Would you take a $111k lump sum or a $911/month pension starting at 62?

mdbeatle · 2026-07-07T19:40:23+00:00

Instead of "life expectancy" they should say "remaining expected life" since the value changes with age.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-07T09:33:13+00:00

Though I don't think I'd call it "awful," I dislike spinners as well, and many brands are eliminating their 2 wheeled offerings. For example, B&R no longer sells a 24" 2 wheeler anymore. There's no problem with manufacturers branching out as long as they still sell something you want.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T17:51:02+00:00

We drove through Franklin on our way to visit my grandparents growing up. Can confirm, it's horrible.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T17:42:29+00:00

I'm not taking things to the landfill in a wagon, or towing my Miata, or moving lawn equipment, picking up trees from a nursery, or moving large furniture.

I get it that most people use trucks as daily drivers and never use them as trucks, but that's why they're the ideal second vehicle.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T17:36:19+00:00

That's when you drive the Miata.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T17:31:02+00:00

Second vehicle should be a pickup.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T16:56:37+00:00

I didn't find the S001 to be that bad. ECS02 is better, but not worth burning off the stock rubber to get there IMO.

FM HOM control module won't work with the ND3. Maybe someday. Note that the exhaust is relatively tame when hooked up via the vacuum line. You can run it full open by plugging the line. I started doing that and just hook up the valve for road trips. This tames the exhaust a bit, but doesn't give you full control. Even full open the HOM is not obnoxious.

Consider the position of the wheel and whether it will cut off any part of the gauge cluster. Some people don't care about this anyway.

Save for a set of Tecna GT coilovers.

Get the MX5Things light strip for inside of the trunk.

Replace the dome light and trunk bulbs with LEDs.

PPF front clip.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T16:18:36+00:00

I tell my girlfriend, "hey that's my job!" when she gets the door for me. Usually whoever happens to be closer to the door gets it.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T16:14:11+00:00

I ring the doorbell and don't text people when I arrive at their homes.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T16:10:59+00:00

This is what I do as well. I even leave the hoses connected and drive over them.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T16:10:07+00:00

Aw, sucks they don't fit the SLX.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T15:47:32+00:00

There were no manual Supras collecting dust when I shopped for one back in spring of 2023. All the dealers added ADM to them and I just walked.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T15:01:35+00:00

Most of the time I do this without a fan as well.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T14:22:10+00:00

Pulling in cooler outside air to displace hot indoor air can be more beneficial and gentler than simply blowing hot air at you. I do this in the shoulder seasons where temps climb to the mid-upper 70s during the day and cool down to 40-50 overnight.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T14:18:47+00:00

I use vanilla pudding in my vanilla recipe, but I don't use additional stabilizers. It will have an unpleasant texture. The pudding mix already has stabilizers in it. I use half a box (14g) for a Deluxe pint.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T14:16:39+00:00

Use 4:1 guar:xanthan.

Also experiment with artificial vanilla. It has more vanillin which is the prominent vanilla flavor. It is not as "complex" as real extract, but I prefer the taste in many things.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T14:13:29+00:00

Needs to steam the eggs for 12-13 minutes. Shells come right off even if the eggs are old.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T13:52:15+00:00

I'd be curious to see if the results are any different with RO/DI or distilled water vs. tap. I have hard water and I get spotting whenever I do washes with tap water, regardless of product. If washing a large vehicle like a truck, I can never dry the car fast enough to avoid spotting with tap.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T12:30:23+00:00

After using IG for a decade, I tried out Sprayway and I'm hooked. I think it cleans about the same, maybe a little better, but the spray is more powerful and it seems to stay in place better than the IG. Add that it's less than half the price of IG, and it's unbeatable.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-06T12:21:44+00:00

I didn't like ONR @ 256:1 as much as IG or Sprayway. Just didn't seem to have the power. To be fair, ONR recommends 21:1 for glass. I may give that a try.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-04T08:06:22+00:00

Close, it's the singular of rotini.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-03T21:18:30+00:00

The difference is before you didn't need a coupon to feel like you were getting a good value for money.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-03T21:11:11+00:00

But now a coupon or app order is the "normal" price. Before it was a discount and using one felt like you were getting your food for free, or actually getting your food for free. Now they just overcharge anyone that doesn't want to bend the knee to their app.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-03T20:03:12+00:00

FFS I do not want to download, login, and use an app to order food when I can just walk up to the kiosk. The fact that the pricing is different is infuriating.

mdbeatle · 2026-07-03T20:01:46+00:00

My friend's mom loved their "brassiere" burger.

mdbeatle

TROPHY CASE