Dell Plus 16&quot; Touchscreen Laptop

After watching Texas lose to Ohio State today, I have a question.

How can I enter the fan transfer portal?

I'll consider substantial offers from SMU, Texas Tech, or Texas A&M.

No offense, Wayne, but I would require a higher offer to transfer my loyalty to A&M, and they may need to throw in a couple of hookers.

08/31/25 08:10 AM

#33572

David,

A&M rolled of UT sa 42 to 24.

08/31/25 10:22 AM

#33573

I don't really like Jerry Jones.

However, there is no question in my mind that there are at least 10-15 pass rushing phenom's in the NFL which can be had for 8-12 million a year. It is ridiculous to pay that much for one position besides QB.

He does not change the game that much. One great cornerback is equal to one great pass rusher.

Every team in the NFL has a pass rush that is hazardous to the other teams' QB's.

You get these players for five years. That's about it in the new money NFL and all other sports. Give them a good extension for 5-6 years after their rookie year. If you miss that because they are TOO great, like Micah, you have to take the best offers.

Paying Dak was a mistake. Look at all the QB's available out there. You just need someone who can hit a no look route, accuracy. No one has time to check down on receivers any more. Every game I watch is either a right side, up the middle, or left side pass block collapse...or perhaps all three...

CJ Stroud demonstrated that his first 7 games as a rookie. They decided not to checkdown...just throw the no look pass where the receive, without looking should be. He was accurate in that. Later that year and his second year, they tried the checkdown plan and it was horrible.

Get rid of it quick...Mahomes does it. Extending-the-play QB's don't last long anymore.

08/31/25 05:39 PM

#33574

Friday nightt at dinner I heard this French Song (La Mer / Bryond The Sea) which was translated into English and made popular by Boby Darin

08/31/25 05:56 PM

#33575

I was just thinking about the healthcare system we have and HAVE had for a very long time.

One of the main reasons Obamacare came about was because there were people who had relatives with catastrophic health issues or diseases that would take a middleclass family to bankruptcy, since continuing healthcare for such a catastrophe would drain a family's income down to dire depths. So Obamacare forced a large portion of citizens to contribute money to a pot of money for unfortunate families with these types of problems.

Other people, though, could always check into a county hospital emergency room for all types of care, and those people were not turned away, as far as I have ever heard. So.......we actually DID have healthcare for all people in need, even those who had no insurance, didn't we?

The only thing we didn't have, if I'm remembering properly, is a healthcare pool for those with catastrophic needs.

Seems like we could have come up with a plan for THOSE citizens without Obamacare's form of re-arranging almost every single insurance plan we had for our particular needs, and liked by the way, just the way they were, for the amount of money we wanted to pay. And most citizens received insurance through their employers. Self-employed folks had to arrange to buy an insurance policy on their own.

What am I missing?

Also, I've read that the US funds most of the world's research money for the expensive, scientific experimenting and development of new drugs, while the rest of the world pretty much desires that we continue doing that, with the cost of our current drugs being priced higher than their drugs. They benefit from our research just as much as we do, and without us forking out that money, the whole world would not get the newer, better drug effort that helps us all. Have you read that as well?

08/31/25 11:42 PM

#33576

Jerry May

Jim, Lowell etc..

After giving it careful consideration, I tend to agree for a change with Jones and the Cowboys; and you Lowell!

I saw the attitude in Parsons begin to sour, last year. And there are myriad issues and decisions with Jones. In fact, I will always disagree with bonehead decisions he made in the past, and in the future! He still needs a GM!

But let's face it; the Cowboys are (were) cash strapped! And Micah was not dealing with Jones from a position of strength Here are my observations:

1)Parsons was still under contract for this year. And according to NFL rules, Jones could have franchised him next year, and the following season!

2)There are real question marks on the persistent back issues he has, and hits so hard he frequently gets hurt himself! How many games did he miss last year? And great pass rusher, but had trouble stopping the run.

3)It freed up cap space for the team and we will receive 2 number 1's down the road and we picked up a decent run stopper, in Kenny Clark!

4)Forgot this one. Since he is not in "hitting" shape, if the Pack play him right away he WILL get hurt!

5) The earlier reference to the attitude would eventually create the "Limburger" affect and stink up the rest of the team! ie, Terrell Owens and Duane Thomas!

6) This could be the "straw" that broke the camels back! I couldn't transfer it to here, but did anyone see the last game? There for all to see was Parsons after eating a plate of nachos.....laying on the Cowboy bench taking a nap!

Knowing Jones, I think the optics of that....seriously incensed him! So its probable he was making an example too! NO ONE is untouchable! (find this on you tube, you'll see)

Jones did make a huge blunder in overpaying a mediocre QB! And with his propensity for picking "yessir" coaches, only time will tell whether we're still on our way to 500 of them!

Who knows? Maybe no playoffs, but the team will hopefully play better; as a team!~j

09/01/25 09:39 AM

#33577

Here is the song La "Mer" (The Sea) with English subtitles. Words are different from Bobby Daris's Beyond The Sea

09/01/25 03:26 PM

#33578

Lowell, I agree with your evaluation of Parsons. Too much money.

Janalu, I wish I had a solution for the medical cost situation. Of course, we boomers are sucking a lot of money out of the system, although we paid into Medicare for many years. I suspect that we are going to be rationed out of the system to some extent, e.g. no knee replacement after age X.

Here is a graphic of the largest pharmaceutical companies. The largest four are based in the U.S., and eight of the largest fifteen.

I suspect that you are correct that U.S consumers are financing drug development by paying higher prices.

09/01/25 04:54 PM

#33579

Bob Wainner

Drug Company List:

I'll bet those TOP 5 got to where they are today from selling the COVID-19 vaccine! I read that the normal COVID-9 vaccination costs $250.00. But they didn't get a dime from us, at least with respect to the COVID-19....I've read that experts stated that vaccination changes a person's DNA. I agree. I think those BIG drug companies are ripping off Americans!

Hey Wayne;

Love that French song "La Mer". I first heard it when actor Keven Kline sang it in the movie "French Kiss" when Meg Ryan starred in it with him. Very good movie too.

Yes.....Watched Texas A&M win their game on Saturday. Thought A&M's young QB did throw some great passes. But A&M better get better at defending the run. A&M plays UTAH next Saturday then go up to Indiana to play Notre Dame. We'll just have to wait and see on that one. The reast of the season...A&M has LSU at LSU and the final game is at UT. I really believe UT could have won that game against Ohio State IF the UT Head Coach had allowed QB Arch Manning the chance to play 50% of the games last year....get some good game time experience. I feel Arch will get much better throughout this season! I don't see UT losing anymore games this season...though, I can always "hope" A&M upsets them on that last game.

Walmart & other Grocery Stores:

Anyone notice how COLD it is when you go into a Walmart??? Well, I did some research and learned that I'm not the ONLY person complaining about how "freezing cold" it is in Walmart Stores. Employees and Customers all over the U.S. have been complaining about how COLD it is in Walmart Stores. Even up in Minot, North Dakota the employees have to wear 3 coats during working hours & the Customers up there complain about it too. IMO, if they'd lower the store temperatures to a "reasonable temperature"....they could LOWER the prices of all of the food by about 2%.

09/02/25 09:55 AM

#33580

David. We paid in 1.45% of our salaries...no up limit. Our employers (for me, myself) also paid in 1.45% of our salaries.

I don't pay the 2.9% for my shareholder distributions or profits...just my salary. Rather, my corporation does not pay those.

Do you think that should be different? It sort of puts the whole medicare/medicaid system on the shoulders of the workers.

In essence, there are millions or billions of dollars which go to employees or stockholders (which could be employees) that is not subject to the 1.45 (2.9%) for medicare and medicaid...

stock options, dividends, shares to employees...other things I don't know about...

PS Raise the 2.9%? I bet it would mean salaries among the uppers go down and dividends, stock offers and options, and "other things" go up.

09/02/25 10:20 AM

#33581

In my NFL draft for fantasy, I got Pickens and Jayden Blue...(late rounds)

09/02/25 10:04 PM

#33582

Lowell,

When Medicare started, the tax rate was only .35% (each, employer and employee) on an individual's earned income and it was only assessed on an amount equal to the Social Security wage base, which was less than $10k when Medicare started in the late 60s.

Now it is assessed on all earned income and it is 1.45% from both the employer and employee. Plus, incomes over $200 K get an additional .9% surcharge hit.

Note that big earners pay a lot more into Medicare both on the amount assessed and the percentage applied. Then in retirement they pay higher Medicare insurance premiums than people in lower income categories.

But the higher income people don't get any better Medicare benefits than lower income people.

09/03/25 06:50 PM

#33583

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_crime_rate

I have to chuckle at Chicago mayor Johnson and Illinois governor Pritzker saying that they don't need help with crime because crime rates are down.

Here is a story.

The summer temperature inside Bob and Mary Smith's house has risen to 82 degrees. Mary insists that they call the A/C company to come to the house to see what the problem is. Bob resists. "It's really not that hot, but let me see what I can do." He checks the air filter and finds that it is filthy. He changes the filter. The temperature drops all the way to -- 80. And it stays there.

Mary says, "It is still hot in here! Call the A/C company!"

Bob replies, "We don't need the A/C company. It isn't as hot as it was before!"

-------------

If I were Trump, I would skip Chicago. I'd try Memphis. Republican governor and two Republican senators. Memphis has the highest violent crime rate in the country -- number 200 out of 200. (Note: New Orleans and Baton Rouge aren't listed. Probably resist reporting.)

The mayor is a black Democrat, but apparently is concerned about safety, unlike Johnson and Pritzker. I'd bet that Trump could show some excellent progress there. Memphis's population is about the same as D.C's. It would be more manageable than Chicago and have some political cover

Maybe Dallas's black, converted Republican mayor Eric Johnson should request help. Dallas needs it, and it would give him a national profile.

09/03/25 07:18 PM

#33584

David,

Because DC is Federal te president can call out thr Guard fto do law enforcement for 45 days, The Possie Comandtas law forbids the military from doing law enforcement in the US. A Court in CA has delared Trump sending armed Military into LA was illegal. Trump says the order only applies to CA until SCOTUS upholds the order then he can send troops into other states.

09/04/25 12:39 AM

#33585

I was listening to Gad Saad speaking, tonight, about how the Muslims intend to conquer 'The West.'

He said the Muslims will use three methods they state proudly:

1) We will use the wombs of our women

2) We will use "hizzara," which is the immigration word in their language

3) "We will use your miserable freedom AGAINST YOU, by allowing for your suicidal empathy to mess your brains up with foolish emotions as we consume you----" (as was seen in the reaction of many US people who wanted the Columbia Univ. students to be allowed to continue spewing their hateful speech toward Jewish students around them, since it was considered to be free speech)

Does this surprise anyone?

Is the EPIC Muslim place continuing to build it's complex west of Plano? I haven't heard lately......I know that Gov. Abbott was talking with attorneys about what could be done to challenge them........

09/04/25 01:42 PM

#33586

Bob Fleming

Hi Janalu. (I have ben in Canada for the last 3 monts; got back last night and have been catching up on The Forum). I was interested in your post on the American health care system.

You asked what you Missed." Not much really, but I thought I would give you my understanding.

1. You're right; the largest part of the Anmerican health care system is through employers and the private insurance markets. The first reform under Obama care was an attempt to help Aneircans without private health insurance because thier employers did not provide heatlh insurance and their lower incomes did not allow them to enter the privatemarket. The reform provided premium subsidies to people so that they could enter the private market. It was not just for Americans with catastrophic expenses.

I'm not sure what you meant by the "the rest of us are forced to pay." If you mean that somehow a portion of your paid premiums and/or your paid bills are used to subsidize others, I think that's not correct. If you mean that our tax payments fund the Obama program, Medicaid, and Medicare, you are, of course, right.

2. I do think your comment on health insurance for the very lowest inocme Americans is not complete.

Medicaid is the government health program for lowest income Americans and actually consists of 50 different state programs funded by both federal monies and state monies. The Supreme Court ruled that Obamacare Medicaid expansion could not be made mandatory with the result that all blue states expanded the program in terms of services provided and total numbers served. So did a few red states, though the large majority did not.

I really liked that you picked up on the public or charitable hospital system. In Houston (Harris Health) and in Dallas (Parkland System I think) these systems treat the lowest income residents using federal programs like Medicaid or CHIP but also a portion of local property tax revenue.

However, please know that people are turned away from these systems. In Houston, the system served 25% of those eligible. The money only goes so far. By the way, these public charitable systems are widely acknowledged as getting the best bang for the buck in the country.

At any rate, the Big Beautiful Bill has dialed back significantly the number of dollars appropriated to Obama care refroms - both the premium subsidy for private markets and Medicaid expansion and eligibility.- and the number of people who will participate in them. With obvious results.

As you said, In the end the American system remains the same as always - a mixed system of care

a. largely a private system of employers , employee contributions and insurance companies uisng private hospitals and private doctors to provide services combined with

b. a mixed system of care - a combination of private dollars and signficant public subsidy (Medicare, Medicaid, and Obama care premium subsidy) using private doctors and private hospitals and

c. a socialized system using public money and public hospitals and public doctors to provide services (Veternas Administration, Military health care system, and the Indian health care system.) (Also, Public charitable systems are largely socialized to uisng public hospitals and government employed doctors and federal government and local government taxes)

Two things are true at the same time One, the system is wildy expensive, inefficient and inequitable and its measureable health care outcomes are not as good as in other countries. Two, The system is very, very successful for those that can pay and participate fully in it and its health care marvels are legion (including the fact that most of us on the Forum - who can largely afford it somehow - ARE STILL ALIVE. Praise God.)

09/04/25 03:19 PM

#33587

Hi Bob,

So good to hear from you! Hope your summer in Canada was enjoyable and cool!

My aunt, Mary Jeanes, worked at Parkland Hospital for abour 12 years, and then she worked for the Plano School District as a school nurse, until she retired. When she worked in the emergency room at the hospital, she said they never turned anyone away when care was needed, no matter what the incoming circumstances were. She may not have known about all of the accounting work in their business office, so maybe she was unaware of possible turn-aways, but she was one smart cookie most of the time, and was well aware of almost all of what happened in that hospital. She told of many unbelievable stories around our holiday dinner tables. She also was a traveling Home Nurse, visiting patients' homes for follow-up care, at times.

I also have a niece living in Copenhagen Denmark, and she was telling me about the late afternoon when she went into labor with her third child, the only one born in Denmark. She was saying that she and her husband got to the hospital around 5:00 PM, her labor progressed normally and quickly, so by 8:00 PM, her little son was born, being very healthy and normal. By 10:00 PM, she was released from the hospital and told to go home to rest, since she was said to be stable, as was her son. She and her husband were given a list of instructions to follow for the next 24 hours, and were told to come back to the hospital if any alarming circumstances arose. Fortunately, everything was fine for her and the baby, since her husband stayed awake, checking on her and their new son all night. He was uneasy about sleeping, so he just dozed a little on the sofa, setting his watch alarm for thirty minute intervals. He is a sweetheart kind of guy!

I asked him why the hospital wouldn't allow his wife to stay overnight, just to be sure that all was well, and he said that they release patients as quickly as possible, when the patients are stable, to hold down costs. I'm not so sure that our American system is doing that, but that has not been my experience when I was in the hospital with the births of my kids, and I've not seen that happening with the births of my relatives' kids, either. I DO know that hospital costs are always changing here in our country, and that the bottom line always remains a big factor every day; never ceasing. How to improve all of it is a continuing effort, and a headache for all of us, I suspect.

Hey Bob! Did you see any passing whales this summer, as you read your American and English classics on your front porch? You are so fortunate to be able to go there each year, I think.

Are you still teaching at Univ. of Houston? I'll bet the students are quite fond of you!

09/05/25 08:47 AM

#33588

Bob Fleming

I no longer teaching Janalu. But I did enjoy the 7 years or so that I was at it. I taught social work and classes were routinely 95% women. They taught me a lot and their leadership style and learning style (highly cooperative, much less competitive) influenced me greatly in my own work.

"In regards turning away" at the hospital, i think we are both right. You won't get turned away at the emergency room in a public charitable hospital since it is the last resort and private hospitals routinely "defer" emergency patients to those systems. You will get turned away at the point of entry into the system (the primary health care clinic) since funds are limited. In Harris County, a gold card (the equivalent of a private insurance card like Aetna) is "gold." With that, you are in the system for comprehensive care. Not everyone gets one.

WHALES! For the first time in 20 years of trying, I saw a pod of orcas while riding on a small Zodiac out in the North Atlantic. After 100 trips before we hit paydirt. Thrilled me beyond measure and scared me to death too. They are incredibly fast and formidable and and awesomely fearsome. In Newfoundland, they are routinely called "black sails" because of their large dorsal fins that project out of the water when they are on the surface.

The male leader of the pod of 7 I saw had a "black sail" that projected 6 feet out of the water. As a group they look like an armada of super fast sailboats. We followed them 45 minutes (they were after the tuna) and then . . . they were gone.

Old timers in Newfoundland refer to an orca as a "grampus" (pronounced grumpus). My daughter the literature teacher informed me that the term is used in Melville's Moby Dick (which she teaches annually).

09/05/25 10:12 AM

#33589

Bob,

So interesting that you saw the orcas up close and personal. I think they would have scared me for sure!

Did you know Sharyn Schreiber in high school?

She is a social worker too, and has her own business wlth Dr. Pinney, her associate and husband.

You folks are so kind and understanding to those in need. I admire your desire to help and your patience, as I know my patience would not be sufficient for the work. I think I'm too hard-nosed to be able to guide them to better options for their lives. I'd be wondering why they couldn't find their way on their own, even though I know that all people are at different levels of understanding in their lives, and have probably not had proper guidance in their youth. I suspect your strong, enduring faith plays mightily in your choice of work, as well as your attitude. You seem to me to be a good and faithful servant.

You have my admiration and respect. Sharyn too.

09/05/25 11:31 AM

#33590

https://www.costco.com/dell-plus-16-touchscreen-laptop---intel-core-ultra-9-288v---1920-x-1200---windows-11-home---32gb-ram---1tb-ssd.product.4000362430.html

Is anyone out there knowledgeable in (laptop) computer hardware?

I'm thinking about buying the one linked below at Costco, and I am wondering if it is a good selection. I'd like to stay below $1,000.

Currently have a Dell Inspiron 15 with 11th generation Intel core i-7 -11390H, 16gb of RAM, 1 TB SSD, non-touch screen, backlit keyboard. Three and a half years old.

I am not a power user, video editor, or gamer, but I typically keep multiple apps open and many, many tabs open in Chrome (50 right now). I don't turn it off very often, just put it to sleep. I don't use the battery very often, but would like to have a good battery for when I do need it.

Here is the prospect:

Dell Plus 16" Touchscreen Laptop

Intel® Core Ultra 9 288V (8-Core) Processor
32GB RAM
1 TB SSD
16" Touchscreen FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 300-Nits WVA Display
Wi-Fi 7 (2x2/160) Gig+ and Bluetooth 5.3
Backlit Keyboard with Fingerprint Reader

If you have any thoughts about the one at Costco, please respond here or email me at cordelldm@aol.com. Thanks.

09/05/25 12:20 PM

#33591

My only comment is do you use a touchscreen? I use a mouse and do not have touchscreen features,, but will be getting a new laptop. I need a larger keyboard and screen. 16" is ok. I am shopping for 18 to 20...

I know it will be bulky. And more expensive.

Phone is too confining for me to use as a PC/Laptop...

Lowell

Hey, from what I saw, the pokes didn't look too bad and except for failure to pull off a couple of miracle catches, they could have won...That fumble was a killer. Those drops by CeeDee were rare...or at least having all three of them was...

09/05/25 01:53 PM

#33592

Lowell,

You hit on an issue that I have contemplated. My current laptop doesn't have a touchscreen, but my previous one did. It would be nice to have, but I am not sure how important it is.

I'm not sure 17" laptops are more expensive.

About the Pokes, I turned it off after that missed catch by Lamb with a couple of minutes left. I didn't consider that to be a drop. It would have been an outstanding catch. I thought Dak played well.

Thank goodness that idiot spit on Dak or the score could have been worse. I wish Barkley and Hurts had spit on a Cowboy.

09/05/25 02:07 PM

#33593

Kurt Fischer

David:

I'm also searching for a laptop to replace my wife's current Windows 10 desktop. Microsoft has announced a few measures which will let us stay with Windows 10 for another year, but she would still like to have a laptop.

One feature you didn't mention but I think will be important for my wife's machine will be the ability to support a docking station. They make generic docking stations today that are not costly, but there are limitations based on connectivity. The docking station would allow her to maintain easy connections to certain functions like our printer, a second display screen, speakers, power, etc that she can connect to by plugging her machine back into the docking station.

You might consider this also.

09/05/25 04:31 PM

#33594