Categories: "Daily adventures"

Forex frustration

Forex frustration

I've been following the forex rates of the Euro compared to the dollar for several weeks now, since the EUR/USD hit a low point of 1.24 on November 21st (as shown on the screenshot above).

I have all those USD I'd like to convert to EUR but I just can't get myself to do it at the current rate about 1.40. :roll:

All I can do no is hope that when Obama gets into office it's going to boost the USD enough for the difference with the EUR to go back down below 1.3...

Renting a car at LAX airport

Renting a car at LAX airport
American Spirit / Shutterstock.com

I live in L.A. but I don't own my car; I rent it! Furthermore, I actually turn it in every time I fly out to a conference and then get a new one when I fly back. This gave me the opportunity to try out quite a few different car rental companies located at LAX.

First, they all have a shuttle from the airport terminals to their facility. What you need to do when you get out of baggage claim is locate the curb segment that has Purple signs saying "Car Rental Shuttles" and wait for your shuttle there. The other colors are for Hotel Shuttles and parking shuttles.

Here's my experience with several of the car rental companies (Note that I am typically renting Compact cars):

  • Avis: I've had a "dirty car" experience with them in the past. I've been avoiding them ever since.
  • Dollar: probably the best deals on the cars. You can choose your car within a category section. The problem is with the shuttle. You sometimes wait for quite a bit more than the advertised "every 15 minutes". WARNING: After like 20 rentals with them I needed some documents for my insurance and they never sent them to me. Actually, the people who work at their claim dept are either trained to be disingenuous or they are genuinely retarded. Either way, their customer service is an outrage. Don't go there!
  • Enterprise: expensive unless you have a coupon. Car had no wiper water.
  • Hertz: Very expensive
  • Thrifty: Rude front desk. You can choose your car within a category section. Car had no wiper water. Took 20 minutes to turn in the car instead of 2 minutes everywhere else.
  • Fox: Shuttle runs more often than many others. Efficient front desk. Dirtiest car ever; all seats severely stained with God knows what. You cannot choose your car (and you can end up with an ugly PT Cruiser).

I will come back here and edit this post as I rent more cars at LAX.

Follow me on twitter!

Follow me on twitter!

For a long time I thought my life was too interesting to be condensed in 140 character bites.

Then I got keyboard lazy... (Boy do you know how much you can actually do away from you keyboard... especially in L.A.!!! :>>)

Anyways, if you're into that kind of thing, follow me on twitter!

Frenchman in the US

Frenchman in the US

I'm hooked on imported foods and cherry flavored antacids... :(

Blue Man Group

Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group

So, as planned, last time I went to Vegas I actually went to see one of those Vegas shows. I was actually thinking about seeing two: Blue Man Group and Mystère. I only made it to Blue Man Group but that's cool, because I was really intrigued by that one ;)

From France all I knew about BMG was their appearance in the Intel commercials some time ago. I had never really found out what they were really about. Then I've seen some ads for their show every time I went to Vegas and I think in Chicago too...

So I just had to check them out... :P

I did expect something crazy. And it actually exceeded my expectations!

I enjoyed the visual effects they performed live on stage and the loud stomping and music that comes with it. But after a while, the show extends to the whole theater and the audience is part of the show. That's pretty wild and I'd definitely recommend that blue rave over any green carpet blackjack experience! ;)

Now rest assured: as long as you don't sit in the first 2 front rows, you won't get wet or stained or anything.