fine last night.

So tried to start it, after 15 seconds of cranking it goes into safety mode. "Crank Time Exceeded" and now I have to wait 15 minutes to try again. 

Try again, and now after 15 seconds of crank time, it locks down and I have to wait an hour before trying again.

The joy of push button start and drive-by-wire gas pedals. You can't just keep cranking it over or giving it gas to try and get it going. 

 

*Insert rant about all the electronic nonsense on new vehicles and how the older ones were better because you could actually troubleshoot and do something yourself*

 

So of course, because it's about -20 Celcius, there's all kinds of demand for towing services. Truck finally got towed in to the dealer here at about 2:30.

 

Ugh.

 

As an aside, my 99 Tahoe that hasn't moved in almost two weeks fired right up and got me to work with no drama at all.

[Ace-Garageguy]

5 minutes ago, iamsuperdan said:

*Insert rant about all the electronic nonsense on new vehicles and how the older ones were better because you could actually troubleshoot and do something yourself*

No need, thanks to reality.  

"...As an aside, my 99 Tahoe that hasn't moved in almost two weeks fired right up and got me to work with no drama at all."

Edited November 8, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy

[NYLIBUD]

Ah cars,ya love em, ya hate ‘em..I was driving mine all around a couple of weeks ago,not really turning it off too much.Stopped at a few stores,and I went to a friend’s house,buy he wasn’t home.So then i left to pick up dinner for the family at a pizza joint.I turned the motor for only a few moments.Grab the grub..I get back in the car,and click,click..Ok,so about 4,or 5 months ago,the battery took a dump,and i guess trying to turn it over to start it,I might have killed the starter.And of course,yes the starter took a dump..I was at shopping center,& the nearest shop was only a half mile down the road..It was pretty late so i decided to leave it in the shopping center,and called AAA in the morning,which i did.Then they brought it shop down the street…But I guess it could’ve been worse,I could’ve been a lot further away from friend’s shop,or my house..Blaaaahhh.?

Edited November 12, 2022 by NYLIBUD

[MrMiles]

i ordered something international and paid express shipping.  i got a message last night that some documents were needed. i contacted dhl, who told me everything was fine. i didnt believe it because right on the tracking page it says information missing. so i hung up and got on the chat and got someone competent. they told me they would put in a request to have someone call me to find out what was missing. they didnt call, at the end of the day, i tried one more time to find out, and i got on chat and the dude told me to hold for 1 or 2 minutes. 10 minutes later, i got disconnected and said, they were now closed. 

meanwhile, i contacted the shipper, and it turns out they were notified of what was missing and sent over the information. i contacted dhl this morning and they told me if it was sent over, dhl has not yet entered in the information. 

 

i havent ever had this issue, but i dont think that the customs is looking for me to provide information, but they are from the shipper.   this is all new to me, as i have only ordered overseas a couple of times and this is the first time i got a message that stuff was missing. 

 

anyway, the package that was supposed to be delivered today, will not be, because its still in customs waiitng for some kind of paperwork to be entered in. 

 

my wife said her company is constantly having to resend documents, that it gets lost somewhere in transit and its typically stuff that was definitely included with the shipment, so this is not uncommon and usually takes a day or so to resolve. 

i think im just worried over nothing, but its quite expensive for me and i dont want any issues with it

[John M.]

• I got up late for work this morning but the boss gave me pass. Things have been going cuckoo there and here at home for almost the last two weeks. Thankfully, things have slowed down quite a bit.

[John M.]

9 minutes ago, John M. said:

• Deleted.

 

Edited November 9, 2022 by John M.

[NYLIBUD]

4 hours ago, MrMiles said:

i ordered something international and paid express shipping.  i got a message last night that some documents were needed. i contacted dhl, who told me everything was fine. i didnt believe it because right on the tracking page it says information missing. so i hung up and got on the chat and got someone competent. they told me they would put in a request to have someone call me to find out what was missing. they didnt call, at the end of the day, i tried one more time to find out, and i got on chat and the dude told me to hold for 1 or 2 minutes. 10 minutes later, i got disconnected and said, they were now closed. 

meanwhile, i contacted the shipper, and it turns out they were notified of what was missing and sent over the information. i contacted dhl this morning and they told me if it was sent over, dhl has not yet entered in the information. 

 

i havent ever had this issue, but i dont think that the customs is looking for me to provide information, but they are from the shipper.   this is all new to me, as i have only ordered overseas a couple of times and this is the first time i got a message that stuff was missing. 

 

anyway, the package that was supposed to be delivered today, will not be, because its still in customs waiitng for some kind of paperwork to be entered in. 

 

my wife said her company is constantly having to resend documents, that it gets lost somewhere in transit and its typically stuff that was definitely included with the shipment, so this is not uncommon and usually takes a day or so to resolve. 

i think im just worried over nothing, but its quite expensive for me and i dont want any issues with it

Yea that’s such a pain in the a**.?That’s happened to me before.This one says that,someone else says something different and u can’t get a straight answer.Good luck with all that.

Edited November 9, 2022 by NYLIBUD

[Tom Geiger]

4 hours ago, MrMiles said:

i ordered something international and paid express shipping.  i got a message last night that some documents were needed. i contacted dhl, who told me everything was fine. i didnt believe it because right on the tracking page it says information missing. so i hung up and got on the chat and got someone competent. they told me they would put in a request to have someone call me to find out what was missing. they didnt call, at the end of the day, i tried one more time to find out, and i got on chat and the dude told me to hold for 1 or 2 minutes. 10 minutes 

I just went through same with UPS with a shipment of architectural parts from Poland.  Their tracking just said “in warehouse”. Their online and phone help does anything it can to avoid connecting you with a human, but after jumping through all their hoops, it tells you “in warehouse”!

i finally got to a person who agreed it was being held for paperwork, but they hadn’t contacted anyone!  They sent me the form which I had to have signed by an officer of my company and then notarized!  I do so and two days later, 5 of the 6 boxes show up here!

I look up the last box and it says “in warehouse”!  I get the same guy who straightened out the first mess and he managed to get that one released. A two week overall distraction!

Edited November 9, 2022 by Tom Geiger

[MrMiles]

1 hour ago, NYLIBUD said:

Yea that’s such a pain in the a**.?That’s happened to me before.This one says that,someone else says something different and u can’t get a straight answer.Good luck with all that.

i got an email from DHL. i had to give them my SS# or tax id number, full name, address, etc, and i had to fill out some form about the watch i got.  i called dhl, and they confirmed that it was needed. i had no idea about the questions, so i contacted the seller, and they said i shouldnt have needed to do it, that it was all included with the package. they sent it to me, and i forwarded it on. i got a response from dhl that they submitted everything to customs. i didnt like that i had to give my SS#, but i asked the watch company and they said its pretty typical for some states customs to ask or the information since its a high dollar item. i will also have to pay import fees on top of the sales tax, which i did not know. i dont know how much yet, but this gift i bought for myself, is costing me more than i thought, but i have no choice at this point. i might have chosen a different brand that was sold in the usa. i wont buy internationally again

thank god my wife hasnt asked how much i spent yet because she is going to be really mad.

Edited November 9, 2022 by MrMiles

[Snake45]

3 hours ago, MrMiles said:

thank god my wife hasnt asked how much i spent yet because she is going to be really mad.

That's how you know you got something GOOD! 

[NYLIBUD]

I didn’t even know DHL was still in business.I thought they went under years ago.Well hope u enjoy the watch.

[MrMiles]

17 minutes ago, NYLIBUD said:

I didn’t even know DHL was still in business.I thought they went under years ago.Well hope u enjoy the watch.

their customer service is pretty lacking, but from what i understand they are one of the best for international.  anyway, it says my package was given a release by customs. hopefully i will get it tomorrow. its only 45 minutes away from my house

[slusher]

On 11/8/2022 at 3:11 PM, Tom Geiger said:

Yea but I’d like a shot at being one those few idiots.

You have to be in it too win it too win it..

[MrMiles]

17 hours ago, MrMiles said:

their customer service is pretty lacking, but from what i understand they are one of the best for international.  anyway, it says my package was given a release by customs. hopefully i will get it tomorrow. its only 45 minutes away from my house

hoorrray my watch is actually only 15 minutes from my house, in the same town. its not out for delivery yet, but it is finally really out of customs and ready to be on my arm.   the duty fee on it wasnt bad, 95 dollars. for the watch, i had a 10% coupon, and my credit card had a deal that i got 200 back if i spent some loot. the watch will cover that entire amount, so i will get the 200 back, plus i got the 10%. so the 95 dollars addition, is still technically free money

 

i wish it would come today

[iamsuperdan]

Fun update on my truck.

 

Truck thought it was out of gas.

When I parked it Monday night, the gas warning light had just come on, showed 75km to empty. No problem I thought, it's only 3km to my usual gas station, will fill it in the morning.

Our driveway is on a bit of an angle though. 

Just enough of an angle that the sensor in the tank wasn't sensing any fuel at all, so it shut everything down, preventing starting.

Even after I grabbed a gerry can and put about 10L of fuel in it.

 

Anyway, back to normal, tank is full. 

[cobraman]

Interesting.  Bet you won't do that again. ?