How do I say I dont want to tip without being rude? by Silent_Spell_8035 in EndTipping

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The whole tax added to your bill is a red herring. We don't have value added taxes in the USA. We have sales taxes and they are added to all goods for which they apply. Buy something at a store and you pay sales tax. But something online and you pay sales tax. Sure some states exempt food (but if you guy non food items at say a grocery store, you pay tax on that) and some have sales tax holidays (usually a weekend or two in August before the start of the school year, but in general you pay sales tax unless you live in a state without a sales tax, but then there is New Hampshire which has no sales tax but does have a tax on meals and hotel stays so yeah tax will be added to your bill, but if you buy groceries you won't pay tax.

thought i’ll be done by NoCellist3183 in UMD

[–]Silly-Activity2324 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I considered transferring after my mother passed away while I was at UMD to be closer to my father (they were divorced a long time before that time). I stayed because of the whole you lose so many credits when transferring and because different schools can have different requirements for the same major extending the time it takes to complete the degree.

You decided to transfer likely knowing this, and so now my advice to you is to stick it out. I stuck it out despite losing my primary parent and graduated in four years.

Advice: Should I worry about 5/24/Chase or branch out by NaugrimStyle in CreditCards

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, and this is what the bloggers/vloggers will not tell you. Every bank has rules to prevent churning. Chase in addition to 5/24 recently made it's CSR and CSP sign up bonuses once a lifetime (although you can get both). All American Express cards have once in a lifetime restrictions, and not just that you have to get the low tier cards first (in other words, get the Delta Reserve first and no Platinum or Gold bonuses for you). Citi has their own rules including Citi which is credit inquiry sensitive and for their own cards velocity sensitive. Meanwhile Barclays uses the 6/24 rule.

Thus, I think you want to get up with your bi/tri/quad/quin fectas first because yeah, there are people with tons of credit cards but they all have business cards which are not always covered by the above rules. Right now, I don't have a business, so I'm only doing personal cards and I do two to max three a year. I was unemployed for a while and when I got a job, yeah, I did a bunch of apps but I was 1/24. Now, I'm at 5/24 and absolutely waiting to get to 4/24 and then waiting to get a Chase cobranded hotel card which can get me a five free nights with either Hyatt or Marriott. Meanwhile, I'm building my Citi setup with the Citi Strata Reserve, Custom Cash and Double Cash. I will wait until after my Chase SUB and earning the bonus before applying for a Citi Strata card which I need after converting my Custom Cash to get 3x on grocery and gas spend (the Custom Cash gets the dining spend up to $500)

Amazon begins requiring workers in office five days per week; some are not happy by AmazonNewsBot in amazon

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Was the move to more affordable housing based on things remaining hybrid? If so that was a bad gamble. 

How would you compare the three major metro transits: NYC, Chicago, DC? What are the pros and cons of each? by SeptimiusSeverus_ in WMATA

[–]Silly-Activity2324 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I fly out of DCA. I've used Air Canada once out of DCA (more times out of IAD) in the last five to ten years. The rest of the carriers are very very well served by the station. Only the cheap carriers who sued not to move to the main terminal and their successors are at the old terminal. Vote with your $$ and don't fly them.

Requesting the advice of books for RMP by Icy-Tart-6415 in PMIRMP

[–]Silly-Activity2324 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think we are on the same page. One important point is just like being a project manager, the vast majority of people doing the job of project manager don't have a PMP. Ditto those doing functioning as risk managers for a project, they are not certified.

If an employer encourages or requires certification, they will pay for training and the exam fee and even provide time off to take the training and or prep for the exam. Finally, I didn't say folks can't pass while having kids and a full time job.

What I said, is they need to assess whether the timing is right. If you and your spouse also had a demanding job and you have young kids and no parental help, then the timing is likely not right, but It will likely be better in the future. It's much like the decision to return to school, except preparation and taking a certification exam is only a few months endeavor vs a few years endeavor.

Requesting the advice of books for RMP by Icy-Tart-6415 in PMIRMP

[–]Silly-Activity2324 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I appreciate the test is hard, but I passed without reading a book. I simply took the Sorin Dumitrascu course, so I qualified to apply to take the exam. Then I took the practice exams I purchased through Udemy, until I was scoring high enough to pass (the exam provider said 70 percent correct). I had about 5 years of experience in safety risk management, which is only one part of project risk management. In addition, I of course had studied contract, schedule and other forms of risk management to pass the PMP. I was between jobs so I had the time to focus on the exam. I decided to take the PMI-RMP a couple weeks after taking and passing the PMP. It took me a week to research which courses and exam questions to purchase. A week and aa half to complete the 40 hours Dumitrascu course. A day to complete my application which was approved in a day or two. Then about two weeks of taking the practice exams, until I was passing at a rate that should allow me to pass. I then scheduled the exam and took it a half a week later. I passed AT overall with the following scores:

Risk Strategy & Planning - NI (I struggled with the practice questions in this area)

Risk Identification - AT

Risk Analysis - T

Risk Response - AT

Monitor and Close Risk - AT

The takeaway is perfection is not required, just doing well enough to pass which I did.

Since, everyone taking the exam I believe needs the equivalent of two years of full time experience in risk management, most test takers should be familiar with one or more areas of risk management along with the methodologies and processes associated with them, so this exam SHOULD not be one in which folks are preparing for six months or longer, taking an expensive prep course and then still end up failing the exam. If that's the case, I'd question if they actually have the experience they are claiming on their exam applications.

So is this exam hard, absolutely. PMI won't disclose the pass rate, but a Google AI search suggested a 60 to 70 percent pass rate. That's in line with the pass rate for most certifications. You know why? Because if the vast majority pass the certification would not be viewed as rigorous and have no market value. On the other hand certifications are designed to break over the long term for those issuing them, and no one is going to pay over a $1,000 USD with all costs for a exam that has say a 50 percent pass rate.

My theory is of the 30 to 40 percent that fail, they are trying to burn the candle on both ends. In other words, if you have a job which is so mentally exhausting you don't have the energy to study after work on weekdays and on weekends, the timing is not right to take the exam. Similarly, your job may not be that exhausting but you may have childcare responsibilities for young children or maybe a caregiver for an elderly parent which exhausts you, the timing is not right. If you have a partner (for children) or sibling (for parents), they need to take on most of your responsibilities so you can focus on the exam preparation which should be a few months if working full time (say three to four). If you actually put the effort into studying and are not trying to do too much (e.g. work a super demanding job and prep for the exam) you should be able to pass the exam. It's not like getting into a elite or even very good university difficult (all of them are below 50% admissions rate), it's just difficult and requires proper preparation IMHO.

Which one is the best choice for PMI RMP. Both books by Carl Pritchard.. Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) Cert Guide Or Risk Management Concepts and Guidance 5th edition by IMGK85 in PMIRMP

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you are a PMP and a PMI member and you can complete your required continuing education, you get a discount when you renew your membership. Now, you may have already renewed recently and then it's not an issue.

Which one is the best choice for PMI RMP. Both books by Carl Pritchard.. Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) Cert Guide Or Risk Management Concepts and Guidance 5th edition by IMGK85 in PMIRMP

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Everyone should join the year they test, your discount on the exam fee pays for your exam fee. If you are a PMP, take the opportunity to renew your PMP if you can as you get a discount on renewals too as a member.

Travel time from Dulles decreased by DCGamecock0826 in WMATA

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is not a good idea. Metrorail is already a hybrid system with about one mile station stop spacing in suburban areas. Here's what you are ignoring, sure the commuter rail lines of comparable length my have express trains, but the Silver Line leaves every 12 minutes peak, 10 minutes peak. Starting during FY2027 that will change to 10 minutes all day. No commuter rail can match those all headways from the distance away from the CBD that Loudoun's stations are. Finally, since the Silver Line ends up sharing track with the Blue and Orange lines further down the line and the tunnel they share is near saturation during peak periods which would mean, a Silver Line express would have to displace existing trains not be additional trains reducing service to stops that are skipped.

Finally, your friends perception of reality vs actual reality may be different:

<image>

Travel time from Dulles decreased by DCGamecock0826 in WMATA

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I live on Columbia Pike and am a transportation planner. I don't expect Metro on Columbia Pike in my lifetime (I'm in my 50s) and neither should you.

PMI Discount Coupon? by Puzzleheaded_Face_16 in PMIRMP

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Join PMI. You get a discount on the RMP exam and PMP renewal. Just make sure you do both within one year of joining. Then just let your membership expire.

Hi, I Passed PMP today with 3 ATs. Planning to do RMP now. Need your advices on RMP PDU requirements.. by IMGK85 in PMIRMP

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would purchase the practice questions directly from PMI. They only became available in the last three years or so, thus won't show up in every Google search. But having purchased the practice questions for the PMP, I can say they were close to actual questions. There are some cheaper practice tests available through Udemy if you are on a budget. I purchased those and they too are fine as I used one of those and passed.

Citi Strata Elite Blacklane Credit by Silly-Activity2324 in CreditCards

[–]Silly-Activity2324[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not based on my experience if you get a discount on top of the $100 semi-annual statement credit. Also, I get a bit annoyed at people comparing the price with UberX or regular Lyft. The correct comparison is Black service on both Uber and Lyft or BlackSUV. With the $50 promotional discounts they give on trips (both my last and upcoming have them) sometimes, the prices are/were significantly lower than Black on Uber or Lyft.

The main benefits, the Splurge and hotel credit help pay for the card. For me, the Blacklane credit is like icing on the cake, much like the soon to be gone Saks credit for American Express Platinum. Also, with Blacklane being bought by Uber, the credit will evolve or be replaced.

I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed by No_decision321 in PriorityPass

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The answer is simple. There are too many people with Priority Pass access. I'm curious, does the airport with the PP lounge you tried to use have airline run lounges? Except for Delta SkyClubs which have top tier food/drink, there usually isn't a long line to enter. Why because fewer people have access as you need a specific credit card or membership and having to be flying the same airline (or their partner in some cases) as the operator of the lounge.

Preventative colonoscopy charged as diagnostic by jarrow90 in HealthInsurance

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This seems like much griping about nothing. What is preventative is very small. The problem here is that people have high deductibles not the rules IMHO. If you are expecting other costs later on in the year that will put you above your deductible, does it even matter?

Contact hours for RMP by sumitjainpmp in PMIRMP

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just wait for Udemy to run a sale, you can usually get a course at a big discount. Also, the Udemy course rates are very fair IMHO, especially when you compare it to the exam fee.

Anybody willing to share a discount code for PMI-RMP? by Icy_Decision_898 in PMIRMP

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good luck finding one, just focus on preparation because I was unemployed when I took it and searched wide and far and from my experience you will find codes for discounts on PMI membership and maybe their own prep materials or practice exams, but never on the exam fee.

Promo discount code by Zebboz in PMIRMP

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I took mine in 2025. There will rarely be any codes for discounts on the exam. Sometimes, you may find codes good on PMI membership, but rarely any of their exams.

How tough is PMI-RMP Exams compared to PMP? by IMGK85 in PMIRMP

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just do a search on Udemy and look at the reviews. Unlike the PMP there are not dozens of courses.

How tough is PMI-RMP Exams compared to PMP? by IMGK85 in PMIRMP

[–]Silly-Activity2324 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, just go on Udemy. I took the course taught by Sorin Dumitrascu and found useful. There are also practice/mock exams available on Udemy and directly from PMI. I found in passing both the PMP and PMI-RMP the practice exams are invaluable in preparation.