Looking to snatch up a Tangerine Scream 2013 ST w/ 119k miles on it for $10k, should I be concerned about the mileage? Body looks great, leather seats, inside looks clean from the pics. The car has been listed for 31 days at the dealer. The carfax link is below. Looks like great regular maintenance up to 76K miles then it isn't as frequent but maybe they were taking it someplace that didn't report to carfax. https://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory/ar20/_c39rSb_hZiI9e_2C7EHalmBkXwCa7dUoXpFWck3zPUgl17NE4z_zKdWrmWEbmFwDDrsWosUDgCj4lgT0wIACX3cVOOX0P6ak7w

So im just working on fixing my credit now and my debt of 2500 on cc and 600 on another cc should be cleared this month.
Im wondering how to pay off $35,000 of a car i purchased 3 months ago. Currently i was thinking of selling the car and probably saving up for the difference i will end up losing in. When taking the car back to the dealer , i believe it will be way less then what i purchased for it. My current job required a car and that was my reason. But for reasons of financial stability, my age is 28. im looking to get 9000 saved and let this car go. If i can probably find a cheap ride that will be next option w/ cash.
If anyone has a better strategy or an idea for me to follow. Let me know.

Hi all,
Anyone knowledgeable enough to recommend next steps or give insight.
Car has only just ticked over to 70k, however has been in the shop (official Mazda servicer) and been quoted a sum well over $12500k engine partial rebuild for low oil pressure (254kpa, should be 310kpa I believe).
Code for carbon build up within engine apparently.
This is the 3rd time the warning has come up in the 4yrs I have owned it, not oil light or engine light turning on, but the warning for a potential issue (check oil pressure, possible engine damage, check oil level).
Each time it's been sorted, even had it engine recalled and sorted, but always an issue. The response though has always been "well its sorted now".
Car runs a dream though, no knocking noises, doesn't blow smoke, oil level good, no loss of power, nothing. Serviced on avg. 2x/yr too not including times it's been taken due to this issue.
Another Mazda service place reckons it is the oil strainer and this can be cleaned for under $1,000 but no guarantee.
Been offered a very humble sum for parts that will not get me a return trip between two major cities with a bag checked even.
Private sale on TradeMe noting it's faults perhaps? Maybe a mechanic keen to tinker? If it was all good I was told I'd get 10-13k for it.
It ain't scrap, it's just so baffling.

i was exited to grow up
When i was 3 i couldn't wait to be a teen
When i was 3 i desperately wanted the attention of my family
When i was 4 i was exited for big kid school
Whan i was 5 i started big kid school,
Whan i was 5 i started my first long-term relationship with a boy
Whan i was 6 i was in year 1 and spent most of my time with the younger kids
When i was 6 my brother moved to NSW
When i was 6 my sister got in a car acsident
When i was 6 my brother started dating a amazing girl
When i was 7 i had my first kiss
When i was 7 i got glasses
When i was 7 i got diagnosed with ADHD
When i was 7 my sister moved to QLD
When i was 8 i didnt want to leave my school
When i was 8 i got told that my best friend was happy i was leaving
When i was 9 i started at a new school,
Whan i was 9 i made friends in the grade above
When i was 9 i had already made enemies
When i was 10 i had a small group of friends whom we dug holes in the ground
When i was 10 i started to play hockey
When i was 10 my brother moved out and started living at his girlfriends house
When i was 11 i was in my last year of primary school,
When i was 11i ended my relationship with the boy
When i was 11 i was ready and excited to start big school
When i was 11 covid hit like a punch to the gut
When i was 11 my last brother moved out, i was all alone
When I was 12 I started year 7
Whan i was 12 lots many new people joined the school,
When i was 12 my friend group had grown lots
When i was 12 i met my best friend
When i was 12 i dated a girl for the first time
When i was 13 i got my braces off
Whan i was 13 cut my hair short,
When i was 13 i got SA’d
When i was 13 i got my first A
When i was 13 i scored my first hockey goal
When i was 13 the quenteens had finished
When i was 13 i dated another girl
When i was 13 i started a new medication
When i was 14 i stopped that medication and started taking antidepresonts
When i was 14 i went over sees for the first time
When i was 14 i got SAd again by the same person
When i was 14 my brother got engaged
When i was 14 i started therapy
When i was 14 i was unhappy
When i was 14 i thought i was a boy
When i was 14 i started dating another girl
Now in 15
Now Im 15 and i started dating the best boy ever
Now I'm 15 and my uncle might have cancer
Now I'm 15 my brother is a drug dealer
Now I'm 15 and he has been SAing me since the year i was 12
Now I'm 15 and i take a pocket knife everywhere i go
Now I'm 15, and i am scaerd
Scared to grow up
sceard to grow old

I’m aware of astroturfing by MS - this sub is seemingly being more and more propulsed with threads of Chinese EVs, their excellence, sales and queues - am I totally skeptical by thinking it’s propaganda posting?
I don’t mean to seem ignorant and I get they offer great features and decent value - and this sub is very global….
….but I can’t help but feel there is a promotional bent to pointing out these cars, etc

all of my local dealers are asking 10-15k over msrp. Any for sale out there for msrp?

So i was thinking about selling my ford ranger, now im thinking, nah, ill make that bitch my yard truck. this feels very harmonious.
in 2017 i bought it (98 manual 3.0 rwd 145000 for $1750) and intended for it to be my yard truck. ive got a kid, didnt mean for this to be my main vehicle. ended up being my daily driver, and ive put a lot of miles on it. like, 150 to 280 (speed sensors been otu for 4 years, i wouldnt know exactly lmao). i use it for delivery, drive almost 100 miles a day 5 days a week
and now prices are coming back to normal. i see honda pilots and shit with under 140k for under $10k, under $8k. everything except for 4 runners and ridiculous dealer listing, starting to look more normal.
so: im going to get a new car thats not a piece of shit and keep my ranger with a cracked exhuast that sounds loud and monstrous with fucked up seats no speedometer no reverse lights random leaks and all sorts of problems not really worth fixing crazy misfiring that probably needs engine work but never need needs it, ac that goes in and out, oil pan gasket fucking leak, etc etc, as a fucking yard truck and work vehicle.
feels like balance is restored in the world, where i can have a "normal" car and my piece of shit ranger that i hope ill drive to 400k sorry you had to read all that you truly wasted your time by doing so.

I am considering buying a Sienna from a dealer in AZ and bring it back to CA. Window sticker confirms that it’s a 50 state emission vehicle. So I’m sure it will clear SMOG test.
What are some of the gotchas I need to be aware of when buying it out of state and registering in CA? - Will I be able to register it in CA? - What additional checks/procedures would I need to undertake to get it registered at the DMV? - Should the dealer collect CA sales tax during the purchase? Or is that due during registration with DMV? - Should the dealer charge CA registration fee during the purchase? - Does the dealership needs to issue a permit so I can drive the vehicle to CA?
I’m really excited to have found a Sienna but also a bit anxious about this out of state purchase. So any guidance/feedback would help.

9 reasons why Apple stock will fall dramatically after earnings on May 2,2024
At least a 5% further drop from $169 levels.To $160 or lower.
I just cannot see any good news except the fairly bullish open interest on the latest option contracts. But is that enough ?
Even Jim Cramer is quietly bearish as of April 24,2024.
Reason one. Apple had a death cross on March 14,2024.Just over 7 weeks ago. Long time to be under the 200 days moving average .
Current 200 days Simple Moving Average is $181.36 per share.
Current 50 days Simple Moving Average is $173.29 per share.
Current 14 days Relative Strength Index is a 47.33 Definitely not oversold by any means. In the low 30’s it would be oversold and ripe for a strong bounce.
In the case of Apple stock, its 50-day “line crossed below its 200-day line on March 14,2024.
The last time Apple did that was in June 2022, and the stock was already several weeks into a major decline.
The two lines touched again in September 2022 and the death cross expanded from there.
https://www.investors.com/research/apple-stock-aapl-death-cross/
The Death Cross is a technical analysis pattern in the stock market that occurs when a short-term moving average crosses below a long-term moving average.
Typically, the Death Cross involves the 50-day moving average crossing below the 200-day moving average.
This pattern is considered bearish and may suggest a potential reversal of an uptrend, indicating that a stock or market might be entering a period of decline.
Reason two. Apple had a double top of $199.37 in December 2023 and $196.13 in January 2024. This is extremely significant.
A double top is an extremely bearish technical reversal pattern that forms after an asset reaches a high price two consecutive times with a moderate decline between the two highs.
It is confirmed once the asset's price falls below a support level equal to the low between the two prior highs.
The double top pattern is a bearish reversal pattern that can be observed at the top of an uptrend and signals an impending reversal.
The double top chart pattern resembles the letter “M”, due to the two equal highs.
A double top is a chart pattern that signals the end of an uptrend.
Therefore, when the market forms a double top, close out long positions (sell)before prices fall.
You can also take a short position (short sell) to profit from the market's decline or buy put options on the stock.
The double top pattern can be a very profitable and highly predictable price action pattern.Usually dramatic drops over the next 2 weeks to 2 months of the second peak price.
Reason three. Apple broke below its recent double bottom of $167.19 in September 2023 and $165.24 in October 2023.
In April 2024 Apple dropped to a $164 range over 3 days or from April 19 to 23,2024. The 48 to 68 million was not convincing or heavy enough to suggest that a major low had truly formed on Apple stock.
If it was one day,it would be okay. But for 3 consecutive days of $164 range trading is a bit much. Trouble in Apple paradise or further downside coming soon ?
Double Bottom breakdowns on charts are bearish patterns that mark a downside support break.
But you might say the breakdown was only $1.00 or less from last 6 months highs.
Reason four. Apple is below its 20 days moving average of $169.37. Where it has been much of the last 3 months. Apple stock current price is $169.30
Reason five. Apple hit another double top formation recently. Hit $178.67 in March 2024 and $178.36 in April 2024. And more worrisome,it broke the neckline of $167 per share in April 2024. Very bad.
Reason six. Apple’s market share declines in China by 25% year over year according to Canalys Report.
Apple declined the most among the top five, with 10.0 million units, a year-on-year decrease of 25%. Canalys Senior Analyst Toby Zhu commented. Pronounced downtrend. Not a good trend.
iPhone sales spiral 25% in China as Apple drops from first place to fifth. April 26,2024
According to Canalys, Apple saw its shipments in China hit 10 million units in Q1 2024, a decrease of 25% year-over-year.
This gives Apple a 15% share of the Chinese smartphone market, down from the 20% share it held at the same time last year.
https://9to5mac.com/2024/04/26/iphone-shipments-china-q1-2024-decline/
https://canalys.com/newsroom/china-smartphone-market-Q1-2024
With the continued expansion of the HarmonyOS ecosystem, Huawei emerges as the third OS for smartphones and other edge computing devices, breaking the two-horse race of Android and iOS in Mainland China.That is a big deal.
Apple is expanding its manufacturing outside of China. Definitely a good thing.
But can the India manufacturing and sales help overcome the 25% China drop in units or iPhones.
Here is a sign of things to come for Apple stock.
For years, eight words were stamped on the back of every iPhone: “Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China.” The slogan illustrated the tech giant’s two power bases: its headquarters in Silicon Valley and the manufacturing giant it had become in the factory of the world.
Apple no longer lists the words on the back of the iPhone. When the company launched a new supplier transparency website earlier this month, the phrase was updated: “Designed by Apple in California. Made by people everywhere.”
Reason seven.
Expected EPS for May 2,2024 is $1.51
The latest earnings whisper is $1.50
Expected revenue for May 2,2024 is $90.61 billion.
The latest revenue whisper is $89.79 billion.
How can Apple meet these earnings and revenue with the huge 25% drops in units in China in its most recent quarter,
Make the revenue shortfall from India and Europe.
According to revenue and earnings whispers,Apple will barely be under expected earnings and revenue.
Based on this, Apple should drop on earnings date.
Unless Apple gives strong guidance regarding AI or Artificial Intelligence during the earnings call.
But what about Apple Watch sales. And Vision Pro sales. Plus the iCar exit.
Reason eight. Apple Vision Pro sales tank.
According to prominent analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has revised its Apple Vision Pro shipment expectations for 2024 down to 400,000 to 450,000 units.
Apple originally expected to sell as many as 800,000 Apple Vision Pro units this year, reports Kuo, who has accurately broken news on the company over the years due to his supply chain contacts.
The Apple Vision Pro is undoubtedly a flop as of April 2024.When is the last time you heard anything good about it in the news.Disappeared like lightning.
Will the “iCar” Exit Impact Apple Stock.
Why Apple scrapped its autonomous vehicle (AV) project, while iPhone earnings could be a bigger concern. April 12,2024
https://www.morningstar.ca/ca/news/248065/will-the-%E2%80%9Cicar%E2%80%9D-exit-impact-apple-stock.aspx
Apple Watch X: The latest on Apple’s plans for a major design refresh April 24,2024
https://9to5mac.com/2024/04/24/apple-watch-x-design-overhaul/
Are you bearish or bullish on Apple stock. Could a steep drop after earnings begin bigger drops in the SP500 index or SPY ETF.
Reason nine.
Jim Cramer is bearish on Apple stock.
Jim Cramer said on April 22,2024 or on Cramer’s Mad Dash that Apple could hit $160 after earnings report on May 2,2024.
That is a huge $9 drop from current April 26,2024 levels of $169 per share.
Despite all these nine negatives, the options market is extremely bullish for May 2,2024.
The put call open interest ratio is decidedly bullish at 0.57 for the May 3,2024 contracts.
A falling put-call ratio, or below 0.7 and approaching 0.5, is considered a bullish indicator
For May 2024 the put call open interest ratio varies from 0.17 to 0.66 Very bullish.
For June 2024 the put call open interest ratio varies from 0.32 to 0.72 Definitely bullish.
The average investor thinks Apple is headed in the wrong direction. Maximum pessimism.
Morgan Stanley likes Apple stock.
But even suggest that there will be post-earnings weakness and that Apple will significantly lower guidance or a 4 to 7% drop for next quarter.
Buy the dip on tech stocks like Apple and Nvidia ahead of earnings, Morgan Stanley says.
We believe Apple will slightly beat March 2024 Quarter ests, but guide to June Quarter revs/implied EPS 4-7% below Street.
At $165, this appears priced in but in today’s volatile market, it’s a tricky setup.
That said, with Apple’s biggest WWDC ever on June 10th, we’d buy post-earnings weakness. Remain OW; $210 PT.
If Apple drops on opening of May 3,2024 will SPY 1 day options bought on May 2,2024 be a smart play for the next day. Hint.
In other words,will the Apple stock drop trigger a 1% plus drop on the SPY ETF.Very likely.
What say you regards. Listen to the option investors or options money flow.
Or is Jim Cramer right on Apple.

Trying to decide which is the best deal out of these 3 (all 3 same size and engine)
Ariens apex 2022 new $5500 40 miles away Gravely zthd 2023 new $5800 local dealer Gravely zthd 2023 used $4850 25 hours no warranty 140 miles away
Are those even good prices for older models or compared to sales, just started looking and missed the spring sales

So I’d brought a Hyundai Venue from Sanjay Hyundai, 2 months ago. Car is great, I absolutely love driving it. Gave it for its first service on Friday and the car comes back with GREASE STAINS on the passenger side seat. I was infuriated, obviously. Called everyone from the GM to some junior customer support person and was assured that cleaners will come to my house on Saturday and clean the seat. They came on Saturday and “cleaned” the seat and now I’m left with an even BIGGER stain than I started off with.
I literally brought a Hyundai only because their after sales is usually good and they’ve got an extensive network of service centres but this incident just makes me believe that they’re all quantity with no quality. I’ve been assured by the service centre that the car will be picked up today and cleaned AGAIN. Fingers crossed 🤞 Fkn shit show.
TL;DR: Hyundai made my car seats dirty after first service. Do not visit Sanjay Hyundai Pune for service.

I have so much stuff for sale that I'm willing to do deliveries, my car is kinda terrible though and sucks up lots of gas so it has me wondering if I should really do it. I'm thinking of charging at least $10-$40 depending on how far they are but I'm not sure if that would be reasonable. What do you guys think, is that fair? I had someone ask if I can deliver and I asked them I'd need payment first or show proof of funds when I get there and I got ghosted lol but that's the typical fb marketplace flakes. So yeah let me know what you think if you are the buyer or seller in this situation.

To be clear I'm not posting for sale, just need advice on where to start when I post it locally.
I've started thinking about selling my Fit, I want something bigger. I've searched locally to try to get an idea of an asking price. I've found two that are very similar to mine, dealer listings, with about 20k more miles than mine, asking price is $16k. Trade in value calculators say mine's worth about $8k.
Details on my Fit 2017 LX, Silver color, 6 speed manual transmission, 51,000 miles. New battery and tires. I installed window visor vents when I bought it, along with k&n air filters, and a hitch. No damage, single owner
$16k seems ridiculous as that was almost what I paid new. Should I start at 14? 12? 10? This is the first car I've ever had with resale value so not sure where to start.

At the time, I was sitting on the side of the road, on the outskirts of town, across the street from a dive bar that reeked of desperation and depression. And the only reason I wasn’t inside was because I had just been thrown out.
Let me back-up. I’m not gonna tell you my name, but if you live in or near Las Vegas, chances are you’ve heard of me. The king of the strip. The luckiest man in the luckiest city. The guy you want at your table. When I was a kid, it seemed like a harmless quirk; always hitting the ladders and missing the chutes, the perfect draws in Candyland, something for my parents to wow their dinner guests with when there was a lull in conversation. It was around middle school when I realized I could use my luck to my advantage. My school got bit hard by Magic the Gathering fever and while everyone else was doing their damnedest to craft the perfect deck, I was the one who was winning by drawing the perfect card at the perfect time. Made back my lunch money a few times over that year.
College wasn’t my thing, but neither was staying in town; at that point everyone knew to not play any games with me because I’d always end up winning. But I had bigger ambitions. I had gotten a taste for being the victor and now I was hungry for more. So when I turned 21 I hit the road, with a whole new world of unsuspecting people just waiting for me. Hustling isn’t exactly a difficult science; you pretend you don’t know what you’re doing, fold a few hands, then when they raise the stakes and propose a few big money games, you wipe the floor with them and move on to the next town. I lost a few teeth along the way to some sore losers, but with the money I was making it was never too hard to pay for dental work, ice packs, and aspirin.
But that wasn’t enough. I was ready to go big. And the glitzy lights and siren song of jackpots drew me to Las Vegas. Yeah, cliche place, but when you have my luck, the old adage “the house always wins” doesn’t mean jack. That’s when I started making real money, putting my luck to good use full-time. Every pull of a lever, push of a button, throw of the dice… it all came my way. Sure, I got a bad hand or a crap throw often enough, but by the end of the night I always left with more than I started. First few months I was there, I got dragged into back rooms to be interrogated by a bunch of stiffs in tight suits more times than I could count. They were convinced I was cheating. But they never found anything on me: no extra dice, no hidden cards, no cameras, nothing. I told them the truth; that I was just lucky. They didn’t like that answer, but with no proof, they would send me on my way, telling me not to come back for the day. I learned to pace myself: switch up where I was gambling each night, don’t win too much, stop when the dealer was starting to sweat.
Even with those restrictions, I was making more than enough to not just survive, but thrive. Got a nice little penthouse at the top of one of the hotels, spent my days gambling and my nights partying. Slowly, people started to learn my name, follow me around, and want to get close to me. They all were hoping to sap up a little bit of my luck. And the crazy thing? They did. When I was at their table, suddenly everyone’s hands were coming up in their favor. I watched grown men fight over the chance to sit at the slot machine next to mine. I wasn’t just a great gambler, I was the great gambler. The guy who got whispered about when I walked by. The Luckiest Man In Vegas. Hell of a title.
In the back of my mind I always thought one day my luck would peter out. I wasn’t expecting it to be so dramatic.
It started at the poker tables that morning. You know how unlikely it is to get four 2-7 offsuit draws in a row? But there they were, taunting me. The casino always gave me free drinks when I hit a cold streak, but the taste of defeat wouldn’t leave my mouth. Bad day for the tables, I figured, and moved onto the slot machines. Didn’t hit a single payout for an hour. I was starting to sweat; was this some kinda prank by the casino, rigging the games to take me down a peg? Even the lowliest gambler doesn’t have a day this bad. Insulted, I took my business down the strip.
But the next casino didn’t fare much better either. Snake eyes, 0s and 00s, couldn’t hit 21 to save my life. I began to hear the whispers; some of my regular hangers-on, worried that their cash cow was having a dry day. They started moving to other tables, hoping not to catch whatever dark cloud was hanging over my head. After I got two sevens and a lemon, I decided my day would be better spent in bed. It’d give my luck a chance to recharge.
When I swiped my card on the key reader and the light flashed red, I knew something had to be up. I stormed straight down to talk to whoever was working the front desk; I knew them all by name, so getting this sorted out shouldn’t have been a problem. So imagine my surprise to see some new girl behind the desk who didn’t believe me when I told her what was happening. She told me the system said I hadn’t paid my rent that month; I told her I had dropped the check off a week ago, like I always do. There was no record of it in the computer though, and she trusted it more than she trusted me.
Things went south quickly. I suppose I could have just waited for a shift change to talk to someone I actually knew, or given them a call to get this sorted out. But I was already having a bad day, and her attitude was pissing me off. So maybe reaching over the counter to grab her by the hair wasn’t the smartest idea, but the way those two guys the size of tanks grabbed me and threw me out of the building wasn’t called for if you ask me.
I was making a mental note to start looking into a new place to stay when my cell phone rang. It was my bank, telling me that there had been a lot of “suspicious activity” in my account, and that my cards were being frozen until they could sort it out. I definitely turned a few heads on the street with the string of obscenities I screamed into the phone, but I’m pretty sure they hung up on me halfway through; I would have checked, had I not thrown my phone to the ground and shattered it. I checked my wallet to see how much cash I had on me to make it through the day; I really shouldn’t have been surprised to see an empty space where the neat stack of 100’s usually sat.
The rest of the day was kinda a blur; attempts to contact anyone I knew were met with dial tones and busy signals, and in the mood I was in I got stopped from entering all my usual casinos because they said I “looked like I was there to cause problems.” Can’t say I blame them, but it wasn’t doing my demeanor any favors. Do you have any idea how pathetic it is to ask tourists for a little cash to spend at a gas station slot machine? They all thought I was some poor sap in way too deep, rather than the celebrity they should have been treating me like. By the time the sun went down, I had made my way out of town and plopped myself down at the aforementioned dive bar, and their one lowly, pathetic penny slot. I had found a penny in the gutter outside. This was it: the end of this horrible day, the clouds clearing, the path back to being on top of the world. I put the coin in and pulled the lever.
Watermelon. Bananas. Bell.
I stared at the machine. I swear, those stupid little symbols were laughing at me. I saw red, reared my hand back, and punched the machine as hard as I could; next thing I knew, a few of the regulars were hauling my ass out the door and across the street, throwing me into the ditch and telling me to stay out.
And so there I was. Luckiest man in Vegas, sitting on the side of a road. Everything I had in life, gone in the span of a day. No idea on how to get back to where I was… or even if it was possible anymore. My luck had finally run out, and it had run out hard.
That’s when I heard her voice.
“Whoof, you look like you’re having a rough day,” she said.
“Lady, you have no idea how much I don’t wanna talk right now,” I said back. I expected that to be it; people were quick to move on in this city when it was clear you were in no mood. Instead, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye.
“Aw, don’t be like that,” she cooed. She had the tone of someone who wasn’t used to consoling people, but was trying her hardest.
I looked over at my visitor; she had on a sparkling red dress like she was headed for the fanciest club in town—odd given how far we were outside the city—and a matching red derby hat with a wide brim and feathers sticking out the side. You know those old ads you’d see for Vegas with some perfect-looking woman dressed to the nines inviting you to come throw your life away? She looked for all the world like she had just stepped right out of one of those, but with a sincere smile that somehow clashed with the rest of her look.
“What do you want?” I seethed, looking her up and down.
She sat down beside me.
“So, um,” she said, casually scratching the back of her head as she searched for the right words. “I don’t know how to tell you this—”
“Oh my god just say it and go away,” I snapped at her.
She nodded. “Alright. I’m… Lady Luck.”
Judging by her reaction, she noticed my eyes rolling. “Cute nickname. Tell me what you’re selling, so I can tell you no and to fuck off.”
“No seriously! I’m her.” She leaned forward a bit, staring me down intently.
This lady wasn’t gonna leave me alone, I figured. “Alright,” I said. “I’ll humor you a bit. Prove it.”
“Uh…” she mumbled, glancing around. “Kinda hard to prove luck… Oh!” She pointed at the bar across the street, where four people were exiting, three of whom looked like they were about to collapse and one who was clearly ready to end the night. “Okay, see the guy in the gray shirt?”
I nodded. “Designated driver, I’m guessing.”
“Good guess,” she said. “And he’s gonna get rewarded for that.”
Two of gray shirt’s friends had already been piled into the car by him, and he was struggling to get the third to follow suit. Like a cartoon, the friend fell straight down to the ground, leading to a world-weary groan from gray shirt. Just as he was leaning down to help his friend up, a truck passed by with its brights on. As the light hit his car, there was a momentary glint from around the driver’s seat. Abandoning his friend, gray shirt reached towards where the glint was; when he pulled his hand back, I could see the tears in his eyes as he held his clenched fist close to his chest.
“The hell…” I muttered.
“Alonzo lost his wedding ring six months ago,” she said, happily leaning back on her hands and surveying the scene. “If his friends hadn’t decided to go out tonight, if he hadn’t been selected as the designated driver, if Marty hadn’t fallen out of the car at just that moment, if that truck hadn’t driven by at that moment, he might have never found it.” She gave me a sheepish grin. “I’m really proud of this one! Love it when luck can give someone a story to last a lifetime.”
Everything she was saying was absurd. But the way Alonzo was cradling his hand, carefully placing something onto his finger, a smile brighter than any of the lights in the city… I was in enough of a terrible mood to buy it.
“Alright, fine, whatever. You’re Lady Luck. So what?” I said. “You come here to gloat? Brag about ruining my life?”
“Nah, I don’t like bragging,” she said. “I wanna apologize. I’ve been watching, today’s been way worse on you than I expected it to be.”
“Expected?” I looked her dead in the eyes. “You knew this was gonna happen?”
“Well, yeah,” she said matter-of-factly. “It’s my whole job to know. But I figured I owed you an explanation.” She turned to fully face me, sitting cross-legged like she was a teacher in a kindergarten class. “How do I put this… everyone in the world has a set level of luck when they’re born. It determines how likely forces beyond your understanding will intervene to make something happen, for better or for worse. Follow me?”
“No.”
“Yeah, didn’t think you would.” She mulled something over in her mind, trying to find the right words. “Okay, so someone is born, and their luck is ‘zero.’ That means anything in their life that comes down to luck is just that: luck. Complete random chance. But if someone has, say… ‘one,’ maybe they’ll be a biiiiiiit more likely to end up with positive results. Or if it’s ‘negative one,’ a bit more likely to end up with negative results.”
“So our lives are determined by stupid video game stats?” I scoffed.
“Not everything in life; in fact it’s only luck. It’s kinda an intangible, a mystical thing, you know? There’s nothing you can do to increase or decrease luck, it just is.” She gave me that sheepish smile again. “Sorry, I’m really not used to explaining this to people.”
“I can tell.”
“So here’s where things get a bit more complex.” She held her hands out in front of her, trying to diagram something that wasn’t there. “There’s only a set amount of luck in the universe. New luck can’t just be conjured from nothing, it’s gotta be distributed amongst everyone and everything. When someone dies, their luck is spread out among the rest of the world; when someone is born, everyone gives them a bit of their luck. So in general, things stay pretty stable. Got it?”
“I think so?” My inflection reflected my confusion. “Lot to think about, but everyone just has their own luck. Got it.”
“Annnnnnd this is where you and I come in.” She continued to smile; it was starting to get to me. “I’ve been doing this job for a looooong time. I’m good at it, but think about how many living things have ever existed. Having to balance all that luck is tough! And, well… I was bound to make a mistake eventually.”
At the word ‘mistake,’ I felt my eye twitch. “What do you mean, mistake?”
She put her hand on my shoulder like a guidance counselor telling a student they’d never make it to college. “Look, I’ll be blunt: you were born with waaaaaay too much luck. You ended up with more than a city’s worth.”
Hearing her say it was like a gut punch and an eye opener all at once. “Sonofabitch,” I mumbled, looking up at the sky and taking it all in.
“What, are you surprised?” she asked.
“Nah, it just… hits different when you actually hear it from someone.” I didn’t say anything for a minute; I just gazed at the stars above me. She went quiet too, giving me the space I needed. Once I was ready, I had to ask the next obvious question. “So, why today? I’ve been lucky my whole life, and then you come by and take it all away from me in a snap? Just wander on in and treat me to the worst day of my life?”
Her smile faltered; she shifted uncomfortably, clearly not thrilled at the prospect of answering the question.
“Well?!” I shouted at her.
“That’s why I’m apologizing!” She shouted back. “I only noticed the error today, so I had to correct things. And the best way to do that is to rip the bandage off, metaphorically speaking. Take all that extra luck and distribute it among everyone else. But yeah, considering the day you had, that was probably a mistake on top of another mistake, so I owe you an apology. This one is on me.”
I wasn’t sure how to react, but I certainly wasn’t feeling positive about her apology.
“‘On me?’” I said through gritted teeth. “That’s all you got for me?”
“I know I’m not good at this, but I can count the number of people I have had to apologize to on one hand, so please cut me a little slack,” she said.
“Cut you some slack?!” She winced when I shouted. “You ruined my life, then expect me to forgive you? Give me my goddamn luck back!”
“I can’t do that, it wouldn’t be fair to everyone!” She stood up; I quickly jumped up to meet her there. “But the worst of it is over now, you’re basically at zero from now on. I’m already having to break a rule to set things straight, do you know how much worse it would be if I—”
“Zero’s not good enough!” I grabbed her by the lapels of her dress. “You give all of it back right this fucking instant!”
“Let me go!” she yelled.
I saw red. Before I knew what I was doing, I drove my head forward; there was a sickening thud as our heads made contact, and she went down immediately. Blood started to trickle down from her forehead, the same color as her dress. I went into auto-pilot and dropped down.
“GIVE IT BACK!” I screamed at the top of my lungs as I curled my hands into fists and drove them down into her face. “GIVE ME MY LUCK BACK!!”
Over and over and over, I brought my hands down on her. With each hammer, I felt something more give; another vicious crack, another splatter of blood, another tooth flying to the side. By the time a minute had passed and my senses were returning to me, the woman under me was unrecognizable; a red pulp of blood and bone that would make a medical examiner run from the room in horror. I breathed heavily, staring down at what I had just done, at the lifeless figure below me.
And then… she was fine.
She didn’t magically heal herself, her body didn’t reform and attach itself back together, there wasn’t even a spark or a sound. One moment she was a corpse, the next she looked as pristine as she was when she had come to me minutes ago. She stared back up at me, a mixture of annoyance and disappointment on her face.
“Seriously!?” She yelled.
My only reaction was to fall back, trying to process what I was seeing. She casually stood up and brushed dust off of her dress.
“I-I-I, I’m—” I stammered.
“I APOLOGIZED! I was genuinely sorry for what I put you through! I was trying to make good, and you ATTACK me?!” She put her hands on her hips like a disappointed parent. “See, this is why I don’t like talking with people; you’re all such assholes!”
“B…but…” was all I could get out. She reached down and took me by the shirt, pulling me up to my feet. The smile was gone; there was an intensity burning in her eyes.
“Fine. You want your luck back? You got it!” she said. “Boom. It’s yours again, congratulations. But you know what? You only get it for one more week. Then, it’s over. Got it?!”
I wasn’t about to argue with her. I nodded. “One more week, one more bad day, then all this luck stuff is over. Got it.”
She shook her head. “No. I gave you the chance to do it all in one day, and you decide to get all violent.” The smile returned; this time, combined with the look in her eyes, it terrified me. “You thought I ripped the bandage off badly by doing it in one day? Let’s see what happens when we do it in a minute.”
She shoved me away and turned to leave. I hit the ground, the dust kicking up around me.
“W-wait!” I said, scrambling back to my feet. “Can’t we—”
She was gone. There was no indication that anyone had been there besides me. I looked around frantically, but other than the bar across the way, I was alone.
I’m not sure how long I stood in silence, but eventually all I could do was turn back towards Vegas and start walking. No sooner had I done so then the street lit up and a truck pulled alongside me. The driver rolled the window down.
“Heyo, need a lift into town?” he asked. I nodded, and he pushed the door open and patted the seat.
“Thanks,” I muttered as I sat down.
The moment I closed the door the pitter-patter of rain echoed outside the car, turning into a near-torrential downpour in seconds.
“God damn, it’s really comin’ down!” the driver laughed as he turned his windshield wipers on high. “I usually don’t take this road neither, but my usual route’s backed up. Lucky I came this way or you’d be soaked right now, huh?”
That word rang in my head and I nodded again. “Yeah. Lucky.”
When he dropped me off at my hotel, one of the usual workers was at the front counter. He offered me a sincere apology about the mix-up earlier, said that the new girl hadn’t been told about me yet, and that they found my check behind a desk in the back. They left me champagne and a free gourmet meal for the trouble, but I left it out and collapsed into bed. The next day I went to the bank, where I was greeted with another apology; a clerical error was to blame for my cards being frozen, but now everything had been restored. They even increased my credit limit as an apology.
Things returned to normal for me. The dice were hot, and the hands were hotter. My luck was back. I should have been ecstatic.
But I wasn’t. I was empty.
I’ve been in a haze since then. Because every time I hit a jackpot, every time I get a win, every time someone hands me a free drink, I can see her. Out of the corner of my eye, she’s standing there, watching me with that same smile. But when I turn to look at her, she’s gone.
That was seven days ago. I’m sitting in my penthouse right now writing this. Over the last hour, the lights outside my window have faded, leaving the strip looking an eerie black. There’s no noise either. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard Vegas quiet.
A few moments ago, I heard a soft knock at my door and a woman’s laughter.
Lady Luck has come to collect.

For years, it felt like the social media landscape didn’t change much.

New apps came, new apps went, and the last one to really make a dent in the market was TikTok back in 2020.

But in the nine months since billionaire Elon Musk bought Twitter, there has been a flurry of activity — multiple copycat apps have been released as users seek an alternative as the bird app changes under new leadership. The latest rival, Threads, was launched by Facebook-parent Meta and got a stunning start earlier this month.
CNN broke down some of the biggest and buzziest social media platforms — how they work, who they’re for and who runs them.

Facebook … when you’re looking for community (or used furniture)

With more than 2 billion daily users around the world, it’s tricky to describe the stereotypical Facebook user. Some come for Facebook Marketplace, which lets users buy and sell everything from vintage furniture to used cars. Many others come looking for community — whether that’s photo updates from their great aunt’s bridge night, or online groups dedicated to new parents or people navigating health challenges. But some of those communities have created serious issues, including groups that have spread vaccine misinformation or those that used the platform to help organize the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack.

Instagram … when you’re looking to feel envious

What started as a photo-sharing app for friends has morphed into a place where the goal is apparently to try to make yourself look hotter, more fun and more well-traveled than everyone else. Whether you’re looking at “lifestyle” tips from influencers, sponsored fashion or home décor content or photos from your high school crush’s summer Italy trip — it’s all there. That culture can make the platform fun and inspirational, but it’s also raised concerns about the app’s impact on users’ mental health, especially for young girls.

Pinterest … when you’re looking for inspiration

Pinterest lets users easily search for and organize visual-heavy inspiration on a wide range of creative topics. Planting a garden? Planning a wedding? Renovating an old home by hand? This is the platform for you. Pinterest has also been rolling out features to let users shop directly from their feeds.

TikTok … when you’re looking for entertainment

TikTok is no longer just an app for dancing teens, but many people still scroll (and scroll, and scroll) the shortform video app when they’re looking to be entertained. The platform serves up zippy videos on everything from news and book recommendations to comedy and “get ready with me” style makeup tutorials, and sometimes content about conspiracy theories or solving crime.

Snapchat … when you’re looking to chat with friends

Snapchat is generally known as the platform young people use to exchange quick, real-time photos or messages with their friends or family. The photos and chats disappear by default, so the app feels more ephemeral than other platforms designed to help users cultivate an online persona (although some parents and lawmakers have raised concerns about the safety for young people of an app where content disappears). Snapchat is also known for popularizing face-altering filters.

YouTube… when you’re looking for something to watch

The original video-based social network, YouTube has over the years brought the internet hits like “Charlie Bit My Finger,” “Keyboard Cat” and “David After Dentist” and launched countless influencers’ careers. YouTube has in recent years worked to crack down on various forms of misinformation, although it recently rolled back a policy that had prohibited election denialism content. The platform is now trying to take on TikTok with its “YouTube Shorts” short video feature.

Nextdoor … when you’re looking for info about your neighborhood

If you want to gossip about the neighbor who refuses to cut their lawn, advertise a garage sale, seek help finding a lost dog or ask for tips on where to send your kids for summer camp, Nextdoor will be helpful. The platform lets users connect with other people in their immediate geographic area — but please, be nice.

Discord … when you’re looking to play the same game with your friends

This free text, voice and video chat service is known for its popularity with teens and video gamers. The platform, which feels sort of like an evolution from early AOL chat rooms, now hosts community forums for everything from union organizers and hiking groups to meme enthusiasts and people interested in the metaverse. But Discord has also received attention for its dark side, including issues like racist memes, sexually explicit content and, recently, being the site of a major leak of US classified documents.

Twitch … when you’re looking to watch someone else play your favorite games

Imagine YouTube, but where every video on the front page is a live feed of somebody playing a video game. Countless streamers compete for your loyalty on camera as they crack jokes, respond to their viewers’ text chats and try to pull off the most exciting plays. The platform, which has been known to host a politician or two, also promotes video streams devoted to music, art, sports, and cooking.

LinkedIn … when you’re looking to network

Long gone are the days when LinkedIn was merely a place to publicly post your resume and update it only once every few years when looking for a new job. Now, the platform is a place for users to post career updates, share news and, for some, to pontificate on their thoughts about remote working, how to raise venture capital or how to choose the right candidate to hire. Beware of the occasional CEO tearfully discussing their company’s layoffs.

Truth Social … when you’re looking for right-wing political commentary

This alternative, Twitter copycat platform backed by Donald Trump launched last year as a way for the former president to reach his fans after being suspended from mainstream platforms in the wake of the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. The platform remains largely populated by Trump and his associates, as well as other far-right political and media figures. The app also features a range of spammy advertisers, hawking things like a “free guide” for “US Dollar Doomsday” or “purple liquid” that “burns body fat like crazy.”

Reddit … when you’re looking to learn about niche subjects

Billing itself as the “front page of the internet,” Reddit is one of the few remaining social platforms that still feels like a giant watercooler discussion. The platform offers up a veritable smorgasbord of topics users can either flit between casually — a cute chinchilla video here, a literary discussion there — or follow down a deep rabbit hole. Its communities are self-managed, relying on volunteer users to make forum-specific rules and to moderate content. Lately, however, Reddit has alienated some of its users with some unpopular business decisions.

Twitter (aka X) … when you’re looking for what’s going on (for now)

For years, Twitter was a central hub for real-time news. It was a place for ordinary people to read and engage in conversation with celebrities, business leaders and other newsmakers. But the platform has been upended since billionaire Elon Musk bought it last October. He has made a series of controversial changes and policy decisions — such as cuts to staff and restoring accounts of previously banned users, including some neo-Nazis — that have left many users and advertisers seeking alternative platforms. Most recently, Musk did away with Twitter’s iconic bird logo and replaced it with “X” branding.

Threads … when you’re looking for musings from your favorite influencers, celebs and journalists

The latest Twitter competitor, Threads, was launched by Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta. The platform looks a lot like Twitter, with a feed of largely text-based posts — in addition to photos and videos — where people can have real-time conversations. The app attracted a stunning 100 million signups within a week of its launch, although usage has slowed somewhat since. But unlike Twitter, Threads says it doesn’t plan to lean heavily into news content and an influx of Instagram influencers has given it a tamer vibe.

Bluesky Social … when you’re looking for an alternative to Twitter

This Twitter copycat app, backed by Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey, calls itself a site for “microblogging.” It looks nearly identical to Twitter, albeit without key features like hashtags and direct messages. But the app runs on a decentralized network, providing users with more control over how the service is run, data is stored and content is moderated. The app is invite-only, so its audience and feed remain limited, but it gained early traction from public figures looking to spend less time on Twitter, including Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and model Chrissy Teigen.

It seems the time has come for me to move on from my 2002 Impreza 2.5 RS sedan. I have driven this car for 22 years, and am having…to put it lightly…a hard time letting go.
The car is functional (I drive it every day) and has good mileage for its year (140,500), but it needs considerable work. Catalytic converter & exhaust, head gasket, some electrical, wiper motor, not to mention body work where there are dents and rust. I’ve tried to keep up with repairs but at this point the amount of work needed at the shop far exceeds the car’s value. It won’t pass the next emissions test, thus my need to move on.
My question for this group: What do I do with it?
The easiest route is to trade it in. My local Subaru dealer offered $300 “to get it off my hands” which didn’t surprise me. But the sentimental part of me wishes I could sell to someone who appreciates the car and can fix it up themselves.
I know that this yeamodel is rare (bug lights!) and in my experience, admired by those who know Subis. But is it ridiculous to think someone would want to put work & money into repairing it?
This is my first time having to do any of this and I’ve gone down some rabbit holes trying to research what to do.
Thanks for any input!