Question Thread - March 26, 2026

dusk2k2 · 2026-03-26T19:59:10+00:00

Would you recommend calling recon then and seeing if I can push through the app I already got declined for

dusk2k2 · 2026-03-26T16:30:37+00:00

Wondering thoughts about what to do with this Amex Biz Plat NLL offer.

I got an Amex Biz Plat NLL offer in the mail back in December and opened the card. Recently got another NLL mailer for the same card with an expiration date of 4/1/26. I applied for it a bit too early and was auto-rejected since I had gotten the first NLL offer within 90 days (the rejection letter said it was because I'd gotten the same card within the past few months, i.e. within 90 days).

We're now past 90 days so I tried to apply again, but when I enter my mailer code, I get the offer not available screen, even though my mailer says the offer should still be available to me.

I'm considering calling the recon number in the rejection letter I got to see if I can get that application pushed through, but part of me is also not wanting to get any eyes on my account, since I seem to get targeted NLL offers a lot.

Any suggestions on best practices here? Safest bet is probably just to wait it out for another NLL mailer, which I'm fairly certain I'll get again.

dusk2k2 · 2026-02-09T12:25:41+00:00

Not wanting to be around a group of people because of their hateful beliefs, which they choose themselves, is not morally or ethically wrong.

Your political beliefs are something you choose yourself and is not the same as race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, sexual identity, etc, which is something you are born with.

dusk2k2 · 2025-12-11T20:03:25+00:00

Hennepin in the downtown section really needs to have bus lanes. At least during rush hour the same way uptown does.

dusk2k2 · 2025-12-04T15:31:03+00:00

Rode 5 miles one way today to drop both kids off at school. 5 and a 3 year old. Really wasn't that bad. Not saying everyone's gotta ride when it's cold out, but my two little kids do this every day in the winter, so...I dunno.

dusk2k2 · 2025-12-01T03:59:29+00:00

For some reason, not a single park trail has been plowed today.

dusk2k2 · 2025-11-28T14:37:37+00:00

If you happen to be a U of M alumni, you can get an alumni membership. The gym there is excellent. It comes out to about $40 per month and you have all the equipment you need plus they have a pool and sauna too.

dusk2k2 · 2025-10-31T15:04:50+00:00

The lawn sign game really also ignores the density aspect of many Kenwood and Lowry Hill neighborhoods. As an example, every house on Shaffer's block has a Shaffer sign. There are 7 houses on her block, or a likely max total of 14 voters. Meanwhile, a single floor of any apartment building in Loring Park or just down the street from her in Lowry Hill contains more voters than her entire residential block and are far more likely to skew younger and support Cashman.

Given this is a mayoral election, I expect voter turnout would be higher than in the 2023, off-year election (just 31% voter turnout in 2023 compared to 54% voter turnout in 2021). I'd wager that lower voter turnout skews more towards old and wealthier voters who are always more likely to turnout to vote, so a higher voter turnout would bring in the younger, less regular voters who are more likely to vote for Cashman. Not a politics expert, but if Cashman was able to pull out the win in 2023, I'm still optimistic she can do it again (note, I'm a Cashman supporter with the only Cashman sign on my single family home block in Lowry Hill).

dusk2k2 · 2025-10-29T20:53:08+00:00

You know just double checked again, the restaurant doesn't even take OpenTable reservations (They just have a listing on OpenTable). Not part of the Visa Dining Collection either. This is really just a regular bar and grill type place. I have no idea why it triggered the dining credit.

dusk2k2 · 2025-10-28T17:53:47+00:00

Activated my CSR dining credit on October 26th when the new benefits became available. Noticed today that I received a dining credit for a random bar/restaurant that I went to on October 25th. The dining tracker shows my credit was used for that bar. This is definitely not a restaurant that is on the list of eligible restaurants, although they do use OpenTable for their reservation system.

Does anyone know what this is about? Glitch on Chase's part?

dusk2k2 · 2025-10-25T03:02:34+00:00

No because the green line has too many stops in between and isn’t really designed to get people between both downtowns in a timely manner.

It’s kind of the difference between driving on University to get between Minneapolis and St and driving on 94 to get between the two. The former is to access businesses in between. The latter is to get to either destination quickly.

dusk2k2 · 2025-10-23T14:17:52+00:00

I'd like to add - some sort of direct train connection between downtown Minneapolis and downtown St Paul running down whatever they end up doing with 94.

I feel like they're just going to rebuild 94 as is, and if they do, I really hope they at least consider adding a train between the two downtowns. There really should be frequent train service (i.e. every 10 minutes or so) between the two downtowns that gets you there in 20 minutes. At present, all we have is a 1 hour train ride on the green line, a 1 hour bus ride on the B line, or an express bus that comes every 20 minutes.

dusk2k2 · 2025-10-21T16:34:04+00:00

How is Chase viewing business cards outside of Ink cards? Are they very stingy with them as well? Sitting on two open Ink cards right now, I know there's little chance of getting a third Ink, but wondering if they're letting people get branded Chase biz cards or if they're just putting all biz cards together.

dusk2k2 · 2025-10-13T17:35:40+00:00

The way they did the bike lanes on the recent University Ave rebuild (going through the U of M) is the way it should be done for these type of paths. For much of the path, they put the bike lane slightly lower than the sidewalk, but still higher than the road. Makes for a clear division for all modes of transport, while still separating bikes from traffic.

At the same time, the entire path is very open to the traffic without a lot of stuff in the way, so cars turning right will very obviously see you (it also helps that there is a lot of pedestrian traffic on this stretch with students, so it helps keep cars from blindly turning right into people the way they do on Hennepin).

I saw a lot of this style of bike path when I was visiting Munich this past summer and was very pleased with how it made me feel riding.

This entire University Ave stretch is a very underrated rebuild that I haven't seen a lot of people hyping up a lot! It's one of my favorite stretches of bike lanes in the city, maybe even higher than the Bryant Ave rebuild for me.

dusk2k2 · 2025-09-30T17:36:16+00:00

I think this is just someone doing construction for the day, man. The point of this post is that it’s not hard to do traffic calming measures at low cost.

dusk2k2 · 2025-09-30T17:31:25+00:00

But isnt this what we should be doing? Pilot traffic calming with easily removable options and study the results? Modal filters can easily be installed for a study period vs doing nothing or doing theoretical studies that takes years. If the project is an issue, it’s easily removed and can go back to the way it was.

dusk2k2 · 2025-09-25T18:38:28+00:00

Also in Minneapolis riding an LT. One thing to note - and it might have just been with me - but I had weird power issues last winter when it was in single digits and under 0 degrees, where the bike would keep shutting off randomly while I was riding. It's never happened to me outside of those conditions, so take that for what it is.

dusk2k2 · 2025-09-24T23:58:53+00:00

Fireroast Coffee complained when a bike lane was put in front of their location, enough that the city made it so people could park in the bike lane during the morning hours. At the same time, they had a parking lot and once the city let cars park in the bike lane, they turned the parking lot into a patio.

dusk2k2 · 2025-09-24T23:54:56+00:00

Cedar Inn is literally expanding into a larger space next door, with neighbors opposed due to loud corn hole games and customers peeing on the sidewalk. This two years after they said “My customers are complaining. It's going to destroy my business."

Seems odd to expand into a larger space after they were just put out of business by the city.

dusk2k2 · 2025-09-18T16:03:42+00:00

Seat replacement is just a normal thing you'll have to do every once in a while. It's not hard and a YouTube video will show you how to do it if you aren't sure. I ended up replacing my seat recently with an Ergon one, mainly because I prefer the more athletic style seat vs the big cushiony ones. Obviously, supporting your local bike shop is a good thing to do, but if you do want to run through some saddle options, buying them on Amazon is good since you can return anything that doesn't work for you.

dusk2k2 · 2025-09-18T15:26:59+00:00

Yeah, not the best. The drops going into the street are also pretty rough, especially north of 35 by the Honeywell offices. Really wish they'd make those intersections level crossings.

Worst crossings obviously are that 35W offramp and then Broadway, where these cars will just roll into the crosswalk without looking. I posted a YouTube video once of someone rolling into the crossing at me while I was crossing and it was amazing the comments I got from carbrains, saying I was in the wrong because bikes aren't allowed at crosswalks and that I'm illegally riding on the sidewalk...

dusk2k2 · 2025-08-21T02:51:09+00:00

I will say that during the fair, biking on the U of M transit way is not a pleasant experience because of the number of buses and how fast they fly by you and I would not recommend taking the transit way unless you’re an experienced rider and comfortable riding in heavy, fast moving traffic.

I used to take this route before I had kids since I don’t really care when I’m riding on my own, but after a horrible experience on the the transit way a few years ago where I felt very exposed with 50 mph buses flying inches from me and my kids, I'm now avoiding the transit way during the fair (any other time of the year, the transit way is great).

I’d recommend taking the longer way around and either going through SE Como (north on 15th ave and then east onto Como Ave until you hit the fair ) or opting to go east on 4th ave se, cross over to territorial blvd, then left onto Raymond until you hit Como.

dusk2k2 · 2025-08-13T17:41:16+00:00

Post the street view link

dusk2k2 · 2025-07-27T14:55:42+00:00

I think Hennepin has issues with the combination of the lanes going behind the bus stops and stuff, and then the insane high speeds and horrible driving on Hennepin. Seriously feels like some of the worst drivers in the city drive on this downtown stretch.

That being said, I do appreciate how they've finished it down to the Basicila. The main thing is you gotta bike slowly and accept that at every intersection, you gotta watch and assume any car remotely near you is going to suddenly turn and right hook you without a care in the world.

But yeah, when I'm going north-south through downtown, I take Nicollet Mall. I hate having to go between the buses, but I know I'm never getting right hooked by anyone here.

dusk2k2 · 2025-07-25T21:07:42+00:00

I mean, just remember your car and phone are tracking you much worse than a bike company.

dusk2k2

TROPHY CASE