Jack_Handy
| Favorite team: | Alabama  |
| Location: | Sweet Home |
| Biography: | |
| Interests: | |
| Occupation: | |
| Number of Posts: | 109 |
| Registered on: | 4/10/2020 |
| Online Status: | Not Online |
Recent Posts
Message
re: Reminder to keep track of your bank account.
Posted by Jack_Handy on 12/16/24 at 8:14 am
I was a recent victim of what is apparently the latest scam - stealing credit card points. A scammer was able to call Chase enough times that eventually a phone operator agreed to let them change the account password without going through the usual security steps. I was notified of a change to email address which was my first alert. They had already changed my password so had to call Chase to get it resolved. They had already used 1M points to buy 11 iPad Pros from Apple. Thankfully I was able to get it resolved, but official cc fraud protection apparently only applies to actual charges, not necessarily points so kinda a gray area. The Chase fraud rep told me this is the newest scam they are seeing and it is much harder to prevent or prosecute.
0
re: Neighbor's dog barking non stop starting at 5am in their backyard
Posted by Jack_Handy on 9/11/24 at 1:08 pm
Check for any local noise ordinances. Most cities and towns have a law that applies to dog barking. Locally, our law is that if a dog is barking more than 15 minutes out of an hour, that is a violation and can result in fines, etc.
Perhaps inform your neighbor of the law (if you have one), and let them know that if it continues, you will have no choice but to notify the police.
Perhaps inform your neighbor of the law (if you have one), and let them know that if it continues, you will have no choice but to notify the police.
re: St Barts
Posted by Jack_Handy on 7/13/24 at 11:04 am
St. Barth's is definitely worth a visit. We took the plane from St. Martin and while it is an adventure, it was not "scary". It is expensive, but unique. Lots of great hotel and villa options - we stayed at Le Sereno and loved it. The restaurants on the island are amazing - it is French after all. Make sure to rent a car and drive to all the beaches on the island - they are all very different and worth a visit (all are public). All the beaches are topless, and there's even a nude beach if you're into that...
re: Best base for Amalfi coast. ?
Posted by Jack_Handy on 7/13/24 at 10:55 am
quote:
We ended up going with this one. AirBnB. Not technically in Positano but an elevated view of it and within walking distance. Looks like a decent spot from the reviews.
Looks like a great spot - views should be fantastic. You are probably quite close to one of our favorite restaurants, La Tagliata. Definitely worth a trip there for dinner - great food, great views, live music.
La Tagliata
re: Best base for Amalfi coast. ?
Posted by Jack_Handy on 7/13/24 at 12:24 am
We stayed in Positano with our 4 teenage boys in an amazing AirBnB. It was a great place to stay and to do day trips to Amalfi, Ravello, etc as well as to take a boat trip. We also hiked the Path of the Gods and walked down to Positano from end of trail (lots of steps). Link to our rental below - the owner was fantastic - lived in nearby unit and went to school in New Orleans so spoke fluent English.
Positano AirBnB
Positano AirBnB
re: Paris Tour Recommendations
Posted by Jack_Handy on 5/6/24 at 10:16 pm
We did a tour of Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle, a tour of the Louvre, and a tour of the catacombs. I used Viator for some, and Liv Tours for others. Viator just connects you with a tour operator - read the reviews carefully. Liv Tours has always been fantastic everywhere we have used them. We wanted to see the highlights in the Louvre, and didn't want to spend all day so a small group tour was perfect. The catacombs are unbelievable and well worth a visit if you have time. We saw Sacre Coeur and Eiffel Tower on our own, and just walked around different parts of the city.
re: Mountain Brook mom pleads not guilty in crash that killed 10-year-old daughter
Posted by Jack_Handy on 4/28/24 at 5:59 pm
quote:
Accident or not, how can a person not look totally devastated being booked for the death of a daughter?
She wasn’t arrested at the time of the accident - her arrest was 3 months after. She apparently went with her children to the hospital immediately after the accident happened.
re: Blackberry Farm/Blackberry Mountain
Posted by Jack_Handy on 10/18/23 at 8:23 pm
Very expensive, but worth it if you value fine dining and high-level service. We have stayed in the Holly Glade Cottage Suites and they are fantastic for a romantic stay - much more privacy than staying in the main lodge. The spa and activities are extra (also expensive), but are very well done.
re: Need Some Help - Travel Credit Cards
Posted by Jack_Handy on 10/15/23 at 8:40 am
quote:
My wife is a HUGE budget stickler and already doesn’t like the idea of us paying the $95 annual fee for the United card. There is no way she would go for that high of an annual fee for the Saphire unfortunately
You definitely need to look at your budget to decide. However, given the Reserve card's 2 additional points per dollar on travel & dining, and valuing those points at a minimum of 1.5 cents (booking travel through Chase), it only takes a yearly spend of $8300 for travel and dining to pay for itself. Any spend over that is profit. This is not even taking into account the value of the sign-up bonus points or the other additional perks (entry into Priority Pass travel lounges, rental car insurance, reimbursement for TSA PreCheck, etc).
re: Need Some Help - Travel Credit Cards
Posted by Jack_Handy on 10/13/23 at 4:13 pm
Depending on how much you travel and/or eat out, look into the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. There is a $550 yearly cost, but you get $300 annual travel credit which lowers cost to $250 per year if you travel any at all. Some introductory offers may give you 60k-100k points after an initial minimum spend. Booking travel through the Chase portal (run by Expedia) gets you 10x points on hotels and car rentals, and 5x points on flights. Any other travel not booked through their portal gives 3x points. All dining (restaurants, fast food, Door Dash, etc) gets 3x points also. Those add up quick. Chase is a travel partner with United Mileage Plus, so you could transfer those points directly to United later if you choose to do so. If you decide to cancel the Reserve card later, you can move your points to the Freedom Unlimited card and keep them. Also, the Sapphire Reserve has no international fees so easy to use out of country.
My suggestion, since you already have the Chase Freedom, would be to get the Reserve, book your hotel and flights on it and any other future travel and dining. Use your Freedom Unlimited for all other purchases and then move your Freedom points over to the Reserve where they are worth more.
My suggestion, since you already have the Chase Freedom, would be to get the Reserve, book your hotel and flights on it and any other future travel and dining. Use your Freedom Unlimited for all other purchases and then move your Freedom points over to the Reserve where they are worth more.
re: Glacier National Park in October
Posted by Jack_Handy on 8/19/23 at 9:10 am
I have been late September and it was great. According to the NPS website, the main road through Glacier (Going to the Sun Road) typically closes the third Monday of October, but can always close earlier if they get heavy snow earlier. I would say early October would be a safe bet. Mid to late October would be much higher risk of major closures.
re: Park City or Deer Valley
Posted by Jack_Handy on 8/19/23 at 9:07 am
Do you ski or snowboard? Deer Valley is skiing only - no snowboarding. If you're a skier, that is great. Deer Valley also limits the number of lift tickets they sell - if going during a busy time (holiday), it tends to have much shorter lines than Park City does. If going during off-peak times, not as big of a deal.
In terms of ski-in/ski-out Park City proper is very limited. However, the Canyons Village side of Park City has quite a few options. These are, however, further from the Park City Main Street where you find most of the restaurants and shopping.
Deer Valley has quite a few ski-in/ski-out options - mostly in the Silver Lake or Empire areas which are mid-mountain. Deer Valley accommodations tend to be more expensive/luxury than Park City, but there are exceptions. Deer Valley has far less options for dining and shopping than Park City but is a quick 5-10 minute drive or shuttle to Main Street Park City so not far away.
We are skiers and definitely prefer Deer Valley for the smaller crowds/shorter lift lines but typically shuttle into Park City for dinner, etc.
In terms of ski-in/ski-out Park City proper is very limited. However, the Canyons Village side of Park City has quite a few options. These are, however, further from the Park City Main Street where you find most of the restaurants and shopping.
Deer Valley has quite a few ski-in/ski-out options - mostly in the Silver Lake or Empire areas which are mid-mountain. Deer Valley accommodations tend to be more expensive/luxury than Park City, but there are exceptions. Deer Valley has far less options for dining and shopping than Park City but is a quick 5-10 minute drive or shuttle to Main Street Park City so not far away.
We are skiers and definitely prefer Deer Valley for the smaller crowds/shorter lift lines but typically shuttle into Park City for dinner, etc.
re: My outside cat is acting drunk
Posted by Jack_Handy on 7/5/23 at 12:57 pm
Not saying it can’t be an ear issue, but this is common behavior of a cat who has had a stroke. There is not much to offer in the way of treatment, and most will gradually improve. However, many may have some degree of permanent change.
re: Why are Doctors still insisting on masking their clients?
Posted by Jack_Handy on 4/29/23 at 12:15 pm
Some doctor's offices are in hospitals, or on hospital property. If so, they are most likely subject to the current hospital rules. The CDC is still mandating that hospitals require masks based on local Covid positivity rate. It's crazy this is still a thing in 2023, but CDC is nuts. Now, doctors who have private offices who still require masks are just woke and stupid.
re: Are you awake for surgeries?
Posted by Jack_Handy on 3/20/23 at 6:39 pm
She will receive spinal anesthesia which will make her entire leg numb. They will also give her sedation during the procedure so she will probably nap through the entire case and won't remember anything about it. Spinal anesthesia is safe and effective and is preferable in many types of orthopedic cases for older patients. Many surgeons also prefer spinal anesthesia for knee replacement as there may be less blood loss during the case. There is no reason to avoid this type of anesthesia in her situation.
re: Which trip would you choose ?
Posted by Jack_Handy on 3/19/23 at 12:06 pm
quote:
I’m going in June
Sorry - I misread. June is shoulder season so not full on rainy season, but not dry season either. Ideal weather for most of Thailand is December thru March, but those are also the busiest times for that reason. We spent 10 days on the ground in Thailand (not counting travel days) and that was enough time for us to see Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Krabi without feeling rushed.
re: USVI - February/March
Posted by Jack_Handy on 3/19/23 at 11:15 am
That is high season in the area so prices are highest during that timeframe. But, its worth it and the weather that time of year is fantastic. The BVI sailing trip is a great way to see the BVI's. The Moorings is the largest company down there, but there are several others in Tortola area that are equally as good and may cost less. If you have any boating experience at all, sailing yourself (without a paid captain) is very easy to do. We have done this trip several times and never had a problem sailing ourselves - in fact, sailing is a lot of fun to do and we prefer to have the whole boat to ourselves. If you're not comfortable with boating, then hire the captain.
re: Which trip would you choose ?
Posted by Jack_Handy on 3/18/23 at 5:53 pm
I have been to both regions and both are great in their own way. However, September is the middle of rainy season in Thailand. The weather in Bangkok and Phuket areas during this time is very hot and very wet. Yes, you can still go during those times, but you need to understand what the weather will be like. If your timeframe is definitely in September, that would make the choice easy for me - I would do Europe and plan a Thailand trip for the December-March timeframe if possible.
re: What is your #1 place that you would suggest to travel to.
Posted by Jack_Handy on 2/27/23 at 10:01 am
I agree that different countries/islands in the Caribbean are very different and unique and are most certainly not all the same. There are in fact some very beautiful places in Puerto Rico and the ease of travel (not international) can make it very appealing for certain travelers. However,
this is a bad example. St Thomas and St John are VERY different. I would never recommend St Thomas to anyone as a destination, but St John is a paradise.
quote:
I understand the differences between St. John and St. Thomas are few and far between,
this is a bad example. St Thomas and St John are VERY different. I would never recommend St Thomas to anyone as a destination, but St John is a paradise.
re: Just a reminder since Bama fans are deflecting
Posted by Jack_Handy on 2/21/23 at 7:53 pm
This screenshot has made its rounds, but I have yet to see a link to a legit site for this info about the cars being used to block the Jeep. If true, it doesn’t look good. Why just a screenshot of someone’s phone instead of a link to an article by a reputable source?
Popular
24
