Tulecreeper
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Posts posted by Tulecreeper
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2 hours ago, Pat & Pete said:
I would think that's what will have to happen .
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26 minutes ago, Pat & Pete said:
FYI
On May 15, Imgur will be deleting all photos/videos that were uploaded by anyone who wasn't a logged-in user.
As Imgur never required people to log in/register to host content, it's likely that any members who used that site at any point in the last decade will fall foul of this decision. Any threads containing pictures/videos hosted on Imgur will, on May 15, become broken links just like they did after Photobucket pulled the plug.
Imgur Announcement :
https://help.imgur.com/hc/en-us/articles/14415587638029-Imgur-Terms-of-Service-Update-April-19-2023-Does this mean that after that date Imgur will require people to create an account?
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17 hours ago, 2gypsies said:
One year when we volunteered at Rocky Mountain National Park within a few months time there were two suicides and three homicides plus drownings (one tragic one of a 12-year-old boy slipping on a rock and getting caught underneath the water in swift current and lodged at a huge boulder. His father had to watch. We also listened to a lot of BOLO alerts... be on the lookout. Also, a scout group just returned from a hike and a girl left a candy bar and chips in her tent. A bear very shortly came out of the woods to the tent and tore it open from the rear. The girl got out. The bear was killed, unfortunately The ranger thought she had blanks in her gun. That really opened our eyes to the dangers in the national parks.
Here's a better link giving numerous charts:
That is a ranger that absolutely needs remedial trailing. As retired LE, there was never a time in 30 years when I did not know whether or not my weapon was loaded.
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On 4/20/2023 at 10:09 AM, RV_ said:
That was going to be my suggestion if I understand correctly that you are doing a 2 year "visit" not planning to become citizens here too. Many don't know here that Canada and the US allow dual citizenship so Americans who qualify for Canadian citizenship and buy property there do not have to renounce their US citizenship and Canadians who want dual citizenship can do the same. Lots of rules but those are the basics.
So you might want to look at that as an option if not too expensive for future trips. May be financial advantages or liabilities but worth looking into with kids.
I am a dual American/Canadian citizen by birth. It is not so much that the US and Canada "allow" dual citizenship, it's more that they don't care if you hold citizenship from another country(s).
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4 minutes ago, Kirk W said:
A 457 plan is a tax-advantaged retirement savings plan offered to employees of many state and local governments and some nonprofit organizations.
True...I had one when I retired. Cashed it out when we no longer needed the supplemental income.
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19 hours ago, SuzieQ said:
Very excited to join this forum which I discovered while I was gathering information on buying an RV in the USA. My hubby and I are Australian citizens.
We have been RV-ing in Europe, on an off, since 2011. We store the motorhome in the UK before flying home at the completion of our tours. We are currently in France and fly home mid June.
We would really love the opportunity to move our exploring to the US and would greatly appreciate any advice on how a non resident can own, register and insure an RV to explore the USA. Apologies if I have missed a thread already offering advicekind regards
Suzie.
This is not an easy question to answer. Buying and insuring will be the easy part, it's registering that might be sticky. In the US, vehicles are registered by state - California, Arkansas, Florida, etc. - and in order to register a vehicle in any state, you must be a resident of that state. This means that you must live in that state for at least part of the year and have a bank account there, or pay bills and/or taxes there, or something to show you have a physical attachment to that state. It can be done, but others will have to chime in here and give you more specifics.
Perhaps there are other foreigners on here who have done this and can give you specific advice.
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45 minutes ago, Kirk W said:
It isn't simple here either, but with fewer plans to deal with it is probably less complex than yours. You can receive Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, we'll reduce your benefit if you start receiving benefits before your full retirement age. For example, if you turn age 62 in 2023, your benefit would be about 30% lower than it would be at your full retirement age of 67. The IRS allows penalty-free withdrawals from retirement accounts after age 59½...
That is for a 401k; a 457 allows withdrawals at anytime after age 55, retired, or not...earlier if you are fully retired. And even a 401k will allow withdrawals prior to 591/2 if you are fully retired.
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I've seen this a number of times in and around the Bay Area and San Joaquin Delta for short hauls between dealerships and whatnot. Probably not really any more top heavy that a big slide-in. Here's another one.
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The OP didn't say how old they are, or what type of pension(s) are involved.
We pulled the plug 10 years ago in our 50's. Both of us worked for the state, so we both have pension income from that. We also had a 457 account that we used for the first 5 years to supplement those pensions. Then, when I turned 60, I started collecting my Navy Reserve pension which replaced the 457 money. So, since we didn't need it anymore we just cashed out the remaining 457 and stuck it in the bank.
Then, when we turned 62, we took early social security. So now we have 2 state pensions, a Navy pension, and 2 social security pensions. Our mortgage is $950/mo on a 2000 sq-ft house on 10 wooded acres, and our utilities (elec., phone, internet, etc.) run about $500/mo. Our Medicare Advantage Part C premiums are picked up by the state as part of our pension benefits, and they reimburse us for our Medicare Part B premiums. We have minimal medical issues, but since we are covered by Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Tricare for Life (TFL) we pay pretty close to zero for everything anyway, including prescriptions.
It seems as though (to me) the OP is relying mostly on their investment portfolio for income after retirement. That would make me a bit shy as we only used ours as a supplement.
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Although it's been a while, I've been to Canada - Saskatchewan and Alberta - a number of times to go hunting for a couple weeks. Always had firearms on us, with whatever amount of ammo was allowed per gun, the legally allowed amount of booze, and papers for the dog. Usually crossed over in some remote station on a back road where the local customs guy was more interested in getting off work to go hunting himself than in checking our stuff. A couple times while standing in the office all he asked was, "You follow all the rules and have a rabies cert for your dog?" "Yes, sir." "Have a good time in Canada, eh...gotta go now."
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When most people hear the term "heavy duty tow vehicle", they immediately think of 2500 and 3500 series pickups in the 3/4 to 1-ton range, possibly a dually. I know I would. You have to tell them exactly what you're driving or you're going to run into this issue again.
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13 hours ago, Danfreda1 said:
Hasn’t been back since Thursday, imagine that
👍 And check the user name...
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For those with a CCW, I would research the state regs regarding taking marijuana - medical or otherwise. There may be a caveat that if you test positive for it you can/will lose your permit.
I am retired LE and I have a federal (LEOSA) concealed carry permit allowing me to carry in all 50 states, and US possessions - Guam, Puerto Rico, etc. I also take a Schedule II medication for a spinal injury. Since I have a script for that drug I have no problem if I were to test positive. However, since the federal govt does not recognize MJ as a legal drug in any form, if I were to test positive for it I guarantee I would lose my license to carry.
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On 4/11/2023 at 6:20 PM, agesilaus said:
Ditto, we went with Walmart since they seem to be more common. However, at least in Florida, if you are talking schedule 3 drugs, then you have to see the physician every 30 days. I had to drop Tramadol which is a very weak narcotic since it was impossible to travel and see the doc every 30 days/
Walmart and U assume the big drug stores will transfer the script around tho it will lead to confusion.
Not exactly true. I have been taking Norco for 15 years for a cervical spinal injury, and although I can only get a 30-day script at a time I only have to see my doc about every 6 or 8 months. And it is a Schedule II drug.
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3 hours ago, durangodon said:
If you put a baggy over the end before wrapping in tape, the tape will be much easier to come off when it needs to.
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4 hours ago, Kirk W said:
I would cover both plugs to keep them clean and dry just in case you ever want to reconnect it and to prevent any shorting of the pins.
For sure...a little dielectric grease, wrapped up in electrical tape for future use.
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On 4/11/2023 at 9:29 AM, Anawilliam850 said:
if you still want to proceed with disabling or unplugging the camera, it is important to consult your vehicle's owner's manual or seek assistance from a qualified mechanic. They can provide you with the necessary instructions and guidance on how to safely disable or unplug the camera without causing any damage to your vehicle.
Additionally, it is worth noting that many modern vehicles have safety features that cannot be easily disabled or overridden. These features are designed to improve the safety of drivers and passengers on the road, and while they may seem like an annoyance at times, they are there to protect you and others on the road.
There is a section in the manual that tells me how to unplug it in order to remove the tailgate. I'll go by that this weekend when I unplug it.
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18 hours ago, Vladimir said:
I have the same problem.
I got a phone amplifier, but they are less useful these days since analog went away.
Use this web site to keep track of cell service: https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=47.79731,-120.41513&z=12&b=om&a=modis_mp%2Ccellcoverage_t
You should always know where the closes cell service is possible.
StarLink is an option. The wifi calling works. EXCEPT my StarLink quit working and I am on day FIVE of trying to get somebody to respond to me!!!
I did have a medical emergency a couple of weeks ago 70 miles from the nearest hospital. I was camped alone with only one eye functional.
Not sure I handled that "perfectly", but you might want to write a plan for dealing with medical situations prior to the incident.
Good luck.
BUT, I do remember when I broke my ankle working in the Wilderness and got flown out on a Forest Service contract helicopter. The hospital called my wife and said...."your husband is ok".....She interrupted the phone call and said "of course, he's ok...he is out in the middle of the Wilderness".
It is safer out there than in the urban areas, but in most cases your in charge of your "rescue".
Thank you very much. While I appreciate the link to the map, the location of cell towers and/or cell reception doesn't dictate where I fish or hunt.
I always file a "flight plan" when I leave to go anywhere - where I'm going, the closet launch ramp, the closest roads, where I'll be hunting or fishing, when I plan on returning, etc. - but there are not infrequent times where if something happened to me the first inkling for anyone would be when I'm several hours late getting home.
Three years ago, I returned to the launch ramp after duck hunting to find that one of the heater hose connectors in my truck had busted. I couldn't drive it or all my coolant would have poured out. I was an hour and a half drive from home, I had no cell service, it was a very remote launch ramp, there was no one else there and it was after dark, so I had to walk 2 miles down the road to a farm house to call for a tow truck (I also called my wife). The woman on the phone couldn't find me by GPS location because I had an old flip-phone, and she didn't understand when I tried to explain that I was also at the end of 'County Road XX', which dead-ended at the lake. I ended up having the rancher take me to my truck, where he hooked me up and towed me and my boat back to his place, where I spent the night in his guest room. The next day I got everything straightened out.
I love the outdoors and I won't let the lack of technology keep from doing what I enjoy.
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17 hours ago, GlennWest said:
I can't see yearly packing bearings either.
I tow a lot, mostly boats, but I feel the same. I tow probably 6000 to 7000 miles per year and I give them a few shots of grease about 3 or 4 times a year, and a couple times a year I jack the wheels up and give them a good tug to check for wobble. I have had 4 boats in my life and I have changed wheel bearings I think twice in 40 years.
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27 minutes ago, hemsteadc said:
Just to start a firestorm, I haven't serviced my wheel bearings in 16 years. I check hub heat at nearly every stop, and my TPMS reports temperature. No problems.
A man after my own heart. We don't need no steenking badges!
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3 hours ago, Chalkie said:
This conversation piqued my interest so I checked my phone. Below are the apps that impact the battery the most and anything not listed uses 0.1% or less. Of the listed apps Chrome, AccuWeather and Google Play Services (not to be confused with Pay Store) used location and Chrome only used location when actively using the app. Google Play Services provides location for things like 911 and Emergency notifications as well as providing support to any other app requiring location services. Overall then I would say that location services have a very low impact on my battery. I too keep WiFi and Bluetooth enabled for convenience. Bluetooth connects to both cars when I am out and WiFi lets me use my phone even when deep inside a store when normally you would lose cell signal. Now, when I am waiting in the car for my wife or waiting in a doctors office lobby I will use the Kindle app which does use a lot of battery as it is keeping the screen on constantly.
Gmail 1.5%
Chrome 1.0%
One UI Home 0.7%
Always on Display 0.7%
AccuWeather 0.5%
Google Play Services 0.3%
Tulecreeper, you strike me as someone that would get along fine on an old non-smart flip phone. 😀
I don't have Gmail, Chrome, or One UI (don't even know what that is), and I have mine set to turn the screen off after 5 minutes. I disabled AccuWeather and the other couple weather apps and only enable them when I use them maybe once a month.
And yes, I was doing fine with a flip phone until 2020 when Verizon said they would no longer support 3G so I figured I may as well upgrade sooner rather than later. In all actuality, I really don't even need a phone. But I fish and hunt A LOT, usually alone, and my wife wants me to be able to call someone if I fall and bust a knee or something. I haven't bothered to mention that half the places I go I don't have cell reception, but ya do what ya gotta.
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20 hours ago, durangodon said:
You're certainly entitled to your choice of whether to leave those three features disabled or not, and I believe you that most everyone you know does so. However, your last sentence is completely incorrect.
I don't know what phone you use, but on my iPhone I can see in the settings under "Battery" exactly which apps are using the battery power. Location services, bluetooth, and wi-fi are not listed. They are not "apps". The apps which use those three features are listed, none of which use much battery life at all.
I leave location services turned on for a few apps, like Maps, Compass, Gas Buddy, Dashcam, etc. I can select which apps to use location services for and which not.
I leave bluetooth turned on to connect to my truck when I'm driving, so I can talk and text hands free in the vehicle. The phone also connects to my smart watch through bluetooth.
I sometimes turn wi-fi off, but generally leave it on so when I walk into my house I can use wi-fi instead of my phone plan data.
To say that those features are "just doing nothing" is not close to true.
I have an Android, and I can also see what uses up most of my battery. Location is the big one for me because Google Maps, Compass, and Gas Buddy (among others) are apps that use Location and they are always pinging for updated information. Bluetooth and wi-fi are also always actively searching for a signal. I use my phone for making calls and texting, period, both of which I may have used 5 times total in the past month...mostly texts because I very seldom make or receive calls.
When I first got this phone in 2020, I uninstalled or disabled the majority of the apps that came with it, and I have downloaded no others. I think I've used it maybe a dozen times to access the internet, and that was to check the weather.
As you said, you're entitled to use whatever apps you need. I need almost none.
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Since most everyone I know leaves their Location, Bluetooth, and wi-fi turned off most of the time, this doesn't work. Those three apps use up the majority of your battery life just doing nothing.
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11 hours ago, Ray,IN said:
You said you'll stick with the tape (sorry couldn't resist) on the other forum.
😁 If I have to. I'd rather just unplug the thing. I think there is a page in the manual that tells me how to do that.
Inre: This Forum
in Veterans
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As much as it is appreciated that RV_ posts the updated Military Brief and Breaking News daily - and I know it is probably a tedious job - are there ever any actual discussions between military veterans, retirees, or Active Duty on here? I'm retried from the Navy and I know I would love to have discussions with other military members regarding their travels and RVing experiences. I'm not talking about war stories, we all have those. Thanks...