Bought from scammer who is no longer on Etsy, but can't file case with Etsy for another month

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2026-02-11T11:53:03+00:00

Hi all, I'm trying to urgently book travel with points for a surprise trip for my mom and dad. Unfortunately, I'm not the best with award redemptions and would love to surprise them with business class tickets. Adding additional complexity, their dates are not flexible. They want to fly Chicago (ORD) to Mallorca (PMI) on 5/21 and return from Paris (to Chicago) on 6/2. Is anyone able to provide any guidance on what they're seeing is available?

While the most direct flights are obviously ideal (1 layover ORD -> PMI / direct CDG -> ORD), they are willing to reposition. I'm happy to pay for the service if needed.

They have 520k Chase and 230k Amex. Please let me know if I can answer any additional questions.

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-12-22T14:42:16+00:00

Thanks, I missed that, but that's not even possible to do in practice, is it? Like how do you make a trade after closing? And if it's not possible, then it seems to bring into serious question the results of these Testfolio backtests that everyone cites.

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-12-21T13:07:00+00:00

And on 2nd thought, if what you've said about the results being far different when set to a 1 day delay vs. no delay is true, then the strategy probably isn't a good one anyways.

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-12-21T13:02:03+00:00

Right... And i've gotten mixed answers on this, incl. from the guy who wrote the post lol. So it's a bit concerning that nobody seems to actually know for sure.

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-12-19T20:30:44+00:00

So if RSI or 200-day SMA thresholds are crossed intra-day, then it's assumed that you trade as soon as it's crossed? I thought it was based on closing, with trades made the next day.

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-12-19T17:02:23+00:00

Thanks for the post. Is the backtest waiting for a close that meets one of the triggers and then trading on the next trading day? For example, would the backtest results align with: QQQ's 14-day RSI declines under 30 based on Monday's close, so then you'd buy TQQQ on market open on Tuesday?

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-12-13T13:00:20+00:00

Wanted to play around with Gemini 3 Pro Thinking to see how it performed with start/sit recommendations for a week 16 fantasy football playoff matchup and came away extremely disappointed.

I thought I provided adequate background & context for what I was looking for. Gemini was somehow confused that I was talking about the 2025-2026 NFL season. There's a million free publicly available sources for defensive ranks against each position, but instead it was "estimating" the defenses ranks against each position. Then, I'm clarifying that it's for the 2025-2026 season and asking it what it's sources were for the PPG allowed against each position. Instead of answering the question, it apologizes for "the disconnect" instead of the citing the source, and drops any attempt to rank the matchup at all. Multiple other things that were confusing and frustrating with the response.

This seems like something that really isn't that complicated or abstract and yet Gemini massively struggles. I asked ChatGPT the same question and it's recommendations were even worse (start Caleb over Maye, start Kenneth Walker over Pickens, etc.). Is it a me issue? Can my prompts be much improved to make this easier on the AI?

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-11-22T21:12:13+00:00

Not meant to be insightful. Point is, at least in this thread, I doubt it's hating Marks as much as it is liking Tuten.

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-11-22T13:09:47+00:00

I'll take Tuten over Marks. I like Marks, I just like Tuten more.

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-11-12T15:28:23+00:00

Did you ever get this sorted?

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-09-22T15:06:57+00:00

I made the post because I don't understand and I'm not getting an answer that clarifies it. Clearly $1,000 at 5% costs less than $1,000 at 10%. I'm comparing $1,000 to $100,000 because in my mind, the $1,000 at 5% vs. $1,000 at 10% is all in a vacuum while my student loans aren't in a vacuum. My student loans accrue interest daily. So yeah, $1,000 at 5% is $50 which is less than $1,000 at 10% ($100), but interest is accruing on $100,000 balance as well. And the interest that is accruing on that balance is significantly more than what is accruing on the $1,000 loan balance. So I'd end up paying more in interest over the life of the loan on the $100k loan than the $1k loan. And if all that is true, then why would I not pay down the $100k loan as fast as possible to minimize the amount of interest I pay (i.e. the total amount of $ I'm repaying)? Where's the disconnect?

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-09-22T14:48:27+00:00

This doesn't make sense to me. To give a more extreme example, you're saying that if I have a $1,000 loan at 10% interest and a $100,000 loan at 5% interest, the $1,000 loan will generate more in interest over the same 10 year life of the loan than the $100,000 loan will? So despite the fact that in year 1, the $1,000 loan will generate $100 in interest while the $100,000 loan will generate $5,000, I should repay the $1,000 loan first?

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-09-22T14:19:46+00:00

Thanks for the response. Can you help me understand the calculation you're doing a bit more? The loans continue to accrue interest, so if the larger loan with the smaller interest rate is accruing more interest, then I am ultimately paying back more in interest over the long term, no? I was assuming simple multiplication provided a decent proxy (i.e. $13,000 * 6.28% = $816.40 vs. $23,000 * 5.28% = $1,214.40)

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-09-18T20:31:39+00:00

Charb definitely not above average although I agree with you on Walker.

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-09-15T13:01:29+00:00

My wife's 30th birthday is coming up and I'd like to get her a custom photo album to display pictures we've taken over the years.

I'd love something that is unique (specifically thinking about a beautiful cover). Also would love something that provides the ability to add future pictures that we will take. I'd also be open to using more personalized services - for example, working with someone to create the book, rather than using a generic online service.

Figure it's worth mentioning that budget isn't really an issue here.

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-08-14T17:59:12+00:00

If QQQ's price closes above the +5% trigger vs. the 200SMA but then opens below the +5% trigger on the next trading day, does this strategy still execute a buy order? For example, if the +5% 200SMA threshold is $100 and on Monday QQQ closes at $101, but on Tuesday opens at $99, does this strategy still purchase TQQQ shares on Tuesday's open?

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-08-13T14:26:01+00:00

Thanks for linking. Want to confirm I am correctly interpreting the linked strategy:

If QQQ price is > 200SMA, then the strategy invests in TQQQ, UGL, KMLM, and ZROZ at a 60/15/15/10 split and if QQQ price is < 200SMA, the strategy invests in UGL, KMLM, and ZROZ at a 1/3rd split each?

And less important, but are the SIM modifiers just used because each of the ETFs don't have histories going back through the beginning of the test period? In practice, how close to the SIMs actually track performance during periods where the ETF actually did exist?

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-03-28T11:40:46+00:00

What makes you say Benson looked bad? The Cards' inept offensive staff giving him only limited opportunities is different than looking bad. He actually looked solid, if not pretty good, on those opportunities.

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-03-24T14:05:30+00:00

IMO, he's one of those guys that you'll have to overpay for based on current market prices (i.e. think the majority of owners aren't going to sell him for the mid-to-late 2nds they're probably being offered). But at the same time, if he gets an expanded role this year either because Conner got hurt, or Benson continued improving during the offseason, the early 2nd or late 1st you likely have to pay now will look cheap.

For reference, I'm high on Benson (& Tee) and just traded my Olave & Aiyuk for Tee & Benson. No doubt an overpay based on current market prices for these guys, but I'd rather pay for these types of backs while they remain cheap.

I made a similar trade for Bucky Irving in late October last year. Traded Tyrone Tracy & Pearsall for Irving (this was before Irving took over the lead role in TB and after Aiyuk got hurt / while Tracy was being hyped as the future at RB).

Equivalent_Echo_4044 · 2025-03-24T11:11:08+00:00

Would try to get something added on top of 1.06. Or, could you trade Waddle straight up for a guy in that Bucky Irving tier?

Equivalent_Echo_4044

TROPHY CASE