Schools are removing analogue clocks from exam halls as teenagers 'cannot tell the time'

That would be a neat trick. Some Indian yogi were claimed to have good enough body control to reverse peristalsis along the whole length of their digestive system, but I suspect prestidigitation (and a poor grasp of the risks involved).

As usual, Jim-out-of-touch-with-reality-Thompson hasn't thought out the implications of what he posted. His medical condition won't be helping his thinking, but he's just making the same kind of mistakes that he always did.

John Larkin needs his flattery, and resents being deprived of it. Any post that identifies his limitations is "insulting" no matter how informative.

And saying that somebody believes all the nonsense he reads on denialist websites is decidedly insulting, even when it is absolutely true, and well worth pointing out.

Or they want to murder you if you perform abortions. There's an ugly side to virtually all religions.

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Yeah, but they only murder the "murders", right? That's got to be ok.

Rick C.

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Of course they get to define who qualifies as a murderer, and act as the co mplete judicial system in defining who might be guilty (under their law), a s well as in assigning and enforcing punishment. There is a shortage of due process, quite apart from the problems occasioned by a particular bunch of nutcases - outlaws - setting up their own laws and applying them to the re st of the population.

The last vehicle I financed was at 0% interest.

No, I don't understand that either.

A self portrait of thyself.

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That's easy to understand. You paid the dealer enough profit that they pai d the loan company to lend you the money at zero interest. A much better d eal is to get a loan with significant percentage interest which the loan co mpany will pay the dealership for sending you to them, enough that they wil l give you a lower price. Then a month later you pay off the loan. Had a friend who did that, saved a few hundred bucks.

Paying cash is better if you know how to negotiate with them. I once took a girl friend with me to a dealership. Notice how they usually start by as king who will make the decision on the car? I wheeled and dealed until I h ad the best price I thought I could get, then asked them to pay the tax! T hey did the "have to talk to the manager" thing a couple of times and agree d to everything I asked for. The manager shook my hand which was my girl f riend's cue to say, "But I thought we were going to look at the xxxx car fi rst!" and we walked out. lol I am sure they knew they had been had. The y've been around the block a few times.

Rick C.

isolation is "making an advance". His grasp of reality is decidedly weak.

ost that identifies his limitations is "insulting" no matter how informativ e.

t websites is decidedly insulting, even when it is absolutely true, and wel l worth pointing out.

A trifle otiose, even for Jamie. All self-portraits are portraits of the pa inter. Jamie seems to ignore the point that I'm ostentatiously sceptical ab out the nonsense posted on denialist web-sites, not to mention the anti-vac cination and anti-pasteurisation web-sites that Jamie is equally gullible a bout.

Jamie really can't think, and is hopeless at constructing insults, or the k ind of negative - if constructive - character analysis that I go in for.

If he could process and understand the kind of criticism he gets, he'd shut up. As it is, he thinks he's a 12-year-old in a school yard and can get aw ay with yelling "And the same to you" when he doesn't get what "the same" m ight be.

Not necessarily. Often it's a deal from the manufacturer to move cars. Sometimes there is a rebate -OR- 0%, sometimes not. 0% financing is a very common hook that usually costs the buyer nothing. Often there is a kickback from a bank, which you can get the dealership to add into the deal. Take the loan to make the deal and pay it off the first month (BTDT).

Obviously you have to dance their dance, occasionally. Some dealerships are straighter than others and it helps if they know you know the steps to their dance before you start negotiating.

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paid the loan company to lend you the money at zero interest. A much bette r deal is to get a loan with significant percentage interest which the loan company will pay the dealership for sending you to them, enough that they will give you a lower price. Then a month later you pay off the loan. Had a friend who did that, saved a few hundred bucks.

It doesn't matter where it comes from, the trade off is price vs interest r ate. If they are lending you money, it isn't free even if it is at a 0% in terest rate. The other option is to take less money for the car which they often do when they are trying to move inventory. Maybe they didn't offer both options that day, whatever. Point is it isn't free.

ok a girl friend with me to a dealership. Notice how they usually start by asking who will make the decision on the car? I wheeled and dealed until I had the best price I thought I could get, then asked them to pay the tax! They did the "have to talk to the manager" thing a couple of times and ag reed to everything I asked for. The manager shook my hand which was my gir l friend's cue to say, "But I thought we were going to look at the xxxx car first!" and we walked out. lol I am sure they knew they had been had. They've been around the block a few times.

I went with a friend once who wanted a low priced used car. He simply walk ed up to the salesman and said he had $X, what cars did they have at that p rice? He got a straight answer and some told him none. At the end of the day after looking at well over a dozen dealers we returned to the first. T hey had a sign on the wall talking about the mandatory $300 documentation f ee. They never even brought it up. That was just another way of letting y ou think you got a deal on the price and they get back $300.

Rick C.

lked up to the salesman and said he had $X, what cars did they have at that price? He got a straight answer and some told him none. At the end of th e day after looking at well over a dozen dealers we returned to the first. They had a sign on the wall talking about the mandatory $300 documentation fee. They never even brought it up. That was just another way of letting you think you got a deal on the price and they get back $300.

I don't buy from dealers, private sellers are far better value. Maybe thing s are different there.

NT

You're wrong, of course. It often comes from the marketing budget (profit, if you will). If you don't take the deal, you don't have the choice of an alternate, lower price. It's the same thing as using plastic vs. dead presidents. The CC charge is built into the cost that everyone pays. Marketing costs aren't just money thrown down the drain, either. The increased profits more than cover them (they must). Not even mentioning the end-of year marketing deals.

There are crooks everywhere. You're surprised that a used car dealer is shady? Amazing.

It varies (a lot) but dealers have to eat, too.

walked up to the salesman and said he had $X, what cars did they have at t hat price? He got a straight answer and some told him none. At the end of the day after looking at well over a dozen dealers we returned to the firs t. They had a sign on the wall talking about the mandatory $300 documentat ion fee. They never even brought it up. That was just another way of lett ing you think you got a deal on the price and they get back $300.

ings are different there.

I've never seen a dealer off better value than a priate sale.

there's no lack of business costs, all of which the customer pays for. Why pay them?

NT

Y'all're so smart talking about buying cars n shit. Not sure where I was bu t it was around people in their 20s or so, it got around to cars. A couple of them did not know if they bought or leased. I shit you not. All they kne w was how much it was per month, no cares about what they actually owe, whe n they can trade it in without costing them an arm and a half, just $/month .

And, my friend Jack, he was going to a technical school but was older than most in the class. He has a bunch of them over after school one day and Jac k generally keeps a nice house. So they look around and ask him how much a month is all this nice furniture. He says nothing a month, they own it. Say s a couple of them looked like spotlighted deer.

Figure they knew how to tell time ?

but it was around people in their 20s or so, it got around to cars. A coupl e of them did not know if they bought or leased. I shit you not. All they k new was how much it was per month, no cares about what they actually owe, w hen they can trade it in without costing them an arm and a half, just $/mon th.

n most in the class. He has a bunch of them over after school one day and J ack generally keeps a nice house. So they look around and ask him how much a month is all this nice furniture. He says nothing a month, they own it. S ays a couple of them looked like spotlighted deer.

School leavers now don't know a lot of things they need to. If I were in ch arge of the school system, which I never will be, I'd change that.

NT

walked up to the salesman and said he had $X, what cars did they have at th at price? He got a straight answer and some told him none. At the end of the day after looking at well over a dozen dealers we returned to the first . They had a sign on the wall talking about the mandatory $300 documentati on fee. They never even brought it up. That was just another way of letti ng you think you got a deal on the price and they get back $300.

ngs are different there.

Oh? Do you often get 0% financing when buying from private sellers? That was the context of the conversation.

Rick C.

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y-loser.

ey paid the loan company to lend you the money at zero interest. A much be tter deal is to get a loan with significant percentage interest which the l oan company will pay the dealership for sending you to them, enough that th ey will give you a lower price. Then a month later you pay off the loan. Had a friend who did that, saved a few hundred bucks.

t rate. If they are lending you money, it isn't free even if it is at a 0% interest rate. The other option is to take less money for the car which t hey often do when they are trying to move inventory. Maybe they didn't off er both options that day, whatever. Point is it isn't free.

Yes, I see how wrong you can be. It is not at all uncommon for prices to r eflect the use of a credit card. There are no small number of gas stations that charge a higher price when you use one. That's why the sign price is pretty meaningless if you are using a card.

took a girl friend with me to a dealership. Notice how they usually start by asking who will make the decision on the car? I wheeled and dealed unt il I had the best price I thought I could get, then asked them to pay the t ax! They did the "have to talk to the manager" thing a couple of times and agreed to everything I asked for. The manager shook my hand which was my girl friend's cue to say, "But I thought we were going to look at the xxxx car first!" and we walked out. lol I am sure they knew they had been had . They've been around the block a few times.

alked up to the salesman and said he had $X, what cars did they have at tha t price? He got a straight answer and some told him none. At the end of t he day after looking at well over a dozen dealers we returned to the first. They had a sign on the wall talking about the mandatory $300 documentatio n fee. They never even brought it up. That was just another way of lettin g you think you got a deal on the price and they get back $300.

Hmmmm... that's not what I was saying at all. My point was that while they have to let many customers think they are getting a deal, they have ways o f getting the money back. But when my friend was straight with them, they were straight with him.

Rick C.