Luke_WO

Just finished "Eye of the Needle" by Ken Follett, which is ironic because I've read a ton of Follett and I'm a big fan, but this book was actually the one that put him on the map and I had never read it til now.

Just finished "Into Thin Air," which the movie "Everest" was based on, the first person account of the 1996 Everest disaster. Fascinating. Also read Bogle's "Little Book of Common Sense Investing" over the weekend. Eye opening for those of you who prefer to invest with actively managed mutual funds and individual stocks rather than using an index. Recommend both.

My old man did it a few years ago. Once a week for that many weeks is annoying but at least you know what you're getting into. I'm not sure there was one instance over that entire span in which his grand jury group didn't indict, so it seems a bit of a waste of time in that sense, but it's an important part of the process, I suppose.

I always just go through every rental company's own website (dollar.com, hertz.com, avis.com, etc), and find the best price. The rental car area at SFO can be an absolute disaster as far as being a sea of humanity. Certain programs offer a "skip the line" perk if you sign up for their rewards program, which is typically free. I'd consider looking into that. I also check back almost every day even after I book the car because prices are constantly changing. Sometimes, if you check the day before you go, prices will be a fraction of what you booked it for. And because i never pre-pay, you can simply cancel your existing reservation and book again at the updated lower price.

Same. I rode from our office in Whippany down 287 to the Branchburg area between 7 and 8 AM and the road was completely untreated going in both directions other than the pre-brining that was done on Friday. I suppose they were hoping it would simply warm up and the rain would wash it away, but those couple hours of freezing rain in the late morning caused plenty of spin outs that I saw on the way back up several hours later. I was shocked at the condition of 287, it was basically one lane in both directions and that one lane wasn't even plowed.

Saw someone asked about phone service on a recent thread, didn't wanna hijack that. Our family business is in the process of relocating and I was wondering if anyone here has recommendations on who they use for Internet and phone in their office (preferably bundled together). Don't need some massive operation to run an entire office building. We have 6 full time employees with computers, 4 phone lines, and 8-10 actual phones. No major computer needs, just your basic internet, some file sharing, etc. Our new landlord is a couple units down and uses Fios, which is what I have in my apartment and I'm pleased with it. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Chunks over chips - they last longer and you don't have to soak them pre-cook. Weber sells individual bags of all types of wood chunks. Hickory, Apple, mesquite, pecan, cherry, etc. You can find them online or I know my local Home Depot stocks them.

From what I just read in the article below, it seems there are a couple positives involved, including a somewhat rapid phasing out of the estate tax and considerable tax breaks for retirees/pension collectors. http://dlvr.it/LsQmX5

Possibly, I wouldn't doubt it. An NJM agent basically admitted to my old man that he knew their rates were really high at that particular time, but that it was all cyclical. He basically said, "If you ride it out for another year or two, our rates are gonna drop back down." Kind of bizarre.

I was with NJM since I got my license in 2007, but my parents paid my insurance. When they told me it was time to pay my own, I went shopping and Geico offered a price that was 60 percent less than what my parents had been paying NJM. They were floored. Granted, I drive an older car and don't even bother with collision insurance, but it's hard to argue with the price Geico offers. If you're interested in customer service/claim payment, I haven't been around the block (or in enough accidents, knock on wood) to know any better.

I love Chicago. I make it a point to visit at least twice a year. It's like New York except it's cleaner, easier to navigate, and the people are friendly. Phenomenal sports town and the food is stellar. Endless things to do when the weather is warm. Not sure how much time you can allow yourself there, but it wouldn't be enough lol.

Allergist changed my life. Went from not being able to breathe to going entire seasons without sneezing or watery eyes. Got shots in each arm once a week to start.Then after a couple months, I'd go once every couple weeks, and eventually, once a month. Best decision I ever made.

That may be the case with many my age. Not so with me. I live in Parsippany, which works fine for me, but it's not exactly Hoboken. You can't walk around anywhere, there are no hot spots as far as bars or clubs, and it's not exactly around the corner from NYC. But even a place like Montclair, which is the closest thing to Hoboken that's not actually Hoboken, is quite expensive, too. You pay dearly for having everything you need within walking distance, and every apartment being built these days is considered a "luxury rental." If you want affordable living around here, in my experience, you need to go west. If you can shell out $2,000+ a month to live in Hoboken/JC, most likely in a tiny bedroom with multiple roommates, then lucky you, but I can't do it.

Correct, most my age finish school and as soon as we have a steady income, we're fleeing to Hoboken and Jersey City. I would imagine it's mostly because if you know you have no shot at affording a down payment any time soon, you may as well move as close as you can to the action where maybe your high rent costs are offset by the fact that you don't need a car and your commute is either walking or a quick train ride across the river. I want the house and the yard, but it's simply a pipe dream for most people in their 20s, especially in the NYC metro area.

I majored in Political Science and Sociology, I have minors in History and Criminology. Useless, I know. Now I'm working with our family owned epoxy flooring business. Go figure. You're a wiser and more patient man than I for waiting that long to save up and move out. I reached the end of my rope at 26 and moved out 3 months ago. If I didn't have a substantial savings account (compared to most my age), I wouldn't have considered it. But you are correct, the financial downside of going out on your own is undeniable. I went from saving 90% of my paycheck and having the option to spend as much as I wanted on travel and fun to saving approximately 15% and having little to no wiggle room.

This. I happen to have something of a head start because I was lucky enough to have my parents pay for my college education, and my summer job from ages 14-24 was the lucrative/all cash world of caddying, and I've built a nice savings account and have a growing Roth IRA. That said, I make about $50k and can hardly afford my 1BR apartment based solely on my income. Could I stay at home for another 5-7 years and then afford a nice house? Sure, but I wanna get on with living my life. The rest of my peers who worked minimum wage jobs growing up have all that to worry about PLUS paying off loans. The idea of owning is a distant one for young people these days.

Haha don't get me wrong, it was fun. But I didn't need to go all the way to Alaska to do it. And it certainly wasn't worth whatever they charged.

Five days in the park is a long freakin time. I was there for two and didn't feel the need for much more. I suppose if you're doing one of the bus tours, you lose an entire day, so there's that. We did a jeep tour, it was a total waste of time, just driving through a bunch of mud in the woods. As far as weather, it won't be cold but you will most likely see some wet and raw conditions. Layers and good outerwear are essential. We did a guided half day of fly fishing with a group of about 12, which was fun. If you're somewhat experienced, it may be a bit boring, it's definitely geared toward novices, but I'm sure the guides can adjust. Keep your eyes open in Anchorage, there are A LOT of seedy people in that city. They say it's where america's criminals go to hide and after spending only one day there, I believe them. It's a shame you won't get to take the railroad. I took it from Anchorage to Denali and then from Denali to Fairbanks and it was absolutely stellar. Here's one of a few hundred I took on the journey. Hundreds of miles of views just like this. Eventually you have to stop taking pictures because every single thing you look at is worthy of a photo.

If you went with a hand sander or belt sander you'd probably get it level by Christmas... I hope you're not considering buying a floor sander, you can rent them from just about anywhere. Although at an inch and a half high throughout the whole floor, that's a whole lot of sanding. Still think your best bet is to build up to match, or as someone said earlier, consider ripping everything out and laying down fresh plywood before putting new underlayment and laminate on top.

Stay away from the Lumber Liquidators bamboo laminate, too. That shit causes cancer.

https://www.hovertrowel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/roller-screed-2-225x300.jpg That's a link to a pic of a guy using a screed box. It's basically a method of applying mortars uniformly. We use it when we're building up and level-coating depressions in a floor - we mix our epoxy with silica sand to make a mortar and lay it out over the existing floor.

Be careful if you decide to use a "self-leveling" product. My family owns an epoxy flooring business, and our stuff is "self-leveling," but all that means is that the coat we put on will level itself out - if the floor is uneven, it will follow the contour of the floor. Seems self explanatory, but it happens all the time where people say, "But I thought your material would fix the wavy concrete." Not the case. If the high spot is drastic enough, you're probably talking about having to skreed or float whatever material you're using if it's liquid. Also be careful about cementitious material, like Ardex. That stuff is so finicky, it has to be poured just right at the perfect ratio, or it will crack. If you can simply sand the shit out of it to get it level, that's what I would do. I'm not sure how high the apex of the floor is compared to the low spots, but if it's too high to sand, your best bet is to probably build up the low spots with plywood to meet the desired height.

I did notice that, but was willing to give it a shot anyway. I felt this option was the best combo of good reviews, size, quality, and price point for me. From what I've read, no 4K TV currently on the market has a true 240hz refresh rate. They are all either 60 or 120 and marketed as more, just like my new one. Or if not all, certainly most. I don't keep myself totally up to date on these things. Like I said, I would really have preferred something a little larger and top of the line, but it's not in the cards - first big boy apartment rent check is due on 1/1. Lol.

I bought this yesterday: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-60-class-60-diag--2160p-smart-4k-ultra-hd-tv-black/5149031.p?id=1219646572403&skuId=5149031 Obviously mine is 60" (I wanted to go 65", but it was a $400 price difference and 60" is big enough for now). According to Best Buy, the same TV is $849 for the 50" model. Keep in mind you also have tax and optional protection/replacement plans that usually tack on at least $200. And as others have said, be careful about 4K and refresh rate in smaller size screens. But the reviews on that Samsung model are dynamite across the board and I have no doubt that mine will be outstanding once I set it up. Also, 4K content is somewhat limited right now, for what that's worth. Obviously I thought it was worth it to go 4K, since you can find more 4K stuff on Netflix than cable (sounds like you watch Netflix too), but you're not gonna pop the tv in and start watching 4K stuff on every channel.

Would love to live in New Brunswick. Spent 4 years there at Rutgers. But getting in and out of there during rush hour is suicide. And I live in West Orange and work in Bloomfield, so that's a bit of a stretch on commute. And seeing as how this is my first solo place, my mother is hoping for a 10-15 mile radius or else she might have a nervous breakdown, and I'm gonna try my best to keep her happy. Lol.