What’s on your mind?

[Apple fanboy]

That is one thing we are agreed on. I don't know who actually has the money to go to a dealership and buy brand new cars with the insane price gouging and interest rates going on these days.

Leasing is the norm for many now. But the way I see that is you are paying out all the time. What happens if you lose your job or circumstances change etc? Not for me.

 

[Flowstates]

Yi Yi (2000) ⭐ 8.1 | Drama

2h 53m | Not Rated

www.imdb.com

Leasing is the norm for many now. But the way I see that is you are paying out all the time. What happens if you lose your job or circumstances change etc? Not for me.

My intuition is that many do not understand the baked-in depreciation that comes through leasing swell as the perceived affordability induced by low monthly payments, whilst thinking that their perception of time value of money makes smoothing out a lump more attractive without understanding the very different set of options in each case.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Yi Yi (2000) ⭐ 8.1 | Drama

2h 53m | Not Rated

www.imdb.com

My intuition is that many do not understand the baked-in depreciation that comes through leasing swell as the perceived affordability induced by low monthly payments, whilst thinking that their perception of time value of money makes smoothing out a lump more attractive without understanding the very different set of options in each case.

The big difference between a mortgage and a car loan (lease or HP), is that generally a house increases in value. Where as a car always decreases in value.


On my mind is how is it Monday morning already? I need a holiday! Or a change of job!

 

[Flowstates]

The big difference between a mortgage and a car loan (lease or HP), is that generally a house increases in value. Where as a car always decreases in value.

I know people that got bitten thinking that the supply shock from pandemic chip shortages was going to last. Quite the bashing and negative equity still rolling around.

Auto debt delinquencies are a good indicator all in all.

 

[WriteNow]

In an ideal world, we'd have safer and cleaner public transportation. Trains, busses connecting cities rather than individual cars. I actually dislike cars in general due to the cost, maintenance, etc that goes in with them.

My father didn't like cars, apart from occasional (possibly midlife crisis type) fantasies. For many years, he did his daily commuting by bus, bike, or foot (depending on the era). He started when he was finishing a degree because the parking situation was so bad. Bus meant no parking problems, no second car to maintain, etc. But the last 20-some years of his working life, a car was the only viable choice, although (before he got married the last time), he did talk about moving close enough to his office that he could easily walk every day.

I'm currently using bus service on a day-to-day basis, but the schedule is pretty limiting at times. One thing that gets me is that there is all the talk about how more poeple should ride the bus, but there is apparently no real understanding that a reason people don't ride is because of service limits. And, of course, the agencies--which try to sell people on using the bus--will say "we can't improve service, because we don't have the ridership."

Past limited service, my area at least has no real problems on the bus. But I hear horror stories about what happens on some routes. Drug use on the bus. Shootings at bus stops. It's understandable that a lot of people who'd have to take those probelmatic routes might decide they'd prefer owning and using a car.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

My father didn't like cars, apart from occasional (possibly midlife crisis type) fantasies. For many years, he did his daily commuting by bus, bike, or foot (depending on the era). He started when he was finishing a degree because the parking situation was so bad. Bus meant no parking problems, no second car to maintain, etc. But the last 20-some years of his working life, a car was the only viable choice, although (before he got married the last time), he did talk about moving close enough to his office that he could easily walk every day.

I'm currently using bus service on a day-to-day basis, but the schedule is pretty limiting at times. One thing that gets me is that there is all the talk about how more poeple should ride the bus, but there is apparently no real understanding that a reason people don't ride is because of service limits. And, of course, the agencies--which try to sell people on using the bus--will say "we can't improve service, because we don't have the ridership."

Past limited service, my area at least has no real problems on the bus. But I hear horror stories about what happens on some routes. Drug use on the bus. Shootings at bus stops. It's understandable that a lot of people who'd have to take those probelmatic routes might decide they'd prefer owning and using a car.

While public transport (which includes taking the bus) does have some problems on Our Side of The Pond, I am glad to say that "shootings at bus stops" is not considered to be one of them.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

We need a drooling "smilie."!!! In the meanwhile I'll just use my words to say, mmmmm....delectable! Well, the olives and garlic, actually; peaches and nectarines aren't my favorite fruits. Early summer is definitely the best time for fruits and all sorts of vegetables, though!

While I am not, in general, a fan of emojis, I would not disdain a drooling emoji.

However, @Clix Pix, it had crossed my mind that my Saturday shopping would meet with your approval.

 

[Richard8655]

My father didn't like cars, apart from occasional (possibly midlife crisis type) fantasies. For many years, he did his daily commuting by bus, bike, or foot (depending on the era). He started when he was finishing a degree because the parking situation was so bad. Bus meant no parking problems, no second car to maintain, etc. But the last 20-some years of his working life, a car was the only viable choice, although (before he got married the last time), he did talk about moving close enough to his office that he could easily walk every day.

I'm currently using bus service on a day-to-day basis, but the schedule is pretty limiting at times. One thing that gets me is that there is all the talk about how more poeple should ride the bus, but there is apparently no real understanding that a reason people don't ride is because of service limits. And, of course, the agencies--which try to sell people on using the bus--will say "we can't improve service, because we don't have the ridership."

Past limited service, my area at least has no real problems on the bus. But I hear horror stories about what happens on some routes. Drug use on the bus. Shootings at bus stops. It's understandable that a lot of people who'd have to take those probelmatic routes might decide they'd prefer owning and using a car.

I agree. It's an endless cycle. If people don't use it, they can't afford to provide more service. People don't use it because they don't provide more service.

Per above discussion on public transportation, I'm not a big fan of driving everywhere and spending half my life sitting in traffic. Gas prices, pollution, and maintenances costs are factors as well.

We have pretty good bus, subway, and commuter rail service here, and it's enjoyable to use. People somehow have this view that taking public transportation is more for the poorer folks, especially in the U.S. In my travels, I saw that Europeans have a much different point of view on this. They use their systems extensively. But then they have clean, efficient, and frequent systems almost everywhere. Even high speed rail, which we strangely lack in the U.S.

 

[WriteNow]

While public transport (which includes taking the bus) does have some problems on Our Side of The Pond, I am glad to say that "shootings at bus stops" is not considered to be one of them.

Then there is at least one incident of someone shooting at the bus, although that may have been just because the bus was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bus drivers get penalized for damage to the bus (including job termination), and I wonder if the driver was penalized for any bullet holes? I think, too, I heard of an incident when a bus driver was reviewed for some traffic law violation that occurred when he decided that it would be better to break the law and get away from a place where things could turn really ugly really fast. (I can't remember if gun shots were involved, but it's very possible.)

A few years ago, one bus driver took a job driving a truck. Before he left the bus agency, he told me that the offer was very good, but one factor was that he was concerned about his long term personal safety driving a bus.

On the less deadly side, I remember a story of someone who was denied service at one transit center because he exposed himself and relieved himself in plain sight of a transit supervisor. (Incidentally, one long term driver told me that at signing time she refused to look at any route that connected to that transit center.)

 

[Apple fanboy]

My father didn't like cars, apart from occasional (possibly midlife crisis type) fantasies. For many years, he did his daily commuting by bus, bike, or foot (depending on the era). He started when he was finishing a degree because the parking situation was so bad. Bus meant no parking problems, no second car to maintain, etc. But the last 20-some years of his working life, a car was the only viable choice, although (before he got married the last time), he did talk about moving close enough to his office that he could easily walk every day.

I'm currently using bus service on a day-to-day basis, but the schedule is pretty limiting at times. One thing that gets me is that there is all the talk about how more poeple should ride the bus, but there is apparently no real understanding that a reason people don't ride is because of service limits. And, of course, the agencies--which try to sell people on using the bus--will say "we can't improve service, because we don't have the ridership."

Past limited service, my area at least has no real problems on the bus. But I hear horror stories about what happens on some routes. Drug use on the bus. Shootings at bus stops. It's understandable that a lot of people who'd have to take those probelmatic routes might decide they'd prefer owning and using a car.

I live in the countryside, so we get 1 or 2 buses a day so definitely not an option for my 35 mile commute.
Fortunately I only go to the office once a week and work from home the rest.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I agree. It's an endless cycle. If people don't use it, they can't afford to provide more service. People don't use it because they don't provide more service.

Per above discussion on public transportation, I'm not a big fan of driving everywhere and spending half my life sitting in traffic. Gas prices, pollution, and maintenances costs are factors as well.

We have pretty good bus, subway, and commuter rail service here, and it's enjoyable to use. People somehow have this view that taking public transportation is more for the poorer folks, especially in the U.S. In my travels, I saw that Europeans have a much different point of view on this. They use their systems extensively. But then they have clean, efficient, and frequent systems almost everywhere. Even high speed rail, which we strangely lack in the U.S.

At least with an EV two of those problems mostly go away.

 

[Richard8655]

At least with an EV two of those problems mostly go away.

Good point.

 

[MacMorrison]

A recent literary controversy over “The Serpent in the Grove” by Jamir Nazir, a short story selected by a panel of judges for the Commonwealth Foundation Short Story Prize, published in Granta magazine - the text was scanned and identified as 100% AI written.

https://www.thefp.com/p/ai-generated-literature-controversy

 

[WriteNow]

Fortunately I only go to the office once a week and work from home the rest.

That is fortunate. My father's commute for about ten years was 7 days a week (workaholic) and about an hour round trip. Moving closer to his office was something he regularly considered, but didn't get around to, until he got married for the last time. That put him closer to his office in terms of miles, but thanks to traffic conditions, it was still about the same hour round trip each day.

 

[AVBeatMan]

That is fortunate. My father's commute for about ten years was 7 days a week (workaholic) and about an hour round trip. Moving closer to his office was something he regularly considered, but didn't get around to, until he got married for the last time. That put him closer to his office in terms of miles, but thanks to traffic conditions, it was still about the same hour round trip each day.

Mine's 50 minutes each way. Used to be 30 but the traffic nowadays.....

 

[ClaraStahlbaum]

My father didn't like cars, apart from occasional (possibly midlife crisis type) fantasies. For many years, he did his daily commuting by bus, bike, or foot (depending on the era). He started when he was finishing a degree because the parking situation was so bad. Bus meant no parking problems, no second car to maintain, etc. But the last 20-some years of his working life, a car was the only viable choice, although (before he got married the last time), he did talk about moving close enough to his office that he could easily walk every day.

I'm currently using bus service on a day-to-day basis, but the schedule is pretty limiting at times. One thing that gets me is that there is all the talk about how more poeple should ride the bus, but there is apparently no real understanding that a reason people don't ride is because of service limits. And, of course, the agencies--which try to sell people on using the bus--will say "we can't improve service, because we don't have the ridership."

Past limited service, my area at least has no real problems on the bus. But I hear horror stories about what happens on some routes. Drug use on the bus. Shootings at bus stops. It's understandable that a lot of people who'd have to take those probelmatic routes might decide they'd prefer owning and using a car.

There are always problems, and exceptions, what you say here is entirely valid. I wish that public transportation in the US was both far more numerous, but also cleaner, safer, and easier to use.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

Public transport vs car. I have, and still do, use both. It depends on where I'm going.
It is almost impossible for and ordinary person (not a CEO who has a private parking spot under his office building) to drive into the CBD of Sydney. Fortunately public transport there is very good. I live on the very outskirts of Sydney and the train takes about an hour. However, apart from the spots immediately around the train stations, public transport to the ring around the CBD is very spotty.

From where I live, getting to Sydney Airport is very easy by train. However, getting to the new Western Sydney Airport is only possible by taxi. No trains, no busses, very limited car parking. And they think they are going to move up to 10 thousand people a day in and out of WSA, by taxi. And the taxi fare to the city will be more than the plane ticket...

However, there is always hybrid transport. Private vehicle to the train station, then train to where ever.
Best thing I saw was a friend of my son, travelling to the train station on his unicycle.

 

[MacMorrison]

Solid-state cooling may replace fans in some future laptops and mobile devices:

https://www.tomshardware.com/laptop...mpetitor-reach-a-svelte-11-3-mm-remain-silent

 

[decafjava]

Well we have a real top notch (though expensive) public transport system in Geneva. Furthermore, in Geneva, youth under 25 and seniors get a free yearly pass for the local bus/tram network.

In reference to my earlier post where I mentioned Dune specifically; Well Dune is a warning IMO against both AI and also feudalism. Paul is not supposed to be a hero. Once I read the Papal encyclical on AI I will order Tad Stoermer’s “A Resistance History of the US”. Substack has a lot of interesting contributions by independent journalists who can get more space outside of the mainstream. One interesting substack I found on the IG of an athlete I follow whose best friend’s mom is doing humanitarian work.

 

[Richard8655]

Chicago suburb 25 miles west of the city here. Commuter rail to the "Loop" is excellent - 45 minutes. Clean, comfortable, air conditioned during summer oppressive heat, and every hour (express trains in morning and evening). Suburban bus service isn't bad either, but hardly anyone uses it.

Relatively inexpensive (subsidized by the state). Seniors/students half off.

 

[decafjava]

Chicago suburb 25 miles west of the city here. Commuter rail to the "Loop" is excellent - 45 minutes. Clean, comfortable, air conditioned during summer oppressive heat, and every hour (express trains in morning and evening). Suburban bus service isn't bad either, but hardly anyone uses it.

Relatively inexpensive (subsidized by the state). Seniors/students half off.

That's good to hear actually. I am only somewhat familiar with the NYC system as I have relatives there and it's uneven I understand.

 

[Apple fanboy]

So glad work is done for today.

It was a long day that was not very productive.

Roll on Friday!

 

[AVBeatMan]

Today I bought my first ever brand new car. A Mercedes GLA 200 AGM Executive. I pick it up in 2 weeks. Super excited!

 

[M4th]

Xmas in July? No, not quite.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Xmas in July? No, not quite.

Xmas at any time is rarely on my mind, but definitely not in June or July.

Father’s Day is in June, but that’s just another day I try to forget since we lost Miss AFB. 10 years and it still hurts more than I care to admit.