A consumer thread

Yeah I didn't noticed until you asked and looked it up. Mostly west coast and southwest states. It's really good if you ever get a chance to come to the West
Here on the east coast, Pizzeria Uno is my favorite chain pizza.

Here's a link to the menu if you want to take a look:

 
A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the launch of Venu Sports, the forthcoming joint sports streaming venture from Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney and Fox Corporation, dealing a major blow to the effort.

The decision follows a request by Fubo, a smaller rival sports streaming service, for a preliminary injunction against the forthcoming streamer, halting its launch just weeks before the start of the NFL season.

“It appears to the Court that Fubo is likely to succeed on its claims that by entering into the [joint venture], the [joint venture] Defendants will substantially lessen competition and restrain trade in the relevant market,” US District Judge Margaret Garnett wrote Friday in the preliminary injunction order...

Disney, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery sports streaming venture launch blocked by federal judge in win for Fubo
 

@Lord Guts

Car insurance rates could jump 50% in 3 states. Here's where.​

Aimee Picchi
Updated Mon, August 19, 2024 at 3:32 PM EDT·3 min read
3.3k

There's some bad news ahead for the nation's car owners, with a new report forecasting that auto insurance — one of the biggest drivers of inflation this year — will continue to rise in 2024. In fact, residents of three states could see their coverage rates spike by 50% in 2024.
That's according to a new report from Insurify, a company that provides data about auto insurance rates. The typical U.S. insurance policy will jump 22% this year to an average annual premium of $2,469 by year-end, the report found. That comes after drivers saw their policies jump 24% in 2023, it noted.
The three states where insurance rates could jump by more than 50% this year are California, Minnesota and Missouri, the Insurify report found. Drivers in those states could see their rates rise by 54%, 61% and 55%, respectively.
Auto insurance remains a pain point for consumers after experiencing more than two years of elevated inflation. And even as the overall inflation rate is cooling — the Consumer Price Index dropped to 2.9% in July, the first time since March 2021 it's dropped below 3% — drivers are continuing to see their policy rates rev up, fueled by more climate events that are causing vehicle damage.
"Increasingly severe and frequent weather events are driving up auto insurance premiums," Insurify said in its report. "Hail-related auto claims represented 11.8% of all comprehensive claims in 2023, up from 9% in 2020, according to CCC Intelligent Solutions."
Drivers in Maryland currently pay the highest average rate, at $3,400, for annual full coverage as of June, the Insurify analysis found. Their rates are projected to jump 41% to $3,748 by year-end, it noted. The second most expensive state is South Carolina, with an average policy premium of $3,336 in June. That could rise by 38% to $3,687 by the end of the year.
As CBS News has reported, there are a few additional reasons, aside from climate events, that are driving up auto rates — even if your driving record hasn't changed.
First, the costs paid by insurance providers to repair vehicles after an accident, such as for labor and parts, have increased more than 40%, and insurers are passing those increases onto drivers. Secondly, because lawyers are more often involved in handling accident claims than in prior years, settlements are increasing, which also boosts insurance costs.

U.S. map showing the projected annual care insurance cost changes by state.

U.S. map showing the projected annual care insurance cost changes by state.
Some drivers are avoiding filing claims
The surge in auto insurance rates is prompting drivers to change their behavior, according to a new report from LendingTree.
About 4 in 10 insured drivers who have been in an auto accident or incident have skipped filing a claim with their insurance company, its survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers found. About one-quarter of drivers who filed a claim said they later regretted it.
Drivers who avoided filing a claim said they did so because the damage was minimal or the deductible was higher than the cost to fix their vehicle. But another 42% said they skipped an insurance claim because they didn't want their rates to jump.
"Once you've been involved in an accident of any type, insurance companies see you as riskier to insure," LendingTree auto insurance expert and licensed insurance agent Rob Bhatt said in a statement. "Your rates will eventually come down if you avoid claims for three to five years, depending on your insurance company. But you're going to feel a financial squeeze until then."
Still, Bhatt said it's typically worth filing a claim if the repairs will cost a few thousand more than your deductible, even if your rates subsequently rise.
"The whole point of having car insurance is to prevent an accident from leaving you in financial hardship," he said.
 
@jlaff @Lord Mayo I'm upgrading my play system should I go XBoX or PS?
You know I'm a big PC guy, but I'd go PS5 if you must go console. I have one. Haven't played it in nearly 2 years. But it at least has some exclusives you won't see on Xbox. Everything on Xbox is on PC or PS5.
 
@jlaff @Lord Mayo I'm upgrading my play system should I go XBoX or PS?
I have the newest xbox, it's pretty sweet. I have no preference really. I got it because a friend got one and it looked good. Also at the time it was a really good match for gaming with the 4K TV I picked out. I had a Ps3 back in the day it was solid.
 
I have the newest xbox, it's pretty sweet. I have no preference really. I got it because a friend got one and it looked good. Also at the time it was a really good match for gaming with the 4K TV I picked out. I had a Ps3 back in the day it was solid.
I've been alternating between PS and Xbox throughout the years right now I have an Xbox so may switch this time around we'll see
 
@jlaff @Lord Mayo I'm upgrading my play system should I go XBoX or PS?

i have an Xbox X/S but dont use it that much, my son has taken over the 75" tv and xbox.. im more of a PC gamer

PS5 has some pretty good games tho i hear that are exclusive to PS5
 
For our Canadian friends, McDonald's has something new for you (and it could eventually come to the U.S., too):



After months of anticipation, McDonald's is finally introducing the Big Arch - its biggest burger to date.

McDonald's first announced its plans to introduce the Big Arch at its annual investor meeting in December 2023 in response to overwhelming customer demand for heartier burgers that are both flavorful and affordable.

This long-anticipated addition was originally being test run in select countries, but is now available in select countries including Canada and Portugal.
'We have heard our guests loud and clear and understand they are looking for a bigger, burger on our menu, and we are excited to bring this new global menu item to Canadians,' said Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald's Canada.


'This satisfying burger combines the familiar McDonald's flavors our fans know and love with some unique new ingredients, including a tangy new burger sauce created for the Big Arch specifically...'

McDonald's finally reveals launch of the Big Arch - its biggest burger ever
 
that was FANTASTIC! this dude rocks. getting me to watch a video that long isn't easy. he did it !
HE does a podcast with several other vets called The Unsubscribed Podcast. A lot of good, and funny, content. On one he talked about his desire to teach history in a way that makes the viewer want to learn, and I think he has done that.

Plus, his anti-communism rants are epic and spot on.
 
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