The Tavern (Phoenix Restaurant)

The Tavern is next to and under the same ownership as Tarbell’s (which was favorably reviewed a while back). The Tavern does not disappoint. The food is delicious, the atmosphere and noise level are just right, the service is excellent, and the prices are reasonable. Parking is fine if you don’t mind valet parking but the parking lot is a bit difficult to navigate. The menu is eclectic, featuring dishes that range from sandwiches and burgers to risotto, lobster, and paella. The bread/toast that comes with many dishes is simply yummy. The Tavern adjoins the liquor/wine shop next door (formerly, Sportsman’s), so you don’t even have to go outside to pick your bottle(s) of wine or beer at better than restaurant prices and have it with your meal with no corkage charge.

Speaking of paella, while the server warned that the metal dish it was served in was hot, the paella itself was so scalding hot that just a little taste of burnt one’s tongue, and it clearly would take an inordinate time to cool down to an acceptable level. The server could not have been more accommodating, offering immediately to allow the ordering of anything else. I was torn because of the time that would take (and not keen on watching other entrees that had been served at the same being eaten) and because the paella looked so good. The server then offered to see if the kitchen could do something about the temperature and took the paella back there. After several minutes, she returned with the paella and its temperature was fine. In response to being asked what the kitchen had done, she said, "I don't know," in a very polite and felicitous way, but with a tint of "don't ask, don't tell."  The paella was delicious. 

Because the meal was so good in every respect, time was taken to write a note to the owner explaining the hot-paella issue. Rest assured, the note was exceedingly complimentary of The Tavern and was offered in a spirit of being helpful, not critical, because clearly something went awry in the kitchen to serve anything so scalding as to burn a customer's tongue, and it was thought the owner surely would want to have heard about it. It was surprising and disappointing to have received no response (at least as of yet).

An added bonus is that you might find that the gentleman seated at the next table looked very much like Grant Woods, and thank goodness for Mr. Smarty, looking him and his wife up on The Google would confirm your suspicion that it was he. This will give you the chance upon leaving, to stop by the table and say, “If you are who I think you are, thank you so much for what you did in the 2018 election,” which will bring great joy to his and his wife's faces.  

Link to The Tavern Website and Menu

Android Phone Check and Test

[Courtesy of Gizmo's Freeware]

Phone Check and Test is a handy tool to check and test working conditions of the main components of your Android mobile device. Upon running the app, it shows you three main functions, i.e., Monitor Phone, a Guided Phone Test and a Phone Test Report, below an overview with online instructions.The Monitor Phone section allows you to check and monitor current usage of the CPU, memory and storage, conditions and usage of the battery, and signal strengths of cellular and Wi-Fi networks.The Guided Phone Test runs a series of automated checks and tests. Many components of the device can be tested and these include: telephony and Wi-Fi network, GPS, NFC, audio, display, touch screen, physical appearance, camera, fingerprint and other sensors, thermal stress, CPU, memory, storage, battery usage, etc.The Phone Test Report lets you email the test results in an html file, which can be viewed in any web browser. This app is free and a must-have if you need to ensure a mobile device works without an issue. It has a $1.99 paid-for upgraded version to remove ads, do more types of tests and set some tests to run individually.

Link to Phone Check and Test Download

How Trump Became President and Stays Popular

I trust loyal readers will forgive me for not understanding how it was that Trump became president. As White House press secretary Sarah Sanders just told the Christian Broadcasting Network, and according to CBN's transcrip: "I think God calls all of us to fill different roles at different times and I think that he wanted Donald Trump to become president, and that's why he's there." You can confirm this for yourself in this YouTube video of her interview (and while the whole thing looks to be 12 minutes long, it's the first thing she says: Link to Video Confirmation  All I can say in self-defense of my ignorance, as most well put here, I didn't know what I was dealing with: Link to Not Knowing What You're Dealing With

Trump's popularity perhaps is due to how he notes that the market (the Dow) continues to break record after record. Here is how Trump touted three Dow milestones:

As he put it yesterday (January 30, 2019): "Dow just broke 25,000," the President wrote after the benchmark index closed up 435 points. "Tremendous news!"

As he put it a year ago (January 4, 2018): "Dow just crashes through 25,000. Congrats! Big cuts in unnecessary regulations continuing."

And has he put in six months ago (July 14, 2018): "The Stock Market hit 25,000 yesterday." "It is all happening!"

Teslas

Our Department of Consumer Automotive Research (CAR) has heard wonderful things second-hand about Teslas, but today was its first chance to do an extensive sit-down interview with an actual Tesla owner whose judgment we trust totally. In a word, the Tesla S is the greatest car on the road and the most fun car ever to drive, even without regard to the thrill of going from 0 to 60 mph in 2 seconds, and that's not a joke. It has 8 cameras to assist in driving (making it the safest car to ride in as you and it drive it together), parking, bringing the car to you by itself so you don't have to open the car door if someone parked to close to you, remembering blocks in parking places so that the car will be raised to avoid scraping them, and an amazing on-board computer/navigation/GPS system that gives the Tesla all the real-time information it needs to get you from here to there and back without worrying about finding or spending any undue time at a charging station. Besides being gorgeous, while it might look like storage is limited, the back seats fold down creating an enormous amount of storage area. Because it doesn't have the gunk that plagues gas-powered cars, it rarely if ever needs service, and because it is so software oriented, it is constantly being updated and, if there is a problem, it almost always can be identified and fixed remotely wherever you happen to be when the problem arises. When we have a Tesla 3 owner to interview we will, but the second-hand reports we have on the smaller and less costly Tesla 3 are equally glowing. The only thing we can find to nit pick about Teslas is some of their colors, but if you stick with dark gray, you will not regret the choice.

Tesla S:  

Tesla 3: 

Pho Thanh (Phoenix Vietnamese Restaurant)

Pho Thanh, located at 1702 West Camelback Road, is a terrific place for delicious Vietnamese food. The place is as informal as can be, the noise level is totally acceptable, the service is prompt, there are napkin dispensers on every table, the water goblets are large, the portions are generous, the parking (front and back) is excellent, and the prices are quite low. It has no website but this link will show you the menu: Link to Pho Thanh Menu

Wealth Tax

As our loyal readers know, we don't do politics here and we don't do tax policy. That said, while we take no position on the "wealth tax" proposals being made as to people who have $50M in assets, other than to say, how can one in any conscience oppose it, we would like to point out that wealth taxes are nothing new. By way of example, local schools are funded in large part by property taxes, and the amount any one pays in property taxes is a function of the value of one's property (otherwise known as wealth). 

I Am the Night (TNT 6-Part Series)

The first episode of I Am the Night aired on Monday (Jan. 28) and the remaining episodes will show over the next six weeks. It's based on a true story, focusing on who might be one of the worst serial killers of all time and his grand-daughter. It's quite weird and creepy, and looks to get even weirder and creepier, and not in a good way. If you want to watch it, you should set your DVR to record new shows and repeats to pick up the first episode. Based on the first episode and the critics' reviews, I shall be passing and not reviewing it further. 

IMDb Link to I Am the Night

Medicare "What's Covered" App

The Medicare “What’s Covered” App, for Apple and Android devices, is very useful to learn what items and services are covered, how to get covered benefits, and basic cost information.  Search or browse in the app Use the app at the doctor’s office, in the hospital, or anywhere you use your smartphone or tablet, even when you’re offline. It will help you understand the health care coverage offered by Original Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance).

Patriot (Amazon Prime)

I'm a bit confused about how many seasons there are and how many episodes in each season. But putting that worry aside, based on the first two episodes that come up for the first season on Amazon Prime, Patriot is a definite watch. It's a suspense thriller, but unlike what one expects from a suspense thriller, namely suspense and thrills, it's also very funny. So, think of it as a suspenseful, thriller, comedy, with good acting, good photography, a good script, and some good laughs. 

IMDb Link to Patriot

Watch Out for LexisNexis Credit Profile Reporting

Many companies that run a credit check on you before opening and account or selling you a car will use LexisNexis to compile the information and give them a report. Based on at least one experience, the LexisNexis report can be wildly inaccurate. Indeed, you can have a stellar credit history without a blemish, and scores from all three bureaus of over 800/Excellent, and LexisNexis might ding you. Thus: (i) even if you have had just 1 residence in the last 13 years and just 6 in in the last 43 years, Lexis/Nexis will report an "undue number of addresses," in part because it will count, for example, a PO Box your employer used in 1993 when you left that employment; and (ii) it will report "too many identities because it will count as different "identities" your complete full formal name, your full formal name with middle initial, your formal name without middle initial, your nickname (such as Gene for Eugene) with your middle initial and last name, and so on). Rest assured, it might not be easy, but if you persevere, dispute the matter with Lexis/Nexis (do it by email not by phone) and dispute the matter with the company, you can beat them both down. Lexis/Nexis will correct their reporting, and the company will send you in writing not only an apology, but a correction of the record.

Self-Driving Car Features You Can Have Now

Many drivers are ready for the arrival of self-driving cars, which will cut down on the frustration and annoyance of having to constantly pay attention in traffic or on long road trips, among other benefits. But while we all know a truly autonomous car could be a decade or more from arriving in dealerships, you might be surprised to discover just how many autonomous features are available right now -- including some in your own car. If you're looking to maximize the autonomous capabilities of your next vehicle, make sure it has some (or all) of the features on our list.

Adaptive Cruise Control

Probably the most common feature on our list, adaptive cruise control has been available on some vehicles, in varying forms, for over a decade. Improving upon the first autonomous driving feature ever (cruise control), adaptive cruise control can adjust your vehicle's speed based on the speed of cars on the road in front you. In many cases, it can even set and maintain a desired following distance. And while some adaptive cruise control systems require vehicles to be traveling at a certain speed before they'll kick in, the best systems can bring a car to a complete stop and get it started again once traffic in front begins moving.

Automatic Forward-Collision Braking

Automatic forward-collision braking is perhaps the most rapidly proliferating feature on our list. While it was considered a novel (and unusual) feature just a decade ago, it's now offered in an enormous range of cars, including some compact and subcompact models with highly affordable price tags. So, how does it work? Although systems vary from automaker to automaker, most forward-collision braking systems detect an imminent frontal collision, alert the driver to the possible accident ahead and quickly apply the brakes in order to ensure the car stops in time. Don't be fooled by forward-collision "warning" systems: Drivers who want the most autonomous technology possible will want a system that automatically applies the brakes.

Automatic Parking

Automatic parking is the latest exciting self-driving feature to find its way into a wide range of vehicles. Like other technologies on this list, the actual workings of automatic parking systems vary from model to model and automaker to automaker, but the general gist is that these systems can decide whether a vehicle is large enough to fit in a certain parking spot and then automatically steer the car into the spot. While some versions only control the steering and require drivers to work the brake and gas pedals, other systems do it all for you -- and some even work in perpendicular parking spots, in addition to parallel ones.

Autopilot

Tesla's Autopilot system is possibly the most advanced autonomous system on the market today. While many automakers are focusing on making sure vehicles remain in their lanes (lane-keep assist), avoid collisions (forward-collision braking) or slow down and speed up based on traffic (adaptive cruise control), Tesla has put together every piece of the puzzle in the best and most useful way possible. The result is near-full autonomous driving -- though the system won't work in some conditions, and Tesla reminds drivers to always keep their hands on the wheel. Still, Tesla's Autopilot system is as close to autonomous driving as you're going to get for the time being.

Lane-Keep Assist

More and more automakers are rolling out lane-keep assist, a new feature that builds on lane-departure warning systems in older models. While lane-departure warning would sound an alert or flash a light to let you know you're drifting from your lane (if you're distracted, for example), lane-keep assist will automatically steer you back into your lane should you start to drift out. While there are a few limitations to lane-keep assist systems -- they won't work if lane lines aren't easily visible, for example -- the technology is an excellent example of increasing autonomous technology in modern vehicles.

Sign Recognition

If you don't know about road-sign recognition, you might be surprised to learn it exists -- but it's available and surprisingly helpful. Road-sign recognition is a tool that automatically views signs on the side of the road and relays that information to the driver. Have you ever wondered what the speed limit is as you drive down the road? A car with a good sign-recognition tool will automatically capture the speed limit and display it for you, so you never have to wonder again.

Steering Assist

Several high-end luxury cars -- like the BMW 7 Series, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Volvo S90 -- offer full steering-assist systems in addition to more common autonomous technologies like lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control. While steering-assist systems from these more traditional luxury brands aren't as comprehensive as Tesla's Autopilot system, and they usually only last a few seconds or a minute before handing control back to the driver, the idea is similar: The car uses all of its sensors and cameras to steer for itself for a certain period of time. While this feature is currently only offered on top-level luxury cars, we suspect it'll trickle down to lesser models in the next few years.

Apps in Case You Have a Car Accident

Here are five cool apps that you must consider downloading, all which would be of great help to cover events from the time of the accident until the resolution of said case:

1. SOSmart

SOSmart is a must-have application, especially in emergency situations, and really works wonders. A driver can open the SOSmart app before hitting the road or in an automatic mode where the app turns on the crash detection monitoring in a moving vehicle.

The SOSmart works by making it easier to alert emergency contacts including first responders, family and friends. The app also displays listings of nearby hospitals and the quickest routes leading to them in an emergency.

Simply put, the app works as a single emergency button which alerts pre-selected contacts after you are involved in an accident.

SOSmart uses GPS to monitor the situation, which means that the app works for the duration of driving. As such, SOSmart may drain much of the app’s battery, so it would best advisable to keep your phone charging.

2. Collision Call

Collision Call an app available in both iOS and Android, Collision Call calls emergency services immediately after you’re involved in a car accident.

Like SOSmart, the app works after it is opened by tracking the driver’s movements while driving or taking the subway or riding the bus. To determine if a crash happened, Collision Call uses G-force measurements, which means that a mere sudden stop will not trigger the app.

It also uses the GPS tracking system which drains the battery in long use.

3. CamOnRoad

CamOnRoad is a free Android-based car accident camera that captures details of a collision. This app transforms your phone into a dashboard camera which is pretty handy as videos are immutable piece of evidence which could be your ticket out in sticky situations.

As a dashboard camera, it records everything that happens while you are driving. This is very helpful in establishing the actual events and could come handy in claiming insurance and seeking indemnity from the erring party.

In fact, many insurance companies accept dashboard camera recordings as evidence to prove no fault in an accident.

A good quality car accident camera with clear recording is a reliable source of information from an insurance standpoint. The video recording of an app like CamOnRoad is an objective observer of the car crash and can straighten up inconsistent versions that might ensue.

4. Assisto

Assisto makes you truly prepared for any accidents, especially true if the insurance provider subscribes with Assisto.

Available in iOS and Android, Assisto allows the insured driver to scan the QR code found in the issued insurance policy card, allowing in the process the app and the subscribing insurance provider to save the personal data of the policyholder before any accident. Thus, after an accident, the driver would only need to fill out the missing information such as the account and course of the accident.

Through the app, you can also attach photos of the car and the crash site with the precise geo-location provided by the smartphone’s GPS. Upon confirmation of the accident statement via Assisto, it will be immediately forwarded to the insurer, with a copy of such statement being sent to the policyholder’s e-mail.

5. AxiKit Accident Report Kit

An instructional app that will guide you after being involved in a car accident, the AxiKit Accident Report Kitis available both in iOS and Android. It promises to be the most effective and efficient app to assist you in preparing accident reports, without making costly mistakes.

The app requires a password which is to be provided by select insurance companies, collision centers and other providers.

AxiKit has an accurate voice recording feature that removes the hassle of typing, which is very tedious, especially after an accident. It also has a satellite map which pinpoints the exact location, date and time of the accident.

After preparing all that is required in the app, the accident report can easily be e-mailed to the insurance company. With its quick e-mail feature, AxiKit also allows convenient information exchange with the insurance company thereafter.

T-Mobile (Repeat Highest Commendation)

Having now been with T-Mobile for 3 months, it would be impossible to come up with a word that adequately expressed how truly great they are in customer service. Their pricing is excellent too, and some of their specials on plans and phones are amazing, but their incomparable service is what really sets them apart. Among other pluses: (i) it typically takes just a couple of minutes or less to get through to a customer rep; (ii) the reps are highly qualified and easy to understand; and (iii) every problem is resolved quickly and accommodations are made whenever appropriate. And most impressive of all, if T-Mobile Financial screws up in a letter it sent to you, and you let T-Mobile Customer Relations know about it, you will get an immediate phone call, an informative discussion on the matter, a commitment from T-Mobile to investigate the matter, and, most important, a correction letter sent with minutes. 

The Informer (2018 HD and 2019 4K, Amazon Prime)

From the loyal reader who brought us the Israeli version of the Good Cop, which is a totally different series than the American version, he or she now brings us The Informer. It's on Amazon Prime. It is different than the movie of the same name to be released in theaters in March. Our hope is that the recommender is not playing with us again by having us fall into the grips of a terrific series only to find out there is another season in the can but not available to see anywhere. All that said, based on the first episode, the Informer is top-rate suspense in the world of terrorism and efforts to thwart terrorism. It is gripping at every turn, even if it's a bit confusing at times. Note that the closed-captioning (which is needed because, among other reasons, the action takes place in London) might be a bit off in the settings, so be prepared to turn off the closed captioning to have the closed captioning actually appear.  

Handling Missed Deliveries

Suppose you ordered something (say Juanita's Green Chile Chicken Pozole) from say Walmart, and while the delivery tracking system showed the order to be delivered, in fact it was not ... it was mis-delivered or just lost. The first thing to do is to call delivery company and report the mis-delivery. Second, contact by email or phone the merchant to report the delivery failure. While how each merchant will treat the issue differs, in the case of Walmart, upon confirming the delivery address, it will either immediately send out a replacement or, if they are out of stock, a refund. If the item shows up the next day, of course Walmart should be notified so that it can reverse the refund. 

The Good Cop (The Israeli Version--Hashoter Hatov) (on Netflix)

The only disappointment with watching all 15 episodes of Season 1 (released in 2015) is that it seems impossible to find Season 2 (released in 2017) anywhere. With that criticism, if you liked Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm, or just like fantastically hilarious stuff, you will love Hashoter Hatov. The characters are great, the dialogue is great, the situations are great, the twists are great, the ironies are great, the surprises are great, and the humor is great. And unlike so many terrific television series, the end does not disappoint. It is one of the best endings in cinematographic history (rivaling the original Italian Job ending) and without a doubt is the cutest endings ever. Enough said. No spoiler here. 

Link to Ending of the Original Italian Job (1969)

Rental Car Tip When Your Car Is in a Body Shop

If your car is in a body shop for cosmetic or repair work, even if you're paying for the work yourself and not going through your insurance company, you often can get a substantial discount on a rental car. By way of illustration, if your car is in Select Auto Body in Phoenix (which does fantastic work), if you rent through Hertz on Camelback, you will pay just $23.99/day plus 15.6% tax which comes to $416 for two weeks. You might even get a better deal from Enterprise, but they might bounce you from rep to rep and not give you the assurance you would like to honor their quoted fare of $382 for two weeks.

That said, you still might do even better with a regular rental if you check at the last minute. For example, when you first realized you would need a rental, you might have reserved with Budget for $440. Then, with a day or two to go before you actually needed it, after getting the auto body rate, you checked with Budget again, and the rate now was $366 plus you get your frequent flier miles and other advantages you would not get with an auto body rate.

Best Rendition of the Nutcracker Ever

If you like the Nutcracker, and have 40 minutes, you will love this! It's not the traditional, but it just might be the best rendition of the Nutcracker ever. Just click on the link below, and then double-click on the Nutcracker square in the upper left, expand to full screen, and enjoy! Or, what's even better, download the link's contents to your computer and then move it to a USB drive, and then plug the USB drive into your television and watch it on the big screen, or just connect your computer to your TV with an HDMI cable. The star's Godparents could not be prouder of the littlest dancer who is the star of the show.

Link to Nutcracker Download

Smart Way to Consolidate Accounts With Index Funds

[Prefatory Note: The following is offered  as something to consider looking at and not as an endorsement]

   

With the passing of John Bogle, who deserves enormous credit and thanks for development of low-cost index funds through Vanguard, this might be a good time to look at your portfolio and decide if it's doing what you want and getting you where you want to go or keeping you where you want to be. In that reflection, it might behoove you to look at Rebalance360, which is a low-cost (through ETF index funds) conservative (through diversification) way to keep consolidate (put them all in one place) and control your investments (you hold them in your name at Fidelity or Schwab) while getting the highest level of ongoing oversight and advice at the same time (through Rebalance360's monitoring) by professionals whose income/compensation does not depend on your investment choices. If you're an investment professional, you're maybe doing what Rebalance360 would do with you. But if you're not an investment professional, Rebalance360 takes the worry out of wondering on a day-to-day basis, "Should I stay with my current allocation or would some rebalancing make sense?" 

Link to Rebalance Website360

From the New Yorker Jan. 14 at 22

Buying a Car Through Costco

[Prefatory Note: The following is reproduced from a Yahoo Finance article. If the links don't work, here is the URL for the article from which the links will work: Link to YF Article

That small Costco membership fee feels like pennies when you start comparing it to the numerous discounts available to Costco customers. Especially when it comes to buying a car. Yes, you can buy your next car through Costco. Like almost every other deal at Costco, the auto program at this wholesale store is quite the steal. It can save you time and worry when choosing a car and a proper dealership. Best of all, it saves you the hassle of trying to negotiate the best price.

That’s right—no negotiating necessary! In order to get you the best price, Costco works with over 3,000 auto dealerships in the nation to determine a fixed, prearranged price. Thanks to this perk, along with many other benefits of the program, Costco has been able to help sell 1 million cars in five years. (Before you make the big purchase, find out which car brands cost the least to repair.)

Although you cannot buy cars directly at Costco, the dealerships they work with are trustworthy. You can see all available models at partner dealerships in your area on the auto program website. Costco is very particular, making sure these dealerships are satisfactory for customers in terms of price, reputations, and even customer satisfaction index scores. Not only will you be getting the best price, but you can rest easy knowing you are working with trusted brands that have been thoroughly evaluated by Costco. That said, here the best and worst car brands for customer satisfaction.

Don't Eschew Walmart.com

Walmart has substantially improved its online system and has 2-day delivery on many items and free shipping for orders of $35 or more. Why it does not have the equivalent of an Amazon Prime membership for free 2-day shipping of everything remains a mystery. But it has excellent pricing and products you cannot find on Amazon or at Fry's, such as, most notably Juanita's Chicken Pozole with Green Chiles.