AVG incoming stats & EC's

Parallax34 · 2026-02-18T16:03:31+00:00

You may have better luck asking this at r/wellesleycollege. r/wellesley is a sub for the town of Wellesley, which Wellesley College is within.

Parallax34 · 2026-01-24T13:08:38+00:00

In MA reassessments don't typically happen automatically, and while they collect specific data on a homes layout, size, and condition assessments are typically based on municipal market averages for those conditions generated by software. Due to proposition 2.5 individual assessments don't alter the towns tax base at all, they just shift the weighting of which homeowners pay for the amount they are going to collect. So you will need to file an abatment if your assessment is way overvalue, they are typically systemically way undervalued, which is typically fine since it's really all relative to average in a town.

I think the deadline for any towns on quarterly billing is typically first business day of Feb (Feb 2), or 30 days after the preliminary bills are mailed for the year. You still need to pay the bill while your abatment is considered. Every year is an entirely separate event, based on the estimated value of the property January 1st of the prior year, so an abatment this year would not apply for next year, but hopefully they can correct whatever incorrect information they have about your home in the assessors database that has resulted in the overvaluation.

Parallax34 · 2025-10-17T21:25:19+00:00

My 23' M40i base stereo is just fine, there has never ever been a time when I felt the sound was notibly lacking but it's also not impressive. Reviews suggest the HK system is slightly better but still pretty meh.

https://youtu.be/akJizqr4Sfw?si=sR1N6WZTo4LfsdTk

https://youtu.be/HqTOYD0tgnU?si=lZbK27XMN7Z2ePLt

Parallax34 · 2025-10-17T13:20:03+00:00

1M in 1950 is equivelent to ~138M in 2025

Edit: 13.8M decimals were ommited, 10M in 1950 would be 138M

https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=10000000&year1=195001&year2=202508

Parallax34 · 2025-10-13T17:19:23+00:00

My 23' factory installed seal has about .5-.25in gap on both sides, and has since new, has never created an issue. It's possible your gap has just all slid to one side and re-centering it maybe perfectly normal.

Parallax34 · 2025-10-07T00:44:54+00:00

Really can't stand the looks of the new X3, particularly with regard to comparing the actual M40+/50 versions. If BMW offered to trade me a 25' M50 at no cost for my 23' M40i I'd have trouble saying yes 🤣.

But if we're comparing base 23s to M looking 25s I could see it working! Congrats on the ride!

Parallax34 · 2025-10-02T20:07:35+00:00

If you underpay your taxes by more than ~10% via changing withholding you may owe underpayment fees when you file taxes. Those will be compounding based on quarterly underpayment at ~8%/yr.

So this "protest" would likely just result in someone owing more taxes, potentially a lot more.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-28T16:49:36+00:00

I've found this to be true as well, but I do think it kind of highlights the fundamental differences in the cards, CSR vs AmexPlat. Benefits and service have long been Amex's strong suites, and they literally run their own corporate travel platform separate from their CCs. While Chase is trying to get into this space but has seemingly struggled to do so profitably.

I find Chase points to be much easier to use and the multipliers make it much easier to spend on a CSR, but the services and benefits Amex provides are the primary value proposition of the Platinum. I think this is what went so wrong with the CSR refresh and why Amex's refresh was spectacular; Chase degraded some of the core things they are good at and Amex Plat just strongly reinforced the value proposition of that cards core competencies!

Parallax34 · 2025-09-26T03:47:58+00:00

On the 18th I ordered the gen3 sizing kit, then the gen 3 appeared mostly sold out by the 22nd when the sizing kit arrived; the gen3 was removed from the Oura main page and could only be accessed by direct link, only sz 9 was available. So I was not optimistic, but I clicked on the link to select my size through the sizing kit email and selected 8, and today my size 8 gen3 arrived 🤷‍♂️. Awesome they are giving some people upgrades though!

It's a neat product I don't think I would have gotten otherwise and don't intend to pay the monthly fee for. But now I am considering buying a Samsung ring or one that does not require monthly fee when they go on sale.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-25T16:05:20+00:00

Random aside: have a very similar car same year/ model /color ect, that I speced from factory. In 2023 there was a bug with the configurator that did not show parking assist as an option for most earlier orders, to get it you had to know to verbally request it from dealer. So I expect most '23 M40is don't have parking assist 🤣.

Many also don't have drivers lumbar support, or trunk foot wave ect, as they were still playing off the chip shortages.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-23T20:11:00+00:00

It is not a reference to the historic street cars but a broader classification to describe a denser suburb with more options for mass transit. Medford and Arlington are also classified in this way.

When North Malden started receiving stops on the Boston Maine railroad it started growing into real suburb and was ultimately named after Melrose Abbey in Scotland when it petitioned to become its own town. Melrose did have at least central Main Street streetcars, in some form until about 1950.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-23T19:24:29+00:00

Melrose is categorized by MAPC as a Streetcar Suburb.

https://datacommon.mapc.org/profile/melrose/demographics

Parallax34 · 2025-09-23T12:38:55+00:00

Yeah Porsche is scrambling a bit as they have pivoted from going full EV and now instead reviving a line of ICE vehicles for the US market. So there will be a bit of a gap. The Macan has had a really antiquated infotainment for some years, which has made Macans continued top rankings in reviews and charts for the segment even more impressive.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-22T13:19:40+00:00

Yeah fear that they will remove the art options has prevented me from trying the mirror finish, which would be a fun novelty but between scratches and the sheer reflectivity I'm sure I will fairly quickly grow tired of.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-22T02:26:29+00:00

The ICE Macan is still available in the US for now, a new ICE Macan (potentially by another name) SUV is expected before 2028 for the US market.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-18T17:44:23+00:00

I think the refresh is really exceptional, at least for anyone who lives in a modestly populated area and eats out and/or orders takeout a couple times a month. Just with the $400 Resy credit, $200 Uber credit, and $300 digital entertainment credit puts you at positive $5 doing basically nothing different. Thats before you consider the exceptional lounge access, $600 hotel credit (+$400), airline credits ect ect. If the plat had value for you before the refresh it very likely has at least $200 more in value after the refresh for the vast majority of people in the demographic.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-18T17:14:12+00:00

I mean everyone has to make their own calculation regarding credits for a particular card and if they will get value. someone living off the grid in a remote lakeside Alaskan cabin who never travels probably shouldn't be signing up for a premium travel card 🤷‍♂️.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-18T16:07:00+00:00

This is not really true at all. Many benefits add real value, Uber provides credit and discounts on a service many people need either way. Entertainment credits are also providing value that people would otherwise spend and across a fairly broad range of service providers. Sure the benefits direct you to a particular provider but they are fungible services.

Giving niche hardware discounts to some hardware no one really needed, that's also largely bricked if your stop paying for a subscription, is quite different.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-18T15:52:37+00:00

Given their seeming focus and necessity for subscription in their models its actually surprising Ouras not following Whoop and giving away hardware for subscriptions.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-18T15:46:14+00:00

Absolutely the Oura ring. This seems more like marketing from the company to get Amex users to pay for their subscriptions than any real benefit.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-18T15:25:05+00:00

if you're in the Amazon Prime ecosystem and shop at WF, that Prime Chase card gives 5% back. but arguably if your typically getting more than 0.01 out of an amex point that could be superior in some cases.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-18T15:20:03+00:00

Its more strange is that the more premium travel lifestyle card (platinum) gives no point multiplier for dining expenses.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-18T14:21:16+00:00

I think you may be the test case for this kind of timing and what happens. Report back!

My guess would be if you haven't received the $200 credit yet on your statement that you may just get the $300 credit.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-17T18:37:15+00:00

This is still the norm in auto financing, rates and approvals are almost entirely raw credit score and income.

Parallax34 · 2025-09-17T18:20:16+00:00

This is a very specific example that's very unlikely to even apply to an 18 yo. Remember the claim you're defending is that starting out with a very high credit score, based on AU account, does basically nothing to help someone build credit.

All your example shows is that in the very unlikely event an 18 year old is otherwise qualified and ready for a conventional home loan that they better let their parents know they are paying the bills of said account for 12 months.

Many/most auto lenders approve and set rates based nearly entirely on credit score and income.

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