Search found 949 matches

by gtd98765
Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:52 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Want to leave timeshare.
Replies: 111
Views: 12021

Re: Want to leave timeshare.

splitatlantic wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:24 am We have been owners of a 1 week timeshare for a number of years but now want to get rid of it. We tried selling it through our timeshare company but to no avail. The cost to sell it back is $1,500. Is this a reasonable cost?
Use the search box in the upper right to find many threads on this issue.
by gtd98765
Thu Feb 22, 2024 6:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: DC Mall - where to stay for AirBnB
Replies: 15
Views: 1386

Re: DC Mall - where to stay for AirBnB

MrNarwhal wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 6:51 pm
Is the metro construction between Alexandria and the Mall completed?

Yes, the Metro is back in operation between Alexandria and the District after the opening of the new station at Potomac Yards.
by gtd98765
Wed Feb 21, 2024 7:24 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: DC Mall - where to stay for AirBnB
Replies: 15
Views: 1386

Re: DC Mall - where to stay for AirBnB

Arlington VA is a straight shot on the Metro to the Mall area. An apartment there might be cheaper than in the District.
by gtd98765
Thu Feb 15, 2024 7:14 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Color or Black & White Printer
Replies: 32
Views: 2321

Re: Color or Black & White Printer

We finally ditched our Canon ink jet color printer because we used it so rarely the ink dried out. Our Brother B&W laser printer is fine with being left unused for a month or more and starts right up when we need it. Once I needed some photos printed out in color and it was easy to get that done at a local drug store.
by gtd98765
Sun Feb 04, 2024 11:14 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is Everyone's Info Really on the Dark Web?
Replies: 25
Views: 3359

Re: Is Everyone's Info Really on the Dark Web?

I have credit monitoring from a company called myidcare.com as a result of a breach. A couple of times a year it notifies me that my email address has been "compromised," sometimes with a password. It never tells me the website that my email address was found on. Since i have used the same email address for a decade or more, I have entered it into thousands of websites over the years. The information the credit monitoring company provides me is therefore completely useless and not actionable. I am not going to change my email address and lose contact with correspondents because it was "compromised," so I am left with nothing. As far as I know, other credit monitoring companies do the same thing. I would definitely not pa...
by gtd98765
Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:25 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Registering new car with daughter JTWRS okay?
Replies: 2
Views: 362

Registering new car with daughter JTWRS okay?

My daughter, who lives with me, and I plan to get a new car together, sharing the expense. Would there be any disadvantage for insurance or other purposes to register the car JTWRS?
by gtd98765
Fri Feb 02, 2024 8:18 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: ? Suspend FEHB after Joining Medicare Advantage Plan?
Replies: 8
Views: 1043

Re: ? Suspend FEHB after Joining Medicare Advantage Plan?

For most people, FEHB is better than Medicare Advantage.
Spend $15 for the Checkbook.org FEHB guide: https://www.checkbook.org/newhig2/hig.cfm It explains everything about Medicare A&B, Medicare Advantage, and how Medicare and FEHB work together.
by gtd98765
Mon Jan 29, 2024 8:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: FEGLI (life insurance)
Replies: 17
Views: 1458

Re: FEGLI (life insurance)

This question cannot be answered in the abstract. If he has medical challenges that would require underwriting by a private insurer, FEGLI might be cheaper. If not, there are probably better alternatives.

He needs to comparison shop for term insurance. Suggest you send him the link to the Life Insurance wiki, which includes websites: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Life_insurance
by gtd98765
Wed Jan 17, 2024 8:35 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Please review my edits to Wiki on Life Insurance
Replies: 26
Views: 2302

Re: Please review my edits to Wiki on Life Insurance

Thank you very much for revising the wiki, and for all the helpful comments other BH have added!
by gtd98765
Sat Jan 13, 2024 9:15 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Suggest update to life insurance wiki
Replies: 1
Views: 689

Suggest update to life insurance wiki

The wiki on life insurance (https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Life_insurance) has very limited information about the subject, and much of the entry is about finding a lost policy. I suggest a knowledgeable person take a crack at updating the entry to include the different types of insurance (term, whole, universal, etc), with recommendations.

I was looking for a reference to give to a friend with basic questions about the subject but the current entry really does not do it. Fortunately, the nonprofit Checkbook.org had a good story: https://www.checkbook.org/national/life-insurance/
by gtd98765
Mon Jan 01, 2024 11:41 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Time to replace iPad 6th generation?
Replies: 13
Views: 1315

Re: Time to replace iPad 6th generation?

I just replaced my 6th gen iPad with a new 9th gen iPad when the latter was on sale for $240 at Costco. What drove my need to upgrade was running out of storage; the 32 GB in the 6th gen was full just with apps, no movies. The battery was getting old as well. The 9th has 64 GB of storage and a new battery, so it solves the problems I had.

However, even though the 9th gen has a much faster processor than the 6th gen, I have detected no speed difference for the modest applications I run, such as reading (including the NYT app), email, etc. So I don't know that upgrading your iPad would necessarily help you with the problem you have.
by gtd98765
Sat Dec 30, 2023 9:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: USAA Claims Reputation
Replies: 51
Views: 5452

Re: USAA Claims Reputation

I have had two USAA auto claims this year, the larger one handled pretty well and quickly, the smaller one handled very poorly. First claim was another car "failed to yield the right of way," and was hit by our 3-year-old car. USAA totaled the car within a few weeks, fair payout. The second claim was for a rental car paid for by USAA as a consequence of the first accident. It was hit by a work truck (I think) while parked in front of our house, causing about $3.5K damage to a quarter panel. Eight months later USAA has not resolved this and I am concerned the rental company will send me to collections for the whole amount (what I should pay is my $1K deductible). I have called USAA numerous times to push them to make some kind of d...
by gtd98765
Tue Dec 12, 2023 6:10 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do diagnose a router issue
Replies: 69
Views: 9501

Re: How do diagnose a router issue

My Tp-Link router has an option that allows me to set up automatic reboots on a schedule. I have it reboot once a week in the middle of the night, but I could set it to do so every day if I wanted. Maybe try that out?
by gtd98765
Tue Dec 12, 2023 6:01 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Gearing up for a kitchen remodel in 2024
Replies: 55
Views: 10133

Re: Gearing up for a kitchen remodel in 2024

We have been thinking about moving from gas to induction. Our current range plugs into a 120V outlet. There is 240V on the other side of our kitchen, in a closet housing our washer/dryer. How big a deal is converting from 120V to 240V where the stove is located? You would need a new 240V circuit breaker and wire from the breaker box to the location of the new cooktop. How big a deal this is depends on how accessible the route between the breaker box and the cooktop is; e.g., if there is an unfinished basement it might be relatively straightforward to run a new wire. However, in our recent renovation the electrician did some incredible fishing of wires to get them around immovable obstacles, so don't give up hope if your house is on a slab....
by gtd98765
Mon Dec 11, 2023 7:59 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Gearing up for a kitchen remodel in 2024
Replies: 55
Views: 10133

Re: Gearing up for a kitchen remodel in 2024

We just finished our kitchen remodel, although within the same footprint as the original. Based on your questions, I definitely think you need an architect (could be from a design-build firm), especially if you want to remove a load-bearing wall. Unless you have experience in construction I would advise against acting as your own GC. Plumbers, electricians, etc rarely show up exactly when they promised; let that be the GC's problem, not yours. My other thoughts based on our experience: - have an idea of what you want by looking at friends' houses, magazines, etc. Don't waste your and the architect's (expensive) time by going in cold. E.g., do you want a showplace kitchen or just somewhere to get food prepared most efficiently? do you want m...
by gtd98765
Sun Dec 10, 2023 5:20 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Wine - Alcohol-free suggestions?
Replies: 25
Views: 2603

Re: Wine - Alcohol-free suggestions?

I have tried about a dozen alcohol-free "wines," including some recommended by WireCutter or expensive wine shops, and have been mostly disappointed. Mostly they taste like grape juice. The only one I have found that I have bought more than once is Sovi Sparkling White, which comes in 250 ml cans.

I have had much better luck with alcohol-free beers. Corona is excellent, and available at our grocery store. Erdinger is good, as are Sam Adams, Tuborg, and Clausthaler. These taste almost as good as real beer.
by gtd98765
Sun Nov 19, 2023 7:47 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Fools stock advisor?
Replies: 17
Views: 2547

Re: Fools stock advisor?

If that were real, Forbes, Fortune, Money, etc would be writing articles about it constantly.
by gtd98765
Wed Oct 04, 2023 7:08 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: SDFCU experiences?
Replies: 36
Views: 3949

Re: SDFCU experiences?

I have used SDFCU for decades and am generally happy with it. Bill paying, credit card, and website all work as expected. We have a mortgage with them too, which has been uneventful. Every once in a while we have a notarial or something that requires a visit to a branch, and the people are nice. We changed our address between home and abroad multiple times with no issues.
by gtd98765
Thu Sep 28, 2023 8:27 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New key FOBs and RFID signals capture - Hondas, Toyotas
Replies: 33
Views: 4760

Re: New key FOBs and RFID signals capture - Hondas, Toyotas

I don't understand the purpose of the faraday bag. The key fob is only transmitting when you push the button to turn on the car, right? So 99.9% of the time there is no RF signal to block anyway. And you have to take the fob out of the bag to use it to start the car, at which point the signal could then perhaps be captured 1 out of a billion times by a lurker with a sophisticated receiver.

I think your odds of winning the lottery, as tiny as they are, are better than having your car stolen using this method.
by gtd98765
Mon Sep 25, 2023 11:40 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Troubleshooting help, please: why does printer shrink the output?
Replies: 11
Views: 928

Re: Troubleshooting help, please: why does printer shrink the output?

I used to have this same printer and never experienced the print reduction problem. Probably you have already tried the simple things, but just in case:

1. Unplug the printer for a minute, then plug it back in.
2. Restart (do not shut down) your computer, then log back on.
3. Try a different PDF program than the one you are using now. For Windows I use Sumatra rather than Adobe (sumatrapdfreader.org)

For others trying to follow up it would be helpful for you to indicate whether you are using Windows/Mac/Linux.
by gtd98765
Sun Sep 17, 2023 8:27 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What peer reviewed finance or economics paper are you reading?
Replies: 7
Views: 1509

Re: What peer reviewed finance or economics paper are you reading?

The Conversable Economist highlights recent economic research, with links to the original articles. You can subscribe to his email updates, which come typically a couple of times per week. here's a small clip from his Sept 14 article: It is remarkable but true that per capita US economic growth has hewed close to a trendline of 2% per year for the last 150 years. Here’s a recent figure showing this pattern from Charles Jones in his paper “The Outlook for Long-Term Economic Growth,” as prepared for the annual symposium at Jackson Hole hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (August 2023, full symposium proceedings including Jones’s paper available here, Jones’s paper also available as NBER Working Paper #31648). Highly recommended ...
by gtd98765
Mon Aug 14, 2023 8:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Safe deposit box-have one? What's in there?
Replies: 115
Views: 10526

Re: Safe deposit box-have one? What's in there?

I treat my SDB as the "what if my house burns down" storage, as unlikely as that is.
Contents:
- portable hard drive with decades of family photos;
- Backup Yubikey ;
- Old cell phone with an authenticator app with backup 2 factor login codes
by gtd98765
Fri Jul 14, 2023 7:52 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare vs FEHB - Single Healthy Person - Pick One
Replies: 15
Views: 1487

Re: Medicare vs FEHB - Single Healthy Person - Pick One

Agree with prior posters who note that:
1) It's important to know which IRMAA bracket you would be in as you consider this decision (https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Income- ... nt_(IRMAA))
2. The checkbook.org FEHB guide has a valuable discussion of this exact issue and is easily worth the $15 it costs: https://www.checkbook.org/newhig2/hig.cfm
by gtd98765
Wed Jul 05, 2023 7:17 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Transferring 529 funds from one child to another
Replies: 8
Views: 1353

Re: Transferring 529 funds from one child to another

I did this on the Virginia 529 plan several years ago and all it took was one phone call to the administrator to make the transfer between kids. There were no issues.
by gtd98765
Tue Jul 04, 2023 8:50 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: "Smooth Jazz" downtempo podcast/channel
Replies: 15
Views: 1555

Re: "Smooth Jazz" downtempo podcast/channel

pandora.com can do smooth jazz for $5/mo and no ads.
by gtd98765
Fri Jun 30, 2023 7:16 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Germany travel recs – Black Forest? Road trip? Alps?
Replies: 26
Views: 2552

Re: Germany travel recs – Black Forest? Road trip? Alps?

If you like hiking and mountains, consider Garmisch-Partenkirchen. We really enjoyed going up the Zugspitze to see the Alps from 3000 m up (go on a clear day).

Freiburg is great too.
by gtd98765
Wed May 10, 2023 7:50 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Mint Mobile @ $15?
Replies: 24
Views: 2564

Re: Mint Mobile @ $15?

I have had for 18 months, no problems. Only thing to note is if you want the cheapest rate ($15/mo) you may have to pay in advance for a whole year.
by gtd98765
Fri Apr 21, 2023 7:38 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Federal Retirees using FEHB - outside the US
Replies: 9
Views: 944

Re: Federal Retirees using FEHB - outside the US

I used a different FEHB plan when I lived abroad. I always wrote the market exchange rate for the day of service on the submission form. I never checked to see if they used it.
by gtd98765
Sat Apr 08, 2023 3:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yubikey
Replies: 71
Views: 5732

Re: Yubikey useful ?

shuresm7b1 wrote: Sat Apr 08, 2023 11:52 am Why don't you enter any TOTP code for Yubikey accounts. I clearly don't know how all this works yet
TOTP code and Yubikey are two different kinds of third-factor authentication. You do not need both, so if you use a Yubikey, there will typically not be a request for an authenticator-based TOTP.
by gtd98765
Sat Apr 08, 2023 11:48 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Schwab TIP prices/market values and Quicken
Replies: 13
Views: 1070

Re: Schwab TIP prices/market values and Quicken

You could try posting a question in community.quicken.com but I have done so on a separate TIPs issue and not gotten a useful answer. I think the real answer is that Quicken just can't handle TIPs.
by gtd98765
Sun Apr 02, 2023 7:39 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Spouse of Federal retiree /Medicare/HSA
Replies: 8
Views: 779

Re: Spouse of Federal retiree /Medicare/HSA

In the FEHB plan brochure for your spouse's plan there should be a section on coordination of benefits with Medicare. In my brochure it is section 9.
by gtd98765
Tue Mar 21, 2023 6:59 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Restaurant recommendations for Rome/Florence
Replies: 27
Views: 2088

Re: Restaurant recommendations for Rome/Florence

Avoid Tripadvisor recommendations; somehow touristy places have figured out how to game the system. Stick with recommendations from guidebooks or real people.
by gtd98765
Fri Mar 17, 2023 8:46 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text
Replies: 10
Views: 1438

Re: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Google Fi makes sense for people who travel internationally a lot - but not if you are abroad for 2 - 3 months straight, since there is an undisclosed limit on how much data you can use abroad during one time period. But if she is going to come and go from the US throughout the course of a year that would be okay. However, Fi is not really a "cheap" plan so it may fail that test. There is the Flexible plan, wherein you pay $20/line plus $10 for every gigabyte you use, but if you use much data it is not cheap - it is really oriented toward people who are on wifi most of the time.
by gtd98765
Tue Mar 14, 2023 7:43 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Permeable pavers - anyone got experience with these?
Replies: 13
Views: 1934

Re: Permeable pavers - anyone got experience with these?

We had our old brick driveway replaced with permeable pavers about ten years ago. Unfortunately we learned that the driveway area below ground level was essentially all clay, and even with a foot or more of rocks below the pavers the clay basin eventually filled up with water when it rained and the water flowed into our basement. We ended up putting polymer sand between the pavers so more water would flow downhill and off them to the street, as well as digging drainage lines underground that led to the gutters, and one to our basement laundry sink.

Today all is well, but the main point is: make sure you know where the rainwater will end up.
by gtd98765
Sat Mar 11, 2023 6:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best Temporary Bedding?
Replies: 23
Views: 1964

Re: Best Temporary Bedding?

The Wirecutter has reviews: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/revi ... -mattress/
After researching dozens of air mattresses and testing seven, we think the SoundAsleep Dream Series Air Mattress won’t let you down. Its robust built-in pump, bed-like sleep surface, and reliable warranty make it the one to choose for guests.
by gtd98765
Thu Feb 23, 2023 7:05 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: HELP! Universal Life policy lapse—89 year old
Replies: 11
Views: 1802

Re: HELP! Universal Life policy lapse—89 year old

What is the purpose of having the policy? Does anyone depend on your Dad's income for necessities of daily life? I feel that life insurance is to protect heirs from bad financial circumstances rather than just give them an income boost.
by gtd98765
Wed Feb 22, 2023 2:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: dishwasher recomendations
Replies: 110
Views: 8263

Re: dishwasher recomendations

I went dishwasher shopping today and the salesman at an appliance store said Bosch is so backed up that they have stopped accepting orders and it will be months before they clear the backlog and start accepting orders again. He added that customers have waits of up to a year to receive dishwashers ordered before the freeze. Interesting. Must be for some models. There is a 300 SHE53B75UC model available for delivery in 7 days from Best Buy. Well, at least in my area. Have you called to confirm this? I only ask because we drove to the nearest Home Depot (120 miles) because the website for that store said they had 4 on hand. The guy laughed at me and said you can't rely on our website. This was July and they were backordered then and they guy...
by gtd98765
Tue Feb 21, 2023 7:08 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: dishwasher recomendations
Replies: 110
Views: 8263

Re: dishwasher recomendations

I went dishwasher shopping today and the salesman at an appliance store said Bosch is so backed up that they have stopped accepting orders and it will be months before they clear the backlog and start accepting orders again. He added that customers have waits of up to a year to receive dishwashers ordered before the freeze.
by gtd98765
Mon Feb 20, 2023 8:40 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Reasonably Priced Hotel in Manhattan?
Replies: 10
Views: 1164

Re: Reasonably Priced Hotel in Manhattan?

I stayed at the Pod 51 hotel in November for $150/night. It was perfectly fine, good neighborhood. Some rooms with shared bath so look carefully at what you are getting before clicking buy.
by gtd98765
Fri Feb 17, 2023 7:13 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dipping my toes in EV? Tesla 3/Y Questions!
Replies: 272
Views: 26667

Re: Dipping my toes in EV? Tesla 3/Y Questions!

I am thinking about getting my wife a Model 3 base model. After all state (NJ $4k) and federal ($7.5k) tax credits its a $33k car. NJ has unbelievable EV incentives. I’m jealous. The problem is that I don't think I have any more breaker space in my electric panel so I wouldn't be able to install a level 2 charger at my house without doing some big electrical work. But considering there's $11,500 in credits and no sales tax (saving an additional 6.625%) it could be worth it to spend a few bucks to upgrade my panel. Our panel seemed out of breaker space but the electrician was able to create more space by combining two existing 15 amp breakers into one slot by using new half-sized circuit breakers. That allowed him to put the new 50 amp 240 ...
by gtd98765
Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help with Reporting TIPS interest 1099-INT in Turbotax
Replies: 1
Views: 506

Help with Reporting TIPS interest 1099-INT in Turbotax

I am regretting buying a TIPS bond for the first time in 2021! I downloaded my 2022 1099-INT from Treasury Direct. For the box labeled "Interest on US savings bonds and Treas obligations (Ref Box 3)" it shows two interest payments totaling 13.24. For the box labeled "Bond Premiums on Treasury obligations (Ref Box 12)" there is one entry totaling 138.10. I entered both these numbers in Turbotax Deluxe (downloaded) on a 1099-INT form, and it complains during the Smart Check as follows: Schedule B - Form 1099-INT (Treasury Direct): Bond premium on treasury obligations. The bond premium adjustment of 138.10 reported on this form 1099-INT (Treasury Direct) is greater than the related Box 3 interest on U.S. savings bonds and t...
by gtd98765
Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:21 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: FEHB For New Hire
Replies: 30
Views: 2870

Re: FEHB For New Hire

Order the online FEHB guide from Washington Consumer Checkbook. It simplifies decision-making, explains all the options, and allows you to enter the names of your current medical providers to see which plans they participate in. A good deal for $15.
https://www.checkbook.org/newhig2/hig.cfm
by gtd98765
Sat Jan 21, 2023 3:04 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Water and Sewer Line Insurance
Replies: 41
Views: 5706

Re: Water and Sewer Line Insurance

A consumer magazine recommends against them (no paywall): https://www.checkbook.org/washington-ar ... arranties/
But HomeServe’s own numbers reveal a key issue: Divide that $232 million in repair bills by the 400,000 claimants and the average payout was just $580.
by gtd98765
Wed Jan 18, 2023 7:27 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 1Password Login
Replies: 26
Views: 2048

Re: 1Password Login

If you are concerned about your PC being stolen even if it's normally in your house you should protect the PC with a password, PIN, fingerprint, etc. and set it to auto-log off after a specified time (I use 30 mins). This way a thief can never get to the password manager in the first place.
by gtd98765
Wed Jan 18, 2023 7:17 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: I have cat6 on first level, but need strong speeds upstairs -- what to do?
Replies: 24
Views: 1684

Re: I have cat6 on first level, but need strong speeds upstairs -- what to do?

Agree that fishing Ethernet cables to the second floor would be best but it is also the most expensive if you have to hire an electrician to do it. I would start with a mesh network that can use Ethernet backhaul - there are many threads here about which brand to select - which you can get for under $300. Try that out, and then if it is insufficient you can go the more expensive route.
by gtd98765
Wed Jan 18, 2023 7:10 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: SoftwareGeek's Guide to Computer Security
Replies: 608
Views: 71424

Re: SoftwareGeek's Guide to Computer Security

I’m trying to understand your assumptions in this statement. You seem to assume that the hacker has available an encrypted version of my password. The hacker then uses a fast computer to try different variations of a clear text password and somehow is able to know when one is valid. My first question is where does the hacker get the encrypted version of my password? How common is it for an encrypted version of my password with for example Fidelity to be available in the dark web? Another question is how does he know when he has a valid clear text password? Hackers create "rainbow tables" of tens of millions of precomputed hashed passwords and compare the hash of your password with the rainbow table. If they find a match of the ha...
by gtd98765
Sat Jan 14, 2023 8:24 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Air Purifier for Dust for Larger Room
Replies: 21
Views: 2904

Re: Air Purifier for Dust for Larger Room

The Wirecutter has comparative reviews: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/revi ... -purifier/

I had several BlueAir filters in a developing country where brown coal was the major fuel for electricity generation. The BlueAirs worked great; by the smell of brown coal you could tell the instant you opened a door to the outside how much cleaner the air was inside.

Don't just look at the purifier when you are shopping; remember to look at how much the replacement HEPA filters will cost.
by gtd98765
Sat Jan 14, 2023 7:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Google Authenticator - how to safeguard it
Replies: 29
Views: 2275

Re: Google Authenticator - how to safeguard it

I have Google Authenticator on an old Android phone that I keep in my bank safe deposit box. That way, if I lose my current phone, or it croaks unexpectedly, I have a backup.
I exported codes from my current phone to the old phone (touch the three dots menu at top left, than Transfer Accounts).
by gtd98765
Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:50 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Which 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) app is best?
Replies: 56
Views: 5055

Re: Which 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) app is best?

If you use a cell phone-based authenticator app, make sure you have a way to get at your codes if you lose your cell phone or it breaks. I have an old phone that I keep in a safe deposit box at my bank. I have copied all my codes from my current phone to the old one, so if disaster strikes and my current phone croaks, I can just get the old phone out of the box, charge it up, and get codes from that.