Recent posts

#1

Off-Topic / Re: Minor things that bother y...

Last post by SEWIGuy - Today at 03:18:17 PM

If I had my druthers, merchants would not be allowed to sell anything with a deferred-redemption component unless the full value of said component were kept available to the customer without expiration.  This would mean:

*  Store gift cards and gift certificates would never expire.

*  Stored-value debit cards would never expire.  (I believe federal regulations already require this.)

*  Loyalty points would remain permanently available to the customer until used up.

*  At any point, the customer could demand the full face value in cash.

If this forced supermarket chains to phase out loyalty programs, I would not shed a tear.

What do you have against supermarket loyalty programs?

Anyway, I am with you until the last point. Why should the store have to redeem the card for cash?

#2

Mid-Atlantic / Re: Francis Scott Key Bridge (...

Last post by vdeane - Today at 03:18:01 PM

If we're gonna go for an uncontroversial name, might as well go for a fictional character.

The Avatar Kyoshi Memorial Skyway?  Although I like the design of Kyoshi Bridge in Republic City better than the cable-stayed mania the US is currently under.

#3

Mid-Atlantic / Re: Francis Scott Key Bridge (...

Last post by J N Winkler - Today at 01:58:24 PM

I think there is a slender possibility that MdTA will want a new name for the Key Bridge replacement just so that the two-letter facility abbreviation, which typically appears in contract numbers, does not match that of a structure that no longer exists.  This would be comparable to how the Thruway Authority (which acronymizes not just major structures but also geographic divisions through which the mainline Thruway passes) uses "GMMCB" to reference the current Tappan Zee crossing.

#4

Traffic Control / Re: Unique, Odd, or Interestin...

Last post by wanderer2575 - Today at 01:57:55 PM

Half guide sign, half assembly in Grayling MI.  What the... ??

Supplemental signage, I would have to guess.

Note the complete assembly a little farther along (lower left corner of the photo).  Why didn't they do that here as well?

#5

Mid-South / Re: April bid openings: $1.09 ...

Last post by J N Winkler - Today at 01:47:29 PM

I've personally never found I-35 over the Red River to be intolerably congested, but it does carry significant volumes for a rural Interstate, and the northern of the two projects under discussion will finally remove the 45 MPH advisory curve at the south end of the bridge.  I've always found it ironic that drivers on this route have to slow down when entering the state that has 75 MPH speed limits on two-lane rural highways.

In a more literal sense the same argument often seems to be made for expanding I-15 from Barstow to Primm. Why should California pay for upgrading a highway that gets people out of the state to spend money. Well, my opinion is because they have an obligation to upgrade the road to keep traffic moving at acceptable levels and keep people on its roads as safe as possible whether they're residents or not.

I suspect California's hands may be tied since there is no plausible way to argue that a project adding lanes to I-15 won't increase VMT and thus be forbidden under current state law.

#6

Photos, Videos, and More / Re: END signs

Last post by wanderer2575 - Today at 01:47:19 PM

Confusing assembly at the northern terminus of Roscommon County 101 at BL I-75 west of Roscommon MI.

#7

Off-Topic / Re: Minor things that bother y...

Last post by J N Winkler - Today at 01:31:04 PM

If I had my druthers, merchants would not be allowed to sell anything with a deferred-redemption component unless the full value of said component were kept available to the customer without expiration.  This would mean:

*  Store gift cards and gift certificates would never expire.

*  Stored-value debit cards would never expire.  (I believe federal regulations already require this.)

*  Loyalty points would remain permanently available to the customer until used up.

*  At any point, the customer could demand the full face value in cash.

If this forced supermarket chains to phase out loyalty programs, I would not shed a tear.

#8

Central States / Re: ODOT proposes retrofitting...

Last post by BigOkie - Today at 12:50:41 PM

Construction appears to be completed; new alignment will start tomorrow.

Note:  this appears to be completed ahead of schedule by a good bit.
Another note:  it does appear to still have some construction working it through June.  Still appears to be ahead if that's the case since the initially plan was early 2025

https://oklahoma.gov/odot/citizen/traffic-advisories/2024/traffic-switches-at-memorial-dr--ddi-in-south-tulsa-monday.html

#9

Off-Topic / Re: Minor things that bother y...

Last post by mgk920 - Today at 12:26:25 PM

A couple money-related ones.  One is the short expiration cycle for rewards points at Price Chopper/Market32/Market Bistro.  The checkouts only give the option to use them when you have more than 500.  You can use them before, but have to specifically request it, so I usually wait until then unless I see that some are expiring.  Well, I somehow missed the thing on my receipts mentioning points expiring (either it's gotten less obvious or I got so used to hitting 500 before this happens that I've stopped checking as vigorously as I should) until I finished checking out today, and now I have a few points expiring by the end of the month with no way to use them in time.

More irritating to me are store gift cards, i.e. actual cash, that expire (how the fudge does cash expire?) or deduct a monthly "maintenance fee" after some number of months after purchase, like they have to take my card balance out for a walk or something.

IIRC, Wisconsin state law does not allow gift cards to lose 'face' value.  Like with postage stamps, they want you to buy them, but never use them.

Mike

#10

Off-Topic / Re: Flag Genealogy

Last post by mgk920 - Today at 12:23:33 PM

The state flag of Hawaii also includes the Union Flag in the top left corner.

As did the flag of the Kingdom of Hawaii before it.

Hawaii post-unification started off firmly within the British sphere of influence. British military advisors helped Kamehameha the Great annex Hawaii's other kingdoms. Later, when an over-eager Brit sought to annex Hawaii, the British government reversed that action and restored Hawaii's independence. Only much later did Hawaii slide into the U.S. orbit.

And, thus, the Hawaii state flag includes the British Union Jack in its design.

Mike