I’m not religious by any stretch but I just read another reason to avoid the whole issue:

I went to a Lutheran grade school for two years and we were told all about about “this is my blood” and “this is my body” and I don’t remember anyone mentioning that it was symbolic.  I was young and didn’t realize what we were doing at the time.  I know Catholics/Lutherans/etc have a great rationalization behind the whole thing and next time religion comes up I’ll see what “the believers” think.
Sheldon

Hello,

Back in 2002 I bought a new Honda Accord V6 LX. At the time I just graduated college and thought I deserved a new car. I didn’t have much money and was upside down with trading in my old car but I figured my Honda would be with me for 20 years!!!

Well, it didn’t make it much past year 3. After 63,000 miles and less than 4 years, the transmission went out. The shop said I had three options, $2000 for a used one from a junkyard, $3000 to rebuild the old one and $4000 to get a re-manufactured one from Honda with a 5 year warranty (longer than the 3 year/36,000 that came with the car).

I still owed $12,000 on the loan. Add $4000 in more debt and I would be out $16,000. A few thousand more and I could buy a new Accord again!!!

I found out that the 2000 and 2001 V6 transmissions in the Honda Accord were recalled. The dealer said the problem was fixed with the 2002. I disagree.

I let it sit at the shop for over a week. I was in disbelief that my Honda had done this to me, again.

About 2.5 years after my purchase the “brake light switch” went out on my Accord. Again, I was in disbelief. The part only costs like $35 but it was so simple it should have been less than $10. And the install costs would have been over $100 (I did it myself in less than 10 minutes).

Anyway, the Accord again is ranked very high and from my experience I’m not sure why. A friend of mine got a Nissan XTerra the first year it was out and he’s still driving it 100,000 miles later and has never had a major repair.

Sheldon

Hello,

In the November 28, 2005 issue of time there is a “8 Great XBox 360 Games” section. I happen to like the “7 books you gotta read” or “Music this year worth listening too” sections but talking about the eight great XBox 360 is laughable. There were less than 20 games available at the time (okay, I’m not a journalist and I didn’t look up that number but I expect you to) . . . how can 8 be great? Launch titles? No way.

I know you must get this 100 times a day but: How much did Microsoft pay you? Seriously. And I realize that this isn’t something that most people would care about even if you did get paid but it just makes me wonder what can be bought at Time (new product hype) and what can’t be.

I’m not MS hater either. I like Microsoft. They overcharge for stuff but what’s really cool is that there are alternatives that are getting as good or better than what MS has to offer. But I have an XBox and I’ll get an XBox 360 when I have more time to play. But there is no such thing as eight great games for a launch system. You fell into the hype.

Sheldon McGee

Lately it seems like there are Netflix pop-under ads for every website that I go to. What bothers me about all the Netflix ads is that “I’M ALREADY A NETFLIX CUSTOMER!”. If anything, seeing the ads all the time, especially as pop-unders make me want to cancel Netflix and get on with Blockbuster. I tried Blockbuster (and I didn’t cancel Netflix . . . I wanted to give Blockbuster a chance) and it sucked (that was when it first started . . . I wonder how bad it is now?) but at least they’re not shoving it down my throat. But my loyalty means nothing to Netflix.

Anyway, I think something that would be cool would be a way to tell advertisers that you already own what they’re trying to sell and they don’t have to try anymore so they can leave you alone. Of course, they’d use that information for evil and end up trying to sell you something else but still, it seems like I should be rewarded for finally giving in.

For example, Capital One sent me so many offers for credit cards that finally one day I decided to accept the offer simply to stop the junk mail (plus the credit card had the painting “Starry Night” by Van Gogh which is one of the few paintings I recognize (it was one from Academic Decathlon in 93 or 94) . But then guess what? Now they want me to get the MasterCard as well as the Visa. And I even got the MasterCard and now they want me to get a Business Visa. It never ends.

I say one way to fix a few of America’s problems is to stop advertisers. That would help with the obesity problem as well as the consumer debt problem. Sure, it would hurt McDonald’s and credit card companies but who needs them? Tobacco companies are prohibited from advertising on television. The same limits should apply to any product that preys on the health of people (and being in credit card debt *is* bad for your health).

I’ve heard the “Why you need life insurance” spiel enough times that I have come up with an effective defense. This is how it goes:

Life Insurance Salesman: Sheldon, you *need* life insurance?

Sheldon: Why? Did Sarah say something?

LIS: Sarah, oh, no she didn’t say anything but what if you die? Don’t you want Sarah to be taken care of financially.

Sheldon: Sure, but she has a job too. And if I die anytime soon, she’s a pretty girl, she’ll find someone else.

LIS: But for a dollar a day you can have the satisfaction that she’ll be taken care of for a life time. Isn’t that worth just one dollar?

Sheldon: Okay, so for $365 per year I’m may get a $1,000,000 payout in the next 20 years. In 20 years, I would pay in over $7000 and if I don’t die I’m out $7000 plus interest. If I do die, Sarah is a millionaire. Mo money, mo problems. I think I’ll pass.

LIS: But Sheldon, don’t you care about Sarah? Don’t you want her to have a comfortable life? How can you be so crass?

Sheldon: You’re right. From now on when the Powerball is above $300 million, I’ll throw in $20. That’s my obligation. And at least the money goes into an education fund or something for the state instead of contributing to your new Hummer.

I actually has a conversation like that with a LIS. And, the Powerball was over $300 million a few weeks ago and I actually did throw in $20. I lost. And, if I would have purchased life insurance I would be out over $300 this year alone. So far I’d be loosing that bet too.

Sheldon