Overheard at Work

[onlykelsey]

I was an exchange student deep in the former DDR and had a T-shirt that said, in the Cyrllic alphabet:

Wenn du das lesen kannst, biste kein doofer Wessi.  (If you can read this, you're no idiot West German.)

In order to understand the letters, you had to speak Russian.  Once you got that far, though, the sounds the letters made were nonsensical unless you spoke German (and were familiar with the Berlin dialect, to boot). 

I should have it remade.

Oh my god, I must have this for my girlfriend. She would kill for that!

Do it.

Using your exact phonetics for the Berlin dialect, and making a few adjustments for the way Russian handles diphthongs but preserving the double letters of the original German which makes the words obviously non-Russian, that works out to:

Вєнн ду дас лєсєн каннст, бистє кайн дууфєр Вєссий.

Thanks!  I can't find my original shirt, but this looks right on.  I'm not native in either language (but have lived/worked in both countries), so I may be off, but I think "doofer" was written differently in my original shirt I got in Brandenburg.  If I were reading that word in Cyrllic outloud in american English, I'd say more "dufer" than "doh-ver", right?

[MgoSam]

I was an exchange student deep in the former DDR and had a T-shirt that said, in the Cyrllic alphabet:

Wenn du das lesen kannst, biste kein doofer Wessi.  (If you can read this, you're no idiot West German.)

In order to understand the letters, you had to speak Russian.  Once you got that far, though, the sounds the letters made were nonsensical unless you spoke German (and were familiar with the Berlin dialect, to boot). 

I should have it remade.

Oh my god, I must have this for my girlfriend. She would kill for that!

Do it.

Using your exact phonetics for the Berlin dialect, and making a few adjustments for the way Russian handles diphthongs but preserving the double letters of the original German which makes the words obviously non-Russian, that works out to:

Вєнн ду дас лєсєн каннст, бистє кайн дууфєр Вєссий.

Thanks!  I can't find my original shirt, but this looks right on.  I'm not native in either language (but have lived/worked in both countries), so I may be off, but I think "doofer" was written differently in my original shirt I got in Brandenburg.  If I were reading that word in Cyrllic outloud in american English, I'd say more "dufer" than "doh-ver", right?

Reminds me of a shirt I saw in "The Sum of All Fears," it's in Russian but it says something like, "I'm a bomb technician. If you see me running, try to keep up."

[Ashyukun]

Granted, every time I've tried to get screened, my poor GF always winds up being 'Random White Female'. And then I laugh at her in front of the rest of the line of people, and make comments degrading the concept of TSA doing anything. Still haven't been screened personally though.

Oh, hey, I'm also Random White Female!  I just loved when a disgruntled TSA agent decided to make a spectacle of me -- she took all of my possessions out of my roller-bag, made me wait at the far table while she went back to the x-ray machine and put all of my things through it again but this time my things were scattered outside the bag, and then abandoned my things on the conveyor belt, all while I still hadn't been released to leave the table.  To top it off, I got to miss my flight!

Was returning to southern Europe where I was living at the time back in the 90s. I had a duffle bag of car parts b/c I could get them here in the USA cheaper and easier with no linguistic hurdles. This wasn't too many years (2-3) after the Lockerbee, Scotland crash so Heathrow airport was still taking security seriously.

You should have seen the X-ray scanner operator's eyes bug out as my bag went through security. Shock absorbers might look like alot of unfriendly stuff on the scanner.

Missed my flight, etc. The airline got me on another flight, different airline at no extra cost to me. Everyone was very nice.

Back in the very late 80's I had gotten very heavily into racing radio-controlled cars. We were living in Durham, NC and my family was flying out to visit my Grandparents in San Diego for a week or so over Christmas. Since I really wanted to be able to play with my cars while on vacation, my carry-on was a big plastic tool/tackle box. I forget whether I took one or two cars, but took a lot of the tools and parts necessary for maintaining the cars along with me as well as, of course, their radios. The tackle box was rather heavy, not small, and packed full of radio equipment, electric motors, wiring, springs and shocks, shock fluid, oils (this was after all over a decade before 9/11) and tools. Being like 14, I didn't think at all about the potential concerns of taking all of this onto an airplane (as well as not wanting it to come open and spill parts everywhere if it were checked and tossed around) and happily plopped the thing on the X-ray conveyor and went through the metal detector.

The X-ray tech's eyes got so wide when it went through you'd have thought he was a Disney cartoon character. He franticly waved over the security officer nearby and his eyes go about as wide. He saunters over to the exit of the X-ray belt (which the tech stopped with the tackle box in front of him and says, "Whose luggage is this?"

Little 13-year-old me pipes up and says that it's mine- at which point he looks at me in disbelief and accusingly at my parents- who both are trying not to laugh (my Dad was active-duty Military at this point in time, so they're not particularly worried). The security officer asks if he can open the tackle box and inspect its contents, and I shrug and say 'OK.' He proceeds to pull half of everything out of the box and ask me what it is- and of course gets a rather lengthy explanation on all of it from me- until he gets down to the bottom to the actual car(s). He eventually decided that it was indeed mine and that it was just as innocuous as I was (or at least appeared to be) and let me pack it back up and continue on to our flight.

I don't think I got any grief from the San Diego airport security checkpoint though, strangely enough...

[TheGrimSqueaker]

I was an exchange student deep in the former DDR and had a T-shirt that said, in the Cyrllic alphabet:

Wenn du das lesen kannst, biste kein doofer Wessi.  (If you can read this, you're no idiot West German.)

In order to understand the letters, you had to speak Russian.  Once you got that far, though, the sounds the letters made were nonsensical unless you spoke German (and were familiar with the Berlin dialect, to boot). 

I should have it remade.

Oh my god, I must have this for my girlfriend. She would kill for that!

Do it.

Using your exact phonetics for the Berlin dialect, and making a few adjustments for the way Russian handles diphthongs but preserving the double letters of the original German which makes the words obviously non-Russian, that works out to:

Вєнн ду дас лєсєн каннст, бистє кайн дууфєр Вєссий.

Thanks!  I can't find my original shirt, but this looks right on.  I'm not native in either language (but have lived/worked in both countries), so I may be off, but I think "doofer" was written differently in my original shirt I got in Brandenburg.  If I were reading that word in Cyrllic outloud in american English, I'd say more "dufer" than "doh-ver", right?

Yes, because the Russian "y" letter is pronounced "oo". Two "y" letters are actually redundant in Russian. Repeated Russian vowels don't occur except in rare cases when a word is imported from another language and one syllable ends in the letter while the next syllable begins with the same letter without an intervening consonant. I included both "y" letters to duplicate the spelling you gave, but one "y" for the "oo" "doofer" is more technically correct Russian.

If you want a long "o" sound like you'd hear in the English word "cold", the Russian character you'd want would be

о

not "y" which is "oo".

The funky letter that looks like a bisected circle is pronounced "f". If you need more of a "v" pronunciation, the correct letter for that is one of the little capital B's, like this:

в

Not to be confused with б, which is pronounced like an English "b".

So if you wanted to reproduce something that sounds like "dover", it would be

довєр

[partgypsy]

Reminds me of the story when my parents were coming back from Greece on Vacation, and my Dad had packed a pound or so of dried Greek Oregano to bring home, and also bought a plastic gun for my brother as a gift. When they got to Heathrow and through customs, the officer opened his luggage and pulled out a giant bag of -green stuff- with one hand, and the black plastic gun in the other, with a look of disbelief on his face. But it was resolved rather quickly.

[onlykelsey]

I figured out why it looked weird to me.  I think my original shirt said dummer Wessi, not doofer.

https://verslaven.wordpress.com/2007/03/21/gruse-aus-der-ddr/

[dragoncar]

My colleague was complaining about the cost of oatmeal. Turns out her kids eat oatmeal every morning (sounds great so far), but she doesn't know how to make oatmeal, so she buys the uber-sugary 16Xthe cost packets of instant oatmeal. One per kid. Every day. And when I told her that she could just buy instant oatmeal in a large bag and microwave THAT (it'd be about 1/8th of the cost even if NOT buying in bulk... and less sugar), she said that was 'too complicated'.

Measuring your instant oatmeal before microwaving it = too complicated = worth an 8x mark-up. Ok then.

This reminds me of the time my wife was telling me that her mom refused to buy the bulk oatmeal tub and called her cheap for not wanting to buy the individually packaged oatmeal.

As if mixing oatmeal, brown sugar and cinnamon is soooo complicated or even time consuming for that matter...

If cheap = not spending $ on things that do not add anything positive to my life, sign me up.

I'd rather buy the bulk oatmeal (with less sugar) and have the extra money to have grilled salmon for dinner, y'know?

Yeah, it's only cheap if you refuse to buy something you do like, and can afford, due to the price.  It's not cheap to refuse to buy overpriced crap. 

Does your coworker only purchase those little individual-size boxes of cereal, or is she capable of pouring the desired amount into the bowl and then eyeballing the proper amount of milk?

[RecoveringCarClown]

Our kids' school just changed boundaries. They changed the boundaries because they are putting in a new school. The parents' Facebook page has people trying to buy houses in the school's redefined boundaries. When the first family posted that they found a new place I laughed it off, but now there are about a half dozen families selling their houses and looking for a place in the original school's boundary so their kids won't lose their friends.

A bunch of renters have already notified their LLs that they are leaving and are watching for new places. They are banding together to find a building that all their families can move into at once.

One family is offering to sell their address to use on address transfer forms, and forward any mail so other families don't have to move.

Now a real estate agent has gotten in on the act as a specialist for relocating families into the school's catchment area.

Yeah its a good school - but come on... This is all a little ridiculous.

I have several first hand examples of this exact phenomenon.  As crazy as it sounds,  I think it may be more common than one would think.

[Sam E]

Our kids' school just changed boundaries. They changed the boundaries because they are putting in a new school. The parents' Facebook page has people trying to buy houses in the school's redefined boundaries. When the first family posted that they found a new place I laughed it off, but now there are about a half dozen families selling their houses and looking for a place in the original school's boundary so their kids won't lose their friends.

A bunch of renters have already notified their LLs that they are leaving and are watching for new places. They are banding together to find a building that all their families can move into at once.

One family is offering to sell their address to use on address transfer forms, and forward any mail so other families don't have to move.

Now a real estate agent has gotten in on the act as a specialist for relocating families into the school's catchment area.

Yeah its a good school - but come on... This is all a little ridiculous.

Isn't it possible to send kids to school outside the boundaries your house falls into, though? I knew kids in high school who went to my school despite living on the other side of the city just because their parents wanted them to. Wouldn't "My kids have spent years going to this school already" be considered an even better reason? I'm not a parent so don't know how that stuff works exactly, but it just seems crazy to me that it would actually be required to move houses just because the schools changed their boundaries in the middle of a student's school career.

[mtn]

Our kids' school just changed boundaries. They changed the boundaries because they are putting in a new school. The parents' Facebook page has people trying to buy houses in the school's redefined boundaries. When the first family posted that they found a new place I laughed it off, but now there are about a half dozen families selling their houses and looking for a place in the original school's boundary so their kids won't lose their friends.

A bunch of renters have already notified their LLs that they are leaving and are watching for new places. They are banding together to find a building that all their families can move into at once.

One family is offering to sell their address to use on address transfer forms, and forward any mail so other families don't have to move.

Now a real estate agent has gotten in on the act as a specialist for relocating families into the school's catchment area.

Yeah its a good school - but come on... This is all a little ridiculous.

Isn't it possible to send kids to school outside the boundaries your house falls into, though? I knew kids in high school who went to my school despite living on the other side of the city just because their parents wanted them to. Wouldn't "My kids have spent years going to this school already" be considered an even better reason? I'm not a parent so don't know how that stuff works exactly, but it just seems crazy to me that it would actually be required to move houses just because the schools changed their boundaries in the middle of a student's school career.

Not where we live in Illinois. They may make exceptions--I had a friend who moved to a different school boundary within the same district who's mom drove him to his old school, but they only let that happen because he was in 5th grade and only had one year left before he went to middle school (4 elementary schools, 1 middle school in our district). His little brother (1st grade) went to the "new" school.

I could see it above if the new school wasn't the same district. That happened with my best friend in college--new high school, he was the first graduating class. Even though it was the same district, he said the teachers were really pretty bad compared to the old high school. For me, the reason that I'll be buying a house where I end up buying it is because of the schools.

[Goldielocks]

How many people here have read The Audacity of Hope (by Barack Obama)? I don't find myself completely politically aligned with him, but his first chapter (which is all of what I have read so far) is an outstanding view on the political system. I liked it.

I don't read anything by homosexual atheist Muslims who spend 25 hours a day trying to destroy America and putting their grubby socialist hands all over my Medicare. (only a slight exaggeration of typical parlance here)

I actually think I might find that interesting.

Atheist Muslim --  that's an oxymoron...or just not possible... like "giant midget" or whatnot.

I will assume you are being funny in "vernacular" voice?

[marty998]

How many people here have read The Audacity of Hope (by Barack Obama)? I don't find myself completely politically aligned with him, but his first chapter (which is all of what I have read so far) is an outstanding view on the political system. I liked it.

I don't read anything by homosexual atheist Kenyan born Muslims who spend 25 hours a day trying to destroy America and putting their grubby socialist hands all over my Medicare. (only a slight exaggeration of typical parlance here)

I actually think I might find that interesting.

Atheist Muslim --  that's an oxymoron...or just not possible... like "giant midget" or whatnot.

I will assume you are being funny in "vernacular" voice?

FTFY

[DKitty]

People are talking about the lottery at work, one woman has just admitted that she has £42 a month direct debit to all the various lotteries because 'you only need your numbers to come up once'. Nobody seems to think this amount of money every month is crazy...

[steviesterno]

i just found out everyone in one department here doesn't pay speeding tickets. so now, they have warrants out for their arrest and the "winner" (one with the most warrants at 21!) owes $11,000 to get her license back. well, after she will be taken to jail the instant she gets pulled over again since she's without a license and technically a fugitive.


really makes me feel better about my life choices.

[With This Herring]

i just found out everyone in one department here doesn't pay speeding tickets. so now, they have warrants out for their arrest and the "winner" (one with the most warrants at 21!) owes $11,000 to get her license back. well, after she will be taken to jail the instant she gets pulled over again since she's without a license and technically a fugitive.


really makes me feel better about my life choices.

Is this a policy for that department?  "If you're going to work in sales/admin/engineering/hotheads&hotrods, you must speed and not pay the tickets!"  Some sort of bizarre coincidence?  If the police are offering a reward, this might tip you a little further toward FIRE...

[Pooperman]

i just found out everyone in one department here doesn't pay speeding tickets. so now, they have warrants out for their arrest and the "winner" (one with the most warrants at 21!) owes $11,000 to get her license back. well, after she will be taken to jail the instant she gets pulled over again since she's without a license and technically a fugitive.


really makes me feel better about my life choices.

Is this a policy for that department?  "If you're going to work in sales/admin/engineering/hotheads&hotrods, you must speed and not pay the tickets!"  Some sort of bizarre coincidence?  If the police are offering a reward, this might tip you a little further toward FIRE...

That's the first thing I thought. "Hey, 5 people in my department owe tickets and have warrants, is there a finder's fee?"

[GuitarStv]

Reminds me of the story when my parents were coming back from Greece on Vacation, and my Dad had packed a pound or so of dried Greek Oregano to bring home, and also bought a plastic gun for my brother as a gift. When they got to Heathrow and through customs, the officer opened his luggage and pulled out a giant bag of -green stuff- with one hand, and the black plastic gun in the other, with a look of disbelief on his face. But it was resolved rather quickly.

Hahahahaha . . . cool that it was resolved quickly and without a full cavity search.

[The Guru]

i just found out everyone in one department here doesn't pay speeding tickets. so now, they have warrants out for their arrest and the "winner" (one with the most warrants at 21!) owes $11,000 to get her license back. well, after she will be taken to jail the instant she gets pulled over again since she's without a license and technically a fugitive.


really makes me feel better about my life choices.

Is this a policy for that department?  "If you're going to work in sales/admin/engineering/hotheads&hotrods, you must speed and not pay the tickets!"  Some sort of bizarre coincidence?  If the police are offering a reward, this might tip you a little further toward FIRE...

That's the first thing I thought. "Hey, 5 people in my department owe tickets and have warrants, is there a finder's fee?"

Yeah, but imagine the workload when you find yourself the only person left in your department. Sort of a bizarre spin on the fear of being the only one left by not buying into the eventual winning Powerball pool.

Not to mention the stress of feigning innocence when they all start speculating on who ratted them out ;-)

[jinga nation]

Overheard my boss yesterday, talking about the financial markets turmoil last week. "I'll have to retire at 75 instead of 65, my 401k dropped by half".
I'm hoping he was joking, since the markets didn't tank THAT much. Or maybe he's using a bad mix of mutual funds (we have mainly Vanguard). I know he brings lunch everyday, is very thrifty and has a modest house. Maybe he was joking to make the govt. employee in our office feel better (boss and I are DoD contractors).
Most of my co-workers were freaking out last week, while one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

[LennStar]

Most of my co-workers were freaking out last week, while one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

hm.... I would wait I think. Stocks will fall down more this or latest next year, the crash is already overdue and ship transport prices (earliest and quite reliable indicator for world wide economy) have just fallen to their lowest since 1983(?) when they started measuring.
China is running out of steam and the oil price - if it continues - will put Russia in recession.

[MgoSam]

one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

Yeah my only regret is that I don't have cash to pour in right now. I did dump a bunch of money in when the market went down back in July/August.

[Pooperman]

one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

Yeah my only regret is that I don't have cash to pour in right now. I did dump a bunch of money in when the market went down back in July/August.

My HSA transfer happened at the beginning of last week and the excess was invested the day after the most recent low. Accidental market timing I suppose. That almost evens out the opposite that happened last year when the old 401k was rolled over and the market went up in between.

[maco]

i just found out everyone in one department here doesn't pay speeding tickets. so now, they have warrants out for their arrest and the "winner" (one with the most warrants at 21!) owes $11,000 to get her license back. well, after she will be taken to jail the instant she gets pulled over again since she's without a license and technically a fugitive.


really makes me feel better about my life choices.

Is this a policy for that department?  "If you're going to work in sales/admin/engineering/hotheads&hotrods, you must speed and not pay the tickets!"  Some sort of bizarre coincidence?  If the police are offering a reward, this might tip you a little further toward FIRE...

That's the first thing I thought. "Hey, 5 people in my department owe tickets and have warrants, is there a finder's fee?"

Yeah, but imagine the workload when you find yourself the only person left in your department. Sort of a bizarre spin on the fear of being the only one left by not buying into the eventual winning Powerball pool.

Not to mention the stress of feigning innocence when they all start speculating on who ratted them out ;-)

stevie didn't say it was their department...

[boarder42]

Most of my co-workers were freaking out last week, while one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

hm.... I would wait I think. Stocks will fall down more this or latest next year, the crash is already overdue and ship transport prices (earliest and quite reliable indicator for world wide economy) have just fallen to their lowest since 1983(?) when they started measuring.
China is running out of steam and the oil price - if it continues - will put Russia in recession.

let me know where you got your crystal ball ... i want one!

[Mermaid3011]

Most of my co-workers were freaking out last week, while one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

hm.... I would wait I think. Stocks will fall down more this or latest next year, the crash is already overdue and ship transport prices (earliest and quite reliable indicator for world wide economy) have just fallen to their lowest since 1983(?) when they started measuring.
China is running out of steam and the oil price - if it continues - will put Russia in recession.

THIS

my colleagues (portfolio managers etc) are forecasting a 1-2 yr period of low markets, low economy etc until things look up.

[Tabaxus]

Most of my co-workers were freaking out last week, while one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

hm.... I would wait I think. Stocks will fall down more this or latest next year, the crash is already overdue and ship transport prices (earliest and quite reliable indicator for world wide economy) have just fallen to their lowest since 1983(?) when they started measuring.
China is running out of steam and the oil price - if it continues - will put Russia in recession.

THIS

my colleagues (portfolio managers etc) are forecasting a 1-2 yr period of low markets, low economy etc until things look up.

Unless they are all shorting the market, I'm not sure I'm terribly convinced.  Everyone has a prediction, no one knows the answer, and I thought that we generally didn't think well of market timing around here.

[WerKater]

Most of my co-workers were freaking out last week, while one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

hm.... I would wait I think. Stocks will fall down more this or latest next year, the crash is already overdue and ship transport prices (earliest and quite reliable indicator for world wide economy) have just fallen to their lowest since 1983(?) when they started measuring.
China is running out of steam and the oil price - if it continues - will put Russia in recession.

THIS

my colleagues (portfolio managers etc) are forecasting a 1-2 yr period of low markets, low economy etc until things look up.

So why are these guy still your colleagues (and not retired, filthy rich) if they can accurately predict the market?

[MgoSam]

Most of my co-workers were freaking out last week, while one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

hm.... I would wait I think. Stocks will fall down more this or latest next year, the crash is already overdue and ship transport prices (earliest and quite reliable indicator for world wide economy) have just fallen to their lowest since 1983(?) when they started measuring.
China is running out of steam and the oil price - if it continues - will put Russia in recession.

THIS

my colleagues (portfolio managers etc) are forecasting a 1-2 yr period of low markets, low economy etc until things look up.

So why are these guy still your colleagues (and not retired, filthy rich) if they can accurately predict the market?

LOL! That's generally what I think whenever someone tells me what is going to happen.

Reminds me of a line I heard, "If you had not smoked for the past 10 years you could own a BMW." "hen where's your BMW?" "I don't have one." "That's what I thought, SHUT UP!"

At my showroom in Chicago, there's a salesmen that I talk to, the man is over 65 years old and busting his ass. He constantly tells me how to invest and in my head I'm thinking, 'I'll listen to you if I want to be 65 years old and still driving all over the country to try to make a buck.' Of course, he blames Obama for his economic situation, so it makes it easier to simply ignore him.

[Mermaid3011]

Most of my co-workers were freaking out last week, while one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

hm.... I would wait I think. Stocks will fall down more this or latest next year, the crash is already overdue and ship transport prices (earliest and quite reliable indicator for world wide economy) have just fallen to their lowest since 1983(?) when they started measuring.
China is running out of steam and the oil price - if it continues - will put Russia in recession.

THIS

my colleagues (portfolio managers etc) are forecasting a 1-2 yr period of low markets, low economy etc until things look up.

So why are these guy still your colleagues (and not retired, filthy rich) if they can accurately predict the market?

Apparently they are not mini-MMMs :)

Then again... it's not hard to predict a general development of economy/market if you have plenty of information and experience.
It's different with predicting exact share prices, where the DAX/NYSE will be on April 10th...

[mcampbell]

Coworker was telling me about his wedding, "So the wedding got up to $60k, luckily the wife's family is covering the dress so I didn't have to cover that. Around $50k I started to tell everywhere we need to slow things down, I'm going to have to dip into savings. Then proceeds to tell me how he saved $300 on removing one of the flower options on the ends of aisles." This is all for 120 people in upstate new york ...

[Mermaid3011]

Coworker was telling me about his wedding, "So the wedding got up to $60k, luckily the wife's family is covering the dress so I didn't have to cover that. Around $50k I started to tell everywhere we need to slow things down, I'm going to have to dip into savings. Then proceeds to tell me how he saved $300 on removing one of the flower options on the ends of aisles." This is all for 120 people in upstate new york ...

OMFG

[MgoSam]

Coworker was telling me about his wedding, "So the wedding got up to $60k, luckily the wife's family is covering the dress so I didn't have to cover that. Around $50k I started to tell everywhere we need to slow things down, I'm going to have to dip into savings. Then proceeds to tell me how he saved $300 on removing one of the flower options on the ends of aisles." This is all for 120 people in upstate new york ...

Weddings are crazy! It's insane how much things add up, a good friend of mine is getting married at the end of August and he's starting to mentally freak out. Him and his fiance usually go out at least once a week, but have said that they are trying to stay in more and eat in to save up money.

[ShoulderThingThatGoesUp]

Most of my co-workers were freaking out last week, while one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

hm.... I would wait I think. Stocks will fall down more this or latest next year, the crash is already overdue and ship transport prices (earliest and quite reliable indicator for world wide economy) have just fallen to their lowest since 1983(?) when they started measuring.
China is running out of steam and the oil price - if it continues - will put Russia in recession.

OK, you stay in cash and I'll continue maxing out my 401k.

[dycker1978]

Most of my co-workers were freaking out last week, while one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

hm.... I would wait I think. Stocks will fall down more this or latest next year, the crash is already overdue and ship transport prices (earliest and quite reliable indicator for world wide economy) have just fallen to their lowest since 1983(?) when they started measuring.
China is running out of steam and the oil price - if it continues - will put Russia in recession.

OK, you stay in cash and I'll continue maxing out my 401k.

I hope you are right  I get a 14% increase in pay Feb 1.  That will be buying stocks... yippee dollar cost average getting better.

[cloudsail]

Most of my co-workers were freaking out last week, while one engineer and myself were rubbing hands in glee, saying "stocks are on sale, buy, buy. buy, dollar cost averaging". Got paid Friday, so there you go.

hm.... I would wait I think. Stocks will fall down more this or latest next year, the crash is already overdue and ship transport prices (earliest and quite reliable indicator for world wide economy) have just fallen to their lowest since 1983(?) when they started measuring.
China is running out of steam and the oil price - if it continues - will put Russia in recession.

THIS

my colleagues (portfolio managers etc) are forecasting a 1-2 yr period of low markets, low economy etc until things look up.

Since you live in Toronto, I assume you're talking about the Canadian economy? I agree things are looking pretty grim there right now.

[Frugalicious]

Our kids' school just changed boundaries. They changed the boundaries because they are putting in a new school. The parents' Facebook page has people trying to buy houses in the school's redefined boundaries. When the first family posted that they found a new place I laughed it off, but now there are about a half dozen families selling their houses and looking for a place in the original school's boundary so their kids won't lose their friends.

A bunch of renters have already notified their LLs that they are leaving and are watching for new places. They are banding together to find a building that all their families can move into at once.

One family is offering to sell their address to use on address transfer forms, and forward any mail so other families don't have to move.

Now a real estate agent has gotten in on the act as a specialist for relocating families into the school's catchment area.

Yeah its a good school - but come on... This is all a little ridiculous.

Isn't it possible to send kids to school outside the boundaries your house falls into, though? I knew kids in high school who went to my school despite living on the other side of the city just because their parents wanted them to. Wouldn't "My kids have spent years going to this school already" be considered an even better reason? I'm not a parent so don't know how that stuff works exactly, but it just seems crazy to me that it would actually be required to move houses just because the schools changed their boundaries in the middle of a student's school career.

Yes and no. It is a specialty curriculum (French Immersion) which is oversubscribed. The school was built for 900 students and currently holds 1200. In elementary grades.  So the new school is being built. Since the school is dangerously over filled, they are being pretty ruthless in defining who can attend it. The school already has more portables than the zoning bylaw allows, and the parking lot is utter mayhem most mornings.

At the same time as all the parents are griping about having to move, another group is complaining about not enough gym/library/computer/lab time, and that teams are impossible to get on since even house league sports can't be made big enough to fit the number of students who want to play.

Half are grousing about having to go, and half are grousing about it being overcrowded. Glad I'm not a school board trustee.

You are

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[dragoncar]

Coworker was telling me about his wedding, "So the wedding got up to $60k, luckily the wife's family is covering the dress so I didn't have to cover that. Around $50k I started to tell everywhere we need to slow things down, I'm going to have to dip into savings. Then proceeds to tell me how he saved $300 on removing one of the flower options on the ends of aisles." This is all for 120 people in upstate new york ...

So this dude can pay $50k for a wedding out of current income, and only needed to dip into savings for the extra $10k?  Honestly I wouldn't worry about him

[HairyUpperLip]

How many people here have read The Audacity of Hope (by Barack Obama)? I don't find myself completely politically aligned with him, but his first chapter (which is all of what I have read so far) is an outstanding view on the political system. I liked it.

I don't read anything by homosexual atheist Muslims who spend 25 hours a day trying to destroy America and putting their grubby socialist hands all over my Medicare. (only a slight exaggeration of typical parlance here)

I actually think I might find that interesting.

Atheist Muslim --  that's an oxymoron...or just not possible... like "giant midget" or whatnot.

I will assume you are being funny in "vernacular" voice?

But at least you are okay with the idea of 25 hour days...

lol, I know it's the internet but I do believe the sentence was a heavy dose of sarcasm.

[merula]

How many people here have read The Audacity of Hope (by Barack Obama)? I don't find myself completely politically aligned with him, but his first chapter (which is all of what I have read so far) is an outstanding view on the political system. I liked it.

I don't read anything by homosexual atheist Muslims who spend 25 hours a day trying to destroy America and putting their grubby socialist hands all over my Medicare. (only a slight exaggeration of typical parlance here)

I actually think I might find that interesting.

Atheist Muslim --  that's an oxymoron...or just not possible... like "giant midget" or whatnot.

I will assume you are being funny in "vernacular" voice?

But at least you are okay with the idea of 25 hour days...

lol, I know it's the internet but I do believe the sentence was a heavy dose of sarcasm.

I'm just wondering what the scare-quotes around vernacular were supposed to mean.

[steviesterno]

i just found out everyone in one department here doesn't pay speeding tickets. so now, they have warrants out for their arrest and the "winner" (one with the most warrants at 21!) owes $11,000 to get her license back. well, after she will be taken to jail the instant she gets pulled over again since she's without a license and technically a fugitive.


really makes me feel better about my life choices.

Is this a policy for that department?  "If you're going to work in sales/admin/engineering/hotheads&hotrods, you must speed and not pay the tickets!"  Some sort of bizarre coincidence?  If the police are offering a reward, this might tip you a little further toward FIRE...

That's the first thing I thought. "Hey, 5 people in my department owe tickets and have warrants, is there a finder's fee?"

Yeah, but imagine the workload when you find yourself the only person left in your department. Sort of a bizarre spin on the fear of being the only one left by not buying into the eventual winning Powerball pool.

Not to mention the stress of feigning innocence when they all start speculating on who ratted them out ;-)

stevie didn't say it was their department...

not my department, but not sure I want that many criminals getting in trouble at the same time. They would know it was me and are already OK with breaking laws. seems like a dangerous combo.

haha they are all pretty nice, and actually it came up in a convo about another terrible with money ex co worker who we're pretty sure has turned to prostitution to pay her bills (after bragging she only paid 20% interest on a 40k car). good times!

[GuitarStv]

i just found out everyone in one department here doesn't pay speeding tickets. so now, they have warrants out for their arrest and the "winner" (one with the most warrants at 21!) owes $11,000 to get her license back. well, after she will be taken to jail the instant she gets pulled over again since she's without a license and technically a fugitive.


really makes me feel better about my life choices.

Is this a policy for that department?  "If you're going to work in sales/admin/engineering/hotheads&hotrods, you must speed and not pay the tickets!"  Some sort of bizarre coincidence?  If the police are offering a reward, this might tip you a little further toward FIRE...

That's the first thing I thought. "Hey, 5 people in my department owe tickets and have warrants, is there a finder's fee?"

Yeah, but imagine the workload when you find yourself the only person left in your department. Sort of a bizarre spin on the fear of being the only one left by not buying into the eventual winning Powerball pool.

Not to mention the stress of feigning innocence when they all start speculating on who ratted them out ;-)

stevie didn't say it was their department...

not my department, but not sure I want that many criminals getting in trouble at the same time. They would know it was me and are already OK with breaking laws. seems like a dangerous combo.

haha they are all pretty nice, and actually it came up in a convo about another terrible with money ex co worker who we're pretty sure has turned to prostitution to pay her bills (after bragging she only paid 20% interest on a 40k car). good times!

Speeding tickets are given out to reduce harm to others.  When you speed, it increases the chance that someone will die.  Not paying your speeding ticket (and indeed amassing a large number of them) shows that you are recklessly endangering others.  My take is that reporting them to the police is the morally correct thing to do.  If it comes with a reward, so much the better.    :P

[Pooperman]

i just found out everyone in one department here doesn't pay speeding tickets. so now, they have warrants out for their arrest and the "winner" (one with the most warrants at 21!) owes $11,000 to get her license back. well, after she will be taken to jail the instant she gets pulled over again since she's without a license and technically a fugitive.


really makes me feel better about my life choices.

Is this a policy for that department?  "If you're going to work in sales/admin/engineering/hotheads&hotrods, you must speed and not pay the tickets!"  Some sort of bizarre coincidence?  If the police are offering a reward, this might tip you a little further toward FIRE...

That's the first thing I thought. "Hey, 5 people in my department owe tickets and have warrants, is there a finder's fee?"

Yeah, but imagine the workload when you find yourself the only person left in your department. Sort of a bizarre spin on the fear of being the only one left by not buying into the eventual winning Powerball pool.

Not to mention the stress of feigning innocence when they all start speculating on who ratted them out ;-)

stevie didn't say it was their department...

not my department, but not sure I want that many criminals getting in trouble at the same time. They would know it was me and are already OK with breaking laws. seems like a dangerous combo.

haha they are all pretty nice, and actually it came up in a convo about another terrible with money ex co worker who we're pretty sure has turned to prostitution to pay her bills (after bragging she only paid 20% interest on a 40k car). good times!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEJ9HrZq7Ro

[Chris22]

Speeding tickets are given out to reduce harm to others.

No, speeding tickets are largely given out to make money for local municipalities.  Statistically, pretty much everyone speeds, largely because limits are set too low on purpose to drive speeding ticket revenue. 

[Chris22]

Speeding tickets are given out to reduce harm to others.

No, speeding tickets are largely given out to make money for local municipalities.  Statistically, pretty much everyone speeds, largely because limits are set too low on purpose to drive speeding ticket revenue.

[action]Bites tongue. Hard.[/action]



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpZRxo3EWAc

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/fhwasa12004/

http://priceonomics.com/is-every-speed-limit-too-low/

[argonaut_astronaut]

Speeding tickets are given out to reduce harm to others.

No, speeding tickets are largely given out to make money for local municipalities.  Statistically, pretty much everyone speeds, largely because limits are set too low on purpose to drive speeding ticket revenue.

Source?

[Apples]

How many people here have read The Audacity of Hope (by Barack Obama)? I don't find myself completely politically aligned with him, but his first chapter (which is all of what I have read so far) is an outstanding view on the political system. I liked it.

I don't read anything by homosexual atheist Muslims who spend 25 hours a day trying to destroy America and putting their grubby socialist hands all over my Medicare. (only a slight exaggeration of typical parlance here)

I actually think I might find that interesting.

Atheist Muslim --  that's an oxymoron...or just not possible... like "giant midget" or whatnot.

I will assume you are being funny in "vernacular" voice?

But at least you are okay with the idea of 25 hour days...

lol, I know it's the internet but I do believe the sentence was a heavy dose of sarcasm.

I'm just wondering what the scare-quotes around vernacular were supposed to mean.

Just guessing, but I took it to mean Thick Southern Redneck Accent.

[Chris22]

Speeding tickets are given out to reduce harm to others.

No, speeding tickets are largely given out to make money for local municipalities.  Statistically, pretty much everyone speeds, largely because limits are set too low on purpose to drive speeding ticket revenue.

Source?

See right above you.

[Chris22]

Speeding tickets are given out to reduce harm to others.

No, speeding tickets are largely given out to make money for local municipalities.  Statistically, pretty much everyone speeds, largely because limits are set too low on purpose to drive speeding ticket revenue.

[action]Bites tongue. Hard.[/action]



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpZRxo3EWAc

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/fhwasa12004/

http://priceonomics.com/is-every-speed-limit-too-low/

You are quoting a blogger over federally sponsored FWHA research and NZ research. You should buy his book - "Everything is Bullshit", also check out his article on the invention of Pad Thai! There's a source worth quoting!

But he did get a few things right! 85th percentile speeds are set at the speed most drivers are already driving, reducing variability in the traffic stream and therefore reducing severity of collisions. Excellent work Alex Mayyasi - you researched that bit well!

FWIW, most 85th percentile speeds correspond nicely with the design speed of the roads they are on. In other words, drivers are pretty good at driving in a safe speed band for the road. And most police will allow some forgiveness in the speed band, aiming to hold the outliers' speeds down rather than ticket the masses.

The problem is, speed limits are not usually set at the 85 percentile limits, but at something lower.  So if you agree with the 85 percentile methodology, you agree with me.   

The BS statement about speed limits being set in order to increase revenues is laughable. But I'm sure that as you clip a bike as you fly by, you'll be safe, and its that SOB's problem you couldn't swerve fast enough, right? I mean its not like sightlines through curves or crests are calculated into the roadway design - and its not like the reaction time has anything to do with how fast you are driving.

You can win this argument, go home and pat yourself on the back. But be ready for 2 things. One - for your stash to be cleaned out in a legal settlement after you hit said cyclist, and two, for the guy who ploughs into you using your same logic that his speed is more important than your life.

You will not see any further replies from me on the topic. Quit reading blogs, and start reading science and engineering reports.

Here be strawmen.

[dragoncar]

Speed limit discussion probably depends on exactly where you live.  There are certainly some small towns well know for deriving immense revenue from speed traps.  But I think those are the minority.  Most towns with real economic engines don't give a crap as long as everyone is driving safely.

[zephyr911]

I don't support the blatant oversimplification that ALL speed limits are set too low because of revenue, but

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpZRxo3EWAc

...aside from using a borderline insulting scare tactic, is virtually unrelated to the issue at hand, which is whether current speed limits are appropriate in any given location(s). I've ready plenty of research that does indicate at least some are too low, and that the fixation on speed hinders regulation of other behaviors that can be more dangerous. For example, disparity in speed is known to cause more problems than speed itself in many settings, yet you can put your 4-ways on and create a slow-moving trainwreck of near-disaster on the interstate without interference unless you get below about 50% of the maximum speed. Why do we excuse that when going 5-10 over means a ticket and insurance points? It's demonstrably more dangerous.

Further, on the above video: nobody should be going 65mph in a place where there's any chance of a truck pulling out from behind a blind corner a short distance ahead, which is why we don't have 65mph limits everywhere, but there are places where it is in fact entirely safe and responsible to go 65 or even faster... generally on wide, straight roads without blind corners or even intersections.

I say this as a hypermiler who doesn't even drive the speed limit half the time: it's not as simple as any of you want to make it. With as many miles of road in the world and as many jurisdictions as there are, some are done right and some have really fucked-up priorities. I don't advocate for higher or lower limits, I just support rational judgments in every situation.

Small towns in particular are notorious for making revenue centers of minor moving infractions that may or may not be dangerous at all, sometimes accompanied by rapid drops from highway speed to "city" speed well outside pedestrian/commercial zones. Some cities have even shortened the duration of yellow lights to increase red-light infractions, knowing that it raises collision risk.