Recent content by explanade

I believe inflation has been higher in other G8 countries, many of which have much lower fiscal deficits.

I generally don't eat fast food but I'm hearing now that a Happy Meal is like $20 now? I think I heard that McDonalds didn't meet expectations in their last earnings report. I've seen expensive fast food meals in places like Switzerland, where everything is expensive but it was more in the...

There's a wide price range for haircuts where I am. I've spent between $10-15 without tip to over $30 before tip. Found that the hair salon which used to charge $10-12 does a better job than the much more pricey places. Now they're around $16 and they also have a surcharge for credit cards so...

Wow that’s an exceedingly generous program. https://www.commerce.wa.gov/growing-the-economy/energy/electric-vehicles/ev-instant-rebate-program/#:~:text=While%20most%20EV%20models%20are,less%20than%20%24150%20a%20month.

OTOH, markets are way up today, after the CPI report came out. If you have equity investments, your net worth should be at or near all time highs. Wealth effect might lead to more BTD spending, which would support or increase inflation. Other day on CNBC someone noted that profits and profit...

Simpson this week was about tipping gone out of control. Homer is a softie, a generous one.

Yeah I did the Sasso Lungo. Actually I never heard of it being called a coffin but more as a telephone cabin.

You should get some good weather out of the 4 weeks you will stay up there. I've only been to Alta Badia once, Cortina d'Ampezzo once and Val Gardena twice. One thing that may be of interest is Val Gardena Active, which is a card you get for staying a certain number of nights at an...

I've been to the Dolomites several times. Like Austria, this is one of the rainiest parts of the world. August is typically when they have the lowest rainfall. But I've been in Val di Gardena where for 4 days it rained and often heavily. Parking is an issue, especially in Ortisei. You will...

I had a large Tumi suitcase. It got dirty on the first trip, because those conveyor belts are filthy and the baggage handlers always put the suitcase on the front. I spent a couple of hundred repairing it twice because the handle kept tearing off. That's the top handle. I pack the large...

Yeah HFC is definitely a must unless you don't plan to go anywhere. But even a few 3-4 hour train rides and the HFC almost pays for itself. And ditto on the SBB app, it's the best setup, you can literally search a route in real time and make last minute decisions, choose where to go or what to...

I guess Powell saying he doesn't see a reason to tighten soothed the market today. I think also this week EU had a good number on inflation.

You could do unattended charging, schedule it through the app. Or presumably, you can initiate a charge from your phone. But a greater concern about unattended charging would be possible fires if there are problems with the batteries, as was the case with Bolts a couple of years ago. Though...

I just applied and got the United Explorer card, 60k miles. It's at least the 3rd time I will have this card, both times getting the welcome bonus miles. But the main reason I got it this time, I need to renew Global Entry and it will reimburse the fee. The annual fee is $95 but free the...

I don't think this is anything new necessarily. For at least the past 5 years, FF programs now make you earn points in addition to dollars to get status. These points are pretty much based on the fares you pay and you can only get points by booking directly. The other wrinkle is that some...