Any Reckless Spenders Out There Today?

[powerplay]

I recently bought a GPS and have it in the car but haven't actually used it yet, just turned it on and set it up. Seems most of the places I go around town are familiar and on the beaten path. I need to go out for a drive and play with it and recklessly burn some gas!

 

[NW-Bound]

Are you sure that GPS of yours will work up in Alaska?

 

[RonBoyd]

Photos as requested:

Sorry had to edit can't work out to insert the photo

(Assuming this is not just an excuse) I, once, gave detailed instructions how to insert a file into a post:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/more-funny-photos-from-your-past-49690-2.html#post929034

 

[CuppaJoe]

I guess i really pushed the boat out yesterday as not only did I get my colour touched up, but I had them throw in some expensive highlights. Guess it was worth it as they make me look 5 years younger and 10 lbs lighter, well at least I tell myself that to justify the cost.

I bet it looks terrific. I had that done a couple of times for special occasions a few years back. My hair stylist offered to do mine "next time" for her special regular customer price but then a potential customer came asking the price. She hemmed and hawed and came up with a number too high for the potential customer. When I went in "next time" without going for the highlight/color treatment her haircut price was 12% higher. Next time I'll go to the barber shop; it's fun because they have real barber chairs, do a good job, and there is no sticker shock.

Am I the only one who feels vulnerable and ugly getting a haircut? Tense even, some of those places try to give neck rubs and I get even more uptight. Fear of Delilah? Delilah-phobia?

 

[bbbamI]

Tense even, some of those places try to give neck rubs and I get even more uptight. Fear of Delilah? Delilah-phobia?

I've never received a neck rub.....

 

[powerplay]

Are you sure that GPS of yours will work up in Alaska?

I may just have to take a leisurely drive to Alaska and find out. It was purchased at Costco so maybe I could take the GPS back and complain if it doesn't do Alaska.

 

[RonBoyd]

Are you sure that GPS of yours will work up in Alaska?

My Garmin shows all of Canada and Alaska. From Here to Anchorage, for instance, is 3,371.2 miles (fastest time) and would take 57 hours and 48 minutes to drive. I assume they have satellite coverage up there.

 

[DangerMouse]

Ok see if these pictures work.

Nope, guess you have to officially label me as technically-challenged on this occasion.

 

[RonBoyd]

Nope, guess you have to officially label me as technically-challenged on this occasion.

No! No! Don't give up. It must be me not explaining properly. Let me try again:

Step 1. If you are not clicking on the "quote" button to start your response, then click on the "Advanced" button.

Step 2. Click on the "Paperclip" icon on the Menu Bar at the top -- under "Message:" (to the left of the smiley face).

Step 3. In the new window (that opened when you clicked the Paperclip)click on "Browse." In the new window (looks like "My Computer"), go to where your file is located and highlight the file name. Click on "Open." Click on "Upload."

Step 4. A new section will show up entitled "Current Attachments." When your file is listed there, close the window.

Step 5. Go back to your post, place your cursor where you want the image (attachment) to appear. Click on the "Paperclip" icon again. Your file will be listed. Simply click on it.

Step 6. Click on "Submit Reply," stand back and admire your handiwork.

You may want to print this out before you start. When you are done, let me know what happened so I can adjust my instructions.

 

[REWahoo]

Maybe this will help: How to add photos to a post

Lots of good info on that thread...

 

[mickeyd]

Your post reminded me of when I was a teenager, hanging out with my buddies at the local gas station. Favorite treat was to get a cold Dr. Pepper out of the vending machine, take a big swig, buy a bag of Planter's peanuts and pour them into the bottle. There was your fix for the night.
Ever hear of that one?

When I was in the 8th grade a bunch of us guys would ride our bikes after school to a mom and pop store we called "coke for a nickle place". Most of us only had the allotted five cents for a beverage (grape Nehi for me) but a couple of the guys were big spenders and always went for the peanuts in the bottle action. I guess I could have afforded an extra 5 cents for the nuts, but the early LBYM in me probably thought it best to stay with the basics.

I'll bet those peanut guys are broke today!

 

[Meadbh]

I had a checkup at my doctor's office today. I am chicken about going to the doctor (LOL!) so while my prescription was being prepared I rewarded myself with a trip to the bookstore. I came away with two books on Australia and Paul Krugman's The Return of Depression Economics.

As I age I seem to need more visits to the doctor. I could be buying a lot of books! This could get expensive!

 

[IndependentlyPoor]

Peanuts are so like, last century

Extreme Diet Coke & Mentos Experiments II - The Domino Effect

 

[Ronstar]

My Garmin shows all of Canada and Alaska. From Here to Anchorage, for instance, is 3,371.2 miles (fastest time) and would take 57 hours and 48 minutes to drive. I assume they have satellite coverage up there.

Yes there is satellite coverage in Canada/Alaska- and probably enough for car navigation systems most of the time unless you are extremely far north.

The satellites are generally in orbit in the lower latitudes so that they can be used from a greater geographical area. The accuracy of a GPS position is increased by having satellites in all directions. That is not the case near the poles.

Here's a site plotting the location of the satellites. Go to "GPS" under "up in your sky". Select all and track selected satellites

LIVE REAL TIME SATELLITE TRACKING AND PREDICTIONS: NAVSTAR 64 (USA 206) NAVSTAR 61 (USA 199) NAVSTAR 60 (USA 196) NAVSTAR 52 (USA 168) NAVSTAR 50 (USA 156) NAVSTAR 32 (USA 91) NAVSTAR 27 (USA 84) NAVSTAR 26 (USA 83) NAVSTAR 23 (USA 71)

 

[RonBoyd]

Here's a site plotting the location of the satellites. Go to "GPS" under "up in your sky". Select all and track selected satellites

LIVE REAL TIME SATELLITE TRACKING AND PREDICTIONS: NAVSTAR 64 (USA 206) NAVSTAR 61 (USA 199) NAVSTAR 60 (USA 196) NAVSTAR 52 (USA 168) NAVSTAR 50 (USA 156) NAVSTAR 32 (USA 91) NAVSTAR 27 (USA 84) NAVSTAR 26 (USA 83) NAVSTAR 23 (USA 71)

Cool!

 

[Walt34]

I guess i really pushed the boat out yesterday as not only did I get my colour touched up, but I had them throw in some expensive highlights. Guess it was worth it as they make me look 5 years younger and 10 lbs lighter, well at least I tell myself that to justify the cost.

You wastrel, you!

The same could be done in Photoshop for free.

No?

For some mysterious reason known only to females, DW also declined the offer.

 

[FIREd]

I had a checkup at my doctor's office today. I am chicken about going to the doctor (LOL!)...

So funny! DW and I work for the pharmaceutical industry and we are both chicken about taking any kind of medication, even over-the-counter!

 

[CuppaJoe]

So funny! DW and I work for the pharmaceutical industry and we are both chicken about taking any kind of medication, even over-the-counter!

I was like that for years; oh, to be young again.

 

[Moemg]

I guess i really pushed the boat out yesterday as not only did I get my colour touched up, but I had them throw in some expensive highlights. Guess it was worth it as they make me look 5 years younger and 10 lbs lighter, well at least I tell myself that to justify the cost.

I bet it looks great . I have decided to have a few highlights added next time I have my color done . It's a lot cheaper than a face lift !

 

[NW-Bound]

My Garmin shows all of Canada and Alaska. From Here to Anchorage, for instance, is 3,371.2 miles (fastest time) and would take 57 hours and 48 minutes to drive. I assume they have satellite coverage up there.

Just joking to give Powerplay an excuse to take a leisure drive to Alaska to exercise that GPS. A GPS receiver may suffer some accuracy degradation due to GDOP at the polar regions due to the satellite orbits, but I would not think Alaska is high enough in latitude to cause a problem.

Not having the local map in the GPS is a more practical concern. I had to buy a Europe map to load into my Garmin for travel, and it was expensive ($120 in 2007).

I had a checkup at my doctor's office today. I am chicken about going to the doctor (LOL!)...

Why can't an MD heal herself? Surely, there are procedures that cannot be self-administered, but if I were an MD, I would put a stethoscope on myself, and order my own blood test. Now, I wonder if I could say "Ah" while looking in a mirror.

PS. I was only half teasing. I always wonder how far a doctor can go in diagnosing and prescribing for him/herself. My brother-in-law told me of a doctor friend of his, who liked to eat and drink despite problems with high blood pressure and diabetes. He just knocked down a lot of medicine, hoping to overcome his ailments. Scary isn't it?

 

[Nodak]

Yes there is satellite coverage in Canada/Alaska- and probably enough for car navigation systems most of the time unless you are extremely far north.

The satellites are generally in orbit in the lower latitudes so that they can be used from a greater geographical area. The accuracy of a GPS position is increased by having satellites in all directions. That is not the case near the poles.

Here's a site plotting the location of the satellites. Go to "GPS" under "up in your sky". Select all and track selected satellites

LIVE REAL TIME SATELLITE TRACKING AND PREDICTIONS: NAVSTAR 64 (USA 206) NAVSTAR 61 (USA 199) NAVSTAR 60 (USA 196) NAVSTAR 52 (USA 168) NAVSTAR 50 (USA 156) NAVSTAR 32 (USA 91) NAVSTAR 27 (USA 84) NAVSTAR 26 (USA 83) NAVSTAR 23 (USA 71)

If I remember correctly the GPS satellites are in nearly polar orbits (orbital inclination close to 90 degrees) this is done so that the satellite can cover all the earths surface. There are a lot of GPS satellites in orbit so any place on Earth should always have several in view.

 

[Nords]

There are a lot of GPS satellites in orbit so any place on Earth should always have several in view.

I sure hope the coverage is better today than what the military was using in the 1990s.

Being in a satellite's footprint is one thing. Actually being able to receive the signal is quite another, and it was usually inversely related to the degree of desperation in getting a position fix...

 

[Ronstar]

If I remember correctly the GPS satellites are in nearly polar orbits (orbital inclination close to 90 degrees) this is done so that the satellite can cover all the earths surface. There are a lot of GPS satellites in orbit so any place on Earth should always have several in view.

Most GPS satellites are between 55 degrees north and 5 degrees south latitude. But there are others (Transit?) at the poles.

GPS explained: Satellite orbits

I sure hope the coverage is better today than what the military was using in the 1990s.

Being in a satellite's footprint is one thing. Actually being able to receive the signal is quite another, and it was usually inversely related to the degree of desperation in getting a position fix...

There is better coverage - 30 satellites now compared to 19 in 1997. Coverage was shaky in the 1990's. We would have to take breaks doing land surveys via GPS every day - sometimes an hour at a time - waiting for another satellite to pop up to give us a good enough constellation to measure with.

 

[chinaco]

Much of that money that late boomers spent has to have been on their kids.... Gen X and even more on the Gen Y (Millennial Generation).

Many parents have overspent and over leveraged themselves on cars, college (with all living expenses and credit card), cell phones, etc, etc... Many at the expense of their own financial well being.

The other areas where boomers overspent is their versions of the dream home (more than home than they could afford) and their own vehicles (new car every few years).... [-]chicken in every pot[/-] Lexus and Mini-Van in every two car garage

 

[Nodak]

Most GPS satellites are between 55 degrees north and 5 degrees south latitude. But there are others (Transit?) at the poles.

GPS explained: Satellite orbits



There is better coverage - 30 satellites now compared to 19 in 1997. Coverage was shaky in the 1990's. We would have to take breaks doing land surveys via GPS every day - sometimes an hour at a time - waiting for another satellite to pop up to give us a good enough constellation to measure with.

Thanks for the info; when I worked at Cavalier AFS I never paid a lot of attention to the GPS orbital element sets.