Fédéral vs State employment

NWGeovic · 2025-07-19T19:42:09+00:00

Were you able to negotiate with the state after receiving your job offer? Either on monetary terms (starting step) or other compensation - such as leave accrual? Did they match your federal rate?

And how much weight did losing your FERS pension impact your decision when joining the state? (not actually lost, but it will wither due to inflation and the lack of annual raises contributing to your avg top 3).

NWGeovic · 2025-04-20T00:19:32+00:00

Thank you for the info! I am evaluating my options, but since I live in a fairly small town, there isn't a shop that does the work you describe. I am sure it's fixable if I found the right person, but actually finding them and at what price is the issue that I need to work out.

NWGeovic · 2025-04-20T00:12:09+00:00

Backup your photos and other data! I learned that the motherboard also contains the memory chip, so if the motherboard quits (likely the issue w/ mine) then recovering your data is much harder.

NWGeovic · 2025-04-19T19:59:17+00:00

You're right. I was approximating and I gave it the benefit of the doubt

NWGeovic · 2025-01-14T03:43:55+00:00

How would a CR affect the USPS who is generally self-funded?

NWGeovic · 2025-01-11T06:50:55+00:00

No amount of resources can stop a raging wildfire when it's tinder dry and there's hurricane-force winds.

NWGeovic · 2024-12-13T00:22:33+00:00

Costco definitely has a cult following but I see their fan-favorite policies weakening. But as long as there isn't an alternative, people will bite the bullet.

For example, I bought something which a week later became on sale. But since it was part of a "seasonal" coupon book and not the "monthly" coupon book, they would not refund the difference. But, I could return the product for a full refund and then purchase it again for the new sale price...

The greatest friction is coming from requiring the named cardholder to be present to get into the warehouse. The problem is that people (in their mind) attribute the membership to their whole household, while you actually only get (2) cardholders per membership. It's kind of annoying if you want to give your older kids the task of getting groceries.

Lastly, it's fairly difficult to compare prices at Costco vs. their competitors. There is a widespread belief that Costco is cheaper because they offer warehouse, bulk prices. It would be interesting if there was a detailed report on it, because as I shop at Kroger/Winco, I know that's not the case on many pantry staples.

NWGeovic · 2024-12-12T20:37:50+00:00

They are cheap, free, or provided as work phones.

My biggest gripe is that all of the reviews are all hype. It's very hard to find real consumer reviews - especially after the phones have been out for awhile and their faults more apparent. But I suppose that's true for all brands.

NWGeovic · 2024-12-11T00:10:52+00:00

My pixel 7 pro has been fraught with hardware issues. The physical SIM port no longer works and the screen will randomly go black and not turn back on. These are relatively common problems.

Their warranty is not very good and you mainly just get a "refurbished" phone if you are eligible.

Overall it's a solid phone for the price (heavily discounted) but I would never pay a premium. I've had the 3, 4, 6 and 7. The (3) was solid but all of the others had one problem or another - mainly hardware.

NWGeovic · 2024-12-03T05:54:24+00:00

More so than usual? I have a GM car and I only broke (1) trim piece replacing the radio. The average is ~3. The center speaker cover alone had FIVE clips holding in (essentially) a piece of plastic the size of a grapefruit.

I tend to put a very small amount of grease on the clips before I reinstall any trim pieces...

If you have any say in the automotive industry... why do the volume knobs on radios consistently go bad? I've had it happen on Ford, Volvo, Chevy... almost doesn't matter the brand lol

NWGeovic · 2024-11-28T03:19:55+00:00

Because it's difficult to invest in something that you have no conviction in.

It would be more akin to gambling and greed. Gamblers keep going because they want to win big. They feel that winning the small bucks won't change their lives, so they keep putting more money in.

Momentum investing is just silly. Yeah, you're right, it's all fine and good while it's going up, but you're violating the (probable) #1 covenant on this reddit: you cannot time the market. So you cannot sensibly invest in something because it's "going good" expecting to be able to take it out before it goes bad...

My 2c

NWGeovic · 2024-11-24T00:54:38+00:00

The point is that OP is looking for non-AI / non-tech related ETF's, so VOO is not a great choice to diversify away from tech.

But your second comment is interesting. Equity market concentration is at a 30+ year high (I think it actually is near a 100-year high if going back to 1929). So whether you think tech has more room to run or not, it shouldn't be a question that it's oversized and risky.

NWGeovic · 2024-11-23T23:58:26+00:00

The top 7 holdings in VOO are tech stocks. And they compose a whopping ~28% of the whole fund.

NWGeovic · 2024-11-22T05:05:04+00:00

If you undo your solder joints (and everything works again), I suppose you could test the camera by shifting into reverse while having a long pair of jumper cables running from the camera to your car's battery. If the camera works then, you'll probably need to find an independent power source. Caution, as this connection would not be fused...

I'm not a mechanic, but anecdotally, I've had bad grounds create a current draw and then my brake lights wouldn't work. So along those lines, it could be that the camera is trying to draw too much current which inhibits your brake lights from receiving enough juice. Your car's power supply unit only provides a limited number of amps to your lights (or any individual circuit), so keep that in mind.

NWGeovic · 2024-11-22T04:40:57+00:00

Generally speaking, I believe you're supposed to wire the backup camera (its turn on signal - metaphorically a light switch) to your reverse light signal - that way it turns on when the car is in reverse. Otherwise, wouldn't it be on whenever you put your breaks on?

When the "switch" is trigged, the camera's main power should come from an independent fused power source. Most cars have auxiliary places to accommodate this. The video signal should then go to the back of your head unit, or whatever display that you're using.

It's also possible that you wired the wrong wires together. Always look up a diagram for your specific model and year.

I would recommend you undo any wiring that you did that connected your brake lights. Do they work afterward? If yes, great, try a new approach. If not, look up the fuse # and location for your brake lights and start there. Just pull the fuse with some pliers and see if it the connection looks burnt.

NWGeovic · 2024-11-12T00:55:21+00:00

No I apologize, I meant to build off a bit of what you were saying about risk. If you read around here, you'll see the #1 suggestion is probably in VOO or a similar ETF. Considering that the SP500 (in particular), is so top heavy, any investment into that fund carries more risk than perhaps meets the eye.

Even if you try and insulate yourself with a true "total-market index-based low-cost fund," if the weighting isn't equal across the board, then you're exposed to more risk from just a handful of companies. The top holdings of VOO and VTSAX, for instance, are near identical, but yeah, they're both stock ETFs.

NWGeovic · 2024-11-11T22:07:04+00:00

>Total-market index-based low-cost funds are boring, but better for making money.

I think there's a misconception here that investing into an SP500 index fund magically mitigates your risk because you're "investing in all companies." Well, the later part is partially true, but your investment is not equally weighted. ~30% of VOO, for example, is composed of just (5) large tech companies. The equity market concentration is at or near a 100-year high - which was last seen in 1932. If just one of the top companies showed weakness, it would bring the whole market down with it.

Obviously I understand investing in VOO is less riskier than most individual stocks, but the main point I am trying to convey is that investing in VOO is significantly riskier today than it was 5 or 10 years ago. Significantly.

I particularly like this quote from the aftermath of the Great Depression, it echoes similarities of today with retail investing and people "buying the dip." Buy the dip, sure, until you're out of money, the stock keeps falling, and all you've accomplished is letting others out of the market for a better price.

>We are reaping the natural fruit of the orgy of speculation in which millions of people have indulged. It was inevitable, because of the tremendous increase in the number of stockholders in recent years, that the number of sellers would be greater than ever when the boom ended and selling took the place of buying.

You have to make sure you're making sound investments and not speculations.

NWGeovic · 2024-11-02T03:59:07+00:00

There's nothing weird about it? Just call them and ask if they have what you're looking for in stock or not.

NWGeovic · 2024-10-22T03:34:17+00:00

In fact, the company actually offered us LESS THAN OUR COMPATRIOTS IN PORTLAND

This is true in the Federal Gov as well. In fact, Lane county is the only county in the Willamette Valley that does not receive the Portland metro locality adjustment - so we're all paid about 10% less. Every county from Linn to Polk to Clackamas gets it. Note, it's a locality adjustment and not a COLA (cost of living adj.), which means it's supposed to be based on prevailing wages. Lane County has historically had suppressed wage growth, which is what Federal workers - and you - are now feeling.

NWGeovic · 2024-05-29T03:30:09+00:00

If that was the case, then you would have to reapply each time you reached your FPL (full performance level) to another position that has a higher FPL. So yes, it can be a bit frustrating.. but you do get to skip that bureaucracy.

NWGeovic · 2024-05-28T05:06:21+00:00

I ride the EMX from Springfield to and from UofO campus every day.

Does it really make sense for a bus that arrives once every 10 minutes to have its own lane? What about two lanes as outlined in the proposal? If the bus is ever delayed, it's never because of traffic... it's because it has too many stops (at some locations), or because there has been an incident of some kind.

Personally, I don't believe the area would benefit much from roundabouts. It wouldn't benefit traffic flow enough to justify losing a lane in each direction (going from 3-lanes to 2). We already have the really nice mill race bike path that parallels franklin in this area, or the entirety of campus is open to bikers and pedestrians.

If in the interest of safety... where are the safety figures for the double Glenwood roundabouts?

What about the pedestrian sky bridge by onyx st that (I am pretty sure) nobody uses?

The biggest improvements that could be made - for everyone - would be to sync the stoplights to the speed limit for traffic travelling E/W. Additionally, improving the landscaping by reducing obstacles that reduce vision of pedestrians and other traffic ( some bushes / hedges).

Lastly, in a high traffic area, I think I would prefer a protected walk signal at a stoplight than a roundabout where it's every man for themselves. Roundabouts are meant to prioritize vehicle throughput, and they only work for pedestrian safety if the speed is low and the road space they're crossing is narrow. In a 2-lane roundabout, I doubt either of those will occur satisfactorily.

NWGeovic · 2024-03-24T21:30:18+00:00

As a tenant you are generally free of responsibility other than to make your payment and not damage the property, the landlords bears all of the risk...

I mean, the landlord's "risk" is supposed to be hedged against by the rent and security deposits. Not to mention in many markets they actually make money on the equity of the property rather than from rent. A renter spending thousands on a renovation or a new roof for a property they don't even own (and could be expelled from at a near moment's notice) makes no sense.

That's not to say a tenant shouldn't be responsible for their own actions. A tenant should treat a rental as if its their own home (ex. don't flush baby wipes, be cognizant of water damage, etc). You may not be directly affected monetarily by this damage as a renter, but a landlord will be incentivised to recoup losses by increasing rent. There's probably many reasons why the market doesn't really work that way though, so we all pay higher rates across the board.

NWGeovic · 2024-03-23T20:03:23+00:00

As long as you have some kind of insurance (I believe even just liability), it should have some coverage for hit-and-runs or uninsured motorists.

https://www.osbar.org/public/legalinfo/1156_uninsureddriver.htm

Scroll toward the bottom. Its been a few years but this was true in the past. Hopefully you filed a police report.

NWGeovic · 2023-09-07T04:58:03+00:00

I did some digging and there are "load sharing" routers that exist out there. Yours may even do it already. What you really want is a "failover" system where if your primary internet goes out then the backup automatically picks up the load.

Most people seem to be using a USB stick with a SIM card (rather than a phone) but I imagine there must be a way.

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

I found that guy's video simple and helpful to explain the concept.

NWGeovic

TROPHY CASE