Lovebirds (2020 on Netflix)

A loyal reader might recommend Giri/Haji as excellent, and it likely is, but if you load it up and don't enjoy the mass murder in the first scene, and if you speak fluent Japanese and so realize some of inaccuracies of the subtitles, you won't be disappointed if you exit out and watch Lovebirds instead. It is a silly story for sure, but wonderfully-acted and fast-paced, focused around an endearing couple, and it has more surprises than you might expect. Put shortly, it's a really fun escape movie, and who doesn't need a really fun escape movie right now. Especially one, as this is, involving a murder mystery. 

IMDb Link to Lovebirds

Stop! Don't Throw That Away

[Prefatory Note: I recently was shocked to learn about things people I knew whom I respected actually threw away. The Failing NYT printed an article on Sunday stolen from practices I've long advocated in that regard, but did not have the nerve to put it online. Here is a summary of foods some wastrels shamelessly dispose of in the trash bin that readily can be re-purposed]

1. Scallions: Put the white bulbs and their roots in a glass of water, changing the water daily, and in a week you will have new green stalks.

2. Carrot Tops: Put them in a glass of water, change the water every few days, and marvel at what you'll have sooner than you think.

3. Stale Bread: Wrap the stale bread in a clean dish towel and whack it with a rolling pin, and then use the crumbs in pasta dishes or meatballs.

4. Eggshells: This one is too complicated. But when you throw away the egg shells, do NOT put them in the disposal--they are disasters for disposals. Throw into trash.

5. Lemon and Orange Peels: Cut the peels into thin strips with scissors, add the strips to a pot of boiling water, leaving them for 25 minutes, remove them and rinse with cold water into a colander, then fill a pot with equal parts of fresh water and sugar and bring to a boil, and add strips for 20 minutes until the peels look clear, then remove them and toss the peels in a bowl of sugar, and let them dry out. Bon Appetite!!!

Creating Space in a Mini-Freezer

Many loyal readers, who like us are not blessed with more freezer space than we know what to do with, have apparently gone with our suggestion to get a 1.1 cf mini-freezer (as shown below). They actually hold more than one thinks, but, here's a tip to increase the real capacity by up to 18.5%. Instead of storing things like frozen pizza (as shown below) and pesto tortellini (as shown below) in their boxes in the mini-freezer, take them out of the boxes first. If you don't know the preparation instructions, just append a blue sticky note with the temp and time needed to prepare. 

 

The Message Biden Needs

Biden should not talk in paragraphs. He should talk only in simple sentences (no compound or complex sentences). He doesn't need any plans or policies. He just needs to memorize a simple message that he can remember and not deviate from it. Here is such a message: I am not Trump. I believe in science and I will unleash science to beat the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare us for the next one. I will appoint Ben Bernanke Secretary of the Treasury to work with Powell and I hope a Dem Congress to bring the economy back. I will repair our standing in the world. I will stay off Twitter and speak to the country only when appropriate. I will be the opposite of everything loathsome and corrosive that Trump is. I will do everything the opposite of what Trump would do. I will not forge my presidency based on lies, non-sense, and corruption.

How to Turn Off Proximity Sensor on Samsung Galaxy S8 and Newer Samsung Models

Can't be done. Very annoying. Almost as annoying as lack of blinking notification light. Why Samsung eliminates great features when it comes out with newer phones remains a complete mystery. We have complained bitterly. They're not listening. 

PS: The one thing to try is to increase your Display Time-Out. If I make or take another phone call, I'll see if that does the trick.  

Blow the Man Down (2019 Amazon Prime)

An Amazon Original movie, with a really good cast, and good acting, but the story is so contrived and a bit complicated that some viewers will just give up. There's a murder involved, efforts to solve and cover it up, a look into the steamy and bawdy past of a small fishing village, an investigation into the murder, some theft, some double-crossing, some inexplicable stuff, and more, along with very pretty scenery especially the shoreline. It's a little slow at times. I'm guessing many loyal readers will like it because of the intrigue and the darkness of the plot, but if you don't, don't blame me.

IMDb Link to Blow the Man Down

Pasta Recommendation: DeLallo

DeLallo pastas are yummy (provided you follow their strict cooking instructions and add a good home-made sauce), and will bring out raves. Sprouts has a couple of them; Fry's and Whole Foods apparently not. The DeLallo website is out of many but also has many (and various other products as well) with low-cost shipping.

Link to DeLallo Website

How Houses of Worship Should "Re-Open"

The Washington Post, from which the below picture was taken, had an excellent piece entitled, "Emptied by Coronavirus, Churches Convert Their Sacred Spaces Into Food Pantries." WAPO likely had been reading my emails. Although I was given no credit for this idea (which is no problem given that I pride myself on never seeking credit and doing virtually all my good works anonymously), here is what I did suggest in an email when one house of worship asked me for guidance on how it should re-open:  “I don’t think we should focus yet on re-opening our house of worship in terms of people and the choir coming here for services. Instead, I think we should focus on how our house of worship might best re-dedicate itself to its eleeymosynary mission of helping those who need help and whom we can help. Put another way, rather than focus on a physical re-opening of our building, we should focus on a spiritual re-opening of our religious callings and duties.” 

Link to Piece from WAPO

Link to CYE Clip About Anonymous Giving

Plea to Dr. Fauci: Make Peace With History

Text of letter to the Failing NYT: "Dr. Fauci, could you please level with the American people, and tell us what you told President Trump back in January as to what was coming with the coronavirus and what needed to be done. The American people deserve to know. History deserves to know. Truth deserves to know. And your legacy deserves to know."

Stock Market's Rise Explained

There are as many explanations for the resurgence of the stock market as there are market observers: the market is looking through the pandemic to the big economic rebound coming on the other side; the market is not the economy; a vaccine will provide the biggest goose ever to the market and no one wants to miss that; none of the traditional valuation metrics (e.g., price/earnings) matter any more because there no more earnings; inflation is dead for the foreseeable future because interest rates will remain at near zero or lower as far as the eye can see; the federal reserve has signaled that it will flood the markets with cash and back-stop even junk bonds so that liquidity problems will be ancient history; and Congress ultimately will continue through cash infusions and infrastructure projects keep demand up. Actually, though, there is one and only one explanation: The belief by anyone buying or owning stock that, if and when that person might want to sell the stock, the stock will be worth at least as much if not more and definitely not much less than it is today. And, as long as that belief holds, the stock market should do just fine.

HBO MAX

Why any company after watching Boeing's debacle with the 737 Max would brand its product Max is anyone's guess, but that's what HBO did with its new streaming service--HBO Max (they didn't check with us). This link will explain if you get HBO Max for free and otherwise how to get it: Link to cnet Article Cautionary note: I tried reading it but it kind of gave me a headache especially after just being told that, as an apparent result of lobbying by a loyal reader and her co-conspirator, Hulu is being added to our paid services and I'm not to be heard from on the matter.

Zoom Fatigue: Science Explains

Everyone now painfully knows about Zoom Fatigue. As it turns out, there is a scientific explanation. If you'd like to read about it, this link (or putting the title into The Google (without quotes)) will take you to the WSJ article entitle, "Why Does Zoom Exhaust You? Science Has an Answer": Link to WSJ Article

Handling the Pandemic Part 2: Are We Doomed by Our Collective Cassandra Syndrome?

[Prefatory Note: If you do not wish to read the following post, just note this: We didn't have to have 100,000 deaths and 1,7M infections. If are scientists and our government (federal and state) had done what other countries did, we would have had fewer than 5,000 deaths and fewer than 20,000 infections. If we repeat the mistakes we made going into a second wave or spike of the first wave, Katie bar the door]

There is no question that some countries did not handle the pandemic well, leading to higher infection rates and deaths and more substantial economic damage than others. There also is no question that some countries (Germany, Korea) and cities city/states (Hong Kong, Singapore) did handle the pandemic well, leading to lower infection rates and deaths and much less economic damage than others. There also is no question that the United States's handling of the pandemic as measured by infection rates and deaths and economic damage is at the very bottom. There also is no question that the difference between the top and the bottom performers was not a matter of luck or geography or demographics or any such externality--it was the result of better  planning and earlier and stronger intervention and mitigation and testing and contact tracing. 

All that said, on the one hand looking back does no good. The past, as is said, well, it is what it is. On the other hand, if the experts are correct, the United States is going to face a second wave in the Fall if not a spike in the first wave even sooner. So, here is the question: Is there any reason to believe or even hopeful sign that can be pointed to that, when our "second at bat" or "mulligan" or "redo" or "make-up test" or whatever you want to call it comes, we will do any better than we did the first time? Put another way, is there any reason to doubt that the Cassandra Syndrome is not ingrained in our culture?

[PS: A version of this will be submitted to the Failing NYT, but it is too long to be accepted for publication. However, it is not too long to be passed on by the letter editors to the columnists, so look for the same thought said better in the coming days]

Two Insurance Savings to Consider

Re Cars: Given how much less you might be driving, consider exploring with your insurance company the savings you might get by raising your deductible(s) and by eliminating your collision coverage (which you can always put back on).

Re Home: Given that you might not be leaving your home unattended, consider exploring with your insurance company the savings you might get by raising your deductible(s).

How to Visit Family Without Flying or Driving by Car

Many loyal readers and others and even members of our staff have no intention of getting on a commercial airplane until there is a vaccine,* and some of our loyal readers and others and even members of our staff find it daunting to shell out $12,000 for even a short one-way private charter flight and $20,000 and up for a longer one. Driving any distance for a visit poses its own obstacles as to where to eat, where to stay, and facilities. 

While an earlier post talked about renting an RV (or what we now like to think of as a motor coach) for a vacation, we are thinking now of renting a motor coach as a way to visit family. Even the most expensive motor coaches are affordable and there are motor coaches that would suit many that easily affordable for most people. The key point is, unlike traveling by car, you don't have to worry about where you stop to eat or go to the restroom or sleep. You just need to plan a little as to where your overnight stops will be. When you think about what you have spent in other years on family and other vacations and such, and what you are not spending this year, while you might have reason to not opt for the motor coach mode of transport, cost should not be one of them even if you shower yourself in motor coach luxury.

Link to Motor Coach Rental in Phoenix 

Link to Detail and Pictures of the 2016 Thor Motor Coach 45LT

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     * A loyal reader pointed out that airlines' assurances of not filling middle seats do very little to protect you from the people in the near rows behind you or across the aisle.

Facial Expressions re American Sign Language (ASL)

Many loyal readers and others have asked us what's with the facial expressions exhibited by those doing the contemporaneous signing for governors and others we see so often on TV these days. Frankly, we were shocked by these inquiries and appalled by their apparent ignorance. In American Sign Language, facial expressions are an important part of communication. In fact, the facial expressions used while doing a sign will affect the meaning of that sign. For example, if one signs the word "quiet," and adds an exaggerated or intense facial expression, you are telling your audience to be "very quiet." Similarly, many adjectival or adverbial constructions, such as "angrily" or "flirtatiously" are more clearly communicated with facial expressions. In fine, there is nothing "weird" about the ASL facial expressions as some of our inquisitors seemed to suggest.

Bad Education (2019 on HBO and HBO GO)

Bad Education is based on the true story of the largest public education embezzlement scandal of all time. The story would move along a bit better if some of the sub-plots (that really have nothing to do with anything) were eliminated, but how the twists and turns of the un-coverings of the corruption and the handling will keep your attention. One pang that might befall you upon watching is that, as bad as the rottenness is of the corruption going on here, it is peanuts and child's play compared to the abhorrent corruption going on in Washington, the big difference being that, unlike the miscreants in Bad Education, there is no attempt to, and with the Republicans indifferent and 40% of the country applauding, and apparently no reason to cover it up.

IMDb Link to Bad Education

Prepaid Cellphone Plans: Big Money Savers

[Prefatory Note: If you are on a multi-person shared data plan, there's nothing to see here, move along, stop reading. But if you are the only person on your account, this post could save you a significant amount of money every month which can add up month after month and year after year] 

Unless I'm missing something, if you have your own cellphone line/account and no one else is on the account, you could do very well by switching to a prepaid plan. If you use under 6 GB of data per month, which you likely do, but even if you use more data, the savings can be substantial. Putting aside taxes and fees (which you're paying anyhow), Verizon's pre-paid plans seem to start at $35/month, AT&T's at $25/month, and T-Mobile's at $15/month. If you want to stay with your same provider, you can keep your current phone. On all the plans, you can buy a phone from the provider or bring your own un-locked phone.

Caveat: Just be certain, before switching to a pre-paid plan, that you will be getting unlimited talk and text, and that the data limit and any data overage charge work for you.

Handling the Pandemic: It Did Not Have to Be This Bad

If you had any doubt about how badly the U.S. has handled the pandemic, you might find this article, courtesy of the WSJ, to be of interest:

Cautionary Note re Risk of Telemedicine eVisits

This was sent in by a loyal reader ("LR") who is sheltering-in-place with a significant other ("SO") who has high blood pressure, and the LR has an unfortunate habit of walking into the SO's home office and scaring the SO by making a sudden loud noise, which unfortunate habit the SO has had difficulty extinguishing, until the SO came up with the brilliant idea to tell the LR that, immediate after the last such incident a BP reading was taken and it was through the roof, and that seemed to do the trick. Here's the CAUTIONARY NOTE: If during your telemedical eVisit with your cardiology NP you tell her about your brilliant ploy, unless you are sure your shelter-in-place-mate is totally out of earshot, and you speak too loudly, your ploy might be exposed.

Blocking Calls, Emails, Facetime, and More Incoming Stuff on iPhones

I'm not sure why cnet thought iPhone users don't know how to block unwanted incoming calls and messages, but if you have an iPhone and don't know how, this link will show you how easy it is: Link to cnet Article  I have no doubt Android users understand such blocking involves about 2 clicks per call.

Booking Flights Now Might Make Some Sense

Given what look to be incredible hassles in flying, some people understandably have expressed their intention not to go near an airport or airplane pre-COVID19 vaccine. But we understand others have a legitimate and strong reason for being willing to fly. We looked into private jet charter, and while we are going to continue looking on that front, it looks difficult to get to and back to anyplace of any distance for under about $30,000 per person. On the other hand, the good news is that if you book a flight right now, you can get across country and back, even to smaller airports, in first class for under  $900 each way, with additional perks such as free ticket changes. If there's a second surge of COVID-19, even that might not be an attractive option, but if not, it might be wise to book now say your summer trip.  

Tovala Smart Oven: Worth Considering, But the Breville Might Be Better

The Tovala Smart Oven is amazing. At $299 it's worth considering. At $199 with 6 prepared meals it's even better. It does everything you could want from a table top thing that can steam, toast, bake, broil, and reheat, but what's really cool is that it "knows" just how to cook hundreds and hundreds of frozen foods from your favorite markets, in addition to Tovala's own fresh frozen meals shipped to your door free at about $12/meal, as well as all kinds of fresh stuff with built-in recipies. Spend some time on their website: Link to Tovala Website

If you're not into delivered meals for any reason or just because you are trying to support local restaurants, John Hodgman and his sidekick love the Breville BOV800XL Smart Oven 1800-Watt Convection Toaster Oven with Element IQ. It was well reviewed on Wirecutter. Link to Breville Website

COVID-19: Liability Protection for Businesses? What About for Hospitals and the Rest of Us?

Republicans in Congress and in many state legislatures are looking to pass laws that shield businesses from liability against lawsuits their employees or customers might legitimately have for putting them at risk negligently or intentionally. Here's an appropriate corollary or a stand-alone proposition: What about requiring anyone who goes out or to an establishment without abiding social distancing CDC-prescribed protocols sign a waiver that says: Should I become infected with COVID-19, I waive my right to be treated in any way and direct that no hospital shall admit me for treatment. Or, more simply, to match what the Republicans want to do to shield businesses, a law to protect hospitals and the rest of us that says: No hospital shall be liable for the failure or refusal to treat any person who fails or refuses to abide the CDC protocols as to social distancing, and any person who has failed or refused to abide the CDC protocols as to social distancing is liable for damages for infecting anyone else.

Upload (2020 Series on Amazon Prime)

If you liked Heaven Can Wait or Death Becomes Her, or if you didn't, unless you thought Heaven Can Wait or Death Becomes Her was a stupid movie, based on the first 10 minutes of Upload, you ain't see nothing yet. It's brought to you by the same people who brought you Parks and Recreation, which some people liked better than others did, but even if you liked Parks and Recreation, you too will be ready to give up on Upload within 10 minutes. I have no clue if it turns out to be a great series, after all, the story of the afterlife becoming a wonderful and beautiful place has humor written all over it. 

IMDb Link to Upload

Doomsday Options for the 2020 Presidential Election

The following piece from the Failing NYT explains how a group of worst-case scenario planners — mostly Democrats, but also some anti-Trump Republicans — have been gaming out how to respond to various doomsday options for the 2020 presidential election. Here is the full article: Link to Reid Epstein's Piece in the NYT

Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill (Netflix)

[The review below is of this hour show in its entirety. But the first half of the second half is absolutely some of the best comedy you'll ever see. Actually, it's not comedy. It will produce enormous laughter but, far more important, it speaks truth to marriage. It is absolutely MUST SEE]

Parts of this are great. Other parts suck. You might laugh at the great parts but you also might laugh at the parts that suck. Or vice versa. Put another way, you will certainly laugh heartily at some parts even if you don't laugh at others. But it is possible, depending on your shelter-in-place mate, that you might hear caucus laughing at almost every part. The loyal reader who recommended this did not warn me that might happen. At the same time, don't ever forget one of the more incisive reviews of Seinfeld: Link to an Honest Seinfeld Review

The Metamorphosis of Memorial Day

If you listen to Trump, or even just watch the MSM, you would think Memorial Day weekend is a celebration dedicated to getting out in the sun and partying one's ass off or at least playing golf. Strikingly, you now hear people on the MSM wishing each other a "Happy Memorial Day," which perhaps is not surprising that the world is now a place where a president can wish the faithful a Happy Good Friday and Poland a happy remembrance of their Nazi invasion. Fortunately, the sane and the caring will remember and honor what Memorial Day has always been about and carry the hope that, by next year at this time if not sooner, we will have a vaccine and we will have our government and our democracy back, so that those who did make the ultimate sacrifice in fighting America's enemies shall not have died in vain.

 

Link to Amazing Grace Bagpipes

Change in Amazon Delivery Rating Categories

Whenever you get a delivery from Amazon, you are asked to rate the delivery overall as "great" or "not great" and then to rate the delivery person on several criteria. Until today, one criterion was "friendly." We explained to Amazon that, with deliveries now being no-contact and not even having the doorbell rung, but notification instead by text, that "friendliness" of the delivery person was not appropriate and it was misleading if Amazon's evaluation of the delivery persons knocked off points where the delivery person was not scored as "friendly." We are pleased to report that, as of today, "friendly" no longer is a criterion upon which the Amazon delivery person is rated. Here are the current criteria:

Best In Show (2000)

Some shows from years ago upon re-watching do not seem as good as one remembers them to be. Best In Show is not one of those. It's as good or better to watch again then when watched the first 3 or more times. The cast is fantastic, and if you've been watching Schitt's Creek of late (and if not you are missing something), it's a special hoot to see Eugene Levy and Catharine O'Hara again back then. The pace and monologues/dialogues are pitch-perfect. And Fred Williard would be said to steal the movie except, given the other performances, as he is, and he is fantastic, it's un-stealable. Finally, of great fun, are some of the minor characters, such as the guy who played the doorman in Seinfeld.  

IMDb Link to Best In Show

PS: The movie is free if you have it on an DVD and can find the remote for you  BR DVD player. Otherwise, it's a few bucks to stream on Amazon.

PPS: While some of the praises for the some of the dogs might not be universally held, I can personally attest, as an owner of a Red Bone, that the laudatory comments for the breed are not overstated. 

Opening the Country: If I Were a Governor and How to Handle the "Mask Issue"

It is easy to understand the enormous pressure on the governors in terms of lifting their lock down orders and allowing their states to re-open. That said, here is an easy form order to whom we give permission to every governor to use: "It is proclaimed that, from this day forward until further notice: (i) every stupid person (which includes by definition every Trump supporter) is free to stop sheltering-in-place and go out to any place inside or outside they wish and congregate with as many people as they wish in as close proximity as they wish without social distancing and without any feeling any need to wear a mask; and (ii) every smart person is welcome to remain sheltered-in-place." 

PS: This idea is stolen from a piece in the Arizona Republic: If you are out some place wearing a mask and are accosted by someone who demeans your wearing of a mask and challenges you to remove it, here's what to do: Tell the person that, if he or she will move closer to you, you will be glad to remove your mask to allow you to spew droplets and spit on that person, but he or she should be warned that you have been diagnosed positive with COVID-19 and you just got out of the hospital being treated for it. When the imbecile backs off, feel free to give him or her the old horse laugh and haughty sneer.

Walmart Online

Walmart online with free delivery for orders of $35+ has good prices, often better than Amazon's or Fry's, and often has products not readily available elsewhere, including from Amazon, such as Viva Signature paper towels and Mezetta Spanish Olives Stuffed With Pimentos.